by Ann Roth
Her next thought was to call Sly. He should know about the change in plans. She’d keep the call short, then hang up. His phone rang four times, and Lana guessed that he was probably out, too. Maybe on a date.
Her disappointment was almost as keen as it had been when she’d read Sophie’s text. Lana didn’t understand herself at all. Just because she was stuck at home didn’t mean Sly should be. The man had a right to go out. She was gearing herself up to leave a cheerful-sounding voice message when he picked up.
“Hey, Lana,” he said. His low, intimate tone vibrated through her.
Her heart let out a sigh of relief, and suddenly she felt much better. She sat up and propped herself up against the pillows and the headboard. “Hi. How are you?”
“Not bad. This has been a day and a half crammed into about nine hours. I spent most of it separating the yearling heifers from the rest of the herd and inoculating them with hormones to more or less synchronize their heat cycles.”
“Why in the world would you do that?”
“So that we can artificially inseminate all of them at once—if they all synchronize, that is. It takes longer for some heifers to reach that point of their cycle.”
“That sounds...interesting.”
“Trust me, it sounds better than it is.”
Hearing Sly’s deep chuckle, Lana couldn’t help but smile.
“Did you get the crib and stuff put together?” he asked.
Her smile faded. “No. It’s a lot harder than I thought.” Darn it, the tears were back, blurring her vision and clogging her throat. “Sophie postponed until next week,” she said, her voice thick with disappointment.
“You’re crying.”
“No, I’m not,” she said, an involuntary sob escaping. “I’m just so frustrated!”
“Because Sophie changed her plans or because you’re having trouble with the furniture?”
“Both!”
Sly was quiet a moment. “She said she’ll be over next Saturday, so what’s the problem? You worry too much.”
He was right. Lana blew her nose.
“In a way, this is good news,” he added. “Now you have more time to put the furniture together and get ready for her visit.”
“That’s true. Thanks for putting a positive spin on this. I feel silly for crying.”
“Dani does it, too, once in a while. It’s a girl thing.”
Lana snorted. “Guys cry, too.”
“Nah, we go out and chop wood or run after stray cattle. You’d be surprised how chasing a cow into a glen and out again makes a man forget his problems. Especially when the unexpected happens. Just this morning, Ollie, a kid who works for me, helped me with a renegade heifer. On my way down the glen, I slipped on a fresh cow patty and landed on my as—butt. Ollie almost wet himself, he laughed so hard.”
Picturing that, Lana laughed, too.
“And here I’d hoped you’d feel my pain.”
That was even funnier. “Thanks, Sly.”
“For what?”
“Making me laugh.”
She could almost feel his warm smile through the phone.
“Hey, why don’t I come over tonight and help you with the furniture?” he said.
It was pathetic how badly she wanted his company. She bit her lip. “I don’t want to ruin your Friday-night plans. In case you’re going out.”
“I don’t have any plans. I’ll be over in half an hour.”
While Lana waited for Sly, she washed her face, fixed her hair and makeup and exchanged her sweats for a blouse and jeans. She even brushed her teeth.
“Why am I doing this?” she asked her reflection. Of course, it didn’t answer.
She was making popcorn when Sly knocked on the door. He wiped his feet and entered her house. He wore a pressed shirt and jeans. His short hair was damp, and he smelled fresh and clean, as if he’d showered before coming over.
They were both dressed as if this were a date. It wasn’t. Lana couldn’t date a man who didn’t want kids and who was suing her cousin. Sly was here to help with the furniture, that was all.
If only she could stop the flutter of excitement in her stomach.
“Thanks for coming over,” she said. “I really appreciate it.”
“No problem.” He sniffed the air. “Do I smell popcorn?”
She nodded. “I figured I should at least feed you something while we work. Would you like a beer to go with it?”
“How did you guess?” Sly said on the way to the kitchen.
He’d only been here once, and already he seemed comfortable in her house. Lana pulled a cold beer from the refrigerator. “My dad always says that popcorn and cold beer go together as well as shoes go with socks.”
“Smart man.”
“He is. You’d like him.” He would probably like Sly, too, but thanks to the lawsuit, they would undoubtedly never meet.
She handed Sly the bottle opener and reached in the cabinet for a glass.
“Don’t bother. I prefer it straight from the bottle.” He frowned. “You’re not joining me?”
Lana shook her head. “I haven’t had alcohol since the night we, um, met. Just haven’t wanted it. That hangover did me in. Tonight I’m a soda girl, and I prefer mine in a glass. I’ll bring the popcorn and some hand wipes if you’ll grab the drinks.”
They headed up the stairs.
In the nursery, Sly set the drinks on the dresser, the only piece of furniture besides the rocking chair and lamp that didn’t require assembly. He took in the mess on the floor. “You’ve been hard at it.”
“Without much success, as you’ll notice. The directions may as well be written in Chinese. They’re impossible to understand.”
“Those things usually are pretty useless.” Sly’s mouth quirked. “I study the picture, and then figure it out.”
“I’m not mechanically minded. I never have been, and I hate that.”
