by Sabrina York
Emma grinned with a delight Lizzie hadn’t seen in a long while. “I’m happy, too,” she said as she returned Sam’s hug. “I like having a big family.”
Lizzie leaned against Danny, reveling in the warmth of his arm around her. He looked down at her and smiled. And, for the moment, everything was perfect.
* * *
Danny was amused that Emma and Lizzie’s first dinner at the ranch was like a fancy party—very much unlike the workday dinners where they all tromped in, exhausted, and ate in relative silence.
But tonight, as everyone headed into the dining room, the atmosphere was so festive it felt like a party. And why not? Lizzie and Emma were here. Danny felt like celebrating, as well.
When Lizzie had walked back into his life—was it almost ten months ago?—he could never have imagined this change of events, never dreamed he could be so happy. So fulfilled. But then, to be honest, back then, he hadn’t felt worthy of such blessings.
Well, he felt worthy now. He felt capable now and confident that he did, indeed, have something of value to offer his child. He just didn’t know if Lizzie saw it that way. He vowed to show her in whatever way he could.
Could she ever overlook what an idiot he’d been before he’d come here? Before he’d grown up?
He hoped so.
As they took their seats around the dinner table, Dorthea insisted that Danny sit on one side of her and Emma sit on the other. As these were places of prominence, at least for a five-year-old, Emma was pleased. But she insisted Luke sit next to her, and for once, he seemed content to be commanded.
He and Emma put their heads together and talked while the conversation carried on around them as Sam and Mark brought out the food.
Throughout the meal, his grandmother made it a point to entertain him, launching into a series of stories about her late son—his prodigal father—and her husband, who had so recently passed away. The stories were mostly funny, but they made Danny a little sad because he’d never met either of the men. As much as he realized he was grateful to have found the Stirlings, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of loss for the connection he’d missed out on with his father. And his grandfather, too.
He stabbed a piece of meat with his fork and pushed down the emotion. Why lament the past when the present was so good?
By dessert, everyone was telling stories about their childhood and what it was like growing up on the ranch, joking with Emma about how she’d be a cowgirl in no time.
Emma, who’d been excited to begin with, picked up on their energy. With that—and a very sweet dessert of cake and ice cream—she fairly hummed with it. Since Lizzie had insisted on limiting her sugar intake during her six month recuperation, this sudden influx was particularly potent. Her voice became louder and her laugh more forced. She interrupted people and ignored Lizzie’s gentle admonitions to be polite. It was Danny’s first experience with an overstimulated child, and it was an eye-opener.
“Now you see why she doesn’t get ice cream every night,” Lizzie said in an undertone.
“Yeah,” he said. “Good idea.”
When Emma suddenly yawned, Lizzie began trying to suggest it was time for bed. Luckily, she had some help.
“Oh, you must be tired,” Mark said, noticing Lizzie’s struggle with the little girl.
He noticed a lot of things, Danny found. “It’s been a long day for all of us,” he said, slipping his arm around Lizzie. “You ready to turn in?” He caught a sudden glimmer in her eye, and an answering thrill rolled through him like thunder, but he forced himself to ignore it. He’d resolved himself to give Lizzie all the space she needed to get used to the place...and the idea of staying.
“We probably should,” Lizzie said on a sigh. “Come on, honey. Bedtime.”
Emma looked horrified. “But Mommy...”
Danny cleared his throat. He was kind of new at this parenting game, but he knew enough to back Lizzie up. “You heard your mom. Time for bed, Emma.”
She stilled. Met his gaze with one of her own. Yeah, he was new at this game, but he could recognize a rebellion when he saw it. So he added, “We need to get a lot of sleep if we’re going to explore the ranch tomorrow.”
He was pretty sure she was trying to decide how serious he really was. She must have decided he was indeed serious because she sighed heavily, then turned to Luke and said, “Sorry. I gotta go now. I’ll see you tomorrow?”
Luke grinned. “Okay, kiddo.”
“’Night, Emma,” everyone chorused.
And as he and Lizzie followed Emma back to their rooms, Lizzie leaned over and murmured to Danny, “Pretty good. For a beginner.” And then she winked.
* * *
Storytime was difficult for Lizzie that night. For one thing, Emma really was hyper, and for another, there was Danny, on the other side of her, long and lean, tan and warm, reading Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle like a sexy children’s-book model or something. It was hard for Lizzie to focus.
Then, after they suffered the ubiquitous barrage of “one more chapter,” they tucked Emma in, kissed her good-night and turned out the light.
As he walked her down the hall to her door, Danny whispered, “If you want, you can come over to my room when she’s asleep.” Lizzie’s heart did a little flip-flop. “We can...talk.”
Talk? “Mmm,” she murmured, in an effort to remain blasé.
“Is that a yes?”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “We’ll see.” Then she pushed him back toward his own room. “Good night,” she said in a louder voice for Emma’s benefit, then closed her door on his too-handsome face.
As much as she wanted to go to his room and...talk, she was torn. This was Emma’s first night in a new room, a new house, a new environment. Shouldn’t Lizzie be here in case she woke up and was frightened? Of course she should.
