Tears filled her eyes. “Oh, Chase—”
“I didn’t have it as bad because I was older by the time things got really ugly. I wasn’t home much, and I was big enough to defend myself. But some of my brothers were pretty young, products of assorted women. Sometimes, the women took them when they left. Other times, they left them behind, but they were all my brothers, no matter what.” He shook his head once, silencing her when she started to respond. “With each woman, my dad became worse. They took his money, they fucked him over, and they twisted him deeper into the pit he was falling into. The day I left for college, my brothers and I took a blood oath that we would never let a woman destroy us, and we would always protect each other from any enemy, but especially women.” He held out his hand, and she saw a small scar on his palm.
She traced the mark silently, his palm roughened from all his ranch work. “He’s coming here to protect you from me, isn’t he? Your brother? The one who called you?”
“Yeah.”
She looked up at him. “Will he hurt me?” It wasn’t a question based on fear. It was a question designed to help her understand exactly what she was about to face. She’d been the daughter of a sheriff for too long not to know the questions to ask.
Anger flashed in Chase’s eyes, and he flipped his hand over, trapping hers against his thigh. “No one will hurt you, Mira. I swear it on my life. Do you understand? No one will ever hurt you.”
The vehemence in his voice sent chills down her spine, and she knew that the abused child had become the protector of the innocent at any cost. His brothers were his posse, but somehow, because of AJ and the baby, she had come into his circle of protection.
But at the same time, the bond between the Stockton men was obvious, and she had inadvertently stepped right between them. She had a feeling it wasn’t a good place to be. “Chase,” she said slowly. “I think maybe getting married isn’t the right thing to do. I won’t come between you and your brothers. They mean too much to you. Maybe I should just go into town or something.” She managed a shrug. “Now that I’m in Wyoming, I’m probably safe.”
Probably? That might be a little strong. Possibly safe? Still too much. Not likely. Hardly at all. But being in Wyoming bought her time to figure out a more permanent solution.
For a long moment, Chase stared at her, his face inscrutable. She could almost hear the thoughts roaring through his head as he tried to reconcile his loyalty to both his brothers and to AJ, trying to find a way to balance it.
She sighed. “If it takes that long to decide, then we know the answer. I’ll leave in the morning.” She managed a smile. “At least I didn’t unpack.” She turned back toward the front of the horse, leaning forward slightly so she didn’t lean against Chase. Suddenly, she felt hugely embarrassed that she’d hopped on a plane to come live with him. She felt even more embarrassed by how she’d responded to his kiss, and how she’d snuggled into him on the ride.
She realized that Taylor had been right. She’d let it get personal with him already. If she hadn’t, she wouldn’t feel so empty inside just because she was going to leave in the morning, and start a new life, her real life, without him.
***
Mira smelled good.
Really, really good.
Way better than any of his brothers ever had.
Chase gritted his teeth as they rode in silence back to his ranch. Mira was stiff, holding herself away from him, even though he still had his arm around her waist. Her hair was drifting against his face, tickling his skin. He missed the feel of her body against his. Somehow, even though she was a woman and she was in his space, she’d given him a sense of peace tonight that he didn’t usually have.
He wanted her around.
But his brothers had suffered enough. How could he take away their safe haven?
He swore under his breath, urging his horse into a faster lope. The easy rhythm rocked Mira back against him, and he took advantage, leaning into her. She slid back into him, her bottom nestled against his crotch, just as it had been on the ride out. Rightness settled through him, an absolute sense of everything being in equilibrium. It was the feeling he’d been striving for ever since he’d bought the ranch, but it had eluded him at every turn.
Mira had given it to him.
Suddenly, it was no longer about AJ or the baby. It was about Mira, and what he wanted. He wanted her for himself. No, he needed her. His entire body craved every inch of physical contact he could steal from her.
He had no idea how he could make this fly, but he knew with absolute certainty, that he had to find a way.
