He glanced at her. Those amazing eyes looked back at him with amusement and understanding. She focused on the screen again, but she slipped her hand into the space between their thighs.
Accepting that subtle invitation, he shifted enough to slide his hand in the gap and lace his fingers through hers. They held hands until the credits rolled. It was the best movie date he’d ever had.
Chapter Twenty
After the movie was over, Ingrid pulled out dessert, individual strawberry tarts with whipped cream topping. Wes and Roxanne raved about the tarts and she promised they’d become a staple in the bakery. She’d experimented with them this afternoon after closing.
While enjoying the tarts and coffee, they played a cutthroat game of Sorry at the kitchen table. When each of them had won a game, Wes claimed exhaustion. She didn’t believe it for a minute.
Roxanne did, though, and said she’d walk him home. He gave Ingrid a quick hug, the kind exchanged by good friends, and walked down the hall with his arm draped casually over his sister’s shoulder as they talked in low tones. So far, so good.
But if the evening had gone without a hitch, Ingrid gave most of the credit to Rox’s trust in her good friend. She hadn’t seen anything amiss because she hadn’t been looking for it. Would she understand if Ingrid confessed? Or would she feel betrayed?
Ingrid didn’t relish finding out the answer. She ducked back into her apartment to wait. The minute Wes could come to her, he would. But Roxanne might have some things on her mind, subjects she’d rather discuss privately with him.
Or maybe she had noticed something tonight and wanted to ask him if anything was going on. Wes wouldn’t lie to her and Ingrid wouldn’t want him to.
Avoiding detection was one thing. Lying in response to a direct question about their relationship was wrong. She wouldn’t do it, either.
Anxiety churned in her stomach. She wouldn’t have had to worry about any of this if she’d been up front with everyone from the beginning. Instead, she’d tried to hide her relationship with Wes to prevent complications while she figured things out. Well, she hadn’t figured out anything, and this situation was getting more complicated by the minute.
She paced the apartment until a soft rap made her spin toward the open door. “Does she think something’s going on?”
“No.” Wes walked toward her. “She wanted to discuss Gage. She’s been thinking of contacting him to see what’s going on with him, but she’s decided to hold off for now.”
“Oh. All right, then.” She sighed. “That’s good, I guess, but…”
“What?” He paused, his expression uncertain.
“I’m feeling super guilty about carrying on an affair behind her back.”
“Do you want me to call and tell her?” He pulled out his phone. “I doubt she’s made it home yet. She could—”
“No!” Her heart rate shot into the stratosphere. “Don’t call her. I’m may be feeling guilty, but I’m not ready for that conversation, either.”
“What do you want to do?”
“Let’s go up on the roof.”
“On the roof?”
“Yeah, don’t you…wait, I forgot. I’ll bet Rox didn’t mention it because it’s never been her thing. Or Abigail’s either. And it was too cold when you were here in March, anyway.”
“Now I’m curious. What’s so great about the roof?”
“It’s an awesome place to go when I need to think. All those stars give me perspective.”
“How do we get there?”
“Let me grab my shoes and I’ll show you.” She hurried back to her bedroom, shoved her feet into some canvas deck shoes and came back out.
“Just follow me.” She led the way into the hall and over to a narrow door at the end of it. “I discovered this one day by accident.” Opening the door, she started up a ladder mounted to the wall of a space a little smaller than her shower stall.
“Good thing I have my phone.”
“Why?”
“If I get wedged in here I can call the fire department to drag my ass back out.”
“You’ll be fine. Hug the ladder on our way up.”
“I’d rather hug you.”
“Trust me, it’s worth the effort.” Reaching up, she unfastened the trap door and pushed it open as she climbed the next couple of rungs.
She held onto the latch until she was nearly through. Then she let it down slowly onto the roof’s surface so it wouldn’t damage the door or the roof. She’d never told the landlady about her trips up here since there was a good chance she’d be asked to stop doing it. Clearly there was a liability issue, but she was always careful.
“Whoever designed this was a lot smaller than I am. I feel like toothpaste being squeezed out of the tube.” Wes climbed the rest of the way. “Now we close it, right?”
“I always do.” Once he was out she lowered the door into place. “Don’t want some poor bat to accidentally fly in.” She straightened. “Now look up.”
He tilted his head back. “Oh, wow.”
“Doesn’t it remind you of sugar sprinkled on a chocolate cake?”
He chuckled. “Now it does. I was going with rock salt on wet pavement, but I like your description better.” He continued to look upward as he drew in a deep breath. “I used to notice the stars a lot more. Out at the Lazy S they were amazing. But lately I’ve been so focused on work that I…this is great. Thanks for bringing me up here.”
She tugged on his arm. “I have a favorite spot. We can sit and get comfy.” She sat on the white-coated tarpaper surface, leaned against a parapet that was about two feet high, and patted the place next to her.
He lowered himself down beside her. “I see we also have a mountain view from here. Nice.”
“They’re not very distinct at night unless there’s a full moon. But they’re gorgeous at sunset.” She turned to him. “Like it?”
“How could I not? I’m with you.” He gazed at her. “But I don’t know if I should put my arm around you or not. Are we okay?”
