was how I survived that hellhole. And you will continue to give me hope whenever I go out on any covert operation, Bristol. Now I have two people to come back to. Both you and Laramie. The two people I love the most.”
His words meant everything. They were what she’d needed to hear. But could she get past the thought of losing him again?
She tightened her arms around him knowing she had to get beyond those fears. For her sake, for his sake and for their son’s. She had to be strong and believe there was a reason their lives had reunited after all this time.
She pulled back and went on tiptoe to place her lips to his. The moment their lips touched, intense heat consumed her. She felt it spreading to him. He tightened his hold on her.
His masculine scent invaded her nostrils as he took her mouth with an urgency that made her weak in the knees. When she shifted she felt the hardness of his erection pressing against the juncture of her thighs.
Bristol released pleasured moans with every stroke of his tongue. She needed this. She had to think positively and believe they’d been reunited for a reason. For a purpose. They would do what her parents didn’t do and raise their child together.
He deepened the kiss and she felt it all the way to the bone.
Suddenly, he pulled back and looked deep into her eyes. “I need more.”
She needed more, too. “Then take more. Give me more.”
Nothing else needed to be said. He swept her off her feet and into his arms and carried her up the stairs.
* * *
“I love you, sweetheart,” Coop said, after making love to Bristol again.
He pulled her into his arms and glanced over at the clock. They’d made love three times since coming upstairs and had gotten little sleep in between. If the other morning was anything to go by, he figured his son would be invading this room in a couple hours, and Coop and Bristol still needed to talk.
Coop knew she was about to drift off to sleep and he needed to get her attention. “Bristol?”
“Um?”
“Will you marry me?”
She didn’t say anything at first, then she looked up at him. “I can’t let fear have power over me, right?”
He nodded. “Right.”
A smile touched the corners of her lips. “Then yes, Coop. I will marry you.”
A huge smile touched his features. “How soon?”
She chuckled. “Can we get through the holidays first?”
He shrugged. “I guess we can.”
She kissed him on the cheek. “Thanks for being so accommodating.” Then she asked, “When do you have to leave for another mission?”
“End of January, and I want us married before I leave.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem,” she said.
“As far as anyone knows, we are renewing our vows. There will only be a few who know the truth.”
“Your teammates?”
“Yes, and my parents. I told them I loved you and if nothing else, they understand the love between two people and how strong it can be. They can’t wait to meet you and Laramie.”
She eyed him skeptically. “You sure about that?”
“I’m positive.” And he was. Once the initial shock wore off, his parents had called him back. They were excited and happy to have a grandchild. Coop figured they must have decided Bristol couldn’t be all bad since she hadn’t shown up trying to claim any of his inheritance on behalf of her child after she’d gotten word he was dead.
“And since we won’t have time for a real honeymoon until later, I thought it would be nice if I took you and Laramie to my ranch for a week or two before I head out. We can hire an interior decorator to spruce the place up while I’m gone.”
“I’d love that. Would you prefer living there more so than here?” she asked him.
“Wherever you want to live is fine with me. We can even do both if you like.”
“Yes, that might be best. But for some reason I think I’m going to like your ranch.”
He hoped she did. He wanted Laramie to love Cooper’s Bend as much as he had while growing up.
“You will check out of the hotel and move in here with us, right?”
He chuckled. “Yes, I’ll move in here with you and Laramie and we will spend the holidays together.”
“Good.”
He pulled her closer. She was right, all was good, and as long as he had her in his life, everything would continue to be good.
Everything would be perfect.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife. Laramie Cooper, you may kiss your bride.”
Coop pulled Bristol into his arms and all he could think about was that she was now truly his. Legally so. When he felt a pull on his pants he broke off the kiss to glance down at his son.
“I want to kiss Mommy, too, Daddy.”
Everyone laughed when Coop lifted his son up to kiss Bristol, as well.
He then glanced around. It had been a small wedding at the church Bristol attended. All his teammates had arrived yesterday with their wives, including Bane and Crystal. Coop’s parents had gushed all over their grandson and Laramie enjoyed being the center of their attention.
Ms. Charlotte and her four sons attended and Coop was glad to meet them. Bristol hadn’t told him that all four worked for the New York Police Department. They assured Coop that whenever he was gone they would keep an eye on Bristol. It wouldn’t be a problem since she lived next door to their mother and they routinely checked on her anyway.
Coop’s mother had walked into Bristol’s home that morning and her gaze had immediately latched on to the huge painting over her fireplace. When she asked Bristol about it, Bristol confessed it was a painting she and her father had done together. It was then that she’d told his mother who her father was. Coop thought he was going to have to pick his mother up off the floor. His very sophisticated mother had gotten giddy at the thought that her future daughter-in-law was the daughter of the famous artist, Randall Lockett.
The reception would be held in the church’s dining hall, and tomorrow the three of them would fly to his ranch in Laredo. He couldn’t wait to introduce his wife and son to ranch life at Cooper’s Bend.
They would take a honeymoon when he got back from his next mission. Ms. Charlotte had agreed to watch Laramie for a week while
