Chuckling, Karis removed her earrings then leaned on an elbow on her side. “Oh, that’s awful. Maybe you’ll hire me to clean your room?”
“It’s good the way it is. If anything, you’ll be the mistress of my room.” He snorted a laugh.
“Mistress? You sound like a scoundrel from the nineteenth century.”
Tanyon opened the bottle of wine before getting in bed beside her. When situated, he grabbed the bottle for a swig and handed it to her. “I probably would’ve been a scoundrel.”
She passed on more wine.
He scoffed. “I haven’t always been a gentleman to you since you’ve been back. I’m lucky you didn’t give up or slap me.”
She stacked a pillow on top of the other one to lean against and pulled the blanket to her neck. She groaned at the thought of how much she’d ached because of his behavior. “Truth be known, I had given up… The night in the bed of your truck, before we made love, I had planned on leaving for good. I faced the fact you were done with—”
Tanyon placed his hand behind her head and pressed his lips against her forehead. “I wasn’t done.”
“Kiss me, Tanyon,” she whispered. “I yearn to kiss you. You can trust me. Don’t you miss the intimacy of our kisses?”
Skin bunched around his eyes when he eyed her with a pained stare. “Of course, I do.”
Nausea churned in her belly at the thought of what she’d done to him. She’d stayed away so he never had to see the shell she’d become, but in doing so, she had turned him into the same. Karis lowered her eyes. “You’re still hurt. What can I do to take your pain away?”
“You’re doing it each day. It’s not what you can do but what I must do. My body is, is still living with the agony and fearful it’ll happen again. You don’t know, and I hate to say it, but I fell apart. Without my brothers, the ranch would’ve too. As much as I don’t want it to, the pain rules my thinking. I’m sorry. But we’ll make it on either a full or part-time basis. Whatever I get of you, will have to be enough.”
“Oh, honey. Decisions will be made. You aren’t the only one who needs. I want to be with you, here, full-time. First, arrangements must be made at home. Our future will bind us together. I love you, Tanyon. I’m not living without you in my life again, no matter what.” She lay with her back to him. “Come lie with me.”
Tanyon scooted down, spooning her. He lifted hair from her shoulder and let it fall out of the way. He cupped her breast and lay his head on the same pillow. The warmth of his body and scent of him and wine lulled her toward sleep.
Warm kisses upon her neck brought a smile, telling her it wasn’t sleep time yet. “Mmm. It’s nice being in bed with you like this.” Sparky whined and pawed at the door, but they both ignored him. A distant whistle drew him away. “Someone knows we’re in here together. They called Sparky.”
“I doubt they do but who cares.” Tanyon pulled her shoulder until she lay on her back. His gaze was as hot as a blaze against her face.
She smiled at the heat in his eyes, the straightforward look of his demeanor. Karis cupped her hand around his face. He lowered his body over hers, tilted his head while leaning in toward her mouth. She lifted her face to meet his lips. Her pulse resonated through her ears as her heart beat in cadence with her quick breaths. His body heat could’ve burned her skin. Their gazes connected. Her mouth had become dry. His warm breath fanned her face. “Tanyon,” she whispered.
His eyelashes fluttered. He slipped his hand behind her head with light pressure—enough to let her know of his intention. His eyes closed then their lips tenderly met in a soft yet heated kiss, deepening in intensity, as if he’d let all his heartache go, releasing it into that one kiss.
Nothing existed except she and him. Karis wrapped her arms around him and claimed his mouth, returning it with a kiss as hot as his. The coarse scruff on his face scratched and burned without a care from her. Her world had become bright again as her entire body absorbed his kiss and the arousal accompanying it. Her lower body moved against him. The kiss slowed and came to an end. They opened their eyes, nose to nose, so close now that they breathed each other’s air. Their mouths remained wet, and they looked into each other’s eyes, both panting from nothing more than a kiss…a wild sexy, yearn-filled, magnificent longed for kiss.
Tanyon moved off her to his side and laid his hand over her thigh. “Wow. I cheated myself by withholding that.”
