Operation Cowboy Daddy (20 page)

He stepped away from her only long enough for the two of them to completely undress, then they fell into her bed and she was in his arms, her naked breasts against the warmth of his chest as he kissed her long and hard.

“Marry me, Mary,” he said when the kiss ended. “Tell me you’ll marry me.”

A wild exhilaration filled her. “I’ll marry you,” she replied.

He kissed her again and then their hands moved to explore each other with the slowness of discovery that had been lacking the last time they’d made love.

Everything was intensified by the knowledge that her secret was out—he’d seen her scars and he still wanted her, he still loved her.

His hands slid languidly down the length of her, each touch shooting shimmering fireworks through her and at the same time she tangled her hands in his long hair, moved to caress the width of his back and grabbed his firm buttocks.

He was fully aroused but seemed to be in no hurry. She gasped as his fingers danced along her inner thigh and then touched the very core of her.

“Tony.” His name whispered out of her as every nerve in her body electrified.

“You’re in my blood, Mary. I’ll never stop loving you,” he said just before he took her mouth with his once again.

As the kiss went on, his fingers moved faster against her and her heartbeat raced faster as she climbed to a precipice of tension that finally exploded in her veins.

She cried out with the release and he moved between her thighs and entered her. Their gazes locked as he moved inside her, slowly bringing her alive once again.

Their gasping breaths filled the room as she thrust her hips to meet his. Faster and faster...harder and harder they moved until tears of joy filled her eyes and she shuddered with another climax.

He stiffened with his own release and then collapsed next to her. For several long minutes they didn’t speak, they only stared into each other’s eyes and spoke of love without needing the words.

He finally released a deep sigh and reached up and slid a finger down her cheek. “We belong together, Mary. You and me and Joey, we’re all going to be a family.”

“I want that, Tony. I want it more than you’ll ever know.” She frowned. “But you know I’m a package deal. I would never leave my grandmother.”

“How about you don’t go anywhere and you just make room for me and Joey right here.”

“That would be okay with you?”

He laughed. “Mary, I would live in a tent if that’s what you wanted to do. Besides, I wouldn’t want to miss one of Halena’s hat days or not know what the leaves on the trees were whispering to her.”

Mary laughed and cuddled against him, her heart more full than it had ever been in her life. “Now tell me what our life together is going to look like.”

“I’ll move in here and I’d still like to work on the Holiday ranch if that’s okay with you. I’ll be home in the evenings and on my days off to help you with chores and taking care of the children.”

She raised her head to look at him once again. “Children?”

“We should probably see about adopting a sister for Joey to start.”

“To start?”

He returned her grin. “Who knows how many children we might end up with.”

“And this from a man who professed he didn’t want children,” she teased.

“That was before I knew love. We’re going to have a wonderful life together, Mary.”

She believed him. She leaned over and kissed him, a kiss that held all her love, all her hopes and dreams. He was the man she’d been waiting for, a man who would love her despite her flaws.

He made her feel beautiful and free. She was a survivor and for the first time a true sense of pride swept through her. She had made difficult life choices to be here now, to live life to the fullest with the man who held her heart.

Epilogue

T
ony sat on the sofa next to Mary and little Joey was on a blanket on the floor, chattering and kicking his legs as if he knew the next few minutes were very important to him.

Halena sat in the chair facing them, clad in zebra-striped sleep pants and a bright-colored floral house dress. Perched on the top of her head was the sequined red turban Cassie had given her.

The envelope containing the DNA results was in the middle of the coffee table just waiting to be opened.

He and Joey had become permanent residents in the house a week ago and it had been the best week in Tony’s life. Gone were the ghosts of his past, vanished was the bitterness that had once filled his soul.

Mary’s love had healed him, as he hoped his love had done the same for her. He would go through his miserable childhood all over again if it meant that he would now be here with her. She still took his breath away with a simple smile.

“Is anyone going to open that or are we going to sit around and stare at it all evening?” Halena asked. She reached up and straightened the turban on her braided hair.

Tony leaned forward and picked up the envelope. “You know it doesn’t matter to me what the test shows.” He looked down at Joey, who laughed and drooled down his chin. Tony’s heart expanded in his chest. “I love Joey no matter what. I intend to be his father for the rest of his life.” Still, there was no question that things would be easier if the test revealed that Joey was Tony’s biological son.

Mary leaned over and took his hand in hers. “No matter what happens we’ll fight for him.” She gave his hand a squeeze and then released it.

