Embracing Today, a firefighter romance: (The Trading Yesterday Series, #3)

by Kahlen Aymes

  “I’m looking forward to spending time with them.”

  “They’ll fall in love with Dark, and Remi really wants a puppy, so she’ll adore Gem. They’ll have so much fun. I wish you could push back starting at the diner,” he said regretfully.

  “I know. Me, too, but I don’t see how I can. Arlene was so nice to offer, I can’t can on her.”

  “I don’t think you even need that job,” Ben protested.

  “Maybe not, but it will be good to get out. I can’t just sit on the ranch all day. Especially now that I have to do the dirty work,” I teased lightly.

  “You think so, huh?”

  It would be sad next week when I wouldn’t see him as much, and I was thinking about what he said. I really didn’t need the job at the diner. Taking care of the ranch would keep me busy enough and maybe I could solicit a few more horses to board, but it would help me meet people and get back to normal. “I do.”

  We continued holding each other in the middle of my bed, though I wanted more and sensed that Ben did, too.

  “It’s going to be a busy week. Try to get some sleep, honey.” His hand slid up my arm and gave a little squeeze near my shoulder.

  My heart fell. “Sleep?”

  “Yes, and no more bad dreams. I command you,” he said, amusement lacing his voice.

  I drew in a frustrated breath, my hand sliding down his chest and lower, but his hand closed over my wrist, stopping me.

  “Plenty of time for making love to come. If you still want to.”

  I wondered if he was joking as my body quickened and the air between us electrified. “I want to,” I whispered.

  Almost involuntarily, my hips arched toward his, and my chin lifted. Mouth open, I was silently begging him to kiss me. It was the truth. In that second, all of my fear of losing him melted away and all I wanted was to be in his arms, his body possessing mine, his mouth consuming me.

  “Well, that’s good, because if you didn’t, I might not survive.” His voice was low and hungry.

  He was so chivalrous and romantic, it only made me want him more. I didn’t want to come off as a wanton slut, but I wished with my entire being he wouldn’t make us wait. “What about a quickie?” I teased.

  He laughed and instantly, I was taken by surprise when Ben rolled on top of me, pinning me to the bed and parted my legs with his muscular ones. “Listen, woman, there will be no quickies. Not with you.” His hand gently pushed my hair back. “Only long, slow, amazing, delicious nights together.”

  I could feel that he was already hard; my loose knit shorts barely providing a barrier between us. Suddenly, I wished I’d worn something sexier to bed.

  I smiled softly; the promise made a thrill shoot through every cell in my being.

  “Got it?” he pressed his erection into my tender flesh emphasizing the words, leaving me in no doubt of his desire. Ben laughed sexily, sending a jolt of lust straight through my core.

  “Uhhh,” I lamented. “Not yet, but I’m hoping to,” I said, half joking and arching my hips in answer. Our eyes met, his sparkling in the darkness.

  Ben groaned and dropped his head, burring his face in my neck and hair. “Marin, stop teasing me. I promised myself that I wouldn’t push you. After the last time and your regret afterward, I decided you needed more time.”

  “You may be right, I probably do, but I don’t want to wait, Ben. Here, right now, in your arms, I’ve never wanted anything more,” I admitted honestly, hooking my legs around both of his, and digging a heel into the back of one of his thighs.

  His face sobered as our eyes locked. “I want you so badly, but there will be no going back. The first time was giving into desire, now, tonight or whenever it happens again, is a conscious decision. I sense something is holding you back. Maybe not sexually, but emotionally, and when I make love to you again, I want you to be ready and all in. I want all of you.”

  I swallowed at the unspoken meaning behind the words. I reached up and slid my fingers down one side of his face. The most beautiful, handsome face would be burned into my memory forever. This moment would be burned into my memory forever. My heart was bursting inside my chest

  “I love you, Ben,” the words were out before I could stop them. I paused, afraid of the implications… and of my own fear. “I love you…” I whispered, again. I’d never meant anything more… though the strength of it terrified me. Would Ben be taken from me, would something bad happen to him? Instantly I regretted my words thinking I’d blighted us, but even left unsaid, it was the truth.

