Page 66 of Trapped (Sheppard & Sons Investigations #6)

Six weeks later...

Ashley

“ W here are we going?” I asked, feigning impatience. Nathan had been dropping less-than-helpful hints about his surprise all morning. Not that I’d complain, I loved surprises.

Plus, he’d been spoiling me non-stop after making good on his promise to give me a first date I’d never forget. My cheeks felt a little warmer just thinking about it.

I kept telling him he didn’t have to spoil me, even though I secretly loved it. He always said the same thing: I don’t have to, but I want to.

I remembered him saying “It’s sad that you think I’m spoiling you when all I’m doing is taking care of you”. Apparently, I’d been dating the wrong guys my whole life.

The warm September air felt good on my skin as I let my hand hang out the window. A comfortable silence settled in the truck’s cab after I stopped pestering Nathan with questions.

He parked in front of a rundown farmhouse just outside of town.

Did he buy this place? He’d talked about buying land more than once.

Our current situation was a little unconventional—we had a small studio apartment, furnished from my old apartment, smack dab in the middle of Main Street. We spent our nights there, but per our compromise with Gran, I worked at her place during the day and we had dinner with her most nights.

I hopped out and met Nathan in front of his truck. Appreciating his rugged good looks and the way his tight gray T-shirt showed off all his delicious muscles.

“Let’s take a walk,” he said, reaching for my hand.

He walked me around the neglected property, staring at me as he asked me question after question.

When he asked if I thought I could live there, I looked around and smiled. I can absolutely see myself living here .

But I wouldn’t be me if I made it that easy. “It’s kind of a mess.”

“That’s why it’s so cheap, but the land is perfect and we can renovate or rebuild the house.”

Still staring at the rundown farmhouse, I feigned nonchalance. “I think we can make it work.”

When he didn’t respond, I turned around to find Nathan on one knee.

“Will you marry me?” His lopsided grin made my heart flutter.

In his left hand was a red velvet ring box. Inside the box sat a large, gorgeous, solitaire diamond that sparkled in the sunlight.

“Aren’t we already engaged?” I asked, reaching for the ring.

“We are. I wanted to do it the right way,” he said, snatching the ring away.

“Hey!” I pouted.

“Hey what? You haven’t answered me yet,” he teased.

“Yes, Nathan. For the second time, yes, I’ll marry you.”

He slipped the ring on my finger, picked me up and swung me around. When I wrapped my legs around his waist, I leaned back so I could see his eyes.

Running a finger down his scar, I said, “I love you, Cowboy.”

After he kissed every thought out of my head, he said, “I love you, Slick. What do you say? How about we buy some land and start a family?”

It was one of the best days of my life.

Six more weeks later…

“Morning,” Nathan said as he pulled me close and put his hand on my belly.

“I wish we didn’t have to work today.” Nathan had only been back on full duty for three weeks, and while I was happy for him, I missed him when he had long days and overnight assignments.

“Will you feel better if I promise to pick up your favorite ice cream on my way home?”

“Maybe.” I laughed as I straddled his hips. “I’d feel even better if we had some fun before you left.”

He never said no. He couldn’t always take his time, but a quickie was nothing to complain about.

“You, my gorgeous wife, are insatiable.” He ran his hands down my sides, tickling me with his feather-light touch.

When I giggled, he sat up and kissed me until my giggles turned to moans.

Then, he flipped me onto my back. “I’ll have to set my alarm an hour earlier if this is how you want to start your days.”

I wasn’t a get-up-at-the-crack-of-dawn kind of person, but for this… Yeah, I’d get up early for orgasmic bliss courtesy of Nathan.

Afterward, I lounged in bed while Nathan showered.

We didn’t start every day like this, but the pregnancy hormones were making me crazy horny. It was probably too soon to blame them, but I didn’t care.

Nathan and I started baby-making practice the day he left the hospital. It was an exercise in creativity, making sure we didn’t rip open any of his stitches.

Which we only did once.

I’d stopped taking the pill because of my earlier scare and was waiting for my next cycle to restart, but after a discussion we decided I wouldn’t take them anymore and he wouldn’t wear a raincoat.

As a result, Baby Blaszek was conceived about the same time as Nathan’s romance-novel-worthy second proposal.

We’d vowed to love, honor, and cherish each other in a small ceremony two weeks after said proposal. The late September weather was perfect, the fall colors made everything beautiful, and our friends and family made it a day we’d never forget as we celebrated in Gran’s backyard.

