“Hi, Hope,” Derrick greeted her directly. “We’re gonna stay at the ranch and ride horses and swing on the swings and pway with the doggies we saw sweeping in the yard.”
Her heart turned over in her chest, and it was then that Hope was grateful for the fact that she and Jared had severed ties before she ever had a chance to get attached to him. Even without knowing him all that well, this cute little boy had the ability to break her heart in a million pieces. And that was just from his smile.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
JARED TRIED NOT to look surprised to see Hope. He tried not to look as though he wanted to undress her, either. It wasn’t an easy thing to do, though. He’d seen Hope nearly a week ago when he’d come to the ranch for the tour, but she’d somehow managed to elude him before he’d had a chance to talk to her. Seeing her again, without anyone else around… Suddenly he had no idea what to say.
“Were you gonna stay with someone in the cabins? Or would you prefer a room here in the main house?” Hope asked, her eyes never fully meeting his.
“Whatever’s easiest for everyone. Doesn’t much matter to me.”
“I think you’ll be more comfortable here. Plus, it’ll give you a little more privacy for when Derrick needs to sleep. The cabins can get loud if there are a lot of people in there.”
“Sure,” he agreed.
At that moment, another woman walked up. Jared dug through his memory, trying to put the name with the face. He knew she was one of Hope’s sisters, but other than Gracie, he didn’t really know who was who.
“Trinity,” the woman said, clearly seeing his confusion. “The prettiest sister.”
Jared chuckled. “Yes, Trinity. Good to see you again.” He peered over at his son. “And this is Derrick.”
“Hey, Derrick,” Trinity said, her eyes lighting up. “How old are you?”
“Four.” Derrick held up four fingers.
“Wow. That means you’re a big boy, huh?”
Derrick nodded, wiggling to get down from Jared’s arms.
Trinity looked back up at him. “You mind if I show Derrick around the play area in the main house while you get squared away here?”
“Pwease, Dad! I wanna see the pway area!”
“Sure,” Jared told her, his attention turning back to Hope.
“Why don’t I show Derrick around down here. You can show Jared to their room,” Hope suggested to Trinity.
With a beaming smile, Trinity looked Hope right in the eye. “Not a chance.”
“Yeah, that’s what I thought,” Hope mumbled beneath her breath, grabbing some papers from the counter and handing them over along with a key. “Right this way.”
Jared hefted his suitcase in one hand and Derrick’s in the other, then fell into step behind Hope as she headed for the staircase.
“We ended up having five rooms available. I’m putting you at the far end, which should be the quietest.”
“Also the farthest from you, huh?” he muttered, trying not to stare at her ass.
He knew she’d heard him because she faltered for a second, but she clearly pretended that she hadn’t as she continued down the hallway. When she stopped again, it was in front of a door. “This is your room. There’s an attached bathroom. If you need anything, you can call the front desk.”
Jared took the key she held out for him but managed to grab hold of her wrist before she could turn and bolt.
“Hey. What’s goin’ on?” he asked softly.
Small lines formed between her brows as she stared back at him. “What are you talking about?”
Jared unlocked the door and pushed it open, tugging her arm until she came inside.
“Did I do something?” he asked when they had a little more privacy.
“What are you talking about?”
Jared lifted an eyebrow. “I thought you weren’t interested in playin’ games, Hope.”
Hope jerked her wrist free of his grip. “I’m not the one playin’ games, Jared. I’m doin’ my job.”
“Yeah? Is that why you stopped callin’? You had a job to do?”
Hope narrowed her eyes. “I don’t recall you blowin’ up my phone, either.”
“Is that what you wanted? Me to chase after you?” Jared closed the door to ensure no one could hear their conversation. He moved closer to Hope, then lowered his voice. “Why is it that every time I mention my son, you get this look in your eye? A look that says you’re ready to turn and run as far and as fast as you can. You have a problem with me havin’ a kid?”
