Back From Hell (Marine For You Book 2) (Contemporary Military Veteran Romance) by Marissa Dobson Page B

hero.”
    “You’re my hero.” She scooted closer and kissed him, not just to stop his protests but also because she wanted to. “We’ll keep it small and intimate. Make it more about a place of healing than about being an amputee, or even needing PT. What do you think? Am I just dreaming?”
    “I think what you want to do is ambitious, and if anyone can do it, I know you can.” He took her hand and pulled her up next to him. “I was looking over this log book and it seems as though breeding should be something that is brought back to the ranch as well. There are still good breeding horses there. We discussed that briefly on the drive back.”
    “I think breeding would be good for the ranch. I know there are some horses there but we’ll have to breed or purchase additional ones if it’s something we’re seriously considering. To bring that back like it was when Dad was alive, we’ll need more than what Mr. Cline has now. He sold his best breeding mare.”
    “We can do that. The question is, can we handle both? If not, which one first?” He held her close to him, his fingers teasing down her bare arm. “I’d say breeding because even though we’d have to add to the stock, it would start bringing income in right away. We’ll need to work on the buildings, add your PT area, and things like that. It’s going to take a little time to get it up and running.”
    “Then let’s start breeding immediately and work on the area. We’ll make them both work but at first, we’ll be a little more focused on the breeding aspect. Should I start looking for another breeding mare?”
    “I’d offer but I don’t know much about that. You and Clifford will have to teach me.”
    “Don’t worry.” She wriggled her head against his chest trying to find the perfect spot. “I still can’t believe this. It’s like a dream.”
    “I know what you mean.” He pressed his cheek against the top of her head. “I keep waiting to wake up and find you gone. That you finally realized you can do better.”
    “I’ve got all I want with you.” She let her heavy eyelids drift shut and just enjoyed the moment. Hers was a perfect and true admission. It didn’t matter that he bought the ranch; he was everything she wanted. Getting the ranch represented just an added benefit.
    If she had to choose between her dream of owning the ranch and being with him, she’d have chosen him hands down. She wanted to spend the rest of her life with this man, to wake up every morning in his embrace and to feel his warm lips against hers. This was living.
----
    S taci sat by her mother’s bedside, waiting for the right moment. It had been two days since they went to Kentucky. Two days of her mother’s constant nagging to know the reason why Staci hadn’t been at the hospital that day. Now she was ready to tell her; all she needed was for Colin to return from his dinner break. She’d tell them both at once and after she got that off her chest, she’d slip away with Kyle and they’d go for a late dinner. They wouldn’t return to the hospital until late the next day. She needed time to recuperate after the fight she was undoubtedly about to have with her mother.
    “I don’t know why you come and visit me if you won’t even tell me where you disappeared to.”
    “Mom…” She let out a deep sigh. “I don’t see how the two are interchangeable. I’m here because you’re my mother and you’re in the hospital. I love you and want to see you better.”
    “Well you won’t have to worry about that any longer. The doctors said as long as I can keep solid food down I can go home tomorrow. So your obligations will be over. You and he can go back to doing whatever it is you did the other day.”
    She had grown tired of how her mother had referred to Kyle and how she would say his name with such disgust. She had said so over the last few days but he had told her to just leave it be. It wasn’t something to get all upset about. To him, the way