"All set," she agreed and wrapped her arms around his neck. She pulled him down to her, met his mouth with her own, and felt the weight of him settle on top of her, his hardness pressed against the juncture of her thighs.
Heat flooded through her. She wanted this-wanted him-more than anything she'd ever wanted before. As Jake shifted above her, settled between her legs and then nudged her core, she thought she would explode with longing right then and there.
"Tell me," he grunted by her ear as he pressed into her. Just enough to tease her; not nearly enough to satisfy her need for him.
"Please," she said, holding onto him tighter, pressing her hips to his, trying to draw him inside. "Please, Jake … "
"Hannah," he said and plunged farther inside her. She ached for more; wanted all of him.
"More," she said through gritted teeth, tipping her hips, sliding her hands down his back to his ass. "More, Jake. I want more!"
He stroked into her hard and she cried out in pleasure. Picking up his pace, he pulled out and stroked in again. Hannah held him tightly, his every movement bringing a rush of sensation that threatened to overwhelm her. She dug her fingers into his flesh, urged him on with kisses and the press of her hips. He stroked faster, harder, until all she could do was hang on and ride the wave of sensation with him. She never wanted this to end, she wanted to feel this close to Jake, this turned on by him, this overwhelmed with ecstasy for as long as she lived.
She went over the edge with a rush of feeling, and cried out as Jake bucked against her in his own release. Arching against him, she rode the sensation until she collapsed against the pillows, numb to her fingertips from the power of her release. Jake fell on top of her and she welcomed the weight of him.
"These next two weeks are going to be so much fun," she said, luxuriating in the feel of him. Tracing a lazy finger down Jake's back, she felt him stiffen.
"Next two weeks? I thought Autumn's guests were staying for a month." He pushed himself up on his elbows and gazed down at her.
"Right. I meant month." Whoops-she'd nearly blown it. Jake thought she meant to stay here at least until Autumn's guests went home in the new year. Well, that was fine with her. She'd stay here as long as she possibly could.
The intent, infatuated look in his eyes from just moments ago faded into something else, something deeper. "I want more than a month," Jake said. She blinked up at him, suddenly cold. Something serious was coming. Something more than she was ready to hear. A chill rushed down her spine, perking her nipples into hard peaks.
"Hannah Ashton," Jake said. "Will you marry me?"
‡
Chapter Six
Hannah's eyes went wide and she tried to pull back, but trapped as she was beneath him, she had nowhere to go.
"Jake, I … "
"Hold on, let me finish," he rushed to say, knowing he had moments to fix things before he lost her completely. They were still joined together, something that made this moment transcend simple intimacy. He knew he had just risked everything. Whatever he said next would make or break them. "I want you, Hannah. I know it's too soon. I know I should wait, but I can't wait to tell you how I feel." He bent to kiss her. "I want to wake up to you. I want to go to sleep with you, and I want to spend as many moments in between with you as I can. I think we can build a life together here that will beat just about anything else the world has to offer. You're a pretty woman, Hannah, and I thank God for that, but what really turns me on is your mind." He tapped her temple. "I can talk to you like no one else. Do you know how sexy that is?" He slid out of her an inch or two and slid back in, just enough to remind her how suited for each other they were in that department, too. "Say yes to me, Hannah. Let's do this together. Let me make your dreams come true. What do you say?"
"I … I … Jake, we just … "
They'd been with each other less than an hour. The enormity of what he'd done crashed down on him like a bucket of ice water. "Oh, man," he groaned, closing his eyes and resting his forehead against her chin. "Oh, hell, I just blew it, didn't I?"
"No, but … we've only … " She still wasn't able to say a complete sentence and Jake couldn't blame her. Talk about rushing things.
"Okay, hold up." His mind raced. "You know how I feel now, and I know," he kissed her nose, "that at the very least you're attracted to me. That's something. We'll just pretend I didn't propose to you and give it a little time before I try it again. Okay?" He disengaged himself from her and rolled to his side to give her space.
"It's just … I have plans." Hannah scrambled up to a seated position. She scooted back against the headboard and pulled a sheet up to cover herself. Jake instantly missed the view. Still, he figured he'd better take a moment to dispose of the condom and set himself to rights.
"Wait a second, would you?" His trip to the en suite bathroom in his bedroom down the hall took less than a minute. When he returned, he took her hand. "Tell me about your plans." He rubbed circles against her palm then traced up her wrist with his finger. Her skin was soft and smooth and he longed to kiss it, but he wanted to hear her more.
"I'm going back to school."
He stilled. "Really? I thought you already had a degree."
"I do. I need to upgrade a few classes and then I'll go to veterinary school."
He dropped her hand. "Veterinary school. You want to become a vet?"
She nodded her head vigorously. "I've wanted to for years."
Jake quickly tried to revise his vision. He'd work on the ranch. She'd work in town. She'd be gone from morning to night. Disquiet filled him at the idea. That wasn't exactly what he'd hoped for. He'd wanted an ally at the ranch, someone to be just as involved as he was. He'd pictured them doing chores together and poring over books and computers at night figuring out what to try next. If she was a vet she'd have a different life outside of his-a separate life. She'd have her own issues and plans to work on. He wasn't sure how he felt about that.
Would she change her mind if she got to know the ranch-and him-better? Could her interest in animals be funneled into the cattle and other critters they decided to raise?
Maybe. It was worth a shot.
"How about this. We give it two weeks to see if your plans and mine go together. Then I'll ask you again."
This was all going way too fast. She'd come here planning to share a bed but nothing more. Now they'd made love once and he wanted to marry her?
"That's not very long."
"It's long enough," he assured her. "We'll either know we're compatible or we'll know we aren't. Trust me."
He was so sexy sitting among the tousled covers, his muscular chest right there for the touching and the rest of him beckoning to her, too. Could she marry this man? She instantly pushed the idea away as ridiculous. What about school? What about her new career? She wouldn't derail that because they'd had sex.
The best sex of her entire life.
On the other hand, the thought of climbing out of this bed and leaving Jake's house forever left her cold with dread. She liked Jake a lot. She might be able to love him. She doubted she'd figure that out in the next fourteen days, however.
She'd heard his hesitation when she told him her career plans. He'd dropped her hand like a hot coal. For all his insistence afterward that their plans might go together, she figured his first reaction told the truth-they didn't fit at all.
And she refused to sacrifice her plans for his. She'd have to leave him when the two weeks were up, and if she was smart she'd leave him right now.
But there was Gladys to think of.
And herself. If she couldn't spend a lifetime with Jake, at least she could spend thirteen more nights with him.
"Okay," she said. "We spend two weeks together and we don't mention marriage until the time is up."
"Then I get to ask you again?"
She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Her answer would still be no.
Jake shifted to join Hannah where she leaned against the headboard and drew the covers up around them. He hadn't gotten the answer he wanted, but then he hadn't meant to propose quite so soon. Waiting two weeks was a hell of a chance; he wouldn't have time to find another woman to marry. But he wouldn't find another woman he wanted to marry no matter how much time elapsed. It was Hannah or no one. In fact, he couldn't think too deeply about what would happen if he didn't eventually convince her to marry him. It was one thing if they missed the deadline and he got kicked off the ranch. It was another thing altogether if she refused to ever become his wife. There wasn't another woman in Chance Creek he wanted the way he wanted Hannah.