And then had to check himself. “Where’s Misty?”
It took Stella a minute to answer. And then she wiggled and stepped back. “Misty had fallen asleep and Corinne needed her. They needed each other. The nurses okayed it. I felt bad leaving but I wasn’t sure you’d come back to feed the horses…”
Stella didn’t meethis eyes when she told him about Misty staying at the hospital. Just a few hours ago she’d been with her dearest friend, her dearest friend who happened to be dying. Talking about Corinne and Misty reminded her that Peyton was Corinne’s brother. What kind of a human being was she?
Even if Corinne had never told her she’d felt betrayed by a friend who’d gone after her brother, now was not the time to be thinking of these sort of things… doing these sorts of things. She touched her lips. It was just that Peyton’s kiss….
No man had evoked these kinds of feelings.
“Misty’s staying at the hospital tonight?” The words made Stella feel as though she’d neglected her duty. She nodded and then met his gaze.
“Where did you go?” He hadn’t been drinking. She could avow to that first hand. She wondered if he’d gone to Valerie. The thought curdled her stomach. She had no claim to him, no right to even ask.
He leaned one shoulder against the wall and gave her a half smile. “One of the fences was down.” Relief should not have rushed through her the way it did at his words. “I didn’t mean for you to have to do any of this.” And then he cocked his head a little to the side. His hair sprang out from his head in a number of different directions. Peyton always looked like he’d been out wrestling with some cow or horse. Such a silly thought. Apparently, he’d been wrestling with a fence today. “You eat anything yet?”
His question almostmade her laugh. Such a mundane thing to say. She hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast. She shook her head. “You?”
“Nope.” And then he reached one hand toward her, beckoning her to walk with him.
Stella swallowed hard.
Should she?
Stepping forward she placed her hand inside of his larger, calloused one.
As soon as his fingers tightened around hers she realized there was no way she could stop this from happening. All day, all night, hell, all her life, she’d felt empty, alone. With her hand in his, walking up to the house, the earth somehow righted itself.
This very well could be the best medicine for two hurting people. She didn’t understand it, but she needed it. And Peyton needed it.
Still holding her hand, he opened the door and pulled her inside. And then in one quick motion he pinned her against the wall. A thrill shot down her spine. This man, this rock of a man, then molded his body against her. Stella trailed her fingers up his chest and licked her lips.
He groaned and dipped his mouth to claim her. Velvety, firm lips chased any logical thoughts from her brain.
“Do you want to eat?” He spoke against her mouth.
His voice sent a liquid heat from her head to her toes, making her legs tremble. In her breasts and between her legs a heavy aching set in. She grabbed his head with both her hands and drew him down so she could meet his kiss better. “No.” His hair felt silky and springy beneath her fingers. “Do you?”
Sharp whiskers scratched her mouth as she trailed kisses down his jaw and onto his neck. He pulled her hips into his, his arousal so hard it almost hurt. “Does that answer your question?”
All she could do to answer was let out a crying sort of moan. Words escaped her by now.
His hands swooped under her knees and without breaking their kiss, Peyton swung her up into his arms. She clung to him tightly, unwilling to stop now for anything.
She trusted him as he carried her through the living room and up the stairs. His room was at the far end of the hallway. Had it just been this morning that she’d been searching through his drawers?
“You never changed into the clothes I brought you.” She teased a little, plucking at his shirt.
He growled. “So, you’ve been in here before.” But he didn’t switch on the light. The sky had turned a dark shade of blue and moonlight cast a pale glow onto his bed.
And then she was laying on top of it. A large four poster, strong and sturdy, like him. On hands and knees, he crawled up beside her. He didn’t touch her anywhere but leaned forward and kissed her again.
It wasn’t enough. Feeling horny as heck, but not caring, Stella located the clasp of his belt and began fumbling with it.
Not to be left behind, he growled and whipped her t-shirt over her head. Stella felt warm hands at her breasts and then sharp pains of need as he pulled her into his mouth.
She almost felt drugged as she lost herself in his touch.
His hands found the button on her jeans and released it nimbly. Stella shimmied as he slid them down her legs.
