His averted gaze caused her some concern and she inched a little closer, studying him the best she could. She could make out scrapes that covered his face and bruised knuckles. Who had he been fighting? Her stomach knotted as she searched for what to say. “I came back.”
He nodded and leaned against the van, fingering the rim of his hat. “But you’re leaving now. Everybody leaves. Whether they want to or not. My mom probably wanted to. Molly’s husband. You. My dad didn’t want to.”
Something in Seth’s attitude made her think his offhand comment was hiding so much more and she took a guess. “That day must have been awful.”
He shot her a quick glance, but she kept her face neutral. His palpable sadness consumed the light around them. Poor kid.
“It was.” He rubbed a finger over his bruised knuckles. “At least I got to be with him at the…” he swallowed but didn’t finish the sentence.
Hoof beats pounded on the grass and they both turned. Seth stiffened while Ainsley still tried to make out who it was. Suddenly the emotional young man next to her turned into a sullen teenager. “Are you following me? I don’t freakin’ believe this.”
Her heart went wild, jumping from her chest to her throat, when she realized it was Riley. She wanted to rush into his arms, kiss his tender lips, run her fingers through his hair while telling him the three words she had kept to herself in order to protect her heart. But she stayed silent. At least, for now.
* * *
Riley stared down at his former lover and his brother from atop his horse. He had thought riding the perimeter of the land would give him the best chance of avoiding running into anyone, but when he saw the white vehicle, he wanted to make sure it wasn’t a neighbor in trouble. So much for his solitude and figuring out what he wanted. He dismounted and patted Westley’s forelock until he could sort out his thoughts. Seth beat him to it.
“I thought after what happened at the barn that you’d trust me to not do anything stupid. What, did you get worried when I wasn’t at the party so you decided to make sure I hadn’t found someone else to bring back to the barn?” Seth’s hands turned into fists, but they remained by his sides. “Make sure I didn’t kill anyone?”
“Okay, now,” Ainsley said before Riley could respond. She slid open the side door of the van and pulled Seth down with her. “Come sit.”
Seth tried to shrug her off, but that didn’t deter her. She tugged on his arm until he sat, his elbows resting on his knees. Instead of draping her arm around him, she lightly rubbed his back, her hand moving in slow circles to comfort him.
It was the kind of comfort Riley couldn’t give him. Not because Ainsley had a woman’s touch, but there was something nurturing and soft about her. He saw it every time she talked about her sister. A pang shifted in his chest. He wanted her to be that way when she talked about him.
“You were about to tell me what happened,” she murmured to Seth.
Was he? It was something his brother hadn’t spoken of in detail, shutting down every time Riley tried to get it out of him. He took a step forward, but Ainsley gave a minute shake of her head and he remained where he was. Without question.
That faith was his surrender. To her, to his heart. The trust that he always found so hard to give knocked him upside the head with the sudden realization he had found the part of his life that he didn’t know was missing.
Seth shot him another glance, but his lower lip quivered like he was seven and trying not to give in to the tears. Riley crouched down so he wasn’t towering over the teen and spoke gently, like he was introducing himself to a new horse. “What happened?”
Seth’s shoulders, still thin and lithe but with the potential for being powerful, shook with quiet sobs. Ainsley cradled his head against her and stroked his hair, murmuring softly to him while letting his emotions run their course. Riley didn't move, afraid to break the fragile atmosphere. Getting Seth to open up about everything that happened that day was something Riley had never been able to do, whether out of discomfort or his lack of ability to handle his brother’s emotions. Yet with Ainsley, it was natural to sit quietly, offering the support of his presence if not his words.
Seth used the palms of his hands to wipe his eyes. “I miss him.”
“I know you do.” Ainsley kept her hand on his back.
“If I had been a little faster. Or been with him when it happened instead of arriving too late.”
Ainsley stayed silent, but shot Riley a questioning glance over Seth’s head. Seth blew out a breath and looked her right in the eye. “It wasn’t my fault.”
“Of course not.”
