by Anya Summers
Liam watched Carter, his attention rapt with interest now that his belly was being satisfied. Then Carter began to read. “One little duckling swam through the pond. On his swim that morning, the little duckling spied one green frog leaping on a log…”
Carter’s voice dipped and deepened as he read. Liam’s face brightened at the story. He really did love this one. And he seemed to adore hearing Carter’s voice tell it. It was just the strangest thing, seeing how connected Liam was to Carter already. It was as if he knew Carter was his father, that their DNA connected them.
Carter finished the story and murmured, “You know the story doesn’t make any sense whatsoever.”
No, it didn’t. She glanced at him with a smile and said, “I know that, but Liam loves it, as you can see. So for now, it’s the duck story.”
Carter’s gaze clashed with hers. Electricity vibrated through her. The current was a livewire, a potent passion that was almost tangible in its ferocity. Who was she really kidding? She had never stopped craving him, her desire for him violent and visceral. His face was so near, she could count his inky eyelashes if she had a mind for it. With the way they were positioned against the headboard, if she leaned in an inch or so, her lips would touch his.
She licked her bottom lip. Heat ignited in her veins. The air between them grew hotter. They were drawn together almost as if an invisible magnet pulled them. Carter’s lips met hers halfway.
At the first whispered brush of his lips against hers, she moaned into him. When he sensed she wouldn’t push him away, his mouth closed over hers and he kissed her roughly. His tongue swept against her lower lip and sought entry. This kiss was everything. Hard and potent. This was a reclaiming as their lips melded.
She surrendered to the heady intoxication of his kiss. No man, no Dom, had ever been able to render her brainless this way. At the dark rumble he emitted from his chest, she forgot everything and gave herself over to his kiss. His lips moved against hers like they were relearning their shape and size.
She’d forgotten how good he tasted. His smoky dark flavor, the way his tongue would slide along hers in a caress, how he tilted her head back and dominated her. Turning her world inside out until all she could see was him, with merely a kiss.
Her son at her breast was the only thing that kept her anchored. Liam, bless him, squirmed in her arms, ready to be moved to her second breast.
Carter, ever attuned to her and everything around him, finally released her lips and raised his head. She blinked open her eyes, fighting the desire pulsing in her body, and inhaled a shaky breath. In his eyes was a light and a heat that blazed with lust and need. Jenna felt a resounding ache in her core.
One of his hands cupped her chin, his thumb whispering against her bottom lip. The simple, gentle caress was like a lightning rod of pleasure exploding in her veins. It devastated her. Jenna clutched their son to keep her hands off him.
“I’ll let you finish feeding him and get some sleep. If you need me, don’t hesitate to come get me. I’m right next door,” Carter said, slipping from her bed.
She watched him stride to the door, sure-footed and strong. Despite his size, he truly could be so infinitely tender, it made her want to curl into his strength and stay there. It was part of what had drawn her to him on the island. That, and the epic chemistry between them.
“Good night,” he said. His hungry gaze slid over her, infused with desire and something else, something deeper and much scarier than combustible heat. Her exhausted brain was not ready to process the feelings his glance evoked just yet.
“Night, Carter,” she said, her voice husky and infused with need.
“Night,” he replied, hesitating, like he regretted leaving her bed—and her. Jenna tempered the urge to call him back to her side, to beg him to stay with her.
He nodded then—with an expression so reminiscent of the last look he’d given her on the island, her heart squeezed—and exited her room. She stared at the spot where he had stood. The similarity was not lost on her. Only this time, he would be there when she woke.
And because now she understood she had never stopped loving him.
Chapter 9
The following morning, Jenna descended the stairs holding Liam, her growling stomach leading the way. She waltzed into the kitchen expecting Dottie. Instead of the matronly woman, Carter was at the stove, frying bacon. The mouthwatering scent permeated her senses and her stomach rumbled in eager anticipation.
She was always hungry these days. Feeding her little man, she burned calories in a way she never had before.
“Morning,” she said, placing Liam in his carrier. He was happy in his seat. And it gave her a chance to actually eat and do other things when she needed to.
“Morning,” Carter said and shot her a glance. His gaze held banked embers. “Sleep well?”
Jenna cursed that her nipples hardened and her pussy throbbed in response. The man had only to breathe and it aroused her. And the way he looked her up and down, staring at her chest with such longing—she had to dig her nails into her palms to keep herself from closing the distance between them and launching herself into his arms. She cleared her throat and replied, “A bit. It will be nice once Liam starts sleeping through the night. But last night was better than the previous one. Babies don’t like change, so I’m sure the move precipitated the other night.”
“How long before he starts sleeping through?”
She shrugged. “Well, his pediatrician indicated that infants begin to sleep in longer stretches when they are anywhere between three to six months old. It just depends on the child. So hopefully soon. I don’t remember what it was like to sleep all the way through the night anymore,” she admitted with a shake of her head and insta-guilt.
“If you’d like, I’d be happy to help you out. We could trade nights. Does he take a bottle at all?” Carter offered.
“Carter, you have the ranch to worry about. We’re fine, really,” she said.
