She shakes her head. “His grumpy self walked through and took his breakfast with him to the stables. He’s feeding the horses.”
“I need to talk to him, can you show me where that is?”
She smiles as she picks up Sofi. “Sure, follow me.”
The house is beautiful - and huge. As we walk across the second floor to the stairs, there is a loft at the end of the hall with a fireplace and big, fluffy leather chairs. Native American art is on the walls, and on the mantle are knick-knacks; it’s all very cozy and rustic.
Downstairs is just as beautiful. Rustic wood is the theme of the house, with country charm and Native American accents everywhere. At the bottom of the stairs, the sounds of people talking and children laughing and screaming are at a dull roar, and I’m trying to imagine Tuck being part of that.
There are so many people in the kitchen, some I recognize from their dinner at the pub, and others I don’t. Another little girl with blond hair and the same color eyes as Sofi runs up to Marley. “Mama, Daddy said we can go get our swing set today.”
She is not identical to Sofi, but they look so alike they could be. Marley laughs as she puts her hand on the little girl’s head. “Nora, this is my other daughter, Niki. She and Sofi are twins. Niki, say hi to Nora.”
The little girl hops from one foot to the other, her eyes bright. “Hi Nora. Are you here with Uncle Tuck?”
I chuckle at the difference between the two girls, who look so much alike. The room gets quiet, and so many eyes are on me that I clear my throat and start spinning the ring on my finger. “Uhm, yes, I am.”
A man who looks like an older version of Tuck, but with dark salt and pepper hair and a warm smile, walks up to me and holds his hand out. “I’m Clive, Tuck’s father. It’s nice to meet you, Nora.”
His hand is big and rough, like Tuck’s, that just must be part of the ranch life. He has ocean-blue eyes like Marley, and even though his voice is rough and gravelly like a heavy smoker, his face is warm. As a matter of fact, he’s very attractive for an older man. He’s tall and broad like Tuck, and my eyes flit to Masonstanding next to the kitchen island with a coffee cup in his hand and another man, who looks like them, by the door. They are all large men.
Trying to keep the nervous shake out of my voice, I smile. “It’s nice to meet you.”
Marley steps over to her husband, Jax, and sets Sofi on his leg at a table under a large picture window, and turns back to me as she says, “I’ll introduce everyone later; Nora needs to talk to Tuck.”
Relief washes over me. Thank you, Marley. I want Tuck to be with me when I get to know his family. I smile at Marley as she waves her hand, indicating I should follow her as she walks through the kitchen and then through a large mudroom. This house is enormous.
We step onto the back porch, and she points down an incline about an eighth of a mile behind the house to a large stable next to a barn that’s just as big. “He’s down there; if he’s not inside, he’ll be out behind in one of the paddocks.”
“Thank you.” I smile as I walk past her.
The property is just as vast as the house. Looking over my shoulder, there’s another stable with paddocks closer to the front by the long gravel driveway. There’s a picturesque pond behind that stable, and behind that is a large stream running across the property. The leaves are all different colors on the trees and on the ground; it’s just beautiful.
Inhaling deeply, I remember the smell of fall in Kansas with my Grams, and it makes my heart hurt with loneliness and warm fuzzies at the same time. A slight cool breeze pushes my hair away from my face, and I cross my arms over my chest.
A horse neighing pulls my attention back to the stable, and as I get closer, I hear more than one horse huffing inside. The big doors are pushed open, and the morning sun is shining in. Bootsscuffing on the floor draws my attention to an area halfway inside the building, but I don’t see Tuck.
The flats on my feet don’t make any sound as I slowly walk through, my eyes roaming over the well-taken care of stable that smells of hay and poop. A wheelbarrow appears in the walkway, and then Tuck pushing it. He stops when he sees me and sets it down.
He’s in worn jeans, boots, and a long-sleeved T-shirt that he’s pushed up his burly arms, the veins standing out under the skin more than usual from working. There are big leather gloves on his hands, and he’s got a baseball cap on turned around backward. The collar of his shirt is wet with sweat, and stubble from not shaving is on his neck.
Butterflies flutter in my stomach as I take him in. The shirt is tight across his chest, the material outlining the definition of his pecs, and his jeans are snug around his narrow hips. He’s so sexy that the heat I felt last night in my room rushes back, making my skin tingle.
He shifts his weight onto his good leg, his hands dangle at his sides. I can’t believe I told this man I needed space from him, he’s done nothing but help me. Even with my sketchy past, he’s brought me into his home with his family.
Everyone keeps painting him in a bad light, pointing out his negative attitude, and making him out to be an uncaring player. If he’d wanted to take advantage of me or use me, he could have done it last night instead of stopping what we were starting to talk about what he’d learned.
Well, I’ve been watching him for a month, and all I see is a man who is struggling with a life he didn’t ask for, and he’s made me feel safe and pretty and wanted. Kinley and Marley have told me he must think I’m different, thathe’sdifferent because of me.
I don’t waste time with stupid chit-chat, I walk right up to him, his squinted hazel eyes are sharp as he watches me rushto close the space between us. Surprise flares in his eyes when I place my palms on his cheeks and lift myself to my tiptoes to kiss him.
His arms snake around my waist without hesitation, his gloved hands on my ribs, crushing me against his hard front.
Letting go of his cheeks, I twine my arms around his neck and slide my tongue along the seam of his lips. His tongue dances with mine in a kiss that holds more passion than I’ve felt before, sending sparks all the way down to my toes.
He turns us and lets go of me with one hand as he pushes me against the wall, his hand flat next to my head and his body pressed against mine. Arousal floods my core, soaking my panties, our mouths fused together, setting every inch of my skin on fire.
Staying aware of his leg, I lift my left leg next to his hip to press myself against him, and he lowers the hand on the wall to grab the back of my thigh over my knee. When he pushes the considerable bulge in his jeans against my center, I moan into his mouth, wanting more. Needing more.
