Chapter 41
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
Hannah was racing after him.
Ben looked behind him when he heard the ground tremble. She was riding Flame like she’d never stopped, her cowboy hat flying behind her, held in place only by its stampede string. The hope buoying his spirits continued to grow.
He pulled up, watching as she approached.
God, she was a sight to behold. Then again, she always had been. She and Flame seemed to fly across the earth. The blue sky and the mountains were behind them, and with his heart pumping faster, he could feel her exhilaration. Joined again with her mare, she looked…free.
He didn’t want to jump to conclusions, but a bone-deep happiness was rising inside him.
She’s staying. Please, God, let her stay.
When she finally pulled up beside him, her face was lit with the kind of joy he wished for her every day of her life. “Tell me you’re not leaving,” he practically demanded.
She moved Flame nearer until she could reach out and grab his shirt. Tugging him closer, she gave him a full-tilt smile as she kicked free of her stirrups. “I’m sticking, cowboy.”
He pulled her off the saddle and onto his lap, crushing his mouth to hers. She angled her arms around his neck and kissed him back with all the love and joy she had to give. Inside him, more shadowed places lit up.
Her zest was back. She was back. And she was going to be with him for the rest of their lives if he had anything to say about it.
She pressed happy kisses to his jaw. “Oh, Ben! I want to stay with all my heart. Nothing surpasses being here.”
He caught her face gently in his hand. “Thank God, because I’m never going to let you go.”
She gave a hearty laugh. “Don’t threaten me, cowboy.”
Another old joke, and on the tails of so many good memories. “You wish, my little spitfire.”
“Oh, I so do.” She traced his brow line. “Know any vacant haylofts?”
His body surged with more desire. “I have a better idea. Follow me.”
He wouldn’t care that it wasn’t finished. She’d understand.
“Your wish is my command,” she smartly replied as he deposited her back on Flame.
“Make sure you keep that state of mind, sweet pea.” He shot her a wink before nudging Orion. “Giddyup!”
Whooping and hollering came from the hot little mama racing beside him. They thundered across the meadow like it was yesterday. He could feel Orion wanting to race, and he gave him the signal to go full out, trusting Hannah had her seat back and was up for the fun.
She matched him and then some, Flame galloping next to him like she was as happy as her old friend.
They flew across the meadow. He led them in a wide arc toward the north face of Wild Mountain.
As they neared, he slowed his mount down, watching as Hannah did the same.
At the tree line, he signaled for her to follow him up the trail.
They passed through the mighty pines, the smell fragrant with warm resin. There was a stillness, a peace here—one that made him believe in all the goodness in life. He took a moment to bow his head.
Thank you.
He figured he didn’t need to say more.
As they continued along, he gazed around at the lush beauty.
Perhaps that was why he’d chosen this spot so long ago for what he’d hoped would be her twenty-third birthday present.
Except she’d left, and he’d set those plans away, like he had all their dreams. But when she’d talked about finding a place away for just the two of them, his old plans had come to mind.
He’d been finishing it with the other hands he’d tapped when he’d gotten the emergency call about Amber.
When they reached the forest, she came up with Flame beside him. “It’s still so beautiful, Ben.”
He reached out and took her hand, wanting to feel her reaction to his gift when she caught sight of it. As they traveled deeper into the endless rows of trees, he didn’t have to wait long. She gasped as her hand tightened in his.
“Oh my God. You didn’t.”
Since she was six years old, she’d talked about having a tree house.
For a time, the one Gramps and his father had built had been hers as much as his.
Will, Hannah, and he had played in that dear old tree house, swinging from the rope attached to the top branch and scampering up the ladder after one another.
She’d been the first one he’d let look through the telescope he’d gotten one Christmas, and for many nights after, they’d climbed up there and looked at the stars.
At one time or another, she’d mentioned hearing about tree houses for adults. How they had modern furnishings and even beds. A place to come to tangle themselves up. A place to get away from all the people on the ranch. A place for just the two of them.
“I’d scouted the tree I wanted and drawn up the plans the summer you left,” he told her as they swung out of their saddles and tied their horses to a nearby tree. “I’d planned to give it to you…”
He trailed off.
“For my birthday?”
He could see why she’d think that. Her birthday was little over a month after his and Will’s, which was on October 26. Every year on November 24, he’d thought about what she was doing to celebrate. But that hadn’t been the occasion.
