Chapter 18
Amelia loved him.
Thatcher’s chest swelled with a swift current of emotions he couldn’t name but that brought a lump into his throat.
She loved him. And now she was kissing him.
Her lips plied his shyly and sweetly, as though she wanted to kiss him to express her love but didn’t want to overstep herself.
He needed her to know he would always, always welcome her kisses, that any time she wanted to give him one, he would accept it.
Wrapping his arms around her more securely, he angled in and fused his mouth with hers, hoping to reassure her he would take everything she offered.
He didn’t care about the tough decisions about their future that still loomed ahead.
He didn’t care that he was making his life more complicated.
And he didn’t care that everything was so uncertain.
All that mattered was her. She was more important than his career as a veterinarian, more important than the approval of the community, more important than keeping the peace with Beckett or even Eileen when she arrived.
If Amelia loved him and wanted to be with him, then he’d sacrifice everything to be with her. Because the truth was, he loved her too.
He delved into their kiss with all of that love and passion . . . and the delight of knowing she was his. After the past few days of agonizing over the marriage muddle, the doubts fled to the back corners of his mind, and he basked in the light of her love.
Her arms slipped up and wound around his neck, and she moved into the kiss deeply too.
Her lips were just as full and delectable as they had been previously.
But somehow this time, the touch seared him all the way to his core, sparking a fire inside that flared to life and sent heat sizzling through his veins.
He didn’t know what would happen tomorrow or the next day or the next month. But he had Amelia, and she was more than he ever could have asked for in a wife, in the companion and friend who would walk alongside him in the journey of life.
He enjoyed being with her more than he ever had any other person, which was saying a lot since he never turned down an opportunity to be around people.
There was something so attentive about her, as if she was invested in everything he had to say.
She also wasn’t afraid to speak her mind and tell him if she didn’t agree with him.
And she was deeply compassionate—that was easy to see in how she’d given up her life for her father and his farm, how she cared so much about her unborn babe, and how she even cared about the helpless animals that no one else wanted.
As if sensing the deepening desire within him, she pressed her body to his and wound her fingers more firmly into his hair. Her kiss turned suddenly harder and hungrier with a need that only added fuel to the flames raging in his body and fanned his own needs into consuming heat.
Desire pulsed through him. He wanted to sweep her up and take her to the bedroom and forget all about the presents. A groan pushed for release, but he swallowed it and forced himself to stay on his bench.
Even if he was allowing himself to acknowledge this love that had swiftly taken root and grown between them, deep inside, he knew they had to make things right with both Beckett and Eileen before they moved forward with their marriage.
Yes, it was clear that he couldn’t relinquish Amelia. But he had to make sure she was aware that staying with him would possibly bring her a life of hardship. He needed her to know what she was getting herself into with him.
“Amelia,” he whispered, breaking their kiss.
She chased after his lips, catching his mouth again, and tugging him back.
This time he did groan, her desire and her boldness only adding power to the flames burning inside him.
He kissed her again, this time wildly, almost frantically, as if at any moment she would be ripped from him, and he would never have the opportunity to kiss her again.
It wasn’t true, was it?
What if she decided that she couldn’t endure a lifetime of the uncertainty that came with his work? What if that would be too much disgrace for her to bear?
He had to know.
This time he broke the kiss and stood. In the same motion, he set her on the bench he’d vacated and gently pried her arms loose from his neck.
Before she could protest or find a way to wrap him back up in another kiss, he paced away from her until he found himself standing in front of the fireplace.
His breathing was labored, and he combed his fingers through his messy hair. Everything in him wanted to turn around and make sure she was okay. But he knew if he looked at her, he’d only be drawn right back into her arms and into another kiss.
Before he kissed her again, he had to make certain this marriage was what she wanted.
“Amelia,” he started again. “I want you to know that I love you more than anything, that I think I fell in love with you on the first day I met you.”
Her breathing was ragged too, but at his declaration, it seemed to even out, as if his words brought her reassurance.
“Yes, I love you.” He needed her to know there was no question about his love. “It’s because I love you that I want to make sure you are well aware of the problems that will come with being married to me.”
The bench scraped as she stood, and her footsteps padded against the floorboard.