  Ben’s mouth lowered and he kissed me deeply, sweetly, and so lovingly, both hands cupping the sides of my face, his body still covering mine. My mouth opened to his and our tongues melded together in an incredible dance of love and desire. Slow and sensual; I melted into a puddle and I knew he loved me, too.

  “I know it’s crazy given that we’ve known each other only a few weeks, but I love you, too, Marin. So much, I can’t breathe.”

  “Ben,” I said breathlessly, ghosting my fingertips over his strong jaw, but he shook his head.

  “You’re scared of something. I don’t know what it is, but I feel it hovering between us. We could make love tonight and it would be earth shattering, but it will be everything when you trust me completely and you’re not afraid. I want you, but I want you forever, so I’m willing to wait until you can trust me. I will be here, and I’m not going anywhere.” His mouth traced lightly over my lips and up to my cheekbone and temple as his words sank in. “I can wait. However long it takes for you to believe that.”

  Ben backed away and off of me but pulled me to him so that my head rested on his chest. His arms engulfed me in my stunned silence. My hand slid down his impressive chest to slip around his waist and I held on for dear life.

  “You want me forever?” There was thunder inside my chest, my soul soaring. I’d never used that word with anyone before, never even thought about it. Not Carter even when he duped me into believing that he loved me.

  Ben’s arms tightened around me and his warm lips pressed a kiss on my temple. “I do,” he said simply. “Now get to sleep. You’ll need it. Dylan and Remi will run our asses off a few hours from now.”

  As much as I wanted Ben’s hands and mouth on me, sleeping in his arms would have to be enough tonight. His strength and willingness to wait for me filled me with incredible love. Waiting would be difficult, but maybe time would ease some of my worry and help me to banish the bad dream. I couldn’t bear to think of my life without Ben… not ever. I closed my eyes and pressed my forehead to the base of Ben’s throat where his pulse assured me of his life-force. I inhaled his scent committing it to memory.

  “Can’t wait.” I looked forward to completely immersing myself in Ben’s life and that included his family. I couldn’t wait to see him interact with the little kids, but I knew he’d be perfect in that, too.

  ***

  Ben’s tuck rambled up the drive followed closely behind by a shiny dark blue Toyota Avalon, obviously Missy’s rental. His truck stopped next to mine on the gravel in front of the house as I waited anxiously on the front porch holding Gem in my arms. Ben got out and two rambunctious youngsters piled out of the passenger seat of the truck then rushed around to his side.

  “Uncle Ben! Uncle Ben!”

  “Can we go in the barn and see the pony, now?” They both spoke at once. A little girl with pink cheeks and shoulder-length dark hair was followed by a sandy-haired boy a little taller and both rushed up to Ben clamoring for his attention. His handsome face was filled with joy as the wind blew his hair off of his forehead.

  My heart filled when he placed one large hand on the top of each of their heads. “Well, let’s get your moms and Jace out of the car then go meet Marin first. It’s her ranch, remember? I told you.”

  Two glamorous women in sunglasses climbed out of the front seat of the rental car. The brunette was visibly pregnant, and she opened the back door on her side and leaned in, soon emerging with a dark blonde to
ddler in her arms. The other woman had long lighter blonde hair, who I assumed was Dylan’s mother, walked toward the youngsters and her brother.

  “Hey kids, chill a little, will ya? We’ve got all week here. We don’t need to bombard Uncle Ben the minute we step foot out of the car.” She smiled and lifted a hand in a wave to me as I began my way toward them across the yard. “You must be Marin!” A genuine smile broke across her face and she opened her arms to welcome me into them. “Is this okay? I’m a hugger!”

  I nodded and quickly set Gem on the ground at my feet. She immediately scampered off in the direction of Ben and the kids. “Of course! It’s so nice to meet you!” I could see the resemblance, though her hair was lighter than Ben’s which more resembled his young nephew’s.

  By now, the other woman who carried a sleepy little boy, came closer. “This is my friend, Teagan.” The toddler hid his face in the curve of his mother’s neck, turning to peek at me.

  “Nice to meet you,” I said.

  “You, also,” she agreed with a smile. “Thank you for having us. The kids have been looking forward to it for weeks.”

