by Jessie Evans
“Sounds amazing.” Grayson’s lips curved. “Though I’m not sure what makes you think I’m an ass virgin, Miss Hearst.”
Her brows arched. “You are full of surprises, aren’t you, Mr. Parker? Well, damn…if my next scan doesn’t reveal significant improvement, I’m going to be very disappointed. I don’t want to leave town without seeing your kinky side come out to play.”
Grayson’s smile faded and his next bite of huevos rancheros didn’t taste as good as the one before. He hadn’t intended to bring up the possibility of Reece staying again so soon, but after all the honest conversation it felt wrong to bite his tongue.
“I don’t want you to go,” he finally said, setting his fork down and holding her gaze across the table. “I’m not asking you to bury the hatchet with your dad or make me any big promises, but if you would think about staying with me at the ranch until you’re well enough to go back to work, it would mean a lot to me.”
Grayson paused. He couldn’t tell what Reece was thinking, but she stayed in her seat and seemed to be listening so he pressed on. “I’d appreciate your help getting the boarding business set up so you’d have work and…” He took a deep breath, figuring he might as well lay it all out now that he’d started. “And I haven’t felt this way about anyone in a long time. We’ve got the start of something special, and I don’t want to miss out on a chance to see where this goes.”
Reece reached for her napkin, wiping the edges of her mouth as her eyes dropped to her half-empty plate. She was silent for so long that Grayson’s stomach clenched and began to turn to stone. She was going to tell him there was no chance in hell. He was certain of it, so certain that her next question took him by surprise.
“And what about after?” she asked softly.
“After?” he echoed.
“When I’m well and it’s time for me to go?” she said, tossing her napkin onto the table. “What if we’ve gone somewhere great and we don’t want to say goodbye?”
“Then we find a way to make it work,” he said, heart lifting.
Reece frowned as she shook her head. “How? Do you come on the road with me? Because, otherwise, we wouldn’t see much of each other. I head out in the spring and don’t finish up until the National Finals in December, Grayson. I barely have two months off a year and half that time I spend doing exhibitions for extra cash.”
“I could come visit as often as possible,” Grayson said. “But I have to be on the ranch most of the time, especially for the first few years while we’re getting back on our feet. But we’re both grown-ups; we could make it work long distance.”
“I would like to believe that,” Reece said sadly. “But in my experience, long distance relationships don’t work. The rodeo wives and husbands who don’t travel with their spouses become exes before too long. It’s too hard to make it work with someone when they aren’t there to hold onto.”
“I know. It’s the same with the military.” Grayson’s heart slid back into his stomach. “But I don’t want to give up before we even get started.”
“It might be less painful that way,” Reece said, rubbing at the tops of her eyes. “Because even if I quit the rodeo circuit, I’m not staying in Lonesome Point long term. It’s the one place in the world I don’t want to end up.”
“Are you seriously considering quitting?” he asked, surprised.
Reece let out a weary sigh. “Maybe. I don’t know. I don’t want to give up on something I’ve fought so hard for, but I’m starting to forget why I started fighting in the first place. I’m near retirement age anyway and honestly…I’m tired. So tired that staying in one place is starting to sound pretty damned nice.”
“I’d never ask you to quit, but if that was already on your radar…” He hesitated, but in the end figured if he was in for a penny he was in for a pound. “In that case, if we get a few months down the road and we’re happy and you decide you don’t want to go back on the circuit, then I’ll sell the ranch.”
Reece looked up, squinting. “What?”
“I’ll sell the ranch,” he repeated. “I’ll give Layla half the money so she can make a fresh start, and you and I can find somewhere else to be.”
Reece blinked. “You’d do that? For me?”
“There are lots of places in the world to run a ranch,” he said gently. “So far, I’ve only found one Reece Hearst.”
Reece was quiet for a long beat before she said in a shaky voice, “I know this is where I’m supposed to tell you to slow the hell down and shut your crazy pie hole…”
“But?” he prodded, holding his breath as he waited for her to answer.
