“Should I call later?” he asked and she couldn’t tell by the tone of his voice how he might be feeling at that moment.
“Now’s fine.” She sat on the edge of the desk chair, her cell phone clenched tightly in one hand.
“I’ve had a rash of catastrophes of my own over the past few days,” he said. “Or I would have called sooner.” He paused. “You’re right, I should listen to what you have to say.”
“Thank you.” Her hands shook a little. “Would you like to meet somewhere?”
“Turkey Springs.” He named the place and something lodged in her throat. “I have to work on a fence line just up the way from there. I’ll be there at one.”
“Sure.” She glanced at the clock. Almost eleven now. “I’ll be there.”
“See you then,” he said before disconnecting the call.
“See you,” she said out loud to no one.
Princess picked her way through the rocks, the horse’s shoes making slow clopping sounds. Susan rocked in the saddle, easily handling the horse. Her aunt had been right—it had been like getting back on a bicycle.
It was greener in the foothills, as well as a little cooler, than the rangelands. She and Princess passed below huge oaks and cottonwood trees, the shade giving respite from the driving sun. She caught the sound of moving water coming from the springs and her heart rate picked up at the thought of being alone with Gray again.
Of course this would be different. Now he was a married man. But at least she would have the opportunity to tell him her story.
She had to duck low-hanging branches as Princess passed under them. Brush scraped her jean-clad legs and then they were in the tiny clearing of Turkey Springs. It was before one o’clock and she was glad Gray hadn’t arrived. She’d wanted to get there a little earlier so that she could set up everything.
After she looped the horse’s reins over a low, thick branch, she pulled a picnic blanket from one of the saddlebags and spread it out, close to the springs. She took out a bag of sandwiches from the other saddlebag along with a large thermos of fresh-squeezed lemonade, plastic cups, and baggies with chocolate brownies.
She felt breathless and excited and had to keep telling herself he wasn’t available. She might want him, but she couldn’t have him. She forced away those thoughts in favor of allowing herself some feelings of excitement at seeing him again.
When she was finished, she kicked off her boots and peeled off her socks before rolling up her jeans and walking toward the springs.
Water bubbled out of a rocky wall and tumbled down to a pool of water. The water drained somewhere at the bottom of the pool and she and Gray had made up silly stories about where the water came from and where it disappeared to.
She slipped her feet into the cool water as she sat on the edge beneath cottonwoods. It smelled clean and earthy and she took a deep breath. She braced her hands to either side of her, tipped her face to the trees, closed her eyes and smiled.
A sound next to her startled her eyes open and she looked to see Gray crouched beside her, an amused smile on his features. “Looks like you planned a picnic there.”
“That, I did.” The excited feeling took over again as he took her hand and helped her to her feet. For a moment they just looked at each other and all she could think about was kissing him.
He was so tall and rugged. His arms were thickly muscled, his shirt stretching across broad shoulders, and his Wrangler jeans fit him just right. He was altogether one mouthwatering cowboy. And he had once been hers, if only for a little while.
She cleared her throat and gestured to the sandwiches. “I figured you might be hungry. If not, they will keep.”
He released her hand and they walked side by side to the picnic blanket pieced together with scraps of worn out jeans. Her legs cooled as they dried, her jeans a little wet where they were rolled up. She sat cross-legged and he eased down beside her with one leg stretched out, his other knee bent and his forearm resting on his knee.
She poured them each a cup of lemonade then handed him a ham sandwich and took one for herself. She wasn’t sure what to say as they sat and ate. Should she ask him about his wife, were they planning on having kids, how was the ranch doing?
But words stuck in her throat and she couldn’t get anything out.
“The ham sandwich hits the spot.” He took another large bite and seemed perfectly fine with just eating, not talking.
She handed him a second sandwich when he finished the first and refilled his lemonade. She managed to get down one of each before she was full.
When they had finished off the brownies, Gray seemed ready to talk. He leaned back and studied her like he often had while they’d been together. He let his gaze drift from her hair to her large breasts, on down. He had told her so many times how much he loved her fuller figure and he’d always made her feel special.
“So talk,” he said. “Tell me your good reason for blowing me off like you did.”
Despite the anger he’d held tight to all of these years, he had never stopped loving Susan. Hell, he couldn’t even think straight with her so close like she was right now. He wanted to say screw the reasons and take her down to the blanket and kiss her until neither of them could think straight.
Susan looked away for a moment before returning her gaze to his. “Before coming to my aunt’s house that summer, I had some tests done. I don’t know if you remember how sick I would get sometimes.”
Yeah, he’d forgotten how sometimes she would end up in the bushes throwing her guts up. Didn’t happen all of the time, but it had happened.
He nodded, a feeling of dread starting to overcome him.
“When I went back, my parents took me see the doctor.” Her throat visibly worked as she swallowed. “I was told I had ovarian cancer that had spread and that I had months to live, one year at the most.”
Gray dragged his hand down his face. All of these years. All of the anger that had filled him up and now to find out she’d had cancer.
