She was speechless, unsure how to answer. When she sat quietly, he responded for her. Pulling her in to an embrace, Kate was immediately struck by his woodsy scent. His strong body enveloping hers made her soften into his hardness.
"I missed you."
Just that small confession from Bruce made her day.
"I missed you too. Coming to the ranch was a pleasant surprise."
"I thought that you would appreciate a home cooked meal. You know, versus the swanky city restaurants with pricey menus."
She held her arms around him tightly, not wanting to let go.
"Good idea. I could use the time to slow down a bit."
A light kiss on the lips turned smoldering within seconds. She was unable to think of anything other than Bruce's touch as his lips locked with hers.
"Stay with me tonight."
She did not have to think twice. "Of course."
He backed off just enough, but it was obvious that he could not keep his hands off of her.
"If you don't watch it, you may have to undress me right here and now."
"Don't tease me like that, woman. All of this talk about taking your clothes off, I just may take you up on the offer."
Kate considered it briefly, her body was hot with desire and she was not sure how she was going to make it through dinner while she pined away for the man across the table from her. Then she thought that it would be just the perfect foreplay and decided that teasing him all night would be a complete turn on.
"Why don't we get back to the house? I'm sure your mother is ready to serve dinner."
As they walked toward the house, Bruce came up behind Kate, kissing her on the neck. Why he had to tease her, she was not sure. It was going to make it harder to get through dinner and the rest of the evening, remembering the way his touch felt.
"There the two of you are. I was beginning to think that I had to send out a search party to find you."
"No, Mother. I was just showing Kate how to get acquainted with Paddington."
Mrs. Stanger, brow raised, commented. "Why don't the two of you wash up? I'm putting the food on the table."
Bruce showed Kate to the powder room and he disappeared down the hallway. Once she washed up, she found Bruce's parents in the dining room. Bruce came in shortly after her and rushed up to pull out her chair.
His parents looked on, smiling.
"So, city girl. How was your trip outside to the stables?" Mr. Stanger asked.
"I survived."
Everyone at the table laughed and dinner was served. Over polite conversation, mashed potatoes and pork chops, and a few glasses of wine, Kate enjoyed her evening at the ranch. After dinner was over, she offered to help Mrs. Stanger clear the table.
"Thank you, dear. We really love it when you come out to the ranch."
"I appreciate it as well, Mrs. Stanger. Dinner was wonderful."
"Do you cook?" Bruce's mother was busy at work, washing dishes.
"Not much. I'm always working, so I tend to get my food on the go."
Kate swore she heard the woman suck her teeth. She sat for a moment, trying to figure out a way to respond.
"Maybe you could teach me some of your best meals? I have recently started thinking that it would be good to learn a few new dishes."
Mrs. Stanger turned toward her, beaming. "I could certainly do that." She stacked the plates on the drain.
"It would also be nice to invite your parents out here for a dinner. Since you and Bruce are becoming so close. My husband and I would love to meet your family."
"That would actually be nice. My parents are retired, so they travel a lot now. I'll let them know that the invitation has been extended."
Kate gave Mrs. Stanger a hand with the dishes.
"Do you mind if I ask you a question, dear?"
"Of course." Kate tried to hide the fact that she was a bit nervous about what the question would be.
"How do you feel about marriage?"
Kate tried to swallow the lump in her throat. It felt like a trick question.
"I think that it's right when the right people do it."
Mrs. Stanger looked on, waiting for Kate to continue.
"My parents have been happily married for over thirty years. I look at them and I see what I would like my own life to be like. I would love to model my own relationship after them, but I do understand that each relationship is different. So I want to find what works for me. Ideally, I only want to do it once, so I would like to take my time and do it right the first time around."
Mrs. Stanger had been listening as she finished wiping down the counters. "You young people have a huge misconception on what it means to be married. It's not all about love and finding the right one. There is no real fairy tale involved. Just a lot of work. But that work is rewarding when you come home to the person that makes you happy. When you build a life together and have something to show for all of the sacrifice and the days when things weren't so great. It's not the good times that make a relationship. It's the hard time and the way the two of you fight through that make the relationship. Does that make sense?"
"Makes perfect sense."
"Bruce loves you. I can tell by the way that he looks at you."
Hearing someone else point out what Kate knew to be true made her gush with happiness.
"I love him too." Once the words escaped Kate's lips, she knew that there was no turning back. She had put it out there to the universe that she was in love with Bruce.
"I hope that the two of you make each other happy. He deserves all of the happiness in the world. And I hope that you are the one to make him happy. And that he does the same for you."
Kate's cheeks were warm, she knew she was blushing. "He makes me very happy. Bruce has been the perfect man for me. I hope I make him as happy as he makes me."
Just thinking about how happy she was with Bruce made her fill with love. In that moment, she could not figure out why she would be apprehensive about going in to a life with Bruce.
Mrs. Stanger patted Kate on the shoulder. "If you know that you have a good man, the love of a good man, then everything else works itself out."
