by Amy Lillard
Jake leaned up and captured her lips with his. He kissed her as he set their pace, somewhere between heaven and driving her crazy.
He lay back and she went with him, unwilling to break any connection they shared.
“Let go,” she whispered against his lips.
He shook his head. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
“You’re not going to hurt me,” she promised. “Let go.”
He released her hips and she crashed into him. He filled her so completely, so perfectly, tears filled her eyes.
She moved against him, loving him with every ounce of her being. Mind and body. He clutched her hips, his fingers digging into the flesh as he found his release.
He rolled her to one side and tucked her into the crook of his arm.
“Jake, I—”
He shushed her, rubbing one hand down her arm, their legs intertwined, her body still pulsing from her last release.
But it was okay. She didn’t know what she was going to say anyway.
• • •
Sometime in the night, Jake woke. He reached out a hand and found her there, sleeping beside him. His beautiful Bryn. He scooted closer, turning onto his side as he spooned against her.
She was so amazing to him. Not once seeming self-conscious of her pregnant body. He found it beautiful, even doubly so that she seemed to enjoy it so much.
She was as different than Cecelia as night and day. Cecelia had hated every minute of being pregnant. She had hated her swollen ankles, the sickness, not being able to eat her favorite foods. She had hated the clothes, the weight gain, and being so far away from her parents. At the time he felt that he had done everything he could to make her happy, but the truth was clear now. He could have done more. He wasn’t sure what. But more. Something.
And maybe if he had . . .
He pushed the thought away. He couldn’t go down that road tonight. Not when he had Bryn in his bed. Or rather he was in hers.
He snaked an arm around her waist and gathered her closer to him.
Something jumped and fluttered under his arm. Then again.
Was that . . . ?
He pressed his hand against that jump, realizing only then that it was one of the twins, awake and kicking.
He couldn’t take his hand from that spot. He leaned in close to her ear and planted a kiss there. “Bryn, honey, wake up. Bryn.”
She stirred, and he gave her another kiss. Long and sweet.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, as if he woke her every night with a stirring kiss.
“Nothing. Here.” He took her hand in his and pressed it to that fluttering spot on her belly.
Her eyes flew open, the sleep gone in an instant. “Is that . . . ?” she asked. Her eyes filled with tears and damn if his didn’t as well. He couldn’t help it. There was life there. Beautiful, kicking life.
She turned in his arms, and he gathered her close. Kissing her lips, her cheeks, the arch of her brows. He was still scared, terrified even that something would go wrong. But somehow he trusted that everything was going to turn out just fine. At least he could tell himself that for a time.
But the kiss of happiness soon turned to the kiss of gentle passion.
He wanted her again. And again. Maybe forever. They would be good together if only she would stay. He could show her how wonderful life could be between the two of them.
He kissed his way from lips to shoulders to breasts and below. A new determination filled him. He would love, touch, caress, and claim every inch of her until she screamed his name in the night, until she could say nothing but yes.
He would show her that the night in Austin and earlier, here in this very room, weren’t isolated incidents but how every time, every day could be for them.
And tomorrow morning when they got up, he would somehow convince her that she may be a Georgia girl, but she belonged in Texas, right by his side.
Chapter Twelve
Bryn woke the following morning feeling languid, a little sore, and completely satisfied. She stretched out an arm hoping to find Jake next to her, but she knew better. He had a rancher’s internal timing and had most likely risen before the sun.
She just hoped she hadn’t missed Wesley’s first day of school.
The thought had no sooner formed in her mind than her bedroom door burst open and Wesley came flying in. “Bryn, Bryn,” she cried as she flung herself onto the bed next to her.
Bryn looked up as Jake appeared in the doorway, looking like every woman’s fantasy in a pair of well-worn Wranglers. “I’m sorry,” he mouthed, easing into the room behind his daughter.
Bryn was thankful that she got up in the night and put on a T-shirt. At least she was decent for Wesley’s early morning visit.
“Are you coming out to see me get on the bus?” Wesley asked.
Jake frowned. “I thought I was taking you to school. It is the first day and all.”
Wesley sat up importantly and tossed her purple-tipped ponytail over one shoulder. Bryn briefly wondered who had fixed her hair, and decided that it was an equal toss-up between Wesley or Jake himself. Her ponytail was a little askew, a little messy, and somehow so perfectly Wesley. “Daddy, I’m a big girl. I want to ride the bus with the other ranch kids.”
If it hadn’t been so sad, Bryn might have laughed at the stricken look on Jake’s face. “But I thought . . . We talked about this already.”
“You don’t need to take me to get me ready for the first day. We already did all that. Now I just need to go to school.” And I don’t need you for that was left off and Bryn was grateful. She didn’t think Jake could handle that much independence in one day.
He caught her gaze, his eyes searching for help. But Bryn had already been through this cry for individuality with Emery. It was heartbreaking when a child broke free to stretch their legs a little further than the parents were ready for. And as much as she would love to, she couldn’t take any of that pain from Jake.
“So are you?” Wesley bounced up and down. “Are you going to come out and see me get on the bus?”