“You can’t be good at everything. You’re an artist and you sure are great with kids.”
“How would you know? You’ve never seen me with kids.”
“I just do. And I read that article.”
After shoving a handful of popcorn into his mouth, he hunkered down and set to work. He rolled up his sleeves to the middle of his forearms. Lana couldn’t help noting his thick wrists and hands.
The nails were short and clean, and his fingers and palms were callused and scarred from ranch work. Strong, competent hands that could also be gentle and bring such pleasure....
She went warm all over before she firmly pushed her desire away and joined him on the floor. “What can I do?”
“For starters, hand me that small, open-ended wrench.”
With Sly seeming to understand what went where and in what order, the job wasn’t nearly as intimidating.
An hour later the drinks and popcorn were gone, and the crib and changing table were in their places near the mural.
“You saved me hours of bashing my head against the wall,” Lana said. “Now all that’s left is sewing the curtains, hanging a few pictures and making up the crib.”
“This room is welcoming and friendly. Hell, so is your whole house. If I were a kid, I’d sure want to live here.”
Lana soaked up the compliment like a dry sponge in warm water. “I just hope Sophie shares your view.”
“It’s a sure bet she will.”
“But is this enough for her to select me as the mom for her baby?” Lana couldn’t even fake a cheerful smile.
“You look like you could use a hug.”
Sly opened his arms. As soon as she walked into his embrace, he pulled her close, wrapping her in his warmth.
Lana couldn’t imagine a place she’d rather be. Her worries melted away, and sh
e was glad she’d promised Dani she wouldn’t write off Sly. She could get used to this. He’d been so supportive of her problems with Sophie and her longing to adopt. Maybe she’d misunderstood him. Maybe he wanted kids after all.
They could talk about that later. With a sigh, she snuggled closer. “You give great hugs.”
He made a sound of pure male pleasure. “You’re easy to hug.”
For a few delicious moments neither of them moved. Lana’s heart pounded. Sly shifted closer and her whole body began to hum.
He tipped up her chin with his big, warm hand. “Hey, Lana?”
“What?”
His thumb traced her bottom lip. The silver flecks in his eyes seemed to recede, making his eyes bluer and darker.
“This.” He kissed her.
* * *
FORGETTING THAT HE’D vowed to keep his distance from Lana and half waiting for her to stop him, Sly brushed his mouth lightly against hers. She surprised him by wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him in for a deeper kiss. One kiss became another, and another. She tasted of popcorn and soda and woman.
That was his last coherent thought. Already hard, he sank to the carpet and brought her with him onto his lap. Her soft behind pressed against his erection. She wriggled closer—heaven and hell. On the verge of losing control, he gripped her hips and forced her to be still. “Easy,” he said.
She nipped his lower lip, licked it and shimmied her tongue around his mouth. His tenuous grasp on self-control frayed and snapped.
Keeping his mouth fused with hers, Sly undid the tiny buttons on her blouse, almost ripping them off in his haste.
Lana was making the impatient noises he remembered from their night together, little breathy sounds, urging him to hurry. She was driving him wild.
Finally she pushed his hands away and finished the job herself. Her blouse fell open. Her gaze locked on Sly as she slipped out of it.
With hands that trembled, he traced the pink lace edging her bra. Her nipples stiffened, and he hadn’t even touched her breasts yet. She was so responsive, the most passionate woman he’d ever met. He slid his fingers inside her cups. Her skin was soft and warm and she smelled sweet and tempting, a mixture of gardenia perfume and her own woman scent. His fingers slid to her nipples.
She inhaled sharply. It wasn’t an aroused sound, but a painful gasp.
Sly pulled his hands away. “I’m hurting you.”
She shook her head. “My breasts are a little tender, but they get this way before my period.”
“Should I stop?”
Instead of answering, she shook her head again, silently covered his hands with hers and guided them to where they’d been.
With a groan, he kissed her again and again, until he was desperate to touch her.
Mindful of her sensitivity, he slowly and lightly drew his finger across her nipples. “Is this okay?”
“Very okay.” Her head lolled to the side and her eyes closed.
He unfastened the bra and removed it. Her breasts were full and heavy and her skin was flushed with arousal.
“I want you,” he said, yanking at the buttons on his own shirt. He shed it and gently pushed Lana onto the rug on her back. Half lying on top of her, he ran his tongue over one nipple, then the other, until she was writhing and moaning with desire.
Eager to heighten the pleasure, he slid his hand down her smooth stomach toward the button on her jeans.
Suddenly she tensed and pulled her mouth from his. “Now I want you to stop.”
What the...? Confused and breathing hard, he sat up. Lana joined him, modestly crossing her arms over the breasts he’d just caressed and loved with his mouth. When seconds ago, she’d acted as if she couldn’t get enough and desperately wanted more.
Giving his head a mental shake, Sly retrieved her blouse and bra and handed them to her. “What just happened here?”
Ignoring the bra, Lana put on her shirt and buttoned it. It wasn’t see-through, but knowing she was braless under there wasn’t helping him calm down.
