His kisses were passionate, yet tender. Reverent. Worshipful.
As weary as she was from their ordeal, his mouth on hers awakened a feverish desire. She wanted him. Each touch left her on fire. Each kiss left her desperate for more.
And he wanted her too.
Naomi slid her hand beneath the slack waistband of his pants and took his length in her grasp. He was pure steel as she stroked him, yet velvet and hot against her palm. When he reached under her T-shirt to caress her breasts, she sagged against him. Then he moved his hand to the drenched and aching juncture of her thighs and she was lost, whimpering softly with longing.
There was no hesitation once he brought her to their bed. He entered her with a long, slow stroke that nearly made her come on the spot. They made love quietly, chasing a swift, shared release that left both of them shuddering with the intensity of their need for each other.
It was some time before either of them moved or spoke. Naomi had never felt more joy in all her life. Nor more fulfillment. But her thoughts kept coming back to Slater and the unforgivable price Michael had paid for participating in her pointless quest for vengeance.
The souvenir tote bag full of Slater’s money sat in the corner of the bedroom. She stared at it, hating the sight of it now.
“I can’t keep any of his money,” she murmured. “I meant it when I said I didn’t want anything from Slater, not even the money.”
Asher rose up on his elbow and gave her a sober nod. “We don’t need it.”
“We don’t, right? We’ll figure it all out. I can get work somewhere.” She smirked at him. “Work that doesn’t require wigs or a dozen fake IDs. I’m going to go totally legit from this point on.”
He smiled. “You don’t have to worry about that.”
“Yes, I do. Taking care of half a dozen kids doesn’t come cheap, Asher.”
“I realize that,” he admitted. “And correct me if I’m wrong, but aren’t we going to make room for more than that? I was thinking we’ve got room here at the ranch for at least eight to start. More, once I outfit the spare rooms with some of Ned’s furniture and make a few more bunkbeds. At some point, we could even add an addition to the house.”
“Are you serious?” Naomi stared at him. “I love that idea. But, Asher, unless you’ve discovered gold out here or you’re sitting on some oil rights, I don’t think we’re going to be able to do any of that.”
“I don’t have either of those things.”
“Then what?”
“When Ned died, he left me this house and the land that came with it. He left me that beat-up truck and that old yellow dog out there too. But he also left me something else.”
He rolled off the mattress and strode gloriously naked over to the bureau and took something out of the top drawer. In his hand was an envelope bearing the return address of a bank in Las Vegas. He handed it to Naomi.
“Open it.”
She tore it open and pulled out the folded sheet of paper inside. “It’s a bank statement from last month with your name on it.” Her gaze drifted to the account total. “Holy shit. That’s a lot of digits.”
He chuckled. “We’ll get by. We’ll more than get by.”
“But where did—”
“One of Ned’s passions was making furniture. Another was playing the lottery every week without fail. Two years after Ruth died, he hit big. A million and a half, plus change.”
“Oh, my God.” Naomi sat back against the pillows, her fingers trembling as she stared at the total again, which had compounded with interest into a figure teetering near twice that amount.
“He didn’t spend a penny of it,” Asher said. “He told me that without Ruth around to enjoy it with him, what did he need it for? I don’t think anything would please the old man more than to know his windfall was going to help give a bunch of kids a new start in life.”
She couldn’t believe what she was seeing, what she was hearing. “Asher, I don’t know what to say.”
He sat down on the edge of the bed, his gaze intense. “Say you’ll let me share it with you—and those kids. However many you want.”
An image flashed through her thoughts—through her heart and soul. She saw Asher and her some years into the future, a house full of chattering, wild kids and a ranch full of animals. She saw herself holding a tiny baby in her arms, one with beautifulglyphslike his father and her own black hair and tilted almond eyes.
Asher nodded. “I want it too. I want the whole thing . . . with you, my amazing Narumi . . . as my woman and partner, the only friend I’ll ever need. As my blood-bonded mate.”
Her throat clogged with joy. “I can’t think of anything I want more.”
