by Barbara Gee
“If I do, I’ll let you approve the new scent,” she said, lifting a hand to cup the side of his face. “Thank you for dinner.”
“You’re welcome, Libby Belle. I might have to add to my tattoo to commemorate my best first date ever.”
She shivered, loving his low voice and the warmth in his dark eyes. “It’s good you’re tall and have a long torso, because I’m hoping we have a lot more dates to add to your list.”
“Me too.” He backed away and closed her door. He took his spot behind the wheel, reaching for her hand as soon as he started the truck and put it in gear. “Should have bought a truck with a bench seat,” he said. “You’re too far away.”
Libby leaned her head back against the seat and closed her eyes, happier in this moment than she could ever remember. “Let’s talk some more about your parents, Ry. I want to know what to expect when they get here on Wednesday.” She turned her face toward him. “Do they know about me?”
“I’ve talked about all of you with them. I think they suspect you’re special, but I haven’t actually told them. They don’t know about my recommitment either. I want to tell them face to face.”
“Oh man, I can’t wait for them to hear that. And to meet Hank. They’re going to love him so much.”
“They will,” he agreed. “And I think he’s ready for them. At one point it would have been overwhelming. My mom can be pretty effusive with her love for her grandchildren, and Hank wasn’t used to that kind of overt affection. But with you, Maddy and Kay loving on him these last few weeks, I don’t think it’ll be too uncomfortable for him. I’ve warned him that his new grandma is going to want to give him even more hugs than you girls do, and he just grinned.”
“I hope you warned them how much he looks like you. It still amazes me sometimes.”
Ryan chuckled. “I didn’t, actually. I kinda wanted to see their faces when they first see him.”
“Are you planning to take Hank along to the airport to pick them up? Because I’ll be glad to watch him if you don’t think he’ll want to make the drive.”
“Hmm, I might take you up on that. I think I’d rather my parents meet him here, where he’s comfortable, than in a busy, impersonal airport.”
“I think that would be best, too. I’ll plan on it.”
They chatted easily the rest of the way to the ranch, and when he parked in front of her cabin, Libby tried to remain calm and nonchalant, not wanting Ryan to know that for the last fifteen miles, all she could think about was the kiss he’d promised. What was she, sixteen? He’d no doubt laugh if he knew how nervous and full of anticipation she was.
She waited for him to come around and open her door. When he did, she stepped down onto the running board, then hopped lightly to the ground.
“Such a beautiful night,” she said, not wanting to let an uncomfortable silence happen.
He closed the door and then took a step toward her, planting his forearms against the truck above her head. “The night’s got nothing on you,” he said softly, nudging his nose once more into her hair, his breath warm on her ear.
Libby reached for him, running her hands from his shoulders down over his chest, and across the hard ridges of his stomach, feeling his muscles rippling in response to her touch. She slid her hands around to his back and drew him closer.
He looked down at her, his dark eyes glittering in the moonlight. “I want this. I want you. We’re officially together now, okay?”
“Okay,” she whispered.
The night enveloped them in its warmth, offering no distractions, just peace and silence and enough moonlight to see each other. His gaze dropped to her mouth.
“Can I kiss you now?” he asked softly.
“Please,” she said, smiling and tightening her arms around him.
“It’ll be the first of about a million,” he promised, dropping his arms from the truck and taking her face in his hands.
“A million sounds pretty good. Maybe a little on the light side.”
He tilted her face up and claimed her lips. No teasing, no nipping, he just pressed his mouth to hers and gave her what she’d been craving for so long. Libby rose up on her toes as his tongue swept in and she wound her arms around his neck, loving the feel of his body tight against hers as he proved once again that kissing him was unlike any kiss she’d ever experienced. She breathed him in, she tasted him, she felt completely wrapped up in Ryan Anderson. And it was the most wonderful, incredible feeling. This time there was no worry about it being their last kiss, no wondering whether it was okay to let it happen. It felt so good and so right to kiss him, to feel what she was feeling and know he felt it too.