“But I lied this morning,” she said. “I’ve never held anyone else’s hand, not even back in high school.”
His eyebrows shot up. “Never?”
“I never wanted to. I never wanted to let someone take care of me, and I sure as hell never wanted to take care of them. But with you…” She swallowed and he could tell that it wasn’t easy for her to continue. “But I want to help you start the boarder business. And I want more nights like last night.”
She brought two fingers to rub her temple. “But I’m also completely freaked out because I’m not this girl, you know? I’m not some wishy-washy person who turns her life upside down because a sexy man made her come a few times.”
Grayson reached across the table, taking her free hand. “It’s not weak to change your mind about what you want, especially when I’m willing to meet you halfway. Secondly, it was more than a few times and we both know it.”
Reece’s lips trembled into a smile. “You’re right. It was at least six.”
He squeezed her hand. “Why don’t we put a hold on this conversation? It will keep and you look tired.”
“My head is pounding,” she admitted. “I think I might actually need a nap before the sexy times portion of the afternoon.”
“Are you sure you’re still up for that?” he asked. “Even after learning I want more from you than your body?”
She threaded her fingers through his and glanced up at him, a fond look in her eyes he knew he’d never get tired of. “I may be considering the future for the first time in a long time, but I still live in the present, Grayson. And no way am I passing up a chance to add to my orgasm collection just because we spent a few minutes talking about scary stuff.”
“Very practical,” Grayson said with a wink. “One of the many things I like about you.”
“I’m a practical person,” she said, her lips stretching into a wry smile. “When I’m not busy cutting my nose off to spite my face and refusing to let perfectly nice men drive me home from the hospital. But I’m going to work on cutting back on that in the new year.”
“I was being awfully presumptuous that night,” Grayson said, motioning to the waiter that they were ready for the check. “Just assuming I could take you out to dinner and drive you home.”
“I know,” Reece said with a mock glare. “What a dick you are. No wonder you’re hard up for a girlfriend. I mean the good looks, sexy body, and serious tongue skills will only take you so far.”
Grayson paused to pick up the folder their waiter dropped on the table, before turning back to Reece. “So you think I have serious tongue skills?”
She crossed her arms on the table and leaned closer. “If I’d known tongue skills like yours existed, I would have started dating old guys a looong time ago.”
“Old guys, huh?” Grayson’s eyes narrowed. “You’re determined to get that spanking as soon as possible, aren’t you?”
Reece winked. “You bet your ass, old man.”
Grayson paid the bill and he and Reece made their way back to the boat dock. For all her big talk, he could tell she wasn’t feeling well. Her fingertips kept returning to rub her temple and when they stopped at the dock, she swayed hard to one side, gripping a wooden pile with white knuckles.
“Do we need to head to the hospital?” he asked, already brainstorming the fastest way to get her there. “I can carry you up to the s
treet and call a taxi.”
She wrapped her fingers around the arm he offered. “I don’t need to be carried anywhere. I’m fine, worry wart. It’s just a little dizzy spell. It’s already almost gone.”
“But you didn’t have any yesterday,” he said, bringing his hand to her forehead, checking to see if she’d started running a fever. “Maybe we should take it easy the rest of the day. Stick to napping and watching television.”
Reece hummed beneath her breath before turning her head and biting him through the sleeve of his sweater.
He flinched and a surprised laugh burst from his throat. “What was that for?”
“For trying to withhold the nookie. And there’s more where that came from,” she promised, pinning him with a glare that was ferociously cute. “I’m fine. In fact, despite the occasional headache and dizzy spell I’m feeling better than I have in years. I think your cock might possess magical healing properties.”
“I know your pussy does.” He hugged her closer. “I haven’t worried about any of the things I should be worried about all day.” He sighed. “Which reminds me, I should call Layla and check on her.”
