She bit her lip again.
Heat spilled through him—a heat that was molten and thick and full of fire.
“Would you kiss me?” she asked softly. “That might help—”
Before she could finish, he bent and touched his lips to hers.
She released a tiny breathy sigh. Of happiness?
Whether happy or not, she’d asked him to kiss her. That had to mean something, didn’t it? It had to mean she felt connected to him or at least was still attracted to him.
Her mouth met his hungrily, without any tentativeness, just like the last time they’d kissed.
He couldn’t contain his own hunger, which had been building over the hours. He delved in and tasted her, letting himself feast on her lips and giving back to her the feast she was asking for. He loved the give and take of their kiss, loved the forcefulness of her passion, and loved the eagerness with which she savored him in return.
It was almost as if she knew what she wanted and was trying to tell him so. Was it possible she wanted marriage with him, maybe always had, but just wasn’t sure how to chase away the demons of her past?
Even as her kiss turned deeper, a warning inside him told him he had to be patient, had to go slow, and needed to use caution.
A banging at the back of the house startled him, and he broke away from her.
Her hand flittered to her neck then her lips. Her eyes were wide and filled with wonder…and desire.
His heart leaped with hope. He could continue to woo and win her after their wedding, and maybe someday—maybe even soon—she would be ready for more between them than a marriage of convenience.
As it was, he needed to send one of the hired hands after the reverend and get him out to the ranch as soon as possible.
The footsteps in the hallway thudded purposefully and with a slight scuff that told him Beckett had come in, likely to find out the plans for the morning.
Sterling took another step away from Violet, hoping that would prevent his foreman from knowing he’d just kissed Violet again—although Sterling had the feeling it wouldn’t work and that Beckett would be able to tell right away.
“Boss?” came Beckett’s voice from the doorway behind him. “I’ll watch the women while you go get some shut-eye.”
Violet was grasping the back of one of the wingback chairs and seemed to be trying to compose herself in front of Beckett.
Sterling met her pretty, wide-eyed gaze. Did she really want to go through with the wedding this morning?
She nodded as though hearing his silent question.
“No sleep for me this morning, Beckett.” He held Violet’s gaze. “At least, not until after the wedding.”
Beckett didn’t respond, didn’t even move. Regardless, Sterling could feel the foreman’s displeasure as if it had walked into the room and taken a seat.
Violet’s attention shifted to Beckett, and her brow rose. Hyacinth stood behind the foreman in the hallway, attired in a lovely gown and with her dark hair pulled up stylishly too. Sterling liked that she was so loyal and concerned about Violet, even if she sometimes was overly direct.
Beckett’s eyes had narrowed. “So you’re going through with marriage even though it’s a foolish idea?”
Sterling bristled. “It’s the best way forward.” He leveled his words and a glare at Beckett.
Beckett glared back. “A wedding only takes care of half the problem. We still have the sister to worry about when Claude sends his men again.”
“Thesisterhas a name,” Hyacinth muttered.
“Thesister,” Beckett said more distinctly, “is probably even more than half the problem.”
Hyacinth released a scoffing sound.
Sterling had been thinking about Hyacinth during the long hours of standing watch. And there was only one man he trusted her with. “You’re going to marry Hyacinth,” he said to Beckett.
