Chapter 7
SEVEN
CORD
All the Rumors We Never Want to Believe
My hands tangle in Lanie’s curls before they trace along the body I’ve been craving for a week. That I’ve dreamed about.
“It’s okay,” I murmur against that soft mouth I want to do bad things to, memorizing every curve as I will myself to take it slow and not scare the shit out of the flighty woman in my arms. “I’ve got you.”
She mumbles something incoherent, her lips pliable against mine as I bury my hands deep in the luxury of her silky curls and kiss all hell out of her.
After my display in town, I won’t be surprised if she runs.
But I need something to remember the woman who’s consumed me for the past eight days before I let her go.
Lanie makes one of those soft sounds that’s so goddamn addictive, rising up on her toes as she presses her body sweetly to mine.
I suppress a groan. My control might be good, but it’s not that damn good.
If I don’t step away from her soon, she’ll end up half-naked next to a pile of rocks on an outcrop overlooking the town.
Something tells me that while Lanie is responsive to my kisses, she might push back on rushing through those next stages. Besides, after dreaming about her for the last week, I want to take the time to worship her properly.
I ease back an inch, breaking the kiss to more of her precious sounds.
Her wild, mussed tresses are still wrapped around my fists.
I loosen my grip to trace along her jaw with my thumbs and then, on a whim that stretches my own rules, I drop a hand inside her jacket and tweak her peaked nipple.
Her gasp sends blood rushing to my cock.
I repeat the motion, enjoying the way her pupils dilate way too much, and skate my hand over her hip, willing my control back.
“We need to continue this hike,” I rasp against her mouth, unwilling to push her away but needing her closer. “I don’t want to rush anything, either.”
She inhales a breath we share, her forehead pressed against mine, and nods. Once.
I take that as a positive, find her hand, and let her lead the way along the flat section from the top of the incline where we stopped. Here, the forest becomes sparse, opening out to expose the other side of Valiant Peak.
Lanie releases my hand, walking forward to the edge.
I don’t mind. The view is of the jaw-dropping variety, and it’s why I brought her up here in the first place.
Her silhouette blazes with the deep fire of a late-summer sunset, her wild-cherry curls forming a halo around her.
Fucking stunning. She turns, the joy and freedom in her expression stopping my world in its tracks.
“It’s beautiful.”
“Yeah.” My attention stays locked on her as she lets me slide an arm around her waist, drawing her back into me. I wasn’t sure if she’d want me to touch her again after I let her go. Even with permission given, my heart slams erratically inside my rib cage. “So are you,” I murmur into her hair.
Her head tilts to one side, gifting me the perfect view of the fiery blush that creeps into her skin. She elbows me lightly when I kiss the shell of her ear. I’m already lost in her again.
“Look.”
I drag my attention from her reluctantly, knowing that if I have years to study her, it will still be too little.
Following her gaze, I trace the forest from where it flares at the foot of Valiant Peak, sweeping into broad grasslands further out.
The overcast sky has parted, gifting us with a glimpse of pale light slanting over the forest, illuminating the pasture beyond studded with the vibrant colors of late-blooming wildflowers before autumn hits.
The crazy urge to share my life with her hits me in full, rocking me back onto my heels. Lanie spins my world on its axis, and I’m not used to being the one who fights with gravity. In my world, I spend most of my time protecting what I have from others, especially when it comes to flings.
West would have my ass in a sling if he could see me now, drooling over the girl with the wild-cherry hair.
I haven’t run checks on her like he’ll insist I should, but I get the sense she’s not after money like a regular gold digger.
Still, the ingrained habit runs deep. I hate the thought of testing her, but I know I’ll regret not knowing sooner rather than later.
Unwilling to shatter the peace between us just yet, I wrap one arm around her waist as she nestles into my shoulder, trailing my fingers from her wrist to her neck.
The action earns me a delicious shiver I want her to repeat—preferably when fewer clothes are involved.
After letting her soak in the view for a moment, I turn her to face a small trail that leads to the other side of the ridgeline.
“Where are we going?”
“This way. What I brought you up here for.”
“This isn’t enough?” Lanie gestures over her shoulder, her kiss-bitten lips crooking in a sexy-as-hell smile.
I grin back at her. “Nuh-uh. I’ve got more, Lanie.”
