"What do they do now?"
"They both went into the rodeo business."
Jenna shuddered. "Ugh."
"Yeah, I know: injuries guaranteed both to the animals and the riders. I'm not sure exactly what they are doing right now, but HW used to ride saddle broncs and Ry the bulls."
"Both crazy, then."
"Exactly. But if we can convince Ry that Chase means him no harm, and that we all want to be a family again, maybe HW will come along to the wedding as well."
"Family's important to you, isn't it?"
"I suppose it is. I tried to get away from the ranch and my family when I went into the Marines, but all that did was make me realize how much I'd lost." He smiled at her. "The old clichés are always the best, aren't they? Despite everything that happened with my parents and all my resentment over Chase when I got back here none of it mattered. This place has a way of reminding you how small and insignificant you are in the big scheme of life."
"Maybe somewhere at your core you knew that the ranch and your family would always be here when you really needed them."
There was a wistful note in Jenna's voice that she couldn't quite disguise.
"I knew Ruth would never give up on me. My brothers? Not so much." He glanced down at her intent face. "Don't go around thinking I was the injured party in all this. I caused the rift with Chase, and I made sure the twins stayed right in line behind me. I tend to be inflexible."
"Really? I would never have guessed that."
He considered her for a long moment. "Are you going to put that mug down?"
"Why?"
He took it out of her hand and put it on the coffee table. "Because-" He rolled her over until she was on her back and he was straddling her waist. "I don't want to get coffee on that nice green dress of yours."
He bent his head and kissed her and murmured in satisfaction as she kissed him back.
"Beast." She nipped his lower lip.
"Grrr." He eased one hand over her shoulder to cup her breast. "Did you say something earlier about dessert?"
"I might have."
"Then can I take it upstairs?"
"You don't want to hang out in the den?"
"Not if Dave is going to walk in at any moment and start critiquing my style."
"Like Dave would know anything." She wrinkled her nose. "Not that I even want to think about that because . . . eew, gross."
"I'm fairly sure he'd feel the same way, but I'm not taking the chance that my naked ass will end up on the Internet courtesy of Dave's camera."
"That's just the kind of thing he would do. Like a 'whose ass is this?' contest or something. Mind you, with your tattoo of the eagle, globe, and anchor I don't think anyone would have any problem guessing who you were."
Blue rolled off the couch and drew Jenna to her feet. "Does your bedroom door have a lock on it?"
"Yes."
"Then let's go."
He followed her up the stairs as quietly as he could, ignoring the loud soundtrack of the movie Dave was watching that was making his door shake. He didn't think Jenna would scream too loud, but you never knew. She turned to him at the door.
"It's not really my room. It's Faith's, but I'm borrowing it until she decides whether she's coming back after completing college."
There it was again, that hint of uncertainty, as if Jenna always felt like she was on the outside looking in.
He framed her face with his hands and kissed her slow and deep. "I don't care about the room. I care about who's in it."
"That's a terribly sweet thing to say."
"That's me all over. Sweet. So lick me up."
She returned the kiss and he held her close, stealthily unzipping the back of her dress and sliding the straps off her shoulders to reveal the silky layer of her bra and panties. He wished she wore more dresses. It would make getting her naked so much faster and easier.
He kissed his way down her throat and nuzzled her breast. "Nice bra. Did you wear it for me?"
"Yes, I'm not really a silk and lace kind of person. Yvonne made me buy this set when we went shopping in the city."
He curved a hand over her hip and down over the softness of her silk-clad ass. "Remind me to thank Yvonne one day. You feel awesome."
He backed her up toward the bed and lowered her down onto the covers.
"Do you want me, Jenna?"
"Yes, please."
"So polite."
She pointed at his shirt. "I won't be polite if you don't start getting naked pretty soon."
