"You gave me plenty of good reasons why we should marry. Starting our own family—" His arms tightened as if he were tense, trying to put his thoughts into words. "I want that, Allie – more than I ever realized before tonight. Family is… more important than I knew."
She nodded in silent understanding. Something had happened out there in the woods – something that Brandon would tell her later, after they'd made love, in the protective darkness of the night.
"I hope you're ready for number fourteen, Brandon," she said softly. Her voice shook only a little. "It's already on the way."
He looked at her quickly, and then held her away from him, his hands tightening around the soft cotton blouse at her upper arms. "You're sure? Allie, are you sure?"
There was a wonder in his voice, an excitement in his eyes that she'd never seen before. This was the greatest gift she could ever have given him. It was clear in his expression.
"I'm positive." She swallowed past the lump in her throat. What she should have intuitively known was obvious now. Brandon had been so hard to convince because he'd wanted it so much.
"I'll be wanting a girl, Allison." But he wasn't looking at her. His gaze ranged over the cattle in their pens, the rowdy boys playing in the rainy summer night, Owen, a new friend made. He met Sam's eyes once more, and Allie saw what he did – Sam's hand on Jay's head in casual affection as he spoke to Ben and Owen.
A girl. That possibility terrified her, but was, at the same moment, sweet to contemplate. Her lips curved up and she gave him a saucy look, as his eyes met hers. "I'll do my best to make you happy, sir."
"You do, Allie," he said, so close to her their breath was the same. He bent to kiss her, just as the rain started its gentle rhythm again. His expression was warm with anticipation and love. "It's Gabriel's Law."
The End
About the Author—Cheryl Pierson
Cheryl was born in Duncan, Oklahoma, and grew up in Seminole, Oklahoma. She graduated from the University of Oklahoma and holds a B.A. in English.
She has eight published novels, including three western historical romances: Fire Eyes, The Half-Breed's Woman, and Gabriel's Law, all available in print and digital format at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
Three of Cheryl’s stories have been nominated in the Best Western Short Fiction category of the Western Fictioneers Peacemaker Awards. Her paranormal western short story "The Keepers of Camelot" was nominated in 2013. In 2014, her story "It Takes a Man," featuring her characters from the Wolf Creek series, was a finalist. And the most recent, “Hidden Trails,” set in Indian Territory, was nominated in 2016.
Her young adult western historical trilogy of novellas, Red Eagle's War, Red Eagle's Revenge, and Texas Forever are available through the Painted Pony Books imprint, and the first two of the series have spent much time on Kindle's top 100 list for westerns.
Cheryl also has contributed heavily to the western "shared world" collaborative effort known as Wolf Creek since it came into existence. Written under the pen name of "Ford Fargo," the series features six authors in each volume with stories built around the characters they've created. Anthologies of short stories round out this collaboration. Wolf Creek Book 6: Hell on the Prairie contains Cheryl's Peacemaker-nominated story, "It Takes a Man." Cheryl has also served as the President of Western Fictioneers, a professional organization for western authors.
Writing is so much a part of her life that she and long-time friend Livia Reasoner, opened Prairie Rose Publications. PRP now offers five other imprints: Painted Pony Books, Tornado Alley Publications, and Fire Star Press, Prayers and Promises, and Sundown Press.
Cheryl and her husband have lived in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, for the past 32 years.
For more information:
PRAIRIE ROSE PUBLICATIONS WEBSITE: http://www.prairierosepublications.com/
FACEBOOK:
https://www.facebook.com/cheryl.pierson.92
OUTLAW HEART
Tanya Hanson
With love to my
bestie on the block
Betty Berriochoa
Chapter One
Leadville, Colorado
September 1885
“Ah, look at that. White and lovely as a woman’s décolleté.” The codger next to Bronx smacked his lips at the Rockies chugging by outside.
Bronx ignored his seatmate in the Denver and Rio Grande passenger car. Never heard mountains compared to a woman’s breasts before. Although...he frowned. Why not hard and cold peaks to remind him of Rebekah Creddit’s heartless bosom?
How was it she still wounded him? Bronx’s jaw clenched like it always did when she smacked his memory. Fists clenched, too.
“That’s a mighty big word there, mister,” was all he said, though. The old man was fine-enough company…although Bronx had bought a bath back in Glenwood Springs and did not admire his neighbor’s unwashed stench.