Claimed By The Rancher

She bit her lip as her chin quivered. That sight alone was like a punch to Nolan’s gut. What kind of people came after a pregnant woman? Granted, this was their grandchild and their son had just passed away, so they were understandably grieving, but there was a better way to approach seeing the baby. If they wanted to fight dirty, Nolan would spare no expense because he wasn’t about to let Pepper carry this burden all on her own.

“We will all go meet with them,” he said.

His heart kicked up because there was no more dodging the rest of this. Not only did he worry how she’d take this, but he would be lying if he didn’t admit he was hesitant because of his own sanity. Could he really go through with this?

Pepper stared back at him with those wide, expressive eyes. This was the same woman he’d fallen in love with as a teen, the woman he’d thought he’d spend his life with, the woman who had carried his child.

Their bond ran deep, but even if that didn’t exist, he would find her sexy as hell. Her fiercely independent attitude was just an added layer to the enticing allure of this new Pepper Manning. Damn if he didn’t admire her for moving on and doing exactly what she wanted.

But he’d caught her looking at him. Raking her eyes over him as if she was struggling with that same internal battle.

Yeah, they had quite a bit left to hash out between them and throwing this bomb onto that already-smoldering fire was only going to further complicate matters.

“You’re not going with me,” she told him with a stubborn lift of her chin. “I’m still not so sure about this whole idea of moving in with you for two weeks. There has to be somewhere else I can stay.”

Nolan closed the space between them. “You’ll be staying with me because we’re getting married.”

Five (#ufecb0958-231e-578d-81df-4e457eeed325)

“Married?”

She couldn’t have heard him correctly. Because there was no way in hell she’d marry anyone right now, especially Nolan.

“My attorney said if you were married, that would be another bonus for our side.”