Giving him directions, she lay her head on his chest, enjoying the magic of the moment, the wonder of his arms, the anticipation of loving him.
Dropping his hat on the dresser, he set her on the bed and knelt in front of her. When he put his fingers to the first button of her blouse, he said, "Finally, an answer to my question."
His gentle touch sent chills of desire racing through her. Her bra suddenly felt too tight. She furrowed her brow. What question?
As he loosened several more buttons, he said, "Ah, there."
"What?"
"Your spots end here."
"Oh." She didn't like her freckles and felt herself blushing.
He took her face in his hands. "Oh, no, Hannah. Your spots make you beautiful. Your skin is like the sun. I don't know the word. Like when the sun shines. Brilhante.
His lips sought hers in a gentle kiss as he finished unbuttoning her blouse. He pulled back and gazed into her eyes. "I want to make love to you, Hannah."
She ran her thumb across his lip. "Alex, I want you. I don't know what I'll do after tonight, or how I'll feel. But, right now I don't care. I want to love you all night long."
He grinned. "Hannah, I can do that." Slipping her blouse off her shoulders, he pulled her to her feet.
She forced herself to be brave. It had been a long time since a man other than Ty had looked at her.
He slid his arms around her and unhooked her bra, dropping it on the bed. Stepping back, he looked at her.
His gaze tickled her as if it were his fingers. She shivered.
His voice husky, he said, "Hannah, you're beautiful."
His words reassured her. She reached for her belt buckle.
He stopped her. "It is my pleasure to undress you tonight."
She stood still as he unhooked her belt and unfastened her Wranglers. Desire awakened in her core as she watched his every move. When he slid her jeans down her legs, his breath puffed on her bare belly. The thrill was so intense, she trembled. He eased her down on the edge of the bed and removed her boots and socks. He kissed her toes, and she giggled breathlessly. Slipping her jeans off, he lifted her to her feet.
Pulling her hair forward so the copper waves spilled down her chest, he said, "Hannah, you must believe me. You're perfect."
She smiled. His sweet words filled her with joy, and her fingers twitched with the need to touch him.
He yanked down the bedspread and sheet and reached for her.
She stopped him. "Your turn, but you can help me. I'm in a hurry." Grinning. she grabbed the first button of his shirt.
He laughed and unhooked his belt and unbuttoned his Wranglers. Using his toe, he pulled first one boot off, then the other. Unabashed, he removed his briefs with his jeans.
As she slid his shirt off his shoulders, he stood naked before her, grinning and ready to take her to bed. She couldn't help it, she laughed at his sheer self-confidence. "You bull riders. You're something else."
He launched himself into the bed, pulling her with him. They landed with a bounce, and she kept on laughing. Meeting her gaze, he settled her on top of him, wrapping his arms around her waist.
She raised herself on her forearms. "You've been really good to me, Alex. I'm so thankful Todd introduced us."
Alex sat up and kissed her, smiling. "I'm the one who is thankful, Hannah. I didn't know I was unhappy until I met you."
His words went straight to her heart. It was similar to how she felt. Fear slammed into her when she thought of him leaving, and she ruthlessly pushed it out of her mind. She had tonight to love him. "Alex," she caressed him with her lips, "you make me happy, too."
She reached to turn off the lamp, and he touched her arm. "Can we leave it on, Hannah?"
Dammit, she felt herself blushing again. "Okay."
He said, "I got a condom out of my truck."
Intense sadness slammed her. She closed her eyes. "I can't get pregnant, remember?"
He pulled her down and kissed her. "I wanted you to be sure. And, I'm healthy. I got checked."
She sighed, looking at him. "Likewise. I did that first thing after I found out about Ty's affair."
Smiling, he rolled her on her back, leaning above her. "Someone got a little crazy tonight. Am I correct?" He clasped her wrists and raised them over her head. "I think her name is Hannah."
She giggled, her heart pounding. Here it was. His revenge for her outlandish behavior on the way home. She tried to pull her hands down, but it was useless.
He grinned. "No, no, my little one, it is my turn now." He kneed her legs apart and rested on her, lowering his lips to hers.