His arms locked around her waist and it was a good thing because Libby’s legs felt weak and shaky. Her body trembled, overwhelmed with emotion. When Ryan finally raised his head, his eyes were heavy lidded, his breathing uneven.
“So that’s what it’s like when it’s right,” he said roughly. He threaded his fingers though her hair and pulled her cheek against his chest. “Dang, Libby, I don’t want to stop. You can trust me, but we have to be careful, okay? I thought maybe we could knock off at least five of that million kiss goal tonight, but I didn’t realize just one would practically send me to my knees. I think that’s all I can handle right now. I need to regroup.”
She sighed, slowly releasing him. He took a reluctant step back, and she looked up at him, her eyes still dazed. “Kissing you is pretty much the most enjoyable thing I’ve ever done, Ryan,” she stated.
He closed his eyes briefly. “That’s not helping me regroup,” he growled.
She laughed softly and took his hand, tugging him toward her cabin. “I won’t invite you in for coffee like I planned. That wouldn’t be wise. But if you could regroup just enough for one quick goodnight kiss at my door, I’d really appreciate it. A perfect ending to a perfect night.”
“As perfect as it can be for now, anyway,” he said, coming to a halt by her front door, facing her.
“Oh, come on, Ryan. A goodnight kiss in the moonlight with the man I’ve been dreaming about for months—what could be better?”
His eyes went dark and hot. “If you had my ring on your finger, I’d show you.”
Her eyes widened. “Oh. Yeah. Right.”
His gaze softened. “But I can wait.” He bent his head and kissed her, his lips warm and soft on hers, and all too quickly gone. “Goodnight, baby.”
“Goodnight, Ryan.”
She watched him walk back to his truck, and kept watching as he drove up to the ranch house. For a long time she stood out on her porch, enjoying the night and reliving the evening. Dinner had been wonderful, and obviously the kiss had been incredible. But above even that was him saying that he wanted to be with her. He wasn’t afraid anymore. They were together.
It was what she’d wanted for so long. To hear him say the words, and to know she was finally free to embrace their togetherness—it was definitely the very best part of the evening.
She finally went inside and got ready for bed, still feeling a little like she was dreaming. Once in bed, she propped her head up with the pillow and picked up her phone to tap out a quick text.
Thanks again for a great evening. Sweet dreams, Ryan.
His reply came quickly. I think you can count on that, Libby Belle.
She smiled and snuggled into her mattress. Life wasn’t perfect, she didn’t expect that. Things would come up that would test her and stretch her. Ryan joining the FBI felt like one of those things. But she would be okay. With Jesus in her heart and a man like Ryan by her side, she could handle it. She was more sure of that than she’d ever been about anything.
Next up, telling Hank, and meeting Ryan’s parents.
CHAPTER 33
On Sunday afternoon, Ryan and Libby took Hank for a long ride. He and his little horse, Ozzie, had developed a strong bond, and Hank was riding like a pro. While they rode, Ryan explained to Hank that he and Libby liked each other a whole lot, and were going to be
spending a lot more time together.
Hank squinted up at his dad, then looked over at Libby. “Is she your girlfriend now?”
“Yeah, she is. That okay with you?”
The little boy shrugged but couldn’t quite keep the smile off his face. “Are you going to hug and kiss and stuff? Like Tuck and Maddy?”
Ryan chuckled. “We’ll try not to when you’re around.”
“I don’t care. I think it’s yucky though.”
“You don’t mind sharing your dad with me sometimes?” Libby asked.
“I like when we’re all three together best. But you can have him sometimes. Like you did last night. I had fun with Uncle Virgil and Aunt Kay. We made ice cream sundaes in the kitchen and I put on everything I wanted. Even sprinkles. And we ate them in the back yard. Buzz licked out my dish when I got full.”
“I’m glad you had a good time,” Ryan said. “You know I’ll never leave you with someone you don’t want to be with, right?”
