She laughed.“Tank?”
Blake chuckled.“Yeah.Look at him.He’s a tank.”
She grinned.The horse was huge but didn’t look as big with Blake sitting on him.Blake was a large man, so he needed a tall, muscular horse to carry him.
He looked like a handsome, masculine, confident cowboy, one that girls always swooned over, and she was finding it harder and harder to pull her gaze away from him.
****
Afew hours later,he decided he was in heaven, sitting against a big oak tree with Hanna between his legs and relaxing back against his chest.
He was in one of his favorite places in the world with the woman he had dreamt about more times than he could count.It was like a dream come true, and one that he had never thought would happen for him.
Blake kissed her temple.“Dottie made us a picnic lunch when you get hungry.”
She tilted her head to the side and grinned up at him.“You thought of everything.”
“I’d love to take credit for everything, but I had help.”
“Still, it’s nice.”
He stared down at her as she got comfortable again with him.One of his hands was on her stomach, and with the other, he ran his fingers up and down her arm.
He noticed the pink tint on her pale skin and knew it was mostly from the sun.“I should put sunscreen on you before we return if it’s too hot.We’re fine under the tree right now.”
“Can we stay a while longer?”she asked.
“We can stay as long as you like, baby.”
He nuzzled the top of her head.
Several minutes passed before he decided to ask a question in his thoughts.
“Hey, how is it that you’ve had so many hardships in your life and still become successful and stay as sweet as you are?”
She shrugged.“I’ve tried never to let things affect my personality.I don’t like confrontation.Maybe that’s because of my childhood.I don’t know.And the need to be successful got me through most of the bad times.I had something to strive for, and no one could take it away from me.As long as I worked hard, I could get my mom and me away from my father.”
“Well, I have to tell you how impressed and proud I am of you.I’ve always known you were special, but I’m learning so much more.”
She tipped her head to the side and grinned.“I hope the ‘more’ are good things.”
He cupped the side of her face.His eyes scanned over her delicate, perfect features before he dipped his head and took her lips.What started off as a slow and gentle caress quickly gained heat until they were both moaning, and he had her sideways in his lap with her arms around his neck.
When he lifted his head and opened his eyes, his first glance at her with a rosy flush on her face and a dazed look in her eyes made his body tighten, and his heart felt twice its size.
“You are so beautiful, baby.”His thumb caressed her cheek as he tried to gain enough control to release her because all he wanted to do was lay her down on the blanket and make her his in every way.He knew if he didn’t get them up, he’d be doing just that, and he knew she wasn't ready.
“How about we take a walk around and then eat?”
She nodded.“I’d like that.”
Blake lifted her to her feet before rising and grabbing her hand.He walked her around the area, pointing out things, plants, and animals.It always made him smile when she looked enthralled or excited about something.
He couldn’t remember a day that he’d had so much fun and been so relaxed.He finally felt like his world was complete with her there.But he was terrified of what would happen to him if she left, knowing he wouldn’t recover.
“Are you hungry, baby?”
She nodded.“Yes.How about you?”
