One Night, Two Heirs Read online

  “So much pride,” she whispered with a slow shake of her head. “So much honor. You’re an amazing man, Rick Pruitt.”

  “If you think so, I’m happy.” He bent to kiss her hard, fast. The vise around his heart had eased up a little, making breathing easier, but until she agreed to come back to Royal and marry him, he was a man on the edge. “Come home with me, Sadie. Build a family with me. Let’s give the twins six or seven brothers and sisters.”

  “What?” She laughed, astonished. “Are you crazy?”

  “Okay, I’ll compromise. Four more kids.”

  “Three.”

  “It’s negotiable.”

  “Rick—”

  “Marry me, Sadie. Whatever it is you want to do, I’ll back your play. Go to school. Get that design degree,” he urged. “Hell, be Abby’s campaign manager against your brother! I’ll help.”

  She laughed again and the sound was like music to him. It was a balm to his soul and a soothing caress to his heart. He’d never be able to hear it enough.

  “I’m done with the Corps, Sadie,” he added. “I’ve done my duty and now it’s time for me to be with the family I love. With the woman who makes everything in my life absolutely right.”

  “Are you sure?” she asked. “I don’t want you to one day regret leaving the Corps for me.”

  “I’m not just doing it for you, darlin’. I need this. I need to be with you.”

  A single tear slid down her cheek. Shaking her head, she said, “I love you so much it almost scares me, Rick. When I saw you and Lisa together, I felt my heart break—”

  “I’m so sorry—”

  “No, it’s okay.” Smiling up at him, she said, “It’s my own fault for taking off instead of just talking to you. I should have trusted you. Should have trusted us. I promise you, from now on, I will.”

  “From now on? That sounds promising.”

  “Daddy!” Two voices, one word.

  Rick and Sadie turned as one to watch their daughters toddle into the room. Their hair was tousled from sleep and their little faces were bright with delighted smiles.

  “So many beautiful women in my life,” Rick said, bending down to sweep both girls up in his arms. Then the three of them faced Sadie.

  Heart in her eyes, she smiled, went up on her toes to kiss him again and said, “All I want is to be with you and our kids, Rick. I want us to build the kind of family and home that will shine with the love we make together.”

  He handed Wendy to her, then dug in his pocket for the ring Brad had tossed to him. Holding it up so the light in the room danced off the diamond, he looked at her. “Then I’m guessing you’ll want this back?”

  Her lips tugged into a smile. “You saw Brad. Does that explain the bruise on your jaw?”

  “It does,” he said, “but your brother’s got a fist-size ache in his belly, so I figure we’re even.”

  “You hit him?”

  “He wouldn’t tell me where you were. And, he did hit me first.”

  “Oh, well, then…”

  “Can we not talk about Brad right now?” he asked, grinning as he waved the ring in front of her face again. “Sadie, just tell me straight up. Am I about to be a married man?”

  “You bet you are, Marine,” she said, holding up her hand so he could slide the ring onto her finger where it belonged.

  “Thank God,” he whispered, dipping his head to kiss her again.

  The twins clapped their tiny hands and that round of applause was the sweetest sound Rick had ever heard.

  He was still kissing her when Wendy shouted, “Go castle!”

  Gail patted Rick’s cheek and solemnly said, “Castle, Daddy. Home.”

  Rick’s gaze met Sadie’s. She smiled up at him and said, “You heard your daughters, Rick. It’s time to go home.”

  “Darlin’,” he whispered huskily, “nothing in my life has ever sounded better.”

  Special thanks and acknowledgment to Maureen Child

  for her contribution to the Texas Cattleman’s Club:

  The Showdown miniseries.

  ISBN: 978-1-4592-0796-7

  ONE NIGHT, TWO HEIRS

  Copyright © 2011 by Harlequin Books S.A.

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