Colt’s expression changed for one brief second before a grin spread across this face. “Nothing else matters to me except for you, Lauren. Football, school, ranches, none of it matters. As long as you’re by my side, I’ll forever be happy.”

Feeling the tear slide down my face, I sucked in a shaky breath. “There is nothing more I want than to become your wife, Colt.”

Leaning over, Colt pressed his lips against mine. His tongue ran along my bottom lip, asking for entry and I gladly gave it to him. Letting out a soft moan, I was quickly lost in Colt’s kiss. His love for me felt as if it was pouring into my body and I was already feeling better.

The door to my hospital room opened and someone cleared their throat. Pulling back some, Colt whispered against my lips. “Our secret for right now?”

Nodding my head, I wiped my tears away. “Yes.”

“Ms. Reynolds, I see you’re awake.”

Peeking over to the nurse, I smiled. “Yes ma’am.”

Walking over to me, she gave Colt a polite smile as he crawled out of the bed. “Let’s see how that fever is, shall we?”

Nodding my head, I let go of Colt’s hand and kept my eyes on him as he took a few steps back. When he winked at me, I felt my insides melt and my face flush. That crooked smile of his was driving me mad with desire, even though it felt as if I had been in a train wreck. My body was aching and my head hurt with a dull headache.

Smiling, the nurse nodded her head. “Your fever is down to one hundred. That’s amazing, considering it was one hundred and five the other day.”

My mouth dropped open. “What? Wow. That’s really high.”

Colt and the nurse both chuckled. “You really gave your family a scare.” Looking over her shoulder to Colt, she smiled. “And I must say, Miss Reynolds, you’re very lucky to have someone love you as much as this gentleman standing here does.” Glancing back at me, she looked into my eyes. “Not everyone gets a chance at a love like that. Don’t waste a second of it.”

Chewing on my lip, I thought of Colt’s proposal to me. Could I really run off and get married? Did I want a big wedding with the white dress and all the headaches that went along with it? I’d been through two of them already with Alex and Libby.

Smiling bigger, I said, “No ma’am, I don’t intend on wasting any time at all. Isn’t that right, Mr. Mathews?”

Colt’s smile grew bigger as he nodded his head. Yes. There was no wasting any more time. My goal was to get healthy and out of the hospital so I could marry the man whom I loved more than the air I breathed.

THE MOMENT I was wheeled out of the hospital, I insisted on standing up and walking. I felt alive. I’d spent another week in the hospital after I had woken up, and Colt never left my side. Most of the time was spent getting my strength back and that meant countless walks with Colt right there. Not once did he leave, only to get food. I wasn’t sure how Gunner felt about Colt missing so much school, and Colt didn’t mention anything about his conversation this morning with the head football coach at A&M.

Dropping my head back, I let the warm sun shine on my face. “Mmm . . . that feels so good,” I said as I smiled.

Placing his hand on my lower back, Colt kissed my neck and chuckled. “Damn you look sexy as hell right now.”

Grinning, I looked down at his lips. His soft plump lips that were begging for me to kiss them and suck on them. Oh, to have them kiss my body.

“Keep biting on your lip and looking at me like that, Lauren, and we won’t make it to my truck.”

Dropping my mouth open, I let out a moan. My body ached, but not because I had been lying in a hospital bed for over two weeks. I wanted to feel Colt’s skin up against me. His lips trailing soft kisses along my skin. Oh Lord. I was going to go into a full-blown orgasm just thinking about it.

“Lauren, darling are you okay? Your cheeks are so flushed.”

Colt winked as he turned and guided me down the sidewalk to his truck as my mother walked alongside of us. “I am. I feel wonderful, Mom. I guess it’s maybe from just moving about.” I had insisted on walking to Colt’s truck, even though the nurse had stood there and argued with me about it. I finally just stood up and walked a few steps away from the wheelchair. Figuring out I was not going to back down, she gave me a sweet smile and told me to take it easy and slowly build back to what I was doing before getting sick.

Feeling slightly light headed, I was regretting my stubbornness. “Colt?”

It was as if he knew what I was going to say. “Stay here with your mom and dad, I’ll go get my truck.”