The Sheriff's Mail-Order Bride (The Watson Brothers #2)(27)

“No, you didn’t push me into it. You came here in good faith after we both decided to go ahead with this crazy idea. I realized I wasn’t being fair to you anyway, it was something I had to work out for myself. It was selfish of me to keep you waiting like that after I had you come all the way over here. I know you said you would do this for Fisher, but I wanted to do this for you, Gina.”

“That’s so sweet.” She squeezed his hand, a smile on her face and a spring in her step. “So long as you’re sure. I promise no more secrets between us. I’ll be a wife you can be proud of.” And I will make you proud of me because I’m falling so much in love with you day by day.

He lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles before pulling her into the Java Café. “Time for a quick bite to eat before I have to go back to work.” They took a table by the window and waited for someone to take their order.

“Rory Watson. How wonderful to see you again.” Menus were placed in front of them. “Heard you were back.”

He looked up into the face of an old school friend. “Sally, good to see you too. Gina, this is Sally Driscoll, best barista in Marietta. She makes a mean latte from memory. Sally, my fiancé, Gina Fletcher.”

“Lovely to meet you. Welcome to Marietta, Gina. Now what can I get you two lovebirds?”

Once Sally had taken their order, they sat holding hands until their food arrived. When they finished lunch, Rory paid for their meal and walked her out the door. Hand in hand they wandered over to his office.

She kissed him on the steps before hopping into her car and driving over to the furniture store to get a high chair for Fisher. It was getting too hard to feed him on her knee when she needed to do other things as well. Finding what she was after, Gina paid for it and the shopkeeper loaded it in the back of the car for her. The hair on the back of her neck prickled as she got in behind the wheel and she shivered before looking around. It felt as though someone was watching her, although there seemed to be nothing out of the ordinary happening in town. No one lurked under lamp posts or hid behind corners peeking at her. The kind of people that worried her in San Francisco’s poorer streets were a long way away from this small country town. She was as safe as she could be here under the protection of the local deputy and his family.





Chapter Nine





Rory decided to pick up Gina and Fisher and take them to the cottage before dinner. So far they hadn’t managed to get over there together for a good look with his work schedule and he wanted to see what else she’d done. If he knew what she wanted in her new home, he could start the contractors and it wouldn’t be too long before they’d be in their own place. When he pulled up at the ranch house, she was out the back bringing in a basket of washing and Fisher was tottering around the lawn on his chubby little legs.

Gina smiled and waved when he hopped out of his truck, hurrying over to greet him. His arms wrapped around her welcoming body, Rory leaned down for a much needed kiss. She tasted like warm sunshine and roses, her lips soft and supple under his. He slid his hands down over her back to cup her butt, lifting her against his awakening body. The moan coming from her throat sent his blood racing and he decided then and there that tonight he would go to her bed. They were both ready for each other.

A small fist grabbed a hold of his jeans leg and slapped against him. Rory broke the kiss and looked down, a smile readily coming to his lips. “Looks like this young man wants the attention his mama is getting.” He kissed Gina on the nose and leaned down to pick up Fisher. The child wriggled and bashed his small fists against Rory’s chest, excitement evident on his little face.

“Seems to me you’ve made a hit with the biggest critic. He doesn’t usually take to many people like he has with you.” Gina bent over and picked up the washing basket, hitching it on her hip.

“The feeling is mutual, believe me. I love the little guy already.” He followed her inside the house and watched as she placed the basket on a chair and started to fold the laundry. “I thought since it’s not late, we could go to the cottage and maybe work out what you want in a home so the contractors can get started.”

“Are you for real? I thought I would do a big cleanup and we were moving in.” She stood still, the folding suddenly forgotten. “I didn’t think you were serious about gutting the house.”

Her voice had chilled and Rory was wary. “No, I was always going to fix it up. There’s no way I’d expect you to move into it like that. The kitchen has to be, what—thirty years out of date?” He had a sinking feeling she wasn’t as happy as he thought she’d be by this news.

“So, tell me, why did you pretend that was my new home then?” Gina’s face showed her building displeasure, her lips tight and pressed together. “Why let me work my butt off making it habitable if you were only going to go and mess it up?”

“You seemed happier doing it, so why not?”

She tilted her head and looked at him, waiting for more.

“And, well, in the beginning I wanted to see if you were money-oriented or not. If you knew who my brother was, you might think it was an easy ticket to the good life. Not that I think you’re like that now I’ve met you and I’ve seen how hard you’ve tried to make the house a home for us. But I wanted someone to marry me for me and not what they thought I could offer.” This wasn’t feeling good and he knew he should have kept his mouth shut and just told her she deserved better, no test involved. She’d more than proven that to him.