Cassie's Cowboy Daddy (12 page)

“Cassie?” Logan cupped her cheek with his hand
and she found herself leaning into his touch, reveling in the feel of his tender caress.

Opening her eyes, she met his concerned gaze. “I love you with all my heart.”

He smiled. “And I love you.”

The more she thought about it, the more it made sense. She and the twins were a package deal. And she needed to know if he loved her enough to take on that kind of responsibility.

“Logan, will you marry me?”

“You'd better believe I will, sugar.” She was sure they heard his happy exclamation all the way to Bear Creek. Hugging her, he laughed. “I was just trying to screw up my courage to ask you.”

He kissed her then with such tenderness, Cassie felt as if she might faint. Love and a passion that transcended the physical left her breathless, and when he finally broke the kiss she felt the hard evidence of his desire against her hip. She wanted to show him how much she loved him, but they had one more issue to settle.

She sighed. Now came the most difficult part of all. Would he change his mind once she told him about the baby? Would he ask her to make a choice, as Stan had? Or would he be happy to learn he was going to be a father?

Before she had a chance to decide how to phrase things, he asked, “Sugar, would you mind if I adopt Chelsea and Kelsie once we get married?”

Tears pooled in her eyes and a lump clogged her throat. “Oh, Logan, the girls absolutely adore you.”

“I love them, too.” He beamed. “I already feel like they're my kids.”

That did it. The floodgates opened and the tears rolled down her cheeks to drip off her chin.

Every time Cassie cried, Logan felt as if something was trying to squeeze his heart in two. “Don't cry, sugar.” He pulled her back to his chest and held her close. She hadn't answered whether she wanted him to be the girls' daddy or not. “Are you crying happy tears?” he asked, hoping like hell that was the case.

She nodded.

“Then my wanting to adopt the twins makes you happy?”

Nodding again, she cried harder. He felt a little better, but this monthly hormone stuff was going to take some getting used to.

When she finally stopped crying again, he reached into his hip pocket and withdrew his bandanna. Wiping her eyes and nose, he smiled. “I take it you're going to allow me to be the twins' daddy?”

Her emerald eyes sparkled and she took his hand in hers. Placing it on her stomach, she said, “Yes. I want the girls to have the same last name as this baby.”

The air rushed from Logan's lungs in a huge whoosh. He suddenly felt as if the world had come to a complete standstill. “Baby?” His voice cracked and he had to clear his throat. “You're pregnant?”

She nodded and bit her lower lip a moment before she cautiously said, “I'm going to have your baby, Logan.”

He could tell she feared he'd have a reaction similar to her late husband's when he'd learned he was to be a father. She had nothing to worry about. Cassie
had just handed him every one of his forbidden dreams on a silver platter.

“Sugar, you've made me the happiest man in the whole damned state,” he said, cupping her face with his hands. “I've just gone from having nothing to having everything I've always wanted.”

Cassie threw her arms around his shoulders, kissed him soundly, then grinned. “There's something else.”

He grinned right back. “What's that, sugar?”

“I like the idea of you giving Hank an interest in the Lazy Ace.”

Logan chuckled. “I wasn't sure you remembered that.”

Smiling, she nodded. “I was just trying so hard not to be sick, I didn't have time to answer.”

“Would you like to move into town so you can be close to a doctor?” he asked. He'd hate it, but it might be best for her, the twins and the new baby.

“Why on earth would we move to town when we live in the most beautiful place on earth?” she asked, frowning.

“I just thought—”

“No.” She grinned. “I've told you before and it looks like I'll have to tell you again. The Lazy Ace is home. It's where we'll live, raise our children and grow old together.”

He lowered his lips to kiss her. Cassie had barged into his life and given him everything he'd ever wanted, but never hoped to have.

And he couldn't have been happier about her invasion.

“L
ogan?”

His eyes still closed, Logan sleepily rolled over in bed to drape his arm over Cassie's rounded belly. He nuzzled the back of her neck. “What, sugar?”

“It's time,” she said, her soft voice sounding a little strained.

“Time for what?”

“Time to go.”

Instantly awake, Logan jumped out of bed to stare down at his extremely pregnant wife. “You mean it's
time?
”

Cassie laughed. “Yes, darling. I just had my first contraction.”

“But you're only eight months, one week and two days along,” he said, yanking a pair of jeans from the closet.