“God, no!” she exclaimed.
“So, what? You don’t like kids?”
Hope’s gaze traveled to the floor and she kept it there. Jared knew he’d gone about this the wrong way, but he couldn’t help himself. After his run-in with Sable, he’d been hanging by a thread. He was angry. At Sable. At the bullshit she was pulling. And at Hope. The more he thought about Hope, the more he missed her. And the more he missed her, the more pissed off he got that things had ended the way they had.
When she finally lifted her head, meeting his gaze, Jared leaned in even closer. Too close, actually. He could smell her and she smelled … amazing. Like lavender or something. “Well, I thought if you wanted to talk, you would call me.”
“Clearly neither of us wanted to talk,” she quipped.
As though she just realized she was showing some emotion, Hope straightened and took a step back from him. “I need to get back to work. I hope you enjoy your stay here.”
Knowing he wasn’t going to win this one, Jared nodded, then watched as she backed out of the room.
Sure, he’d been a dumb ass. He’d had the best sex of his entire life with Hope, and he’d been secretly hoping for more. She hadn’t promised him more. And she’d made it very clear what she thought of him having a kid.
So instead of chasing after her, Jared had convinced himself that taking care of Derrick was the most important thing, which meant he needed to forget about the woman who had captivated him in a way that scared the ever-loving hell out of him.
Sad thing was … he still wanted her.
OKAY, WELL, HOPE certainly hadn’t expected Jared to confront her like that. Her heart was still racing, and she’d walked away from him nearly four hours ago. She wanted to believe she couldn’t catch her breath because she’d been showing guests to their cabin or room, but that certainly wasn’t the case. Her sisters had been pulling their weight, and none of them had been overworked.
Now that most of the guests were settling in—only a few more who would be coming in later tonight—Hope finally had a chance to relax a little. Dinner would be served in an hour, and her plan was to grab some grub early and slip out before any of the Walkers arrived. She had no more chores to handle for the night, which was the reason she had snuck in a shower early, wanting to be around for any of the guests who might need her. With Gracie, Lane, and Grant gone until Tuesday, things would be tight until then.
As she was moving through the recreation room, Hope heard someone clear his throat. Before she could process the male body standing only a few feet away, Hope felt herself being pulled toward the hallway.
She fought the urge to squeak her surprise when she looked up into those stormy blue eyes. “What are you doing?” she whispered fiercely.
Jared’s eyes were fixed on hers, his big, hard body so close she could smell the sultry scent of him.
“I can’t do this,” he told her, crowding her back against the wall. He sounded tortured.
Her eyebrows darted downward. “Do what?”
He leaned forward, resting his forearm on the wall above her head as he stared down at her. His voice was so low, so serious when he said, “Stay away from you. It’s killin’ me, Hope. I can’t do it.”
Oh, heavens. The look on his face promised so many things, things she wasn’t supposed to wan
t anymore but did even though she knew better.
“I thought I could come here, pretend nothing ever happened, but I can’t. It’s only been a few hours since I heard your voice, Hope. I’m fucking dying for you. Even if the only thing I get is to hear you talk. I’m fucking crazy. I know it, but…”
Before she could respond—not that she had words to say to that anyway—Jared kissed her. It wasn’t a sweet, simple kiss, either. This one was full of hunger, need. It drew an answering hunger from her as she ignored where they were, who might walk around the corner at any moment. Recklessly, Hope threw her arms around his neck, pulling him closer, crushing her mouth to his.
Jared groaned as he pushed her flush against the wall, his erection pressing into her stomach. This thing between them… It was explosive. Unpredictable.
“We can’t do this here,” she whispered when she finally pulled back. Her breaths were rushing in and out of her lungs, her heart racing.
“I can’t stop myself, Hope. I just … can’t.”
It might make her a terrible person, but she loved that he seemed to be so enthralled with her that he couldn’t control himself. She knew how he felt, because she felt the same way about him. Although she’d had few lovers in her lifetime, never had her need, her passion been this strong. Never.
