Unease filled her as she climbed up the front steps, just like six months ago.
Her boots were dirty and she took them off in the vestibule. Jed was slower removing his. She went inside first. An impatient clip of hooves and the jingling of a bell greeted her. A small cage, like a child’s playpen, stood in the corner of the living room. Inside, Georgia was butting her stubby horns against the bars, fighting to break free.
“What on earth…?” Rachel asked.
Jed caught up with her. “Georgia got sick after you left. I took her inside to look after her. By the time she recovered, she was used to being indoors, so I let her stay. I fixed up the pen to keep her from chewing up the furniture.”
“You let a goat live in the house?”
“I remembered how hard you fought to save the orphan calf. I wanted to fight as hard for Georgia.” He moved to stand in front of her, blocking her way. “I’m learning to fight for the things I want. Consider yourself warned.”
Their gazes locked. Rachel couldn’t have looked away, even if she had wanted to. A sense of disorientation seized her, a physical wave of weakness that a century ago would probably have been called a swoon.
Abruptly, as if tearing himself away, Jed spun around and crossed the room, now empty of the timber soldiers. He opened the door to the den. “I’ve had telephone lines connected to the house, and I’m installing high speed Internet access and a wireless network. Ambrose’s company is covering the cost. It’s how he’s paying me for lending the sculptures for the exhibition.”
Rachel walked over and peeked past him into the room. It had been fitted with a custom built work station in pale wood, and a range of filing cabinets. A shiny new laptop stood on the desk. A printer and a scanner occupied the shelves.
“You could work from here,” Jed said in a low voice. “Hank tells me that your busy season is January to April. For the rest of the year, you could live here, and keep in touch with the office by email and telephone.”
She flicked him a surprised glance. “Have you been talking to Hank?”
“He gives me financial advice.” Jed gestured around the room. “He set up the deal with Rugged that’s paying for all this. They didn’t pay me a fee. Instead, I licensed them the rights to use my image. I get a royalty from every bottle of cologne. They’ve sold a lot of bottles.”
“I never thought you’d agree to become one of the fashion people.”
“It’s not so bad.” Jed lifted a hand and touched his fingertips to her cascading curls. “You told me not to contact you. As I didn’t want to go against your wishes, I needed another way to reach out to you. I did the Rugged campaign on the condition that I could put a message to you on the advertisements.”
“The last time we spoke, you ordered me to leave.” The words tumbled out, a little belligerent and full of hurt.
Regret flickered across Jed’s face. “I was out of my mind with the fear of losing you. I couldn’t bear to simply wait for it to happen. The only way I knew was to tackle the situation head on.” His arm fell to his side and he stood before her, like a knight waiting for a blow from an enemy sword. “Will you forgive me?”
“You told me that you liked your life just the way it is.”
“I lied.”
“You said that you didn’t want your life disrupted.”
“My life is empty without you. I want you to disrupt it. Permanently.” A muscle tugged at the edge of his jaw. “I’ll do anything to make it work. Even sell the ranch.”
“Sell the ranch,” she said, aghast.
“My greatest dream is to see you pregnant with my child, to raise a new generation to take over, but if you want a different life, I’ll adapt.”
She scoffed at the idea. “You’ll never adapt to living anywhere but here.”
“I’ll try.” His eyes searched hers. “I might end up like an uprooted tree, brittle and hollow inside, but that would matter less than losing you. Stay with me, Rachel. Marry me or not, whatever you want. We’ll live here or in California. Wherever you want. No disruption is too big, if it allows you to be part of my life.”
“Do you really mean it?” she asked. “No doubts, no fears? Are you willing to take the chance that we’ll fight, and it’s not going to be easy?”
“I’ve learned my lesson. I’ll never do anything to risk losing you again. You can be sure of that.”
“Oh, Jed.” She took a step toward him. His arms closed around her, holding her in a fierce hug. Their bodies pressed together so tightly that she could feel the pounding of his heart. His muscles still carried the heat from the physical labors of the day, and curiosity rose inside her about the intriguing changes in his appearance. She stroked her hands along his back, up to his shoulders, exploring the steely contours.
“I need a bath,” Jed murmured against her lips.
“No time,” she replied, tugging at his overalls.
“Yes,” he told her. “I want to be clean when we make a baby.”
* * * *
“Every night, I’ve dreamt of this,” Jed said. “I wanted to recreate the day I found you in the bath, so I could touch you the way I didn’t dare to touch you then.”
Rachel lay back in the big tub, too caught up in physical sensations to reply. Jed straddled her, on his knees, leaning over her, the hair on his chest in whorls from the water. His hands cupped her breasts, the thumbs drawing slow circles over her soap-slick skin.
“Do you like this?” he asked.
“Hmmm…”
“And this?” he lowered his head, took one rosy tip into his mouth.
“Hmmm…”
He bit, gently at first, then increasing the pressure until she touched his head in warning. Instantly, he eased off, moved to the other breast, and knew exactly when to stop.
Learning. Watching. Paying attention. Always aware of her reactions.
He straightened on his knees and curled his hand over her hip. “Turn over.”
A little hesitant, Rachel obeyed. Jed was too big to fit comfortably in the bath with her, and for a while they struggled. Alarm fluttered inside her when she could no longer see him. It was only now that she fully understood how little trust she possessed. Even the small act of turning her back made her edgy at the loss of control.
