Brokenhearted Beauty(Divine Creek Ranch 19)(52)

“I meant it the other night, fluff. I won’t be upset if my seed takes root. But neither do I want to take your life, as you had it planned, away from you. I love you and I want you to be happy, no matter where that is.”

She palmed his cheek, leaving him a little damp as his short dark beard tickled her palm. “I understand what you’re doing, Vincent, and I appreciate it. I’m not sure how I feel about you not being there when you’re so close by. Maybe I’ve gotten spoiled really quickly. I don’t know. But beyond that, I appreciate that you’re attempting to make up for last night’s lapse. I hope you rest okay. You must be exhausted, after travelling that distance twice in twenty-four hours.”

He turned his head to kiss her palm and then rose to his full height. He bent over and kissed her and murmured, “Sweet dreams, fluff.”

“You, too.”

“Oh, and I hardly smell the skunk odor at all.”

She shrugged. “I hope I’m okay to go to work tomorrow. I’m afraid you and James are just desensitized to it.”

He paused at the doorway. “I meant what I told you earlier, even though the timing could’ve been better. You’re beautiful.” He smiled and walked away.

A few minutes later, she heard soft, sensual instrumentals playing in the bedroom and James entered the master bathroom with a bowl of freshly cut strawberries and a bowl of whipped cream. She giggled when he set them on the edge of the tub, lit some candles, flipped off the light switches, and began to undress.

He showered quickly, like she had, to remove the skunk residue from brushing up against her skunk-sprayed clothing and then stepped into the tub with her. He groaned as he settled back into the water that reached their chins. Without hesitation, she moved into his arms and let him arrange her on his lap so her back was to his chest.

The strawberry dipped in whipped cream that he offered her was delicious and decadent. Never had a man ever pampered her like the two of them did. This tender moment just made it even harder for her to keep her mind on the fact she should be thinking about her possible career move. All she wanted was his arms around her.

He squeezed her and kissed her temple. “Does it bother you that Vincent isn’t here?”

She rested her head against his chest and slid her hands up to caress his bulky biceps and shoulders. The guy was seriously brawny and she felt safe in his embrace. He offered her another dipped strawberry and she opened her mouth to take it from his fingers as she thought about his question.

“He said he’s not keeping score. He wanted to make up the other night to me. But I confess I do miss him. What’s done is done and I’m not one to keep him in the doghouse to prove a point. I think I can even understand why he let the situation get to him and drove all the way out there like that. What’s between us had been simmering a long time and I don’t enjoy keeping the two of you on eggshells.”

“What’s best for you, honey?”

Letting her eyelids slide closed, she murmured, “Now isn’t that a complicated question? I used to think I knew.”

“We want what’s best for you, regardless of what that winds up being. I love you enough to let you go.”

Tears stung behind her eyelids. Her voice cracked as she said, “I love you.”

His arms tightened around her as a lump rose in her throat and his reply was simply his lips pressed against her temple.

After lathering a sponge, James lifted her right leg and ran the sponge from the top of her thigh down to gently rub her feet, even between her toes.

“You’ve got the prettiest little feet,” he said as he lifted her left leg and gave it the same attention. “Pretty little arches and toes.”

She giggled as he slid a finger along her sole, tickling her. “They look more like Flintstone feet to me.”

“How ’bout we pin a bone in your hair and call you Pebbles?”

“Very funny,” she murmured as he stroked her inner calf and then upward to her inner thigh, while he still held the leg bent and aloft.

“Mmm,” he growled as his fingers slid into her slick, tingling cleft. “You’re hot, aren’t you?”

“Feeling you wrapped around me turns me on so much. You’re so big and strong.” She reached a hand behind her and gently stroked the head of his cock. “Yes, very big, and hard, too.”

Keeping her legs parted for his easy access, he slid his fingertips into her pussy, rubbing her clit and dipping into her opening with his fingertips. She couldn’t resist his arousing caresses and soon she was undulating against his cock, imagining it sliding deep in her cunt as he grew bigger and harder.