He reined Red in as they neared the ranch. “Want to come to the barn, or be dropped off at your window?”
She leaned forward again, trying to put space between them, but he didn’t let her. “Window, please.”
“I’ve never dropped a woman off at her bedroom window before,” he mused as he navigated Red across the rustic landscaping. “As a cowboy, that’s probably a big failure on my part. Seems like something I should have done before.”
He was rewarded with a small laugh. “Yes, well, now you can say you’ve done it.”
He paused Red a few feet away from the window, too far for her to jump. “Okay.”
She was still for a moment, then twisted around to look at him. Her hair was tousled and sexy, tangled over her shoulders from the ride. “I know I look really athletic, but I’m not actually capable of leaping from a horse’s back, over a row of bushes, into an open window, without causing severe damage to myself.”
The moonlight was dancing across her features, showcasing her long, thick lashes, the cute upturn of her lips, and the weary shadows beneath her eyes, indicating a woman who had pushed herself to the edge. Slowly, he slid his hand around her neck, just as he’d done at the airport.
She stiffened, but didn’t pull away as he stroked his fingers over the nape of her neck, almost unable to believe how soft the strands were. “Like silk,” he said softly. “The most delicate spun silk.”
“What are you doing?” She didn’t sound mad. Confused. And something else he couldn’t quite decipher. Intrigued? Interested? Burning with need for him? God, he hoped so.
“Cowboys survive on instinct,” he said, sliding his fingers deeper into her hair. Soft, and thick, and so sexy. “It’s all I know. I’m not a thinker. I just listen to my gut, and I do.”
She swallowed, and her hand went to his chest, her fingers digging in ever so slightly. “Stop,” she said. “I need to stay focused. You aren’t a knight in shining armor, and you’re not going to rescue me.”
“I’m no knight,” he agreed, spreading his fingers over the back of her head, lightly, ever so lightly, drawing her closer to him. “And you’re much too strong to need to be rescued. But even your dad would say it’s always good to have a backup plan.” And with that, he bent his head and kissed her.
Her lips were so soft, a sensation utterly foreign to him. In the airport, the kiss had been hot and fiery, but it had been in the midst of the frenetic bustle of crowds and travelers. Now, in the silence of the night, there was nothing but the two of them. There was no assault on his senses to distract him from the utter perfection of her mouth beneath his.
He kissed her again, silently urging her to kiss him back. The need for a response from her was hammering through him. He didn’t just need physical contact. He needed to know that she wasn’t immune to him, despite her independent ways. He needed that connection.
He nibbled at her lower lip, and pressed a kiss to each corner of her mouth. She started to tremble, but still didn’t kiss him back, though her fingers were digging more fiercely into his chest, and she wasn’t pulling away.
“Don’t leave tomorrow,” he whispered against her mouth.
“You’re trying to seduce me into staying?” she whispered. “That’s a little unethical.”
He kissed her jawbone, then her earlobe. She tasted fresh and untainted, like the mountains after a spring rain. He trailed
kisses down the side of her neck. “Seduction and staying are completely unrelated,” he said between kisses. Her shoulder was bare, and he brushed his kiss over her collarbone. The strap of her camisole was thin, so delicate, it would snap with the slightest tug. It was pure femininity, and his gut literally clenched at the sight of it. “You’re such a woman,” he said as he thumbed the strap off her shoulder, watching it drift down her bare arm. “Incredible.”
“Incredible that I’m a woman?” Her eyes were closed, and she was utterly still, not fighting him, but still not responding, as if she was doing everything she could to hold herself aloof.
“No. Just incredible.” He pressed a kiss to the curve of her shoulder where the strap had been. Her skin was so soft, and he grinned when he felt the goose bumps pop up. “Are those from me?”’
“No. I’m cold.” Her voice was throaty and breathless, making him smile wider.
