“Good advice.” Kyle turned to leave then looked back at them. “If you plan to continue sparking, you may want to take it outside.”
“Sparking?” Dylan whispered.
“Will do, Deputy.” Hannah watched as the normally stoic deputy disappeared from view. “Well, I’ll be damned.”
“What is it?”
She shook her head. “I think Kyle’s in love.”
“Really?” Dylan looked dubious. “I’ve seen him get his coffee. There’s no canoodling between them.”
“In all my life, I’ve never seen him react so strongly to something.” Hannah tucked her head back under his jaw. “Mark my words, there’s something between them.”
A few moments of silence followed. She felt content, happy even, although it was tempered by the specter of the unknown arsonist and his or her misdeeds. When her head was clear, Hannah needed to make a list of suspects for Kyle. Maybe talk to Sophie about the evidence. As a professional fire investigator, she could probably—
“I’ve got to go to the jobsite.”
Hannah sat up quick enough, she banged her head into the jaw she’d just been comfortably snuggled under. “What?”
“November 1st, right?” He kissed her quickly. “Then your GC needs to get his ass to work. I’ll bring your truck back later.”
She rose when he did. “What if your boss gave you the day off?”
“Not a chance I’d take it. I’ve got a date to hit and it isn’t gonna happen if I sit around sparking with a pretty girl.” He picked up the half-eaten sandwich. “Thank your mama for the meal for me, would you?”
He walked out of the kitchen and she followed, her heart screaming at her to do something. To say something. To share the hope for the future.
“Dylan?”
He turned as he opened the cab door of the truck. “What is it, Harry?”
She smiled. “Come by later and we’ll take a ride. Just you and me.”
His eyes lit with interest. “Seven okay?”
“Seven is perfect.” She stood like a mooning calf as he drove off in her truck. It was the oddest, most uncomfortable relationship she’d ever had.
And she loved it.
* * * * *
Dylan raced to finish the day’s work. The hands on the clock seemed to stop and then fly. It was maddening. And frustrating. Somehow he missed the damn cat too. It had stayed put at Amber’s side, the traitor.
He had to admit to himself he’d also been distracted by thoughts of Hannah and her invitation to stay. Not as a general contractor, but as a part of her life. Part of a family. The Blackwoods seemed to be good folks even if there were a whole lot of them.
By the time he pulled out of the jobsite at 6:45, he was exhausted from thinking too much. Dylan had been alone most of his life. He had very few friends; Liam was the one constant in his life and a year could go by when they didn’t see each other.
Now he was driving out to the Blackwood ranch. And he wasn’t doing the speed limit. The sun was hanging midway down the horizon. They still had a few hours of light to ride.
The promise of having a horse beneath him was a need he hadn’t been able to fulfill in a long time. Tonight he would spend time doing something he enjoyed with a woman he could love.
No matter how much he might want to deny it, he was knee-deep in feelings for her. Dylan didn’t know how to love someone or how to be in a relationship. He’d have to be certain Hannah knew what she was doing because he would be making a lot of mistakes and missteps. Probably do more wrong than right.
By the time he reached the Blackwood ranch, he’d worked himself into a knot. And he damn well didn’t like it. As he parked the truck beside hers and walked toward the house, she appeared on the porch. He told himself he was just going to tell her he was tapping out and leaving.
Then she stepped into the sunlight and he forgot what he was going to say. Her hair was loose and wavy, moving in the gentle breeze as though it danced in the air. Her eyes sparkled in the late-day sun. In her hand, she held the picnic basket. The one that had started them on this journey together. Along with steak sandwiches and Havarti cheese.
“Hi.” She rocked back and forth on her heels, her face wreathed in that big smile.
Dylan was lost. Damn but he was falling in love with her. He’d never known what it felt like. Now he did and it compelled him to smile back at her and offer her his arm.
“Let’s go to the barn. I picked out a mount for you. I hope you don’t mind.” She smelled of lemon and cookies again. That scent would always compel him to hunger and arousal in an instant.
“I’m sure it’s great.” He should be back at the hotel checking the schedules and progress. Instead he was here, playing picnic with Hannah. His stomach churned with what was either anticipation or fear. He was about to jump off her proverbial cliff and fly.
They entered the barn, which was well lit by a row of lights mounted on the beam. The building was a huge structure with at least twenty stalls on either side. In the center was obviously the tack room with rows of saddles and gear hanging on the wall outside it.
The smell of horse, hay and manure hit him. The memories of busting broncs for two years, of riding horses when he worked at stables, assailed him and he was suddenly very, very glad he’d come to her. She was a mixture of passion, frustration and smarts, but she also came with the added bonus of equines. Hannah was the perfect woman for him.
She led him to two horses tied to a pole at the back of the barn already saddled. One was a beautiful paint, a mare that nickered as soon as she spotted Hannah. The other was a Quarter Horse that stood at least fifteen hands high. He was a beautiful animal with a healthy coat and sleek lines. He stomped his hoof when he saw them.
“This is Samson and Sheba.” She laughed softly. “I went through a phase where ancient names were all I named the horses.”
