Page 31 of Falling For Her Cowboy
“Tomay-to. Tomato.” He shrugged. His lips were in his infamous crooked grin.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and tilted her head back to watch him.
“Why me?” she whispered. Doubt always had to ruin shit and creep into the back of her mind. She was a broken soldier trying to find her way in life after retirement. What could a man like Ridge want with her? He was where she wanted to be in life. Living out his dreams, secured plans for the future, and a place to call home.
She, on the other hand, had aconceptof a plan.
“Why not you? Melah, you are beautiful, headstrong, determined, intelligent. I’m drawn to everything there is about you.” He gripped her chin. The smile disappeared from his lips as he studied her.
She swallowed hard. Her heart rate jumped up drastically at that moment.
His thumb ran across her bottom lip. “I want to know everything there is about you. You’ve said you don’t know how much time you have here in Ironhaven, but I’m telling you now that I want all of it. Each minute you are here. However long that may be, I want to spend it with you.”
“Ridge…” She was left speechless.
She shook her head, but he pressed a finger toher lips.
“I’m serious. I want you, Melah. However or whatever that means.”
“But I’m broken. That’s why I’m here at Silver Creek. You may not know what it feels like to feel lost. For so many years the Army dictated where I went, what I did—so much of my life, and now that I’m no longer that person, I’m trying to figure out who Melah Battle is, the civilian.” Tears clouded her vision.
Dammit, she was not going to cry. Not now. She had been an emotional mess since arriving at Silver Creek. What was going on?
“I get it and I want to be with you while you figure it out. You never know, maybe Silver Creek is where you’re supposed to be.”
Somehow, they’d made it to the ladder that led up to the deck. Ridge’s blue eyes were wide, and there wasn’t a speck of deceit that she could see. Ridge Harvey was a good man. Hell, she knew his father, and Andy was one of the best men she’d ever met, and his son was as well. Even Draven, with his big scary ass, was someone she could depend on. The Harveys were upstanding men who’d give a person the last of what they had.
Melah glanced up at the sky and sighed.
This man before her was already claiming asmall piece of her heart. She hadn’t come here looking for love or relations, she had come to find herself.
“I’m not going to promise anything, Ridge.” She glanced back at him. There was no question there was something between them. One thing she had promised herself was that she was going to live life to the fullest once she was out of the military.
Ridge gave a slight nod. His large hands were a distraction at the moment, screwing with her thought process. One rested on her waist while the other made its way down to her bottom.
This man was dangerous.
But it wasn’t like Melah hadn’t been in dangerous situations before. She’d run headfirst into plenty of hostile situations in the Army.
This was no different.
Only this time, her heart was at stake.
Melah leaned forward and pressed her lips to his.
Chapter Ten
Melah’s legs were wrapped around his waist. He crawled up the ladder out of the water with her holding on to him. Her lips blazed a trail along his jawline and down to his neck. He released a slight curse and hauled them up the final step to the deck.
He stood still and cupped her cheek to bring her face to his. He took her lips in a soul-snatching kiss. She returned it with the same amount of fire that burned within him. Her ass filled his other hand as he held her propped against him. A moan slipped from her, and the sound alone sent an electric current through him. His cock was hard and pressing on his shorts, demanding release.
He hadn’t known he’d be spilling his guts to herin the water. Something about her expression had him sharing what he’d been holding back. But he’d wanted her to know he was serious about her.
She’d been hurt in the past.
He got that. Anyone could see it a mile away. Melah was a strong woman, and Ridge was telling her the truth. He wanted whatever she was willing to give him.
Her soft mounds squished to his chest were so damn tempting. From the moment he’d seen her in the bathing suit, he’d wanted to tear it off her. It left little to the imagination. Melah’s body was flawless. It was the perfect combination of curves and muscles. She was all woman. She took care of herself, and this wasn’t anything the military could have done for her.
