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Sawyer wasn’t going to let herself consider a future together. “Jace, you know—and everyone knows—that Loco Diablo will never be safe. Even if they blew up the tunnels that are underneath the ranch, even if you somehow managed to run the cartel and your uncle Wolf out of your lives, it still wouldn’t be secure. And don’t even try to tell me that you’ve got Wolf on the run. He’s never going to give up.”
“No argument from me,” Jace said cheerfully. “That’s why you and I are staying on the road for now. I’m determined to keep you safe.”
“I’m the bodyguard,” Sawyer said with a touch of heat. “You’re the cowboy. I’d be protecting you.”
He laughed. “And I’ll let you.”
Great. He couldn’t be serious about anything, least of all how important her independence was, how determined she was to keep maximum separation between them. “This isn’t going to work.”
“It’s going to work, because there are two children counting on us to make it work. We need to choose names for them. That can be our road game until we get to Texas.”
“Texas!” She glared at him. “You said you were taking me to Rancho Diablo!”
“Yeah. That was about a hundred miles ago. Now we’re driving to Texas, and then on to Virginia. There are some military bases in the Tidewater. But we won’t be hanging out in the officers’ club or on the strip. We’ll be much more undercover than that.”
She shook her head. “You can take me straight back to the ranch.”
“Babe, listen—”
“Don’t ‘babe’ me. I’m not going anywhere except home. I shouldn’t have married you, so don’t press your luck.”
He sighed, and she gazed out the window again, refusing to bend from her position. “Look, we’re married. But that’s it. I’ll continue to make my own decisions, Jace.”
“I expect you to. But eventually, we’re going to have to talk about the children and what’s best for them.”
“So talk.” He could talk all he liked, but she wasn’t moving to Virginia—or anywhere else—just because he had a nervous streak.
“What about the children?”
She didn’t reply, and he continued, “We can’t just call them ‘the babies.’ They need names. I’ve always liked—”
“I was thinking Jason and Ashley.”
“Jason and Ashley?”
“Yes. Jason, obviously, is a variation of your name, and Ashley because I like your sister, Ashlyn.”
“I approve. And my sister will be thrilled, I’m sure you know.”
Secretly, Sawyer was pleased, though she didn’t want to say so.
“I can’t believe I’m going to be a father to a little girl and boy. It’s so unreal. And wonderful.”
It was hard not to soften, hearing the pride in his deep voice. She’d always loved Jace’s voice, so warm and enveloping and inviting somehow, especially when he whispered to her in the dark.
She sensed those days were long gone. Nothing could be the same now that they were married, and married under spurious circumstances he’d no doubt come to regret one day. Speaking of regret, she figured she might as well put everything out in the open now. She took a deep breath.
“Jace, here’s the main reason you and I have a marriage that’s probably going to be in a difficult spot, even if we didn’t have a few other notable issues. I know your family really never trusted mine.”
“Sort of stating it too harshly,” Jace said. “We didn’t know what to think. Besides, we’ve put all that to rest with our marriage.”
Sawyer knew better. “In a sense, your family’s fears were well-founded. Uncle Storm did ask me to keep an eye on your family.”
She turned to look at him, met his surprised gaze. “I’m sorry. I just think you should know the truth.”
“We kept an eye on Storm, and will continue to. We keep an eye on everyone. No big deal.”
She waved a hand. “You can’t brush that off. I was working for you, and reporting to my uncle whenever I saw anything that I thought might be a problem for him.”
“Why? We never had anything to do with Storm. Didn’t wish him ill.” Jace shrugged. “We just didn’t fully trust him.”
“Yet you hired me.”
“We weren’t worried about you.”
She didn’t know if she should be flattered, or insulted by the sheer arrogance of Jace thinking she wasn’t a threat. “Because I’m a woman?”
“No. I wasn’t worried about you because—”
“Oh, no,” Sawyer interrupted, suddenly annoyed. “You weren’t worried about me because you thought you’d locked me down.”
He laughed. “I wouldn’t have put it that way, but I would say that I feel I’m a pretty good judge of women. You never struck me as a devious sort. I could tell you liked me. Women who are hot for a guy usually have strong loyalty to him.”
“Really. Yet I reported on you to Uncle Storm.”
Jace shrugged again. “Probably a wise thing to do. Now that you’ve gotten that off your conscience, should we stop for the night? I don’t want you getting too tired. My children need their rest.”
She stared at him, not happy at all. “Please drive on. I don’t want to spend a night with you.” They’d never shared a real bed before; no sense in starting tonight. Her resolve would weaken if she got near her handsome husband and a bed, with no Callahan drama to keep them apart.
“You’re having second thoughts? I’m not the date you had in mind when you spent your hard-earned money on me?”
She turned away, glanced out the window. Oh, he was every bit what she’d had in mind, and then some. She was married to the man of her dreams and the father of her children.
What more could a woman ask for from a bachelor raffle?
“You’re going to have to help me get Loco Diablo away from Galen,” Jace said, “or at least what should be my share of it. Now that you’ve proved you have a devious streak, that shouldn’t be a problem at all, princess.”
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