No muss. No fuss. Just our friends, a Justice of the Peace, and Prince, because of course Gran insisted he attend. She even bought him a tie for the occasion. Prince wasn’t the only nonhuman at our wedding. Kroupa brought Havoc.

When Gran insisted on introducing Prince to Havoc, I expected chaos.

But Havoc was far better trained than Prince, and he sat perfectly still while Prince checked him out.

When Kroupa released him, he nosed the tiny cat, making us all laugh when Prince fell over.

They’re best buds now, and whenever Kroup comes to visit, he brings his wife and his dog.

After the ceremony, we celebrated with a potluck party and lots of beer. If anyone noticed that I wasn’t drinking, they didn’t say anything. Who am I kidding? They noticed. Stupid PIs and their ridiculous observation skills.

The only person we’d actually told about the pregnancy was Gran. She was beside herself with joy, knowing she’d get to meet her great-grandbaby. More than once I heard her warning Prince he’d have to play nice with the baby.

I didn’t have high hopes for her demon cat playing nice, but then again, I’d never had a cat. Technically, I still didn’t. Prince was Gran’s cat, though Nathan and I still helped take care of him. John had eventually solved that mystery, turns out a couple abandoned the little guy when they moved.

I couldn’t imagine someone abandoning a cute, sweet, cuddly cat like Prince.

Yes, I thought he was both cute and cuddly, and a demon cat. Sue me.

Thanks to Nathan, Gran was using a cane at our wedding. He’d hired a nurse to help Gran during the nights, but we didn’t need her for very long, thanks to Gran’s upgraded therapy. It was a blessing and a curse. She was stronger and moved faster, but she wielded that damn cane like a weapon.

Nathan thought it was hysterical and taught her how to use it properly as a striking tool.

A choice he quickly regretted because she thwacked him regularly for not calling her Gran. Something he finally did after we exchanged our vows.

“Aren’t you working today?” Nathan asked, interrupting my walk down memory lane.

“You know I am. We’re meeting to make sure everything is perfect for the fundraiser tomorrow.”

I loved my job at the Wyatt Foundation, and now that I didn’t have to worry about Gran’s medical care or paying rent, I was happy working part time.

It gave me time to work on my romance novel. Which I’d finally told the girls about during our last girls’ night out. Though I still hadn’t let anyone read it. When I told them I wanted to finish it first, I was only half-lying. My nerves were the other reason.

I let Nathan read it, and he thought it was funny. Which gave me hope, since I was writing a rom-com about three sisters and their small-town shenanigans. He especially liked the spicy scenes and said he’d be happy to help me make sure they were realistic.

I lost track of the number of times we did research in our studio, and the number of times I thanked God the offices below us were empty from five to nine.

“I thought maybe you’d cancelled and decided to stay in bed all day,” he teased as he tugged the covers off me. The end of October was the perfect time of year in Texas. It was cool at night, making it perfect for cuddling under the comforter, or with a smoking hot husband.

“Hey!” I grabbed the blankets. “I don’t have to be there for another three hours.”

He laughed. “Come on, Slick, I’ll make you breakfast.”

I jumped up, making him laugh even harder as he left the room.

If you’d asked me six months ago if I thought I’d be happily married and pregnant before the fourth annual Wyatt Foundation Halloween fundraiser, I would have laughed in your face.

Not a delicate feminine laugh, but a full cackle complete with flying spit.

But here I am , walking around in one of my husband’s well-worn SEAL T-shirts, his name in big black block letters on the back, barefoot and pregnant. And as if it wasn’t enough that he was kind, generous, protective, and gorgeous, he also liked to cook.

Which made me extra happy now that I was eating for two.

The next afternoon, I walked into the hotel conference room wearing my favorite cowboy boots, a miniskirt, and a Baby on Board T-shirt. Nathan thought I was crazy for telling everyone this way. I thought it’d be fun.

The fundraiser had always been at Grannie’s, but the response to the new marketing campaign had far exceeded our expectations. We rented a hotel conference room, so we’d have room for all the extra guests. It sucked having to pay for the space, but it’d be worth it when the donations came in.

Emily’s squeal brought the room to a standstill. “I knew it. You’re pregnant!” she squealed as she rushed over to wrap me in a hug. The others weren’t far behind.

“I am.” My smile felt too big for my face.

After a round of hugs for me, and manly handshakes and slaps on the back for Nathan, Jamie said, “Let’s leave the girls to their celebrating.”

Nathan leaned down and kissed my temple. “Love you, Slick.”

“Love you more, Cowboy.”

It’d been a long, painful journey, but Nathan and I had finally found our happily ever after.