“Open your eyes,” he demands.
I do and lick my lips at the sight of him stroking himself right in front of me. I watch him, unable to stop myself from getting lost in the beauty of the moment, something that I thought was lost to me forever.
Pinching my eyes closed, the orgasm rushes through me, but it’s short and not extremely satisfying. Ford grunts, I open my eyes to see him kicking his jeans off, stripping completely out of his clothes and charging me.
I let out a giggle as soon as he approaches, but when the head of his cock presses against my center, my giggle dies. Lifting my hands, I wrap my fingers around his biceps, my nails digging into his flesh as I lift my hips to take more of him inside of me.
“Marry me,” he demands.
My eyes fly up to meet his. “Ford?”
“Marry me, Stephanie. I don’t want to date, to just live together. I don’t want to wait at all. I want you here, always. Be my wife.”
His words are a demand. They aren’t a question, and I find that it doesn’t bother me at all. My lips part in awe at the same time his twitch into a smirk. He buries himself inside of me to the hilt with a groan, his mouth touching mine, but not kissing me.
“Be my wife, have my babies. Live out here in the middle of nowhere and make a beautiful life with me, honey,” he murmurs against my lips.
“Yes,” I cry out, my head falling back between my shoulders. He doesn’t move, his body stays rigid until we both catch our breaths. Lifting my head, my eyes connect to his before I speak again. “Yes, Ford. I want that, all of it. I want you.”
“Thank fuck,” he growls.
Without another word, he pulls out of me then slams back inside on a groan. “Hard, Ford. Make me ache,” I exhale.
He dips his chin, his lips curving up into a slow smile, then without another word he fucks me, hard. I can’t even form words, the only sounds escaping from my lips are whimpers, cries, and moans of pleasure.
My body trembles as I come. It’s a satisfying sensation that rolls through me. My nails dig harder into his biceps and then he buries himself inside of me with a roar as his climax fills my body.
Wrapping my arms around his back, I pull him against my chest. He lets out a mumbled grunt as he falls forward slightly. Taking him with me, I lie back on the bed, twining my legs around his back, I pull him closer to me as I fall backward.
“I love you, Ford Buchannan Matthews,” I whisper against his lips.
He chuckles. “I love you too, future Mrs. Ford Buchannan Matthews.”
“Who says I’m taking your name?”
He growls against my mouth, his tongue snaking inside to taste me, taste all of me. I become a melted pile of gooey flesh by the time he’s done.
“Because, honey. You’re my girl through and through.”
I sigh. “Yeah, it does sound pretty damn good, doesn’t it?”
“It really does.”
Chapter Forty
STEPHANIE
I stretch, reaching over and sitting straight up when I feel the cold sheets next to me. Without hesitating, I roll out of bed and rummage around until I find Ford’s white t-shirt from yesterday and a pair of flip-flops.
In a sprint, I make my way downstairs and yank open the kitchen door that leads to the back porch only to see him standing at the barn. I don’t stop to see what he’s doing, he’s there and that’s all that I care about.
My feet carry me over to him. Ford hears me, he looks over his shoulder at me, then turns completely around and holds out his arms. Burying my face in his chest, the tears start to flow and my entire body trembles.
It takes me a few moments to gain control of my senses. When I do, I lift my head from his chest and look into his eyes.
“I didn’t know where you were,” I breathe.
He smiles, but it’s a sad smile. “I had to come out here. I just had to see for myself that she was gone.”
“I thought you were gone again too. You can’t leave me in that bed alone ever again, not without waking me up to tell me you’re leaving. I don’t care what time of day or night it is,” I growl.
Ford lifts his hand, placing his palm at the back of my head and slowly strokes my hair. His eyes never leave mine and he nods once.
“Okay, honey. Never again,” he whispers.
“Not ever.”
His lips twitch into a smile. “Not ever,” he agrees before he dips his chin and touches his mouth to mine.