She expected a deep, sensual payback kiss, but was disappointed. Tiny butterfly kisses teased her mouth, and she pressed forward, wanting more.
He retreated. The tip of his tongue traced the seam of her lips, but when she opened her mouth to accept him, it was gone. She moaned, then begged, "Alex, kiss me."
Laughing, he nibbled her neck, still holding her arms helplessly above her head. "Meu amor, você vai pagar.
Exasperated, she said, "If you're going to torture me, at least speak English."
He laughed. "I'm sorry. I'll make you pay, my love. That is all I said."
Her eyes grew round as he studied a cylindrical pillow tied generously with red ribbon that lay beside the bed.
Grinning, he lunged for it, untying the two ribbons and coming back to her. "I have a good idea, Miss Hannah. I'll tie you up. I say it is fair."
She groaned. Alex didn't scare her, but damn, the things he could do to her. He was right, though, it was only fair. She had had her way with him while he was stuck driving the truck. "Go ahead."
"Yes! Thank you, Hannah." Using the ribbons, he tied each wrist to a rung of the headboard, leaving the loop plenty loose. "I can untie this if you want me to. Don't worry." He leaned in and kissed her, caressing her tongue with his.
What she wanted most was his hands on her body, his mouth on hers, him making love to her, now.
He sat back on his knees and eyed her, smiling. "Oh, you're in trouble now, Hannah." He reached up and cupped her face. "If you want me to untie you, ask me. I will do it."
She looked into his eyes and trusted him.
ALEX STOOD AND PUSHED the covers off the foot of the bed, then lay down next to Hannah, his head propped on his arm. He met her gaze, trailing his finger from the hollow of her throat, between her breasts, to her sweet patch of curly copper hair. He breathed deeply. Having her beside him, beautiful and vulnerable, made him want to love her all night long, just as she had requested. If he didn't get himself under control, however, that wouldn't happen. He trailed his fingertip down her midline again.
She shivered and closed her eyes.
He drew circles around her nipple, and she pulled in a breath, eyes still closed. Leaning down, he took the round pebble into his mouth and sucked hard. A spurt of desire shocked him. Damn!
Hannah arched up and moaned.
Mentally shaking himself, he slid his palm in slow circles on her tummy, continuing to suckle but gently now.
Her hip tipped up, and she bent her knee. "Alex?"
"Yes, my love?"
She moaned again.
Moving to the other breast, he teased her nipple, suckling softly. Cupping her mound, he slipped his finger inside and found her sensitive spot. It was warm and hard.
She sucked in a breath. "Alex!"
He rose up and kissed her. Though he wanted to tease her, he was having a terrible time controlling his own body. Rock hard now, every time he touched her his pulse sped faster.
Capturing his lips, she pressed into him, wanting more.
He pulled back. "Not so fast, meu amor, we have all night." Or, he hoped they did. This gorgeous woman was driving him to the edge.
Groaning, she pleaded, "Alex. Kiss me!"
He laughed and tickled her mouth with the tip of his tongue.
She moaned. "I'm sorry for the way I teased you. Kiss me, please."
; He rewarded her begging. As he kissed her, his feelings for her grew stronger. How could he care so much for Hannah when they'd known each other only two months? Yet, he did care, deeply. When he said meu amor, that's what he felt—that he loved her. He knew it couldn't be true, it was too soon, but it felt so real. What started out as a tender kiss became much more. Exploring her lips, he delved deep, twining his tongue with hers.
Slipping his finger inside her, he matched his thrusts with his kisses.
Hannah moaned his name, kissing him back, panting and pushing up with her hips.
Her response so aroused him, he had to pull back.
She cried, "Alex!" and moaned again, her voice trailing into a sob.
She didn't say untie me. "I'm here." He slid to the bottom of the bed, between her legs, cradling her butt in his hands. He found her sensitive spot with the tip of his tongue.
Hannah called out his name, her voice shaking, arching her hips into him.
He circled the spot, caressed it, teased it with his tongue as she trembled, wanting more. Delving inside her, she shuddered. He worked his magic, bringing her to the brink of ecstasy—then he stood and lay by her side again.
