* * * *
During the night, Chance got up. Returning from the bathroom, he smiled as he stood in Lydia’s bathroom doorway. The moon lit a path across the dark bedroom, casting Lydia’s sleeping form in silvery light and shadows. She lay sleeping just as she had been a few hours earlier, lying on her tummy, her beautiful body still bare. She must have stirred and kicked the covers off because he now had the pleasurable view of her pretty, heart-shaped ass to enjoy. His heart thumped loudly in his chest as he looked at the way Clayton was cuddled up to her in the bed, still asleep. They gravitated to her whether sleeping or awake.
Soon it would be time to rise, but for now he just wanted to watch her sleep so peacefully. He climbed back into bed beside her and couldn’t resist stroking the perfect, warm curve of her luscious ass. She shivered slightly and turned her head to face him as he pulled the covers back over them.
He didn’t think she was awake until she murmured, “Can’t sleep?” Her voice was gravelly with sleep, and she stretched out a hand to stroke his forearm.
“I’m good, baby. Just needed to get up for a second. Go back to sleep.” He gently stroked her back and she made a soft purring sound.
“Love you.”
A burning ache centered in his chest as he murmured, “I love you, too, baby.”
Chance and Clayton had already arranged to stay in the house a little later the following morning. Gil James would handle making certain the usual Saturday morning chores got done. Chance and Clayton had never hired a foreman, preferring to see to the running of the ranch themselves, up until this point.
Clayton had mentioned the previous evening that now might be a good time to consider promoting Gil to foreman of the ranch, to ease up their time schedules a bit. Gil was single and a hardworking man, respected by the other ranch hands. He’d been new in town when he’d hired on at the Rockin’ C a couple of years before and had proved himself to be reliable and able to take charge when needed in that time.
Chance yawned and stretched a couple of hours later, unsurprised that he hadn’t been able to sleep in. Clayton and Lydia were still curled up, sound asleep next to him. He sat up and decided to start the day by making breakfast in bed for the three of them. A few minutes later he had the coffeepot brewing and the skillet on the stove heating.
Chance turned at the sound of footsteps behind him and said, “Hey,” in greeting to Clayton as he stumbled sleepily into the kitchen. Clayton had always been a later riser, and Chance was surprised he wasn’t still upstairs sleeping.
“Morning,” Clayton said as he got a mug from the kitchen cabinet and poured a cup of coffee from the full pot.
While Chance whipped up eggs and bacon for the three of them, Clayton took a large plate and glass down from one of the cabinets.
Clayton said, “I hope Lydia doesn’t push herself too hard until LuAnn gets here.”
Chance chuckled and said, “We’ll just have to keep her too busy with us to wear herself out around here.”
Clayton nodded and replied, “That, or we could help her some. I wouldn’t mind taking some time to help her with the heavy lifting and moving stuff around for her.”
Chance said, “She can put us both to work if she wants to. I wouldn’t mind.”
“Lydi still hasn’t called Ace and Kemp, has she?”
Chance bit his lip and shook his head. “I don’t think so.”
“You don’t think she’s ashamed, do you?”
“No. Look at it from her perspective, Mister Glass-half-empty. Can you imagine having two overgrown pit bulls for brothers, who like to be involved in your business? I think after last night she’ll probably contact them soon.”
Chance had a feeling Lydia had just been waiting for the turning point in their relationship and for their feelings for each other to be solidified. It didn’t surprise him that his analytical brother was seeing it from a “worst-case scenario” perspective.
“They are going to flip out.”
Chance leaned against the stove and turned the bacon as he said, “I’d rather deal with them flipping out than have her feel like we’re rushing her.”
“Good point. I’m sorry. It’s not that I don’t trust her because you know I do. It’s just…”
Chance reached for another plate from the cabinet and lined it with paper towels as he said, “I know exactly what you’re trying to say. It was a big leap for you to tell her that you loved her last night. I think you’ve been in love with her almost as long as I have. Lydia is unlike any of the other women you’ve ever dated and she’s not a game player like Brittany. She’s more caring than that.” The name rolled off his tongue distastefully as he recalled the last woman Clayton had dated.