“Cut me some slack here,” Kellen said, holding out his hands. “You just told me you have to marry a guy you don’t love.”
She covered her face with her hands. “Eww. I can’t even think about it.”
“Ivy?”
“What?” she said, keeping her eyes covered. The thought of Corbin and her… together… was almost too much to take in.
“Look at me.” He helped her out by taking both of her hands away from her face. “I know this is probably not what you want to talk about, but when a man and a woman plan to get married they’re usually pretty excited about the benefits marriage gives them.”
“Oh my gosh.” She dropped her head down and looked at the ground, wishing it would open up and swallow her whole. “I can’t believe we’re having this conversation.”
“Trust me, neither can I,” he said, his voice laced with both sarcasm and annoyance. Placing a finger under her chin, he lifted her face until their eyes met. “Listen, I’m not a player. I don’t fool around or have flings.” A slightly sexy grin edged across his handsome face. “I’m actually the kind of guy most mama’s like their daughters to date.”
She smiled at that. “I know my mom would’ve liked you, Kellen Thomas.”
“Yeah?” He cupped her jaw, and slid his thumb along her bottom lip. “What about those four big brothers of yours?”
She thought about each of her brothers. They would like Kellen, a heck of a lot more than they liked Corbin. But that’s where it got complicated. Her brothers weren’t forcing her to marry Corbin, but if she didn’t then what would happen to the ranch?
“Your silence has me worried.”
“It’s not that they wouldn’t like you. I can’t let them like you.”
Kellen dropped his hand and looked as confused as he should be. “What’s goin’ on in that pretty head of yours?”
A lot, and she had to tell him. Everything. But the thought of revealing that her father had basically traded her for water rights was embarrassing.
“What time is your curfew?”
“Why?” she asked, crossing her arms in front of her.
“Because no matter how long it takes we’re talking about this.” His eyes dipped down and lingered briefly on her top before he quickly looked away. Ivy glanced down at the V-neck tee, and dropped her arms to her side when she saw the impressive cleavage she’d been unaware she possessed until this moment.
“I’m twenty-one. I don’t really have a curfew.”
Kellen looked at her again. “You don’t have a curfew, yet your brothers are making you marry a guy you don’t love.”
“They’re not making me marry Corbin,” she snapped.
“Then who is, Ivy?” Kellen sounded as irritated as she felt.
She stubbornly clamped her lips tight. Blaming her situation on her dead father wasn’t any better than if he were alive.
After several seconds had passed, Kellen said, “You know what this is, right?”
“A dumb conversation?” she said defiantly.
That sexy grin was back. “We’re having our first argument.”
She bit her bottom lip, trying not to smile. “I guess.” This was exactly why she’d fallen in love with him and couldn’t let him go. He was adorable.
He hooked his thumbs in her belt loops and tugged her to him. “That means we get to kiss and make up.”
“But we’re not done arguing.”
“Round two can start after this.”
Ivy felt her breath snag as he slid his palms alongside her neck and cupped her jaw. “Just so we’re clear, I don’t want this to end, either.”
She gave up resisting and closed her eyes as he covered her mouth with his. The kiss was different from the others they’d shared, so much more possessive. Every cell in her body responded to the passionate caress. She gripped the front of his shirt to keep from melting into the ground as intoxicating warmth spread through her, making her knees weaken.
The pressure on her mouth increased when Kellen’s hands moved from her face to the back of her head. Ivy responded by giving more, savoring the taste of him when he deepened the kiss. Heat rippled through her, all the way down to her toes and triggered something she’d never felt before.
Fire burned inside her, and she couldn’t get enough. She whimpered in protest when his lips moved from her mouth to her cheek. But the protest quickly died as he trailed heated kisses along her jaw and neck.
She tipped her head to the side, giving him better access. His lips moved to her ear. “I need to stop,” he said, his voice strained.
“Why?” she whispered.
