“What? After I left during our big fight, you want assurances from me that from this point on you’ll come first in my life?”

“Yep, that’s a start. And you’ll come second in mine, right after the cows.” He laughed when she swatted at him. “Kidding. I figured that’s what a real cattleman would say. But if that’s the case, I’ll never be a real cattleman, because you’ll always come first. Always.” He wrapped her braid around his fist and tugged. “But if being a cattlewoman isn’t enough for you? The offer to pay for your school still stands. I want you to have your dream, Celia. No matter what it is.”

“You…this life we’ve begun to build together…that’s my dream. It’s more than I ever hoped for. More than I ever thought I’d deserve.” Celia touched his jaw. “Part of me is afraid this is a dream.”

“It’s not, baby. It’s as real as it gets.”

“I can’t believe you came after me.”

“I can’t believe you thought I’d ever let you go.”

They looked at each other and laughed. “We’re so sappy.”

“Sappy, happy, sloppy in love. That’s us, kitten.” He slung his arm over her shoulder and they walked along the paddock.

“Did you tell Tanna or anyone about the marriage license screwup?”

“No. Did you?”

“Are you kiddin’? After the way your brothers acted the first time? You think I wanna give them a real reason to beat the shit outta me for living in sin with their baby sister? No way.” He stopped and faced her. “So no more living in sin. I have a couple ideas how we can fix this.” Kyle dropped to his knees. “Celia Rose Lawson, I love you. I can’t live without you. Will you marry me? Again?”

“Yes!” She jerked him to his feet and said, “Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes,” punctuating each yes with a kiss.

He laughed. “We have two options. The first: Hop in the truck and drive straight to Vegas. We’ll find a chapel with an up-to-date permit and we’ll tie the knot again, and make sure we leave with all the proper paperwork. So we’ll have proof we’re really married.”

“That sounds perfect.”

“Ah, but I’m not done. I know that tequila-fueled ceremony wasn’t the wedding of your dreams. So the second option: Have a hometown preacher marry us in front of our family and friends, so you can wear a fancy dress and have a big party afterward. If you want that, I’m good with that. I’m good with anything that makes you mine as soon as possible.”

She liked his possessive side as much as his sweet side. “Something about us getting married in boots and jeans fits us. Something about keeping the ceremony about us pledging ourselves to each other in private suits us too. So thanks, but I’ll take the quickie Vegas wedding.”

“You sure?”

“Yes. Because I already feel like I’m married to you. It’d just be a formality.”

Kyle kissed her. “This time we’ll be sober when we repeat our eternal vows to each other. This time I’m putting a big diamond on your hand. This time when we seal the deal with a kiss, I’ll take extreme pleasure in knowing that I’m the first man who ever kissed you as well as the last man who’ll ever kiss you.”

“And there’s that romantic streak I’ve been missing something fierce,” she murmured.

“Then we’ll rent one of them fancy bridal suites and I’ll spend the whole night proving how much I love you.” He grinned and waggled his eyebrows. “I guarantee we’ll both remember our wedding night.”

She touched his face. “I love you, Kyle. So much. Who knew me asking you to keep me from doing something stupid turned out to be the best thing I ever did?”

“One night turned out to be a lifetime. I’m good with that.”