“And now?” he said, his dread even greater.
“I battled it for three years, but I made it.” She offered him a smile. “It’s been six years since then.”
“Damn.” He pinched the bridge of his nose before he looked at her again. “Why the hell didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I didn’t want you to love someone who was going to die in less than a year.” Her eyes started to sparkle with tears she was holding back. “I didn’t want you to have to go through what my family did.”
“You should never have made that choice for me.” Pain he was feeling from losing her all those years ago turned into a new kind of pain. “I could have been there for you.”
“You had a life to live.” She looked at him with a pleading expression. “I was dying.”
“But you made it.” Thank God she had.
“I didn’t give up like the doctors who wrote me off.” She straightened a little. “My parents didn’t give up. It took three long years but I beat it. They called it a miracle.”
Gray had her in his arms before she could say another word. Even he didn’t know how he’d moved so fast.
He held her tight to his chest and held on. “You should have told me.” He squeezed her tighter. “Damn it. You should have told me.”
She tilted her head back and looked up at him. Tears had started rolling down the sides of her face. “Maybe I should have. But I did what I thought was right. What was best for you.”
“You had no right making that decision for me.” Too many emotions balled up inside of him. The anger he’d felt at her dismissal of him had passed on to the gut-wrenching thought of what she’d been through to regret for the time lost between them. So many regrets.
As she looked up at him, he could only think of how much he needed to feel her in every way. To make sure that she was real. Alive.
His again.
He cupped her head and brought his mouth to hers.
Chapter 14
Susa
n caught her breath right before Gray’s mouth touched hers. His kiss was amazing. Everything she remembered and more.
His tongue met hers and she tasted his earthy male flavor. He smelled so good, of sun-warmed flesh and leather.
She fell into the kiss, got lost in the kiss. She wrapped her arms round his neck and drew him closer, tighter, feeling like she never wanted to let go.
So many times over the years her thoughts had turned to Gray but still she never returned. If she had, maybe he would be married to her instead of someone else.
He’s married, came the voice in her head. He has a wife.
It was a dash of cold reality that had her pushing him away instead of holding him tight. Gray drew away, a confused expression on his rugged features. “What’s wrong, Suze?”
“I can’t believe you kissed me.” She struggled to sit up straight but he wouldn’t let go. “You can’t kiss me. You’re married.”
A slow smile curved his lips. “Is that all?”
She frowned. “What do you mean ‘is that all’?”
“My ex-wife left me six months ago.” He stroked hair from her face. “It’s been a few weeks since our divorce was final. She’s a city girl. Big mistake thinking she could ever be happy in this country.”
“Oh.” Warmth started to spread through Susan as her heart leapt with excitement that he was free. She smiled and put her palm on his chest. “I’ve missed you so much.”
“That makes two of us.” He drew her onto his lap, settling her in his arms before bringing his mouth to hers.
His kiss was even more passionate. It was like all the years that had passed since that long ago summer were mere days. The love she had felt for him then had never left her heart and the fact that he was here, right now, and she was in his arms…nothing else in the world mattered.
She felt like a teenage girl again, the world filled with excitement and possibilities.
He drew back so that their gazes met. “Even as I moved on with my life, you were always there, a piece of you inside me.”
His words sent feelings of both happiness and regret through her. “I was afraid you would never forgive me.”
He brushed hair from her eyes. “I wish you would have given me the chance.”
“I wish I would have, too.”
“We can make up for it now,” he said before he kissed her again.
It was a forever kiss, one that lasted and lasted. One that touched her soul. It was so beautiful that tears gathered behind her eyes. A tear escaped and rolled down her cheek.
With a look of concern, he drew back. “Why are you crying?”
“It’s just so amazing being with you again,” she said softly. “That we’re here, together. It almost seems like it isn’t real.”
“It’s real.”
This time when he kissed her, passion rose within her and she felt the matching emotion in his kiss. Almost an urgency to it like they needed to make up for lost time.
He trailed his finger over one of her breasts, the touch feather light and enough to make her catch her breath. He lightly traced her nipple with his thumb and she sighed with pleasure.
As he cupped her breast with his hand, he slowly kissed his way from the corner of her mouth and along her jaw to her ear. The light touch of his breath made her shiver. He continued to move along the curve of her neck.
She sighed, loving the feel of his touch. Memory after memory of how things had been when they had fallen in love flowed through her like warm rain.
When his lips reached the hollow of her throat, she placed her hand over his and guided it down to the hem of her blouse. With his help, she pushed up the material until it was above her breasts.
For a moment he skimmed his fingers along the contours of her bra, over each of her breasts. His touch sent thrills through her belly and caused the desire already building inside of her to rise higher.
He eased the cups of her bra down, beneath her breasts. Her nipples grew harder and when he moved his lips from her throat to her nipple she gasped and slid her fingers into his hair.
He trailed his tongue in a slow circle around her nipple, lightly teasing it before he shifted her so that he could do the same with her other nipple.