Then she felt a hungry kiss on her neck, and excitement conquered her fear.
“Jed?” she whispered
“Yes,” he whispered back, his lips not leaving her skin.
Down her spine. Inch by inch.
“I’m sorry too,” she said. “I hadn’t realized that you weren’t the only one who needed to compromise. I have to change too. I’m bossy, and I don’t trust easily enough. And sometimes I can be a little stubborn.”
“Hush.” Jed kept on kissing her back. “I like you just the way you are.” His lips reached the base of her spine, moved to the side. His teeth closed over the crest of her buttock, took a teasing bite.
“Ah!” The cry of passion burst from her throat.
This time, Jed didn’t ask if he’d hurt her. He knew her responses by now.
“Did you learn that from a book?” Rachel asked, her voice a ragged gasp.
Jed moved up to nuzzle her neck. His low laugh sent a breeze over her damp skin.
“Yes,” he said. “And I guess you liked it.”
“I know what to get you for your birthday.” Rachel felt herself blush. “Some books…racier ones…perhaps one or two involving silk scarves and bedposts and—” Her words ended on a muffled cry as Jed stood up in the bathtub with a rush of water. He stepped over the edge, leaned in to scoop her into his arms, and carried her out to the bedroom, leaving a trail of puddles in their wake.
He laid her on the bed and settled over her, nudging her legs apart. “That sounds tempting, but it’s not the present I’m asking for.”
“Then what are you asking for?” Rachel watched him brace up on his arms above her, the muscles in his shoulders bunching and rippling.
Jed paused.
For a moment, their gazes held. Moving again, he thrust into her, smooth and strong, and halted to allow her time to adjust to him.
“I’ll let you figure it out.” He started moving inside her. “There’s no rush. Nine months ought to do it, but I don’t mind if it takes a little longer. Or takes a bit more practice.”
And then he set out to make his dreams come true.
Chapter Ten
Rachel clasped Jed’s hand and watched her boss and coworkers pull up outside the log cabin that now included a two story extension with an office, a dark room, two more bedrooms and another bathroom.
“Hank is going to eat me up alive,” she groaned.
“We’ll defend you,” Ambrose called from the other end of the porch.
Nilesh said nothing, but strolled over and handed her a little white flag he’d made from a pencil and a silk handkerchief.
Philippe was checking the settings on his Cannon and Melvin was adjusting the video camera on a tripod, getting ready to film the wedding ceremony.
The minister, who seemed flummoxed by it all, stood listening in silence.
Hank slammed the door of the rented minivan and sauntered over, without waiting for the rest of his staff to get out of the vehicle. He was trying to look stern, but a big smile was fighting to break through. “I never expected you to be so irresponsible,” he bellowed. “I can’t believe you are going to have a baby in January. You were supposed to be in the office for the tax season.”
Jed moved to stand in front her, his broad back sheltering her.
Rachel peeked out from behind him and waved the white flag. “I will be.”
“What?” Hank snapped his head back. “Is something wrong?” He stared at her stomach that only showed a tiny swelling inside the white silk dress.
“No.” She smiled and stepped out from Jed’s shadow. “Jed will come to California and look after the baby while I’m in the office. He’s hiring a full time ranch manager to take care of things here. I’ll only miss a few days while I’m in hospital. I’ll promise you that I’ll be in the office as soon as I’m back on my feet.” Her mouth pulled into a tight line at the thought of the sacrifice she’d make, missing her baby’s first few weeks. She reminded herself that Hank had stood by her during her troubles. She owed him. “Only until the end of April, mind you,” she said sternly. “Then I’m going to take six months off to spend every second of the day with my child.”
Hank’s gaze shuttled between them. “The Rugged Man will be changing diapers?”
Jed grinned in response, a lazy grin that bore no anger or resentment over the prospect of humor at his expense. His shoulders rose and fell in an easy shrug inside the formal black suit.
“I’ve got it under control,” Ambrose cut in. “Market research says we need to soften his image. A baby will do the trick.”
“I’m not having this baby to improve your sales,” Rachel protested.
“Then why are you having this baby that you are having right in the middle of the tax season?” Hank grumbled.
“I’m having this baby because my husband-to-be told me that no disruption in his life will be too big if I go back to him.”
“That settles it.” Hank slammed the heel of his palm to his forehead. “Never promise anything to a woman.”
“Why is that?” Jed asked.
“Because they’ll remember,” Hank replied.
“Good thing too,” Jed said.
“Why is that?” Rachel asked.
Jed leaned over her and kissed her, full on the lips in front of everyone. When he spoke, he looked only at her, shutting out everyone else, but he didn’t lower his voice. “Because every minute of every day, I want you to know how much I love you, and if you didn’t remember, I’d have to repeat it so often that I’d never have time to say anything else.”
“Hey, Rugged Man can’t talk like that,” Nilesh shouted.
Rachel paid no attention.
She was too busy standing on tiptoe and kissing Jed back.
About the Author
Tatiana March writes contemporary and historical romance, as well as romantic suspense.
In her spare time, Tatiana enjoys hiking and camping, particularly in Arizona where some of her historical novels are set.
Tatiana lives in Buckinghamshire in the UK.
You can read more about Tatiana and her books on tatianamarch.com
Also Available from
Resplendence Publishing
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