  “Mom! Don’t forget us!” Dylan spouted off; coming forward and offering his little hand to me. “I’m Dylan, and this is Remi.” He nodded to the beautiful green-eyed little girl standing next to him. “Thank you for inviting us on a real cowboy weekend!”

  I shook his proffered hand, smiling from ear to ear.

  Quite the little gentleman, I thought.

  “Well, aren’t you quite charming? It’s nice to meet you, both!”

  “Yeah! He’s charming,” Remi said with a grin, “and I’m his damsel.”

  “Oh, really?” I laughed, cocking one eyebrow. Ben told me the kids were being raised together, and it was cute the way Remi made the distinction. “And who is this little one?” I asked nodding to the shy little boy in Teagan’s arms.

  “That’s just Jace. He’s two!” Dylan piped up. Ben was smiling from ear to ear, happiness in every inch of his face. He must miss them very much.

  “He’s my little brother. May I hold your puppy, please?” Remi asked quietly, her eyes trained on Gem who was sniffing everyone’s feet. She was growing rapidly and would soon be too large to carry and I wondered if Remi would be able to hold her, but her little arms were already reaching out for her. “This is Gem,” I answered with a nod. “I’m sure she’d love playing with you, Remi.”

  “Gem? Wow! This is the kind of doggy I want! My dad promised, but then we got Jace and now the new baby, so I have to wait. When I get one it’s gonna be a girl and I’m gonna name her Jewel!”

  “That’s sorta the same as Gem! Isn’t that cool?” Dylan observed.

  “Yeah!” Remi answered.

  I laughed out loud at their youthful exuberance. “It certainly is. Amazing coincidence.” Gemmy started licking Remi’s face profusely the minute the little girl picked her up in her arms. “She’s getting heavy so you can set her down if you’d like. She’ll stay with us.”

  “Is it okay to hold her for a while?” Remi asked. “I just love her so much, already!”

  “Of course.” I nodded.

  “Remi don’t sit down in the dirt until you get into your play clothes,” Teagan reminded, gently.

  “Aw, Mom!” she complained.

  “Are you hungry? I happen to have some brownies and milk in the house.” I tried to distract them. They would undoubtedly get filthy on the ranch if they were allowed to have any fun, but I could wash the Wyoming dirt out of their clothes, even manure if needed.

  “Can we go to the barn instead?” Dylan asked boldly. “Can we, Uncle Ben? I want to see Dark! Can we?” he asked cheekily.

  My eyes connected with Ben’s and I nodded almost imperceptibly, silently telling him I didn’t mind. We all chuckled at Dylan’s precociousness.

  “Sorry,” Missy apologized for her son.

  “Oh, no worries. We can get some tea and if little Jace needs a nap, you can put him down in one of the spare rooms.”

  “Thank you so much,” Teagan said. “I think I’m as tired as he is. This pregnancy thing isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.”

  “Unclllleeee Beeeennnnn,” Dylan insisted, yanking on the hem of Ben’s light blue T-shirt. “Pleeeaasssee.”

  “Sure, sport. Remi, do you want to come with us? Gem can tag along if we make sure to keep her out of the stalls.”

  “Can I mom? I won’t sit on anything!” she almost begged, her excitement making her bounce up and down. “Please.”

  “Okay.” Teagan nodded with a smile.

  “Yay!” Remi burst out. “Let’s go!” She set Gemmy on the ground and patted her leg. “Come on, baby! Come on!” Clearly, she didn’t want to be separated from the puppy. Gem yapped enthusiastically and started following her new friends.

  “I got them,” Ben assured the two women. “No worries.” He strode off after the two children. “Hey kids, no screaming! You’ll spook the horses!”

  The trio hurried off toward the barn. “Be careful,” Teagan called after them. “Mind Uncle Ben!”

  “We will!” the kids said, once again in unison.

  “We can get your bags later.” I said with a huffed out laugh. “Come on in. You’ve got some beautiful kids.”

  “They’re so excited,” Missy put in as we climbed the few stairs of the porch to the front door. “They couldn’t wait to get here.”

  “This is a great place. I love all of the fresh air,” Teagan said. “And the views!”

  “Yeah. I really love the mountains.” I opened the door and ushered them inside. “The kitchen is to the right. It’s not much, but it was my Uncle’s house, and I haven’t had time to remodel.”

