The Cowboy Rescues a Bride (Cowboys of Chance Creek) (22 page)

Once again everyone turned her way.

“That’s a hell of a thing you did for my family,” Lisa said, more softly. “A hell of a thing to save my son not once, but three times.”

“More,” Ned said firmly.

“Young lady,” Holt said, his rusty voice piercing through the others in the room. Fila waited, holding her breath, for his pronouncement. Here’s where Holt would kick her out again. “That was a hell of a thing indeed. Thank you.” He got to his feet and walked slowly—unsteadily—from the room.

“Excuse me,” Lisa said and hurried after him.

In the quiet they left behind, the brothers exchanged a look.

“Told you it would work out okay,” Jake said.

Ned’s laugh sounded more like a grunt of pain.

Since Ned couldn’t
easily negotiate the stairs to his bedroom, his brothers helped move the furniture in his cabin and brought his bed down from his bedroom to the living room for the duration. Once everyone had filed out the door and gone home, Fila turned to him, overcome with relief again that they’d made it home.

He moved to her swiftly, leaned on his crutches and pulled her into his arms. “I know. We’re safe now, honey. Everything’s going to be okay.”

She leaned against him, content to let him bear her weight even though she knew she should be urging him to rest. Ned had been through so much.

But she had been through so much too. And his arms felt good around her—strong, comforting. Alive. She realized she hadn’t been sure if they’d make it out alive.

“Come to bed.” Ned took her hand and tugged it gently, moving backward toward the newly set up bed. They’d drawn the curtains over all the first floor windows and dimmed the lights, but a fire still crackled in the hearth.

“With you? But—”

“I don’t want to be alone. Do you?”

She drew in a shaky breath. “No.”

“I won’t push my luck.” He planted a kiss on her jaw just in front of her ear. “I’d be afraid to.”

A shiver ran through her at the touch of his lips. She let him lead her to the bed where she sat and watched him strip down awkwardly to the flannel pajama pants he wore. He hesitated, his hands on the waistband. “I’ll keep these on for now,” he said finally.

Fila felt a stab of disappointment, then a surge of shock at her own reaction. The shock lasted only a moment. She’d chosen life and love over fear of any kind—even of a man’s body. This was Ned—her Ned. The man she loved with all her heart. The man she’d nearly lost. She refused to risk losing another moment with him. Not one more moment.

He awkwardly climbed between the sheets. “Come here.”

She didn’t join him. Instead she pulled the sweater she wore up and over her head, then began to unbutton her blouse. Ned struggled into a sitting position to watch. After a moment, he said, “Are you sure?”

She nodded.

When the buttons were undone, she shed the shirt on the ground and lifted her hands behind her to undo the clasp of her bra.

“Fila,” Ned breathed, his gaze never leaving her. She expected to feel fear, but she didn’t. Instead, she longed to get it off—to be bare in front of Ned—to allow him to see her.

She wanted to be seen. She wanted him looking at her.

She made short work of the clasp. Threw the bra to the floor.

“Fila.” Ned leaned forward. “Come here.”

She didn’t join him. Instead she undid her belt, undid the button of her jeans and lowered the zipper. She slid them down over her hips slowly, feeling Ned’s gaze burning over her skin. When she hooked a finger under the waistband of her panties, Ned’s breath hitched. With a twitch of her hands they fell to the floor.

Ned reached for her again and this time she went to him, climbing under the sheet he held up for her, carefully snuggling in next to him as he lay down so as not to hurt his leg. His hands slid over her bare skin and she tingled all over, wanting more. He pulled her close until her nipples grazed his chest and they both moaned. Fila found herself pressing kisses under his chin, down his neck, onto his chest, his coarse hair tickling her face. She ran her fingers over his bicep, tracing his muscles and then circled his shoulder, feeling the strength coiled within him.

“God, Fila—you feel—”

She cut off his words with a kiss on his mouth and an instant later he’d swept her closer and was kissing her back. He cut off after a few short moments with a curse. “Damn cast. I want to roll all around this bed with you.” He kissed her gently. “We’ll have to take it easy tonight.”

She was okay with that, although the desire burning through her body made her want to throw herself at him—made her want him to touch every part of her at once.

As if hearing her unspoken wish, Ned dipped his head and traced a kiss slowly over the mound of one breast. She sighed, arching her back to meet him, loving the feel of his lips on her skin. He did it again, then trailed his mouth down to take in one nipple. Fila gasped at this new sensation, closing her eyes when his tongue began to do delicious, wicked things.

“You are so beautiful,” he breathed a moment later when he pulled back, before leaning down again. Fila didn’t know how long the sweet torture went on. Ned’s kisses, tugs and nips heating her body until she thought she’d catch fire.

She wanted him closer. She pressed along his entire length, wanting more, but not knowing what more it was that she wanted. Ned lay back against the pillows and pulled her with him until she lay half across him, unsure what to do next. He still played with her breasts, reaching up to take first one and then the other into his mouth, until she couldn’t wait anymore. “Ned.”

He gazed at her—read her desire in her face. “Climb up on top of me.”

“Won’t I hurt you?”

“No.” He helped her into position, straddling his waist, and when he tugged her down on top of him, she discovered exactly what she wanted.

Ned’s hardness lay between her legs and pressed against her core in a way that set her on fire all over again. She moaned at the sensation, still wanting more—still wanting to be even closer.

“Fila—are you sure?” Ned gazed up at her, waiting for her answer. She knew whatever she said would be right. Whatever she did with Ned would be right. She nodded.

“We have to use protection. Otherwise you could get pregnant.”

“I don’t care.” The words flew out before she could even register what she’d said.

