“I imagine there are enough folks worried about those pictures that they’ll do anything you want as long as their secrets remain secret. Stan could see to that, or Gilby.”
She shook her head. “No, that’s just not in me, to do that. If I have to go farther away to hire, it’s going to cost me a substantial amount more but maybe—”
Donovan tipped her head back and silenced the rest with a kiss. He hadn’t meant for it to be more than a single, reassuring, thank-God-you’re-okay affirmation kiss, but it didn’t end right away. The kiss gentled then, and went from an affirmation of survival to an affirmation of…something else.
And when he finally lifted his head, he framed her face with his hands, and the words in his heart, the ones that had been there for some time now, just came tumbling out. “Don’t stay here.”
Her eyes widened. “What did you say?”
“I know it’s going to sound crazy, but…don’t stay here.”
“I—I don’t have much choice.”
“Sure you do. You always have choices.”
“But my camp—”
He kissed her again, softly, an entreaty to her to listen to him, to really listen. He hadn’t meant to just blurt it all out; hell, he wasn’t sure he’d ever meant to say anything. She was tired, confused, sick to her stomach, and overwhelmed. The last thing she needed was him adding to the pile of reality she was presently dealing with. At least not until they’d had more than five minutes to regroup. But he’d started the ball rolling now…
When he lifted his head, he looked directly into her eyes. “I know you’re confused as hell right now, and I have no business putting pressure on you of any kind, but…I have another solution for you, if you’re interested in listening.”
“What other solution is there?”
He stroked his fingers across her cheek. “How much does it really mean to you to stay here? On this specific property?”
“What choice do I have?”
“I think you have a few options.”
“Such as?”
Mac took her hand and tugged her over to sit on the edge of one of the beds. She shuddered a little, and he rethought the idea. “Yeah, let’s get out of here, head back to the cabin, then we can talk the whole thing over.”
“I’m going to have to burn those or something,” she said, all but racing him to the door. She shuddered again. “I’m glad you didn’t show me the pictures; the mental images I have are already bad enough.”
He tugged her out onto the porch, but swung her back into his arms. Smiling, he said, “Why don’t I give you some new mental images to replace those old ones?”
“That’s the best offer I’ve had all day.”
So far, he thought, praying she’d listen to what he had to say. It should shock him how certain he was about what he was about to offer her, but he had learned to trust his instincts, and when they were right, it was the easiest thing to do in the world. His were right this time. He didn’t doubt that for a second. His only concern was that she wouldn’t see it the same way.
“Hop up,” he said, offering her his back.
“There is no way I’m getting on your back and allowing you to cart me through all that snow, up that steep hill. Your knees might never be the same.”
So he did what he had to do. He scooped her over his shoulder. “Okay. So we’ll do it the hard way, then.”
She squealed and smacked at his back. “Put me down right this instant. You’re going to hurt yourself.”
“I’m a grown man,” he said, stepping off the porch. “Something you know quite personally. Now, if you’re really interested in helping my knees out, stop kicking.”
She did, but he still heard her huff. It made him smile.
She let him go about twenty yards, before saying, “Really, you don’t need this macho display to impress me.”
“Oh, I’m not trying to impress you. I’m trying to preserve your strength. Besides, you had some really intriguing pain management methods that I haven’t forgotten. Now I figure I can milk them for all they’re worth. No, ah, pun intended.”
She swatted at his backside, and he laughed.
“Honestly, men.”
“It’s the sexy boots you’re wearing, I can’t help myself.”
“Those are barn boots. For mucking out stalls. Still want to carry me over your shoulder?”
He slid his hand over the back of her thigh and slowly moved it upward.
She started squirming. “Okay, okay.”
He got to the top of the trail, the cabin in sight, and let her slide off his shoulder until her feet hit the ground, then tugged her close. Yes, he did love how she always fit right up into him, without ever stiffening up or pulling away. Like she wanted to be as up close and personal at all times with him like he did with her. He silently prayed that was true, because now that he’d made his decision on what he wanted, he was going to be hell on wheels doing whatever he could to get it.
He tucked his hand under the hair on her neck and tilted her head back, so her mouth was just beneath his. “I’m always going to want my hands on you, no matter what. You have a problem with that?”
“I—uh, no.” Her gaze connected with his. “No,” she said, more quietly.
He hoped it was the only context in which he heard that word today. He kissed her with unhurried tenderness. If he had his way, there would be many more kisses between them. “Let’s go inside,” he murmured against her lips. “We need to talk. About a lot of things.”
“I know,” she said, and he wished right then he had a peephole into her thoughts.
He honestly had no idea how she was going to react to his suggestions, to his offer. She could be just as gung ho as he was when she wanted something. He just had to find out how gung ho she was about having her camp here at Winnimocca, on her family property.
They held hands the rest of the way, his knees screaming from his impulsive trek up the mountainside, but no way was he going to let her see that. So it amused him, and touched him, when the first thing she did after paying attention to a wriggling Bagel was head right to the freezer and make him a few ice packs. “Go put on something dry and comfortable.”
“You want to help me with that?”
