“Hey, you never answered my question. What therapy?” Kessed asked, bringing his attention back.
“Horse therapy. Basically, because of the nature of his injury, Sterling could benefit from the kind of movement that you perform when riding a horse. Harper had the idea, and I told Cyler. You get the picture.”
“Oh. Well, that sounds promising, except for one thing.”
“What?” Jasper asked, tilting his head, growing more and more distracted by the way Kessed’s lips moved.
“Sterling hates horses,” Kessed answered.
Jasper reached down and tasted her lips, unable to resist any longer. He pulled away only enough to answer. “Harper has a way of making everyone love horses. She’ll be up to the challenge.”
Kessed leaned in, finally reaching behind his neck and tugging him close for another searchingly sweet kiss. “I have a feeling the therapy sessions will be entertaining to watch, for more than one reason, just saying. Now, enough talking….”
Kessed met his lips once more, her tongue darting out to caress his lower lip, and every other thought Jasper had just flew away.
Impatient hands tugged at his shirt, lifting it from his filthy jeans. It was on his lips to protest, but her hand slid across his stomach, navigating the ridges of his abs and then tracing lower to his waistband. His hands squeezed her as he slid down to feel the shape of her, loving the way her warm body stepped into his, fitting perfectly, just as he remembered. Clothes or no clothes, they fit.
Gently, he pushed her back toward his room, only breaking the kiss long enough to sweep her into his arms to navigate the living room and hall with quick and impatient steps.
Kessed used the time to knead his shoulders with her palms, nipping at his ear with her teeth, sucking on his earlobe and driving him crazy with desperate need.
Jasper kicked his bedroom door closed, fleetingly thankful that Harper was staying in the barn loft.
As if emphasizing his point, Kessed gasped loudly as he grabbed her ass, flicking his tongue on her exposed neck as she arched slightly.
As soon as Jasper set her down on the floor, her hands were tugging on his jeans. He stepped out and kicked them into a corner, returning the favor and undressing Kessed from the waist up. His hands slid over her olive-toned stomach, his breath coming in short pants as he admired the way her breasts fit her lacy black bra. It was almost too much, yet he pressed on, melding into her, needing to feel her body without any space between them.
Yet at the same time, he wanted to go slow, to memorize the moment, to truly live in it. It was a sweet torture to have her hands trace down to his boxers then slide them over his arousal, caressing him along the way. He hissed in a breath, unable to think beyond the pleasure of the sweet demand of his body.
Her light giggle had him opening his eyes to give her a mock glare.
“Your turn,” Jasper muttered then picked her up and tossed her onto his queen-size bed, earning a fake glower as she did a quick bounce before righting herself.
“Turnabout’s fair play,” Jasper murmured as he towered over her, kissing her lips, arching into her, and then pulling away, chuckling as she followed him with her body.
“Not yet,” he whispered, reminding himself of the same thing.
Slowly, he kissed her neck, keeping his hips strategically above hers, enough to tease, not enough to satisfy. As he kissed down the delicate flesh of her neck, he inhaled the sweet fragrance of her skin, damn near worshiping her with his mouth as he trailed kisses lower till he felt the soft swell of her breast with his sensitive lips.
He reached under her back and reading his intent, she arched to give Jasper access. He tried to flip the hook of her bra, but failed. He kissed the delicate swell of her breast and nudged aside the distractingly sexy fabric with his nose, kissing farther down as he tried the unhooking motion again.
Failing miserably.
“Need help?” Kessed asked, her tone carrying a hint of laughter.
“Yes.” Jasper growled, biting her softly and earning a gasp as she reached behind to unfasten the offending garment.
As it sailed across the room, Jasper took in the beautiful view. “God couldn’t have created anyone more perfect than you, Kess. I swear.” He placed a kiss to each breast, relishing in her gasp of pleasure before searing his words on her lips, devouring her response. He pulled away slightly only to say the three words that had burned in his mind from the very beginning. “I love you.” He breathed them into her, giving them life as he sealed them with a kiss.
Kessed broke away, and he tried to follow but she placed a finger on his lips, and he regarded her with his drunken gaze. “I love you more.”
And then the dam broke.
All the tension, the fear, and reservations he’d experienced over the past week melted away like a spring flood and swept him over the edge. No longer could he play it safe, much less slow.
Kessed responded in kind, and when she pressed into him, he didn’t—couldn’t—pull away. With frenzied efforts, he removed the last of their barriers of clothing and lost himself in the only woman who had ever stolen his heart.
Who am I kidding? I gave it away on a silver platter.
The best damn choice he’d ever made.
With each stroke, he found home.
Each breath she breathed, he inhaled and made his own.
And as she gave her final cry, he met her in sweet release.
When she finally caught her breath, he wanted to steal it away again and again, making every part of her somehow a part of him.
His heartbeat slowed, and he rested on his arm, using his free hand to sweep her dark hair from her face, learning every hint of color that came from being thoroughly loved.
Kessed traced the outline of his lips then reached up and placed the softest of kisses on his mouth.
He closed his eyes against the sweet onslaught of emotion that welled within. “Hold that thought.” He twisted away, his body already acutely aware of the separation and demanding that he close the distance immediately.
But he had more important plans.
He’d wanted her to come here for a reason.
Well, so maybe more than one reason. He grinned as he pulled open his top dresser drawer and lifted out a wooden box.
He heard the rustle of sheets as Kessed sat up. It was a powerfully arousing sight, yet he forced himself to focus.
“What’s that?” she asked as he set the old box on the bed.
“I have something for you.” He took a deep breath, not of uncertainty, but of levity.
This wasn’t a small moment….
