The Cowboy Lassos a Bride (Cowboys of Chance Creek) (18 page)

“For you,” he said. She could tell he wasn’t happy with the idea.

“So, I’m going, Jake. There’s nothing to discuss. If you can’t support me in this, we don’t belong together.”

For a long moment she thought he’d agree with her. His grip on her wrist was tightening until her hand began to feel numb. When she tugged against him, he sighed and let go. “I’ll support you. It’s not easy; the truth is I don’t want to be apart from you for a single day, let alone four years. And I want to start my family now, not some time in the future. But if you’ll marry me, I will support you. I’ll be there however you want me to be. I promise.”

She eyed him warily. “What’s the catch?”

He leaned forward. “You have to marry me now. Before Christmas.”

Hannah blinked at him. Was he serious? He looked serious. Her heart was beating hard in her chest. She had just gotten a glimpse of the man she’d spend the rest of her life with and he was as formidable as he’d been irresistible to her before.

Still, he had given in to her. In their struggle to reach a mutual path, she’d been so afraid she’d be the one to lose. It hadn’t turned out that way, though. It would have with Cody.

Jake was different. Jake could meet her halfway.

“Okay,” she said.

For a long moment Jake didn’t respond. Then he sat up. “Okay? As in—yes?”

“Yes.” Hannah nodded. A smiled tugged at the corner of her mouth. “Yes. I’ll marry you.”

“It’s about time!” some wag from across the restaurant yelled. Scattered applause let them know everyone present had watched the course of the conversation. Jake grinned, and the hard man—the one with eyes like ice—slipped away. Hannah was happy to see the Jake she knew. He opened the ring box again, pulled out the ring, slid it onto Hannah’s finger, and the place erupted in cheers.

“Phew,” Sarah-Jane said, finally delivering the dinner rolls safely to their table. “I thought that wasn’t going to work out there for a minute.”

“You and me both,” Jake said. But he kept his gaze on Hannah and his fingers caressed hers.

Married. She was going to get married to Jake Matheson. Gladys would have a home. He would support her career. She was getting everything she ever hoped for.

Jake lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it. “Can’t wait for our wedding night,” he drawled and she had to laugh, wondering how on earth it could top the nights they’d already had. She felt giddy with relief—light-headed—but through it all remained a small thread of doubt.

Would Jake’s change of heart last?

‡
Chapter Fourteen

T
hey ended up
getting their food to go, and by the time Jake opened the cabin door he couldn’t wait to get Hannah into bed to celebrate their engagement in the best way possible. He took her hand and led her to the stairs. She followed willingly enough. He still couldn’t believe she’d said yes. Couldn’t believe the concessions he was willing to make to get her to do it. The thought of her traveling to Colorado for four consecutive years left him cold with dread, but he decided not to worry about that until the time came for her to go. That was three-quarters of a year away and by then all kinds of things could change.

By then they could have a child.

He knew that when Hannah confessed the deal she’d made with Holt, he should have done the same. He should have told her everything. The truth was he’d known he was seconds away from losing her—losing everything he wanted. When he’d tried to tell her, the words hadn’t come. What difference did it make anyhow? He wasn’t getting married because his father wanted him to. Not anymore. He would stand up in church and make his vows today if he could, even if his deal with his father had never happened.

Upstairs, he shut the guest bedroom door behind them and led her to the bed. But instead of pushing her down on top of it, he paused beside it and took her into his arms. He began with a simple kiss. Light and feathery at first, he quickly deepened it, showing her his need. She answered him hungrily and he wondered if she wanted it to be a night to remember, too. He’d do his best to make it so.

He undressed her as they kissed, fumbling with his fingers at her shirt buttons and at the clasp of her bra. She helped him without pulling back, entering into his unspoken game to get naked without breaking contact. Once their clothes were gone, he moved his lips to her chin, her neck and down to her breasts. He laved first one nipple then the other, spending time worshipping both before moving lower still.

Hannah gasped as he worked his way down to her navel, beneath it and farther down still. When he parted her folds and kissed her in a more intimate way, her breath quickened and she made a little sound. Jake backed her up until she leaned against the desk, and spread her legs to get better access to her. His ministrations soon had her moving against his mouth and he moaned against her, turned on by the way she responded to him.

Some minutes later, he rose up and she cried out in disappointment, but when he wrapped his arms around her and lifted her onto the desk she slid her arms around him in turn and drew him close.

He sheathed himself in a condom quickly, lifted her legs to open her wide and settled himself against her core. She was wet and hot and ready to take him, so he didn’t hesitate. Instead, he pushed forward, burying himself in her. Hannah arched back, her hands fumbling for purchase on the top of the desk. Gripping its edges she pushed back toward him, sinking him deeper still.

Jake bit his lip, fighting for control. This position allowed such deep access into her, spread her so wide for him it was hard to hold back. He pulled out and pressed in, and nearly came undone.

Figuring he’d better get to it or lose himself altogether, he started to rock his hips, moving inside her. Hannah moved with him, riding him up and down with little cries of desire that urged him on. He increased his pace, holding nothing back until she bounced in his arms, her breasts bouncing, too. They mesmerized him.

Jake gripped her hips and pulled her toward him as he thrust against her. He couldn’t stop himself now if wanted to, and he didn’t want to. Hannah clutched the desk, arched her back and met him stroke for stroke. He could tell from her cries she was close… close…

With a final moan she threw back her head and shuddered against him, her release overtaking her. Jake went over the edge with her, his thrusts slow and deep. When they were done, he lifted her up, carried her to the bed and climbed on with her, still joined together. Lying side by side, Jake stroked her hair gently. “I’m glad you didn’t give up on me, Hannah.”

“Me, too.” She snuggled in close.

“Don’t think we’re done here, either,” he whispered into her ear. “Because we’re just getting started.”