When he releases my mouth, he turns to look back at Starlight’s empty stall. “Guess I have to get another horse.”
“Can’t you wait a bit?” I ask.
He shakes his head once, his gaze flicking down to meet mine. “I need a horse to rustle up those cattle. It’s not an option,” he murmurs. “When I go get one, you want one of your own? There are a couple empty stalls, could use a hand.”
I shrug a shoulder, licking my bottom lip. “I like riding in front of you,” I admit on a whisper.
He chuckles. “You still can. You need your own if you’re going to stay here.”
“I am, you know that I am.”
“Promised to marry me, so yeah, I fuckin’ know you are.” Shaking my head, I can’t wipe the smile off of my face. “Let’s go inside, maybe I’ll eat you for breakfast.” He grins.
A shiver rolls throughout my entire body and I let out a breathy exhale at the thought, a thought that I very much like.
FORD
I’ve fucked Stephanie into exhaustion, again. She needs the rest and I probably do too, but I need to do something else.
I wasn’t just staring at Starlight’s empty stall when she came out of the house. I was also texting Beaumont and asking him for some help. Got no desire to leave the ranch, but I needed him to get me something in town.
I hear his truck driving down the lane. Leaving a note for Stephanie, I quietly make my way out of the front of the house. I could have waited until later tonight when we all go to Beaumont’s for dinner, but I didn’t want to. This is something that I just needed right away.
Beaumont’s smiling as he jumps out of the truck and closes the distance between us. “Can I say, seeing you standing there, how happy as fuck I am you’re okay?” he calls out as he approaches me.
“Thanks, brother.”
He hums, reaching for my shoulder before he tugs me in and wraps his arms around me in a hug. He clears his throat, then takes a step back. I watch as he digs in his pocket and produces a small blue box. He tosses it toward me. I catch it easily, then grin as I open the box.
Nestled in the velvet, there it is. The engagement ring. Reaching in my back pocket, I hand Beaumont the envelope of cash that I took from my safe. I had called ahead to the jeweler in town, found out what they had and already had the price.
Beaumont was happy to pick it up, pay for it, and then bring it to me so that I could pay him back.
It’s a simple ring. Set in yellow gold, on an extremely thin band, with one row of small diamonds down each side. The diamond in the center is one and a half carats and sits high. It’s smaller than what she deserves, but it’s beautiful. It is almost flawless, and simply stunning, just like her.
“She’s going to love it,” Beaumont murmurs.
I nod, lifting my gaze to his, closing the box and shoving it into my pocket. “I think so too,” I admit.
“How are you doing?”
Shrugging a shoulder, I walk over to one of the two rocking chairs and sink down. Looking to the left, I grin at the sight of that old fucking porch swing that I finished setting up a few minutes ago.
“I’m okay, you hear anything?”
“You want to know?” he asks.
“Not really, but I need to.”
He clears his throat, then nods. “Kirill called me yesterday. It’s been taken care of, completely.”
“What’s that mean exactly?”
Beaumont growls, obviously not wanting to give me the details, but I need them. If I’m ever going to sleep again, if I�
��m ever going to attempt to feel normal again, I need to know where this motherfucker is.
“Sebastian and his goon are dead. As are the two men who were involved with the porn studio. He made it look like an orgy and drug party gone bad. He’s good at that shit apparently, cops didn’t even investigate it. Broke out all over the news a couple days ago.”
Nodding, I lean back in my chair and look at the porch ceiling. “I shouldn’t feel as happy about that as I do.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, Ford.”
“Yeah?” I ask.
He jerks his chin once, then leans back in his chair to look up at the ceiling as well. “That fucker was vile. What he did to you and was planning on doing was even worse. That’s not a man who deserves to breathe freely.”
“But doesn’t he deserve to breathe at all?”
Beaumont grunts. “No,” he snaps. “Fuck no. I’d kill him myself if I could have. He deserves no less than death. What he did to you, it’s unforgivable and he doesn’t deserve fuckall.”
