by Em Petrova
His heart gave a hard roll over as if he’d just jumped from a speeding pickup on the interstate. It took him a long second to recover from his shock. Delaney had asked about him? Dammit, he should have gotten her number from Kashley.
Over the crowd, he heard a sharp whistle that could only belong to West. He looked around and spotted his brother. He shouldered his way through the crush until he reached West.
“This place is fucking nuts. Let’s go. Calhoun circle.”
“Kashley was here, but she’s with the bodyguard now.”
West nodded. “He’ll get her there. C’mon.”
Somehow they made it past the mob. In the back hallways of the arena, he dragged in a deep breath for calm. West threw him a look. “Okay?”
“Yeah. Pretty fucking sick of this.”
“I know the feeling. Let’s play nice and do our best in our events and get the hell outta here.”
Each venue seemed to be worse as the season went on. Or maybe it was the same screaming, demanding fans and irritating reporters and Lane had just hit his wall.
They reached a room, and his family stood there in the circle. Ridge gave them a wild look as they entered. “Where’s Kash?”
“With the bodyguard. They’ll be here in a minute.”
“This is getting out of hand,” Ridge grated out.
Buck held up his hands. “Don’t let them get to you. This isn’t any different from any other arena in any other city. It’s all about perspective.”
“Jeez, when did you mellow out?” Lane asked.
“Two kids’ll do that to you,” Channing said, giving her husband a smile.
“If you ask me, we need to work out these contracts and end it.” Lane’s mumble was heard by all. None seemed surprised he’d verbalized the sentiment.
Malou touched his arm. “You could use a bit of time away.”
“Maybe.” When he thought of all the places he could go—and be mobbed by more fans and TV crews—he figured hiding out on the ranch was best.
Then a thought struck him. Delaney needed help on her ranch and he needed a quiet place out of the public eye.
The bodyguard burst in, Kashley in tow. She scurried into her husband’s waiting arms and they huddled together in the Calhoun circle. He hardly heard the words Buck said. When they said, “For Dad,” his vow was entirely different.
I’ll get Delaney’s number.
* * * * *
Delaney walked into her sister’s kitchen and waited for her to notice she was there. Debra moved like a much younger woman as she bustled from counter to stove, preparing what looked like soup.
“Is that any greeting for a sister?” she asked after a minute.
Debra screamed and the carrot she’d been chopping rocketed off the cutting board and hit the floor. Uncaring, she was all smiles for Delaney when she came forward. They hugged for a long minute.
“You surprised me! I didn’t know you were coming!”
“Kashley called, and I had a few hours to slip away.”
Debra pursed her lips. “We’re all longing to hear good news.”
“Her period being two days late might not be cause for celebration. It could just be stress.”
“Of course. We’re all rooting for Kashley to be happy, though.”
“So am I.”
“Have you been over there to see her yet?” her sister asked.
Delaney had been stalling by stopping here first. She was excited to run into Lane again, and that terrified her. The scariest part was how much she dreamed about the man. Several times in these midnight rendezvous, they’d come close to going all the way but never sealed the deal.
Frankly, she didn’t know if she could keep the rush of pleasurable dreams out of her head long enough to speak to him again. Especially since she’d finished herself off to thoughts of him, peaking so hard that she’d lost her breath.
Feeling her cheeks heat, she crossed the kitchen and picked up the carrot. She rinsed it off and set it on the cutting board again. “Chicken noodle?”
“Yes.”
“Mmm, my favorite. Momma’s recipe?” They’d lost their mom a few years back to Alzheimer’s. Her last years had been hard, and Delaney still felt guilty that she hadn’t spent more time with her. Seemed she’d failed on a lot of fronts with her family, but she was determined to make time for them all now.
“Of course it’s Momma’s recipe. Will you stay for dinner?”
“I think I’ll go see Kashley first and maybe persuade her to come back with me for some soup. How’s that sound?”