She kissed him on the chin. “I’m counting on that.”

When Hannah woke
up the next morning, she found Jake propped up on one elbow, watching her.

“Morning,” she said softly, all too aware of everything they’d gotten up to the night before. She sat up, and a delicious ache between her legs reminded her all too well of every position they’d tried out during the night. She’d never been in a relationship like this, where nothing was off the table. When Jake suggested something—usually with his body, not his words—her body couldn’t wait to meet him halfway. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood up, knowing she was giving Jake an eyeful. Hoping she was. “Jake…”

“Do you have to get up already?”

“Don’t you?”

“We have time for one more round. A quickie. Please?”

How could she resist a handsome man when he begged? A handsome, naked man who was climbing off the bed to come after her and take her in his arms? When he pulled her close for a kiss she couldn’t resist kissing him back. When they parted she looked over his shoulder at the diamond winking on her finger. Engaged. She was engaged to Jake.

“Please?” He nuzzled her neck.

“Okay. One more round,” she said against her better judgment. Soon Holt would turn up for their daily showdown. She didn’t want Jake here to see that, so she’d have to make this quick.

But they weren’t quick and by the time they were showered and dressed, Holt was overdue. Hannah dreaded Jake running into his father now that he knew what Holt had done. That confrontation was bound to get out of hand.

She followed Jake downstairs. “You better get going.” She glanced toward the door nervously.

“I’m going.” But he didn’t go. He popped a couple of pieces of bread in the toaster and found a plate.

“But if you don’t hurry you’ll—” She bit off the end of her sentence.

“I’ll what?” When she didn’t answer, Jake came to stand close to her. He tipped her chin up, traced his thumb over her lips, and a shiver of desire rippled through her from stem to stern. “I’ll what, sweetheart?” He dipped his head to kiss her and Hannah rose on her tip-toes to meet him. She figured sooner or later Jake’s kisses would become old hat, but for now each one was special, a new exploration of his mouth, of him.

“Well, well. This is sweet.” Holt opened the door without preamble.

Jake jerked back in surprise. “Dad? What are you doing here?”

“Running late?” Holt made a show of looking at his watch.

“Just seeing my girl off to work.” Jake’s voice had a hard edge. He dropped a kiss on Hannah’s forehead and steered her toward the door. Maybe he didn’t want her present for their showdown, either. Hannah went to collect her purse and coat.

“Hold up there,” Holt said when she tried to slip past him toward the door. “Don’t you have something to tell me before you go?”

That ought to do it
, she thought.

She was right.

Jake stepped before him, his hands on his hips. “I’ll do the talking for her, Dad. Yes, we slept together last night. Made love three or four times, didn’t we, Hannah?”

Hannah closed her eyes. Was she really supposed to answer that?

“I know all about your threats and the way you forced Hannah to be with me. You ought to be ashamed of yourself,” Jake went on.

“You ought to be ashamed of yourself for the way you’ve dragged your feet this long instead of settling down. Not my fault you needed some prodding.”

“It is definitely your fault,” Jake said. “Maybe the reason I’ve dragged my feet so long is I’m afraid to bring a wife to live near my pain in the ass father!”

“You saying you want to leave? Because if you do there’s more where you come from. Ned would be happy to manage the place.”

“Well, maybe he should!” Jake exploded. “Maybe I’m sick and tired of you pushing me around! Maybe it’s time for you to back the hell off!”

Hannah slipped between them and bolted out the door.

Jake watched her
go. So did his father.

“Maybe you better think hard about what you really want,” Holt said when she was gone. “I’m not interested in threats or tantrums. You know the deadline. Get married or get out.”

He strode from the house and slammed the door behind him. Jake swore and pulled on his outer gear. No matter how angry he was, there were still horses and cattle to feed and jobs to attend to and if he stuck around inside these four walls he’d explode. He found Ned in the barn some minutes later mucking out the horses’ stalls. He wasn’t Jake’s first choice of people to talk to—not by a long shot—but he had to talk to someone, and Ned would have to do.

“You won’t believe what Dad did.”

“I bet I will.” Ned flung a forkful of muck into a wheelbarrow.

Jake hesitated. Ned was right—they all knew Holt was capable of just about anything. “He forced Hannah to sleep with me.”

Ned chuckled. “Did he now?”

“He did! The old man is a lunatic.”

Ned stopped shoveling. “Know what I’ve seen every day this week?”

“What?”

“You and Hannah cuddling and kissing every minute you think you’re alone.”

Jake frowned. “You’ve been spying on us?”

“I didn’t have to spy. You’re out on your front porch smooching every damn morning.”

“Well, still…”

“Still what? Maybe Dad pressured her into something, but it ain’t sleeping with you.”

Jake blew out a breath. “It still isn’t right; the way he interferes with us.”

“Kind of like the way you interfered with me? Forcing me to rent a room to Mia?”

Ned had him again. Damn, this wasn’t going the way he wanted it to. “That’s different.”

“Really? How?” Ned leaned on the end of the pitchfork and waited for an answer.

“All right, maybe it isn’t different. But what the hell am I supposed to do now?”

“About what?”

“About everything! Take Hannah, for instance. She’s going to marry me and then leave me high and dry for four years.” At Ned’s puzzled expression Jake gave him a rundown of the situation. “So I get a wife and I get to stay in control of the ranch, but I end up alone for the next four years. What’s the good of that?”

“Seriously? You’re asking me? If you keep control of the ranch, I get shafted again.”

“You’ve always known that’s the way it would be.” Jake didn’t need one of Ned’s sulks right now, even though his brother was right. Ned couldn’t help being born second any more than Jake could help being first. It was pure luck. Good luck for him, bad for Ned. Wouldn’t he be as sour as Ned was if the tables were turned?