CHAPTER 4
NOEL
When the sun starts to rise, barely winking above the horizon and bringing color to the dark night sky, I sit up on the edge of my bed. I don’t think I slept at all; I couldn’t. It was impossible to sleep knowing Delaney was right next door.
All night I struggled with staying in bed. My hands flexed and released so many times I lost count. I’ve never had to use the amount of self-control I had to use last night.
Everything in me wanted to storm to her room, throw the door open, and pounce on Delaney. My Freckles.
She’s the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen, and something settled inside of me the moment she arrived. The feeling was slow to come on as I saw her driving toward the main house, but then she got out of her vehicle, and it slammed into me. It was deeper than peace, it was a rightness that wrapped around me and forced the dark memories I’m always fighting to recede into the corners of my mind.
Her brown hair, a soft mahogany color with strands of gold and red that glinted in the sunlight, was piled on top of her head in a way that made me wish I could see it down around her shoulders. Or wrapped up in my fist as I force her to arch her neck and look me in the eye.
Fuck. My cock went from interested to ‘that’s my fucking woman and I’m hard enough to pound nails’ in less than a second. Thankfully, my brothers were with me because I was afraid that I was going to stumble for a moment. It would have been embarrassing to have my brothers catch my ass on the way down, but it would have been better than falling flat on my face.
I think.
Maybe.
Her curves are to die for and the leggings and sweatshirt she was wearing, clearly going for comfort while she drove, did nothing to hide every single one of them. My mouth watered the moment I was able to take her all in. I’m still not sure how I held myself back from jumping the porch steps to throw her over my shoulder, and disappear into the acreage of the ranch to find a secluded spot to claim every inch of her right then and there.
I’m not sure how I was able to stop myself from grabbing her and kissing her while showing her around Limitless. August being there with us certainly helped, but even more of a deterrent was the wariness on her face whenever she looked at me. Seeing that tempered with heat and want gave me pause.
As much as I wanted her, I’m not going to scare her off too quickly. Maybe the first time I snarl at her like a bear with a thorn in my paw. She doesn’t make me want to rage at the world though; maybe there’s hope for me yet.
Hearing a little bit about August and what they’ve been through together after losing their parents had my heart breaking for them. It doesn’t make sense, but I want to be their safe harbor. I want to give them a chance to breathe and bask in the stars blanketing the sky. Underneath those same stars, I want to watch them put down roots and revel in the way they grow deep and strong.
After getting out of the shower, my thoughts filled with Delaney, I rush through getting dressed. Today is going to be a big day and my body feels like it’s on fire with the need to set eyes on my woman again. Is this how Fletcher felt when he and Eden got together all those years ago?
I always wondered, but I couldn’t relate. Watching him barely holding it together over the years as he tried to muddle through without her in his life was painful. I had to bite my tongue from telling him to get over it and move the fuck on, something Huxley was infinitely worse at than me. But I get it now.
The thought of Delaney packing up, pulling up stakes, and heading on to another contract has my gut clenching and my fists balling at my sides. Having to watch it happen? I sure as fuck know I wouldn’t be able to do so with grace.
It’s probably a good thing no one has ever accused me of being graceful.
I’m not surprised to find Huxley standing at the kitchen counter when I walk into the kitchen. What I am surprised to find is August and Delaney there as well. I can’t help but smile the moment I see her. When I glance at my brother, his eyebrows are up at his hairline as he studies me.
I swear I can see the moment a lightbulb goes off in his head. His eyes widen and he looks between us like he’s watching a fucking tennis match even though we’re standing still. My soul settles deeper inside me as I take in Delaney sipping her coffee.
She looks relaxed and like she belongs here. I can’t help but smirk at the way she’s intently watching August while he’s eating a bowl of cereal. We don’t always cook a big breakfast together; it just depends on who is around and what we have planned for the day. A lot of oatmeal, yogurt, cereal, and frozen waffles are eaten around here for breakfast.
Dinner is another matter. We always make sure to have dinner together and rotate the responsibility of cooking. Thankfully, Huxley wasn’t in charge of cooking last night. Talk about a horrible introduction to Limitless Ranch for Delaney and August if he had been the one with the job.
“You didn’t offer to cook our guests breakfast, Hux?” I can’t help but tease him.
Delaney holds her cup in front of her mouth to hide her smile as Huxley glares at me and August giggles. Last night at dinner, our newest additions to the ranch were warned to stay far away from the kitchen and the table if Huxley is involved with cooking.