Hannah, trembling all over, pulled at her bonds. "Alex, Alex, now. I need you. Stop this. Make love to me."
Still, she didn't say the words. But he couldn't take that tremble in her voice. He leaned in and kissed her, while untying one hand, then the other.
As soon as she was released, she dragged his face to her and kissed him hard, then grabbed his cock in her hand. A shudder ran through him. His heart pounded against his breast bone. He sucked in a breath and said, "Hannah, no, I'll—"
She slid down in the bed and settled her warm lips on him.
He clasped her head in his hands. Ripples of intense pleasure spread through him as she sucked him, root to tip. He couldn't stop her now. He didn't have the will. Her tongue slithered around him, and he gasped. His breath came in pants as Hannah pleasured him. It had been such a long, long time since making love had been this good. Finally, he could take no more, and he pulled her up. "Stop, Hannah, or I'll come."
He tilted her face so she looked at him. "How do you like to make love, Hannah? What is your favorite way?"
She didn't answer, holding herself very still.
"Meu querida, this is natural. I want to please you."
Biting her lip, she whispered. "Um, doggie style?"
He laughed. "Oh, ho, that is a favorite of mine, too." He got to his knees and settled her in front of him. "Now, meu cão menina, we will make love, my little doggie." The sight of her little ass, spread before him, almost caused him to lose control.
She glanced back at him.
Shit, she was sexy. Meu deus. Maybe he did love her. Knowing it had been a long time since she'd been with a man, he eased inside her.
She pushed into him and moaned softly.
He closed his eyes. He had to make this perfect for her. He entered her a little faster the second time, but still gently. Each stroke, he increased his pace, and soon Hannah rose to meet him. She had the rhythm. Chills ran through him. They were made for each other. Closing his eyes, he pumped into her, each glorious thrust taking him closer and closer to ecstasy.
Hannah shrieked his name.
That was all it took. With a final stroke, he spilled into her, clutching her hips against him. Her spasms milked him, continuing his pleasure.
She said, "Oh, Alex," and lay down on the bed.
He curled around her in a fuzzy cloud of spent desire. Running his hand up and down her arm, he whispered in her ear, "Hannah, that was beautiful."
She sniffed.
Alarmed, he said, "Hannah?" and reached for her face.
She caught his hand just as a tear touched his fingertip. "You're right. It was beautiful. Thank you for loving me."
He snugged her as close to him as possible and kissed the top of her head. "Hannah, you're very welcome. This is one of the best nights of my life."
She sucked in a ragged breath. "Me, too."
Hannah—had he hurt her? He only wanted to love her. He said, "You want to make love all night, am I right?"
"Maybe I overestimated myself."
He brought her fingers to his lips. "We will see about that, Hannah."
Chapter Nine
THE FOLLOWING MORNING, Hannah set a wall between them. After telling Alex she was going down to feed, she offered him coffee then asked him to lock up when he left. Surprised, he asked her if she was okay. She smiled and said, "I'm fine. Just busy," and walked out the door.
Two weeks later, Alex woke early with Hannah on his mind. As always. Things had been strained with her since the night they made love. He didn't understand. Making love to Hannah had meant so much to him. Changed him, even. He hadn't pursued the subject, though. He told her the truth that night they drove home. Hannah needed a different kind of man. Yet working with her and having such distance between them was killing him. He wanted to take her in his arms, kiss her lips, and make her uncaring look go away.
He’d planted the hay weeks ago. Now, when Hannah didn't send him elsewhere, they worked side-by-side mending fence. She didn't speak to him unless their work required it, and replied with few words if he spoke to her. It hurt, but maybe this meant she was protecting herself because he was leaving soon.
Now that he and Hannah were working on the fences and unable to care for a small child safely, Becky had found a woman in Barbwire to watch Chloe during the day. He’d expected Hannah to be upset, but all she did was bite that beautiful lip of hers and nod when he told her.
His head said this gulf between them was better. When he left, Hannah wouldn't suffer. But his heart cried no! It wanted his querida, needed to love her—wanted her in his bed, in his arms, in his life forever.