“I’m not doing my job if you’re cold.” He reached around her, and slid his hand around her thigh as he pressed a kiss to the side of her neck. He grasped her leg and lifted it across Red’s neck, turning her sideways in his lap.
From this angle, he could see her nipples through the thin fabric, tight and visible. Raw desire hit him, a need so deep he felt like the axis of his world was shifting. “Come here,” he said, unable to keep the gruffness out of his voice. “Face me.”
He grasped her other calf, and she moved her leg between them across to Red’s other side, so she was facing him. Her legs were over his thighs, a seduction of heat and warmth that was sheer perfection. They were close to each other now, too close in the saddle, and there was nowhere for her legs to go except where they were, draped over his thighs. Her eyes were wide, and he could see both fear and anticipation in them.
He had no words to reassure her. He was in a place he was pretty sure he’d never been in before, and he had no tools to manage it. All he knew was that he wanted her. He needed her. He burned for her. He dropped the reins, and set his palms on either side of her face. “This isn’t about the baby,” he said. “Or AJ. This is just us, here, right now.”
She swallowed. “Okay,” she whispered.
Okay. Raw desire coursed through him, and he bent his head, unable to stop himself, unwilling to deny himself this moment. He took her lips in his, and was nearly stunned by the sensation of her mouth against his once again. “So incredibly soft,” he whispered against her mouth. He felt huge and awkward in comparison to her delicate frame. “I’m afraid I’ll break you just by breathing on you.”
She smiled then, a flash of warmth in those gorgeous eyes. “Such a sweet man,” she said softly.
It was the tenderness in her voice that broke him. He couldn’t remember anyone ever using that tone with him in his life. With a low groan, he swept his arm behind her back, pulling her against him, and kissed her like his very survival depended on it.
And this time, she kissed him back.
***
Chase’s kiss was amazing. Mira couldn’t believe how incredible it felt to be in his arms. His kiss poured fire and heat into her, igniting a need deep inside her, a need she didn’t even know was a part of her…until he’d awoken it.
There was no way for her to resist what he offered her: strength, passion, and a sense of connection that had eluded her for so long. She slid her arms around his neck, and sighed when he locked his arms around her lower back, crushing her against him. His chest was rock hard against her breasts, and her nipples were burning at the feel of his rough shirt against her. His hands were hot against her back, searing her skin through her thin fabric of her top.
Her pulse was hammering so fast she couldn’t even feel the separate beats. She was nervous, sort of terrified, by her reaction to him, but the fear wasn’t enough to supersede how his kiss made her feel. Sexy, desirable, protected. Feminine.
He lightly nipped her lower lip, and then his tongue slid over hers, a sensual caress that made her belly tighten. Tentatively, she responded, and he let out a low groan, deepening the kiss. Within moments, the kiss seemed to turn to fire. His mouth seemed to burn her everywhere he kissed: her mouth, her neck, her collarbone. Her entire body was humming with desire, a need for him that trumped almost a decade of fear and hesitation.
He grabbed her hips and pulled her further onto his lap. She could feel his erection pressing through the thin material of her pants, and the zipper on his jeans was digging into her sensitive flesh. His hands flanked her hips, trapping her against him. His grip was strong and unyielding, but she didn’t feel like she was trapped, just protected.
He kissed her throat, and she leaned her head back, giving him full access. She closed her eyes, all her senses riveted on his mouth as he kissed down her throat, and then lower, moving down between her breasts.
She started to tremble again, and he palmed his hand between her shoulder blades, holding her up as he pressed a kiss to the swell of her breasts. Oh, God. Really? Every inch of her skin was tingling in anticipation, as he swirled his tongue across her skin, lower, and lower, until it brushed over her nipple.
Her entire body clenched in response as he pulled the taut bud into his mouth, lightly biting the sensitive tip.
“Feels good?” He swept his tongue across her nipple, a damp seduction of incredible softness.
“Of course not. Why would you say that— Oh!” She let out an involuntary yelp as he bit her nipple again.
