Stone Cold Cowboy(74)
“I hated waking up without you this morning.” He traced his finger over her soft cheek and kissed the tip of her nose.
“I hated to leave you. You are so sexy when you’re asleep, but your brother caught us and I didn’t want the rest of your family seeing me lying on top of you.”
“Why? They don’t seem to care. In fact, they really like you. They actually expect you to stay here with me.”
“Well, I like them, too. It’s nice here. It feels like a family.” The kind of family she’d had a long time ago, too many years and bad days ago to remember if it was real or imagined now.
Rory wanted to give her the family she hoped for and wanted, the happy life she deserved. “You’re a part of it now, you know?”
“I want to be.”
Not a definite Yes, I am. So, maybe she was still on the fence. He’d give her time. She’d settle her father’s affairs and he’d keep her close and show her that he meant to remain by her side. Forever, like she wanted.
“So what’s with your brothers?” she asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, if your grandfather wants you all happily married, why does Colt act like he murdered someone every time Luna’s name comes up? I asked her about it, but she’s uncharacteristically close-lipped about him.”
“You said Colt used to be friends with Luna’s ex. Whatever happened between them, it wasn’t good.”
“And Ford. He watches the TV news about the war like he’s missing something and will only find it in those bombed-out towns.”
“The girl he dated after high school joined the army and left him. I never thought about it, or saw what you see, but maybe he’s looking for her.”
“Those two may not admit it, especially to your grandfather, but they want something lasting and permanent.”
“Maybe seeing me with you has made them look back at their lives and the women they’ve known and wonder what might have been.”
“Or what could be,” she suggested. “Maybe we should set up a double date with me and you, and Colt and Luna.”
“I don’t want them interfering in our relationship, so I’m not getting involved in Colt’s life. They can get their own girls. After all we’ve been through, I’m ready to focus on you and me and some normal, drama-free days together.”
“Is that right?”
“Yes.”
“Well okay then.”
“Good, now come here and kiss me good morning.”
She looked behind her.
“We’re alone. All they want is you and me together.”
She walked into his arms and smiled up at him. “Is that right?”
“Yes. Now about last night.”
“What about it?”
“That thing you did . . .”
She flushed pink to the roots of her hair.
“You are so pretty when you blush.”
“You didn’t like that thing I did. It was too much. Too soon. I didn’t do it the way you liked—”
He cut her off with a long deep kiss that took her breath away. His tongue slid along hers in an urgent sweep. She went up on tiptoe and pressed her body against his, her softness crushed against all those hard muscles as his arms contracted around her. He broke the kiss, sucking in a deep breath, and pressing his forehead to hers. His hazel eyes held a depth of need that matched her own.
“I’ve never done that thing, so if I did it wrong—”
He cut her off with another kiss, this time softer, more coaxing. She settled into him again, trying to relax and let her nerves go. She didn’t have a lot of experience with other guys. She hated to think she’d done something he didn’t like, or that he thought was too forward. The last thing she wanted to do was give him the wrong idea about her. Rory had a deep sense of family, responsibility, duty, and honor. She loved those things about him and didn’t want to do or say anything that made him think less of her.
Rory pressed another soft kiss to her lips. His hand came up, his fingers softly brushing against her cheek. He leaned back just enough to look down into her eyes.
“Damn, sweetheart, I really can’t get enough of you.” He brushed his fingers through her hair. “You are and were perfect. Have mercy on me if you decide you want to practice and repeat what we did last night.”
The blush intensified, heating her cheeks and ears. “Rory . . .”
His finger settled beneath her chin to prevent her from looking away. “What we share in private is just that, Sadie. Private. You never have to be embarrassed or nervous or hold back. I don’t want you to. I want exactly what we had last night. You and me completely lost in each other and the way we make each other feel.”