While they waited for one of the gondolas to arrive, Grayson called Layla, who was having an amazing time with her friend and urged him not to get in any rush to head home tomorrow. Not long after, he and Reece boarded a boat, arriving back at their hotel as the temperature dropped and the sky began to cloud up, promising another batch of rain. They bought sandwiches and snacks for later at one of the mall shops and headed up to their room. Two hours later, Grayson woke up from the best nap he could remember to find Reece kissing her way up his bare chest.
They made love slowly this time, and Grayson made sure he kissed all his favorite parts of her—from the hollow of her knee to the dimple at the small of her back to the places where her strong shoulder muscles rippled beneath her soft skin. By the time he slid inside her, he was already buzzing all over. With Reece, every second of foreplay was delicious torture, heaven that built his longing for her nearly to the point of pain. He’d never wanted anyone the way he wanted her, and if he wasn’t careful, he was going to become hopelessly addicted.
“You feel so good,” he said, breath catching as she shifted her hips and locked her legs around his waist, taking him even deeper. “How did I think I knew what good sex was before this?”
“It’s so good.” She writhed beneath him, meeting each thrust with a sensuous ripple of her hips. “So much better than good. Shit, Grayson. I’m going to come. I can’t stop, I—”
“Don’t stop, baby, don’t stop,” he said, quickening his pace, wanting to go the same time she did. He was a razor’s edge away, his balls tight and the tension in his core near the breaking point when her body contracted around him, pulling him over with her.
He groaned as he came and came until he was pretty sure there was nothing left inside of him. No cum, no blood, not even a soul to haunt his skin and bones. But then Reece sighed and kissed his cheek—a kiss clearly born of more than lust—and his heart turned over, assuring him his soul was still very much in residence.
And very taken with this secretly sweet and wickedly seductive woman in his arms.
He rolled over, pulling Reece on top of him, smoothing her curls gently from her face. “How are you? Any headache? Dizziness?”
“Just happiness,” she said, breath still coming fast. “And horniness. I want to do it again in the shower. Against the wall.”
Grayson’s cock twitched at the thought. “Give me ten minutes,” he said, moaning as Reece’s tongue slipped out to tease his nipple. “Okay three.”
She laughed, sending her warm breath rushing out over the skin she’d just dampened. Grayson was about to roll her back beneath him and return the favor when his phone rang.
It wasn’t Layla’s ring. Knowing she was safe with her friend, he was tempted to let the call go to voice mail, but something in his gut told him he needed to answer.
“One second,” he said, kissing the top of Reece’s head before he slid from between the sheets, taking a moment to tug on his boxers before grabbing his cell from near the T.V.
Later, he would wish he’d let the damn thing ring. And ring and ring, because once he heard what Chief Wyatt had to say there was no going back.
“You can’t be serious.” He leaned against the bureau when the other man paused to take a breath. “But we buried him. I helped carry the casket myself.”
“We exhumed the body yesterday,” Chief Wyatt said. “We’re not sure who the burn victim is, but the DNA isn’t a match to your father’s. As I said, we have reason to believe your father is alive and may still be in the area. All we’re asking is that you call us if he tries to initiate contact.”
Grayson sat down hard on the foot of the bed, barely hearing Reece’s softly whispered, “What’s wrong?”
He shook his head numbly. “Of course. I’ll call you right away.”
“Thanks,” the chief said, before continuing in a kind voice, “I know this is a lot to take in, son. I’m sorry to have to dump this on you over the phone, but I wanted to let you know what we knew as soon as possible.”
“I appreciate it,” Grayson said, his voice strained. “I’ll call Layla and warn her to be careful.”
“Both of you should be careful,” the chief insisted. “I know he’s your father, but right now you need to think of him as a dangerous suspect in a federal investigation. Don’t let him into your home or arrange a meeting, even in a public place. He’s going to be getting desperate, if he isn’t already, and desperate men do things they normally wouldn’t.”
