Page 55 of A Family With the Cowboy

*

Sunday morning, Lauraopened her eyes slowly. She was alone. Luke’s laughter floated up the stairs, followed by Jessie’s barking. Faraway sounds from outside penetrated slowly.

Stretching her arms above her head, she smiled. After the past two nights she’d spent in Hayden’s arms, she was aware of muscles she hadn’t used before. What the man could do with his hands and mouth was just…wow. She’d fallen for an enthusiastic and ingenious lover. The thought of leaving him and Luke later today filled her with dread.

Luke had accepted her presence in the house without questions. She and Hayden should talk—with each other and, of course, with Luke. When they were alone together, however, talking was the last thing she thought about.

Hayden had things to work out in his mind, he’d said. How long that would take and what happened after this weekend, she didn’t know. But in this moment, she was so happy.

When she’d moved to Marietta, the last thing she’d expected had been that she’d meet her person—that one guy whom she was meant to be with. She loved him as she hadn’t known it was possible to love. Being with him, making love with him, filled her body, her soul, her whole being.

Marriage wasn’t on the table. Hayden had been very clear about that from the start, but he loved her. That was all that mattered, anyway.

From outside came the sound of another truck, and she jumped up quickly. They were having lunch with Arlene. She’d better get dressed.

*

Hayden waited forLaura to finish breakfast. He’d deliberately not gone up to the room again. His mother was expecting them for lunch. When he was with her, he had to touch her and when he touched, he wanted her—all of her. Shaking his head, he grinned. He had it bad. Really bad.

They had to talk. And he knew where he wanted to have the talk. Willow had already left to go into town and had taken Luke and the dogs with her.

“All done?” he asked as he got up from the table.

“Yes, I’ll quickly rinse this…”

“Just leave it. Before we go into town, will you come with me? By the way, the mechanic we usually use will tow it away and fix it for you. He’s with the car and says it would probably be ready by the end of the week.”

Frowning, she put her hands on her hips. “You didn’t have to do that. I was going to phone tomorrow—”

He moved closer before she could finish her sentence. “Please let me do this for you? If I’d brought you home as I planned to do, your car wouldn’t have been in a ditch.”

Stiffly, she nodded. “Thank you. But I’m quite capable of fixing my own problems, okay?”

Catching her hands, he pulled her closer. “I know. It’s one of the reasons I’ve fallen in love with you.”

She was still frowning, though, and opened her mouth to say something again, but being this close to her, surrounded by her flowery scent, all he could think about was kissing her. His lips caught hers, and like every single time, he was lost.

Kissing Laura was fast becoming addictive. He loved the way her lips immediately softened and parted under his, how she melted against him, and how the curves of her body seemed to have been made to fit against his.

Slipping his hands under her top, he lifted his head. “Everything else will have to wait…” He pulled her top over her head.

Fortunately, the table had been cleared. It would have to do.

*

Half an hourlater, they drove away from the homestead. Hayden had her hand tightly in his. Laura put her other hand on her tummy, where the butterflies hadn’t quite settled yet. Her body was still singing, her blood still rushing through her veins. She loved this man something fierce.

She studied his face, his broad shoulders, his muscled legs, and, within minutes, she was so hot, she struggled to breathe. Inhaling deeply, she looked out of the window. She’d just straightened her clothes after being ravished on the kitchen table and here she was, ready to jump on him again.

Grinning, he squeezed her hand. “Am I forgiven?”

“This time,” she said, lifting her chin. “I’ve been on my own for a while now and can handle my own problems.”

“But now you have me to help you.”

“But for how long?” slipped out before she could stop herself. “A fling means it’s temporary and I can’t—”

He stopped the truck so suddenly, if it hadn’t been for the seat belt and Hayden’s arm that had shot out to protect her, she would’ve fallen forward.

---