and worn out, Jett glanced over at the woman beside him on her back.
“Did you mean it?”
“How could I
not?” She moved her head to face him. “From the minute I met you my days of
being single were numbered. I’m scared shitless, but I’ve never lacked bravery,
and I want to try. Not just for you but for her.” She placed a hand on her
belly.
“Her
huh?” He covered her smaller hand and smiled.
“I figure we
have a fifty-fifty chance.”
“Smart
ass.” He bent over and pressed a sweet kiss to her lips. “I love you.”
“I love you,
too. You broke through all my defenses.” She sniffed, struggled to fight back tears, and lost the battle. Warm droplets rain down her face. He sipped
them like a rare wine, kissed her heated cheeks, and nuzzled her neck. “ It’s okay, Sas . I will always be
there to dry your tears.”
“You can’t
know that.”
“Have I let
you down yet?”
“No,
but what about filming?”
“ It’s a few hours away. I’ll commute. We can work this out.
I’m not taking you away from your support system. This town will protect its
own. You won’t be hounded like we would be in L.A.”
“You’d stay
here for me?”
“Don’t you
know by now there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you, Kansas Karri Collins? Are
you going to stop sabotaging us now?”
“Yes.” The
emotion in her voice made his heart race, and his stomach churn like choppy
waters.
Now was the time.
“Will you
marry me?” Silence fell. All that’s
missing is the chirp of crickets. Fresh beads of sweat formed on his brow
as he held his breath. Each second that ticked by felt like a decade. Shit, too soon! I knew it was too soon. He studied her
face, but found no cues for what was going on in the steel trap of her
mind. It was like she’d become carved
from ice. He was afraid to touch her or speak, and his anxiety grew like a
storm coming in over the sea.
As she turned
to look at him, their gazes merged, and an almost physical link came to life.
Lifting her hand to his face, she smiled.
“Yes.”
“Yes?” Did she just agree?
“Yes. Did you
expect me to say no?”
“The first
fifty times, yes.” He turned his head in
a circle before he gave a nod. Dazed. “What changed?”
“Honestly? I
could never live with myself if I let fear ruin us. Then she’d win.”
“Your
mother?”
“ Mmmhmm . My whole life I’ve never been good
enough for one reason enough, too heavy, too masculine, too interested in
school instead of pageants. Watching her belittle, berate, and ignore my father
and me sent me out of the house at eighteen and running from anything too
emotional. Then you came and showed me how full of shit I was. Things weren’t
hard with you or uncomfortable. I didn’t have to change a thing, and as much as
I waited for it, the caged feeling never hit. Before all I had to do was go on
a second date and I was stumbling over my words, making excuses as I headed for
the door. I’d be insane to let that go when I know how rare it is, and.” She
rested her hand on her belly. “There’s more at stake then my Mommy issues. I’m
not selfish.”
“Hey, if
you’re not ready I don’t want to rush you.”
“Is anyone
every really ready for any of this?” She snickered. “No, this is right for us.”
Taking his hands she placed them over her bell. “For all
three of us.”
Her words
moved him, washed away the uncertainty and stress he’d been under since he found
out about the baby. Tears blurred his vision.
“What do we
do next?” she asked.
“Get
married.”
“What about
the show, and your family?”
“It’s okay.
Give me some time, and I’ll work out a plan.”
Chapter Seven
Texas is hot. Kansas shaded her eyes against the brilliant
rays as they surfaced from the airport. Or
maybe it’s just me. He’d spent the
whole flight talking about his home town, and his family. The pride and love he
had for both evident in every word were
“Did you mean it?”
“How could I
not?” She moved her head to face him. “From the minute I met you my days of
being single were numbered. I’m scared shitless, but I’ve never lacked bravery,
and I want to try. Not just for you but for her.” She placed a hand on her
belly.
“Her
huh?” He covered her smaller hand and smiled.
“I figure we
have a fifty-fifty chance.”
“Smart
ass.” He bent over and pressed a sweet kiss to her lips. “I love you.”
“I love you,
too. You broke through all my defenses.” She sniffed, struggled to fight back tears, and lost the battle. Warm droplets rain down her face. He sipped
them like a rare wine, kissed her heated cheeks, and nuzzled her neck. “ It’s okay, Sas . I will always be
there to dry your tears.”
“You can’t
know that.”
“Have I let
you down yet?”
“No,
but what about filming?”
“ It’s a few hours away. I’ll commute. We can work this out.
I’m not taking you away from your support system. This town will protect its
own. You won’t be hounded like we would be in L.A.”
“You’d stay
here for me?”
“Don’t you
know by now there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you, Kansas Karri Collins? Are
you going to stop sabotaging us now?”
“Yes.” The
emotion in her voice made his heart race, and his stomach churn like choppy
waters.
Now was the time.
“Will you
marry me?” Silence fell. All that’s
missing is the chirp of crickets. Fresh beads of sweat formed on his brow
as he held his breath. Each second that ticked by felt like a decade. Shit, too soon! I knew it was too soon. He studied her
face, but found no cues for what was going on in the steel trap of her
mind. It was like she’d become carved
from ice. He was afraid to touch her or speak, and his anxiety grew like a
storm coming in over the sea.
As she turned
to look at him, their gazes merged, and an almost physical link came to life.
Lifting her hand to his face, she smiled.
“Yes.”
“Yes?” Did she just agree?
“Yes. Did you
expect me to say no?”
“The first
fifty times, yes.” He turned his head in
a circle before he gave a nod. Dazed. “What changed?”
“Honestly? I
could never live with myself if I let fear ruin us. Then she’d win.”
“Your
mother?”
“ Mmmhmm . My whole life I’ve never been good
enough for one reason enough, too heavy, too masculine, too interested in
school instead of pageants. Watching her belittle, berate, and ignore my father
and me sent me out of the house at eighteen and running from anything too
emotional. Then you came and showed me how full of shit I was. Things weren’t
hard with you or uncomfortable. I didn’t have to change a thing, and as much as
I waited for it, the caged feeling never hit. Before all I had to do was go on
a second date and I was stumbling over my words, making excuses as I headed for
the door. I’d be insane to let that go when I know how rare it is, and.” She
rested her hand on her belly. “There’s more at stake then my Mommy issues. I’m
not selfish.”
“Hey, if
you’re not ready I don’t want to rush you.”
“Is anyone
every really ready for any of this?” She snickered. “No, this is right for us.”
Taking his hands she placed them over her bell. “For all
three of us.”
Her words
moved him, washed away the uncertainty and stress he’d been under since he found
out about the baby. Tears blurred his vision.
“What do we
do next?” she asked.
“Get
married.”
“What about
the show, and your family?”
“It’s okay.
Give me some time, and I’ll work out a plan.”
Chapter Seven
Texas is hot. Kansas shaded her eyes against the brilliant
rays as they surfaced from the airport. Or
maybe it’s just me. He’d spent the
whole flight talking about his home town, and his family. The pride and love he
had for both evident in every word were
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