Hanchart Land

by Becky Barker

  "I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself," she told him. "Shane wasn't responsible for my welfare."

  "He should have been."

  It was another of the many ways Luke and his cousin had differed. Luke was proud, dependable and believed in old-fashioned values of a man taking full responsibility for the health and welfare of everyone in his family and employ.

  Susan admired him for his belief, but she wouldn't allow him to shoulder what he believed was Shane's burden of responsibility. "It's stupid for you to leave if you're not going back to school. You can work here, I'll take care of the damn debts and you can live at Shane's place for the rest of your life if you want."

  "I can't stand to live there a minute longer," she said, a shudder accompanying the words. His mouth tightened and his eyes grew even frostier. He hadn't considered the fact she might still be grieving so much that she couldn't bear to stay in the house they'd shared.

  "Hell." Hell was an apt description of her state of mind. She knew Luke was misconstruing her reluctance. She wanted to scream with denial, but she needed to keep her emotions tightly in check.

  Shane had insisted on a loving-couple charade in public, so people assumed they were madly in love. She'd never corrected that misconception, and trying to do so now would only complicate matters.

  "Are you planning to wait tables in Houston?" Besides her work with the mares, for which she refused even a penny of compensation, Susan had taken an evening job as a waitress in a small local diner. She knew the Hancharts had considered it a slap in the face, a deliberate attempt to humiliate the family, but she hadn't meant it that way.

  "There's nothing wrong with waitress work," she grumbled. "I didn't find it demeaning in any way, and I was glad to have the work. I'm sorry if my job offended the hierarchy of the family, but there aren't many options in Monroe."

  Luke couldn't argue with facts and didn't try. "So you will be doing waitress work?"

  "No. I've accepted a job as a bank teller." When his frown deepened, her stance and tone became defensive. "There's not a damned thing wrong with being a bank teller, either."

  "Not if you like it," he snapped. "But you hate being shut indoors all day and you know it. You're a natural with the livestock. That's the sort of job you should be looking for."

  "Well, there aren't a lot of high-paying jobs available for someone without a degree or specialized training. I was happy to get the bank job."

  Mariando whinnied and nudged Susan for attention. She automatically lifted a hand to stroke the mare's jaw. "I have an alternative," he declared, his expression stony and cold. "We could get married."

  She turned and stared at him, her big blue eyes going wide with astonishment. She had to have heard him wrong.

  "What?" Luke's mouth tightened briefly. He couldn't tell if she was genuinely shocked or just playing innocent. She wouldn't be the first woman who'd tried to manipulate him into matrimony. She might be the first who had a chance at succeeding.

  "I said marry me and stay on the ranch," he repeated, mobilizing himself with languid grace to diminish the few feet between them.

  The words weren't any less enervating with repetition. It was hard to know if her sudden breathlessness was due to his shocking proposal or the equally disturbing nearness of his big body. He'd moved so close she had to tilt her head slightly to retain eye contact.

  "You can't be serious, so how do you expect me to respond?" Susan wondered aloud.

  His reply was terse. "I'm serious as hell. If you aren't going back to school, there's no reason not to remarry. I'll give you a cash settlement to pay off Shane's debts and the property stays in the family. You won't have to move to the city, and you can decide if, when and where you want to work."

  Susan's eyes went wider. She'd known Luke would do almost anything to keep her from selling Hanchart land, but she'd never thought he'd resort to a marriage proposal.

  Her gaze locked with his, curious and searching. She doubted if he had any tender feelings for her other than a familial responsibility. He might consider her a valuable livestock handler, but he certainly didn't love her.

  Sometimes he was so grim and cold she wondered if he hated her. The two of them had been an item for a brief time, and he'd been furious when she'd married Shane. He'd seemed detached and unforgiving ever since.

  For the most part, he'd kept his distance, but she couldn't really blame him for that. Her marriage to his cousin had been a cruel affair, all around. The determined glint in his eyes made it clear this was no joking matter to him.