  “I think it’s perfect,” Missy said. “Ben said you board horses and that you had an auto shop. I’m sorry that burned down. So sad.”

  I wondered if Ben had shared about Carter or just mentioned the fire. “Yes. But if that hadn’t happened, I guess I wouldn’t have met your brother, or now, any of you.” When no mention was made of Carter, I guessed Ben had kept that part to himself.

  “Are you planning on rebuilding?” Teagan asked, genuinely interested. “Because if not, this place would make a great bed and breakfast or how about a dude ranch? We’ve been looking at dude ranches to visit in the area for about a year, and they are in such high demand they’re all fully booked.”

  “Hmm, that’s a good idea, actually.” I mused at the idea as I brought the plate of brownies to the table. “I’m not sure yet. A few mechanics were working for us and I thought I’d rebuild to bring back their jobs, but most of them had already moved on before the fire. So now, I’m not sure. If they want to come back, then I think I should rebuild.”

  “Maybe they could work for you on the dude ranch?” Missy asked.

  I mulled it over for a minute. Some of them might. I’d definitely think it over and discuss it with Ben. “Maybe some might. Help yourself to the brownies. What would you like to drink? I have soda and iced tea, milk, juice or I can make coffee.”

  After I had the two of them situated, Missy with a Diet Pepsi and Teagan and I both a glass of green tea, I sat down at the kitchen table with them. Teagan held her adorable little boy on her lap as he munched on part of a brownie and sipped milk from his sippy cup. “Jace must resemble his daddy,” I observed. Remi had her mother’s coloring.

  Teagan nodded and rolled her eyes with a grin. “Spitting image. Just as impetuous, too.”

  “I not petuous!” Jace insisted, making a chocolatey mess of his hands and face.

  Teagan’s eyebrow shot up wryly. “See what I mean?” she said with a smile, then kissed the top of her little boy’s head. “Are you like Daddy?” Teagan asked.

  He nodded profusely. “Yup!”

  “See?” Teagan laughed.

  “I hope Chase and Jensen will be joining us, too. I’ve heard so much about all of you.” Ben had talked so much about them on the drive from Minnesota I felt like I knew them all.


  “Oh, they wouldn’t miss it! They’re flying out tomorrow evening. Chase has a day game against Peru tomorrow,” Teagan answered. “But it’s at Mile High Stadium. So lucky.”

  “Wow. That’s kind of a big deal,” I said in awe.

  Teagan laughed, happily. “You’ll get used to it. Not a big deal,” she said modestly.

  “She says that, but trust me, Ace Forrester is, indeed, a big deal,” Missy added wryly. “Fans all over the world. It’s sort of insane.”

  I flushed guiltily. “Sorry, I don’t really follow sports.”

  They both laughed. “That’s refreshing! I need a vacation from sports,” Ben’s sister said. “I’m so sick of muscles and locker rooms, I can’t stand it.”

  Soon, we were all giggling. “I can think of worse things than muscles and locker rooms,” I said. I felt completely comfortable around these two and found myself excited for the rest of the weekend.

  “Me, too,” Teagan put in with a sly smile. “Jock straps.”

  We all burst into a tirade of giggles.

  “Jensen is really looking forward to learning to ride horses with the kids,” Missy stated.

  “Chase, too. I wish I could,” Teagan said. “But…” she said, laying a hand on her swollen belly, “I can’t take any chances. I’m going to have to satisfy myself with stuffing my face with s’mores.”

  I nodded, smiling. “Well, Ben has a lot planned for your kids. He’s been like a kid himself; so excited for your visit, but s’mores over an open campfire are an excellent mollifier.”

  “Ben and Dylan have always been close,” Missy added. “We lived with him in Billings during my divorce. He was a Godsend and a great role model.”

  “He misses you; all of you. Teagan, do you know what you’re having?”

  “We just had our twenty-week ultrasound and so yes. It’s a girl.”

  “Oh my gosh! How amazing! Have you named her?”

  “This is our last baby so we’re taking our time deciding on her name. We keep harping on Jensen and Missy to get in gear, though. Dylan needs a sibling!” Teagan reached out and gave a gentle push to Missy’s shoulder.