“And you haven’t?”
“No. She makes me want things I never thought I wanted. A real home. Kids someday. The whole damn thing.”
“Sounds terrifying.” He gave me the smirk of a man who already had all of that and loved every second of it.
“How did you know? With Lily. How did you know she was ready for everything?”
“When you’ve spent ten years apart and there’s still that pull for both of you then I guess it’s obvious. But leaving it that long is not recommended. If you know, you know—time is irrelevant.” His gaze turned to the window, probably across the ranch to the house where his whole world was. “To be honest I knew Lily was the one the minute she walked into that classroom when we were sixteen years of age. When she came back I knew why I’d never made a future with anyone else. Thankfully, she felt the same.”
“Buthowdid you know that?” I pressed.
He tapped his chest. “In here.”
My hand instinctively moved over my heart, feeling the steady glow of deep rooted happiness that settled there.
Nash stood up, clapping me on the shoulder. “Take her to the place where you want to build your dreams. Whether that’s where you’re going to build the house, the camp, or even if it’s just somewhere you envisage spending time with her. Show her what you’re offering and then trust her to know her own heart and you to feel it with yours.”
I nodded, knowing exactly where that would be. “The North pasture, where I want to build.”
“Perfect.” Nash grinned. “And Gun? Stop overthinking it. That woman is crazy about you. Anyone can see it and don’t forget my wife is her best friend,” he grinned, “and she is terrible at keeping secrets after I’ve given her an orgasm.”
As he left the office, I felt the last of my nerves transform into anticipation. Nash was right. It was time to start building the life I wanted.
With her.
Chapter 54
At Last – Etta James
Cassidy
The morning had started well, an orgasm courtesy of Gunner followed by Nash’s pancakes. They had become a weekend staple for me, seeing as I’d spent every one of them at The Last Creek Ranch since Summer break had started.
We were almost in August, and the Colorado weather wasn’t letting us down. It was hot but thankfully the humidity made it a whole lot easier. Naked sleeping was a must, but then when you slept next to Gunner Miller it was a must anyway.
And just like that, thinking about him manifested him as he wandered into the kitchen
“You ready, sweetheart?”
The sight of him almost had me spitting out my coffee. He was wearing chaps, gloves, his hat and his sleeves rolled back, revealing his deep veined forearms. I’d thought he’d looked hot and sexy peeking up at me from between my thighs earlier, but it was nothing compared to how he was looking now.
“Close your mouth,” he said with a smirk. “You’re drooling.”
“I’m not sure you should be allowed to walk around like that.” My thighs squeezed as heat pooled in my belly. Would I ever not want him?
“Just being my normal self. Admittedly, it’s a pretty awesome normal self but it’s just me.”
The ego I once found obnoxious now amused and turned me on in equal measures. I’d learned that it was often a barrier to his insecurity and his need to be liked. His desire to be loved. Seems it worked on me.
“Why are you dressed like that? As awesome as it is.” My eyes moved up and down his body, finally settling on the bulge between the worn, soft, brown leather.
“Some of us have been working while others sleep in.”
After waking me in his own special way, Gunner had, like he said, gone to help with the branding of a new herd of cattle they’d recently bought to replace some that had gone to the butcher. I didn’t want to think too much about it, but that was the circle of life on a ranch, and I’d have to get used to it.
“Are you leaving them on for our ride?” I asked. “Because I wouldn’t be averse to it, cowboy.” Getting up from my perch at the kitchen island, I sauntered toward him, wondering whether we could get to the horses via the bedroom.
“Want me to?” His arm snaked around my waist as he slammed me against him, his hips pressing against me and the leather glove he wore warm against my back.