“I have to ditto your wow.” Her breathing still wasn’t back to normal. It had to be the best kiss she’d ever experienced.
He rolled to his back and scooted to a sitting position, focusing on the foot of the bed. “I didn’t know how to deal with you when you’d arrived. Hurting you was easier than giving in. We must be careful. Forgiveness isn’t easy for a stubborn man like me.”
At his revelation, Karis touched his face and ran her thumb over his chin. “I know,” she murmured. “It’ll work this time.”
Tanyon took another swig from the wine bottle, but again, she refused his offer of a drink. He scooted down and held his arms out to her. “Come here. I need to wake up with you right here.”
She lay against him and rested her head on his shoulder. “I’m here.” Here was a place she never wanted to leave. “Good night.”
“Hey, no one said we’re going to sleep. You left me aroused and wanting you in the driveway. Now we are in bed together, and after that kiss do you think we’re drifting off to sleep?” He caressed her back then brought his hand around to cup her breast. “Tonight, one of my dreams came true. Wanna contribute to another one?”
Mine too. “Is your dream making love in your bed condom free?”
“Any way you want it. Condom or not.” Tanyon smiled. “It’s a risk.”
“I don’t see it as a risk. I see it as whatever happens, happens. Flesh to flesh? I don’t want to use anything tonight. Give me you.”
“Scoot over.” He dropped his trunks to the floor. Stretching out atop her, he whispered, “You have no idea how long I’ve waited for this.”
His sexy gray gaze met hers. Karis couldn’t help but smile. Happiness swathed her body. “Yes, I do. For as long as I have. Mmm,” she cried out when he gave her all of him in one intrepid thrust. Their lips met. They kissed unabashedly—tongue against tongue, wet kisses, hot mouths opened wide— ravenously and unable to get enough of each other. They instinctively gave pleasure—their combined sighs and soft moans proving it with each thrust and acceptance, each squeeze of him inside of her. The most wonderful out-of-this-world enjoyment overtook her, working its way into a resounding climax. Heat from within exploded over her body as they moved so peacefully together. “Tanyon, honey. Hold me. Hold me. Never let me go.”
“I got ya, darlin’. You’re not going anywhere except wherever you are right now.”
∞∞∞
Movement woke Karis in a start. Darkness loomed. She let out a breath when Tanyon changed positions, and he crossed his leg over hers. He nuzzled his face into her neck. The smell of his hair was masculine instead of sweet like hers in her pillows. Earlier, during their second time, she’d given him no mercy. Picturing them entwined together in passion aroused her yet again.
“Are you awake?”
She gulped. “Uh-huh.” A knowing smile lingered on her lips. “Go back to sleep. Let me lie here and revel in holding you.”
“Sounds good, but I’m holding you.”
“Same thing.” His body this close heated her emotionally as well as physically. This is lovely. A half hour later her thoughts wouldn’t stop, and she was unable to fall asleep. She could be only hours pregnant right now. A thought passed through her mind. “Tanyon…”
He lifted his head. “What happened? Who’s hurt?”
“Everything’s fine. Do you want me to get pregnant?”
He rolled to his back and placed his hands behind his head. “What’s this now?”
Her throat tightened. “To keep me from leaving?”
“Karis, for cris
sakes!” He got out of bed to go to the bathroom.
She waited.
Tanyon left the door open when he came out. He returned and sat on the side of the bed. “What’s the matter with you? You’re the one who didn’t want to use anything. I know a baby couldn’t hold you here if you didn’t want to stay. That’s when it’d go south for me. I wouldn’t have you or our child.” He got back in bed and leaned on his elbow facing her, his other hand resting on her midriff. “I wouldn’t care if you did though, and I hope you wouldn’t leave. I thought you weren’t leaving.”
“I’m not, honey.”
“Would you care?”
If she had cared, she never would’ve had sex without protection. “My life is changing, and I have no choice but to accept the changes. I’d love a child who was a part of us.”
He lay down on his back and pulled her close. “There was a time after you left, I’d wished you had gotten pregnant. It would’ve been some miracle to swim through a condom.”