Bryn nodded. “Let me get dressed and I’ll be right there. Sound good?”
Wesley bounded off the bed, nodding her head as she did so. Bryn was surprised she didn’t fall over from all the counteracting motions. “Don’t take too long. The bus will be here in a few minutes, and he doesn’t like to wait.”
“Give me ten and I’ll be out to wait with you.”
Bryn started for the bathroom as Jake turned Wesley to the front door. “What am I going to do?” he hissed under his breath.
Bryn gave him a sad smile. “You’re going to let her catch the bus.”
• • •
Ten minutes later she skidded to a halt in the kitchen. Jake was at the stove flipping pancakes while Wesley sat drumming her fingers and swinging her feet at the kitchen table. Bryn barely had time to register the domestic scene. “I thought the bus was going to be here soon.” She’d been worried she was going to miss Wesley’s big school bus debut.
Jake had turned. “We have plenty of time for breakfast. The bus won’t be here for another half hour.”
And that was what Bryn got from listening to a five-year-old. “Do you want some help with that?”
Jake tossed a grin over one shoulder. “You can get us some juice.”
Bryn moved to the refrigerator to get out the juice. “Where’s Grandma Esther? Doesn’t she usually make breakfast?”
He frowned. “She’s not feeling well this morning.”
“I hope nothing’s wrong.” Bryn poured three glasses of juice and took them to the table.
Wesley glanced up at her with impatient eyes. “This is taking forever.”
Bryn laughed. “Just give it a couple years, sweetie. You’ll change your mind soon enough.”
Jake shot her a loo
k. “Wesley’s going to love school, right, tater?”
“I won’t if I don’t get there,” she grumbled.
Jake set the platter of pancakes on the table. “You have plenty of time,” he reassured her.
Bryn took up Wesley’s plate and fork. “How many do you want? One or two?”
“Just one.” She continued to swing her legs, her head bobbing up and down with the force of her motions. She was nervous as could be and ready to get the day started. Bryn glanced to Jake. It looked as if he was going to throw up at any minute. Poor guy!
“Eat,” she told him. “It’ll make you feel better.”
Jake forked a couple of pancakes from the stack and passed it to Bryn, who did the same. They slathered them in butter and syrup, then bowed their heads as Wesley said grace.
“Amen.” Bryn lifted her head.
Wesley forked up her entire pancake and shoveled it into her mouth. Then she looked to her father. “Hurry up so I don’t miss the bus.”
At least that was what Bryn thought she said. It was hard to tell with so much food in her mouth at the time.
“Wesley Jane,” Jake admonished. “It’s okay to be excited, but it’s not okay to be rude.”
Wesley ducked her head and somehow managed to swallow the big bite of pancake. “Yes, sir.”
“Don’t worry,” Bryn said. “We’ll make sure you get to the bus on time. Okay? Just trust us.”
Wesley turned those enormous brown eyes to Bryn’s. Lord how she loved this child. “That’s all I have to do? Trust you?”
“A couple of hugs and kisses every now and then wouldn’t hurt either.” Bryn smiled.
Wesley flung her arms around Bryn’s neck and kissed her on the cheek. “You can have a hug when I get home from school.”
Bryn laughed. “I’ll be counting on it.”
• • •
I can’t do this.” Jake leaned close where only she could hear. About twelve kids stood in front of the big house waiting on the school bus to come down the lane.
Bryn had discovered that a ways over there was a housing addition for the married men who lived on the ranch. Housing was a poor choice of words considering they were beautiful ranch-style homes, three bedrooms, two baths with a garage and a common swimming pool. It seemed being an employee of the Diamond had its perks. But after Jake told her how many acres they owned and all the work they did with conservation and the universities, why should she expect any different?
“I don’t think you have much choice,” she returned.
“Sure I do. I can homeschool her and keep her with me till she’s thirty.”
Bryn shot him a sympathetic smile. “It gets easier.”
He gave a stern nod. “I certainly hope so, because it couldn’t get much harder.”
The words no sooner left his mouth than the kids started jumping up and down. In the distance a big yellow school bus lumbered down the road. The driver honked his horn and the kids begin to cheer.
“Oh, boy,” Jake muttered.
Bryn slipped her hand into his and squeezed. He glanced at her, and she did her best to tell him without words that it was going to be okay. He gave a small nod, but a muscle in his jaw jumped. She could almost hear his teeth grinding together. She squeezed his hand again. The cheers grew louder as the school bus came closer, then pulled to a stop in front of the house. The bus driver opened the door and leaned toward it. “My name is Gus, and I’m driving the bus,” he said.
The children laughed and cheered.
“If you want to go to school with me, you have to say your name before you find your seat. Ready? Go.”
One by one the ranch children climbed up the bus steps, said their name to Gus, and found a seat for the ride.
Bryn’s heart thumped heavily in her chest as Wesley stepped forward for her turn. One of the steps was so steep she almost didn’t make it but somehow managed to pull herself up.
“Wesley Langston,” she said.
Gus nodded. He was quite a character with pork chop sideburns dyed royal blue to match the school colors.