  "You're talking about a marriage of convenience? The property reverts back to the family through marriage, and I'm free to live and work here the rest of my life?" Despite a multitude of misgivings, the idea actually appealed until he expanded on it.

  "I'm not offering a marriage in name only," he ground out, irritated by her small spurt of interest in a platonic relationship. "I want a family, and I don't plan on fathering any bastards. If we get married, it'll be a real marriage."

  Susan continued to stare at him, dumbfounded. Her tired brain could hardly comprehend this latest offer. "We're not even romantically involved."

  "I'm not looking for romance, and I doubt you are, either. I'm not talking about an equally beneficial partnership, a commitment for the future and eventually a family of our own."

  Susan lowered her lashes so he wouldn't see how deeply those words touched her. Since losing her family, she'd been so alone and bereft. She felt as though her feet were rooted in constantly shifting sands. Every day was a battle with desolation.

  She kept one hand on Mariando's mane and leaned against the stall door for support. His words had a dizzying effect. She hadn't told anyone about her fierce desire for children, for a family to love and care for, someone to love her. Luke seemed to have reached into her soul and touched on the one area that could gain him leverage.

  His proposal made her wonder if he might have similar desires. Was he ever so lonely he thought he'd die? Did he ever yearn for a family? He'd lost his parents at an early age and the grandmother who'd raised him had passed away the year before her parents.

  She'd thought her dreams of babies and a real family were doomed, yet he made her realize just how much they still meant to her. He was tempting her with a brass ring she desperately wanted, but had thought out of reach.

  "You want children?" she managed to ask, lifting curious eyes to read his reaction to her question. For just an instant the question caused his control to slip. She caught a rare glimpse of unguarded emotion. What she saw, the hunger and need, was nearly her undoing. A tremor shook her.

  "I'd like a dozen," he assured her, tone curt. "But I'd settle for one or two."

  Her eyes widened even further. There was nothing she'd like more than to have a big, boisterous, loving family. The sudden mental image of little boys with sand colored hair and devilish gray eyes made her heart thud in a painful rhythm. She quickly regained control of her wayward imagination. She was nobody's fool, and she knew there was more to a family than just having lots of offspring. There had to be more to Luke's proposal.

  “What makes you think we could possibly make it work?" she asked.

  "You're not squeamish about pregnancy and birth. You've proven that with the horses. As far as I know, you're strong and healthy, intelligent, and attractive," he explained as though listing one of his mare's bloodlines.

  "So I'll not only bring a dowry of property, but you think I'll make a good brood mare?" she asked in amazement, glancing down the row of horses in their stalls. She didn't know whether to feel honored or insulted. "I hope you don't think I'll be just one of many," she grumbled in annoyance.

  She couldn't have cared less about Shane's infidelities, but she instinctively recoiled at the thought of Luke with other women. She wasn't about to become a brood mare for a roving stallion.

  Her breath shattered and her thoughts scattered when his lips curved in a mocking smile. It staggered her. Gone were tho
ughts of infidelity as she found herself wondering what it would be like to once again coax a real smile or laughter from this taciturn man.

  "I swear I don't see myself as stud material," he assured her derisively. "If I wanted a harem, I'd have started it a long time ago. I think we both want the same things when it comes to a family."

  "Like what?"

  "Like commitment, loyalty, a solid foundation, and kids who'll love our way of life as much as we do." Her breath caught painfully in her chest, making it tight and achy. She couldn't help but agree with him. Those were the most important things she'd lost along with her family. If she ever regained them, she would cherish them always.

  "You're really serious about marriage?"

  "Why not? I'm thirty years old, and I haven't found the proverbial perfect woman, yet, so . . ." Susan cut him off sharply. "So you'll settle for an imperfect one?" she snapped, hurt and angered by the pain even though she knew she was far from perfect.