Her sister beamed. “Hopefully you’ll bring us good news.”
“Don’t get your hopes up. We all want Kash to be pregnant, but it’s far too soon to know.”
“But the steps you gave her could have done the trick.”
She nodded but bit down on her lip. She couldn’t help but feel she’d be the failure in this venture, if her niece didn’t get pregnant and soon. “I don’t want to let anybody down, but I can only do so much.”
“Don’t be silly. We know you’re not the baby fairy.”
She smiled and popped a bit of the chopped carrot into her mouth. As she chewed, she thought about what to say to her niece and also to Lane if she ran into him. It was entirely possible that he wasn’t even on the ranch today.
“I have faith that Kashley will get everything her heart desires. You raised a great daughter.”
Debra sniffed a little but didn’t shed the tears shining in her eyes. “Talk to my girl and then if you can, come back for some soup.”
“Will do.” She pointed to the cutting board. “Back to chopping, woman.”
She laughed and swatted at Delaney as she escaped the kitchen. Instead of driving to the Calhouns’, she decided to walk. Across the fields, it wasn’t very far. Besides, she could use the fresh air and time to think.
When she reached the border, she automatically looked around for Lane. No sign of him, but that was good, right? She was acting like a smitten teen. Thinking about him day and night, wondering what she’d say to him when she saw him again.
At one point she’d considered asking Kashley for his number to text him but had decided that wouldn’t help her get over her crush.
Crush. You’re in your forties. Get over it.
She lengthened her strides and pretty soon the Calhoun ranch came into sight. Several outbuildings sat like little ducks around the main house. Farther off were the brothers’ homes, but Lane still lived in the big house with Wynonna and his mother.
She had a freakin’ crush on a man who still lived with his mom. How pathetic was she?
When she rounded an outbuilding, one of the ranch dogs kicked up a fuss. She stopped and held out her hand, but it continued to bark and bare its teeth. She gave a soft whistle.
“What’s your problem?” The male voice raised the hairs all over Delaney’s body. Before she fully registered the owner of that voice, the big, muscled body came around the corner.
He stopped dead when he saw her. A sharp hand movement silenced the dog. “Rex has you cornered, huh?”
“I never thought about guard dogs when I walked down from my sister’s.” Her heart thumped too hard. She was acutely aware of all six-foot-one inches of male sex appeal standing before her.
He took two steps in her direction but stopped. Staring at her with such a look of hunger that her pussy squeezed in answer. Perspiration stood out on his brow, and his boots were dirty, but he still looked good enough to devour.
“You look great.” He seemed to be thinking the same thing.
“Thank you.” Heat came back to her cheeks. Great—now she was a blushing teen. “So do you.”
“Delaney—”
“Lane—”
They spoke at the same time and then laughed. Some of the tension should have dissipated inside her, but instead the knot tightened.
He approached her with slow, sure strides. She stood her ground, trying not to show how bad she was shaking
. Damn, she had to put an end to this insanity. Instead of pausing in front of her, he kept coming, crowding closer, invading her space.
His eyes flashed before he scooped her up against his chest. “Dammit, I’m not waiting another minute to do this.” He kissed her. Hard and swift.
She wrapped her arms around him as a sigh escaped. He plunged his tongue between her lips. Flavors of mint and something sweet hit her senses, and she parted her lips wider to get more.
He stroked his tongue over hers with a slow thoroughness that rendered her as weak as a kitten. She clung to his shirt front, her pussy pulsating with need and her nipples so hard they ached. He cupped the back of her head and held her right where he wanted her.
As if she could walk away.
When something bumped her leg, she broke away to find the dog demanding an ear rub. She blinked up at Lane. His eyes were dark with longing.
“I fucking knew it.” His voice was gritty.
“Knew what?” Was that even her voice?
“That kissin’ you would feel that way.”
