Page 40 of Under an Oklahoma Sky

She gasped as tears rolled down her cheeks. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she buried her face against his chest. “I love you too.”

Lying in Sage’s bed, Adam held her close. It was past 10:00 a.m., but she was still asleep—she needed it after last night. They’d returned home just before dawn after being evaluated at the emergency room, then released to head to the sheriff’s department to give their reports. It had been after four in the morning when they finally got home, but Maddie and Evan had been waiting up for them. The children had fallen asleep on the couches in the living room but awakened and needed reassurance that their mother was okay before going back to bed.

After the older couple left for their cottage, Sage had taken Adam’s hand and silently led him to her bedroom. They’d removed their dirty, bloody clothes and crawled into bed. As he’d taken her into his arms, determined never to let her go, the emotions she'd held back for hours had finally overwhelmed her. Not wanting the children to hear, she cried as quietly as she could while Adam stroked her hair and murmured words of comfort. He’d told her how proud he was of her and how she’d saved herself.

Their declarations of love rolled over and over in his mind. There had been no hesitation in her response, nor had she seemed surprised when he’d said the words.

He’d never imagined he’d say them to a woman, but once he had, he’d known they were true. He was madly, completely in love with Sage. Where they’d go from here, he wasn’t sure, but he knew it would be at each other’s side. When she was ready, he’d broach the subject of marriage. He wanted nothing more than to make her his wife.

Beside him, Sage stirred and snuggled closer. Her eyes blinked open, and for several seconds, she simply gazed at him.

“Good morning,” he murmured.

A small smile appeared on her face. “You’re still here.”

“Where else would I be?”

She reached up and ran her fingertips along his cheek. “After everything that happened last night, I just need to feel alive again. Make love to me.”

Maddie had assured them they wouldn’t be disturbed until they emerged from the bedroom, letting them sleep as long as they needed. Not for the first time, Adam was grateful for the woman’s take-charge attitude.

He drew Sage closer and kissed her. “Whatever you need, my love.”

Her arms slipped around his neck as she kissed him again, and for a little while, the rest of the world disappeared.

Later, Sage rested in his arms as the late morning sunlight filtered through the blinds. Neither of them was in a hurry to leave the safety of the bed or face everything waiting for them outside the bedroom.

He ran his hand along her arm. “Are you okay?”

Lifting her head, she kissed him. “I will be as long as you never let me go.”

The corners of his mouth ticked up in a grin. “Well, I guess that means you’re going to be just fine because I don’t think I’d ever be able to let you go… not without ripping out my heart and giving it to you to take with you.” He brushed a strand of hair from her face. “I love you, Sage. You’re the light in my life that’s been missing all these years.”

“And I love you.” She gently cupped his whiskered cheek. “I never thought I’d say those words to another man after Mark died. But then you walked into my life when I needed you most. I don’t know if it was divine intervention or not, but I’ll thank God every day for sending you to me.”

She kissed him again. They knew they had to get up soon, but for a little while longer, they remained wrapped in each other’s arms, content to be there.

Adam couldn’t fathom what he’d done to deserve the woman beside him, but he knew he would never take her or her love for granted.

Chapter Fifteen

Sage enjoyed the rocking motion as Topaz walked up the tree-lined path to the pond. Her arms were wrapped around Jenna’s torso as the horse carried them both. Behind them, Matthew was Othello’s lone rider. While Adam and Evan handled a new delivery of hay bales and feed, she’d decided to spend some time with just her children. They’d start school again next week, so their afternoons and weekends would once again be filled with homework, projects, Brownie troop activities for Jenna, and soccer practice and games for Matthew. Now that the Little League season was over, a new sport had been added to the schedule, and he enjoyed this one much more than the last.

It had been just a week since she was kidnapped, and she still slept with the light on in her attached bathroom. Pitch darkness reminded her of being in the trunk of Seth’s car, and she found herself listening for even the slightest sound when the lights went out. Thankfully, Adam was very understanding and had been there each time she awoke from a nightmare, flashing back to her ordeal. Having recovered from a poisoned hamburger, Benji had also kept a close eye on her since coming home from the veterinary hospital a few days ago. He would whine if her bedroom door was completely shut at night.

With everything that had happened and their declarations of love to each other, she and Adam had given up all pretense that they weren’t a couple. He’d slept in her bed that night, holding her as if he never wanted to let her go, and every night since. Maddie, Evan, Matthew, and Jenna had given them their blessing. Even Ashley had been happy for her when she’d stopped by the next afternoon, after learning about the kidnapping and arrest, to make sure her best friend was really okay.

Unfortunately, the accident totaled her truck, adding another problem to the pile. She was driving a rental until the insurance company sent her a check. Then she’d have to find a replacement she could afford. Thankfully, Joann Dillinger had convinced her son, Lyle, to give Sage another extension on the overdue mortgage payment after word spread about the kidnapping and the loss of her vehicle. At least that gave her a little more breathing room until the first few foals were sold.

Sheriff Cosgrove had also stopped by the ranch a few days ago to update them. Before getting down to business, he grudgingly apologized to Adam for not taking the shooting incident seriously and admitted he’d let the man’s prison record influence his judgment. It hadn’t exactly been a heartfelt apology, but Adam had accepted it without rubbing the sheriff’s nose in it—which was probably more gracious than Sage would’ve been.

Seth had given a signed confession about how he’d set fire to the barn, fired the shots at Adam, poisoned Benji, and kidnapped Sage because he claimed to be in love with her. Obsessed with her, was more like it. While he’d asked her out several times, no one had any idea how far the man would go to make her his. He’d meant to step in and help her pay for the new barn, but Adam had beaten him to it. Then, when she’d introduced Adam as her new boyfriend, as well as her new ranch hand, Seth had tried to eliminate the competition. He figured if he wormed his way into her life, he could convince her they belonged together.

A shiver went down her spine. As much as she hated Seth for what he’d put her through, she felt bad for his children and ex-wife. This would fuel the gossip in Rosewood, and it would be a long time before the whispers and finger-pointing stopped for them.

“Jenna! Are you hurt?”

“N-no, but I can’t s-see! It’s too dark! I fell! Mommy, get me out!”