She blows a raspberry against my neck. “Was kissing you hard? Of course it wasn’t hard. And I liked making you come like that.” She drags in a breath. “But…”
“But nothing. That wasperfect. And when we do more, it’ll be even better for the waiting, because myGod, woman, when you are willing, you aresomething.”
She lifts her head and searches my face. “You mean that?”
“With my whole heart.” And maybe that’s a foolish thing to say, too soon, too much.
I mean it, though.
“You have my heart, Hope. I think that’s clear. But you also have my patience. I’m not going anywhere.”
A cloud crosses her eyes. An important reminder to me that she came to this ranch with a clear mission—to leave again, as soon as possible.
I stroke her cheek. “You don’t need to go anywhere, either. I can keep you safe.”
“People will talk about the baby.”
“Fuck themall. Babies are born early all the time.” I gently caress her all the way to her belly. Not quite as flat when she’s naked as it looks when she’s wearing clothes. She has the body of a mother, and I meant it when I said that she’s incredible. I press my whole palm below her belly button. “This could be my baby.”
Her cheeks flame red.
For all her innate sensuality and real life experience, there’s something still painfully innocent about Hope and sex. The age gap between us making itself known more than it usually does.
“I could make this so much worse right now by offering to marry you, too,” I joke.
She takes that as I intend it, and laughs. Then she groans and buries her face in her hands. “It’s such a mess. I’m a real catch.”
“I have family in Ontario,” I hear myself saying. “If that would be easier for you, we could go visit them for a while.”
“You can’t leave the ranch.”
And suddenly, it’s the easiest thing in the world to say that yes, I can. “Dax will step up and do what I do. Ridge is more capable than he lets on. If he had to deliver the produce boxes to Mercy every week, maybe that would be good for everyone. Even Luna can do more. Hire more help. Time for all of us to be brave. If you can’t stay, then I can follow you.”
“Don’t— Let’s not talk about this now.” Shewraps her arms around my neck. “Please, just kiss me again.”
So I do. I take her mouth and I show her with my hunger what she won’t believe from my words. I will follow her to the ends of the earth. I will wait until she’s ready, and then I’ll make her mine. Her and her kids. I may not have given them the seeds of life, but I will raise them and teach them all the important lessons, and that’s ten times more important.
And to the rest of the world, her unborn babywillbe mine. I’ll be the man who cradles that innocent baby. I’m going to cut the cord and rub her back during labour and pace the floors in the hospital.
Where that happens…that’s up to Hope.
And in some ways, it’s also up to a deranged madman, and there’s no way of knowing what his next move will be.
I push that thought away.
It has no place in my bed.
And when Hope yawns, I need to send her on her way, too.
She climbs out, all naked limbs and sweet smiles, and pulls her pyjamas on as I stare.
She catches my gaze and her breath hitches at whatever she sees.
“Hate to see you go,” I promise. “But I sure do like watching you walk away.”
“Yeah?” She catches her lower lip between her teeth, then releases it, wet and shiny and so pink it makes my balls ache. Blinking slow and sweet, she sweeps a glance down my body, catching my unmistakeable erection bouncing under the sheet I pulled up over myself. A small smile plays at her lips as she turns, even slower than she blinked.
And then she swings her hips, making her ass jiggle a little in those soft flannel pants, and I feel a need so strong I swear I could come again just from watching her head for the stairs.