“You know it isn’t like that around here in the morning,” my baby brother mumbles as he pouts.
“It’s okay Huxley,” Delaney’s sweet voice fills the room, and I have to press my hands against the top of the counter to keep myself in place. “I’m not good in the kitchen either and I’ve tried.”
August looks at his sister with a sly smile. “And it’s been a disaster every time,” he drawls slowly.
The look she shoots her brother is withering, but he only grins wider, not at all afraid. With a shrug, he puts his attention back to the bowl of cereal after throwing a grin my way.
“I’m going to get a yogurt and fruit bowl together. Can I make one for you Freckles?”
Delaney’s eyes swing my direction and widen. I can see heat in the depths of her gaze and as much as I want nothing more than to answer it, now isn’t the time. Not yet. Soon, though.
I won’t be able to hold myself back for long.
“What about me?” Huxley whines next to me.
I nod toward August and shrug. “I know how much you enjoy cereal. You’re the reason we have to stock up regularly with the family size boxes.” I scrunch my face up and admonish him, “You could at least choose one of the healthy ones, but you always go for the ones full of sugar.”
“They’re delicious,” he defends himself. He waves a hand toward August. “Aug-man likes it too.”
“It’s good,” August agrees right on cue.
Delaney rolls her eyes and ignores the two jokesters in our midst. “I’d love some yogurt and fruit.”
I wink at my woman before turning to get everything together. Warmth spreads through my chest because I’m providing for her, feeding her. We already talked around dinner last night about food allergies, but since there are none, I don’t have to worry.
Watching her eyes light up the moment I set breakfast in front of my woman makes me feel a sense of satisfaction that almost knocks me onto the floor. It’s something so simple and shouldn’t make me feel so damn good, but it does. Every bite she takes only makes the feeling grow.
“Once Eden and Mack head over, we can go out to the office in the barn and get to work,” I offer Delaney.
She gives me a soft smile and looks toward August. “Are you still okay with hanging out with Eden and Mack today?”
August gives his sister a side eye which reminds me of Huxley when he was a teenager. “Mack is cool,” there’s genuine affection in his voice. “Eden said we’d bake some cookies. I’m going to help.”
“Just make sure helping doesn’t mean making a big mess,” Delaney’s voice is stern while managing to remain warm.
Huxley keeps pouting the entire time Delaney and I are eating, but no one pays him any attention. When Eden and Mack walk in along with Fletcher, I don’t waste time ushering Delaney out of the house. The need to get her alone is riding me hard and I know August will be just fine.
Delaney giggles when I grab her hand and dump our dishes in the sink before starting to pull her out the door. “Wait, Noel,” there’s a breathy quality to her voice that has my dick standing up and taking notice, “I need to grab a few things from my room before we get started. I can meet you at the barn?”
“I’ll be right here waiting for you,” I insist, not wanting to miss even a moment with my woman.
The moment she heads up the stairs, Fletcher slides up next to me. I don’t spare him a glance since my eyes are glued to my woman’s perfect ass. When the scenery is good, you don’t look away.
“She’s yours, huh?”
“Yep,” I pop the p as I answer Fletcher’s question without any hesitation.
“I have a feeling it’s not going to be easy to convince her to stay,” he hedges. “She’s been moving around and taking contracts for a while, yeah?”
“I know it’s not going to be easy,” I glance his way since I can’t see Delaney anymore, “but I’ll figure out a way to convince her. She belongs here. With us.”
He makes a humming sound and nods slowly. “She’s family.” He slaps me on the back, a twinkle in his eye filled with mirthful amusement. “At least, she will be once you convince her to give you a real shot.”
Then he’s gone, I’m sure to bug his fiancé because the man can’t stay away from her, his laughter following him. I get it why he doesn’t want to be away from Eden, it feels like the longer Delaney is upstairs, the more my skin feels too tight on my body.
I let out a breath of relief as she comes back, and I usher her out of the house and toward the barn. When we both take a deep breath of the fresh air at the same time, she giggles at the synchronicity. The sound makes me grin; I want to make her laugh every day. I think I need it now.
The warmth filling me has the memories always waiting in the wings stepping back deeper in my mind. She has no idea what she does for me by just existing.
When we get to the office which has been in the barn for years, we settle on the couch, and I watch with rapt attention as Delaney pulls out a laptop and a binder. The way she’s all business is a turn on. She doesn’t even know how sexy she is.