Grayson nodded and thanked the other man, before ending the call and letting his arm fall heavily to the bedspread. He needed to call Layla, but first he had to tell Reece. He had to tell her, even if the news would have her jumping the first bus out of Texas and never looking back.
“Talk to me,” she said, smoothing a hand up and down his bare back. “Are you okay?”
“No.” He turned to meet her worried gaze, knowing there was no easy way to tell her what he’d learned. Best to just get it out and over with. “Dad’s still alive.”
Reece’s eyes widened and her hand stiffened against his skin. “What?”
“He’s alive,” Grayson repeated in a rough voice. “And the police think he’s still in Texas. Maybe even in Lonesome Point.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Reece
The ride back to Lonesome Point was much quieter than the ride to San Antonio. Everyone seemed lost in his or her own thoughts, too stunned by recent developments to carry on a conversation.
For her part, Reece sat huddled in the passenger seat with her knees pulled up to her chest, mind racing as she tried to sort out what to do next. Neil Parker was alive, and on the surface that seemed to change everything. When she’d first heard the news, Reece had felt like she was in the middle of the worst dizzy spell she’d ever had. The world had shifted on its axis and she hadn’t been certain it was going to shift back again.
But now that she’d had a night to sleep on it, she was able to evaluate the situation with a clearer head. Whether Neil Parker was dead or spent the rest of his life in prison, it didn’t really matter. What mattered was the way she and Grayson felt about each other, and, alive or dead, Neil had nothing to do with that. Life was going to be crazy until he was caught, but he would be caught and then she and Grayson could move on with their lives.
And she meant to make sure that happened sooner rather than later.
“Why do they think he’s still in Lonesome Point?” she asked, breaking the silence for the first time since they left the San Antonio city limits. “Did someone see him or something?”
“I’m not sure,” Grayson said. “All the chief said was that Dad had been tipped off about a child pornography sting operation by one of his old army buddies who worked at the FBI. But his friend was arrested a couple of days ago. He said Dad was alive and planning to stay in the area after he
faked his death while he waited for this guy to set him up with a new identity, new passport, etcetera. Dad supposedly had a safe house where he was going to stay for a few weeks until then.”
“But I’ve been racking my brain.” Layla sat up in the backseat, obviously abandoning her attempts to nap. “And I can’t think of what that man was talking about. The only safe house Dad had was the old cabin at the back of the property where he liked to go play pioneer on the weekends. And that’s the one that burned down.”
“What about any of his friends or other family?” Reece asked. “Do any of them have cabins or vacations homes where he might be hiding?”
“Dad’s side of the family are all dead or moved North years ago,” Grayson said in that same cautious, controlled voice he’d used since he heard the news last night. The one that made Reece think he was suffering from a mild—or maybe not so mild—case of shock. “My mom’s brothers have a thousand acres not far from Lonesome Point, but they wouldn’t let Dad stay there. They were civil when my mom was alive, but once they saw how fast Dad started dating after her death, they were as disgusted with him as I was.”
“So they wouldn’t knowingly give him sanctuary,” Reece said, tugging lightly at her bottom lip as she thought. “But if they’ve got a thousand acres, he might have found a hole to crawl in somewhere. Might be worth giving the police a call with a heads up to check their property for leads.”
Grayson shot her a sideways glance. “You don’t have to be worried, okay? They’re going to catch him.”
“I know,” Reece said, shrugging. “I’m not worried. I just want to help if I can. The sooner he’s caught, the sooner we can all move on with our lives.”
Grayson’s grip tightened on the steering wheel. “So you’re still thinking of sticking around for a while?”
“Well, yeah.” The skin between her brows wrinkled. “I mean if you still want me to. But if you’ve changed your mind, I—”
“I haven’t changed my mind.” Grayson’s shoulders relaxed as his breath rushed out. “I was just worried that after you heard Lonesome Point wasn’t as dragon free as you’d thought it was… I thought you were going to make me take you straight to the bus station.”