Page 20 of Prairie Nights

“Then burn me,” she replied, her voice raw and wanton as she slid down the zipper of his jeans and reached inside to grip his hard length with her palm.

Hayden’s eyes blazed with heat at her touch. Without any further pretense, he pulled out his wallet, retrieved a condom and made quick work sheathing himself. Laying her back on the table, he lifted her skirt till it bunched at her waist, pulled her panties to the side, and feeling her wet and ready for him, he took her, hard and deep with a single thrust. Whitney cried out, her body accepting all of him as he let out a groan of appreciation while he drove into her again and again. The echoes of their moans and skin connecting filling the large room and Whitney could feel her release build fast and furious as he grabbed her hips and pounded into her. With one more punishing thrust, her climax crested and she let out a long-drawn-out moan that seemed to come from a place unworldly. Hayden continued unrelenting until his own release came and he collapsed on top of her. Both lay there a moment, still connected, half dressed and disheveled, as post coital tremors surged through their bodies. Whitney sifted her fingers through his soft hair as they came down from the high.

Just then, the door opened on the other side of the storeroom and their eyes met in surprise. Whitney’s eyes widened, and Hayden lifted his head, knowing they couldn’t be seen from the door.

“Hayden, do you know if we sell S hooks?” Ryker shouted in question.

“Yes, aisle four near the command hooks.”

“Okay, thanks!”

The storeroom door clicked shut and Hayden, still on top of her, flashed Whitney an amused smile, causing her to giggle. Rising off the table, he discarded the condom and straightened himself out, helping lift Whitney from the worktable as she rolled her skirt back down.

“Well, that was fun,” Whitney commented, smoothing out her skirt and dusting the wood shavings off the fabric, as Hayden removed a little piece of wood from her hair.

“Agreed.” he replied, flashing her a sexy grin as he pulled her into him and wrapped his arms around her giving her a hug.

Releasing his embrace, Whitney took in his workspace again, the project he was working on capturing her attention. She picked it up and inspected it curiously, then glanced up at him as if to ask, what is this?

“I’m working on a crib for Ben and Ever.” he shared.

Whitney’s eyes brightened, and she looked back at the piece in her hands.

“I’ve made some furniture before, but this will be the first crib I’ve built.”

Offering him a smile, she ran her fingers over the intricate carving he had completed so far. “You are so talented, Hayden.” she complimented as she marveled at the details. He had put into what she guessed was going to be the headboard of the crib.

“Thanks.” he smiled proudly. “I want to carve the headboard with farm animals as it could fit either a boy or a girl.”

“That is so sweet, Hayden.” she whispered, an unexpected lump of emotion catching in her throat.

“If their crib turns out like I hope, maybe someday I’ll make one for my child,” he shared, taking the piece of wood from her hands and smoothing his hand over it.

Whitney glanced up at him, and she could see the longing in his eyes. “You want kids?” she asked, searching his gaze.

“I do, someday. A house full, God willing.”

She smiled and her heart aching from his sweet declaration. She had always dreamt of having a family. A sweet little chubby faced baby with ten little fingers and ten little toes. She could almost smell the sweet baby powder as a deep pang of longing bore its way into her chest. An ache she felt so many times before. That deep, indescribable yearning for a child of her own. Just then a flashback clouded her thoughts, and Paul’s unkind words pierced into her.

Are you an idiot? Did you think I would fall for that trick? From now on I want to see you take your pills every day! My wife is not going to get fat and disgusting!

She shivered and shook her head as if that could wipe the memory from her consciousness.

“Where did you go just now?” Hayden asked, his brows furrowed with concern as he put his hands on her hips and pulled her in close to him.

Whitney turned away, breaking eye contact, not wanting Hayden to see the deep, painful emotion that was breaching the surface. Swallowing down hard, her throat ached as tears threatened to escape.

Hayden turned her head back to face him and lifted her chin to meet his worried eyes as he whispered, “You can tell me.”

She let out a long breath to steady her mounting emotion as she replied. “I was just thinking about how my ex didn’t want to have kids. He always accused me of not taking my birth control and trying to get pregnant behind his back. He’d get so mad, screaming at me that he didn’t want me to get pregnant as no wife of his was going to be fat and disgusting.”

Hayden’s eyes blazed with anger, and he stared at her, frustration covering his face. After a moment he took her face into his hands, his eyes intense as he replied. “Whitney, you’re going to be so beautiful pregnant.” he said lovingly, so much conviction in his tone. “And you’re going to be the most amazing mother.”

This man. She stared into this handsome face, tears spilling down her cheeks. She blinked, her tears hot and searing, the pain of the past burning her skin.

“Don’t cry, Whitney.” he cooed softly as he ran his palms over her wet cheeks and leaned down, brushing his lips over hers in an excruciatingly tender kiss. As he kissed her with tenderness, sincerity, and reassurance, she realized, right then, with every part of her being, that she was madly, irrevocably, without question, in love with Hayden Hastings.

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