“I like everyone here. It’s only Anthony and that mean man I don’t like. And you said I’ll never see them again.”
“That’s right. You don’t even have to think about them anymore.”
Ryan changed the subject and they talked about Hank’s new grandparents coming. He had a lot of questions about them and his cousins who lived in Florida. Ryan wished he’d thought about asking Tom whether his son Tyler could come along out to the ranch with his parents. He knew the two boys would have had a blast. Maybe next time.
In the evening, after popcorn and Hank’s favorite “Buzz” movie, which Virgil and Kay had never seen but very much enjoyed, Libby waited while Ryan put Hank to bed. It was taking longer than usual, and Libby yawned and stretched out on the comfy sofa. She soon dozed off, waking to the feel of strong arms scooping her up. Ryan lowered himself to the couch, cuddling her in his lap, nuzzling her neck with a long, appreciative sniff.
“Mmm, been waiting all day to be close enough to smell you,” he said. “Sorry that took so long. We started that new dragon book you bought him, and he kept begging for just a few more pages.”
Libby snuggled closer. “It’s fine. Your bedtime ritual is important.”
“Thanks for waiting, but I know you’re tired. Want me to walk you back to your cabin?”
“In a few minutes.” Libby stroked her hand slowly from his shoulder to his wrist, enjoying the feel of the hard muscles beneath her light touch. “Tuck seemed worried about something today. I saw you two talking after dinner. Did he tell you what’s wrong?”
She felt him tense. “Just some stuff at work. His work, not the construction site.”
“What kind of stuff?”
“I don’t think I should go into detail.”
“How about you just give me the basics, without the details? Then I’ll get the rest out of him tomorrow.”
He chuckled. “You can try.”
“Is it a case he’s working on?”
Ryan nodded. “Not one he’s directly assigned to, but it’s in the Minneapolis territory. One of their undercover guys hasn’t reported in for a couple days. They were close to being able to move in on the group he infiltrated, but now he’s out of touch.”
“Has it been a long term operation?”
“Yeah. Almost a year.” Ryan smoothed her hair away from her face. “And that’s as much as I’m going to say.”
“Okay.” Libby didn’t push for more, but her heart was heavy, for her brother and especially for the man who might be in danger.
Ryan stood and put her on her feet. “Let’s get you to bed.”
They walked outside, Libby leaning into him, both her arms wrapped around his waist.
***
Ryan kept his arm tight around her slim shoulders. Having her near made him feel good. Complete. He was glad Tuck had Maddy to settle him during the worrisome times. Ryan was beginning to realize how important that was. He’d leaned on Libby ever since finding out he had a son, and he couldn’t imagine not having her unfailing support and encouragement.
“When I was tucking Hank in, he asked if we were going to stay here at the ranch, since you’re my girlfriend now.”
“And?” Libby prompted.
“I told him there’s a real good chance. He pumped his fist and gave me a big hug. I took that to mean he approves of that plan.”
“That makes me happy. Even after such a short time, the ranch would feel so empty without him. Having a kid around is so good for all of us.”
They reached her cabin and walked up the porch steps. Ryan would have stopped, but she opened the door and pulled him inside.
“Come in. I’ll make you some tea. The Sleepytime kind is my favorite.”
Ryan sat on the end of the bed while she filled two mugs with water and put them in the microwave. “A teakettle and a long steep time is the best, but we’ll make do,” she said.
He reached out and pulled her toward him. “I’m not feeling at all sleepy,” he murmured.
“That’s what the tea is for,” Libby said, sliding her fingers through his short hair and leaning down to kiss the top of his head.
“What’s it gonna do? Knock me out?”
“Nah. It has some chamomile in it, which is supposed to be relaxing. I don’t really notice that effect, though, I just like the taste.”
The microwave dinged and she put the teabags in the mugs, handing him one.
“I could have used this last night. Took me a while to fall asleep. I was feeling a little edgy and worked up for some reason.”
She raised a brow. “Huh. Me too. What a coincidence.”
