“There’s something wrong with your face.”
“What?” Rory cocked his head at Ford.
“You’re smiling. What are you thinking about?”
A wife. Not any wife, Sadie. Babies. A life here on the ranch that was more than hard work, but raising a family. He and his brothers used to run wild on this land. He’d love to see his kids, Ford’s, and Colt’s running around, riding the horses, playing and having fun.
“Sometimes, things happen that you want but didn’t plan on happening right now. It’s all good. At least, I hope it will be.”
He’d wanted more time with Sadie, to grow closer to her, solidify their relationship and let it build into something lasting. Now, the stone in his gut felt as if everything was on a nine-month timetable. Sooner than that really. If she was pregnant, he needed to put a ring on her finger, marry her, and prepare for their child to arrive.
“She’s really nice and thoughtful. She believes in doing the right thing. I’m sure you two can work it out.”
Ford’s words hit home. Would she marry him and be his wife and a mother to their child because it was the right thing to do, or because she loved him and wanted to make a life with him?
The question ate at him for the next couple hours while he caught up on work with Ford.
Rory walked into the house and smelled the chili Sadie had cooking on the stove. She took such good care of them, the house, her father and brother. Him. And he might have just given her someone else to take care of, too, just when her life was her own now, and she only had to look out for herself. Great. After the day he’d had, he hit the landing, worked up into a mass of tight muscles and a pounding headache.
Sadie set her laptop on the bedside table, stuffed her papers in a folder, stacked it on her textbook, and set them aside, too, just as Rory walked in the bedroom door.
“Hey, honey, all done working?”
“Yeah. You?”
“For now. I have some work to do on one of my papers, but it can wait until tomorrow.”
Nothing. Not a word. He stood there staring at her, his face a mask, hiding his thoughts and feelings. He’d fortified those walls she broke down earlier when he went quiet on her the first time. She loved him. She thought maybe he loved her, too. She hated to see him retreat on her again.
“Rory, honey, why are you looking at me so hard?”
He started and finally focused on reality and not the deep thoughts that stopped his tongue and made him so distant. “Sorry. Uh, I need to shower. I’ll be down for dinner in a few.”
She tipped her head and studied him. From the set of his mouth, the tic in his jaw, and the slouch to his shoulders, she thought he carried the weight of the world, planning all he needed to do if she was pregnant. The last thing she wanted was to build a relationship on responsibility. Oh, he’d do the right thing, no doubt. But she wanted something solid, built on love, understanding, and an openness with each other that she didn’t have to fight for every time things got tough.
Making love, the kiss they’d shared when they returned, well, she’d felt the depth of feelings Rory had such a hard time putting into words. He might have a hard time sharing his emotions, but he had no problem showing her how he felt. Rory spoke through action. She’d let their bodies do the talking for now to keep him close and break down those walls again. If she showed him how much she wanted him, loved him, maybe he’d open up and drop his guard for good because she couldn’t live being kept at an emotional arm’s length.
She put thought into action and grabbed the hem of her shirt and pulled it up and over her head.
Struck by her audacity, his eyes went wide. His gaze swept down her face to her lace-covered breasts.
Oh yes, she had his attention now.
She pulled the button on her jeans free, then ever so slowly pulled the zipper down. She reached behind her to unclasp the lace bra. He didn’t say a word, but his hot gaze roamed over her, heating her bare skin.
He stood mesmerized, then caught himself. He kicked his leg out, catching the bedroom door, and pushed it closed. “What are you doing?”
She dropped the bra at her feet on top of her shirt, looked him right in the eye, and walked toward him half naked. She went up on tiptoe, locked her arms around his neck, and kissed him. Not a soft, gentle coaxing, but a full-on, mind-blowing, take-what-she-wanted kiss. Sparked by her need, he dove in for more, taking over the kiss. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close. She rocked her hips into his, grinding on him until he was hard against her belly. She broke the searing kiss, grabbed his shoulders, and jumped up, locking her legs around his waist.
“Take me to bed, cowboy.”