Her mind still spun, but it was time to get it together. “Look, Lane—”
The words never left her mouth. He swallowed her protests, locking her against his hard chest as he plundered her. She roved her hands over his broad shoulders and back. A moan left her.
He groaned in response. Using his knuckles, he tipped her head back farther to receive him. Every pass of his tongue over hers sent new skitters of desire through her.
She twisted away and stumbled a couple steps toward the shed. Breathing hard, she fought for words that would put him off, when all she wanted was to call him back to her.
He took a hasty step in her direction, bringing with him that musky scent that sent her libido skidding sideways again. She held up a hand.
A muscle in the corner of his jaw flickered. “Don’t put me off, doll. After that kiss, please don’t say you can’t have anything to do with me.”
“I… can’t.” She stole a peek at his face. He didn’t look a bit happy, his eyes narrowed and lips tight. How could those lips look hard and feel perfectly soft?
She shook herself. “I’m old enough to be your mother.”
“What the hell’s age after we’ve shared a kiss like that?”
His logic was unarguable. The dog nudged her hand, and this time she gave it a cursory pat on the head, which brought her to her senses again.
“I can’t kiss you again.”
“That’s okay—I’ll kiss you.” He grabbed her. Picked her up. With her legs dangling and her body locked against his, she had no choice but to put her arms around him and kiss him back. She was lost.
She pushed her tongue into his mouth, and his rumbled growl made her nipples throb in time to her heart. His beard stubble scraped her skin as he took complete control of the wild, carnal, toe-curling kiss. He gripped her tighter. She never wanted to leave his embrace.
She realized she wasn’t just kissing an amazing cowboy, but that he was a reality TV and rodeo star who was far too young for her. She pushed away. Reluctantly, he set her on her boots, but he didn’t release her. Staring down at her with a mix of desire and sadness, he might have been painted by an artist’s hand. The sun silhouetted him, and shadows from his hat cut across his face.
“Lane, we can’t do that again.”
He pushed out a breath. “You feel it too. Don’t deny it.”
“I—”
“You felt this attraction from the start. And you fucking loved me kissing you.”
Okay, how to respond to that? Denying it would be feeble.
She squared her shoulders. “Yes, I did. But it has to end here.”
“Why?”
“Kashley—”
“She knows I like you, doll. I asked for your phone number to text you, but she wouldn’t give it to me until she ran it past you.”
Her top felt too constricting to draw a full breath. “I’m too old for you.”
“Says who?”
“Me.”
He made a noise in his throat. “I woulda thought a strong, independent woman like you would know her mind and go after what she wants.”
“I never said I wanted you.”
He leaned in and his breath washed across her earlobe. “You don’t need to, doll. Your body speaks for you.”
“I— This is ridiculous. I can’t just fuck you.”
He twitched his head to the side. “Never asked you to fuck me.”
“Oh. What do you want then?”
“Sure, I’d like to scratch this itch you give me, but I enjoyed talking to you as much as kissing you. I wanna take you out.”
She laughed. “You and two cameramen?”
He looked into her eyes. “I’ll get rid of them.”
“Where could we possibly go that you aren’t recognized? I can see the headline now—Lane Calhoun dates an old lady.”
“You’re far from old, but I get your meaning. I don’t have to take you into the public eye to show you a good time.” He waved a hand around them. “I’ve got lots of places to take you.”
“Like Nutcracker Road.”
When that crooked grin cut across his rugged features, she almost gave in. She stepped away from him again. “I’m sorry, but no. I need to go find Kashley. Thanks for calling off your dog.”
Before he could reach for her, she whirled away and hurried toward the main house, hoping like hell that she’d find Kashley there. Why hadn’t she thought to go to her and Ridge’s place? Probably because the Calhouns seemed to congregate here more often than not. They were always working and playing together.
She touched her trembling fingertips to her lips, finding them swollen. Now she’d need an explanation as to why she looked as though she’d just been kissed.
