The Shepherd's Daughter (Dry Bayou Brides Book 1) by Lynn Winchester

think to deny her the one thing that would bring her peace, she glared up at him and poked her finger into his chest.
    “Now see here, Willem Ducharme. I know you think you own me because I am just the shepherd’s daughter, but I have my own life. I aim to live it away from you, away from your blessed life with Rebecca, and away from all the pain I’d have to endure watchin’ you love someone else.” A traitorous sob escaped. “I can’t do it, Billy. I thought I could win you by becomin’ the lady you wanted, the woman who could make you laugh, make you think, the woman you’d long to come home to every day, the woman who you could love… But I’m not. And it hurts so bad.”
    Billy caressed her cheek. She couldn’t help but press her face into it. He tipped her head back so she had to look into his eyes.
    “Who told you about all that?” His voice was like velvet, wrapping her up in smooth comfort.
    “Rebecca.” She answered truthfully.
    He nodded thoughtfully. “And you thought I was talking about her?”
    Ray blinked in confusion. “Of course. She is the one you love, after all.”
    Billy stroked his thumbs along her face, then caressed her lips tenderly. “No, Baby Ray. I was talking about you.”
    “What?” She couldn’t have possibly heard him right.
    “I was talking about you . You are the one I long to come home to every day, the one who makes me laugh, makes me think. You are the one I need to touch, to hear…need to kiss.”
    Ray didn’t have a moment to think before Billy’s lips were on hers. In a single moment, Ray’s whole world exploded with delicious heat.
    It was the best feeling she’d ever experienced. She moaned and pressed into him, trying to climb into his body, into his heart and mind and never let him go. He slanted his head and kissed her harder, his breaths coming in hot blasts, his heart beating so hard she could feel it within her own chest.
    Billy lifted his head, ending the kiss. He still cradled her face between both hands, the promise of more pleasure in his eyes.
    “I love you, Ray. I think I’ve loved you since that first moment when you stuck out your hand in greeting and told me that Raychelle sounded uppity .”
    A laughed bubbled up through the tension in her body.
    I love you… that’s what he’d said.
    “Say those words again,” she said, still unwilling to believe he’d said them.
    He smiled down at her, then planted a kiss on her nose. “I love you, Ray, my darling.”
    She laughed again, this time it sang with joy. “Do you mean it?”
    “Of course!”
    She still couldn’t believe it. “But what about Rebecca—I saw you kissin’ her at the gazebo. I overheard two of the old biddies at the party sayin’ you were gonna propose to Rebecca tonight.”
    “I wasn’t kissing Rebecca; she was kissing me goodbye.”
    “You mean you broke it off with her and she was just kissin’ you goodbye?”
    “That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
    “What about you tellin’ your ma you were proposin’ to Rebecca tonight.”
    “Shoot, she overheard me talking to myself about how I was going to tell you I love you tonight.”
    Ray felt her knees wobble a little as his words sank in again.
    “It was a misunderstanding. One I will discuss with my mother later. But right now…” He pulled her back into his arms.
    “I only want to hold you, Ray—”
    “Ray, the shepherd’s daughter .” She couldn’t help teasing him, especially after he’d bungled his introducing her to Rebecca.
    “No, Ray, the rancher’s wife .”
    A big, probably dopey-looking smile split her face. “I really like the sound of that.” She giggled, the joy within her, no longer capable of being contained. “I love you, Willem Ducharme.”
    He kissed her and she kissed him back. Long minutes passed with only the sound of the babbling creek in the background.
    They stood there, two hearts woven together with strands of hope, joy, and love. Ray didn’t think a more perfect