Page 38 of The Cowboy Takes A Bride

He eased his hand to cup the back of her head and draw her forward. He brushed his lips over hers softly, then firmer a second time. Her hand came to rest on his arm as she shifted closer, teetering on the edge of her stool. Much like they were teetering on consummating their marriage. The air around them grew thin, leaving them to suck in slow, deep breaths at first, but as each kiss passed, their want hitched higher, beating a heavy pulse inside them, chanting for more, more, more.

In the truck the other day, Jace had blown Meredith’s mind with simple touches and caresses. Well, some stroking as well. She’d naively thought it couldn’t get any better than that heightened state of dizziness he made her feel. But this moment? It was not unlike the pounding need for his touch that she’d come to understand was her attraction for him, but more an internal, crazed sense of frenzy to get her hands all over him.

He’d come down from the shower, just like this morning, with his shoulder-hugging T-shirt, his butt-cupping jeans, and she’d wanted to jump on the island and ask him to make her his dinner, dessert, and breakfast. The awakening within her was wondrous and frightening at the same time.

So many questions she wanted to ask, so many words she wanted to use to beg him to do more to her. Give her more. Take her further. Show her everything.

He plunged his tongue in her mouth, meeting hers, and she melted into him. His fingers were on the buttons of her shirt, and when he got to the last one, he slipped the shirt off her shoulders, his long fingers caressing her skin as he ran them down the length of her arms before sliding them to her back where he deftly released her bra.

Combined with the shocking pleasure and intimacy of his thumbs stroking her breasts and the cold sweep of air across her skin brought common sense screaming caution in her mind like a loud obnoxious warning bell. Meredith jerked back, gasped, and covered her hands over her chest.

“What are we doing?” She hoped he could explain their actions in such a way that demanded they see it through. She desperately wanted the entire experience. However, that didn't mean she should have it.

Jace dropped his head, then sighed deeply, before looking up at her. “I'd like to say we're two adults, married to each other, and there's no harm with what we're doing.”

“But?” She hunched down and quickly drew her shirt back up, clutching the sides together and covering her chest.

Jace winced slightly. “Um, have you ever done this before?”

She tried for a blank expression, hoping her naivete wasn't so obvious. “This—like get married and fool around? No.”

Jace continued to watch her, waiting for the answer to the question she knew he was really asking. She shook her head and sucked in a deep breath, as if it would make the heat spreading over her cheeks cool.

“Not with anyone?” he asked.

She shook her head again and swallowed, her eyes focused on her knees.

He reached for her face, cupped her chin, and then raised her head. “There's the ‘but.’ You've never done this before, and you can't begin to know what you're getting into. But your firsttime should be all you need it to be. But the circumstances are unusual and that could be affecting our judgment.”

“And whatever this is...chemistry maybe––”

“Is fleeting most likely.” Jace held his gaze with hers. “And the last thing I'd want is to make being here harder than it need be. It's important to me that you stay for Pops and that you find life here easy enough.”

Meredith pulled away, shifting back in her stool, her hands still clutched to the folds of the shirt. “Sex would likely complicate that.”

“It definitely would.” He looked away toward the food. “We should eat before this gets cold.”

Meredith smiled, his subject change was likely an attempt to not make this moment any more awkward than it already was, but what was she supposed to do? Button up her shirt and dig in? She hadn’t developed that sort of casual worldliness...yet.

“Actually, I snacked all day so I think I'll go up and try to get some rest. It's been a full day and there's lots I want to tackle tomorrow.”

“Are you sure?” He stood when she did.

“Positive.” She used one of large, lots-of-teeth false smiles in hopes to ease any of his doubt. “I'll see you in the morning.” Without waiting for a response, she hurried from the kitchen and nearly broke into a run when she hit the stairs. Once behind the privacy of her bedroom door, Meredith let the embarrassment overtake her.

Ugh. It was all so confusing. What she wanted, what she should want, and what she should do about it all. She'd need to think it through and make a firm resolution about how to proceed. Pressing her ear to the door, she waited until she was sure he didn't follow her and crept back out, making her way to the bathroom where she got ready for bed. Back in her room, she laid in bed with the lights out, staring at the window and thebeams of moonlight flooding in and asked herself what it was she wanted from this experience. It was much longer before she heard Jace clomp up the stairs, then pause outside her door. Meredith's breath stuck in her throat until he moved on to his room.

Even knowing he was close made her palms sweaty and her heartbeat erratic, and she knew fighting a heart's—or maybe in this case their bodies’––desires was going to complicate their situation just as much. It was more an issue of which complication would be easiest to live with. Keeping sex out of the deal was probably for the best. Her common sense told her that.

Therefore, with solid determination, she made a promise to herself to behave before falling into a fitful sleep full of dreams of Jace's rough hands all over her body.

17

Jace stood next to Meredith's bed, hesitating to wake her. Cripes, she was beautiful. Her hair spread around her, her lips slightly parted, and her bare shoulder peeking out from the covers were enough to make him revisit the conversation he'd had with himself most of last night. Hell with sleeping, he'd spent the time tossing and turning, trying to convince himself to keep his hands off her. Deep inside him lived a fear that if they consummated the marriage, it would inevitably force her off the ranch.

Yet, here he was considering slipping between the sheets with her and making promises he was certain he couldn't keep just to spend close time with her. The memories of every touch––from the first at the church to last night in the kitchen––stayed with him. They clamored to be relived and new ones discovered. He pushed all that aside and reminded himself why he sought her out this morning.

He wanted to show her the ranch and continue to forge the friendship that was forming between them. This is what they needed if they were going to make it through these last fewmonths with Pops. He was counting on her, and developing that trust and friendship would go a long way to easing his worry she might hate the ranch and bolt at any minute.

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