Rather, one that would define a million more.
“This”—He held out a delicate ring in the palm of his hand, one that brought a thousand memories to mind with one glance—“was my grandmother’s.”
Memories of love, loss, loyalty, and blood lived in the circular piece of jewelry.
Kessed picked it up from his hand and studied it, her chocolate-brown eyes studying the ring with careful attention, realization and anticipation illuminating their dark depths.
“And now, I’d like it to be yours.” Jasper spoke with rugged emotion. Slowly, he knelt by the bed, not once taking his eyes from the beautiful woman who had just shared it with him. “From the first time I met you, I wanted you. Not just for a season, but forever. From day one, I risked my heart, hoping to be rewarded with the greatest prize of all… your love. Kessed… will you marry me?”
Jasper held his breath as a single tear trickled down her cheek a moment before she nodded, then whispered, “Yes.”
Before he could react, she leapt from the bed and tackled him to the floor. Her lips met his with an enthusiastic passion. Then she quickly rolled over and placed the ring on the fourth finger of her left hand, tears glistening in her eyes as she flicked her gaze from the cir
cle to him and back.
“It’s perfect,” she whispered in wonder.
Jasper sat up and settled her on his lap.
She rested her head against his shoulder as they gazed at the ring together. The larger diamond was framed by several others, creating the snowflake design he remembered from his childhood.
“My grandparents had an amazing marriage, Kess. They’re one of the reasons I didn’t hold back when I chased you… and one of the reasons I was scared shitless to lose you at the same time. Love like that only comes around once.” He shrugged.
“Once. But once is enough,” Kessed whispered, meeting his lips in a kiss.
“Once is more than enough,” Jasper affirmed, pursuing her lips as she leaned away.
When he opened his eyes, she had a small frown on her face.
“What?” he asked, yet the fear that had been present before had completely melted away.
She was his.
“What about Harper? I mean, if it was your grandmother’s…” Her dismay seemed to deepen as she glanced to the ring and then fisted her hand as if determined not to let it go.
Jasper chuckled and gently encouraged her hand to relax. “Harper has my father’s ring. Someday, Lord willing, she’ll be able to give that to someone worthy of wearing it. This one”—he lifted her hand and caressed her fourth finger—“belongs to no one but you.”
He placed the ring to his lips and kissed the symbol that forever represented their ties together. Body, soul, and everything in between.
And as Kessed tilted his chin up and whispered, “I love you,” once again, Jasper couldn’t help but be thankful he’d had the courage to chase her heart.
True love was worth the risk.
Every. Damn. Time.
EPILOGUE
“You know, for an assistant, you sure are bossy.” Jasper leaned against the doorway to the kitchen, grinning at Kessed as she held up a hand to silence him as she answered the phone.
“Yes, I’ll get you all scheduled. Of course. Bye.” She set the phone down, typed quickly into the laptop on the new kitchen table, and then gave him a glare. “Seriously. You should know by now that I can’t concentrate when you’re standing there naked.” She gave a quick onceover to his body and bit her lip.
“You’re the one who jumped out of bed to answer the phone.”
“I wasn’t in bed yet, and my boss is a pain in the ass who demands perfection.” She grinned.
“Yeah, sure. The boss just wants to get laid by his almost-wife.” Jasper closed the distance and slid a hand over Kessed’s shoulder.
“Are you sure Harper’s fine in the loft? I swear, she never comes in the house anymore.”
“She’s too obsessed with Spartan and Rake. She’s always been better with horses than people.” Jasper shrugged as he tugged on Kessed’s hand, guiding her toward their bedroom.
Their. Bedroom.
It hadn’t taken long for them to set the date—exactly three months from today—and finalize all the details. As Kessed had said, she didn’t want to waste one moment of the future she finally had.
He couldn’t have agreed more.
Harper had accepted Kessed right away, and the two had become closer than he’d even hoped. Of course, that was when Kessed could steal Harper’s attention from her new horse, Spartan.
Kessed still gave Sterling a wide berth, and Jasper didn’t hold it against him. But Sterling had made other progress, and Harper had been instrumental. She’d taken over his therapy when he made quick improvement with only a few horse-therapy sessions—much to the chagrin of Sterling who, indeed, did not like horses.
But Jasper had the distinct suspicion that he did like Harper.
It would be interesting to watch it play out.
As he all but tackled Kessed to the bed, he couldn’t imagine the pain of losing her, of not having her love every moment.
Kessed nipped at his ear, train-wrecking his thoughts and diverting his attention away from all but her.
“I love you,” she whispered as she walked her fingers along his chest.
“Guess what?” Jasper teased, reaching around her waist and pulling her on top of him.
“Hmm?” She kissed down his neck, setting his body on fire.
He splayed his palms on her back and hauled her in tight. “I love you more.”
“Keep trying,” Kessed all but moaned back.
“Every day, Kess.” He nipped at her lips. “Every damn day.”
Coming in August 2018,
Don’t miss the next book in the Elk Heights Ranch series,
THE COWGIRL MEETS HER MATCH
by Kristin Vayden
Harper and Sterling get together and the sparks fly!
Available at your favorite e-retailer.
About the Author
Kristin Vayden is the author of twenty books and anthologies. She is an acquisitions Editor for a Boutique publishing house, and helps mentor new authors. Her passion for writing started young, but it was only after her sister encouraged her to write did she fully realize the joy and exhilaration of writing a book. Her books have been featured in many places, including the Hallmark Channel’s Home and Family show.
You can find Kristin at her website, http://kristinvayden.weebly.com, on FB as www.facebook.com/kristinvaydenauthor or on Twitter: @KristinVayden.
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