She playfully touched the tip of her tongue to his palm and watched his eyes darken to forest-green. “I love you,” she murmured, letting her lips brush his calloused skin.
He shuddered against her a moment before he took his hand away. “I love you, too, Callie.” His expression turned serious. “But there’s something more I need to tell you about myself.”
Her heart stalled at the apprehension she detected in his voice. “What is it?”
“Remember me telling you about not knowing who my father was until just a few months ago and that his family had money?”
She nodded. “That’s when you found out you have two brothers and your grandmother’s reason for keeping your father’s identity a secret.”
“Right.” His wide chest rose and fell against her breasts as he drew in a deep breath, and she could tell he was reluctant to say more.
“Surely it can’t be all that bad.”
He shook his head. “Most people wouldn’t think so, but you might feel differently.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because you’re not overly fond of wealthy people.” He gave her a sheepish grin. “Darlin’, I’m rich.” He shook his head. “Actually I’m not just rich, I’m filthy rich.”
“You’re what?” Of all the things that had run through her mind, his being wealthy wasn’t one of them. He certainly didn’t act like any of the wealthy people she knew.
“When my grandmother finally told me and my brothers who our father was, she also informed us that we each have a multimillion-dollar trust fund and will one day inherit part of a multibillion-dollar enterprise.”
Callie’s mouth dropped open and she couldn’t have strung two words together if her life depended on it. When she finally found her voice, she asked, “Who is your grandmother?”
He smiled. “Emerald Larson.”
“The Emerald Larson?”
“The one and only,” he said nodding. “I hope you won’t hold that against me.”
She shook her head. “I can’t believe…I mean, you never acted any differently than anyone else and I had no idea—”
He silenced her babbling with a kiss, and by the time he raised his head, she couldn’t have cared less how much money he had or who his grandmother was. All that mattered was the man she loved more than life itself was holding her securely against him.
“Hunter, I don’t care how much money you have or if you have any at all. I love you and that’s all that matters.”
“And I love you. Never doubt that.” His smile heated her from the top of her head all the way to her bare toes. “By the way, what do you have planned for the end of next month?”
“The same thing I have planned for the rest of my life—loving you.” He nuzzled the side of her neck, sending shivers of delight skipping over every cell in her body. “Why?”
When she kissed the strong column of his neck, he groaned and swung her up into his arms. “It doesn’t matter. Right now I can’t think past taking you into the bedroom and getting started on the rest of our lives.”
“I like the way you think, flyboy.” Circling his wide shoulders with her arms, as he carried her into the bedroom, she whispered close to his ear, “I love you, Hunter.”
“And I love you, Callie.” Gently lowering her to the bed, he stretched out beside her, then gathered her into his arms. “And I intend to spend the rest of my life showing you just how much.”
Epilogue
A s Emerald Larson watched her three grandsons and their wives circulate among the guests at the dinner party she’d put together in their honor, she gave herself a mental pat on the back for a job well done. She’d specifically chosen the companies she’d given each of them to run, as well as arranged for them to meet the women she’d known would be perfect for them, and she couldn’t have been more pleased with the results of her efforts.
Glancing at her youngest grandson, Caleb, she smiled fondly. He’d proven to be a genius with his innovative and creative approach to management and had not only improved morale at Skerritt and Crowe Financial Consultants, he’d increased productivity by fifty percent in just a few months. Along with his wife, Alyssa, he was building a solid reputation as a force to contend with in the financial world.
Turning her attention to her middle grandson, she couldn’t have been more proud. Upon his return to the Sugar Creek Ranch, Nick had not only reclaimed his birthright, he’d courageously faced his nemesis and found vindication after thirteen long years. With the help of his wife, Cheyenne, Emerald had no doubt that his plans to turn the cattle company into a free-range operation would meet with complete success. And in the spring, when their first child was born, they’d finally realize their dream of raising a family in that big, charming ranch house under the wide Wyoming sky.
When her gaze landed on Hunter, her oldest grandson, Emerald sighed contentedly. He’d been the one she’d worried about the most. After losing his fiancée and their unborn child, he’d given up flying the helicopters he loved and built a wall around his heart that she’d feared might never come down. But when he’d arrived to take over running the Life Medevac Helicopter Service, he’d not only recaptured his love of flying, he’d met Callie, a young expectant mother whose love had helped him let go of the past and healed his wounded heart.
“You wanted to see me, Mrs. Larson?” Luther Freemont asked, walking up beside her.
As a personal assistant, Luther was highly efficient, his loyalty unsurpassed. But as a man, he was the biggest stuffed shirt she’d ever met.
“I want to thank you for helping me accomplish my goal,” she said, continuing to watch her grandsons and their wives. “Our efforts have worked quite well, don’t you think?”
“I’d say they’ve been a resounding success,” Luther agreed with her.
“I rather enjoyed watching my grandsons prove themselves with the businesses I gave them to run, as well as helping them find the loves of their lives.” She sighed. “It’s a shame that I don’t have more grandchildren.”
Her breath caught and her mood lightened considerably when Luther gave her one of his rare smiles. “Well, as a matter of fact…”