“Gray.” She pressed her lips close to his ear. “Please”
She caught her breath as he eased her off of his lap and settled her onto the blanket, knocking aside the sandwich bag and the thermos of lemonade. The only thing he paid attention to was her as he gently pulled her blouse over her head and tossed it aside. He adjusted her just enough to unfasten her bra, drew it away from her, and threw it on top of the blouse.
He moved between her thighs. His fingers felt warm and callused against her belly as he unbuttoned her jeans. She looked up at him and saw the intensity in his expression as he tugged her jeans so that they slid over her hips, down her legs.
When they were off, he set them on the blanket and reached for her panties. She had worn her sexy black panties and he gave a smile of appreciation. He eased them down and over her feet then put them aside, leaving her naked as he knelt between her thighs.
“I’ve dreamed of you just like this.” He pressed her thighs apart and braced himself over her as he pressed his jean-clad hips against her. “I’ve thought about you a lot over the years.” He lowered his face to hers. “I’ve missed you.”
“Me, too.” She bit her lower lip. “More than you know.”
“I think I have a good idea of how much.” He lowered his head and lightly teased one nipple then the other with his tongue and she whimpered for more. When he met her eyes again he said, “Right now I’m just thankful that you’re here. We have a lot of lost time to make up for.”
She cupped the sides of his face. “Yes.”
“You’re beautiful.” He lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her. “Beautiful,” he repeated against her lips.
Gray smiled as he looked down at Susan. Her eyes were heavy lidded, her lips swollen from his kisses. She looked incredible.
How long had he thought of seeing her like this again? How long had a part of him held out hope that she would come back?
He sat on the blanket and she watched him toe off one boot and then the other before undoing his shirt and shrugging out of it then tossing it somewhere behind him. She trailed one of her fingers up and down her belly as he peeled off his socks. His jeans went next, followed by his briefs.
When he was naked, he moved above her, kissed her, and stroked her hair. “Look at you. You’re here.”
“I’m here,” she echoed. “And I want to feel you inside me again.”
He brushed his lips over hers. He spread her thighs wide as he pressed his hips against her.
She grasped his upper arms. “Please. I need to feel you. I need to know this is real.”
He slowly slid inside her and her eyes widened as he filled her. She felt as tight as when he took her virginity.
She moaned, her eyes closing as she fell into the sensations. The sounds of her whimpering cries grew louder as he took her.
“Look at me.” He stared into her green eyes when she opened them. “I want you to watch me as I take you.”
He moved in and out of her and her eyes never left his. He slowed and pressed himself tight against her for a moment so that he could stop himself from climaxing too soon.
“Don’t stop.” She squeezed his biceps. “Please don’t stop.”
He started pumping his hips again when he knew he had himself under control. The feel of her against his groin made him hotter and the smells of their sex increased the heat he felt inside.
She arched her hips up to meet his and moved in time with him. Her face grew even more flushed and he felt sweat begin to trickle down the side of his face. Heat burned him and the way she looked at him, like she had never felt this way with any man before, made him even hotter.
Her eyes widened and she came with a cry. He wondered if she could have been heard across the valley, but he didn’t
care. He loved the sound of her cries. Loved the way she looked when she came.
He thrust in and out, feeling his own climax moving closer and closer. And then his vision almost went black as he came hard.
The orgasm was so powerful he shouted as he came. All he could think about was the way it felt coming inside of her, as her eyes looked into his.
Chapter 15
Gray handed Susan the pair of wire cutters. “You’re pretty good at that.”
The tool felt solid in her gloved hand. “My dad was a great teacher.” It took effort, but she finished wiring the fencepost and snipped the end of the barbed wire. “Funny how some things you never forget.”
“Like you.” He took off his work gloves and stuck them in the back pocket of his jeans. He took her cowboy hat off and set it on the top of the fence post then grasped her by her shoulders and stroked her arms up and down. “You are unforgettable.”
“I’m sweaty.” She tucked her own gloves in her pocket. “And need a shower.”
“You are beautiful.” He nuzzled her ear. “But I’m up for a shower if you’ll join me.”
“Deal.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and brought her mouth to his.
She loved his kisses. They were amazing. Every time he kissed her she felt special and she felt loved.
The two weeks since their reunion at Turkey Springs had passed by so quickly that it was almost like the days hadn’t happened yet. But they were filled with such good memories that no matter what happened, she would treat each one like a gem. Precious.
He swatted her on the butt. “Come on then.”
She laughed and went to Princess. The mare gave Susan a look that seemed to say, “Girl, you’ve done fallen for the man again.”
Yeah, she had. And now she was going to have to go through heartbreak all over again. She hadn’t expected them to start where they’d left off nine years ago.
Despite the sun beating down on them, and the dusty trail back to the ranch house leaving her skin feeling like it was covered in dirt, the ride back with Gray was enjoyable. Being around him filled her with a sense of happiness that she had no business feeling when it was almost time for her to leave.
Lipstick and Leather (Rough and Ready Book 7) Page 9