Taming a Texas Rascal (Bad Boy Ranch #6) - Katie Lane Page 0,68
turned in his arms. “So?”
He looked at her for a long moment before he spoke. “I think it’s time for this cowboy to hang up his spurs.” The relief she felt was overwhelming and she sagged against his chest.
“Thank God. Darlene Miller was my last hope.”
Sawyer snorted. “I doubt that. If she hadn’t been able to talk me into quitting, you would’ve thought of something else. You are the most tenacious woman I know, Maisy Sweeney.”
She lifted her head and grinned. “You’re right. I wouldn’t have given up. But I’m glad I don’t have to keep fighting you on it. So what are you going to do? Do you have a plan?”
“Actually, I do. Would you like to hear it?”
“I’d love to.”
“Well, I think I’m going to take you into that trailer and make slow, passionate love to you.”
Maisy’s body suddenly felt like the bacon grease still sizzling in the pan. “And then?”
“And then, I’m going to get down on one knee and ask you to marry me.”
Maisy didn’t need him to get down on one knee. She started to say “Hell, yeah, I will,” but he placed a finger over her lips and stopped her. “It will have to be a long engagement, Maze. I want to go to veterinary school and that will take at least four more years.”
Maisy pulled his finger away. “Why do we have to wait?”
“Because I’m not going to marry you unless I have a career and something to offer you.”
“You have your heart to offer and that’s all I want. And I have a career. With Cord Evans’ sponsorship, I can keep us afloat until you graduate.”
“I’m not going to let you support me.”
That was the wrong thing to say. She poked him in the center of his chest. “Don’t you dare pull that macho gender crap with me, Sawyer Dawson. If I was going back to school and you were making money, you’d have no problem supporting me. Well, I have no problem supporting you. And if you think I’m going to wait four years to marry you, you’ve got another think coming. I love you and you love me and together we’ll do what it takes to survive. It doesn’t matter who is bringing home the burnt bacon!”
Sawyer stared at her for a few seconds before he tipped his head back and burst out laughing.
She swatted his chest. “It’s not funny. Four years is forever.”
He sobered, but his mouth still quivered with humor. “It’s not forever, baby. And I’ll work hard to keep you happy during those four years. Starting now.” He scooped her up in his arms and carried her into the trailer.
She wasn’t about to give up on talking him into getting married sooner. But when he started making sweet, slow love to her, she decided to postpone the argument. She postponed it again when after the sweet, slow lovin’, she decided she wanted some rowdy, cowgirl lovin’. By that time, she was so tuckered out she took a little nap. When she woke, Sawyer was gone and she smelled bacon cooking. She climbed out of bed and slipped on his western shirt. She found him outside cooking at the grill in nothing but his boxer shorts. Walking up behind him, she placed a kiss between his sexy shoulder blades.
“I guess you didn’t like charred bacon that much,” she said against his warm skin.
“I ate the charred. This is for you.” He flipped the bacon. “And I found something when I was getting more bacon out of the fridge. I don’t think you should keep such a good sign hidden so I put it up on the trailer.”
She turned to the trailer.
There on the side for everyone to see was the silly sign she’d made of a ranch entrance with two dog-like horses’ heads. Her face heated with embarrassment.
“Go ahead and laugh,” she said. “I know. It’s the sappiest name ever.”
He turned, but he wasn’t laughing. In fact, his bluish-gray eyes were serious as he pulled her into arms. “I don’t think so. I think Dreams Do Come True Ranch is a damn good name.” He smiled, and in his face, she saw all the love she would ever need. “Set the date, Maze. Whatever day you pick—today or four years from today—this cowboy will be waiting at the altar for his cowgirl to make all her dreams come true.”
Chapter Twenty-One
“What do you say, boy? You ready for the big day?”