"You threatening me?" He started on the buttons of his shirt, pulling it free of his jeans and tossing it over the nearest chair. She wiggled a little on the bed and he fumbled with his belt as he took in the sight of her waiting for him, one hand under her head, her auburn hair spread out over the pillow.
He wanted to keep that picture in his head forever . . .
"Blue?"
Now she sounded worried. Knowing her ability to leap to conclusions, he took off his belt and carefully undid his jeans, protecting his overenthusiastic cock from the perils of a hastily pulled zipper.
"You are so beautiful," she breathed.
"Me?" Blue looked down at himself. "I'm fit because I've worked hard at it, but-"
"Beautiful," she said firmly. "Now get down here and ravish me."
"Yes, ma'am."
That wouldn't be a hardship at all. There was something about her combination of strength and vulnerability that ticked all the right boxes for him. He couldn't explain it to himself, and at that moment with a warm, willing woman ordering him to make love to her, his rational side was disappearing rapidly and he just wanted to be inside her.
He climbed onto the bed and gathered her in his arms. First he was going to see if he could make her scream louder than the soundtrack of Dave's horror flick.
Then he was going to make love to her for hours. He smiled against her mouth as he kissed her. She'd have no cause for complaints, he'd make sure of that. And if he lost himself in there with her? For the first time in his life, that was a chance he was more than willing to take.
Chapter Fourteen
"This was a stupid idea." January consulted her clipboard and ticked something else off the apparently endless list. They were down by the creek setting up the tables and chairs for the engagement party, and things were getting complicated.
"No, it's all good." Jenna hastened to reassure her friend. She'd gotten off work early and come to help with the setup. It was just after three, and the party was scheduled for six o'clock. "Once we've gotten all these major details ironed out, it will all proceed perfectly."
"I should've listened to Chase and let him bring proper caterers in."
"And spoil Ruth's fun cooking for you?" Jenna grinned at January. "She's in her element."
"True." They both looked over at Ruth, who was busy telling Chase and Blue what to do. Both men looked resigned to being nagged and more than willing to do their grandma's bidding. The amount of food Ruth had produced for the party was quite staggering.
"Do you want me to start putting the table coverings on?" Jenna asked. "Avery's coming from the hotel, Yvonne's closing up early, and will bring more desserts and fresh bread with her."
"Sure, go ahead. The cloths are in the back of Chase's truck, along with the place mats and the table decorations."
Jenna patted January's shoulder and made her way across to where all the trucks were parked. The sun was shining and the forecast hadn't mentioned rain, so she was fairly confident the party would go well.
Maria sat on the back of Blue's truck with Billy watching the proceedings, and Jenna called out to them.
"You two want to help set the tables?"
Billy lifted Maria down from the tailgate and they came over hand in hand.
"What can we do for you, Jenna?"
She handed Billy a stack of folded linen tablecloths that Ruth had borrowed from the Hayes family at the hotel. "Spread these out on the tables while Maria puts the place mats on, and I'll add the flowers."
"The flowers are so pretty." Maria gently touched the petals of a yellow rose. "Did Daisy at the flower shop do them?"
"She did."
"I'd like to do that when I grow up."
"That's a great idea. You could help out with all the weddings and stuff on the ranch."
Maria's smile wobbled. "If I'm still here."
Jenna sat on the bench so that her face was level with the little girl. "I think everyone here wants you to stay. That must make you feel good, right?"
"Sometimes." Maria sighed. "And then I get worried because what if things change again?"
Jenna held her gaze. "Yeah, I used to worry about that a lot, too, even after I was adopted by the McDonalds, but things did work out in the end. There are still good people in this world who don't change their minds about the important stuff. I think the Morgan family are the good guys."
Maria nodded and looked away at the boxes Jenna had set on the tables. "Look! There are candles in there, too, so we can light them when it gets dark." She picked up a pile of place mats and danced after Billy, indicating the conversation was over. Jenna hoped she'd done some good as she attempted to pick up the shallow but large box containing a dozen flower arrangements.