Page 230 of Forbidden Heroes

Shit. What have I done? I’ve broken her.

Harper angles her head around, that fire in her eyes ready to burn me to embers. "Yes, Daddy," she coos and takes off running.

Standing between the pool deck and the barn everywhere, my chest tightens. That ass, in need of a spanking, bounces with every step and with those two little words the last straw on the proverbial camel’s back has been placed.

Three, maybe five, steps and I'm on her. “Boone,” she shrieks as I toss her over my shoulder. In the time that we were in the barn a sudden summer storm rolled in and rain soaks us through.

By the time we are inside Harper is shivering in my arms, dripping water everywhere. “Shit, I forgot. I cranked up the AC. Wait a minute.”

I turn the dial down from Arctic cold and grab a towel from the drier and wrap her in it before stripping off my shirt and muddy boots.

Something in her eyes has me drawing up short when I mean to head for the shower, pulling her with me.

“What?” I ask.

She shakes her head, the wet strands of her hair bouncing around her back and shoulders.

I growl, grabbing the sides of her towel and pulling her into my arms.

“Let’s get you warmed up and all that oil washed off. We’re not going anywhere anytime soon from the looks of it. You can tell me what’s on your mind after a warm shower.”

“Wait.” She stops me with a hand on mine.

“I need you to know something, Boone.”

“You know you can tell me anything. I think it’s safe to say there are no more secrets between us.”

This is about to get serious and I don’t know if I can handle more bombs today, but I brace my hands on either side of the kitchen counter and wait for whatever she’s about to say with that serious look.

Her blue eyes dance between mine.

“Tell me, baby,” I say softly.

“If…” she sighs. “If you can't accept me. Accept this attraction between us if you’re still wanting to send me away… I need to know. Don’t keep seesawing. I thought I could do this, convince you we’re perfect together, but if not, I have to walk away, leave, because I can’t go on living here if I can't have you. Watching you be with someone else… I can’t do that.”

Water rims the edges of her eyes. And through the unshed tears I can see the love pour through for me.

Fuck. I feel like an asshole on multiple levels.

“I want us to be happy, Boone. Not fuck behind people’s backs like what we have is dirty or something.”

I tuck her under my chin, searching for something to tell her to take the ache from her words.

“I have huge responsibilities. I can't have you alone all the time. Plus, what would people say? Have you thought about that? Our clients?”

I run my hand down her back and her breath catches as if I’ve lost my mind. “The last thing I am is alone, and the clients aren’t here taking notes on how we live. We train horses, breed others. Who’s to say some of Urban Ranch clients aren’t taking their stepdaughters against a wall in the barn or banging the preacher’s daughter during Sunday sermon? You have a lot of assumptions about people you only do business with.”

Since she drives a hard point, I can’t say much to that so I keep my mouth shut. With a finger under her chin, I lift her mouth up and press my lips to hers in the softest kiss we’ve shared. She moans, a beautiful pink coloring blooming across her face.

Pulling back enough to where her lips caress mine as she speaks, Harper adds, “I have our family and maybe one day we can have a family of our own.” A hand comes to rest on her belly.

I blink a few times, taking in what she’s saying. Those last five words drop me to my knees.

“I've given you my seed.” She’s right. She could have the starting of their family already taking root in her tender body already. I can't walk away from that or have her leave.

Unacceptable.

I dry her off. Not missing a single inch of her skin and trying to come up with an answer. Bless her heart, she lets me battle without a word. Simply running her fingers through my hair as I grapple for safe ground. Finished, I carry her to bed and slip her beneath the covers.

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