"Thank you. I appreciate your kind words."
"Well dear, I am going to turn in for the evening. I will see the two of you later. Have a good evening."
Kate smiled as Bruce's mother left the kitchen. She stayed there, thinking about the wisdom Mrs. Stanger had just imparted. It amazed Kate how his mother had known so much about how she felt about Bruce. Maybe it would be worth it to let go a bit and go with the flow. She definitely did not want to lose him because she was stubbornly trying to make things work the way she wanted them to work.
It was definitely worth trying to make it all work out. She was sure the love she and Bruce shared would be enough to make the two of them figure something out. His work was increasing as well, and he would be doing more traveling, so now they would have to mesh schedules and share a few stolen moments when they were both in town.
"What are you thinking about?"
Kate was startled when she turned around to see Bruce standing there.
"Ah, nothing."
"That look on your face doesn't look like nothing." He came forward, caressing her face.
"Us women were in here talking, putting away dishes."
"My mother can be a bit much. There is a firecracker behind that petite, sweet looking woman."
Kate laughed, leaning her face in to his touch. "No really. She has a lot of insight and she was simply looking out for her son and his best interest. You know that at some point, Mama Bear has to make sure the woman her son brings around has the best intentions."
Bruce wrapped his arms around her. "I think we are a bit too old for that, but okay. Hopefully she didn't do too much damage."
"Not at all," Kate replied. "She actually gave me a good perspective on everything."
"Do tell."
"She was just saying that things are good if the two of us love each ot
her and make each other happy. And basically, if we stay focused on that and not the fairy tale, we will do well."
"I like where she is going with that thought process."
"Do you really?"
"I do. It's all that I've ever been trying to tell you. I simply want to make you happy. No pressure."
Standing on her toes, Kate leaned in to kiss her beau. His lips met hers, his hands began to massage her back.
A moan escaped her lips. Lips trailed kisses down her long neck, on her shoulder, on the back of her neck. Heat was rising between them and it dawned on her that they were standing in the middle of his parents' kitchen.
"Wait, we are in the middle of the kitchen. Your parents could walk in." Her words escaped her lips breathlessly.
"Does that matter in this moment? Is that what you are thinking about when I do this?"
He nibbled on her ear, in the spot that he knew would drive her crazy.
"No."
"Or when I do this?" He reached under her shirt, massaging her nipples. It did not seem fair because Kate knew that Bruce was trying to make her do his bidding. He wanted her right there.
"I want you, Kate. Right now."
This was one of those times when she knew it would make sense to tell him no, not right now. They were at his parents' home, and they were grown adults, not teenagers who needed to sneak and have sex. But with his hands all over her, warm kisses landing all over her skin, there was no way she could resist. She had been resisting all night. From the kiss in the stables, to the way he was eyeing her at the dinner table.
She simply nodded, letting him know he had the green light. Pulling her hand, Bruce led her through the west wing of the house. They walked out of some sliding glass doors, passing through the patio, and out to the pool house.
Bruce opened the door, flipped on the dimmer, and slammed the door behind them. "We have complete privacy here. I can make you scream as loudly as you would like."
Biting her lip, she eyed her lover. He had her wedged between his body and the wall, providing the perfect amount of pressure to leave her breathless. Once she was in his hands, there was no letting go. He was going to hold her there until she was completely satisfied.
She no longer wanted to hold back. She wanted to give him all that he asked for. When he undressed her, Kate let it go willingly. Lost in his eyes, in his touch, she let go and let Bruce have his way.
There was nothing like being in his arms. His kiss was passionate, called forth all of her desire. She craved him, wanted more and more of what she knew he would give. When he undressed her, dropping in front of her, he threw one of her legs over his shoulder and drank from her flowing fountain, evoking a leg shaking, earth shattering release in her.
His tongue on her clitoris, flickering and begging her to cum over and over again.
"Come to me."
Bruce picked her up, taking her over to the bed, laying her down as he still left his face buried in between her thighs. She was not sure if she could take anymore, but her body told her otherwise and gave in to every one of Bruce's advances. Once on the bed, he held her legs high in the sky and when their eyes met, she knew he was going to go for intense pleasure.
When he entered her, she came unhinged. His hardened penis was begging her to come and she did what she was asked. Pulsating, the muscles in her walls spilled forth bliss. She grinded her hips, feeling all of his guidance, all of his girth, filling her. Watching his face made it impossible to keep any sense of control.
Moans. Sighs of pleasure. How was she supposed to say no to this man? She ultimately could not. And this time, losing all control with him did not make her feel helpless. It made her feel safe and secure there in his love nest. There she realized that it did not matter where they were, she was with the right man. With the man that would care not only for her mind and body, but for her very being.
The gentle care he took with her made her more ready to accept him fully into her life. And in this moment, she wanted to accept all of him into her soft, wet middle. She spread her legs wider, opening her hips, ready to receive every thrust. She watched as he took in the view.