“After dinner,” Hope mumbled against his lips. “I’ll meet you somewhere.”
“My room,” he told her.
She instantly shook her head. “Not with Derrick there. Not like that.”
“He’s staying with Kaleb and Zoey in one of the cabins tonight. Spending the night with Mason. I’ve got the room to myself.”
“Too loud,” she told him, surprised at how honest she was being. “I can’t… With you…” She smiled, despite herself. “I can’t seem to keep quiet when I’m with you. When you’re…”
“When I’m buried inside you?” he whispered against her mouth. “When my dick’s pushing inside your sweet, welcoming pussy?”
Hope nodded, her pussy throbbing with the need to feel him now. She didn’t care where they were, who was around. If he kept talking like that, she’d be fucking him right here in the hallway that led down to her father’s room. And wouldn’t that be a stupid idea.
Jared pulled back, cupping her face as he met her gaze. “I can’t stay away from you, Hope. I don’t know what it is. I just … don’t want to. I know you don’t like the idea of me having a kid, but I do have him. I can’t change that.”
“It’s not that,” she told him, putting her hands on his chest and pushing him back. She knew if he hadn’t wanted to move, he wouldn’t have.
She kept her eyes locked with his. She knew she had to tell him the truth. Whatever this was between them, she knew she wasn’t going to make it through an entire week with him on the ranch without wanting to do this. He needed to know where she was coming from. What she was afraid of.
Swallowing past the lump in her throat, Hope held his gaze. “It’s not that I don’t like kids. It’s not that I don’t want kids. I—”
“Hey, Hope? Sorry to interrupt.” Their chef peeked into the hallway, looking somewhat perplexed, more so apologetic. “I need your help in the kitchen if you don’t mind. It’s … uh … kind of an emergency.”
“Sure, Jennifer,” Hope told her, already moving away from Jared. She glanced back at him. “Let’s talk. In a little while. After dinner.”
Jared nodded, his eyes never leaving her face. She could see the heat that made his eyes glitter. He wanted her; there was no doubt about that. She should’ve been running, trying to hide, refusing to be anywhere near him, but unfortunately, she couldn’t stay away from him, either.
Which meant, in about an hour, she would have to lay it all on the line. And either he would walk away for good or they could spend the next week doing what they’d missed out on when they’d both been too stubborn to call. Then, when he left the ranch, maybe—if she was lucky—she would finally have Jared Walker completely out of her system.
And if she said it enough, maybe she’d believe that was even a possibility.
Chapter Thirty
TRAVIS STOOD ON the porch of the small cabin they’d claimed as their own. They’d lucked out getting a two-bedroom to themselves. With Kade only a month old and Kate about to be two, they had their hands full. So, getting two bedrooms—one of which would be used for Kade to sleep comfortably while his unruly sister got to have the sofa bed all to herself—was imperative.
“What’s goin’ through that head of yours?” Gage asked, coming to join Travis outside.
When Gage’s warm hand slid over Travis’s back, he relaxed a little, then said, “Just thinkin’ about what’s goin’ on with Jared.”
“With Sable?”
Travis nodded.
“Did you get the DNA test results back yet?”
Travis shook his head. “Expectin’ them any minute now, though.”
Although Jared wasn’t aware, Travis had pulled in a favor from one of his contacts at Sniper 1 Security. He’d known that it would require a favor being called in from that point, but he hadn’t cared. Something had made him question the accuracy of the paternity test that Sable had provided Jared. Perhaps it was simply because the woman was a snake, willing to do whatever she needed to in order to get what she wanted.
So he had enlisted his mother’s help in the process. Under the guise of getting more family history from one of those genealogy websites, she’d requested a swab sample from everyone at the last Sunday dinner. Sure, it had seemed a little out there at the time, but thankfully, no one had asked questions. No one other than his mother anyway. Travis had broken down and told her his theory, instructing her not to say anything. She had reluctantly agreed, but only after telling him that she would squeal like a pig if this came back to hurt Jared or Derrick in any way.