With a huff, she relaxed on the bed and picked up the book on her night table. She flipped to her bookmark and began to read.
But it had been so long since she and Danny had been together. Really together. Alone. And while she’d always considered herself a logic-driven woman, she couldn’t deny that since they’d reunited in that way, she’d gone through some great awakening, like a cocoon opening up to release a beautiful butterfly.
A horny butterfly.
It was all she could think about sometimes, being with him like that. And when she thought of it, her body reacted. Warming, melting, aching. At one point today, when she’d been loading the truck, a box had grazed her breast. The arousal had been so intense, she’d nearly dissolved right there.
She didn’t remember being quite this voracious back in Vegas—and that was saying something.
Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to just pop over to Danny’s room. Maybe they could just have a quick...chat, and then she could nip right back when they were through. That would work.
But what would she say if Emma woke up while she was gone? Or—egads—what if she walked in on them? She sighed. No. She wasn’t going over to Danny’s room. Not tonight, anyway.
She turned back to her book.
But what was the chance Emma would wake up? She rarely did at home. And Lizzie wouldn’t be gone long, right?
In a rush, she got up and tiptoed through the bathroom to peek in on Emma. She was asleep, on her back with her arms splayed out, her mouth open wide. A gentle snore rose, and with it, a tingle in Lizzie’s gut.
With extreme stealth, she closed Emma’s door, tiptoed back to her own room and closed that door, as well. Then she made her way across the hall.
The second she tapped on his door, it opened and a large hand shot out and pulled her inside.
“What took so long? Is everything okay with Emma? Did she fall asleep in the new bed or was she too nervous? What about—?”
“Danny! Emma’s fine. I promise.” While she knew they were both thinking about, well, othe
r things, it was clear that he also had their daughter’s comfort in mind. He really was growing into fatherhood, more and more every day. “Does this door lock?” He showed her that it did. “We have to make this quick,” she said. “I have to get back in case she wakes up.”
“Quick?” He put out a lip. “I wasn’t planning on quick.”
“Well, it’s quick or nothing, buddy,” she said, using her body to back him toward the bed. She stalled when she saw he’d sprinkled rose petals in the shape of a heart on the duvet. “Oh! How lovely.”
“Do you like it?” He lifted her and laid her into the petals.
“It smells wonderful. Thank you.”
“My pleasure.” He eased her back and hovered over her, his heat searing her.
“Where did you get them?”
He leaned down and kissed her neck. A warm, wet shiver rocked her. “In the garden. Don’t tell Dorthea.”
She returned the gesture, nuzzling his neck, as well. It was only good manners. Besides, she wanted to taste him. And, yes, his skin was smooth and warm, and his scent intoxicated her. His fingers closed on her breast, and she caught her breath as she waited, suspended, for him to find that tender bundle of aching nerves at its crest. When he touched her there, it was like a live wire. She couldn’t hold back her moan. He responded by taking her mouth in another kiss.
Determinedly, he stripped away her clothes, piece by piece, until she was bare before him. And then he stilled. Stared. “God, you’re beautiful.” He caressed her body with a soft touch that made her shiver.
“Danny,” she sighed as she opened her arms to him.
He quickly undressed, then came down at her side and kissed her breast, in a teasing tormenting way, as he stroked the other.
“You’re going to make me crazy,” she sighed.
He merely chuckled and kept on circling her nipple with that damned finger.
She decided to turn the tables, and levered over him, straddling him with her body. His hard length thrummed against her cleft, sending shivers through her. But she didn’t allow herself to be deterred. She alternately teased his nipples and rubbed against his arousal, being very careful not to allow him too much pleasure, even though it drove her mad, as well.
Fortunately, Danny was an impatient man. With a growl, he rolled her over and pinned her down. “Oh, Lizzie.” He kissed her deeply as he nudged against her aching core.
Her pulse pounded...more than usual. There was just something exhilarating about being together this way, knowing that at any moment they could be caught. Sure, the door was locked, but even hearing a knock would be a disaster. Especially now.
“Hurry,” she whispered. “Hurry.”
To her chagrin, Danny shifted his weight, and made his way down her body, nibbling and nipping here and there, stroking her in tender spots all the while.
Yes, she was in a hurry. Yes, she’d planned to do this in a rush. But knowing where he was headed, she couldn’t bring herself to stop him. If there was one thing Danny did well, it was worship a woman.
And, ah. When he found her... His breath skated over her super-sensitized nerves as he tasted her. The simple swipe of his tongue made her head spin, made her belly lurch. She arched into him with a groan.
Her body sang as the tension in her rose. Her heart thudded and she struggled for breath. “D-Danny...” she burbled as she felt the start of something glorious lift her. “Now.”
Thank God, he was listening, that some part of his brain was still engaged. He moved up between her legs and guided himself into her. He filled her completely, seating himself deep within her with a sigh.
She could have stayed like that forever, except they both wanted more, needed more. He gave it to her like a beast, claiming her with hard hot strokes, each one driving her deeper into bliss. She could feel it, could tell when he came close to release. His body tightened like a bowstring and his lunges became more and more frenzied.