He had to bite his lip as he thrust, making them both come to the edge of ecstasy. She wanted to squeeze her legs shut, but with Bruce holding her ankles, laying there on her back, all she could do was ride the wave of orgasm as it hit her. Her hips bucked wildly as he brought them both to pure pleasure.
A scream escaped her lips, and she did not even bother to try and calm herself. It felt good to just unleash herself and let go. Bruce had not stopped serving her, despite the fact that her legs were shaking. No matter how much she begged him to stop, he would not. Relentless, he kept giving Kate exactly what she needed.
In that bed, they made the sweetest love, as he convinced her to come with him. Cradled in his arms, Kate found all that she was looking for, all that she knew she had in the first place.
Bruce loved away all pretense and all of her prohibitions. Filled with emotion and satisfaction, she lay there quietly as they relaxed in the afterglow.
Bruce stroked her hair off of her forehead as she lay on his chest. No words needed to be spoken. Instead, the two of them lay there, comfortable with each other's love, an unspoken bond formed.
Chapter 3
Knowing that Bruce loved her was more than enough for Kate. Feeling it all over her being, was the icing on the cake. It was as if when she woke the next morning, life was brand new.
Bruce had not spent the night with her because he had a flight out the next morning to a consulting gig. It was best anyway because Kate had a full schedule herself for the day. She just hated the fact that after such a passion filled night, they would have to spend the next day apart.
Waking up that morning without Bruce on the other side of the bed made Kate appreciate what they were building together. Deep down, she wanted more, but she spent so much time convincing herself that it was alright to be emotionally unavailable because it was easier to focus on work.
Her diamond promise ring was truly a reflection of the love Bruce felt for her. It was obvious that the next step would be marriage. She dreaded thinking about what would happen if she did not accept the proposal right away. Having an impending proposal lingering over her was starting to cause a bit of anxiety.
Kate's mind twirled around wondering when Bruce could possibly be thinking about popping the question. Would it be some special date and would he come up with some all out big production when he did ask? Knowing Bruce, he would concoct some elaborate proposal and completely catch her off guard. His spontaneity was one of the things that she loved about him.
As she rolled over, spreading out all over the cool sheets, she heard her cell phone chime. It was time to get her day started and jump head first into work. Scrolling through the day's agenda, she saw she was scheduled to do a few calls with potential clients and to follow up on a style seminar that she wanted to put together. Once again, a schedule with back to back events.
Bruce was scheduled to fly in by early afternoon. Kate wanted to do something special for him, especially since he always managed to do something for her to make her feel like the she was the center of his life.
She called her assistant Amelia and asked her to make reservations at an Italian restaurant she had been wanting to try. No sooner than she confirmed with Amelia, Kate called her back and told her to cancel the idea. Maybe she would cook for Bruce and do a little something intimate.
Quickly looking up a meal online that was easy enough for her to make, Kate gave Amelia the task list for the day, asking her to do a little something extra by picking up the groceries for her impromptu dinner.
Kate had to pull out all of the stops tonight and make Bruce feel as wonderful as he made her feel regularly. Before she knew it, it was early evening. She would have to hurry to get home and start cooking if she was going to get dinner done on time. Bruce had already called and said that he would be by that evening around seven.
; Once Kate came home, she eyed all of the ingredients that Amelia left for her. Trying to make sense of the recipe was like trying to read a foreign language. She pulled her hair back into a pony tail and prepared herself to get elbow deep in pasta and homemade alfredo sauce. Pots boiling, frustration rising, Kate thought repeatedly about ditching her entire plan to cook for Bruce. She could order out instead and pass the food off as something she whipped up.
The sauce began boiling over, bubbling all over the stove. Kate cursed more than once.
"Kate. Where are you?"
She heard Bruce's voice coming in from the living room.
"In the kitchen." More cursing.
"Whoa! What is going on here?"
A sense of relief settled over Kate when she saw Bruce come in to the kitchen.
"I tried to cook you dinner. I tried." She was practically whining and about to cry. When Bruce laughed, she did not find anything funny.
He immediately set about cleaning up, using the dish towel to wipe up the spilled sauce, turning off the overheated pot, and throwing a few things in the hot, soapy water in the sink.
"You are a life saver."
"I can tell. A few more minutes and this entire kitchen would have gone up in flames."
"Does it look that bad?" Kate questioned.
Bruce nodded. "Just a little worse. What on earth were you making?"
Kate shrugged. "I had this recipe for chicken alfredo. Everything was going well until the pot boiled over then things started going haywire. This is the last time I try to cook a full meal. Next time I will start a little smaller. With something like salad."
The two of them burst out laughing.
"Starting small may be just what you need. Salad it is."
Kate felt defeated. "Is there any way we can salvage any of this?"
"I think that it is over, my love. Let's order something for dinner."
Kate sighed. "I really wanted to do something special for you. You always do so much for me."
Bruce smiled. "Don't let me stand in the way of your surprise. I will back off."
Make Me Whole (Brothers From Money #3) Page 16