“We’re talking, remember?”
He changed into sweats, his knees complaining just enough that he didn’t try and change her mind.
“Here,” she said when he came back out, her tone brooking no argument, not that she was going to get one from him. She poured two cups of what was probably very strong coffee at this point and grabbed a bottle of pain reliever out of the kitchen cupboard. “Come with me.”
She led him over to the small living room couch, where she patted one end, and sat at the other. “Put your feet in my lap. Then you can balance the ice bags better.”
It wasn’t exactly the position he wanted to be in when asking her to change her entire life so he could very selfishly keep her in his, but now was not the time to buck her either.
Once they were settled in, she fussed with the ice bags, and he couldn’t help but groan a little in relief when he took a sip of hot anything while she started rubbing his feet. “Okay, that seals it. You’re sticking with me.”
She smiled. “You’re so easy like that.”
He lowered his mug and held her gaze. “It is remarkably easy where you’re involved. Almost scary.”
Her hands stilled for a moment. Then she nodded. “I know,” she said quietly.
The moment expanded, and he teetered on the brink of not wanting to move forward and risk everything, and having to so he could have everything he never knew he so badly wanted. “Kate—”
“So what are we—” They both spoke at the same time, smiled. “You go.”
Moment of truth time. “I want you to hear me out, then think about it, before you answer.”
“I will.”
He took a breath, and debated on the best way to approach it. Logic seemed the best course. “
The way things are here in Winnimocca and Ralston don’t exactly make for a prime setup for what you want to do here. I know this is family property, and you have your heart set on building something good here, but—”
“Donovan,” she interrupted.
He paused, looked at her, waited.
“What are you asking me? Just ask me.”
And so he did. Holding her gaze, he said, “Come back to Virginia with me. Build your camp there. Give us a chance to…be.”
The hope that immediately sprang to life in her eyes lit a fire inside him he’d never quite felt before. Which was why the trepidation that immediately followed scared the living hell out of him.
“I know it hasn’t been very long with us, and I’m very aware that I’m not asking for any small thing. I also thought, if you were really wanting to make a go of it here, I could talk to Finn and see if there is a way for me to set up some kind of base of operations up here. It’s not really conducive to how we do things, but—”
“You’d do that?”
He set his mug down, then leaned up and reached for her, sending ice bags sliding to the floor as he pulled her full length down on top of him. “I think I’d do anything,” he told her, brushing her hair from her face. “I just want to look in those eyes and have a chance to taste you again. And again. I want to make you laugh, and make me smile more, and I want to know you’ll always step into my arms like you do whenever I need you there.”
“I know the feeling. I want that, too.”
His heart rate tripled. “Then we’ll find a way. I’ll talk to Finn.”
“What was your plan?” she asked. “If I came to Virginia, I mean, what was your plan? I don’t have any income other than this property, and it’s not even mine yet. I won’t keep my original inheritance and do like Finn did; I won’t go back on my agreement with Shelby. Even if he is being an ass at the moment, the papers will get signed.”
“I know, and I want you to do that. But something Stan said, about Timberline, got me to thinking. What if, after all the t’s were crossed the i’s dotted, what if you contacted Timberline yourself? Shelby doesn’t care what happens to the property, does he?”
“You mean find out if Timberline really is interested in developing this land and sell it to them?”
“Exactly. Or you could sell it back to Shelby and he can do whatever he wants with it.”
Her eyes were alive now, and he could see the wheels turning. His heart was racing, but he tried hard not to get too far ahead of himself.
“And, by chance, did you have a certain someplace in mind for me to be looking?” she asked, the smallest of smiles beginning to curve her lips.
“Well, there is a lot of farm and horse country out in the Virginia countryside. In fact, I know a guy who owns a big huge chunk of it, complete with stables that aren’t being used, that you might be able to work a deal with.”
Her eyes widened. “Finn? But—”
“And if it doesn’t matter, you should go with the developers in this case. Timberline won’t care about the fire or the state of the property as is; they’ll just come in and tear it all down anyway. The added bonus is that it puts a final end to Gilby and Stan’s little sideshow events, and despite Stan’s tourist trap comments, I can’t imagine they’ll turn down the economic possibilities a resort of that size would bring to the town. No history, no Sutherland stigma.”
“What do we do about that part? About Gilby and Stan and the rest?”
We. He’d always been an “I” kind of guy, but he was beginning to think “we” was one of the best words in the universe. His hold on her tightened a little. “We can always clue Timberline in to the situation, if you think full disclosure is necessary.”
“That’s not it. I doubt a large corporation like that is going to care about what the sheriff in some tiny little town was doing, especially as it’s done here for now and not a public spectacle unless we make it one. I guess I should just be happy it’s over, in a sense, but if he was really doing here what you think he was, I don’t think Gilby should just get off without any retribution. I mean, if Timberline bites, he wins all the way around. It just doesn’t seem right.”
Mac tucked her hair behind her ear. “Well, I do know of this company who can make it their business, once all is said and done and you’re comfortably set up somewhere else entirely, to ensure he never even thinks about setting up shop again.”