“I think I’m supposed to feel guilty that the Russian killed him. I don’t.”
“Good, you shouldn’t.”
I let out a heavy sigh, then shake my head a couple of times. “I probably should tell Stephanie.”
“Let her have this day. Give her that ring, then give her that pretty pony that’s on its way here. Give her a night with her friends. Tell her tomorrow.”
“Yeah,” I agree.
Beau stays for a few more minutes, then he leaves me alone with my thoughts and my ring. I watch his truck disappear. I don’t know how long I stay in the rocking chair, my eyes focused on nothing and everything all at the same time.
My life is exactly the way I always wanted it and I feel completely fucking broken. I don’t know how long it will take me to get my shit together, but I have the time now. Something that I didn’t think I had just mere days ago.
“Ford?” Stephanie’s voice calls out.
“Out here.”
I hear the screen door slam behind her as she makes her way over to me. She’s still in my t-shirt, which doesn’t bother me in the slightest. She could wear it all day, every day, and I would be good with that.
I expect her to walk over to the other chair, but I’m pleased when she doesn’t. Instead, she sinks down on my lap. She throws her legs over one thigh and wraps her arms around my neck, her eyes finding mine and her lips turning up into a smile.
“Hey future husband,” she whispers.
Laughing softly, I lean forward, pressing my lips to hers. “Hey, future Mrs. Matthews. Got you a present,” I murmur. She pulls back from my mouth, her eyes wide with surprise. “Should be here soon, go and get dressed, yeah?”
She frowns, then slides off of my lap. I expect her to go inside, but she stops and I hear her intake of breath.
“Ford?” she asks.
Turning to look behind me, I grin when I see that she’s noticed the old porch swing. “It was illegal, I know. It was worth it.”
“That’s the one from home?”
I hum, not verbally answering her. She spins around, her lips turning up into a wobbly smile. “It’s exactly where it belongs, Cowboy.”
“So are you.”
She nods and wordlessly does exactly what I asked of her, leaving me outside and going in to get dressed for the rest of her surprises.
I hear the truck and trailer making its way toward the house about an hour later. Clearing my throat, I walk over to the truck after it’s shifted into park. Taking a second envelope out of my pocket, I pay my cousin Jimmy for the horses and his time.
“Thanks,” I grunt.
“Family.”
It’s all he says and it makes my lips turn up into a smile. He helps me with the two horses. They’re gorgeous. One a dark cocoa thoroughbred stallion and one a brown and white American paint horse.
They’re perfect.
Thanking Jimmy again, I guide my new horse to his stall. The other I keep out, holding on to her reins as I wait for Stephanie to make her way outside. As soon as I see movement behind the screen door, I reach for the ring and pop the top of the box before I sink down to my knee.
Stephanie only makes one step outside before I hear her gasp. She lifts her hands to her mouth, then as if she doesn’t have any control of her body, she slowly floats toward me and stops directly in front of me.
Her eyes are watery, but the tears haven’t fallen yet.
“I love you, Stephanie. I loved you when you were five years old and I still love you. No matter what has happened in our lives, the love has always been there. Do me the honor of becoming my wife and making my life complete?”
Her body trembles, but I don’t move. I need to hear the answer from her before the ring goes on her finger, again. The first time I proposed, it was with my grandmother’s ring. I still have it in my safe and maybe one day our son can propose with it, but it’s not something I wanted for this new start.
“Yes,” she blurts. “A million times yes.”
Epilogue
ONE YEAR LATER
STEPHANIE
I feel his touch, his finger trails down my spine, stopping just at the top of my ass. “Good morning,” he murmurs behind me.
His lips touch my shoulder, but he doesn’t make a move to go any farther. I close my eyes, letting out a sigh as I roll on to my back. His hand shifts and I feel his palm against my gigantic belly.
Turning my head slightly, I look over at his smiling face. “Simply breathtaking, honey,” he rasps.
“Simply gigantic,” I groan.