Then her face crumpled. “Oh, Ben, you meant it as a wedding present.”
They might as well face it. So far they’d been able to get through everything. “Yeah.”
She cupped his face and kissed him softly. “That’s for telling me the truth.” Another kiss had his breath easing out. “And that’s for building this for us.”
Right. That time didn’t matter. She was here and staying, and that was all that mattered. This time he laid his mouth over hers until they both sighed.
“Now come and see your place,” he told her, taking her hand.
“Our place,” she answered with a squeeze.
He watched her eyes scan the simple pine exterior and the large windows that had been a bitch to install. They’d used horses to lift them and almost dropped one once.
“Oh, Ben, you even built us a screened-in porch like I used to talk about so we can sit outside and listen to the crickets at night.” She launched herself into his arms. “I love it!”
“Glad you’re pleased.” Wrapping his arms around her, he nuzzled her neck. She smelled like the outdoors and all woman, and right now, he wanted her in his arms. “Once we go up that ladder, that’s it. I’m yours, and you’re mine. Are we in agreement here?”
She shoved him back playfully and started walking to the tree house, twitching that sweet little butt of hers. When she reached the ladder, she looked over her shoulder and pinned him with a smoky look. “What do you think, cowboy?”
With a laugh, she scampered up the rungs, disappearing from view. He raced after her, the blood in his veins pulsing with life. She was his again, and he planned to have her.
When he swung out onto the main room, he found her standing beside the full bed he’d dragged up. Raiding Reba’s linen closet had been harder. He’d used Will as a decoy while he’d grabbed what he needed and snuck out the front.
“You were thorough. Sheets and everything. Even fluffy pillows. I’m impressed.”
He snorted and walked over to her. “I’m a thorough man.”
She sat on the bed and lay back, desire darkening her green eyes. “Show me.”
Her command brought desire surging into him. “It’s been a long time, Hannah. If we’re going to take this slow, you can’t talk to me like that this first round.”
She bit her lip, clearly trying not to laugh. “Is that right? Well, cowboy, maybe it’s been a long while for me too. Get your gorgeous behind over here and put your hands on me.”
All right, that was it. “Still bossy, I see,” he murmured as he stretched out beside her. “Good thing I know how to enjoy that smart mouth.”
“Do your worst,” she joked before shoving him onto his back and climbing on top of him.
He caressed the sides of her legs and thought he’d have a heart attack when she ripped open the snaps on her shirt, giving him a view of a fancy little pink bra trimmed with lace. “Someone’s in a hurry.”
She leaned over him and ripped open his shirt, smoothing her hands over his muscled chest. “After all this time, you’d better believe it.”
Bringing his hands to her breasts, he let their weight settle before he started caressing the undersides like she used to like. Suddenly, he started wondering if she still liked the same things, which only made him frown.
“What’s the matter?” she asked, tracing his mouth.
“Nothing.” He pulled her closer. “I want you. Maybe more than I ever did. Woman, put that sweet mouth on mine and put me out of my misery.”
When she did exactly that, they both groaned. Pulling her flush against him where they both strained against each other, he let the kiss go deeper, knowing there was no turning back.
They’d made their commitment. Now it was time for their bodies to come together again to seal the promise.
Her mouth tasted just as sweet as heaven, and as he nipped at her bottom lip and then took her tongue into his mouth, he thought her moan was the purest medley on earth.
She finally flung back, panting, her chest rising from her shattered breathing. “I need you. Right now.”
He rolled them until they were on their sides, laughing as he tried to help her undo her jeans and then wiggle out of them. “They’re new,” she explained with another twist of her hips.
When the jeans reached her ankles, he started laughing as she tried to kick them off. Lowering to the floor, he caught her foot, peeling off first her boots and then the socks. “Easier if you take your boots off first.”
The look she shot him was pure sass. She was an aggravated, stirred-up woman ready for loving. Then he stopped her consternation by opening her legs and pressing his hand at the spot that needed him.
She threw her head back and thrust against him. “Oh God! Yes. Yes!”
All he needed to do to hear another moan spill out of her lush mouth was to set her panties to the side and increase the pressure. She came in a rush, thrusting against his hand. He helped her go higher, knowing she could, knowing she needed it.