Cowboy Up(57)

His hands push between my legs at the knees and spread them to the side. Then his heavy weight blankets me. Legs between mine, hard length against my panty-covered center, and naked chest over my cotton-covered one. My hands move of their own accord to rest on his back at the same time his arms go under my shoulders, pushing his fingers into my hair and cradling my head in his hands.

“Open your eyes,” he orders, and I do so instantly.

His face hovers above mine, eyes searching but guarded. I don’t have to guess what he assumed correctly I was thinking back at the hospital, but I know without a doubt that I need him to know one thing before I confirm it.

“I love you,” I utter on a whispered breath.

I literally feel my words as they hit him, physically, as his whole body seems to grow larger and harder at once. The fingers tangled with my hair spasm. His chest pushes into mine as it puffs out. And the part of him that fills me with a beautiful pain swells against my sex.

“I love you,” I repeat loudly and fiercely, fueled by his reaction. This time, his eyelids droop and his forehead falls to rest against mine. That wide chest of his starts to move rapidly when his breathing speeds up.

“I love you, Clayton Davis.”

Then his mouth is on mine and his tongue plays with mine without pause. He kisses me so deeply that my eyes cross and I swear I can feel the earth move. There’s so much passion in this kiss, my legs come off the bed to wrap around his hips and my arms tighten around his torso. I frantically try to get closer. We continue to pour our feelings into that kiss, both of us growing more desperate with each caress of tongues and swallowed groans. When he rips his mouth free, it takes me a moment to shake the intoxication of it off.

“It shouldn’t be possible to love you as much as I do, Caroline Michaels, but every single day I feel that grow into somethin’ I reckon few ever are blessed to feel. I knew close to four months ago when you sat down next to me that there was somethin’ powerful between us. Had no doubts a month later that connection was somethin’ I was foolin’ myself into thinkin’ I could forget about when it snapped into place. And, my sweet Linney, it wasn’t long after that that I realized I was made to love you.”

He shifts his grasp, his hands coming out from under my head and his thumbs wiping the tears from my face. My whole body shudders as I suck in a wobbly breath.

“I need to know the rest, darlin’,” he says with care.

“I’m afraid to give you the rest, Clayton.”

He shakes his head. His handsome face relaxes and openly projects his affection. “Nothin’ should ever make you afraid, Linney. Not when it comes to me and damn sure not when it comes to our love. I never want you feelin’ the fear that keeps your thoughts from me.”

My chest smooshes against his as I take a deep and calming breath. “I—I want that,” I finally admit.

He holds my worried gaze, not reacting. “You want what?”

“What they have.”

I finally lose the brightness of his emerald gaze when his eyes slowly flutter closed. A rush of air fans my face a second later. I hold myself still as my heart pounds in anxious beats.

“Please say somethin’, Clayton,” I plead when he doesn’t move or speak.

“I don’t want her here,” he finally says, confusing me instantly.

“What?”

“She has no place in our bed, but I also can’t let you go long enough to move our talk from this spot.”

“Who are you talkin’ about?”

“Jess.”

My whole body jerks as his ex’s name slams into my brain. Confusion as to why he’s bringing her up now of all times blends into a hurt I feel slice deep.

“God, Caroline, you’re killin’ me.” His hips press into mine as he shifts his body to rest his elbows in the mattress. “Look at me, baby.”

I hadn’t realized I stopped. Looking back into his beautiful eyes again, I see the pain inside of them.

“She was pregnant. Right after I finally broke things off, all her schemin’ paid off. When she told me, I was going to step up. In my gut, I knew I didn’t want that baby, but I would’ve been there and done my best to give it a good life. However, I wasn’t gonna give her what she thought she could trick me into.” A slash of pain goes through his features as he grows heavier on top of me, and I know where he’s going, hating that woman even more. “When I refused her when she said we should get married right away, makin’ it clear to her that would never be an option, she knew she’d miscalculated drastically. I never in my life thought she would kill my baby because of it though.”