Page 68 of Claimed By the Cowboy

“Jacob will be grateful,” I say, reaching for her hand. “That condition’s been bothering him for years.”

Jacob, who rarely lets anyone in, instantly liked Kitty when I took her to meet him. He never stood a chance against her quiet kindness. She has a way of winning people over without even trying.

Kitty beams as her fingerstwine with mine. “It feels good to use this knowledge for something important.”

She’s done more than restore Mom's herb garden—she’s carried on her legacy of healing. Of caring for family in ways that matter.

An hour later, after everyone's headed back to their own chaos, I wrap my arm around Kitty’s shoulders and pull her onto my lap at the kitchen table. “Do you ever think about that first day when you stepped off the bus?”

“I was terrified! So sure I didn't belong anywhere, especially not somewhere as beautiful as this.” She gestures toward the mountains through the window. “I thought I was the tagalong sister who would mess everything up.”

“You were exactly what this place needed.” The conviction in my voice makes her look up. “What I needed.”

“How could you know? I was nobody special.”

I turn to face her. “You want to know what I saw that first day? A woman brave enough to start over somewhere completely unknown. Someone whosneezed at the chaos and said ‘pineapple’ instead of running.”

“Oh, God, the sneezing fit.” Her cheeks flush with remembered embarrassment.

“Best mistake I ever made was falling for the wrong sister,” I say, pressing my forehead against hers. “Because she turned out to be exactly the right woman.”

Kitty’s eyes turn misty. “Tom...”

“I love you, Kitty Sutton. I love how you make everything brighter, warmer, more alive. How you make ordinary moments feel special just by being here.I love watching you bring things back to life—Mom’s garden, this family. Me.” I kiss her softly, tasting the sweetness that’s purely her. “I love knowing that every morning for the rest of my life, I get to wake up to you stealing my shirts and making our house feel like home.”

“Every morning,” she agrees, dashing away a tear and kissing me back with absolute certainty. “For the rest of our very long, very happy lives.”

“Starting with this morning,” I murmur againsther lips. “Because I'm not nearly finished appreciating my wife.”

Her breath catches when I stand with her in my arms. “Tom, it’s barely noon...”

“Good. I want to see every expression on your beautiful face when I make you come all over my cock.” I carry her toward our bedroom. “I want to watch you fall apart in our bed and know that you’re mine. Completely, absolutely mine.”

“Always yours,” she breathes as I tumble her onto our bed.

As I lose myself in my woman, a goat bleats its approval from somewhere nearby while the ranch continues its daily rhythm.

This is our life. Beautiful, chaotic, absolutely perfect.

And I plan to spend every single day showing my wife exactly how much I appreciate it.