“We are. It’s just…I’m not sure what to do. But I’d love you to put your arm around me.”
“That’s a relief.” He slipped his arm over her shoulders and scooted closer. “I know we have things to talk out, but I’d much rather do it while I’m holding you.”
“Me, too.”
“You know, until tonight I didn’t really understand what you meant about our situation being complicated. But adding Roxanne to the equation really brought it home. It was sobering.”
The guilt returned as she stared up at the stars. “This is my fault. I started this the night I brought you dinner and…stayed. If I hadn’t suggested—”
“Hey, don’t go taking the blame for this mess. You escalated things that night, but you didn’t start anything. I’m the one who pulled you up on my horse, the one who invited myself to be your partner in the three-legged race.”
She looked over at him. “But you were just goofing around.”
“At first, yeah. But then…I became a lot more focused. I needed to know what your poster was about because I wanted to find out if I had a chance with you.”
“I probably shouldn’t have given you one. It was too soon.”
“Why did you?”
“Because I’m an idiot.”
Heat flared in his eyes. “You’re not an idiot. You followed your instincts. I’m grateful you took me to bed that night. It was magic. I needed you. Don’t spoil it, okay?”
“Okay.” She reached up and caressed his cheek. “But having Rox over tonight was tough.”
“Does it have to be?” He held her gaze. “Don’t you think she’d be happy that we’re together?”
“I think she’d be worried about what we’re risking—my relationship with her, the great living arrangement above the bakery, co-existing in this small town—it’s a lot to put on the line. She’d be worried about that.”
“She’d be worried about all that?”
“Of course
! I don’t want to put her through the angst. It’s better if she doesn’t know what’s going on.”
“I see.” An emotion flashed in his eyes and was gone as quickly as it came, almost as if he’d doused it on purpose. “But it bothers you that we’re keeping it a secret from her, doesn’t it?”
“Big time. That’s why I don’t know what to do.”
“Want my vote? Let’s tell everyone, starting with Roxanne.”
Her chest tightened. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. Not yet.”
He studied her. “It won’t be as hard as you think.”
“It may be even harder! So much could go wrong. We need to wait.”
He gazed at her for a long time. Then he reached up and tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear, his touch sending sparks down her neck. “All right.”
She let out a long sigh. He’d agreed. For now, things could continue as they were.
He captured her hand and nibbled on the tips of her fingers. “As I said before, I’ll just take my cues from you.”
“Then here’s one.” She scooted around so she had a better angle. Then she cradled the back of his head and leaned in so she could give him a gentle, yet sensual kiss.
“Mm.”
She drew back. “Was that clear?”
“Not really.” His mouth quirked in a lazy smile. “Better try it again.”
“Be glad to.” She climbed on his lap and grasped his head with both hands. Lowering her mouth to his, she took it slow at first.
When he cupped her backside, she picked up steam. Straddling his thighs, she rose to her knees and tilted his head back while she kissed him with all the reckless abandon he inspired in her.
His fingers tightened as a low groan rose from his throat. The desperation in that sound arrowed straight to her core. She lifted her mouth a fraction from his and gasped for breath. “I ache for you.”
“Good.” His voice was rough with passion. “That’s a problem I can fix.”
“Here?”
His chuckle rasped in the silence. “At seventeen I would have.” Lifting her away, he got to his feet and helped her up. “But we can do better than that.”
Their descent down the ladder was pure slapstick because they were in a hurry. He insisted she go first because it was the gentlemanly thing to do. She stood outside in the hall while he latched the trap door and started down, his laughter choked and breathless. “My package is so unhappy.”
“Your choice. We could’ve—”
“We could’ve, but I want more options.”
Her heart hammered in anticipation. “Do you, now?”
“Yes, ma’am.” He came through the door and turned to close it behind him. Then he faced her. “For one thing, I get to do this.” Scooping her into his arms, he walked into her apartment and straight back to her bedroom.
“And it thrills me every time.”
“Yeah?” He laid her on the bed and followed her down, nuzzling her throat, sliding his hand under her tank top. “Even that first time in the park?”
“Uh-huh.” His touch ignited little fires as he unfastened the front catch of her bra and stroked her breasts.
“Then I’m glad we didn’t finish that race the right way.” Working her top up, he pulled it over her head and tossed it aside. Then he pushed her bra away and his hot gaze traveled over all that he’d revealed.
Her nipples tightened and her skin grew warm.
“I love when that happens.” He cupped a breast in each hand. “When you turn that pretty shade of pink and your nipples pucker. It’s like an invitation.”
Her breathing quickened. “It is an invitation.”
“Then I accept.” Leaning down, he drew one tight bud into his mouth.
She closed her eyes. So good. Sliding her fingers into his silky hair, she held him to her breast and gasped as the sweet suction traveled straight to her aching core. Moisture gathered between her thighs and she moaned.
Approval rumbled in his throat as he sucked harder and she began to pant. He unbuttoned her shorts, drew the zipper down and slid his hand inside her panties. With the first thrust of his fingers, she arched off the bed with a cry and spun into the wild vortex of a climax.