“What we were doing—it isn’t what I want,” she said.
“Could have fooled me.” He picked up his shirt and shrugged into it.
“It wasn’t my intention to be a tease, Sly, but when I’m with you...” She glanced down to button her blouse. “I can’t help myself.”
Now he was doubly confused. “We’re attracted to each other and we’ve already proved how great we are together. What’s wrong with enjoying that?”
“As I explained before, I’m not wired for a sex-only thing, Sly. First, I need a deeper relationship.”
There it was, the R word, his signal to cut and run.
“So where do we go from here?” he said, surprising himself. He sure as hell wasn’t ready to get serious or make any kind of commitment to Lana.
“I’d be more comfortable talking about this in the kitchen.”
“Fine by me.” He could use a moment to pull himself together.
Trying to ignore the bra that lay on the floor, he set his empty bottle and Lana’s glass in the popcorn bowl and followed her down the stairs.
Chapter Nine
Lana’s kitchen was about a third the size of Sly’s, but homey. He especially liked the breakfast nook that faced the little backyard. The colorful curtains currently drawn against the night gave the space a cozy feel.
“Do you want another beer?” she asked.
“Sure. I’ll help myself. How about you—can I get you a fresh soda?”
“You gave up your Friday night to help me out—I’ll get you a beer. Please, sit.” She gestured toward the nook. “I’m going to switch to herbal tea.”
Sipping his beer, he watched her gather the tea fixings. She was facing the stove with her back to him, and he took advantage of the opportunity to look his fill.
Her hair, which hung almost to her shoulders, was every which way, as if she’d just had sex. Her blouse didn’t cover her hips or the sweet curve of her behind. When she pivoted around to fill a mug with steaming water, he noticed the points of her nipples poking the blouse.
Sly swallowed hard. Hard being the operative word. He wanted Lana more than he’d ever desired a woman. He fantasized about making love with her constantly, and it was killing him. It must be lust that had him sitting at her table, because he sure as hell didn’t want a real relationship with her.
At last she brought her tea to the nook and sat down across from him. “Now I’m ready,” she said.
Sly sucked in a breath and braced for the dreaded talk.
“I think we should get to know each other without having sex,” Lana said.
She meant dating. He could do that and had, lots of times. No big. He let his breath out. “So you’re okay about dating now? You said we couldn’t because of the situation with your cousin.”
“I don’t want to discuss him right now.” Eyes closed, she rubbed the space between her brows as if the subject gave her a headache.
“You don’t like him much, do you?” She didn’t reply, and he went on, “It’s not as if we’re talking anything serious, Lana. It’s just dating.”
“Are you kidding? If I started going out with you, even casually, my parents would freak out.”
Now they were getting somewhere. “Dating isn’t necessarily long-term, and it sure doesn’t mean getting serious,” he repeated.
“All the same, they’d freak out.”
“You’re scared of them,” he suggested, marveling that a grown woman would feel like that.
“That’s not it at all. We’re a close-knit family. It’s easier if we get along.”
“Yeah, but that doesn’t explain why you’re afraid of them.”
“I’m not!” Her chin tilted up defensively. “You don’t understand what i
t’s like. Let me give you an example. It’s been weeks since I told them about my plans to adopt. My mom keeps pressuring me not to do it. She’s driving me crazy.”
“Tell her to stop.”
Lana rolled her eyes. “Like that’d work.”
Now he understood. “You’re saying that if we’re seeing each other, even casually, your mom and dad will give you grief.”
“Big-time, and we both know why.”
And they were back to the lawsuit. Sly took a long pull of his beer and Lana sipped her tea, the silence between them heavy. They seemed to be circling each other like wagons around a roaring fire.
Returning to a life without Lana was probably for the best, and using her family as a reason to forget each other provided a way out of what could easily become something with strings attached. Sly didn’t want strings, but he wasn’t ready to let go, either. She was the first woman who hadn’t tried to change him, she’d only tried to understand him.
“We don’t have to date to get to know one another,” Lana said.
Totally confused now, he eyed her warily. “How do we do ‘get to know each other’ if we don’t go out?”
“Hmm.”
As she considered the question, the tip of her tongue poked out of the corner of her mouth, which was both tempting and cute.
“We could get together as friends,” she finally said.
“Friends,” he repeated. Dani had a friend like that, a rancher named Nick Kelly she often hung out with. Nick was an okay guy. Their relationship was platonic. As far as Sly was aware, they’d never even kissed each other. He couldn’t ever imagine a platonic relationship with Lana.
“There’s too much heat between us to settle for friendship.”
To make the point, he leaned across the table and ran the pad of his thumb across her cheek. Instantly her eyes softened and those tempting lips parted a fraction. Sly drew away and dropped his hand. “With one little touch, I just proved that.”
“Back to the drawing board.” Lana let out a frustrated sigh. “Above all else, I want a child. I hope and pray that Sophie chooses me to adopt her baby. Even if she doesn’t...” For a moment Lana’s face clouded. “If she doesn’t, then I’ll keep trying until I finally have the baby I long for.