“The biggest question is why you’re interested in having an equine therapy program at Limitless and what your goals are,” her voice is sweet and coaxing, making me want to spill all my secrets and darkness at her feet.
“I know how horses can help those who need it—people with PTSD and trauma, mental health issues, addictions, eating disorders as well as those with autism, learning disabilities and traumatic brain injuries. I’ve felt how much working with the horses has helped me.” Her eyebrows shoot up in surprise and she studies my face but doesn’t interrupt me. “It’s what inspired me to look into what it would take to start an equine therapy program here. Then I took it to Fletcher since he’s in charge, technically.”
Her voice is a whisper, “Do you want to focus on adults or kids?”
I can see the questions in her eyes, but she doesn’t push. If I weren’t already gone for her, her quiet acceptance would do it. Even though she wants to know, her curiosity isn’t about gossip, it’s about care.
“It’s okay to ask,” I murmur.
She shakes her head and insists, “I don’t want to pry.”
With a soft smile, I lean back against the couch and take a moment. I don’t talk about my time in the military, but I’m not interested in hiding anything from her.
“I joined the military when I was 18 and was in for ten years before I got out. I’ve been home now for about two years. That first year was rough. I didn’t know where I belonged and felt lost. But I also knew Limitless could give me a purpose. When I was growing up, the horses were a source of peace for me, and I was a damn good trainer. They used to call me the horse whisperer of the ranch,” I admit with a chuckle and my Freckles grins, “but it still took me some time to find my footing. Our horses saved me in a lot of ways.”
“And you want to help other people who feel the same?”
“And more. I respect the horses and how they can help without even really trying. People deserve to have access to therapy that works for them. We can do that here.”
Delaney reaches over and grips my hand which I hadn’t even realized was fisted. I immediately relax my hand and lace our fingers together. “That’s a really great reason to start a program like this.”
“Thanks, Freckles.” I clear my throat and shrug one shoulder but don’t let go of her hand. “I’d like to help as many people as possible. I don’t have a preference when it comes to kids or adults.”
She nods slowly and I can see the wheels in her head turning. “The horses might dictate that, but we can see about planning a program for adults and kids. It’ll give you options.”
“Good,” my voice drops an octave, the contact between us pulling my focus away from work and toward how much I want to pull her onto my lap and kiss her until we’re both panting.
Delaney immediately launches into work and I’m in awe of her. I’m also barely listening. She talks about everything from getting a website up and running for the program to how she’ll be assessing the horses and then creating a training regimen for those who are suitable to be included.
All I can seem to focus on is Delaney’s mouth. Her lips are pouty and so damn kissable. With a huff, she pulls her hand from mine, and I startle, not realizing we were still holding hands.
“You need to pay attention, Noel,” she admonishes me.
“Oh, I’m paying attention,” my voice is husky.
She barks out a short laugh and shakes her head as a slight blush colors her cheeks. “You need to pay attention to the plan,” she clarifies. Before I can say anything, her face turns serious. “Nothing can happen between us.”
I rear back like she slapped me, and I gasp, “Why?”
“You’re my boss, for one,” she tells me like it should be obvious. Maybe it should be. “And I don’t have flings, which is all it could be since this is just a temporary contract,” there’s a note of sadness in her words that tugs at me. “Flings only end with someone getting hurt.”
The way she says it, like she knows from experience, has possessiveness roaring up inside of me. I want to demand that she tell me who she’s talking about, but I swallow those words down. It’s clear she thinks she’s right and I won’t win in an argument; not now at least.
I give a jerky nod before I stand up and offer her my hand. “Come on, Freckles, lets go and grab some lunch and you can check on August.”
Her shoulders relax as if she thinks I’ve given up. I haven’t, but she doesn’t need to know that right now. I’m going to show her that Limitless is where she belongs; her and August. The boy needs something more than traveling from place to place. He’s going to be a teenager soon and figuring out how to grow into the man he’s meant to be. He can get that here with me and my brothers.
We’re quiet as we walk back toward the main house. The moment we walk in, the sound of laughter coming from the kitchen has a wide grin breaking out on Delaney’s face. She fucking glows and has no idea.
Walking into the kitchen, we stand in the doorway for a moment and take in the way August and Mack are giggling as they roll cookie dough into balls while Eden washes dishes. When I look at my woman, her head is tilted as she studies her brother, and I can almost feel the longing coming off her in waves.
Yeah, this is the place they belong, and I’ll have plenty of time to prove it to her.