How could Cassie be so calm? From the time the obstetrician in Laramie had pinpointed her due date, he had kept track of how close the big event was, figured out the best route to take to the hospital and estimated how long it would take to get her there.

“Darling, the doctor and I have both told you that twins usually arrive early. I was only seven months and three weeks along when the girls were born.” She grinned and reached for his hand to pull herself to a sitting position on the side of the bed. “Don't worry so much. There's plenty of time. It was a very mild contraction and if I hadn't promised I'd let you know the minute they started, you'd still be sleeping.”

“For God's sake, woman, how can you be so calm?” he asked, stuffing his arms into his shirtsleeves. “You're having twins and the hospital is a hundred miles away.”

“I've had twins before, remember?” she said, laughing.

“I haven't.” He pulled on his socks and boots. “Now, get ready to go while I call the cabin and have Hank and Ginny come up here to stay with Chelsea and Kelsie.”

 

Three days later Logan stood in the newly decorated nursery, holding his daughters as he introduced them to their new baby brothers. “The one getting his diaper changed is Kevin and the one in the bassinet is Kyle.”

“Logan, darling, you've got them switched again,” Cassie said, laughing. “I'm changing Kyle. Kevin will get his diaper changed next.”

Pride and happiness filled his heart as he grinned at his beautiful wife. Cassie was the most amazing woman he'd ever known. She'd put up with eight months of his hovering over her like a worried mother hen, endured a record-breaking ride to the hospital down in Laramie and not only delivered healthy identical twin boys, she could already tell them apart.

“I will get better at this. Right?”

Cassie smiled. “You learned to tell Kelsie and Chelsea apart, didn't you?”

Logan kissed each one of his daughters, then set them down on the floor to play. Walking over to the bassinet, he lifted Kevin to carry him over to Cassie for a diaper change. She handed Kyle to him and Logan cradled the baby to his chest.

“I had to be around the girls awhile, but it didn't take long,” he said, holding his finger to his son's little hand.

The dark-haired infant wrapped his tiny fingers around Logan's and squeezed. He was filled with such pride, he thought he just might pop the snaps open on his chambray shirt. The kid was damned strong for only being three days old.

He watched Cassie finish diapering Kevin, then place the sleepy baby in one of the tiny beds. She indicated for him to put Kyle in the other. Holding her finger to her lips, she ushered everyone out into the hall.

He put his arm around Cassie's shoulders as they watched their daughters toddle off toward their room, more interested in playing with their toys than their
new brothers. “Why don't you lie down for a while, sugar? I'll get the girls down for a nap.”

Yawning, Cassie gazed up at him. “Thanks. I am a little tired.”

He walked her to their room, wishing he could join her in bed, but knowing it would be several weeks before they'd be able to make love again. It was going to be sheer torture not being able to show her how much he loved her.

At the door she turned back. “Have you heard anything from Hank yet?”

Logan nodded. “He called about an hour ago to say Ginny was in the second stage of labor. Good thing the sonogram indicated they were having the boy they both wanted.”

“Why?”

He chuckled. “This may be the only baby they have. Ginny's already threatened Hank with castration if he ever gets her pregnant again.”

Cassie laughed. “She'll get over that. How's
he
doing?”

“Not real well. He made fun of me driving like a bat out of hell to get you to the hospital, but he beat my record by ten minutes.” Logan grinned. “And they've already used smelling salts on him twice.”

Logan felt two sets of tiny arms wrap around his knees. When he looked down, Chelsea and Kelsie gazed up and grinned at him. He grinned back. Apparently they'd already lost interest in playing.

Reaching down, he picked up both of his daughters. “Kiss Mommy and we'll let her get some rest before your brothers wake up.” When the twins finished planting wet baby kisses on Cassie's cheeks,
he set them on their feet. “Go crawl in bed, and Daddy will be there in just a minute to tuck you in.”

He gave Cassie a quick kiss, then, after glancing into the nursery at his sons, he started down the hall toward his daughters' room. His chest tightened with emotion and more love than he'd ever dreamed possible.

His life was finally perfect and complete. He was married to the most exciting woman imaginable, he had two beautiful daughters and two healthy newborn sons. And when he and Cassie had given Hank a third interest in the ranch, Logan had realized his plans of going into business with his best friend.

At the girls' door he turned back to look at Cassie. She'd invaded his home, his heart and his soul.

She flashed her killer dimples at him. “I love you, Logan.”

“And I love you, sugar,” he said, feeling like the luckiest man alive.