you’re prepared to ask me to marry you,” she challenged.
Rylan’s eyes darkened and fastened on hers. He dropped another, even more tender kiss on her smiling lips. “I love you. Will you marry me?”
“Are you sure this time?”
“I don’t know.” He gave her another kiss and another, each longer and deeper. “How much do you love me?”
“More than I thought it was possible to love.”
“That pretty well sums up how I feel too,” said Rylan. Then he was sweeping her off her feet and into his arms.
Epilogue
Six weeks later Rylan carried Callie across the threshold of their honeymoon cabin. The Karner house had been remodeled to make an office for her wildlife sanctuary and a private apartment for the newlyweds.
They’d decided to wait until Molly was fully recovered and home again before marrying. The delay had made them both impatient but the time had been filled with a dizzying amount of work and planning.
Callie’s dad was in better health than he’d been in years so he and her mother had come to Wyoming to help plan the wedding. Now they were shopping for a retirement home within easy driving distance of the Masterson ranch.
Rylan and Callie had decided to continue living at the homestead but this was their own little hideaway. After weeks of hustle, bustle and making-do with rare stolen moments of privacy they were ecstatic to finally be alone.
He kicked the door closed behind them and slowly eased her down the length of him. As always the friction of body against body sent sparks shooting through both of them. She kept her arms locked around his neck and stood on tiptoe to give him a long, deep kiss. They drank thirstily of each other, tongues dancing a duet until they were forced the catch their breath.
“I love you, Rylan Masterson,” she murmured against his lips.
“I love you more, Callie Masterson.”
A wondrous smile lit her face. “Callie Masterson. I’ve always loved the sound of it. When I spent all those years in classrooms, I’d find myself doodling a lot. I kept writing that name over and over. Callie Masterson. Mrs. Rylan Masterson.”
A shudder racked his body. It amazed him that Callie could love him as much as he loved her. That she could have missed him so much all those years they were apart. He still had panic attacks about being a worthy husband but he’d vowed to keep her safe and happy. He intended to honor that vow until death.
“And what would you like to do on our wedding night, Mrs. Rylan Masterson? Your wish is my command,” he said as he slowly backed her across the living room toward the sofa.
“Mmm… Let me think.” She pretended to give the question serious thought. Her eyes were wide and beguiling. “How about making love all night?”
Rylan’s answering grin held a wealth of emotion. “I like the way you think.” He eased her onto the sofa, kissing her all the way down.
Then he straightened and gently untangled himself from her grip. She pouted beautifully and his pulse raced. It was a wrench to leave her long enough to move to the fireplace and strike a match to the kindling.
“We might need some heat and light,” he suggested, coaxing the flames into a fire.
Callie took a moment to glance around the cozy room. There wasn’t much furniture, just a sofa, a couple chairs and some throw rugs. But it was perfect, especially in the evening shadows and firelight.
She’d grown to love this house too. “I think I need to thank my realtor again for helping me find this place.”
“The first rule for a new wife is to not talk about any other man on your wedding night,” Rylan admonished, taking a few steps back toward the sofa.
Callie kicked off her heels and stretched out. Propping her elbow on the sofa and her head on her hand, she gazed at him with feigned innocence.
“Is that right?”
“It’s one of Masterson’s rules,” he insisted, slowly toeing off one boot and then the other.
“I assume there are more.”
“The
Rylan’s eyes darkened and fastened on hers. He dropped another, even more tender kiss on her smiling lips. “I love you. Will you marry me?”
“Are you sure this time?”
“I don’t know.” He gave her another kiss and another, each longer and deeper. “How much do you love me?”
“More than I thought it was possible to love.”
“That pretty well sums up how I feel too,” said Rylan. Then he was sweeping her off her feet and into his arms.
Epilogue
Six weeks later Rylan carried Callie across the threshold of their honeymoon cabin. The Karner house had been remodeled to make an office for her wildlife sanctuary and a private apartment for the newlyweds.
They’d decided to wait until Molly was fully recovered and home again before marrying. The delay had made them both impatient but the time had been filled with a dizzying amount of work and planning.
Callie’s dad was in better health than he’d been in years so he and her mother had come to Wyoming to help plan the wedding. Now they were shopping for a retirement home within easy driving distance of the Masterson ranch.
Rylan and Callie had decided to continue living at the homestead but this was their own little hideaway. After weeks of hustle, bustle and making-do with rare stolen moments of privacy they were ecstatic to finally be alone.
He kicked the door closed behind them and slowly eased her down the length of him. As always the friction of body against body sent sparks shooting through both of them. She kept her arms locked around his neck and stood on tiptoe to give him a long, deep kiss. They drank thirstily of each other, tongues dancing a duet until they were forced the catch their breath.
“I love you, Rylan Masterson,” she murmured against his lips.
“I love you more, Callie Masterson.”
A wondrous smile lit her face. “Callie Masterson. I’ve always loved the sound of it. When I spent all those years in classrooms, I’d find myself doodling a lot. I kept writing that name over and over. Callie Masterson. Mrs. Rylan Masterson.”
A shudder racked his body. It amazed him that Callie could love him as much as he loved her. That she could have missed him so much all those years they were apart. He still had panic attacks about being a worthy husband but he’d vowed to keep her safe and happy. He intended to honor that vow until death.
“And what would you like to do on our wedding night, Mrs. Rylan Masterson? Your wish is my command,” he said as he slowly backed her across the living room toward the sofa.
“Mmm… Let me think.” She pretended to give the question serious thought. Her eyes were wide and beguiling. “How about making love all night?”
Rylan’s answering grin held a wealth of emotion. “I like the way you think.” He eased her onto the sofa, kissing her all the way down.
Then he straightened and gently untangled himself from her grip. She pouted beautifully and his pulse raced. It was a wrench to leave her long enough to move to the fireplace and strike a match to the kindling.
“We might need some heat and light,” he suggested, coaxing the flames into a fire.
Callie took a moment to glance around the cozy room. There wasn’t much furniture, just a sofa, a couple chairs and some throw rugs. But it was perfect, especially in the evening shadows and firelight.
She’d grown to love this house too. “I think I need to thank my realtor again for helping me find this place.”
“The first rule for a new wife is to not talk about any other man on your wedding night,” Rylan admonished, taking a few steps back toward the sofa.
Callie kicked off her heels and stretched out. Propping her elbow on the sofa and her head on her hand, she gazed at him with feigned innocence.
“Is that right?”
“It’s one of Masterson’s rules,” he insisted, slowly toeing off one boot and then the other.
“I assume there are more.”
“The
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