“It would not have been good timing with my brother’s…”
“Say it. With your brother’s death. You have to say the word in order to accept it. You as a psychologist should know that.”
She lifted her head from his shoulder. “What if I don’t want to face it?”
“Come here.” He pulled her on top of him and caressed her back. “Relax. It’ll come when you’re ready. Go ahead and cry.”
He never should’ve given her permission to sob. More tears fell, wetting her face and his chest. “I’m s-s-sorry,” she whispered, sobs stuttering her words. “I’m sorry for so damn much. Thank you.”
“Honey, I’ve been here waiting for you to need me. Yeah, I admit to a little hard-headedness but always waiting.”
“I needed you then but didn’t know how much. Grief laid over me like a lead blanket, blocking any other emotion. Now, I do know… If I had to do it over, I would’ve—”
“Great, then we’re even.”
∞∞∞
Heat on her face proved daylight sprang through the windows like sparklers on a holiday. She draped her arm over her face to block the sun and dropped her other arm to the side of the bed. Squinting, she raised to her elbow. “Tanyon?” A sword swipe sliced through her forehead upon opening her eyes. Karis lowered herself back to the bed. The door opened, and she covered her face with the blanket.
“Good morning!”
“You’re cheery this morning while my head is splitting.” She removed the blanket from over her head and didn’t have to force a smile upon seeing him.
“I figured. Here’s two aspirin, water, and coffee. Ready to go get breakfast?” He chuckled. “Thought you were riding with us this morning. We’re ready.”
She sat up abruptly, another mistake. “Oh, no. Why’d you let me sleep in?”
Tanyon sat on the side of the bed and set the coffee on the side table. He took her hand, dropped the pills in, and closed her fingers over them. “You aren’t going anywhere. Get yourself together and plan on the afternoon trail ride instead.”
Karis glimpsed the clock on his side. “No, I’ll catch up with you all.” She searched around for her clothes. “Is anyone left in the house?”
He stood and pulled on a denim shirt over his t-shirt. “This place is never empty. Max is downstairs.”
Karis threw her pillow at him.
Again, he laughed. She loved seeing him like this as much as waking in his bed. “We’ve had a lot of firsts lately. I never woke in your room before.”
He grinned. “I like it.”
“We can’t keep doing it because others will talk. I don’t want a reputation, and I don’t want to be called the favorite.” She swallowed the aspirins with water.
“For Pete’s sake, this isn’t high school. I’ll say it again… You are my favorite, and I don’t give—”
“Yeah, I know. You don’t care what anyone thinks. I do, so don’t tell those naughty ranch hands I’m your favorite.”
“You’re damn right I’ll tell them. If they want to keep working here, they better keep their mouths shut and be respectful toward you and every other woman around here.” Tanyon sat down to pull off his boots and exchange them for a beat-up pair.
“See what I mean? Listen to you. You shouldn’t have to think this way.”
“Hey, do I need to put an adjoining door between our rooms? I will so we can sneak back and forth. Is that how you want our relationship to be? Sneaky?”
“No, not at all. Don’t you dare build a door.”
“Then there will be times you’ll wake in my bed. Summer goes by too fast, and you’ll be gone again.” He checked his watch then tapped it. “See? Time is already speeding by. I have to go.”
Karis groaned. “Which field are you going to today? I want to ride in the right direction when I go out.”
He smirked. “We’re taking the newbies with us to work on fences near the bulls and cows, but we’re taking the truck. Should be fun, huh? I can see those greenhorns blushing now. I want you to do the trail ride both afternoon and evening. Go back to sleep.”
“For once, I’ll listen to you.” Karis chuckled then set her coffee down and held her head. “Don’t make me laugh.”
He leaned down to kiss atop her head. “I wanna make you laugh. I’ll see you later.” He picked up his hat and strode to the door.
“Hey, sexy.”
He pivoted before turning the knob. “Huh?”
“Last night was marvelous from beginning to end.”
“It sure was, babe.” He winked then opened the door.