“Nice to meet you, Wesley. I like your hair.”
She grinned, then glanced back at Bryn and gave her a thumbs-up. She turned back to Gus. “Thank you. I like your hairs too.”
Only two more children were left to get on the bus. Bryn watched as Wesley made her way toward the back and sat down in the seat, scooting over to the windows so she could wave.
Bryn and Jake both waggled their fingers at her, but Bryn was having a hard time holding back her tears.
“She looks so little sitting there.”
Jake started forward. “I’m going to get her.”
Bryn laid a hand on his arm, somehow holding him in place. “No. You’re not. She has to do this. Just be thankful she’s not clinging to you sobbing that she wants to go back home.”
“Is that what Emery did?”
Bryn shook her head. “But there is always one.”
“Tell me she’s going to be okay.”
“She’s going to be okay,” Bryn parroted.
He squeezed her hand as the bus engine revved. Then it pulled away carrying Wesley and the other kids to school. Parents waved. Bryn did her best to hold back her tears.
“Come on.” Jake tugged her away. At first Bryn thought they were going back into the house, but he switched gears going around the side of the building that could loosely be called a garage.
“What are you doing?”
He took a set of keys off the pegboard on the wall and got in one of the trucks. “We’re following her.”
“Jake,” Bryn started in protest, but he shook his head.
“Either ride with me or stay here, but I’m following her to school.”
With a smile and a shake of her head, Bryn opened the door to the truck and climbed in beside him.
“They can’t have gotten far,” Jake said as he pulled onto the road.
“Yeah, but she’ll recognize the truck if she looks out the back. You need to stay as far away as possible.”
“Right.” He looked so serious and intense that Bryn couldn’t stop her laughter.
“What’s so funny?”
She shook her head. “You.”
“I hardly think this is funny at all.”
“You may have only made it to fifteen on the top bachelor list,” Bryn started. “But you’re number one Dad of the Year to me.”
He leaned over and bussed her lips. “Good morning.”
Bryn felt the small kiss all the way to her toes. “I think you’ve already said that.”
“Maybe, but definitely not properly.”
She turned a bit in her seat, the belt rubbing against her belly. “Just what is a proper good morning?”
The smile he sent her was just short of wicked. “I’ll show you when we get back home.”
A pang of desire zinged through her. “I’m holding you to it.” Bryn glanced back at the road. The school bus was just up ahead and looked as if it was making another stop. “You’d better hold back before she sees us.”
“She won’t see us. She’s too busy talking to Tori Davidson, Ol’ Buck’s great-granddaughter. She’s in the second grade, and I’m sure right now Wesley is bragging about her purple hair.” He shot Bryn a look. “By the way, how did you talk me into that?”
Bryn smiled and shook her head. “I will never reveal my secrets.”
Jake slowed the truck as the school bus made a right turn. If Bryn remembered right, they were halfway to town now. “How far are you going?”
“All the way. I want to see her walk in the building.”
Bryn couldn’t say she blamed him. She would feel better today knowing that Wesley had made it to school safely.
“Does she know how to get to her classroom?” Bryn asked.
> Jake growled under his breath. “Someone will show her the way,” he said. But she had a feeling he was convincing himself more than answering her.
“Independent little thing, isn’t she?”
“I blame myself.”
Bryn laid a hand on his arm as he pulled in behind the bus. “It’s not a bad trait to have.”
• • •
Jake looked down to where Bryn’s fingers rested on his arm, then back up to the kids getting off the bus in front of them. If luck was on his side, Wesley would be so engrossed in talking to friends and being a big kindergartner that she wouldn’t notice the ranch truck behind her.
“There she is,” he said, nodding toward the familiar pink backpack bobbing through the crowd.
Bryn took her hand from his arm, and Jake did his best not to feel bereft at the absence of her touch.
They sat in the parking lot and watched that backpack as it wove through the crowd and into the schoolhouse. It was a typical elementary school, sprawling brick with royal blue trim to match the high school Longhorns mascot. A playground sat off to one side with slides, swings, and merry-go-rounds along with a variety of other toys for kids to burn off energy during the day. All in all, it was a good school, and he prayed they would take care of his little girl.
“Someone will show her the way,” he muttered under his breath. “Someone will show her the way.”
“I think it’s time to go,” Bryn said.
She was right. But he had to be certain that Wesley wasn’t going to pop back out and need something. Who knew fatherhood would be this difficult? Why did no one warn a guy how painful it could be? Even those day-to-day victories could squeeze a heart until it bled.
“I guess you’re right.” He made no move to put the truck in gear.
“Grandma Esther is still in bed and your mom doesn’t come home till sometime later today. . . .” Bryn leaned a little closer to him. Close enough that she could whisper in his ear. “That means we have the house all to ourselves for . . . When’s the next time you have to do something today?”
He sighed. “I’m a rancher. I have stuff to do all day.”
She kissed the side of his face somewhere between his short sideburns and the curve of his ear. Jake shivered. “Well, then I guess we have the house for as long as you’ll stay in there with me.”