He had to say everything before she came to him and silenced him with her touch or another kiss. He pivoted and held out a hand to halt her progression.
She took another step, then stopped. Her face was flushed, her lips swollen, and her hazel eyes bright with tenderness.
Heaven help him. He stiffened his shoulders to keep himself from stalking back to her and kissing her senseless.
“I realize you will be maligned at times,” she said softly, “but it doesn’t matter—”
“It does matter.” His statement came out more passionate than he intended. But he needed her to understand the seriousness of choosing to be with him. “As you saw from what happened with Beckett’s horse, one decision can cost me my career.”
“I don’t care about that.”
“But I don’t want you to be ostracized from the community like you were with Charles.”
She cocked her head and studied him for a long second. “Thatcher, you are not like Charles. Not even a little. Charles was selfish and cold and uncaring and deserved to be ostracized and disliked. But you . . . you are kind and giving and friendly to everyone you see.”
“That doesn’t change the fact that people will turn against me.” He appreciated her encouragement, but sometimes all it took was one person spreading one bad rumor to ruin someone.
“People might talk for a little while, but your true character will speak louder eventually.”
“That didn’t happen the last time and might not this time either.”
Her face took on a determined, even a fierce look. “If people cannot see through the rumors to what a good and decent man you are, then they don’t deserve to have you in this community.”
He inwardly smiled at her sweet words of defense. But that still didn’t change the situation. “I don’t want to put you through having a disgraced husband again.”
“Again?” Her brows rose. “Thatcher, I will gladly be ostracized with you. Because I see the caring and compassionate man that you truly are and will stand beside you no matter what.”
She was amazing, and he longed to have that kind of support—the support he hadn’t had from Nora, who’d cut him out of her life when her father had demanded she call off the engagement.
“Because you’re a man of true integrity and character,” she continued, “I’m honored to be your wife, no matter what anyone else says.
And even if the truth about who you really are gets buried beneath lies, I still know who you are and will always respect you and don’t care about their misguided opinions. ”
Once again, Amelia’s words were reminiscent of what his mother had told him right before he’d left, when he’d been hugging her goodbye. She’d told him she believed in him and would always love and respect him, no matter what anyone else said about him.
Amelia’s belief in him was just as strong, if not stronger. If he’d allowed himself any doubts, they were now gone. She was the one for him. And if she was willing to stick with him through all the adversities life would bring them, then he would do his best to be worthy of her.
“If you’re sure you’ll have me,” he started again, “then I’m sure I’ll have you.”
She didn’t answer. Instead, she bolted forward and raced across the room toward him. As she reached him, she flung herself upon him.
In the same instant, he wrapped his arms around her and drew her into a tight embrace. He squeezed his eyes closed. This. This was what he wanted. Her and only her.
Her arms slid around him, and she rested her head against his chest. “I don’t want anyone else but you, Thatcher.”
He pressed a hard kiss to the top of her head. “Then you’re not at all curious to know more about Beckett?”
“No, not after how he handled himself.”
“So I’m still your favored cowboy?”
She snuggled into his chest. “Far and above my favored.”
“Good, because I’m not sure I would have been able to give you up to him.”
“And I won’t be able to give you up to Eileen.”
Now that he had Amelia in his arms again, he wanted to mesh his mouth with hers and kiss her all day .
. . and all night. With as much passion as there was sizzling between them, he was pretty sure she would agree they were both attracted to one another and ready for the marriage bed—at least, he was.
Yet even though he was eager for more and suspected she was too, the honorable part of him wanted to make sure he settled things with both Beckett and Eileen before letting himself get carried away with Amelia.
He sighed. “As much as I would like to kiss you again right here and now, I think we both owe Beckett and Eileen explanations before we take the next step forward in our marriage.”
She seemed to hesitate, then her arms tightened around him. “That’s one of the things I love about you. That you want to do the right thing even when it’s difficult.”
The tension he hadn’t realized was in his shoulders loosened.
“We’ll need to communicate with them both soon, though.” Her voice was muffled against him. “Because I want to kiss you as often and as long as I want.”
“Do you now?” He couldn’t keep the happiness from his tone as he teased her.
“I do.” She pulled back and smiled up at him, such a wide and happy smile that he was sure he’d never been happier in his entire life.