Page 67 of Redemption

He was right. If people kept showing up all the time then he was involved, whether I liked it or not. And honestly, it felt great to have support and someone stand up for me and the ranch.

I nodded. “Anyway, get back to work. Dinner’s at six, don’t be late.”

“Dinner?”

“Yes, it’s my way of saying thank you.”

“I don’t want to make Daisy uncomfortable,” he hedged, looking towards the house.

I shrugged. “She won’t be. I think she’s warming up to you.”

He grinned at me, and I swear my knees knocked together. I wanted to lick my tongue across that smile, tangle my fingers in his hair, drag my teeth down his neck, beg him to fuck me and have him give in.

As we continued to look at each other, his smile slipped and his eyes darkened with a heat that left my body tight with anticipation.

I cleared my throat, breaking the spell and headed off towards the stables again. I didn’t see him for the rest of the afternoon. I went home and showered before dinner, feeling gross from mucking out the stables andbaling hay.

When I came down there was chatter in the kitchen and I paused for a moment on the stairs, enjoying the full house and pleasant, happy voices.

Everything was okay.

I entered the kitchen and glanced around, seeing a full dinner table and Jack sitting there, in his nicest lumberjack shirt, it was like something clicked into place. This was family, this washome.

He was talking to August but when I came in, he glanced over and smiled at me, raising an eyebrow as if asking,Are you okay? Is this okay?I nodded back to him, everything was fine. Daisy didn’t even complain, just glared at him a few times.

“Where’s Leo?” I asked, glancing around the table, noticing he was missing for the first time in days.

“He’s got a date,” Daisy answered. My eyes swerved to Maddy who poked at the food on her plate.

“Jack, after dinner would you be able to look at my closet doors? They’re sticking and I don’t know why. I heard you’re good with wood?” August asked innocently.

Daisy snorted at the innuendo, and I glared at her.

Jack smiled. “Of course, I’d be happy to.”

“Also, my bedroom door handle is kinda hanging off, could you help with that?” Tilly asked.

“Sure thing,” he nodded, and I could see him glowing from their requests, like he wanted to be needed. It made me ache a little for how much of his life he’d spent alone. I didn’t pipe up that the girls knew exactly how to fix all of those things. They just wanted him to feel included.

“Anything out of use that you’d like him to take a look at?” Maddy asked, pulling herself out of her reverie enough to raise a brow at me. I flicked a green bean at her and she snickered. I looked over at where Tilly wasshowing Jack something on TikTok and found him staring at me, and not at her screen. My cheeks flushed and I ducked my head.

The rest of dinner went off without a hitch and then Jack was upstairs fixing August’s closet and Tilly’s door. Then he was saying goodnight and thanking us for letting him stay, shooting me a lingering look that had my knees weakening. He left the house and took all the air with him when he went. I didn’t know what to do with myself. The girls went off to watch TV and I tried to lose myself in whatever crap they were watching but my thoughts distracted me.

I went into the office, ready to come up with some ideas on how to save the ranch. I bent down to flick the lamp on but before I did, I stopped. Jack was in the window, staring out. I watched him, interested to see what he would do.

He took out his phone and brought it to his ear and a moment later mine started buzzing. I pulled it out.

“Yes?” I answered, breathlessly.

“Kat,” he said, his voice echoing in my ear as I stared at him. His breathing was heavy and deep. I could even see his chest expanding with each inhalation. Tension pulled taut between us, the air electric, and I practically vibrated with need.

“I need you,” he said. The wanting in his voice was too much. I ended the call and ran from the room and out of the house. He was in the cabin doorway waiting for me. I threw myself into his arms and he caught me, pressing me against the door and slanting his mouth over mine, groaning as our tongues touched.

The electricity I’d felt earlier was nothing to the heat between us now. I was pulling at him, trying to get closer to him as our tongues frantically workedtogether.

He pulled away, trailing his lips down my neck, tasting my skin and sucking my neck again, tearing a moan from me. He dragged me into the cabin and shut the door, his palms cupping my breasts and squeezing them as he licked the dip at the base of my throat before trailing his lips along my collarbone.

My hands tangled in his hair, pulling at the strands. “Please, Jack. Don’t make me ask you again.”

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