Chapter Fourteen
For the next ten days, they spent as much time together as they could. He still had a ranch to run, and after talking to her boss, she was working part-time from home. She tried to do most of her work when he was busy so they could spend all their free time together.
She was amazed at how quickly their lives came together and how much the house felt like home. It was like they’d been together for years instead of days.
Blake helped her get her mother’s old house leveled because it would have cost too much to fix everything her sister had destroyed. She was pleased that she was able to find several more pictures that could be fixed and a figurine of her mom’s that she’d had as long as Hanna remembered.
The times she cried because she missed her mom so much, Blake was always there, held her in his arms, and gave her the support and love she needed to heal.
The first rocky moment they’d had was when she planned to go back to Austin to pack up her stuff and move it to the ranch. He didn’t want her out of his sight. She knew it was a trust issue, and if he got upset about it, she felt it would have taken their relationship back a step.
Blake walked into the room Hanna still used. They were taking their time getting to know each other before they became intimate, to find her packing a bag.
When she saw the look on his face, she walked to him and wrapped her arms around his waist. His arms pulled her against him and held her tightly.
“I’ll only be gone a few days, I promise. I’m going to have the moving company do most of it. I want to get more clothes and box up things I don’t want to be broken.”
“I don’t know why you can’t wait until I can go with you next week.”
She ran her fingers down his cheek. “Because I want you to trust that everything will be okay.”
He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I know it will, baby. I just wish I could be there to help you.”
“I’m not going to do much. Besides, it’s only six hours away. I’ll be back before you know it.”
“You better be, or I’m coming to get you,” he said in a threatening tone.
She grinned. “Will you help me take this down to my vehicle, please? I want to say goodbye to Dottie.”
“Sure. I’ll meet you outside.”
She pressed a kiss to his chin and walked out of the bedroom.
Hanna found Dottie in the kitchen.
“Hey, I’m heading out.”
Dottie came to her and hugged her. “Please return quickly because I can only take so much of his whining.”
Hanna sputtered out a laugh. “I’ll go as fast as I can.”
“Good. Drive safe.”
Hanna stopped when she got to the front door and looked out to see Blake standing beside her SUV, talking to one of his ranch hands.
At that moment, she knew she’d miss him terribly and almost changed her mind about going, but she hoped this quick trip would only strengthen their relationship.
The guy walked away as she came toward them.
****
Blake pulled her into his arms and held her against his chest. It was going to hurt physically to let her go, and the fact he had to hide his worry and anxiety from her made it worse.
“I want you to take it slow, baby. Be really careful, okay?”
She smiled up at him. “Of course.”
“Call me when you get there.”
“I promise, Blake.”
He tipped her head up with a finger under her chin and pressed his lips against hers. Like every other time they kissed, it quickly grew out of control, and they were both breathing hard when they separated.
“I’ll see you soon, baby.”
He helped her into the vehicle and snapped her seatbelt on before pressing one more kiss to her lips.
He waved when she backed up and glanced over at him.
His stomach tightened for every yard she drove away from him and every foot she put between them.
He rubbed the ache in his chest when she was out of sight.
He knew he’d be suffering for the next few days.
Every hour was going to feel excruciating, and the only way he knew to hold back his panic was to get busy.
He planned to work until he dropped every night, but even then, he knew he wouldn’t be getting any sleep until she was back home with him.
One more look down the drive before he walked toward one of the barns.
He’d find something to keep his mind off things, and there was always something to get done on the ranch.