He continued to caress her until she sank slowly back to the mattress, her body trembling.
Then at last he lifted his head and looked down at her. The heat in his eyes had turned them almost black. “You drive me crazy.” His voice was thick with emotion. “I can’t even tell you how much—”
“You don’t have to.” She gulped for air. “I can see it.”
“I want you to feel it, too.” Leaving the bed, he stripped down and tore open a condom he pulled from the pocket of his jeans.
She took off her shorts and panties with quivering hands. No one had ever wanted her this much.
He came back to bed and moved between her thighs. “Ingrid, I’m shaking.”
“Me, too.”
Bracing his forearms on either side of her, he met her gaze. “I don’t shake when I make love. Except with you.”
She quivered for an entirely different reason. He was saying far more than his words conveyed. And it scared the hell out of her. She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him closer.
His chest heaved. “What we have means a lot to me.”
Her throat thickened and she swallowed to clear it. “I know. Me, too.”
“I believe you.” He entered her slowly as tremors shook him. But when he was locked in tight, the tremors stopped. Leaning down, he brushed a kiss over her lips. “That’s why I’m here.”
I believe you. As he began to love her, gently and thoroughly, she surrendered to another glorious climax. He gave without holding back. But could she ever do the same?
Chapter Twenty-One
Wes’s phone chimed as he lay on his back, heart pounding and breath unsteady from the power of sharing an orgasm with Ingrid. Rolling to his side, he reached toward the nightstand and almost knocked the phone to the floor. He managed to answer before it went to voicemail.
A mare he’d been monitoring ever since he’d started taking clients a month ago was in labor. He’d promised to be there. After assuring the worried owners that he’d arrive in twenty minutes, he disconnected and turned back to Ingrid. “I have to go.”
“I heard.” She smiled. “The timing could have been worse.”
“A lot worse.” He gave her a quick kiss and climbed out of bed so he could dispose of the condom and pull on his briefs and jeans. “But wouldn’t you know, just when you’re able to sleep in…”
“Oh, don’t worry. I’ll still sleep in.”
“Yes, but I wanted to sleep in with you, smarty pants.” He buttoned his jeans and tugged up the zipper.
“Maybe next Saturday night, after the thing at the Guzzling Grizzly.”
“It’s a deal.” He picked up his shirt and his boots. “I was going to have my out of office message turned on anyway, so I’ll just extend the time until noon on Sunday.”
“Sounds decadent.”
“Plan on it. We’ll eat chocolate eclairs in bed. But I’ll see you long before then. It’s about time for this deluge of appointments to taper off. I’ll be back here before you have time to miss me.”
“Hope so.”
“I’ll make it a priority.”
* * *
He’d had to eat his words. By three o’clock on Thursday afternoon, when he’d only interacted with Ingrid briefly while getting coffee and pastries at Pie in the Sky each morning, his Saturday night boast had come back to haunt him.
He’d exchanged a few texts with her, but tentative plans to get together had been blown apart by his crazy schedule. The appointments had come thick and fast. On top of that, he’d responded to medical emergencies every single night. Was it a universal truth that emergencies only cropped up after hours?
Being short on sleep and short on Ingrid’s kisses was a bad combo. He’d solve one of those problems today. He left a client’
s place at three-thirty and the bakery closed at four. Although she didn’t normally work that last hour, she often came down to help Abigail close.
Sure, he could text instead of going in person, but he needed to see her. He was sick of communicating via text. And he could use a cup of coffee.
He planned to go in, place an order and casually find out if she had any obligations for the rest of the day. If she didn’t, he’d claim an hour of her time. Or more if she’d let him. He’d turn on the out of office message on his phone. He was a desperate man.
He must have looked desperate, too, because when he walked up to the pastry counter and asked Abigail for a couple of brownies, she gave him a worried look. “Are you okay?”
“Oh, yeah. Nothing some sugar and caffeine can’t cure.” He’d deliberately chosen to order brownies first, so he wouldn’t appear too eager about being served coffee by Ingrid. He was the only customer. If someone else came in to draw Abigail’s attention, that would help.
“Want one of Ingrid’s Firecrackers? Those triple espressos could take rust off a tailpipe. “
“Just plain coffee should do it.”
“You got it. For here or to go?”
“Here.” He sighed and tilted back his hat. “No more appointments today. Unless something unexpected comes up.”
“Then take a load off and relax, cowboy.” She raised her voice. “Ingrid, your neighbor wants a regular coffee. He’ll have it here.”
“I’m on it. Hey, Wes. How’s it going?”
“Good.” Have you missed me as much as I’ve missed you? Do you feel as if somebody has lopped off a whole chunk of your life? Because that’s the way I feel.
“Here are your brownies.” Abigail slid a china plate across the top of the bakery case and handed him a napkin.
“Thanks.” After paying, he sauntered over to the coffee counter as if his heart hadn’t turned into a Mexican jumping bean. “Busy day?”
“Fairly busy. Not like you, though.” She set the brimming mug of coffee in front of him and glanced up.
His breath caught. So beautiful. His chest tightened with longing.
A Cowboy’s Challenge_The McGavin Brothers Page 13