“Don’t lie to me, woman. A cowboy has ways of extracting the truth.” He pulled her up again, and caught her mouth in a searing kiss that obliterated the last of her defenses. She kissed him back, desperate now, pouring herself into the kiss. The kiss grew harder, deeper, so urgent that it was almost violent, but not quite, never quite crossing that line to someplace that scared her.
He swept his hand under the loose waistband of her pants, sliding his hand over her bare bottom, never letting up his relentless assault on her mouth as he gripped her hips again, this time, skin against skin in a dazzling seduction of sensation and strength.
Red stomped his foot once, the sound jerking her back to the present. She was on a horse! “Chase, we have to stop—” He cut off her protest with another kiss, sliding his hands under her bottom and lifting her so tightly against him that his clothes seemed to merge with her own skin.
Sensation flooded her senses, and all she could do was cling to him as he continued his sensual, delicious assault on every level. She was vaguely aware of a rocking motion, and realized that Red was walking, but Chase gave her no time to think about it. He wrapped his arms around her, and then swung her off his lap in an effortless move that made her feel like she weighed about five pounds. He swept her through her window, depositing her inside the room. For a brief moment, she felt the cool night air sweeping over her now, filling with regret and loneliness. Why had he ended the kiss so quickly? Even as she thought it, however, she took a deep breath, steeling herself against the turbulence of emotions as she turned away from the window.
It was better this way. She needed space from him to think, to figure out, what she needed to do—
Suddenly, she heard the thud behind her, a thud that sounded suspiciously like Chase coming through her window after her. Her heart leapt in anticipation, and she spun around, but she didn’t have time to fully turn before his arms wrapped around her, sending heat rushing through her. Before she could decide whether to protest, he scooped her in his arms and carried her toward the bed.
Chapter 8
Oh, God, was she going to do this? They were just going to leave his horse in the middle of the ranch? “Red—”
“He’s well-trained. He’s fine. I took off his tack before I followed you in. He’ll head to the barn and settle down for the night.” He set her on the bed, and pulled back, his blue eyes gleaming at her. “But I appreciate the fact you were concerned about him.”
It was such a small thing for her to have done, but she could see from the intensity of his gaze that he meant it. By thinking
about his horse’s well-being, she’d somehow passed some test she doubted he even knew he had. Her heart tightened for him. This wasn’t simply a man whose kisses ignited a passion in her. It was a man who’d suffered greatly as a child, and dedicated his life toward keeping his family together, a man who was touched by the fact she’d cared about his horse…a man who was afraid he’d break her if he breathed on her.
She smiled, her heart softening as she ran her fingers over his cheek. “You’re a good man,” she said softly. “Your brothers are lucky to have you.”
He went still, and for a moment, she thought she’d said the wrong thing by bringing up his brothers. Of course it had been a mistake. His brothers were his reality, the meaning of his life, the rock that had held him together for so long…and she was not a welcome part of it. “Listen, I don’t want to interfere—”
He cut her off with a kiss, a kiss that was almost desperate with need. The fierceness of the kiss broke through her walls, and she wanted to cry with the intensity of her response. She understood the loneliness that drove him, because she’d lived it with AJ, and because she’d experienced it in the years since her parents’ car accident.
Chase was so alive, so passionate, a survivor who had transcended his past and become an indomitable force. Still kissing her, he eased her backward, until he was on her, his weight pressing into the bed. It felt so good to be beneath him, to feel his warmth and strength enveloping her. Her entire body practically vibrated with a need for him, a need that was nothing like what had driven her into AJ’s arms.
AJ had been about finding comfort with a friend in the midst of devastating grief. This moment with Chase was about her own need as a woman. It was about Chase as a man. It was lust and desire, and something more, an attraction and a source of strength greater than she was. She tugged at his shirt, pulling it out of his jeans, needing to feel the man beneath the rugged exterior.
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