Bruce couldn't take it another minute. Michelle had twisted and turned all night long. His wife was normally a sound sleeper. This had everything to do with Nanna because none of the unrest had started since the day she took Nanna to the mall. Things had gotten progressively worse.

Now when it was 6:00 AM and she should have been up getting the kids ready for school, she was out like someone had knocked her cold. He decided to take the kids to school and stop by the inn on his way back to the house. Jordy and Samantha thought it very odd that he was helping them to get ready, but they didn't give him any trouble.

Bruce felt that he needed to go back to bed after he finished helping them to prepare, comb Samantha's hair, make Jordy make his bed, cook breakfast, pack lunches and sign a ton of homework papers. Is it like this every morning? Bruce thought this pace was insane.

Plus, she'd always have the kitchen clean before he woke every morning. He frantically wiped the table down and shoved the dishes into the dishwasher. Then packed 2 arguing kids in the car, each claiming that they'd ride in the front seat. Bruce put them both in the backseat and told them to shut up.

Samantha scrunched her face. "Did daddy just curse?"

"I'm going to tell, mama," Jordy said.

Bruce threw his hands up and laughed. I'm exhausted. He knew he'd have to support his wife more.

***

Bruce arrived at Nanna's around 7:30. He felt so guilty coming that time of the morning. Michelle had told him of Nanna's late sleeping and having more leisure time since the inn was now fully staffed. He just couldn't take it anymore. He knew Michelle wouldn't like him stepping in, but he needed her normal again. The only way to get the truth out of Nanna was to confront her face to face. He'd promised Aiden that he'd take care of her.

When he walked in he expected to see some of the staff when the door jingled. After a few minutes, no one came. Bruce concluded they were either helping someone else or that the morning crew didn't show up until 8 or 9. So he decided to go to Nanna's quarters. He was just about to turn the corner when he heard Nanna, then a man's voice, followed by laughter. Bruce immediately stopped.

Then he carefully peered around the corner. His eyes bulged as the tall, silver hair, cowboy, kissed Nanna on the lips. Seeing the man wearing a bathrobe with a ranch logo on it slammed his heart to his chest. Oh, no – poor Michelle. Bruce slipped away as fast as he could before he was noticed. He couldn't even drive when he got to the truck. He leaned against the steering wheel, trying desperately to breathe.

***

Bruce was so much in shock that it took him 30 minutes before he was composed enough to leave the inn parking lot. He was elated to still see Michelle was sleep when he got home. Now he understood. He put his night clothes back on and slipped into bed, Nanna and the cowboy's kiss was burned into his cortex. Bruce shook his head. The weight of him stirred Michelle.

She glanced over at the clock and popped up. "Oh no, I'm late."

Bruce softly placed his hand on her shoulder. "It's okay, baby. I took them to school."

Michelle swung around her eyes big as saucers. That had never happened. "What...you...took them to school."

"You were tired."

She stared at Bruce, speechless. When her own shock wore off, she asked, "Shouldn't you be getting ready to go to the dock?"

He leaned over and pulled her down until she was resting snuggly under his arm. "I'm staying home with you today. I don't want you to do anything but rest."

"Bruce, what on earth is going on?"

"Don't be upset with me, but I needed to find out what was going on. I thought this might have something to do with Nanna so I went to confront her."

Michelle sighed, "So you know about, Beauregard." She was happy that Bruce was involved now, but sad because she kind of liked keeping it a secret.

"Indeed, I do." There it was burning through his brain again, that not so innocent kiss. Bruce had absolutely no point of reference for a December romance. A bathrobe? Good Lord, Nanna.

"What are we going to do, Bruce."

"I don't have a clue." He leaned over and kissed Michelle on the cheek. "Baby, you did really good keeping the secret. Now, just keep one more for me. We cannot tell Aiden and Jas. We don't want them to come home."

"I know."

***

A month had passed. Jas laughed hysterically when Aiden flung her over his shoulder and carried her back upstairs to bed. They had planned to go grocery shopping that morning but by the time they'd finished breakfast, the first snow of the season had begun to fall heavily. The drifts were thick as cotton balls, covering the ground and dusting the trees in a bright white powder.

He laid her on the bed and climbed on top. This intimacy thing had done them a world of good. When they were younger it was all about physically exploring, finding out how to drive pleasure sexually. At this stage in the game it was all about connection, bonding and transferring commitment. That is where he had failed miserably the last time.

Jas needed him in her head and her heart, not taking her body for mutual gratification. At this point some clothes had come off and it was killing him not to press further. Aiden learned restraint and saw that it got more passion out of her. He was becoming skilled at feeding her fire, then pulling back. Knowing that he was building a blaze that would consume them both when she was legally his.

