Page 24 of Playing Dirty (Millionaire Cowboys of Lucky Ranch #2)

Chapter Twenty-Four

The Winning Hand

Rhett

I couldn’t stop staring at her finger. My ring looked so damn right, I almost didn’t trust my own eyes. Shiny, delicate, perfect—yet it felt like the biggest, boldest thing I’d ever pulled off. Like I’d just won the pot of a lifetime without ever pushing a single chip forward.

Callie twisted her hand, watching the diamond catch the garage lights. Her grin was half-shy, half-smug, and it punched me straight in the chest.

“You like it?” I asked, even though I already knew. My voice came out lower than I meant, rough with something I’d never admit to Sawyer or Colt—pure nerves.

“Like it?” She laughed softly, her thumb brushing over the stone. “Rhett, I love it.”

And there it was. Three words that leveled me harder than any bad bet I’d ever taken.

After we got out, I was still catching my breath. Truth was, I’d been terrified I’d screw this up. Terrified she’d say no, or worse— move on with her life before I found the guts to ask. I’d gambled with my pride, my patience, hell, with my whole damn heart. And for once, I wasn’t bluffing.

I leaned back against the truck’s cab, arms crossed, trying to play it cool. “All the poker chips in Vegas couldn’t buy what you just gave me.”

Her eyes flicked up to mine, soft and shining. “What’s that?”

“A chance,” I said simply. “And don’t go thinking I don’t know it.”

She stepped into me, slipping her left hand— our hand now—against my chest. The ring glinted like proof that I’d finally found a way to stop running the tables and bet on something real.

And damn if it didn’t feel like the sweetest win of my life.

“Come on,” she murmured, tugging me toward the side door.

Normally, I was the one dragging her into trouble. Now, she was leading, and I followed without a fight. Hell, I’d follow her anywhere.

I’d walked through that door many times, but always with one ear cocked to the sound of another man’s lies, always ready to face off if things went south. But entering the house felt different this time. Tonight, it was quiet. Safe. Hers. Ours.

I looked down at her again, couldn’t help it.

The diamond caught the light like it was proud to be there.

Couldn’t blame it—I’d been proud to stand between her and every damn thing that tried to hurt her.

And I’d keep doing it, from here to forever.

That wasn’t a promise I had to say out loud. It was carved into me.

Protecting Callie had become second nature, like breathing, and I wasn’t about to quit now just because she wore my ring. If anything, it meant I had even more to fight for.

“You keep staring at me like that, Rhett Callahan, and I’m gonna start wondering if you proposed just so you could ogle me all night.”

I squeezed her hand, pulling her closer. “Darlin’, I’ve been ogling you since the day I swore I’d keep you safe. The ring’s just proof I plan on doing both for the rest of my life.”

She rolled her eyes, but her smile stayed soft, sweet, like she knew I meant every word.

The couch had never looked so damn inviting. Tonight, it wasn’t about cushions or comfort—it was about the woman who tugged me down beside her like I belonged there.

We sank into the cushions, still hand in hand, though she let her head fall against my shoulder like she needed to test if this thing was real. I shifted just enough to wrap my arm around her, pulling her in tight.

For a minute, neither of us said a word. The quiet pressed in, not heavy but… settled. Like the whole house exhaled now that it was ours, not haunted by secrets or someone else’s shadow.

“You ever think we’d make it here?” she asked softly.

I huffed out a laugh. “Hell no. I figured you’d keep shooting me down until I died of frustration.”

That earned me the sweetest little smile against my shirt. “I know, I didn’t make it easy.”

“Sweetheart, I didn’t care. I was trying to save you from hurt and embarrassment.”

Her breath hitched—just the faintest sound—but I felt it, the same way I’d felt every time she’d been hurting and tried to hide it. I tilted her chin until she was looking at me.

“I know I’ve been a cocky bastard, Callie. But through all of it—every game, every smart-mouthed word—protecting you was the only thing that ever mattered. I didn’t always get it right, but I never once let go of that. And I never will.”

Her eyes shimmered, and damn if that didn’t gut me harder than any punch I’d ever taken. “You really mean that, don’t you?”

“Callie,” I said, brushing my thumb across her cheek, “I’ve been your shield longer than I’ve been your man. But now I get to be both. And that’s the best hand I’ve ever been dealt.”

She let out a shaky laugh, leaning into my touch. “You and your card metaphors.”

“Get used to ’em. You’re marrying a gambler, remember?”

Her fingers toyed with the ring again, the diamond winking in the lamplight. She didn’t have to say it, but I knew—she was replaying every moment that got us here.

Every risk.

Every damn close call.

I kissed her then, slow and sure, sealing the vow I’d already made. She tasted like forever.

When we finally broke apart, she whispered, “I don’t feel alone anymore. I feel like I have a family… our family.” Her voice trembled when she continued, “Sometimes I think about what comes next… maybe kids one day.”

The air shifted between us, heavy with the weight of that thought. I cupped her face, my thumb stroking along her jaw. “You’d be an incredible mom. No question. But if I’m being honest, sweetheart—I’m not ready. Not yet. I want more time with you. Just us.”

Relief flickered in her gaze, mixing with something tender.

“Good. Because neither am I. I don’t want to rush us into that.

I want late nights that turn into mornings.

I want car shows, poker tables, and dancing barefoot in the kitchen.

I want to know every part of you before we add someone else to the mix.

” She laughed, low and warm, threading her fingers through my hair. “For now, it’s you and me.”

I pulled her close. “Guess we’re both too selfish to share this yet,” I said, grinning against her temple.

She dragged a finger down my jaw, teasing, though her voice had a weight to it. “Not even when there are a couple of little ones tearing through the house?”

The thought knocked the wind out of me. Kids—ours. I’d never let myself picture it before. Not seriously.

“Hell no,” I said, grinning. “That’s when I’ll need you most. Somebody’s got to stop me from teaching ’em poker before they can spell their names.”

She snorted and nudged me with her knee. “And someone’s got to stop me from feeding them ice cream for breakfast.”

I kissed her slowly, lingering, tasting the future on her lips.

When I pulled back, I let the gamble I’d been rolling around in my head slip free.

“The Silver State Classic is coming up soon. We will be back in Vegas. We need to make sure everything is set up perfectly. What if we made it more than just about the truck?”

Her brows lifted, a spark catching in her eyes.

“What if,” I said, heart pounding hard, “we came back from Vegas not just with a trophy… but married?”

For a beat, she just stared, and I braced myself for her to laugh me off. But then her smile spread slowly, brighter than the neon strip itself.

“That would be perfect,” she whispered.

We melted back into the couch cushions, her head tucked into my chest, my arm heavy around her shoulders. The silence between us was full of what we’d said, what we hadn’t, and what we’d just promised without even meaning to.

I laced my fingers through hers, holding on like I’d never let go. I’d found where I belonged—right here, with her in my arms.

Her. Us. The whole damn future. And I’d guard it with everything I had.