Dylan held out his hand, palm up and Samson snuffled it. “He’s a beauty.” He ran his hands up the horse’s neck then breathed into the gelding’s nostrils. Dylan was rewarded with a muzzle push to his belly. “Friendly too.”
“Samson has a gentle temperament, but he can ride like the wind.” Hannah hooked the basket to her saddle and took Sheba’s reins. “Are you ready?”
He took up Samson’s reins and the feel of the leather on his palm was achingly familiar. He’d missed this more than he realized. “Yeah, I’m ready.”
Hannah was impressed by the ease at which Dylan climbed on Samson’s back and easily commanded the horse with his knees. The man had skills on a horse. Plus the added bonus—he looked even better up on the saddle than she’d imagined.
The man was sin incarnate and she was hooked.
They rode toward the private grove at the top of the hill. It was a secluded spot she and Dax had discovered as children. The cattle avoided the area because the bushes weren’t to their liking. The trees sheltered them from anyone’s view if they happened to ride past.
It was the spot many a make-out session, and more, had occurred. Hannah had lost her virginity there. It was time to introduce the spot to the new man in her life. She wanted to create new memories with him and look ahead, instead of behind.
“The cat still at the house?” he asked.
“You mean Harry?”
He laughed. “You named it Harry?”
“Of course I did. There had to be a Harry Blackwood.”
“It could be Harry Bennett.”
“True. He’s developed a tendre for Amber. Hardly left her side. I think you lost your cat.”
Dylan snorted. “He wasn’t my cat.”
“Uh huh. That why you asked about him?”
“Just wondered where he got off to. I used to talk to him at the trailer.”
That admission made her smile. A big strong man and a cat was adorable. And sweet.
“We can get you another cat.”
“I don’t want a cat.” He turned to look at her, his gaze heating. “I want you.”
&
nbsp; “Good.” She put her shoulders back and kneed Sheba into a canter. Dylan was right beside her, riding like a natural.
The late-day temperature had dropped to a more comfortable level and the breeze had picked up. It was the perfect evening for a ride. Within half an hour they reached the grove and dismounted. As she removed the picnic basket, he tied Samson’s reins to a tree and murmured to the gelding as he did it.
Hannah’s heart did a jig at the sight. How had she lived her life without this man in it? He was perfect for her.
“This is a cozy spot.” He walked toward her with a swagger that made her toes curl.
“It’s something Dax and I laid claim to when we were kids. He won’t come up here tonight, though. I let him know to steer clear.” She pulled the blanket from the back of Sheba’s saddle and spread it on the grassy ground.
“Are you telling me you let your brother know we were coming up here? Did you text him and say, ‘I might get lucky so don’t drop by’?” Dylan’s voice was strained with what she thought was embarrassment.
“Nope. Just told him I needed privacy at the grove. Besides, he’s off at dinner with Sophie, his girlfriend.” She set the basket on the blanket and bracketed her hips with her arms. “Did you change your mind?”
He charged her and scooped her off the ground, pressing her against his very hard length from stem to stern. Her body came to life in an instant, as though it had been idling and only needed a small push to slam into high gear.
“Not for a second.” He nuzzled her neck. “This is the first time I’ve seen your hair down. I like it.” He kissed the tender skin below her ear. “You smell like cookies.”
She laughed and ran her hands down his back. “I baked you some.”
“Mmmm, there’s one treat I want right now. The cookies can wait.”
Shivers raced down her skin and spread across her body. She sighed and let her head loll to the side, giving him free access to her neck. His whiskers rasped against her, making every touch heightened. Her nipples tightened to painful points, pressed against his chest with glee.
“Did you spread out the blanket?”
“Yep.” She nibbled at his shoulder. “And I have a condom in my pocket.”
“I have two in my pocket.”
“Then we have to have sex three times.”
“Sounds good to me.” He let her back to her feet and kissed her hard. “I need you.”
She pulled off her top. “Then don’t waste any time, cowboy.”
He cupped her breasts through the bra. “Let me take the reins.”
She was momentarily nonplussed. “The reins?”
“You’re a strong woman, Hannah. I’m a strong man. One of us has to hold the reins. For now, for today, please let me do it.”
She had always been bossy and stubborn, two traits she knew she could never change. For this chance, she would hand over the control to him.
After she nodded, he unclasped her bra and let it fall to the ground. Then he got to his knees and pulled one eager nipple into his mouth. Handing over the reins wasn’t so bad after all.
He suckled and nibbled until her knees wobbled and her blood roared in her ears. Before she knew it, he’d lowered her to the blanket and had taken off the rest of her clothes. She watched him with passion as he gazed down at her nude form. She knew she wasn’t the skinny model type, but she was proud of her body.
“It’s like a banquet. I don’t know where to start.” Hunger flared in his whiskey brown eyes.
She pointed at her lips. “You can start here.”
He grinned with a touch of wolfish glee. “I think I can do that.” He pulled off his own shirt and she feasted her eyes on his beautiful body. He had scars and wasn’t perfect, but he was perfect for her.
