Damaged Hearts by Angel Wolfe

Matt and Angel don’t find a surprise in the morning.  I promise, I’ll keep you so distracted that you won’t think about it again until then.”
     
    He banked the fire giving her the opportunity to cover up slightly before turning to grab her hand and lead her in the direction he assumed her bedroom was in, letting her take the lead halfway down the hallway.  She opened a closed door leading him into a clean, plain, almost masculine room.  There was no lacy bedding or curtains in here, just a thick quilt across the bed and calico curtains at the window.  The dresser was bare of the usual feminine frippery with only a plain white serviceable dish and water pitcher to bathe. 
     
    He stripped off his previously neglected clothing and helped her out of the shirt that she had put back on before moving them towards the bed anxious to be inside her again, not having near enough the first time.  Sensing that she was still somewhat shy and uneasy, he bypassed the lamp just opening the curtains enough that a small beam of moonlight showed their silhouettes.
     
    Pulling her into his arms, he whispered “I love you” as he flipped back the bedding easing her down on the cool sheets.  “Marry me Kaitlyn; if you want, we can give this place to Matt and Angel for their wedding present so that it will still be in your family.  Then, we’ll move the stock around so that you have yours and Matt has his. 
     
    “You make it sound so easy.”  Her eyes teared up.  “I built this ranch from the ground up but you want me to just walk away from all of it.  You want me to give up everything I worked so hard for and exchange it for everything you have.  I don’t know if I can do it Rick and I don’t know that Morgan will accept me even if I do walk away from all this.”
     
    “Listen to me hun, Ali loves you already and I know Morgan will too once she realizes what a wonderful person you are.”  Rick said.  “As far as leaving everything you worked for, you don’t have to look at it like that.  You will be giving Angel and Matt a place to start their family together, a place that will be cared for and taken care of.  All of the stock can be shuffled around depending on what you want to keep and what you want to share.  In fact, it might make it easier on your breeding program if all the cattle are together.”
     
    “What about James and Frank?”  She asked referring to her newly hired hands.  “I can’t just turn them out now that I’ve given them somewhere to live and something to do with their lives.”
     
    “We can give them some options.”  Rick answered thoughtfully.  “With Matt leaving to start his life with Angel, I would have to hire someone to help with the stock anyway so if you and your stock move, it would make sense that the hands would too.  Besides the house that Consuela lives in, I have bunkhouse on my property that would house the two men comfortably.”
     
    “I think we should sleep on it and you can give me your answer after you have had more time to think.”  He said not wanting to make her feel rushed.  He pulled her close and flipped the covers over them before wrapping his arm around her and tugging her against his body.  “I love you Kaitlyn and whether you want to marry me or not, you better get used to hearing that; it’s not going to change.”
     
    With that, he kissed her on top of her head and fell into a deep sleep; leaving her to think on all that he had just said.  She could agree that Ali was already close to her and would not argue that Angel and Matt needed somewhere to live, especially now that she knew about the baby. 
     
    Wonderingly, her hand moved down to her own stomach.  What if what they did just a bit ago made a baby?  Could she too even now be pregnant with her first and Rick’s third child?  Now that she thought about it, she didn’t know if Rick wanted more children or not.  He certainly hadn’t done anything to prevent them if he