Rope the Moon (Runaway Ranch, #2)(115)

She laughs lightly. “That’s what tonight has been. One long lifetime.”

I tuck her against me. “Get some sleep, Cupcake.”

“Can’t. I’m afraid it’s all a dream and if I fall asleep, I’ll wake up and it won’t be true.”

“It’s true,” I tell her, running a fingertip over her ring. Dakota, safe and sound in my arms, wearing my ring, is all I’ve ever wanted. “No matter where you are. I’ll be there. I’ll find you. Even in your dreams.”

Her eyes soften. “Even on the moon, Hotshot?”

I cup her face and lower my brow to hers. “Forever on the moon.”





THREE MONTHS LATER


The first week of September is warm and bright. The sky is a piercing blue. It’s like Montana herself called in a favor for the good weather to last. At least long enough for this wedding.

Even though the season is over, Runaway Ranch is full. Dakota and I decided to have a simple ceremony at the ranch. Fitting, considering it’s the place where we first began. Friends and family have flown in. My mother and father sit in the front row. Mama Belle fans her hands in front of her face. Laughter rings out from the sidelines. My little sister and her husband chase after their twins. Ferraro’s flown in for the special occasion, bringing with him a handful of top-secret government devices for us to—in his words—test out later.

The pasture is full of white chairs. The aisle covered in rose petals. Marvin, a local from town, sits with a guitar and strums a simple rock ‘n’ roll melody. A rustic triangle-shaped wood arch decorated with fragrant flowers completes the setup.

But I couldn’t give a shit about any of that. All I care about is Dakota. I’ve waited six long years for this moment. I can wait five more minutes.

Clearing my throat, I nervously run a hand down my tie.

A snort floats my way. “Still can’t believe you got me into a tux.”

I side-eye Wyatt. “Believe it. And shut it.”

Grady, the youngest, smirks and leans in. “Think she changed her mind?”

Charlie rolls his eyes. I grin down at them.

Beside me, my brothers line the front of the aisle. Next to me. Where they always have been and always will be. It was last week at a riotous and drunken bachelor party at Nowhere that I finally spilled the truth to my brothers about my time in special ops. What I went through to get back to Charlie.

Another long due secret unburied. Another step to getting closer to my brothers.

The music swells, and the knot of nerves in my stomach doubles.

Keena trots down the aisle with the rings tied to her collar.

“Good girl,” I tell her, leaning down to retrieve them. The crowd lets out a murmur of aw as I give her a big hug and then she settles beside Charlie.

Ruby appears at the end of the aisle. She bounces toward us in a flowy one-shouldered gold dress. Her rose-gold hair is long and loose. A small crown of baby’s breath halos around her head. She gives Charlie a flirty wink before standing at the front of the aisle opposite us.

Next is Fallon.

I grin when I see her cheeks are flushed a pretty pink. She looks unlike herself, soft and feminine in a long sage dress of chiffon. On her arm is Ford. They take slow steps as they walk down the aisle.

Three months after her attack, Fallon’s almost fully recovered. She’s back on a horse, but the lingering concussion symptoms have taken a toll on her riding. She still won’t talk about Aiden. There’s a cloudiness in her eyes that unsettles both Dakota and me.

When they reach the end of the aisle, Ford settles by my side, Fallon across from me.

She narrows her eyes and mouths, Don’t fuck it up.

The music changes to an acoustic version of the Rolling Stones “Wild Horses.”

My nerves skyrocket and I barely have any time to wonder how in the hell I’m going to keep it together, because there she is.

Dakota appears at the end of the aisle with Stede by her side.

“Fuck,” I croak.

She’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.

She looks stunning in a draped gown with a bow at the waist. Her black hair is sleek and shiny, spilling around her slender shoulders. The smile on her face is devastating.

I love seeing her like this. Free and beautiful and happy. Everything Dakota deserves. Everything I will give her for the rest of our lives.

And in her arms, our son Duke.

Three weeks after the nightmare with Aiden King, Dakota went into labor. It was a middle of the night drag race to the hospital. With seconds to spare, our son was born in the lobby of Bear Creek Clinic. But it’s what I’ve come to expect. The unplanned—the chaos—in this life with Dakota. I’ll take it all. Every second, every unexpected moment with this woman and our son.

“Hey, Hotshot,” Dakota says softly as Stede hands her over to me.

A muscle in my jaw tics. “Hey, yourself.”

Chest tight, I look down at Duke. The baby is all Dakota. Tufts of dark hair, jet-black eyes. But he’s as much mine as he is hers. When I met him for the first time, and he wrapped his tiny finger around mine, I was done. He claimed my heart as much as his mother has, and we made it official when Dakota put my name on the birth certificate as his father.

Dakota gives me a watery smile, then turns to hand Duke to Fallon. Instantly, Keena swaps sides. She noses beside Fallon to stare up at Duke. Ever since the baby was born, Keena has been a loyal protector.