“Hold on. I’ll ask again. Do you know what happened to my car keys?”
“Yeah.” He put his hat on, hurried to his side of the bed, picked up his jeans, and checked the pockets. “I…I’ve had them.”
Karis threw off the covers then yanked them back over her naked self. “How did you get my keys?”
“I found them. Well, damn, they aren’t in my pocket—”
“What do you mean, you found them? Now they are lost?”
He shrugged. “I don’t have time to search for them now.” He tossed a set of keys. “Take the beater truck if you need to go anywhere. It’ll get you there.”
She picked up the key ring from within the blanket. “Thank you, but we need to find them in case my mom calls and needs me before I go see her and the kids.”
Tanyon sighed. “I have to get to work.”
“Wait. I need some personal items from my trunk. I have to have my keys.”
“If your mom needs something, let me know. I’ll come back.”
“I will, you know. Find my keys.”
He nodded then strutted to the door, giving her a smile that made him doubly handsome and her doubly wet even with a hangover.
How would she get out of here without being seen? Karis scanned the room again, leaned over, and spotted her jeans on the floor. Sheesh, her room key had fallen out of her pocket too, so she picked it up, got dressed, and finished the coffee. How had he gotten her keys? It didn’t matter now because they were still lost.
Karis ran her fingers through her hair while glancing at the cup and water. She shouldn’t leave them in his room. Here goes nothing. First, she opened the door, peeked an eyeball out to see if anyone lingered in the hallway. No one did, so she hurried over to unlock her door, open it a crack, and ran back for the cup and glass—again rushing back to her room and ducking inside. Taking a deep breath, she leaned against the door.
Her heart and head pounded. The bruise and bump didn’t help. This day couldn’t end soon enough. She wanted to crawl back into bed to sleep it off. Maybe she could. The trail ride wouldn’t begin until around eleven-fifteen. She had time before getting out there to tack the horses. She set the cup and glass down on the long narrow table by the door beneath an oak trimmed mirror. Look out bed, here I come.
∞∞∞
Karis woke to talking in the hallway. She checked her phone for the time. “Oh, no!” She brushed her teeth an
d hair, changed her clothes, pulled on her boots, and jerked the door open only to run into Tanyon exiting his room.
He glimpsed his watch then frowned. “You’re here?”
“I’m sorry.” She rushed to the stairway.
“Hey.” He called again, louder, “Hey.”
She ran halfway down then stopped. “I need to go.”
“You needed to go an hour ago.” He came toward her, but she ran down and out the front door. Karis hurried to the barn to get Joanie Girl, but she wasn’t there. Most of the trail horses were gone, meaning a lot of riders had signed up for a lunchtime ride.
Tanyon strode in behind her. “How come you’re not on the trail? Aren’t you feeling well?”
“I wasn’t so I rested and you know the rest. Which horse should I take?”
“Hold on.” His tone wasn’t friendly. He dialed and lifted the phone to his ear. “Hey, Fox, are you by chance on the lunch trail ride?”
She tapped her foot while waiting when she should’ve been tacking a horse.
“Do you have enough supervisors?” Tanyon asked his trail boss.
Karis worried when he shook his head and frowned again. Oh oh.
“Let me see if I can get a hold of Cade or another of my brothers.”
“I’m going,” Karis said, gripping his shirt sleeve.
“All right,” Tanyon said into the phone but jerked his arm away from her. “I’ll get right back with you, Fox.” He hung up, but before calling a brother, he said, “What the hell? I depended on you to do your job.”
“I said I’m sorry. Look, I am doing my job. I’m heading out.” She strode into the tack room and came out with tack. Outside Ginger’s stall, she laid the saddle over the saddle rack and the harness over a hook, glimpsing him on the phone again. She padded toward him, but before she could speak, he cut her off.
“I said forget it.”
“Stop it. It isn’t too late. I’ll send Fox back. I know you need him. How’d it go with the fencing this morning?”
Imprisoned In A Cowboy's Heart (Two-Five Ranch Outlaws Book 1) Page 14