He shakes his head, snorting. “Don’t matter what you think. I know you’re beautiful.”
“I’m thirty-five and having my first baby. I’m high risk, swollen, and my body will likely never recover. Plus, I had to film the whole second half of that movie from the shoulders up.”
“You promised them the movie. I’d have said fuck it.” He grins.
Shaking my head, I groan as I roll my big belly over so that I can face him. “That’s not the point,” I sigh.
“I know,” he murmurs, lifting his hand and tucking a piece of hair behind my ear.
Licking my lips, I search his eyes with my own. “I don’t know why you settled for someone my age. You should have married a young thing who could give you the houseful of babies you’ve always dreamed of.”
Ford’s brows snap together and a frown appears on his face. “You still don’t get it,” he mutters. “Put a ring on your finger, let you completely gut this place and remodel it, you do whatever the fuck you want, honey, and you still don’t get it.”
“Get what?”
His lips twitch into a grin. “Don’t matter how many babies we can have. Even if this little girl is our one and only, I’m good with that.”
“You’ve always wanted a whole houseful of babies and I don’t think I can give those to you. I shouldn’t have married you,” I whimper as tears fill my eyes.
Ford throws his head back and lets out a huge bark of laughter. “You’re crazy, Stephanie.”
“I am not,” I huff, sounding just as offended as I feel.
Ford lifts his hand, wrapping his fingers around the side of my neck, then shifts them to the back, twisting his fingers in my hair.
“You are,” he rasps, shifting closer to me. His mouth touches mine, but he doesn’t deepen the kiss, he just keeps his lips hovering above my own. “You’ll give me all the babies I’ll ever need, even if it’s only this one, and I’ll be happy. You know why?”
“Why?” I grunt.
His lips smile against my own. “Because it’s you givin’ them to me and all I’ve ever wanted is to have a family with you. One or twenty, don’t give much of a fuck about how many we have.”
“Well,” I hiss. “I am definitely not having twenty.”
Ford rolls over to his back, his laughter taking over as he gathers me to him and shifts me over his body. I straddle his hips, looking down at him. His eyes are closed as
his body trembles in his hilarity.
He grabs my hips, squeezing them gently before he finally opens his eyes and looks up at me. His smile doesn’t fade, not in the slightest. It’s huge and bright, his eyes are too. He’s never looked more beautiful to me.
Placing my palm against his scar, I look down into his face. This is the man that I love. The man that I have loved since I was a young girl and didn’t know what it all meant. One of his hands leaves my hip and his fingers dance up my side until he cups my heavy breast.
His thumb slides along my nipple piercing, tugging gently when it causes a jolt of pleasure to fill my body. Reaching between us, I lift a little, wrapping my fingers around his hard length before I align it with my center.
Wordlessly, our eyes connected to one another’s, I take him inside of me. He fills me, stretching me completely. I’m full of him, body, heart, mind, and soul. His hand stays on my breast, the other slips between us, and I feel his thumb press against my clit.
“I want to watch you come all over me, honey,” he grunts.
He’s been much gentler with me since I’ve been pregnant, but that doesn’t mean that it’s been any less enjoyable. I still come more than once when we’re together, and he still makes me work for every orgasm.
I roll my hips, grinding against his thumb as I move along his hard length. My eyes flutter closed as I let the sensations wash over me. I’m close, my breathing is heavy and when he tugs on my piercing at the same time pinching my clit, it sends me over the edge.
I call out his name on a gasp as my entire body begins to tremble. He lifts his hips, his hands moving to my hips as he holds me, shifting and moving me the way he needs to find his climax. My eyes open and I focus on him, watching as he comes inside of me.
It’s absolutely beautiful.
His jaw clenches, he groans between his gritted teeth, his nostrils flare as he breathes out of his nose heavily, and then once he’s caught his breath, his eyes slowly open and find mine. His lips curl up into a satisfied lazy smile.
COWBOY (Unfit Hero Book 5) Page 28