Kate’s expression softened, and she leaned in and kissed him. “That would be great, wonderful, in fact, but I can’t ask you to involve yourself here any longer, it’s—”
“I can put Rafe on it. We can hire it out. We can do a number of things. But we can make it happen. Just not until you’re safely out and away from here.”
“I—” She broke off and shook her head. “It’s a lot to even consider. I’ve been working so long and hard to make this happen, and I—”
“Don’t overwhelm yourself with it. Just think about it and know there is more than one solution to this. Even if it doesn’t involve me, you can still leave here if you want. Regardless, I’ll do whatever I can to help you with—”
She cut him off this time, with a hard, fast kiss. Which led to another, longer, slower kiss that didn’t end until his hips were moving and she was moaning softly. She finally lifted her head, and had to clear her throat not once, but twice, just to form words. “I want to explore my options, especially the ones that involve keeping you close enough for a lot more of this. I want you now, tomorrow, and for as long and as often as possible.” She touched his face, his lips, brushed her hand through his hair, all while looking directly into his eyes. “You’re right, it hasn’t been long, but I already can’t imagine a day without you in it.”
His grin was so instantaneous, and so wide, he thought he might have pulled something. “Thank you, God.”
“Are you sure you want this, Donovan?”
Just hearing his name, seeing the need and desire for him so laid bare before him. His heart tripped that final step. He kissed her. “More sure than anything in my life.” He framed her face. “It’s you, Kate. It’s always been you, and always will be.”
She smiled then, eyes shining, and he saw there exactly what he needed to see. “Funny how we think alike when it matters the most.”
“Yeah,” he said, kissing her again. “Funny.”
“About the rest—”
“We have time, Kate. Plenty of time. And, God, doesn’t that sound wonderful?”
Bagel chose that moment to snuffle his way along the edge of the couch, making them both laugh. “You do know,” Kate said, “I’m a package deal. Love me, love my Bagel.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” He scratched the dog behind his ears, making him groan in glee, then turned his attentions back to Kate. His Kate. He was pretty sure he was the luckiest man alive. “We’ll figure it all out, you, me, and Wondermutt, here.”
“Together.”
“Always.” He slid his hands down her back. “Now, enough talking about big life changes. I have a more immediate problem.”
She wiggled her eyebrows, and her hips. “Do you now?”
“Yes…about that therapy you were mentioning…”
“Ah, so you just want me for my…therapeutic benefits,” she teased. “Hmm, maybe I need to rethink this whole thing.”
He tucked his legs around hers and pulled her hips snug against him. “You should know that I believe very strongly in taking good care of my therapist.”
“Strongly?”
“Very. Deeply in fact. Repeatedly. And often.”
“Well, in that case, I think we need to start you on a long-term program, with routine maintenance.”
“Long term?”
She smiled. “Very.”
“I’m yours.”
“Good.” She kissed him. “It’s about damn time.”
Epilogue
“Nice legs. Sweet gait. Impressive.” Mac leaned against the fence and looked out o
ver the paddock and the landscape beyond. He loved springtime in Virginia, the colors, the return of life to the trees and the greening of all the pastures and hillsides. It was like rebirth. The annual chance to start fresh, to feel hopeful about the possibilities. And he’d never felt so hopeful as he did this year.
“Yeah, but I’m not sure she’s not too spirited for the job.” Rafe balanced his elbows on the top rung, careful not to get any marks on his brushed suede bomber jacket.
Mac cut a look at his partner and the direction of his gaze, before looking back at the woman presently exercising the sturdy roan in the training ring. “Are we talking about the horse? Or the woman?”
Rafe continued observing the activity inside the ring. “Both. If Kate is going to put those kids up on that horse, then she’d better be damn sure it’s not going to spook. And her new trainer…I don’t know about her either.”
“First, do you honestly think she’d put her kids anywhere near a horse she wasn’t 100 percent on? And secondly…since when do you know shit about horses or how to train them?” Mac grinned at his partner. “Oh, yeah, since maybe you started wandering down to the barns all the damn time. Don’t think we haven’t noticed.”
“Who’s we? And I don’t see how you or Kate notice any damn thing. Too busy mooning and rubbing all over each other all the damn time. It’s been a year. You’d think you’d have gotten the itch scratched by now.”
“Jealous?”
Rafe shook his head, then smiled. “About the regular sex, maybe. You can keep the rest of it, though.”
Mac just smiled. Keep it he would, with great pleasure.
He watched the woman Kate had just hired to work and exercise the horses she used in her therapy sessions with the kids. The horse was a new arrival, too, but he trusted Kate knew what she was doing there. He didn’t know much about Elena Caulfield. Yet. He made a mental note to have a quick chat with Finn later. Kate would have checked her out, of course, but though she was a smart businesswoman and amazingly lionesslike when it came to watching over her kids, she was a softie, too. And Rafe was already picking up on the same things Mac had sensed himself after chatting with the new hire a few days ago. Something wasn’t all it seemed there. So he’d look into it. After all, he was pretty lionlike himself these days.
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