“It wasn’t.” His tone got stronger. Maybe he believed it this time. “And I got to say good-bye and tell him I loved him. I was the only one.” He whispered that last part, his voice cracking. He put his elbows on his knees and leaned into his hands. “Riley, I’m sorry. I’m sorry I got to have that last time with him and you didn’t.”
“Hey.” Riley got on his knees and wrapped his arm around Seth, hoping to dispell the guilt his brother carried over having something special that Riley and Molly and Jeanne didn’t get to have. “Dad died loved because you were there. I’m not sorry at all.” That last farewell, the last touch, the last breath. No matter how painful it had been to witness.
Seth held on to him harder. The van shifted when Ainsley stepped away, trailing her vanilla scent behind her. A brief touch of her soft hand in Riley’s hair gave him some of her strength and comfort to guide Seth through this.
“Why do I feel so lucky and so cheated at the same time?” Seth asked.
“Because you were lucky. And cheated. No one begrudges you that moment. In fact, I’m glad you were there. So glad, Seth, that Dad had you and wasn’t alone.” And he meant it. He hadn’t realized before how much.
The sobs came again, fresh pain that engulfed the teen’s body. Riley held on, his own thoughts and memories meshing with Seth’s, and he let himself grieve for all they had lost.
The tears subsided after a few moments, and Seth sat back, then cleared his throat and glanced around him. He shifted a bit away and wiped his face, keeping his eyes averted. Riley took advantage of his brother’s discomfort to wipe his own eyes without Seth seeing him and blew out a breath.
“This sucks, Ry.”
Riley sat on the van next to his brother. “No shit.” Before, his heart had constricted with the pain of loss upon seeing Ainsley with Seth. Now the weight of death had been removed from his brother’s shoulders, and that wouldn’t have happened without her. She belonged with him. He wasn’t going to let her go again. Even if he had to follow her to her flower shop across the country to convince her.
Seth snorted, then peered around in the darkness. “Ainsley? Where’d she go?”
“I’m here.” Her voice came from the other side of the van and she shuffled around to them. “I didn’t want to interrupt.”
Seeing her there like a shining angel, knowing that he’d almost lost her to his stupidity and stubbornness, had him crossing the space between them in two large steps. He put his hands through her hair, feeling the silken threads as he brought her close to kiss her.
Her fingers grazed his hands before settling on his wrists, holding him in place while he ravished her mouth, his tongue seeking hers. She sighed and he pulled her closer, enjoying the feel of her body molding to his.
“Um, you guys?” Seth tapped Riley on the shoulder like a pesky little-brother bug. “I’m still here.”
Ainsley stepped back and covered her mouth, her eyes sparkling with suppressed laughter while Riley entertained thoughts of punting Seth over the fence and away from them. “Take the van back to the cabin. We’ll catch up.”
“Wait, he can’t,” Ainsley interjected. “It’s a rental. No one else is on the form as a…oh, screw it. Just don’t crash.” She fished the keys out of her pocket and tossed them to Seth. They watched him drive away.
Riley’s mind sped through everything he wanted to tell her. �
��You were leaving?”
She nodded.
“Can we talk?”
The muscles in her body that had been so malleable only moments before stiffened briefly before she nodded again. “I think we need to.”
Some of his tension slipped away at her answer. He gave a sharp whistle to Westley, who abandoned the grass around the cattle guard and paced up to him. He took Ainsley’s hand, taking it as a good sign that she didn’t jerk away, and began the slow walk back to the house, the moon providing scant light across the dirt road. “I’m not good at flowery speeches to tell you what I want you to know, and I’ll probably do something stupid that will make you mad, and that’s not my intention. But Ainsley, there are things I need to say, and I’m going to say them. And you’re going to listen.”
She started to pull away, but he tightened his hold. If she looked at him, he wouldn’t be able to speak. “Let me finish, please.” After a moment, she relaxed again. He said nothing at first, his throat raw and thick with the words, and leaned down to kiss her briefly. He kept his eyes closed. Maybe these things were easier said without eye contact.
