Read The Lawman's Little Surprise Online
Authors: Roxann Delaney
The Lawman's Little Surprise (17 page)
“Oh, Morgan,” she said, the tears spilling onto her cheeks.
When she covered her face with her hands, he moved without thinking and took them in his hands. “I need to know.”
Taking a deep breath, she looked into his eyes. “I want to be your wife. I want us,” she said, removing her hand from his to touch where their baby grew, “to be a family. A real family, not one where the husband immerses himself in his work, never sharing the ups and downs of the job or of life, but neither talking about them constantly. I want a partnership, where we help each other through the tough times and grow in both the good and bad ones.”
He nodded, hoping, if given the chance, he could succeed. He knew only that he could try.
“What do you want?” she asked.
He didn't need to think to answer her. “I want to spend the rest of my life with you, however long that might be.” But he wouldn't stop there. This was the time. “If you're willing to have meârisk and allâwill you marry me?”
It was as if the sun had broken through a wall of dark clouds when she smiled. “I think I just might.”
He ached with joy, but he wasn't finished. “And you'll help me when I fail to live up to the kind of husband and father I want to be?”
“I will.”
“And you'll tell me if I'm keeping things to myself about something that's happened or not happened?”
“I will.”
“And you'll marry me?”
Her face glowed with happiness. “I will.”
He pulled her toward him, but she put up some resistance. “What?”
“Will you call Stu and tell him to let us out now?”
He tipped his head back and laughed. “I will.” And then he pulled her into his arms and kissed her the way he'd wanted to from the very first time he'd met her, unrestrained, with a heart filled with love and no fear. They'd be a family, Trish, him and their baby. He'd be the best father he could be, with a little help from Trish. That's all he'd ever wanted, and now it was his. All it had taken was honesty. And love.
“I told you they'd get back together,” Hettie. said.
“Did I ever say they wouldn't?” Aggie replied with an indignant sniff.
Kate sighed. “Oh, hush, you two. Isn't it wonderful?”
Morgan regretfully ended the kiss and turned to look at the three women. “Thanks for the vote of confidence, ladies. I should've known I could count on you.” Holding Trish close, he glanced at the windows where the smiling faces of friends and neighbors were pressed to the glass as Ernie flashed them a thumb's-up. Morgan laughed again. “And that includes everyone in Desperation.”
ISBN: 978-1-4268-6059-1
THE LAWMAN'S LITTLE SURPRISE
Copyright © 2010 by Roxann Farmer.
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