Wendy Warren - To Wear His Ring - Circle of Gold / Trophy Wives / Dakota Bride

“Stop weighing the risks,” he murmured. “Say yes.”

“I still think…”

“Don’t think,” he whispered, placing a long forefinger over her lips. “Don’t argue. Don’t look ahead. We’re going to go home and you’re going to read the girls to sleep every night. They miss their stories.”

“Don’t you read to them?” she asked, made curious by a certain note in his voice.

“Sure, but they’re getting tired of Green Eggs and Ham. ”

“They have loads of other books besides Dr. Seuss,” she began.

He glowered at her. “They hid all the other books, including Green Eggs and Ham , but at least I remember most of that story. So they get told it every night. Two weeks of that and I can’t even look at ham in the grocery story anymore without gagging…”

She was laughing uproariously.

“This is not funny,” he pointed out.

“Oh, yes, it is,” she said, and laughed some more.

He loved the sound. It reminded him of wind chimes. His heart ached for her. “Come home before I get sick of eggs, too.”

“All right,” she said. “I guess I might as well. I can’t live here with Mama Luke forever.”

“She’s a character,” he remarked with a smile. “A blunt and honest lady with a big heart. I like her.”

“She must like you, too, or she wouldn’t have threatened to have you break down my bedroom door.”

He pursed his lips. “Nice to have an ally with divine connections.”

“She does, never doubt it,” she told him, laughing. “I’ll just go throw a few things into my suitcase.”

He watched her go with joy shooting through his veins like fireworks. She was coming back. He’d convinced her.

Now all he had to do was make her see him as something more than an intolerant, judgmental boss. That was not going to be the easiest job he’d ever tackled.

Kasie kissed Mama Luke goodbye and waited while she hugged Gil impulsively.

“Take care of Kasie,” her aunt told him.

He nodded slowly. “This time, I’ll do better at that.”

Mama Luke smiled.

They got into his black Jaguar and drove away, with Kasie leaning out the window and waving until her aunt was out of sight.

Gil watched her eyes close as she leaned back against the leather headrest. “Sleepy?”

“Yes,” she murmured. “I haven’t slept well since I came back from Nassau.”

“Neither have I, Kasie,” he said.

Her head turned and she looked at him quietly. It made her tingle all over. He was really a striking man, all lean strength and authority. She’d never felt as safe with anyone as she did with him.

He felt her eyes on him; warm, soft gray eyes that gave him pleasure when he met them. Kasie was unlike anyone he’d every known.

“Did Pauline finish keying in the herd records to the computer before she left?” she asked, suddenly remembering the chore that had been left when they went to Nassau.

“She hasn’t been around since we came home,” he said evasively. “I think she’s visiting an aunt in Vermont.”

She traced a line down the seat belt that stretched across her torso. “I thought you were going to marry her.”

He had a good idea where she’d heard that unfounded lie. “Never in this lifetime,” he murmured. “Pauline isn’t domestic.”

“She’s crazy about you.”

“The girls don’t like her.”

She pursed her lips. “I see.”

He chuckled, glancing at her while they stopped for a red light. “Besides, after they found out that I’d fired you, they made Pauline’s life hell. Their latest escapade was to leave her a nice present in her pocketbook.”

“Oh, dear.”

“It was a nonpoisonous snake,” he said reassuringly. “But she decided that she’d be better off not visiting when the girls were around. And since they were always around…”

She shook her head. “Little terrors,” she said, but in a tone soft with affection.

“Look who’s talking,” he said with a pointed glare.

“I’ve never put snakes in anybody’s purse,” she pointed out. “Well, not yet, anyway.”

He gave her an amused glance. “Don’t let the girls corrupt you.”

She smiled, remembering how much fun she’d had with the little girls. It made her happy that they wanted her back. Except for her aunt, she was alone in the world. She missed being part of a whole family, especially on holidays like Christmas.

The light changed and he pulled back out into traffic. Conversation was scanty the rest of the way home, because Kasie fell asleep. The lack of rest had finally caught up with her.

She was jolted awake by a firm hand on her shoulder.

“Wake up. We’re home,” Gil said with a smile.

She searched his blue eyes absently for a moment before the words registered. “Oh.” She unfastened her seat belt and got out as he did.

The girls were sitting on the bottom step of the staircase when the door opened and Kasie walked in with Gil.

“Kasie!” Bess cried, and got up to run and throw herself into Kasie’s outstretched arms.

“Bess!” Kasie hugged her close, feeling tears sting her eyes. She was so much like Sandy.

Jenny followed suit, and Kasie ended up with two arms full of crying little girls. She carried them to the staircase and sat down, cuddling them both close. Her face was wet, but she didn’t care. She loved these babies, far more than she’d realized. She held them and rocked them and kissed wet little cheeks until the sobs eased.

“You mustn’t ever leave us again, Kasie,” Bess hiccuped. “Me and Jenny was ever so sad.”

“Yes, we was,” Jenny murmured.

“Oh, I missed you!” Kasie said fervently as she dug into her pocket for a tissue and wiped wet eyes all around.

“We missed you, too,” Bess said, burying her face in Kasie’s shoulder while Jenny clung to her neck.

Gil watched them with his heart in his throat. They looked as if they belonged together. They looked like a family. He wanted to scoop all three of them up in his arms and hold them so tight they’d never get away.

While he was debating that, John came down the hall and spotted Kasie. He grinned from ear to ear. “You’re back! Great! Now maybe Mrs. Charters will cook something we can eat again!”

“That’s not a nice way to say hello,” Kasie chided with a smile.

“Sure it is! What good is a man without his stomach?” John asked. He moved closer to Kasie and the girls and bent to kiss Kasie’s wet cheek. “Welcome back! It’s been like a ballpark in January. Nobody smiled.”

“I’m happy to be back,” Kasie said. “But what about all those herd records that need putting into the computer?” she asked, realizing that Gil never had answered her when she’d questioned him about them.

“Oh, those. It turns out that Miss Parsons is a computer whiz herself,” he said to Kasie’s amusement. “She’s got everything listed, including the foundation bloodlines. And remember that Internet site you suggested? It’s up and running. We’re already getting three hundred hits a day, along with plenty of queries from cattlemen around the country!”

“I’m so glad,” Kasie said sincerely.

“So are we. Business is booming. But the babies have been sad.” He glanced at his older brother meaningfully. “We missed you.”

“It’s nice to be back,” Kasie said.

“Are we ever going to have lunch?” John asked then. “I’m fairly starved. Burned eggs and bacon this morning didn’t do a lot for my taste buds.”

“Mine, either,” Gil agreed. “Go tell Mrs. Charters Kasie’s back and is having lunch with us,” he suggested. “That might get us something edible, even if it’s only cold cuts.”

“Good thinking,” John said, smiling as he went out to the kitchen.