“I was an idiot. When you were here for that stupid stunt of my sisters’. A bunch of jealous women told me a pack of lies, and I believed what they said instead of believing the one that I loved. This whole thing was my fault. And I'm sorry for being such a jerk.” He brushed his lips against the back of her hand with a light, delicate touch, like she was an orchid and he was afraid of crushing her petals. “I hope you’ll stay at the ranch this time, for a while, anyway. At least until you get tired of me or have to go back to work. And we can figure it out from there.”
A huff of laughter came from her. The sound gave him the strength to risk a glance, but he still braced for disappointment. Her green eyes held something much warmer. “I don’t have to go back to work.” Her voice had a low, husky tone to it that tightened his groin. “There’s no work for me to go back to. I sold my shop.”
“You did?” Her business had meant everything to her. “Why?”
She shrugged. “I’d done everything I wanted to do with it.”
“So what are you going to do now?”
She stopped, put her hands on her hips, and fixed him with a glare. “Did you or did you not just invite me to stay here?”
A jolt like lightning passed through his body. “Does that mean you want to?” He kept the words casual, while his heart pounded.
“For a while, anyway. Until I get tired of you.”
Happiness exploded in his chest and he wrapped his arms around her waist, picking her up and swinging her around. He continued holding her but slid her soft frame down his body until her lips were even with his. She wound her hands through his hair, her hot mouth tasting his as their breaths mingled.
Much hotter breath blew on his cheek, followed by a knicker and a wet nose. Ainsley laughed and he put her on the ground to deal with his wayward horse.
“Someone’s jealous,” she teased.
“Let’s get him back to the stable. There’s something I want to show you.”
* * *
They could have ridden the horse back to the house, but the lingering walk gave Ainsley time to adjust to what had just happened. Riley had used the L word, but in the past tense. Did that mean he no longer felt that way? Even though he invited her to stay, maybe it was to see if something could be rekindled.
But she opened her heart to the possibilities of staying in Wyoming. And maybe, possibly, having a life with this man by her side. She believed that he was sorry for what had happened, but past experiences made her wary of it happening again. How could she believe he truly knew her?
When he had approached the van, she thought she had spied cuts and bruises on his face and hands. Now that she could study him closely, the discolorations stood out on his skin and his clothes were covered with a layer of dust. She slid a finger gently over the purpling skin under his eye. “What happened?”
“Letting Seth get out some aggression.” He stopped and took her hands, his hazel eyes gleaming down at her. “Thank you. Seth had been haunted by that day for a long time and refused to talk about it. I don’t know if he ever would have opened up without you helping him.”
“I think it was just the right time and I happened to be there. But I’m glad I could help.”
They stayed clear of the path, walking along the soft grass while an occasional car passed them on the way out of the ranch. Finally the bridal car drove by, the windows covered with “Just Married” announcements and little hearts, a cacophony of aluminum cans trailing behind. It was followed by other cars, honking and flashing their lights while they followed the happy couple away from the Crescent Ridge. Other guests went by on their horses, neighbors who never drove when they could ride.
They bypassed her cabin, the van gleaming white against the nighttime darkness. Riley headed toward the barn, but Ainsley stopped outside the door.
“I’ll be in the way in there.”
Riley shook his head. “In there is what I want to show you.”
She followed him to Westley’s stall. He entered it first, leaving the horse waiting while he brought out something wrapped in a blanket. Westley went in without any prompting once Riley was cleared.
“What’s this?” She lifted a corner to see what was underneath, but he held the blankets too tightly for her to tell.
“I got you something when you were here last. Before Edward and your mother showed up. I wanted to show you what I couldn’t say in words. To show that I know you, and to show I believe you. And believe in you.” He held out the gift. “I know you. And I believe in you.”
