The Cowboy Takes A Slave (Cowboys & Cowgirls) (7 page)

“Wanna go inside?”

Casey could have kissed him for the reprieve. “Yes, lets.”

Colton opened his door and went around to hers. She had never had a man open a door for her. It seemed like a little thing, but it wasn’t. When he opened the door, she smiled. He took her by the waist and placed her on the ground—slowly. Casey could feel the heat from his hands pressed in around her and almost swooned.

Before she fell over, making a total fool of herself, Colton grabbed her hand and then led her up to the porch and into the house.

If Casey was impressed by the outside, it was nothing like the inside. “Holy crap, this is spectacular.”

Colton laughed. “Thanks, my mom was one hell of a decorator. I haven’t done much with the place since. Well, I added a few things, but they’re in my room.” Now it was Colton’s turn to blush.

Colton led her into the spacious kitchen. Cabinets were everywhere. Her own mother would have killed to have a place like this, and then into the living room. Two long leather couches on beautiful teak flooring. The place was a showpiece.

“This is just gorgeous,” Casey whispered. Colton just smiled.

“Would you like something to drink?” Colton asked, as he led her to one of the couches.

“No, I’m fine,” she said nervously.

“Hungry?”

“No, I’m great.”

Colton nodded once more. “Listen, I want to make you an offer…”

Casey looked up, and for some reason all she could think about was when Richard Gere said the same thing to Julia Roberts in
Pretty Woman
. “What kind of offer?”

“Well,” Colton said, then took a deep breath. Now all of a sudden he was a ball of nerves. “I have this place, and I’m…well, I’ve been by myself for a very long time.”

“Yes?”

“There’s something about you, Casey. I knew it as soon as I saw you in the store.”

Casey gasped. Her eyes widened. “What?”

Colton licked his lips and then continued. “Well, this is going to sound nuts, but I’m just going to say it real fast.”

“Tear it off like a Band-Aid, Colton,” Casey prodded.

Colton liked the analogy. “I want a wife. And I want that wife to be you.”

Casey sat looking at Colton like a deer in headlights. She shook her head once then looked at him again. “You want a wife?”

“Yes.”

“You want
me
to be your wife?”

Colton took a deep breath and then said yes again.

“Why?”

Of all the things that he thought she would say, that wasn’t one of them. “As I said, there’s something about you. Something…special. I knew it from the moment I saw you.”

“Like love at first sight,” Casey said, half joking.

“Yes.”

At the sound of his answer Casey nearly fainted. This man, this gorgeous creature with the beautiful home, was offering her a life…with him. “And if I said yes, what would happen?”

“If you said yes, I would take care of you. You would live here; you would never have to work again if you didn’t want to. I could take care of college for you. You would be here with me, we will have dinners together, watch television, tell each other about our day, all the stuff married couples do—have children.”

“Children?” Casey said. Children with this guy would be awesome.

“You do want children, don’t you?” Colton asked, hoping she would agree to this crazy scenario.

“Yes, I do.”

Colton smiled once more, taking her hands in his. “This is a stable life. Sure there are times when things get a little tight, and I do have to work a lot, but with you here, it wouldn’t seem much like work, because I would have someone to come home to. You can still be a nurse, and I promise to do everything husbands are supposed to do, more if you want. There is something about you, Casey, and I really think that if you will have me, you won’t be disappointed.”

Casey thought of all the romantic movies that she had watched over the years and not one could stand up to Colton’s proposal. Casey smiled and looked deep into Colton’s eyes. “Yes. I will marry you.”

Just then Colton stood up, pulling Casey into his arms, the look on his face made her heart pound in her chest. And then, he kissed her. One long, breathtakingly sweet, kiss. And she was gone.

Danielle Lee Zwissle
r
was born in Dover, Ohio. A small town in North East Ohio. Her love of romance and cowboys took over in this novella. She is a big fan of William Shatner, Harry Potter, and all things Harlequin. Her first novel, “Her Last Chance”, debuted in 2010 with Firefly & Wisp
Books. And then shortly after the sequel, “The Art of Seduction” came out.

Other books by Danielle that will be coming out this year:

The Stairs to Andeligh—a Fantasy, will grace the shelves in December of this year.

        Thank you for taking the time to read this book, and don’t forget to review. To learn more about Danielle or her books, please go to her website at:
www.danielleleezwissler.com
or you can visit her author page on facebook at:
www.facebook.com/danielleleezwissler