He rolled out of bed and slid on some sweatpants, heading into Todd's exercise room. Alex had been working out since his arrival months ago, but his injuries weren't mending the way he knew they should. He remembered how his first broken pelvis felt as it healed, and this pelvic injury was nothing like it. The pain was so excruciating that he still couldn't add weight while he worked his quadriceps and hamstrings.
And his weak riding arm couldn’t lift much weight, even with the brace Dr. Freeman had reluctantly given him. His arm didn't actually grab, but it didn't move quite right, either.
When he'd been injured, the bull first knocked heads with Alex, rendering him unconscious, and then it lost its footing and rolled on him, breaking his pelvis and two ribs. Despite the efforts of three bullfighters, the bull went at Alex with his horns, lifting his limp body into the air and slinging him to the ground, crushing his riding arm. It broke in so many places, when Alex viewed the X-ray, he nearly vomited.
His fears grew daily. Despite how hard he worked in the gym, his injuries weren't healing. Dr. Freeman may have been right. His riding career might be over. A stab of panic left him breathless. He'd always thought there would be years to plan his retirement. But his body couldn't lie.
He threw himself down on the weight bench. Clearing his mind of doubt, he began his routine. He would ride again.
HANNAH TIGHTENED HER hold on the pliers, kinking the wire, then adding more kinks every couple of inches. Testing the now-taut strand with two fingers, she moved down to the next one. She glanced at Alex who stood down the fence line several feet. He squatted, mending the wire below hers. Something had plowed through the fence, breaking the bottom wires. Probably a damn javelina.
Working next to Alex was miserable. She tried to distance herself from her feelings for him. Her memory of his tenderness and her joy in their love making was too overwhelming, though. As much as she tried to focus on him leaving, she could only think of him loving her. What was wrong with her? Didn't she have any sense of self-preservation?
Alex had been right to find someone else to care for Chloe. It was okay to keep her when the little girl could stay in the truck with Hannah much of the day, but mending fe
nce was long, grueling work. Still, she missed Chloe terribly. Her arms ached to hold her. Hannah dreamed of the texture of Chloe's skin, the sweet scent at the crease of her neck, and of running her fingers through Chloe's soft, tight curls.
The dark circles under Hannah's eyes, which had almost disappeared, were back with a vengeance. She tossed and turned at night, missing Alex, missing Chloe, and miserable at the thought of losing them both. It was like her past, when Ty loved another woman and ignored her plea to work on their marriage. There was nothing she could do to prevent Alex from leaving her—and taking Chloe with him. She sighed deeply.
Alex glanced up with a question in his eyes.
"About time for lunch." She headed for the truck.
They sat side-by-side in silence for a few minutes, then Alex said, "Chloe wants you, Hannah. She keeps asking."
Hannah squeezed her eyes shut. "I miss her, too." Agony filled her chest. The poor little thing didn't understand. She only knew her life had abruptly changed again. Hannah spit her bite of sandwich into a napkin, suddenly feeling like she might throw up. Stuffing the rest of her lunch into a bag, she shoved her door open and strode to the back of the truck. This sucked! Why did life have to be so damn awful?
Alex came around to the back, his arms folded and staring out into the distance. "Hannah, I'm sorry. You hurt, and I never wanted that." He reached for her hand but she pulled it away. "You're right to protect yourself from me. I understand. But can you see Chloe? You can come to Todd's, if it's easier."
This was all too much. She wanted to throw herself at him, feel him squeeze her tight, forget that he was leaving. She bit her lip, hard. He was right. She had to see Chloe. "Bring her here, Alex. Tomorrow's Saturday. About three? I'd love to see her." Yanking her leather gloves off, she said, "Let's knock off early today. Mending fence is a pain in the ass."
Alex laughed and headed over to pick up their tools.
She climbed into the truck and closed her eyes, wondering how her heart would bear it when she held the little girl in her arms again.
SATURDAY AFTERNOON, Hannah slid a pot of beans off the burner to cool and spread butter on top of the cornbread. Alex and Chloe were due any minute, and Hannah couldn’t stand still.
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