When It's Right(79)
“I don’t want to fight with you. I don’t want you coming home mad at me. I miss you. I’m looking forward to seeing you. Can’t we leave it at that?”
“For now.” What choice did he have? She was at the ranch without him and vulnerable to Ken. Blake would get to the bottom of this when he got back. Past time Gillian learned to trust him to take care of her. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. I want you to know and believe that you can count on me. If Ken is making a nuisance of himself, then let me know, and I’ll take care of him.”
She didn’t get a chance to answer him. The phone went dead. With all the static on the line at his end, he couldn’t be sure she’d even heard him.
Blake slammed the phone down on the dashboard and tried to concentrate on the road. He pounded his palm on the steering wheel and took a deep breath to try to calm down. Ken had better leave her alone, or he was going to wish he had. Blake wasn’t going to put up with a guy who couldn’t take no for an answer. Besides, everyone at the ranch knew Blake and Gillian were seeing each other. It wasn’t a secret. Ken should know better than to go after another guy’s girl.
Maybe it was a lesson Ken hadn’t been taught. Blake would make sure he learned it well.
Chapter 22
Blake drove for hours with the rain following him home. The gray skies and icy wind matched his mood. The roads were treacherous, making the drive slow going with the horse trailers. Bud and the other ranch hands followed him. They used handheld radios to communicate between the three trucks. Everyone was exhausted, but no one wanted to stop somewhere for the night and ride out the storm.
An overwhelming sense of relief washed over him when he reached the turnoff and the Three Peaks Ranch sign. He passed the house and headed for the stables, but he couldn’t help looking up at the second-story windows. A soft light glowed in her room, showing him the way home.
He’d never had someone waiting for him to come home. Not like this. Not someone who mattered more than anything else in his world.
It took him and the other men two hours to get the horses out of the trailers and into their stalls and settled for the night. He said goodnight to Bud and headed around the house with every intention of going to his place and taking a hot shower. The rain came down in sheets. Lightning flashed, and thunder rolled and rumbled. Mud caked his boots and left a trail up the garage stairs and the landing leading to Gillian’s door. The shower could wait; his need to see her, kiss her, couldn’t.
Soaked to the skin, he stopped outside her window and looked in. She’d left a night-light on near the door adjoining her room with Justin’s. The door was left ajar in case Justin needed her. At the moment, it looked like Gillian needed him. Trapped in the midst of a nightmare, she tossed in her bed and rolled to her back. The sheet slid down her breasts and stopped at her waist as she kicked her feet. She threw her hands up to block her face, then they fell next to her head on the pillow.
He couldn’t stand by and watch her struggle alone. Justin wasn’t the only one suffering from nightmares. She had her own demons to fight in her sleep, and he hated that something ugly touched her when she was defenseless. He wanted to wipe all the bad memories clean. He wanted to be something good in her life that eclipsed all the bad.
He shook off most of the water droplets falling from his wet hair and pulled off his boots, leaving them on the deck before walking in through the French doors. Unable to stop himself, he went to her, planted his hands on both sides of her body, and leaned over. So beautiful. He took his time studying her in the soft light. Her hair—in a riot of different colors—glowed softly in the light and spread across her pillow and shoulders. Her soft, full mouth turned up just slightly at the corners, which made her always seem to have a slight, mysterious smile on her face, despite the somber look that clouded her eyes most days. Her long, dark lashes rested on her cheek. He wanted to lightly run his fingertips over her smooth, golden skin.
He swept his gaze down her body and landed on the bandage on her shoulder. He hated that she’d hurt herself. He didn’t want her to hurt ever again.
The pale pink satin and lace nightgown hid nothing from his view. Her breasts swelled with each breath, threatening to spill over the lace top, her nipples a slightly darker pink shadow under the satin. His gaze slid down her body to her taut, flat stomach. He wanted to place his palm on her, spread his fingers wide and span her small waist. The rest of her was covered under the blankets and sheets he wanted to rip away so he could see those stunning legs.
He stilled when he found her watching him with her eyes half open. She didn’t move. Her gaze met his, and he held his breath, wanting so badly to lie with her, love her with his body the way he did with his heart.