He buried his face in her neck and groaned. “Don’t start another argument.”
The heady sensations made it difficult to think, but she’d read enough romance books to know why they needed to stop.
“Okay.” Her hand settled on his chest, and his rapid heartbeat pounded against her palm before she gently pushed him away. “You.” She tried to catch her breath as her mind cleared. “Stay over there.” She took one step backward.
His blue eyes begged her to come back to him, but he nodded his head. “Good idea.”
She pointed to one of the chairs in front of the fire. “Now sit down right there.”
“You’re kind of bossy right now.” He grinned. “I find it very sexy.”
“Kellen, you’re not helping.”
He laughed before moving to his assigned seat. Just when she thought she had things under control, he patted his leg. “You can sit right here.”
Her feet actually started moving forward before she came to her senses. “Absolutely not.”
The satisfied smile was nearly her undoing, and she wanted to initiate another round of kissing. But as fun as making out would be—something she’d never done before tonight—Kellen was right. They needed to talk.
The chair next to him was seated too close to his, but when she started to scoot it away, Kellen grabbed onto it. “Ivy, you’re safe to leave the chair right where it is.”
“But you might not be,” she said without thinking about the implication.
Kellen growled and then pulled her onto his lap. He kissed her hard before softening the kiss and ending it way too soon.
“You can trust me.” He gave her another tender kiss. “Don’t ever forget that, okay?”
“Okay.”
“But if we’re going to have that talk then you do need to sit in your own chair. I might be trustworthy but I’m still a guy, and you’re very distracting.”
Once she was seated next to him, he glanced over at her. “Can I hold your hand?”
The sweet request made her smile. “Yes.” She offered him her hand, palm up.
Kellen placed his palm against hers and then angled it slightly, curving his long fingers around hers.
“This is hard for me,” she said.
“I’ve been there before.”
She remembered he’d said that right before telling her about his injury. If he could tell her that, then she could confide in him.
“My dad didn’t want me.” Kellen’s hand tightened around hers, but he stayed silent.
Ivy’s story poured out of her, and Kellen listened without interrupting her. Occasionally, he’d give her fingers a gentle squeeze, and she could tell there were times he wanted to argue.
When she got to the part about why she needed to marry Corbin, he let go of her hand and stood up. She watched him as he stared into the fire, as if the answers were in the flickering flames.
Vulnerable about revealing how worthless her father had found her, she watched his hands ball into fists. When her brothers did that it was because they were trying to control anger and not punch someone.
Instinctively she knew the anger wasn’t directed toward her, making her want to ease the burden she’d placed on him. Her chair scraped against the ground as she pushed it back to stand up. Coming up behind him, she slipped her arms around his torso to hug him.
“It’s messed up
, right?” she said, pressing her cheek against his back.
“Yeah.” He covered her hands with his and held them against his abdomen. “If your father was still alive,” he said evenly. “I’d tell him how incredible his daughter is and then I’d knock him flat on his worthless… butt.”
Ivy smiled, tightening her hold. Yes, her mother would have definitely liked Kellen.
Releasing a deep breath, he twisted around and pulled her into his chest. They stayed that way for several minutes, letting the crackling fire fill the silence.
“What are you thinking?” she asked.
“That I’m glad your brothers don’t know anything about the deal with Corbin. I’m stupid enough to take on all four of them, but I’d probably get the… crap beat out of me.”
She giggled, knowing what he’d wanted to say. Even though she’d never charge him a dollar like his grandma did if he slipped and used a more colorful word, he still used restraint. It made her trust him even more. “Thank you.”
“For not swearing?”
She laughed, and edged back to look up at him. “No. For listening to me, and for wanting to defend me.”
He held her gaze and she saw something powerful flicker in his blue eyes. “I’m falling in love with you, Ivy.”
She sucked in a breath. “You are?”
“Yes.” He swallowed, his eyes a little wary. “Does that scare you?”