"Your love has me utterly distracted," he whispered in her ear. "I intend for you to keep me that way." He trailed kisses down the side of her face. "It's in everything that you do. The way you talk to me. The way you kiss me...and care for me. I wouldn't be lost without you, I just would not be, at all." He gazed at the peaceful look on Jas's face. He'd gained her trust again and it felt wonderful.

"I love you, Aiden, irrevocably."

Compassion welled in Aiden's eyes. His heart warmed like a spring day. He knew that she'd guarded those words for fear of getting hurt again. Hearing how she truly felt, lifted his spirit. "My world is perfect now, because you're in it, babe."

His mouth sank over hers, taking her deeper than ever before. The contact of her soft lips against his made his flesh burn. The sweet taste of citrus rolled off her tongue filling his. Though he kissed her a thousand time, it wouldn't compare to this moment of restoration.

His love consumed her until she was wrapped around him like a clinging vine. Thoughts were running through his mind, like ripples through water recalling how deep their love was before he ruined things. I won't disappoint you, Jas. His mouth slid to her neck, sucking everywhere his lips could land. She arched from the heat of it. "I love you, babe." he whispered, traveling down to her shoulders.

He felt her hands tugging against the buttons on his shirt, popping them open. Jas's hand slid against his firm chest, circling repeatedly. Fire surged through him. He helped Jas pull the shirt from him torrid body. It was tossed to the floor. Her hands trailed down his back, he felt perspiration rise.

She was now controlling the kisses and they were everywhere. She rolled him over on his back, straddling him. Jas kissed a blazing trail from the lids of his eyes to where the dark hairs on his chest made a path to his navel. He would have blacked out from pleasure if she'd not stopped.

He had to feel more of her skin and quickly discarded his pants leaving only his blue briefs. The press of her thighs against his strong legs was scattering what was left of his mind. Jas leaned her full body against him, giving him access to unsnap her bra which was quickly dispensed of. His hands explored the fullness of her breasts. She sat up, lifting the shirt over her head.

Aiden's eyes magnified at the site of them. "You're so beautiful, babe."

She leaned down filling his mouth with her breast. He accepted her gift voraciously. Aiden turned his head, slightly, taking the other. He felt the sharp tips of her fingernails imprint on his shoulders, as she responded to his passion.

"Oh...Aiden."

The breathless way she panted his name, made his senses explode. It was possessive, like she wanted to melt into him. It would be so easy to finish this, while their bodies were aflame, sending them both beyond bliss. But he couldn't do it. He'd done that before. What Aiden wanted now was more than physical. He wanted Jas imprinted on every fiber of his being. And for her to desire him more than anything. "You're the only star in my sky, babe," he whispered. Aiden watched the sparkle in her eyes, as the words penetrated her heart.

Jas was thoroughly worked over, just like he wanted it. She muttered something incomprehensible, that felt so sweet. He welcomed it when she collapsed on top of him, claiming his mouth – kissing Aiden like she was starving. His strong arms wrapped around her beautiful body. Aiden sighed within himself. Thank God it snowed.

***

In less than 3 months the new house would be ready and Nanna would become Mrs. Arabella Stallworth. She often let the new name roll off her tongue enjoying the shock and the thrill of it. Three months earlier the land on the Stallworth Ranch had just been cleared, now the masterpiece was forming. Major had his grandson, Trey, send new pictures.

Major left the old home that he and Judith shared for the sake of his children and grandchildren. They had all met Nanna by Face Time and adored her, but he wanted a new world for Nanna. With 800,000 acres, nearly the size of the state of Rhode Island, it was easy to find the perfect spot where his old world and his new world would never cross.

Judith was a cowgirl so their home sat by the flat pasture land, near the horses and cattle. He thought Arabella was rustic so he built the home on one piece of his property that extended into Oklahoma, near Beaver Bend Resort Park. That was as close to the feel of mountains that Nanna would ever get in that part of Texas. He thought it was perfect for her.

Since he would be about 3 hours away from his headquarters on the ranch he installed a heliport so that he could be in Dallas anytime the family needed him within 40 minutes. Major looked forward to fully retiring spending the rest of his days with his piece of sunshine.

"I love this, Major. It's beautiful."

He'd been thoughtful enough to build a cabin, sitting in the woods with the view of a man-made lake outside the front door. It was about 5,000 square feet. Major wanted a big place for when his family would come to visit.

"Now that the love blocker is in love herself, do you think we can ease her into what's coming?"

"I think so, but I'm so afraid she's going to be angry with me."

"Arabella, there is no easy way to do this. She's been your shadow all your life. You did the best you could to place her in Aiden's arms. You and I have worked all of our lives, we deserve a bit of happiness."

"You're so sweet, Major. I am so fortunate to have stretched beyond myself to find love again."

"Me too, sunshine."

"I'm getting married. Doesn't that sound wonderful!"

Major leaned over and kissed her. "It certainly does. I'm counting the days."