She couldn’t take her gaze away as he removed the rest of his clothing. His cock jutted up proudly from a nest of dark curls. His bronze form told her he was used to working outside, his muscled form a testament to his strength from that hard work. She itched to touch him, taste him, pleasure him. She must’ve had something in her expression because his brows went up.
“Why do I suddenly feel like the main course?” He knelt down on the blanket and ran his hand up her leg. “We have more than today, so I’m going to warn you, this might be quick and hard. No, that’s not true. It’s definitely going to be quick and hard.” He kissed her right breast then bit her nipple. “I promise I’ll make it up to you.”
We have more than today.
The idea of a future with Dylan was a tantalizing promise. She wanted it. Surprising perhaps, but she was ready to close the door on the past and move forward. And this man, this moment, it was the right path.
He held up a condom. “One of these days we’re going to do this in a bed.”
“Not now.” She reached for him.
“Not now.” He made quick work of the condom and then knelt above her. As his mouth closed over her breast, he entered her in one thrust.
“Jesus,” burst from her throat. The sensation of being joined with him was almost enough to make her come in a split second. “More. More. More.”
He obliged her request and thrust in and out, faster and faster, pulling her into a whirlpool of pleasure so deep she could only see him, feel him, smell him. She held on to his shoulders and pulled her knees up.
As his mouth found hers, the orgasm started a long way away, traveled through space and time through her feet, legs, landing in her pussy and exploding into a million points of light. She shouted his name and dug her fingernails into his bronzed skin.
His husky whisper of “Hannah” echoed through her bones and into her heart.
It was a perfect moment. She wrapped her arms around her new man and embraced the future. Love had come to another Blackwood.
About the Author
Beth Williamson, who also writes as Emma Lang, is an award-winning, New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of both historical and contemporary romances. Her books range from sensual to scorching hot. She is a Career Achievement Award Nominee in Erotic Romance by Romantic Times magazine, in both 2009 and 2010, and a semifinalist in the 2014 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award contest.
Beth has always been a dreamer, never able to escape her imagination. It led her to the craft of writing romance novels, fueled by Reese’s and tenacious pursuit of the perfect story. She’s passionate about purple, books and her family. She has a weakness for shoes and purses, as well as bookstores.
Life might be chaotic, as life usually is, but Beth always keeps a smile on her face, a song in her heart and a cowboy on her mind. ;)
Website: www.bethwilliamson.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/bethwilliamson
Twitter: www.twitter.com/authorbethw
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/fd822
Look for these titles by Beth Williamson
Now Available:
Marielle’s Marshal
Branded
Endless Heart (as Emma Lang)
The Malloy Family
The Bounty
The Prize
The Reward
The Treasure
The Gift
The Tribute
The Legacy
Hell for Leather
The Present
The Fortune
The Prospect
The Jewel
The Gem
Private Lives
On His Knees
Devils on Horseback
Nate
Jake
Zeke
Lee
Gideon
Devils on Horseback: Generations
Adam
Print Anthologies
Leather & Lace
Secret Thoughts
Coming Soon:
Devils on Horseback: Generations
Jesse
Clint
Elias
Spencer
Devils on Horseback: Millennium
His Prairie Blossom
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sp; Her Dark Cowboy
His Dream Spirit
Don’t miss these other titles by Beth Williamson
Sometimes the universe has to turn your life sideways so love can find its way in.
Devils on Horseback: Generations, Book 1
As the oldest of five, Adam Sheridan’s life is full of obligations. He longs to do something, anything, besides working his family’s flour mill in Tanger, Texas. His mama always says the universe moves in its own sweet time.
Apparently the universe was waiting for his wagon load of flour to overturn so he could meet the woman he was destined to love.
Eve Tate is a woman from nowhere with a shady past and an uncertain future. When she is left behind in Adam’s care, she reinvents herself again to be his perfect mate. Little does she know who she was will haunt who she tries to be.
And, just like the couples of old, Adam and Eve must find a way to live together—or lose everything they have.
Warning: Contains a redheaded man with a Texas-wide stubborn streak, and a chameleon-like woman with a heart that needs attention and a soul that needs redeeming. Foolishness, canoodling and deep abiding love result.
Amidst the post-war chaos that rains down around them, a controlling man and a desperate woman must choose between life and love.
Devils on Horseback, Book 1
Nate Marchand grew up as the only son of the town drunk. As a Confederate soldier, he found that order in the chaos was the only thing that kept him sane. Numbers, information, keeping everything in its proper place became second nature. The chaos of the war and its aftermath sent him into a rigid state that he couldn’t seem to overcome.
He and his friends, nicknamed Devils on Horseback, leave behind the aftermath of war to start fresh in the west. Their new business venture flounders and desperation drives them to take whatever work they can.
The Devils are hired to remove the Taggert family from land claimed by Samuel O’Shea, the largest landowner in Grayton, Texas. When he meets Elisa Taggert, his entire world shifts beneath him. Attracted, bewildered, and off-kilter, Nate ignores his conscience in favor of his wallet.
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