“I’m feeling kind of the same way now,” he drawled, dunking his teabag in and out of the water.
Her eyes sparkled. “Me too! Another coincidence,” she teased, taking a sip of her tea. His eyes were fixed on her mouth and her heart started to race. “Um, try the tea, Ry.”
He took a careful sip.
“Like it?” she wondered.
“Not bad. I’m not much of a tea person, I’m afraid.”
“Want to try a different flavor?”
He shook his head slowly, leaning forward to put his still full mug on the small countertop. Then he took her mug from her unresisting fingers and put it beside his before pulling her down beside him. Turning to face her, he gently took a fistful of her hair and tilted her head back.
“There’s only one thing I want to taste right now,” he said softly. “And that’s pure Libby.”
Her beautiful eyes slowly closed as he bent his head and pressed his lips to hers. So soft. So perfect. Kissing her was the stuff of dreams, only better because she was real and warm and in his arms.
“Much better than the tea,” he said against her mouth.
“Tea is way overrated,” she agreed.
He urged her back on the bed, going down with her until he was propped on an elbow, his other hand splayed across her stomach. “I’m giving myself a sixty second time limit. Not a second longer.”
Libby grinned and picked up her phone from the bed beside her. She swiped the screen a couple of times, then poised a finger above it. “Starting……….now.” She dropped the phone and their lips crashed together, the passion instant and white hot.
He would never get enough of this girl, Ryan knew that without a doubt. He longed for the day when there would be no time limits, no holding back, no reason to stop. But that time wasn’t here yet, so when her phone started up with a most annoying beeping, he immediately pulled away and took her wrists, unwrapping her arms from around him. With a groan he pushed to his feet. Looking down at her, he couldn’t help but smile.
“I’ve never seen anything more beautiful,” he said. She sat up and reached for him but he stepped back. “I can’t, babe. I’m at my limit. You have no idea how badly I want to join you on that bed. Stopping short of something I want that much doesn’t come naturally to me, but with the help of the good Lord above I’m gonna walk away.”
She sighed, a gentle smile curving he
r lips. “Okay. Thanks for walking me back.”
“Thanks for the—tea.” He lifted his mug and took a swallow. “Good night, Lib. See you at breakfast.”
She pushed herself off the bed and followed him to the door. “Good night, Ryan. I’ll be praying for Tuck and the guy who’s missing.”
“Yeah, me too. Hopefully we’ll get good news tomorrow.”
He left and Libby picked up the mug he’d discarded, sipping the cooling tea and reliving the sixty seconds of bliss. Someday, she hoped, there would be no need for him to leave.
CHAPTER 34
The next morning the four of them went on their early run as usual. The guys were a ways ahead but still well within sight when Maddy let out a gasp and reached over to grab Libby’s arm.
“That’s not good,” she said, slowing and then coming to a stop.
“What?” Libby asked, alarmed. “Are you hurt? Is it your knee?”
“It’s not me,” Maddy said, staring ahead, then starting to run again, faster than they’d been going before. “I just saw Tuck grab for his phone. He only grabs it like that when there’s a certain ring tone. One that means he needs to drop everything and go in.”
Libby caught up and squinted in the direction of the guys, seeing that Tuck was indeed talking on his phone. He always wore it in an arm holder on their runs, because he was never supposed to be without it.
“How often does that ring tone sound?” she asked her friend.
“Not often. I’ve only heard it a half dozen times, but he always grabs it like that, and it’s always an emergency. I’ve been afraid it would happen today. There’s some stuff going down that has all the agents on edge.”
“I could tell he was upset yesterday. I asked Ryan about it, but all he’d tell me was that an undercover agent hadn’t reported in for a couple of days.”
“I don’t know much more myself. I know the guy was embedded with a terror cell near Minneapolis, feeding the information back to the FBI about their recruiting activities. The FBI was close to having enough information to do a raid, but then their agent went silent. Tuck fears the worst.”