“Not at all, because I think…” She hesitated, gathering up the courage to tell him how she felt. “I think I love you too.”
The guarded look in his eyes disappeared and he smiled before he lowered his head to give her a long, slow kiss.
Too soon for her liking, he eased back and peered into her eyes. “I know there is another solution to help your family besides the one your father and Corbin concocted. Will you please talk to your brothers?”
“Yes. Just as soon as they’re back home.” The answer pleased him and she could tell he wanted to kiss her again. Before she gave into the temptation, she saw a pair of headlights in the distance. It could be someone coming to check up on them, and they probably shouldn’t be making out.
“Are you in the mood for Smores?”
“Sure, let’s go with that,” he said dryly.
She laughed, and grabbed the bag of goodies while Kellen found two roasting sticks. Happiness and hope burned brighter than the glowing embers from the fire. Even though the conversation with her brothers might not happen for several more days, first thing in the morning Ivy was calling Corbin Spencer and telling him that they were done.
Chapter 16
Kellen buttoned up the new shirt Caytie had insisted he wear to the party tonight, claiming she wanted him to look extra nice when he found out if he was getting a nephew or a niece. The small checkered navy and white shirt wasn’t too bad, but it felt more like something he’d wear to Sunday services. Plus, it was as stiff as the cardboard he’d pulled out of the collar before donning it. Hopefully once Caytie announced the sex of the baby she’d put all her efforts into clothing her child instead of him.
Grabbing his cell phone, he tucked it into his pocket and headed downstairs. The house was empty, but the scent of his grandma’s cinnamon rolls lingered in the air. Ivy, her Aunt Tillie, and his grandma had spent the morning baking, and now they were over helping Caytie with the final party preparations.
On his way out to the truck, his cell phone dinged an incoming text message, and he wondered if this was it. For nearly a week he’d been waiting for Ivy to tell him that her brothers were back so she could talk to them. They’d still been out of cell phone service, but the ranch hand had expected them to return yesterday.
Although now wasn’t the ideal time for her to have that conversation, she’d promised Kellen she wouldn’t call them unless he was with her. He pulled out his phone and opened his message. It was from Ivy, but she only wanted to know when he was coming.
Shooting her a quick text that he was on his way, he got inside the truck and started it. While it had only been a few hours since he’d seen Ivy, he could hardly wait to see her again. They’d spent every waking hour together except when she was helping her aunt or volunteering at the library, but it was never enough.
And that was when he knew—he was in love with Ivy Baker. Like, crazy in love to the point where he’d do just about anything in order to have her. Including asking her brothers for a job on their cattle ranch so he could win their approval when he asked Ivy to marry him.
Kellen pulled onto the road, and followed three other vehicles on their way to the party. He sure hoped the guest list wasn’t as big as the one for their wedding, but Caytie loved parties so it might be close. In fact she was already secretly planning Kellen and Ivy’s engagement party, even though an engagement might not be for a while. Though Ivy had called Corbin first thing last Monday and told him it was over, she didn’t want to talk about a future with Kellen until she’d spoken to her brothers.
Honestly, Kellen had been shocked Corbin Spencer hadn’t called Ivy back to harass her. He’d been angry, and prophesied the ruination of the ranch if she didn’t marry him, but Ivy had been strong. Both George and Jace had talked with her and suggested a few ideas to help with the finances that didn’t include marriage to Corbin.
Caytie had also helped Ivy by sharing her story about how her father had basically done the same thing to her. Kellen hoped it would help alleviate Ivy’s guilt. Because of her father’s cruel words over the years, she felt obligated to her brothers and was under some misconception that she had to atone for her mother’s death by sacrificing herself.
A few minutes later Kellen arrived at the McAllister’s and counted nine other vehicles parked in the yard. He pulled alongside George’s truck, and climbed out.
Lucy and Cole Taggart pulled in next to him, and he waited for the couple to get out of their SUV.