She didn’t care. The delight that had been stalking her blossomed with a mind-boggling intensity, and then crashed over her like a wave of refreshing warm sea water on a Caribbean beach.
Danny crested, too, crying out her name and arching over her.
He collapsed, gasping, and then, after a while, when his breathing was nearly normal again, he leaned over and framed her face in his hands and kissed her. “Lizzie.” A whisper.
Then, when she tried to leave the bed, to go back to her room, he pulled her closer and murmured, “Stay awhile.”
And she did.
Because this nest was too delicious to leave just now.
Chapter Eleven
Lizzie rolled over and cuddled closer to the hard warmth next to her. It was nice warmth. Smelled good. Her questing hand encountered smooth skin and followed it down Danny’s chest until she found his stirring member.
“Mmm.” His response was a sleepy mumble.
She smiled. She liked waking up in his bed. It was—
And then it hit her. Crap!
She’d slept here. All night.
She bolted upright, rummaged around for her clothes, and—damn it all, anyway—ran as fast as she could back to her room and collapsed on the bed, her heart pounding.
Thank heaven Emma wasn’t up yet.
She really had to be more careful. How on earth would she explain this to a five-year-old?
She probably would have to explain...something, if this continued. But she didn’t need to have that conversation with Emma today.
With a sigh, she stood, adjusted her blouse and knocked on Emma’s adjoining door. There was no response, so she knocked again, then opened the door...to an empty room.
Emma wasn’t there.
Her pulse stuttered. Panic flared.
Emma wasn’t there. Where was she?
She whirled into Danny’s room and caught him putting on a shirt. His back muscles rippled. She nearly lost her train of thought as something primal within her roared. With effort, she wrenched her attention away from that panoply of perfection. “We have to find Emma. She’s not in her room.”
Danny grinned and kissed her on the forehead. “She’s probably out playing.”
Lizzie shook her head, trying to get control of her panic. “She never gets up without me. She always comes and wakes me up.” Yes, she knew she sounded hysterical. She felt hysterical. Emma had never done something like this before. Never done anything without telling Lizzie what she was up to.
“All right. Calm down. Why don’t we go find her together?”
Lizzie nodded and cuddled against him. He put his arm around her shoulder as they headed for the stairs. “This house is just so big,” she said in a wail as they rounded another corner.
“I know.” He gave her a squeeze as they came down the stairs and headed for the kitchen. “Mark lives in one of the smaller cabins.”
“Cabins?” She glanced up at him as they walked.
“Yeah. A little farther out on the property. For crew members with family. They’re nice.” Was that a hopeful glance?
She couldn’t dwell on interpreting his intentions at the moment. She was too—
Her lungs locked as she spotted Emma wearing her bunny ears, on her knees on a kitchen chair so she could lean closer to Luke across the table. The two were engaged in a deep conversation.
Oh, thank God. “Emma!” she cried, in too high a pitch apparently, because her daughter’s head swiveled and her eyes widened with a look that said, “What’d I do?”
“Emma,” she repeated in a calmer tone. “Good morning. I, ah...” Her gaze landed on Emma’s outfit. “You dressed yourself! Oh, honey.” Nothing matched, of course, but it made Lizzie smile.
Emma beamed with pride. “Yup. I’m getting all grown-up.” Something in Lizzie’s chest pinged. “You see? I can do things for myself.”
Yes. She could.
But it was so hard for Lizzie to let go of the precautions she’d had to take for over two years—to keep her daughter alive. And now, thanks to Luke, Emma’s body could create her own protection from nearly every germ she encountered. But surely, she still needed her mother. Didn’t she?
“You are doing great, Emma,” Danny said, sliding into the chair beside her. “But we’re still being careful. Right?”
As Emma nodded, her bunny ears flopped.
“I think your mom may be a little worried, though.” Emma peeped at her over his shoulder. “I think she’s worried that we, all three of us, have a lot to learn about living on a farm.”
“Ranch,” Luke amended.
“There’s lots of machines and animals. Some dangerous stuff. Lots of new things to learn about safety.”
Lizzie nodded. “I was terrified when you weren’t in your room. You’ve never gone off without me before.”
Emma pouted. “I came down here to see Uncle Luke.”
“Yes. Yes. That’s fine, honey. We’d just feel better if you check in with us before you do things. Just until we all get used to living here. Okay?” Hopefully that didn’t come out as too controlling, but God only knew what kind of ideas a curious child could come up with on a ranch. And Emma had been sequestered for a huge chunk of her life. All she wanted to do was explore.
The thought made Lizzie’s blood run cold. She knew she was overreacting. But would it be so terrible to be overprotective for a little while longer? She didn’t want to smother her child, but a balance was hard to find sometimes.
Thankfully, Emma crossed her arms and issued a reluctant, “Okay, Mommy.”
Relief coursed through her and she hugged her daughter. She knew that as time went on, Emma would demand more independence—which was as it should be. Lizzie would have to start learning to let go. Whether she wanted to or not.
* * *
After they all ate breakfast together, Luke took Emma to the barn to see the animals—masks on and no petting, per the doctor—as Danny and the others headed out to start on chores, which left Lizzie at a loose end.