“I’d prefer to help you out. Mayhap not every night, but my foreman can cover any of my slack on the ranch so it’s a non-issue. I won’t take no as an answer on this. I’m here and I want to be involved, even with the sleepless nights.”
“Knock yourself out. I won’t stop you. He prefers getting fed directly from the source but I have been attempting to incorporate bottled breast milk.” She gave him a bit of an eye roll and a shake of her head. When it came to Doms, there were times when arguing with one was akin to trying to pull your bottom lip up over your face. Painful, unattainable, and not remotely realistic.
“Well, if you show me how to prepare a bottle, I can step in. How many eggs would you like?” he asked, opening the carton on the counter.
“Three. Can I help?” she said. Carter had a point on the bottle. She wanted to breast feed until he was six months of age, then begin to wean him off the boob and begin incorporating baby food. But she wanted to make her own so it wasn’t preprocessed with all the added junk. Perhaps living here with Carter, even with having to battle the undercurrent of ever present desire for him, would end up being for the better. She could make sure Liam had the best there was to offer. Living here was a small price to pay if that was the payoff, even with her uncertainty about her footing on the ranch.
“I’ve got it. In fact, it’s almost done. There’s coffee. Can you have coffee while nursing?”
“Yes, but I have to pump and dump the next batch of milk. I tend to like to save that feature for the off-chance that I have a glass of wine,” she murmured. Not that she had done that just yet, but living here with Carter, she wanted to make sure that option was kept open.
Carter gave her a bemused half grin. “Understandable.”
Instead of waiting for him to offer, she left Liam in his carrier and fixed herself a glass of milk. She’d have loved some juice, but it tended to make her milk acidic and affect her little man’s digestion. So again, it would be a situation where she’d have to pump and dump.
She topped
off Carter’s coffee for him in the mug sitting on the island. The way the man could drink the stuff black with nothing in it made her shudder in revulsion. As much as she loved coffee, she had to add a little cream or milk to it to soften the blow to her belly.
She also sliced up some apples and took them over to the table.
Carter joined her with their plates.
“What are you up to today?” she asked after her first bite. She didn’t really know anything about his ranch.
“Well, I thought you and Liam might like a tour of the grounds. If you’re up for it, of course.”
“No. That sounds great. I still haven’t seen most of the inside of the house.” Mainly because she’d felt odd nosing around the place without Carter there. As much as she enjoyed the bedroom she and Liam were in, a part of her worried it was all too good to be true and that the rug would be snatched out from underneath her.
“Well, we can rectify that today,” Carter said.
They ate breakfast in companionable silence, with only Liam making noises. He was just beginning to test his vocal cord skills, and would crack himself up when he made a loud piercing scream.
“He do this often?” Carter said, shaking his head and wincing at the shrill, piercing sound.
“Lately, yes. It’s his way of learning to use his voice. Isn’t that right, baby? The first time he did it, it scared the blazes out of me. I worried that something was wrong. But then he gave me a grin like the one he has on his face now.”
“That’s it, son, show them how it’s done,” Carter said, placing his dishes in the sink. Then he waltzed back over to the table and picked Liam up out of the carrier.
“Whenever you’re ready, but we should do the tour this morning before the heat gets too intense. I just realized that we don’t have a stroller for him, do we?”
“No. It was on my list of things to get once I was working. I do have a harness carrier for him in my room,” she said, a bit ashamed. The fallout from her dad’s illness had left her and her sister with very little in the bank. What small amount they did have was what remained from a forgotten life insurance policy that had helped pay off the remainder of her dad’s bills and allowed her to take off work after Liam’s birth. But her reserves were finite and she stretched every dollar.
“That wasn’t censure, Jenna, just an observation. And I’ve got it. We need a stroller, so I will make sure of it. Add it to the order you’re going to place this week. And if you have the type of diapers and wipes we need for him, make sure Dottie knows before tomorrow. She’ll add that to the weekly shopping she does on Mondays.”
“She’d already asked me and noted that, but thanks,” Jenna replied, planning to give Dottie some cash for the diapers without telling Carter. She’d let him help but that didn’t mean she wasn’t going to pay for stuff like her son’s diapers.
“I’ll stay with him, if you want to go get yourself ready. You’ll want a hat, and boots, if you have them.”
“Okay. I’ll be right back.” She hurried back to her room and slipped on a pair of tennis shoes. The only boots she owned were of the club gear variety. Although she did have a ball cap she could use, and plunked it on her head.
Jenna packed the smaller diaper bag, which was really just one of her old hobo style purses. It was already prepacked with a few diapers and small package of wipes, wet ones, antibacterial hand sanitizer and a binky. She added the portable changing mat and folded it up. She also grabbed a change of clothes for Liam, including a hat, and a blanket for just in case. While it might be hot outside, his tender skin had to be covered.
She picked up the harness, then headed back down to the kitchen, where she found Carter and Liam having a moment. Carter was murmuring something to their son by the door to the mudroom, their faces close together. And Liam was giggling up at him, his tiny hand against Carter’s jaw. He really was going to be a great father. She hadn’t expected this level of interaction and care from him, but she should have. It wasn’t in Carter to do half measures and not invest himself fully.