Travis had assured her it wouldn’t.
He wouldn’t let that happen.
Only now he was getting a little antsy because he was waiting for the test results and waiting for some additional information he’d requested on some of Sable’s history. If it all came together the way he expected, Sable was no longer going to be a threat to Jared or Derrick.
And quite frankly, Travis wanted to be the one to deliver that news to his cousin.
“I heard she stalked him today,” Gage told him.
Travis frowned. “When?”
“When he was leavin’ town. He stopped at the gas station. Apparently Braydon and Jessie were there. They saw it go down. Let’s just say she’s pushin’ a little hard. I think Jared’s finally reached his tipping point with her.”
“Thank fuck,” Travis said on an exhale. He’d been waiting for Jared to man up when it came to Sable. Sure, he understood his cousin’s reason for being low-key. Jared didn’t want to risk losing his boy again, but shit. He couldn’t let that crazy bitch continue to run him over.
“You think she’ll show up here?” Gage inquired.
Travis shrugged. He honestly didn’t know.
“We need to tell people to keep an eye out,” Gage stated. “That way there’s no chance she can get to Derrick.”
Travis glanced at his husband. “You don’t think she’d snatch him, do you?” It was something he’d never considered. Sure, the woman was batshit crazy, but to kidnap Derrick…
“Who knows. Depends on how desperate she is. What I don’t get is why now? What’s going on with her that she needs so much money?”
That was another question Travis was waiting to hear back on. He was having her financials looked into as well. But until he got some solid answers, he couldn’t assume anything.
“Just promise me we’ll have some fun this week,” Gage said. “Kylie and Kate’ve been lookin’ forward to this, Trav. Let’s enjoy ourselves.”
Travis nodded, then turned to look into Gage’s eyes. He grippe
d Gage’s shirt loosely, pulling him closer so that he could brush his lips against Gage’s. “Agreed.”
JARED WAITED UNTIL ten. He waited until dinner had been served, eaten, then cleaned up. Until coffee was drunk, conversation was had, little ones were run ragged and they were practically begging for sleep. He waited until most of the people were tucked away in their cabins, no one hanging around to see him simply walk out of the main house and down to cabin four. During the ten minutes it took him to get there, he thought about all the things he wanted to tell Hope, knowing he wouldn’t be able to get a single word out until he quenched his desperate thirst for her.
As it was, he’d been walking around with a rock-hard boner for most of the afternoon. Every time he got so much as a glimpse of her, his body hardened more. He hadn’t been lying to her when he told her he couldn’t stay away. He couldn’t. He was trying. God, he was trying so fucking hard, but it wasn’t working. It pissed him off to the point he wanted to put his fist through the wall, but violence had never solved anything.
And now, as he stepped up onto Hope’s porch, he prayed for a little patience. Enough to get him through the door before he stripped the sexy little cowgirl down to nothing. His boots hit the wood at the same time the screen door opened.
And there she stood.
An angel waiting for him, her eyes so full of heat he knew she was battling the same urges he was. He stopped, simply staring at her. She didn’t look away, holding his gaze.
“Once I come through that door, I’m not gonna be able to control myself, Hope.” He figured she needed to know that.
Hope nodded.
“I’ve been counting down the minutes till I can bury myself in your body, to feel you wrapped completely around me. I can’t wait another fucking second.”
Another nod.
“You still want me to come in?”
This time, Hope held out her hand to him and he took it.
Part of his prayer was answered, because he managed to allow her to close the door before he backed her up against it and crushed his mouth to hers. He picked her up, and she wrapped those sexy little legs around his waist, her fingers digging into his shoulders as she kissed him back with the same unbanked passion he’d been battling for days on end.
Jared (Coyote Ridge) (Volume 2) Page 23