  Luke's eyes flashed and his jaw clenched, but he continued in a steady tone. "So, I'll settle for a dependable mate who isn't a society nitwit only interested in money and social standing."

  His explanation soothed her temper somewhat. She didn't like the idea of being someone he would settle for if he couldn't find anyone better, but she did empathize with him about the social pressures.

  It was easy to understand his distaste for the women who'd thrown themselves at him over the years because of his wealth and social status. She'd seen more than her share of scheming mothers with pushy daughters vying for the Hanchart name and money.

  There had been plenty of normal, sincere women, too. She knew he'd had lovers and women who truly cared about him. Shane had delighted in telling her about Luke's women. But as far as she knew, he'd never proposed marriage to anyone.

  The proposal was tempting until Susan gave it a little more thought and considered the physical side of the matter. Her relationship with Shane had been platonic for the most part. After one nightmare of a night when he'd forced himself on her, she couldn't imagine intimacy with any man. She desperately wanted children, but she wasn't sure she had the courage to conceive them.

  A blush stole up her cheeks as another thought came to mind. "I hope you aren't another one of those men who think it their duty to service a sexually deprived widow," she asked, half angry, half embarrassed. Luke's gaze sharpened. He was close enough she could feel the increased tension in his body. He grabbed her elbow and turned her more fully toward him.

  "No, I'm not," he snapped. "Who's been bothering you?" Susan wasn't about to tell him a couple of Shane's so-called friends had paid her visits to offer themselves for her pleasure. She'd been confused at first, then stunned and furious.

  "It wasn't anything I couldn't handle," she assured. She'd used a shotgun to run off one particularly persistent vulture when her verbal refusals hadn't been sufficient.

  "Have you been feeling deprived?”

  The question brought a wash of hot color to her face. "No," she snapped. Luke studied her flushed cheeks. He didn't understand her embarrassment or the flare of temper. She wasn't an innocent, so the question shouldn't have flustered her so much. Still, the touch of color to her deathly pale cheeks was a vast improvement.

  "Are you afraid of intimacy with me?" His voice was suddenly low and intense.

  Susan was taken aback by the question. Shane had often taunted her with details of Luke's exploits with women. He'd labeled his virile cousin as rough and ready, but she hadn't believed much that he said. Luke might not have any trouble verbalizing the question, but she had trouble answering it. The history of their personal relationship was complex.

  He'd been especially kind to her after her parents' deaths. They'd shared a few dates, and she'd woven a few romantic dreams around him. Their relationship hadn't developed very far, but there had been some strong chemistry between them.

  That’s when Shane had entered the picture. His envy of Luke had no bounds. He set about charming Susan away from his cousin. When that didn’t work, he'd blackmailed her into marriage. She’d been too overwhelmed by her own problems to worry about Luke's feelings. She’d been thankful he’d kept his distance these past two years because she always felt a jumble of conflicting emotions when he was near.

  "Susan?" he prompted her out of her reverie. "Are you afraid of me?"

  Her eyes widened and met his. Even though he had a reputation for having a quick temper and of being ruthless at times, she'd never feared him. How could you be afraid of a man who crooned to baby animals, had a gentle touch with all his livestock and a caring attitude about everything and everyone around him?

  “I'm not afraid of you," she finally managed. Wary, yes. Shane had made her wary of all men, but she wasn't afraid. "I'm just finding it hard to take it all in. Why are you so certain we could make it work?"

  Chapter Two

  Instead of offering her more explanations, Luke reached out and pulled her into his arms, his eyes never leaving the ever-widening brilliance of hers.

  Susan flattened her hands on his chest and tilted her head toward him with a gasp of surprise on her lips. Then he took her mouth with his own. He was neither rough nor particularly gentle, but he kissed her with the strength and sureness of a man who knew what he wanted. He tasted like morning coffee, a little tart, a little sweet, and kicked her adrenaline into overdrive more swiftly than caffeine.

