Page 59 of Her Bachelor Cowboy Billionaire

CHAPTER13

“No, he’s not about to take back his proposal.”

Jessica swung around at the sound of Roark’s deep baritone voice behind her. “Ouch. I didn’t hear you come in.”

“So I surmised.” He walked close and took her in his arms, careful of her injury. “The fact you wouldn’t do anything for anyone but me only convinced me you love me. I didn’t leave to get away, but to get you this.” He stepped back and went down on one knee. “Jessica, I love you with all my heart. Will you still marry me?” He held out a beautiful ring with a large oval cut diamond in the center surrounded by dark blue sapphires. “It was my grandmother’s engagement ring. I got it from the house when we went there to get the convertible. It’s been in my room since we got here.”

Tears of joy ran down her cheeks, and she didn’t even try to brush them away. “I’ll marry you, if you still want me to.”

He placed the ring on her finger. “I still want you to.” It fit like it was made specially for her. “That is just another sign, if you believe in that kind of thing, that you are the perfect woman for me. I’ve never wanted to give this ring to any other woman.” Roark stood and took her face between his palms and kissed her.

It was slow, like he was learning her lips and her mouth for the first time.

He pulled away.

“I want to get a license as soon as you’re able and get married as soon as we can after that. Later, if you want, we can do the whole big wedding. Does that work for you? I’ve asked Judge Stone to work us in when you’re ready.”

“Perfect. Let’s go tomorrow. I’m feeling pretty good and if we don’t stay out for too long, I should make it.”

“Whether or not you feel good, the doctor wanted you to rest for a week. And it would behoove us to wait until you get your stitches out. Then we can make a day of it—stitches—license—marriage ceremony and then home for our wedding night.” He lowered his voice and ran a finger from her temple down her jawline to her neck and then down her neck to her shoulder. Then he slid his hand around the back of her neck and brought her close. “I can’t wait to make love to you.”

She shivered with need. Her heart pounded, and she was sure Roark could hear it. “I want that too, very much…and you’re right, the night will be much better for both of us if we don’t have to worry about my injury.”

“Good, now why don’t you go back upstairs and get into bed? I want you to be as much back to normal as possible in ten days…when you get your stitches out. Did Athena tell you…” He looked around the room. “Where did she go?”

“Probably out, so we’d have some privacy.”

“You’re right. Let’s let her back into her kitchen. She has many people to cook for. This is pork roast night. The boys tire of beef, but when you live on a cattle ranch, you eat beef.”

“I hadn’t thought about it. I’m a meat eater, so it’s been fine, though I do love pork, too.”

“You truly are a woman after mine own heart.”

She grinned. “I’m not after your heart anymore…I have it, just as you have mine. Now, let’s go upstairs. You can put me to bed, and we can talk about our wedding. Since we’re waiting for ten days, I’m sure our parents can be here by then, and we won’t have to have two weddings. Just the one before Judge Stone.”

His eyebrows slashed down. “You don’t still want the white wedding dress and the church and big champagne reception? You’ll do without all of that?”

Jessica set the pace for walking back up to her bedroom. It was slow, but she could put a little more weight on her ankle, but she still needed the crutch. “As long as you’re beside me, I don’t need anything else. There are only two people I want here. My mom and my best friend Lanie. She’ll be my maid of honor.”

“I don’t know which of my brothers I’ll ask to be my best man. Whoever I choose, I will hurt the other.”

“Does it have to be one of your brothers? What about your best friend? Trevor, wasn’t it?”

“That’s a good idea. Then no one gets their feelings hurt.”

“They can all come up in your plane. There’s plenty of room, but what about after they arrive? We don’t have enough room for them. We have the two spare rooms for our parents…but—”

“Shh. My parents and brothers have their own homes here on the ranch. We’ll put your mother and Lanie up here in our spare rooms. After the ceremony, we’ll have an extra room, anyway.” He waggled his eyebrows.

She laughed then clutched her side. “Stop. Please. Oww. Oww. Don’t make me laugh. Please, I’m begging you. What about Trevor? Where will he stay?”

Roark took her hand. “Sweetheart, I’m sorry for making you laugh. You’re always a wonderful audience, but I need to remember your injury. Trevor will stay with James and his family. They’re good friends, too. I met Trevor through James. It’s a long story which I’ll tell you sometime.”

They reached her bedroom and walked inside.

“I’m definitely not up to snuff. That little bit of exercise has worn me out. I have to go to bed now and sleep.”

“I told you the doctor wanted you to rest. We both need to adhere to that advice. You won’t have a problem going to sleep. You are white as a sheet and have dark circles under your eyes. A good long nap will take care of both.”