“It’s nice of you to come, even though you know what the baby is,” Kellen said, shaking Cole’s hand.
“I wouldn’t dream of missing one of Caytie’s parties,” Cole said, putting an arm around his wife’s shoulders. “And Lucy still doesn’t know what they’re having. You know patient confidentiality and all that.”
“Yeah,” Lucy said. “Cole wouldn’t even let me come in and do the weekly update on the patient files in case I inadvertently saw something.”
Kellen smiled and walked with them toward the front door. “Caytie threatened me with my life if I tricked Jace into telling me.”
They climbed the porch stairs, and Kellen heard Lucy gush over the decorations. All Kellen could see was a lot of blue and pink.
The house smelled incredible, and Kellen’s stomach growled from hunger. This was usually dinnertime, and after a hard days work he was ready to eat. He greeted many friends and neighbors, all the while looking for Ivy.
She nearly stole his breath when he finally spotted her across the room arranging a platter of cookies on a small table. She looked beautiful in a turquoise green, lacy dress that came a few inches above her knees, and showed off her naturally tanned skin. His gaze traveled down to the sexy pink cowgirl boots she wore that had to be a Tate Johnson original.
“You’re going to catch a fly with your mouth hanging open like that,” Jace said, nudging Kellen in the arm.
“Your wife did this, didn’t she?” Kellen asked, still unable to pull his eyes away.
“Caytie strikes again,” Jace said with his usual sarcasm mixed in with a little pride. He poked Kellen in the arm. “By the way, nice shirt.”
Kellen glanced over to see Jace wore a soft cotton plaid shirt he’d had for a while. “How’d you get away without wearing something new?”
Jace lifted his eyebrows and smiled. “Let’s just say I can be very persuasive when I really want to be.”
Kellen grunted a laugh. “I don’t want to hear anymore.”
His eyes automatically traveled back to Ivy. She was reaching up above the table, trying to reattach a balloon. The hemline of h
er dress had ridden up a little, giving him a glimpse of very shapely thighs.
“Just go over there and kiss her,” Jace said, shoving him in the arm.
“In front of Grandma and Mrs. Cooper?”
“Be a little creative. I’m sure you can persuade her to help you look for something in the pantry.”
Kellen saw the amount of women in the kitchen, and wasn’t so sure that was the best place to steal a kiss.
“Go on, I’ll cover for you,” Jace said, shoving him again.
Kellen wasn’t about to pass up this opportunity. It might be hours before he’d get Ivy all to himself. He crossed the room, pausing only briefly to say hello to people he’d known most of his life.
Ivy was still struggling with the balloon. He came up behind her and reached up to get the balloon. “Need some help?” he asked near her ear.
She turned toward him and smiled. “It’s about time you got here.”
He could’ve stolen a kiss right then, and from the heated look in Ivy’s eyes he figured she wouldn’t mind, but the privacy of the pantry would be so much better.
He attached the balloon and then took Ivy’s hand, leading her through the group of people toward the pantry. Jace was already posted there talking with Grandma Ilene to keep her occupied.
“I need help finding some salt,” he said, just in case someone did see them sneaking into the pantry.
“What do you need salt for?” Ivy asked, following him inside.
Kellen closed the door and grinned. “I don’t.” Circling Ivy’s waist, he pulled her to him. “I just wanted to get you alone to tell you how beautiful you look.”
“Oh really,” she said, inching even closer.
“Yeah.” He didn’t waste time, and claimed her mouth with his. Her silky hair brushed against his forearms where he’d rolled up the sleeves of his shirt as he pressed her even closer.
Ivy wound her arms around his neck, kissing him back. She tasted like chocolate, and he guessed she’d been eating some of the pink and blue M&M’s that were scattered on each table.
The natural buzz he got whenever he kissed Ivy was already making his head foggy. She was all he could think about. So when the pantry door opened and he heard a loud gasp, it took a second for his brain to connect before he disengaged.
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