As her lips parted in surprise, he rushed on. “I know your husband did you wrong. I know it might take time for you to see I’m not like him. But we’ve got time. The vows I made to you mean everything to me. Not only because we made a deal, but because I’m head over heart in love with you. Can you believe that?”
While Anita gazed into his eyes, hers filled with tears. “I can’t believe you’re saying these things. I can’t believe you love me. I’ve dreamed about you loving me. Because I love you. I’m not sure how or when it happened, but it sure happened fast. And it scared me so badly, I’ve kept it to myself.”
“Because you didn’t know what I felt,” he murmured, understanding completely.
She nodded. “When we made love, it was wonderful. But afterward, you turned away.”
Pulling her closer so his breath touched her lips, he said in a low voice, “I turned away because I didn’t have the courage to face what was happening between us. I didn’t have the courage to hand you my heart and soul. But now I do. Can you believe I’ll be faithful to you?”
Tenderly, she stroked her hand down his jaw and he knew everything was going to be all right.
“I know you’re an honest man and will keep your vows,” she returned with certainty. “I’m head over heart in love with you, too, Tate Pardell. I was on my way home to tell you that. I just stopped here to say goodbye to Ruth. I was going to come home and ask you if we couldn’t come back down here together.”
His arms went around her then, pulling her close, bringing their hearts together. His mouth on hers, he put everything he was feeling into his kiss. When she responded with the same wholehearted fervor, he knew he’d found his soul mate, and nothing on God’s green earth could ever keep them apart again.
Epilogue
Tate’s big dining room table was covered with a green cloth. Plates laden with every Thanksgiving delicacy imaginable sat in front of their guests and members of his family, including his own mom and dad.
Making sure everybody had exactly what they needed, Inez fluttered about. Upon discussion with his wife, Tate had decided to invite Inez to move into the housekeeper’s quarters and be their built-in babysitter. It solved her dilemma of being alone in the world and gave Anita more time to work on her Web site business, as well as spend time with him—quality time.
“Only one helping of everything,” Ruth Sutton warned her husband.
“I made a pumpkin pie suited for anyone on a diet,” Anita told Warren with a grin. “No sugar and low fat.”
“That’s my kind of dessert,” Sandy Finney said with a slow smile.
Her twins, as well as Corey and Jared, were seated at a small table of their own beside the big one, while Marie poked mashed potatoes into her mouth in her high chair.
Tate stood and clinked his spoon against his glass to capture everybody’s attention. “This being Thanksgiving and all, I just wanted to say how grateful we are that all of you could make it.” He gave his parents an extra-long look of gratitude, and they both smiled back.
Pulling Anita up beside him, he went on, “This year, I have exceptional blessings to give thanks for.” With a nod to the small table, he listed those blessings by name. “Corey and Jared.” He pointed to the high chair. “And precious Marie. Most of all, I’m giving special thanks this year for my wife. She’s changed my heart and my life.”
“Oh, Tate,” he heard Anita murmur and saw the happiness well up in her eyes. He simply couldn’t help himself. Before he could partake of the turkey and stuffing and pumpkin pie, he had to partake of her.
Bringing her close, unmindful of friends and family gathered around, he kissed her—a long, slow, sweet kiss that told her how glad he was that she was his wife. Ever since they’d returned from Houston, they couldn’t seem to keep their hands off each other. Ever since they’d come back from Houston, he couldn’t stop telling her how much he loved her and never tired of hearing the same words from her.
“Dad, can you cut the mushy stuff? The turkey’s going to get cold,” Jared complained.
A deep rumble began in Tate’s chest and, when he broke the kiss, he could see Anita was laughing, too. Leaning close to her, he whispered in her ear, “We’ll get to the good, mushy stuff later.”
Reaching up, she brushed his hair over his brow and said, with heartfelt sincerity, “You make me feel like Cinderella.”
“I’m more cowboy than Prince Charming.”
“You’re my Cowboy Prince Charming.”
Hand in hand, they sat once more at the table, a table filled with a family Tate had missed for most of his life.
Squeezing Anita’s hand, he sent up another prayer of thanks and then dug into the meal she’d prepared, intending full well to enjoy every minute of their happily-ever-after.
With thanks to Stella Bagwell for her Texas expertise and her willingness to answer my questions.
ISBN: 978-1-4603-5503-9
TO PROTECT AND CHERISH
Copyright © 2006 by Karen Rose Smith
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*Darling Daddies
†The Best Men
‡Do You Take This Stranger?
To Protect and Cherish Page 15
