Page 133 of Wilde Flame

I didn’t have words for how I felt, lying with Lilibeth in my arms. Her naked body against mine was like a calming balm to my soul. My hand on the swell of her stomach, a healing balm to my heart. I felt my body relax more and more as my breathing evened out and slowed. I closed my eyes and listened to her breathing.

Smiling, I thought about how happy she’d been to see my drawings, and I knew she loved them. Nothing about Lilibeth Asher was fake. I truly believed she didn’t know how not to be genuine in everything she did or said.

I was just starting to doze off when she spoke. More like whispered. Had it not been so quiet, I wouldn’t have heard her at all.

“I love you, Caden.”

My eyes snapped open, and it took everything in me to keep my breathing relaxed.

She clearly thought I was asleep. I knew she’d almost said the words when she straddled my lap, but caught herself. I hadn’t realized how much I wanted to hear those three words from her until she said them.

I wanted to tell her I loved her, too, but the first time I told her, I wanted it to be perfect.

A soft snore came from next to me, and I smiled. I’d never felt so at peace before. I knew deep within my soul that this was it. Lilibeth was the one I’d been waiting for. The woman I was going to give my body, soul, and heart.

My smile widened. Tomorrow. Tomorrow morning, I’d tell Lilibeth I loved her.

Closing my eyes, I drifted off to sleep.

When I woke up an hour later, Lilibeth was still sleeping. I kissed her on the shoulder and slipped out of bed.

After getting dressed, I headed to my office. Sitting at my desk, I pulled out the top right drawer all the way, until I could see into the very back. Sitting in a black velvet jewelry box was my grandmother’s engagement ring. I pulled out the box and opened it. The ring was beautiful in its uniqueness. A hexagonal salt-and-pepper diamond set in platinum. Four white baguette diamonds—one on each side, one on the top, and one on the bottom—along with round white diamonds, all surrounded the main diamond. My grandfather had called it a compass ring, and he’d designed it himself for my grandma Nellie. She’d given it to me six years ago.

But it wasn’t the ring I’d asked Rachel to marry me with. I hadn’t wanted to give her this ring, and at the time, I told myself it was because I knew she wouldn’t like the design. She wouldn’t see the salt-and-pepper diamond as unique; she’d see it as a trash diamond.

In reality, the warning signs were all there. I didn’t give it to her because I somehow knew, deep down inside, that Rachel wasn’t the one.

Now, I smiled as I closed the box and set it back in the drawer. My grandfather would kill me if he knew it wasn’t in a safe. I’d taken it out right after I found out Lilibeth was pregnant.

A soft knock on the door caused me to look up. I grinned. “Hello there, sleeping beauty.”

She yawned and made her way into my office. I turned my desk chair and held my hands out for her. She walked over, and I drew her onto my lap.

“Sleep well?”

“I did. Working?”

“Yeah. I’m going to have to head over to the main barn. I’ve got a meeting with my uncles, Gatlin, and my father.”

“What kind of meeting?”

“Talk about calving, herd health, water systems, pastures…all the fun stuff that goes with a cattle ranch.”

Her eyes lit up. “Baby cows? I can’t wait!”

I laughed. “Maybe you can even see one being born.”

She drew back and looked at me. “Wait, are you serious?”

My brows went up in surprise. “Would you like to see that?”

“Um, yes! I’d love to see a horse being born, too.”

I tapped her nose with my finger. “I think I can arrange both.”

Her answering smile was brilliant.

“What are your plans for the rest of the day?”