She dropped her head and breathed, waiting for more. Libby felt him approach from behind her.
His breath was warm on the back of her neck, and it took all of her will not to turn around and fall into his arms.
“I never wanted it,” he said raggedly. “Your uncle kept offering it to me every time I brought some of his flea-bitten stock back. He thought what he had was top class, but he was old and out of touch with reality by the time he died. Maybe it was top stuff years ago when your grandfather had his hands on the reins, but by the time he passed on, it wasn’t worth much. I didn’t have the heart to knock him back, so I went along with him. I’m not into hurting old folks for the sheer hell of it.”
Libby turned her head as his fingers played with a loose tendril of hair. She wanted to believe him, but she held back, still not satisfied with his answers. “Why did you treat me like you did when I arrived then; was that for the hell of it or to make up for your generous behavior toward my uncle because he didn’t leave you the station?”
“No. I’m sure Tom filled you in on my past love life,” he said. “I had no plans on being bitten again, certainly not by a city chick not used to the ways of country life. No amount of love can make up for the harsh climate and hard work out here for some. You kind of need to be bred to it in most cases, and I didn’t think you would last the distance, sweetheart. City girls don’t as I know from experience. I wasn’t prepared to let myself fall in love with you only to watch you walk away when things got to be too tough, but you’ve proved you’re different from most. You aren’t scared to get your hands dirty or fight for what you want. You must have more of your grandmother in you than I thought.”
“That doesn’t excuse what you said when you found us stranded on the side of the road.” She slowly turned around to face him. “Or for the looks of disdain the day we crossed paths at Aarons office.”
“I’m sorry,” he said. “It was rude and uncalled for, I know that, and if you really want to know, I felt like a jerk saying it. But when you walked into the office all but dragging Josh by the ear and getting wound up before you knew why you were there, I overreacted. You sounded like the mother from hell. I shouldn’t have judged you so harshly without giving you the chance. My only excuse was the feeling of hopelessness I found myself in when Aaron said you were coming in and he was convinced he could talk you into taking on the farms. I didn’t need a city person playing at running the place. And then when you stepped out of that broken-down car of yours, I felt like someone had hit me with an ax. Call it preservation if you must, but I didn’t want to acknowledge what you did to me just standing there stranded like that, your clothes rumpled and your hair coming free from its tie to fall over your face.” He dropped a kiss on her neck, making her shiver uncontrollably. “I tried to get Aaron to stop you from coming out, but he wouldn’t hear of it. He said you’d make it here in the country, and he was right. You fitted in like you were born for it, and I’m glad he didn’t listen to me. But I should never have said it, Libby. You don’t belong to Tom, you belong to me.”
“Really.” She pushed him back. “You have a funny way of showing it, buster.”
“Okay, I’ll admit it. I didn’t want to fall for you. When I saw you on the side of the road, it was a kick in the guts that took my breath away. You looked so damned gorgeous and cranky standing there trying to be tough, it blew my theory of me being better off single out the window. When Tom and Holly got caught in the floods and you called me to help, I lost it. I’ve known Tom all my life, and I was starting to feel just a little bit protective of your family, even if I didn’t have the guts to show it. I was terrified for them, and you bore the brunt of it. I’m sorry. I do want you, farm or not. I don’t care what you do with it. Leave it to the kids; give it to Tom. Do whatever you want with it. I don’t want the place, never did. I don’t need it, but I need you. I want you in my bed,” Nathan said. “I want you by my side every night and every day.”
“We come as a package deal, you know.” She held back from taking him until she got what she wanted...her life sorted out. “My kids, Tom, and Winton. I’ve never had a family like this, and I’m not letting them go. Not even for you, Nathan.”
“I wouldn’t ask you to. Whatever you want is yours, sweetheart.” He pulled her close. “But I do have one stipulation.”
Her heart raced as she waited for his next words.
“Just promise me you’ll walk around naked in high heels once in a while for me, okay? It’s been the only thing that kept me going these last few weeks.”
“Fine, but we live at my place,” she whispered in his ear as he started to undress her. “You don’t have a big enough house for me to do that without the kids and Tom catching on.”
Nathan peeled her clothes from her shoulders and let them drop to the floor before lifting her in his arms and taking her back to his bed.
Libby smiled in the protection of his arms. All the uncertainty of the last few months washed away as she gazed up at the man holding her tightly, joy and love shining over his face as he looked at her.
She was home in the country where she belonged.
BIOGRAPHY
Ann swears she was born with a book in her hand and has never put it down. A lifelong love of reading has finally culminated in achieving her dream of writing…and publication.
She lives in the middle of the desert in Australia in a small mining town with her own handsome hero of many years. Ann has always loved the ups and downs of life in small communities, and she shares this with readers in her rural romances.
Ann features strong, spunky heroines with a good dose of sass in her stories. Of course, these women need an equally strong hero. Bring on the Outback hero and watch the passion ignite.
When not writing, Ann runs a day care center and looks after young children for working mums and dads. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, walking her very large dog, Hugo, and fighting with her computer.
Visit Ann at http://annbharrison.com
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