Something a whole lot better.
The trail I lead her through passes between two tall granite towers and ends in a similar outcrop on the other side of the mountain, north of its namesake township below.
Here, pasture morphs into golden grassland framed by the harsher Rockies far beyond.
The darkened sky above should shadow the vista, but sunlight filters through, casting a glow over the grasslands.
I point out the town, the land beyond, my neighbors.
And then I turn Lanie north to show her what comes after.
My heart thumps traitorously in my chest. All the things I promised I’d never left myself have…
she’s right here, before me. Everything I want in a woman.
Beautiful. Smart. In my arms. Hell, my chest hurts just from the concept of holding her.
I want her nearer. I want her home. The property spread out below us has plenty of forestland that isn’t visible from where we stand, but from this angle I can show her the front pastures and the house, less than a speck in the distance, the razorbacks looming as a line of hazy grays that merge with the threatening sky.
I love that Coyote Falls perches between the two mountains. Something always draws me back to this place. Valiant Peak lets me see the front half of the property I worked my ass off for after my accident and fills me with something akin to pride, though I’ll never admit it.
“Wow.” Lanie stands stock-still. “I didn’t think you could top that view before, but wow.”
“Coyote Falls.” I stand behind her, my hands framing her hips where they flare from a tight waist. I bite back the urge to slide my hands around her, familiarize myself with every inch of her body. Curves like hers should be illegal.
“Which bit?” Lanie cranes forward, searching the area.
I hold back a laugh, merging the twisted sound into something bittersweet. If I’ve read her wrong, I’ll find out what sort of woman she is soon enough.
“All of it.”
Lanie half turns toward me, her gaze flicking up and back. “Are you kidding?”
I raise one shoulder and drop it. “Technically, Coyote Falls stops where the town starts at this end. Here. That bit there…” I point the boundary out.
“That part is Jed’s. And it stops in the other direction…
” I wave a hand to the north. “Somewhere up there. Where the trees end and the mountains start.”
“You’re serious?” She swivels in my arms, pressing her hands lightly on my shoulders.
I study her face thrown into relief by the sliver of sunlight cast over us. Her wide eyes return my gaze as I shove the seed of doubt deep. “I’d say scout’s honor, but I never got to be a scout. Will the word of a rodeo rancher do you?”
One who owns all that land? I feel like an asshole testing her, but I’ve been caught out too many times in the past. That doesn’t stop my stomach from knotting as I search her eyes.
“Do you have falls there? Coyotes?” Lanie’s brow dips in the center. “I can’t imagine owning anything like this. Staying in one place terrifies me, but you have so much freedom.” Her voice softens, so quiet that I barely catch the end of her words.
She really does hate the idea of being tied down—that’s interesting.
I coil a garnet curl around one finger and then tuck it behind her ear.
Coyote Falls might be big enough to deal with her fear of being confined to a single location.
Maybe if I can show her what I love about the land, it will be enough to convince her.
Lanie turns back to face the vista, letting me wrap myself around her a little tighter.
“You want to see it?”
“Hell, yes.” Her hand rises to clamp over her mouth. “I mean, if you want to share it with potty mouth me.”
I laugh softly as I nuzzle the skin behind her ear. I flick my tongue out to lick along the tender skin at her throat as she leans back into me and sighs.
“I want.”
The trip back through the cool forest is a whole lot faster than the trip in. Maybe it’s having Lanie at my side, or just near me. Her presence is different from the boys at the ranch. Less intrusive. She’s just… there.
Nor is our silence awkward. Still, I cast about for something to say as we meander back, knowing the sound of the town will intrude on our peace soon.
“I haven’t seen coyotes for a while now, but there’s definitely at least one pack of wolves.
You could probably tell me if there’s more than one. ” I aim for a casual tone.
Her hand tightens around my fingers. “You’d let me do that on your land? You seem kinda protective of it.” She looks at me sideways through her lashes.
I snort. More than you know.
A secret smile plays on her lips. “I might disappear for days. Or more.”
Both of my eyebrows shoot for my hairline. “Do I mind? Seeing someone interested in my land does things to my head. Good things.”
“I’m not much of an indoorsy person, really,” she murmurs, studying her blue boots that look like they might be the only new thing she owns.