  She was stiff and unresponsive at first while her mind and body dealt with the shock of being so close to him, actually touching him for the first time in years. He was furnace hot, rock solid, and pure male.

  It had been a long time since she'd been kissed, really kissed by someone intent on giving and taking pleasure. She wouldn't have expected to enjoy being so close to any man, but the scent, feel, and taste of him was unique. His mouth was firm but surprisingly warm and tantalizing. His scent was a mixture of fresh air and pure male. His hands on her waist were hot and huge, nearly spanning it, but his grip wasn't too tight or forceful.

  She'd kissed her share of men, yet she'd never enjoyed kissing anyone as much as Luke. For years now, forgetting the impact of his kisses had been a necessity of survival, but this reminder sent a flood of reaction washing over her. Susan found herself slowly relaxing and enjoying the embrace. Her lips softened to better fit his and responded with growing fervor. His tongue sought and gained entrance into her mouth and then everything changed with a fierce rush of long-denied passion.

  Her body became more pliable as she molded herself closer to him. She slid her arms over his shoulders and then wrapped them about his neck. He drew her more firmly against his hard body, so tight she could feel the growing evidence of his arousal. A small gasp escaped her when he slowly ground his hips against her stomach. Something deep within her went liquid in response. She sunk the fingers of one hand into the thickness of his hair and clung to his head, demanding more.

  When his tongue had completed a thorough exploration of her mouth, she stroked hers against it, and felt a shudder ripple over his body, fusing them even closer.

  He continued to plunder her mouth while he eased her back against the wooden door of the stall. Then he held her captive with the strength of his hips while one of his hands slid beneath the hem of her shirt. A low moan escaped Susan as his long, strong fingers sought and cupped her right breast. Currents of hot electricity coursed through her, leaving her quaking in the wake. Combined moans of pleasure swirled in their mouths as his thumb stroked one nipple into pebbled hardness and then shifted to give the other nipple equal attention.

  Susan trembled and her knees grew weak. She sunk both hands into his hair and clung to the thick mass while her mouth grew more insistent against his. Their kisses became deeper and longer and more intoxicating. Luke slid a hand up her back and unclipped her bra. Then he was lifting her shirt high enough to enable him to caress both bared breasts with his big, callused hands.

  She was coming apart at the seams. They'd done some petting i
n the past, but he’d had never taken such liberties, never made her burn so high so fast. Her hands clutched his head, drawing him closer while arching her back to give him more freedom. She was stunned by the violence of her own responses, yet unwilling to stop the onslaught. The low, primitive groans being drawn from deep in Luke's chest assured her he was equally affected. Maybe it was just a man's reaction to a woman, two mature adults starving for human contact, but she was beyond caring.

  Their kisses became more inflamed and their breathing more erratic. Susan felt the heavy thud of his heart and the throbbing thrust of his arousal. His fingers stroked and plucked at her nipples, making her wild with need. Her legs quivered until she was afraid they would crumple beneath her.

  Luke solved the problem by thrusting a hard, jean-clad thigh between her legs and shifting it tightly into the cradle of her thighs to support her weight. Then he dragged his mouth from hers and pierced her with a searing gaze. "I have to taste the rest of you," he insisted, his tone savage.

  Before she could catch her breath or respond, he was simultaneously lifting her and dipping his head under her shirt. At the first touch of his lips on her breast, she nearly went wild, clawing at his shoulders, twisting and turning in reaction to the sweet torture.

  "Luke!" She cried out with the sheer intensity of desire created by the sucking pressure he applied to first one nipple and then the other. She knew her breasts were sensitive, but she'd never felt a man's greedy mouth on that sensitive flesh. The reality of it was stunning.

  "Luke!" She managed to whisper a strangled cry.

  "Our babies would find nourishment here and so would their daddy," he told her, his tone deep with arousal as he continued to suckle at her breasts. His words shot more heat through her limbs. She felt the emptiness of her womb and craved a fulfillment she'd never known. Her body actually ached with wanting.