Ned’s face softened in a way she had never imagined he could look. He reached up to cup her face. “I love you, you know that?”

She nodded. “I love you too.”

He closed his eyes. “Fila.” Opened them again. “Will you marry me?”

Would she marry him? She bent down and covered him with kisses. “Yes! Yes! Yes!”

“Ow!”

They both stilled, then Ned laughed raggedly. “You’re going to be my wife?”

She nodded vigorously.

“Forever.”

“Yes.”

“Come here.” He pulled her down into a kiss that seared her all the way to her toes. She reached down hungrily to tug at the waistband of his pajamas.

“We don’t have to,” he said, breaking away from the kiss for a moment. “We can take it slow.”

“We. Have. To.” Fila nearly growled the words. “I want to. Now.” Was he really going to deny her?

“I’ve got protection upstairs. It’s in—”

Fila growled again. “Are you going to marry me or not?”

He chuckled. “Yes.”

“I want you. All of you. Right now,” she begged him. “I want to know we’re alive. Together.”

After a long moment he said, “Okay.”

Ned knew he
should slow down. He knew he should be taking his time to tease and stir Fila’s desire into a bright hot flame. He knew he should take things one step at a time. Introduce her to each stage of lovemaking carefully.

But Fila was having none of that. She frantically tugged the waist of his flannel pants down, until he took over for her and managed it himself. As it was, he was able to get his uninjured leg free from the garment, but the pants still lay wrapped around the cast on his other leg when Fila reached down tentatively and took the length of him in her hand.

Ned groaned and clutched the bedclothes, wondering how much torture he could sustain. It had been a long time since he’d been with a woman—a really long time. And he’d wanted Fila for months.

He slid his hands up her thighs to her hips, taking in the lush beauty of her. He still couldn’t believe she was perched on top of him, ready to love him—ready to give him everything.

She leaned forward and braced her hands to either side of him, shifting her hips until she slid along his hardness again. Her breath was coming fast and light, and she kept moving, kept sliding over him—the tips of her nipples tracing lines of fire against his chest again and again.

His hands moved to cup her bottom and nudge her into place. He shifted until he pressed against her. He wanted to ask her again if she was ready, and at the same time didn’t want to. Could he stop now? He wasn’t sure.

Fila took matters into her own hands. She lifted her hips and settled down on top of him, letting out a breath in a silent, “Oh,” as he slid inside a little bit and then a little more. With an expression of intense concentration, she lifted up and settled down on him again. Ned held back with every fiber of his being, not wanting to hurt her—wanting to let her call the shots.

Slowly, carefully, with movements so seductive he could barely hold himself together, Fila let him in. There was a moment of surprised pain which made Ned stop altogether, but it was only a moment before Fila began to move again. Stronger this time, more sure of herself, until he slid all the way inside her with a groan that expressed his feelings better than words ever could.

She paused until Ned searched her face to see if something was wrong. She seemed to be considering something.

“What is it?” he whispered.

She shut her eyes. “I’m feeling you.”

He nearly lost control right then, but held on some more until he thought that this might be divine retribution for all of his prior sins. Then Fila began to move again. Up and down. Faster and faster, moving with an animal grace that brought him to life. Now he allowed himself to move, too. Thrusting into her as she slid down his length, slowly at first, then faster to match her pace. He was rewarded when she sped up again as well, and together they found a pleasing rhythm.

Best of all was when she lowered herself down to lie on top of him and allowed him to take control. Ned thought that no one had ever given him such a gift—the trust she showed in him let him know she’d be his forever. He was determined never to let her down.

He slowed his pace again to long, strong strokes that had her begging for more. She pressed kisses into his neck, clinging to him, murmuring words that didn’t make sense but that he understood anyway. Cupping her bottom with his hands, grinding her into him as he thrust into her, he increased his pace bit by bit until he could tell she was barely holding on.

She crashed into her release with a cry of such abandon that Ned went over the edge too. Bucking against her, filling her full, crying out himself—they shuddered into a tangle of an embrace. Still breathing hard, Ned gathered her close and kissed her. He would never get enough of this. Never get enough of her.

He would never, ever let Fila go.

‡
Chapter 27

“W
ake up. I
need to buy you a ring.”

Fila came to with the most luxurious sense of rightness at finding herself in Ned’s arms. The events of the previous night rushed into her mind and she couldn’t help but smile.

“I could lie here all morning and just look at you,” Ned said, tracing a finger over the contours of her face. She kissed his fingertip as it slid over her lips, then turned and snuggled closer.

Her second attempt at lovemaking went more smoothly than the first and fulfilled her in ways she hadn’t dreamed possible. She felt like she was coming alive after years lying parched and forgotten in a desert. Why didn’t everyone do this all the time? When she asked Ned, he laughed.

“We can try.”

They did try. But as the morning went on, he finally pulled away. “I’m serious about that ring, but someone’s going to have to drive us. Do you have Rose’s number?”

“Yes.” She fetched him her phone, feeling oh-so-wicked for prancing about the cabin naked, but she liked knowing he was watching—that it was right for him to watch.

Her fiancé.

Soon to be her husband.

She left him reluctantly while he made the call and showered and got dressed. He took his turn in the bathroom and described the clothes he wanted from his closet. As she went up and downstairs, helping him get ready for the day and whipping up a quick breakfast of cereal and toast, Fila realized this was only the beginning. She and Ned would belong together from here on in—they’d make a whole life together.

She couldn’t wait.

Rose arrived and swooped Fila immediately into a big hug. “Congratulations! I’m thrilled you’re going to let me help you pick out the ring!”

“But you won’t spill our secret?” Ned came nearer on his crutches. “I want to announce it at Fila’s dry run of the restaurant on Saturday.”