Yes, they would jump through whatever bureaucratic hoops they needed to in order to keep Joey in their lives. They would deal with any red tape that might come with legally adopting him.

He was surprised that his fingers trembled as he tore open the envelope. Nervous tension welled up inside him. He wanted this. He wanted this so badly.

For just a moment memories of Amy rushed through his head. When Joey got old enough, Tony would tell him about his mother, about the good qualities she’d possessed.

But Mary would be the mother who would bake cookies and tuck him in at night. She would provide the soft touches, the unconditional love of a true mother.

And Halena? She would be the grandmother who all his friends envied, the one who would tell him stories and make him laugh and probably embarrass him on more than one occasion.

“I’m getting older by the minute,” Halena said impatiently.

Tony pulled out the sheet of paper that would answer the question. Was it him...or was it Ash?

He read the paper—99.998. That was the percentage that declared Tony to be Joey’s biological father. Rich emotion pressed so tightly in his chest he couldn’t speak.

“Well?” Halena leaned forward.

“It’s me,” he gasped. “Thank God, it’s me.” He laughed with sheer exhilaration and jumped up from the sofa. He reached down and picked up Joey in his arms and began to dance around the room.

“I’m your daddy, Joey.” He reached out and grabbed Mary’s hand and pulled her up. “And this is your mama and we’re going to have a wonderful life together.”

He grabbed Mary around her waist and pulled her close enough to kiss her. When the kiss ended, her eyes shone with promise and love and his heart had never been so full.

“I’ll be right back. I have a little surprise,” Halena said.

“Should we be afraid?” Tony asked when Halena disappeared down the hallway.

“Maybe a little,” Mary replied with a grin. She pulled a tissue from her pocket and wiped Joey’s drool from his chin.

“It’s definitely a hat kind of a day,” Halena said as she returned to the room. Now she wore a yellow hat that resembled a large bird’s nest and she had her hands behind her back.

“You aren’t going to make me wear a hat, are you?” Tony asked suspiciously.

“Of course not. I wouldn’t want to detract from your natural handsomeness,” she replied with a grin. She walked over to where Tony stood with Joey in his arms.

“Joey, I’m your grandmother and it’s my job to teach you to love Mexican food and listen to the leaves on the trees and know when it’s a good day for a hat.”

She pulled out a tiny brown felt cowboy hat that closely resembled Tony’s cowboy hat and she put it on Joey’s head. “And now you are truly your father’s son. And that’s that.”

Joey laughed and tilted his head as if showing off his new hat. And then they were all laughing and hugging and Tony knew he was finally home. He had a woman he loved with all his heart, another woman who would keep them all on their toes and the little boy who had turned him into a father.

Yes, he was finally home and he had a feeling big Cass and Amy were together and smiling down on them all from Heaven.

He gazed at Mary and Halena and then back at his son. This was his circle of love.

* * *

Dillon finished reading over the final report of the action that had occurred at the Holiday ranch and then leaned back in his chair and sighed.

It had been damned lucky that more people hadn’t died that night. Thankfully Tony had survived and Sawyer had suffered only a minor wound to the shoulder. Things could have been so much worse.

Of course, Ash was dead and two of his men had been hospitalized. Once the two were well enough, they’d be transported from the hospital to jail to await sentencing on charges serious enough they wouldn’t be bothering anyone else for a very long time.

Dillon had interviewed Mary and Tony in his investigation into Ash’s death, but no charges would be brought against Tony. He’d acted in self-defense and Dillon was glad Ash Moreland was dead.

Since the tornado that had taken Cass’s life and the arrival of Cassie Peterson in town, the universe had been in chaos. Dillon had been embroiled in more crimes in the past five months than he had been in the last five years.

He’d had to contend with a crazed ex-husband threatening Cassie’s best friend, a murderous assistant attempting to kill the forensic anthropologist who had come to deal with the skeletal remains of the murdered young men and a deadly stalker who had nearly killed Trisha Cahill.

And that didn’t account for the usual crimes that occasionally occurred in a small town. He was exhausted, but pleased that Tony and Mary no longer had to worry about somebody coming after them.

Hopefully things would go back to normal around town and he would get a breather. He closed his eyes and for a moment a sense of peace wafted through him.

It lasted only a moment as the tormented cries of seven unsolved murder victims screeched in his head.

* * * * *

If you loved this novel, don’t miss other suspenseful titles by
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Carla Cassidy:

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Available now from Harlequin Romantic Suspense!

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