She moved the blankets aside. A strange noise escaped her throat, halfway between a strangled cry and a shout of laughter, and she sank to the ground, holding the present in her lap. “You bought me a tool box.” Tears streamed down her face but she smiled up at him. There was no longer a need for reserved emotions. She unlatched the box and removed a hammer. “A tool box. With actual tools.”
He crouched beside her, his large hand smoothing her hair from her face. “I couldn’t imagine giving you roses or chocolates or stuffed animals. They’re not you. They don’t represent how special and unique you are.” He leaned over, catching her lips. “I love you,” he whispered. “That isn’t ever going to change. Five Edwards could come to the ranch proclaiming their love for you and I’d fight every one of them to own your heart.”
A large thumb brushed away a tear, his touch streaking a heat that spread through her body. She flung herself into his arms and kissed him, hooking her legs around his hips. He spun around and pressed her against a support post, keeping her elevated while he devoured her in return, matching the pressure of her lips.
So what if they’d only known each other for two months? Ainsley’s parents had dated for five years and they hadn’t gotten their happily ever after. She wasn’t going to let hers go. “I love you. And my heart is yours for the owning.”
He kissed her again, claiming her with a masculine possessiveness that left no doubts about his feelings. She returned it with a passion she’d never imagined possible, giving herself over to the echo of forever.
His erection pressed hot against her but she could do little more than hold him tighter, letting his warm tongue slide over her lips while her hands dug into the hard muscles of his back.
“My cabin,” she groaned. “Now.”
Riley settled her on the ground but bent to kiss her again, holding her face in his palms. The shape of his lips molded against hers. “I have to go back to the house and get a condom,” he whispered, then took a step toward the door.
“Meagan gave us all some as part of our wedding party gifts.” Her face was flushed, but she fought back a grin. “As long as you don’t mind fluorescent green and ribbed for her pleasure.”
“Let’s go.” Riley held her hand on his way to the barn entrance. Her other hand clutched the tool box and her face held a smile so bright they didn’t need t
he moon to guide them over the land. He opened the barn door and peeked outside. “It’s clear.”
He pulled her along to her cabin. Once inside, he scooped her into his arms and carried her into the bedroom.
Ainsley expected him to place her on the bed and follow her, but instead he sat down on the edge and continued cradling her while he kissed her. She held onto him and kissed him back. His hand gently stroked the tops of her thighs. The stroking became more insistent and soon his hand traveled up her body to caress her breast through her shirt. Ainsley moaned against his mouth, and he took that as encouragement to lift her shirt off her body.
Ainsley shifted so she straddled him and let her shirt fall to the floor. He groaned at the unexpected action. She pressed herself against him, feeling how hard he was through the two layers of clothes that separated them. He caressed her stomach, then tapped those two freckles on her chest before replacing his fingers with his lips, and caressed her breast again. The rough texture of his thumb made lazy circles against her nipple and a tremor raced down her body to between her legs. She squirmed again, and this time Riley slowly, slowly, lowered himself on the bed, kissing her the entire way.
One hand kept a gentle pressure on her neck as the other one focused on her breast. He touched her lightly, and her breathing quickened with his touch. She reached up to run her fingers over his chin, the hint of a beard prickling their tips. The clean smell of man sent her senses reeling.
Riley moved his mouth on top of hers again, and his fingers danced around the waistline of her jeans, sending flicks of fire over her skin. Finally he made his way to the front and undid the button, then unzipped them and pushed them around her hips. She jumped off his lap to push them down and he raised himself on an elbow to watch. She stood before him in a bra and white cotton panties, then reached around to undo the clasp while she held his gaze, a heated flush covering her skin.
She shimmied out of the bra and Riley was on his feet in an instant, holding her tightly against him while he ravished her mouth, licking and sucking and stroking her tongue, flooding her senses with nothing but the thought of bringing him closer to her. One large hand slid down her smooth back and cupped her ass, then held her steady as the other dipped down to the front. He traced the outline of her panties, then ran his fingers over the juncture between her legs. Ainsley groaned and sagged at the pleasurable touch, but he held firm.
Who Wants to Marry a Cowboy? Page 29