“What are you two up to?” she asked.
“Just giving him some instruction on how to be a man,” Carter said.
“I see. Why don’t you let me change him quickly and we can leave,” Jenna said.
Carter gave her a once over, his gaze stopping at her hat and shoes. “No boots?”
“Not unless thigh-high club couture with a four-inch heel would be appropriate,” she said and batted her lashes in an exaggerated fashion.
“No. Not for where we’re going today. Although I wouldn’t be averse to seeing them at another time,” he added suggestively.
At the mention of her club gear and his obvious flirting, she blushed. One kiss and she was ready to cave to his potent magnetism. Idiot who was asking for heartache, party of one, she lambasted herself. Just because she loved him still didn’t mean she could—or should—hop back into bed with him. No matter that her body was totally on board with that plan at the mere thought. Traversing that emotional minefield was folly.
And yet, her entire body electrified at the mere thought of standing before him in club gear. The thought of feeling his firm hand against her bottom as he disciplined her caused her core to liquefy into a mass of need.
Tamping down her lustful thoughts as heat spread into her cheeks, she held out her arms for Liam. Carter stared at her; the smile on his face slipped and his gaze darkened with hunger. For her. Carter wanted her. Her breath expelled in a rush and she broke the connection. When Carter transferred their son into her arms, she didn’t look up at him and kept her attention on Liam.
Jenna strode to the nearby bathroom to change Liam. He cooed at her the whole time. He loved mornings. They were his favorite time of day. Until he was born, they hadn’t been hers, that was for certain. But now, getting to see him alert and exploring the world at large, happy and laughing up at her, was the best part of her day.
Once Liam was properly attired, they rejoined Carter in the kitchen. He’d already had his boots on earlier, and had added an inky black Stetson while they were in the bathroom. Today he had on a pair of Levi’s and navy-blue tank top. The guy had always worn jeans better than any man she’d ever seen. The tank top left his shoulders and arms bare, probably to contend with the forthcoming heat and not to make her week-kneed, but the effect was the same. And he’d taken it upon himself to strap the harness on with the seat for Liam in front.
She’d always loved Carter’s arms and shoulders; so wide, he narrowly missed brushing against the doorframe. His arms thick with ropey muscles that attested to his strength. Those muscles rippled and flexed when he moved. And seeing the black harness against his chest made her think of another time, being bound before him and loving every minute of it.
“Ready?” he asked, lifting Liam from her arms and depositing him in the harness. Their son kicked his legs in excitement. Liam loved walks and being outdoors—something he didn’t inherit from her, likely a trait he received from Carter.
“Yep. Lead the way,” she murmured.
With the diaper bag slung over one shoulder, and Liam secured in the harness, Carter pressed his hand against her lower back as he escorted her out the back door and down the porch steps. She felt his big palm like a red-hot brand and shivered at his touch. It was simple and tame. It was possessive. Carter’s hand on her declared to all and sundry that he considered her his.
What’s more, she wanted to belong to him. It would be so easy. Jenna wouldn’t have to worry anymore. A part of her craved it something fierce. Although another part of her fought hard against it, like it was her last stand.
She ignored the need igniting her veins, shoving it down under lock and key to focus on the tour of the ranch.
On the back porch were a pair of large cedar wooden rocking chairs with a small table between them. She’d missed those when they’d arrived the other night. They had a perfect, unobscured view of the nearby mountain range. Jenna could see herself sitting out on the fr
ont porch with Liam, a cup of tea on the table as she rocked with him or read to him, enjoying the majestic, breathtaking sight.
Everything about Jackson Hole was magnificent. The scenery and the man at her side.
“Now, this ranch has been in my family since my great grandfather settled here in 1901. Jedidiah Jones was a homesteader and original owner of the deed,” Carter said as they walked down a wide dirt path toward the barn.
“That long?” Jenna couldn’t imagine something being in her family for more than a century. The Mallorys tended to discard items at will.
“Yeah. It’s been passed down to the oldest son going on three generations. And now Liam here will be the fourth,” Carter added.
“What are you saying?” She glanced at him.
“Jenna, he’s my son. This will one day be his,” Carter said rather nonchalantly. As if the decision was a simple fact and done deal.
She peered at him. “That’s too much, and you know it. I didn’t come here for you to—”
“It’s not your call. He’s my son and heir, there’s nothing to discuss. Get your panties out of the twist they are in. Did you honestly think I wouldn’t make sure he’s my heir?” Carter asked, his visage stern and formidable.
“But it’s so much,” Jenna said. The damn stubborn sasquatch. The man could irk her in ways no one else seemed capable of doing. Almost like he did it on purpose to get a rise out of her.
“And it will also be a ton of work and a source of frustration for him, along with stability. He will learn at my side just like my dad taught me,” Carter said, opening the stable door for her.
The building up close was massive, larger than she’d originally thought. It was roughly an eighth of a mile from the main house. It had obviously been constructed with a similar wood to match the main house in physical appearance, except the undertones of the wood carried more of a red sheen. Carter held the door open for her to step through. Liam’s gaze was riveted on the building.