Not kissed—ravished.
She glanced over her shoulder but didn’t see Lane at all. She found Kashley in the kitchen with Mrs. Dalton snapping green beans from the garden. The earthy scent calmed Delaney a bit, and she was greeted happily by both women. Kashley looked closely at her, and she wished she wasn’t flushed or sweating.
“I just walked from your parents’ place. Your mom wants us to come back and have soup for dinner.”
“Oh, I love my mom’s soup. Would you mind very much, Peggy?” she asked Mrs. Calhoun.
She shook her head. “Not a bit. Your parents deserve to see your beautiful face. Take Ridge with you. He always complains about green beans anyway.”
She laughed. “You’re right. Send him up if you see him first. I’ll go with Delaney.”
This would give them the best opportunity to talk and for Delaney to think about what had just transpired between her and Lane.
While walking, she and her niece discussed period dates and cycle lengths. She told her not to get her hopes up yet, but she could see by Kashley’s face that she already had. When they got to the house, the mouthwatering smell of chicken noodle soup made Delaney’s stomach growl.
She took a seat at the counter alongside Kashley, and soup was spooned into big bowls. She hadn’t taken two bites before a knock sounded at the door.
“It’s that husband of mine. Why on earth would he knock?” Kashley got up and went to the door. But when she opened it, Ridge wasn’t standing there. It was Lane.
She immediately looked between him and Delaney. Feeling her face heat again, Delaney jumped down from the stool and hurried to get Lane the hell out of here. “Excuse me. I asked him a question about downsizing.” She glared at him, but he looked nonplussed. She grabbed his shoulder and pushed him back onto the porch.
Actually, the porch was too close to her family for comfort. She dragged him into the yard and faced him down.
“What the hell are you doing here?”
“Coming after you. I can’t let you walk away like that. Doll—”
“Don’t call me that,” she said through gritted teeth.
“Look, you told your family I have some answers for you about your ranch, an
d it’s true.”
She stared up at him. Damn, could he look any more kissable? She still felt the tingles of his beard burn on her cheeks. “Speak your piece.”
“You need help, and I need a break.”
She blinked. “What?”
“From this. The cameras, the media, the family. I don’t even feel happy going to the rodeos anymore. I just need to get away.”
“Are you suggesting you come to my place?”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying.”
She was shaking her head before the words fully left his mouth. “Oh no. No, no, no. I can’t have you staying with me.”
His eyes hooded and they seemed to smolder hotter than a coal in a campfire. “I won’t deny I’d like to be in your bed, but only if you ask me. Otherwise, I’ll sleep in the barn.”
“No.”
“Fine, your bed then.” Mischief burned in his gaze.
Damn him. She wanted him—bad. Her wall was crumbling.
“Calhoun,” she warned.
He chuckled. “I love it when you call me that. You need help and I need an escape. We both win, right? And if we share a couple kisses—or nights of flaming passion—then we hit the lottery.”
She gulped down a giggle that threatened. Part of it was amusement, the other part rising horror. She couldn’t possibly invite him to her place. Yet it did make sense. Her plan was to move some of the animals out, and he could help her with that.
Then get on his way. Nothing has to happen between us. I’ll keep my doors locked and my chastity belt on.
“Say yes, Delaney.”
“I don’t know…”
When she met his gaze, warmth shot through her belly. This was a really bad idea. Yet she extended a hand.
His crooked grin widened to a full one as he gripped her hand. He ran the tip of his thumb over her wrist. No way did her tripping pulse go undetected. His eyes twinkled.
“When do we pull out?”
“You’re riding with me?”
He leaned closer, his lips a torment to her. She steeled herself against his charms. This was going to be hard as hell. “The minute I get in my truck, I’ll be followed by the crew. I ride away with you and nobody knows where I’m at.”
“Your family will worry.”
“The appropriate people will be informed.” He inclined his head toward the house, indicating Kashley.
