Hale’s and flopped onto the bed.
Lulled by the warmth radiating off the solid man behind her and the small boy nestled in front of her, Danielle blinked sleepily and looked over her shoulder at Hale. “Is it okay if Luke stays here?”
“Anything you ask.”
He twisted toward his nightstand to put away his hearing aid. When he settled back on his side, she shifted to give him room. She almost didn’t feel him lift a small tendril of hair, rubbing the strands between his fingers for a long time before letting the heavy curl fall against her shoulder.
Danielle wondered how often he bestowed those secret caresses while she was asleep.
She thought about the way Hale held her son’s hand a few moments ago. Would he hold her just as sweetly? Curious, she reached back until she touched his sturdy arm. The crisp hair furring his forearm tickled her fingertips as she slid her hand toward his thick wrist. He was big boned, the back of his hand a full inch wider than hers. The relaxed power beneath her questing touch shot a surge of wariness into her bloodstream.
Was getting closer a good idea?
Hale’s hand turned up, opening slowly.
An invitation. She grazed her index finger along his palm, discovering a callous near his thumb. This was the hand of a hardworking man. One who hadn’t poured a drop of alcohol into his mouth since he returned. Giving into temptation, she wove her fingers through his.
He claimed her hand with a meaningful squeeze, pulling her close. “Come back to me. I like when you’re near.”
At his murmur, shivers cascaded down her neck. She relaxed into his loving embrace. When he smiled against her bare shoulder, a tingling warmth radiated out from the center of her ribcage. The feeling was something she hadn’t experienced in a long time.
Happiness.
****
“That chicken is nuts!” Drew yelled.
Hale heard the boy’s exclamation above the squawking bird strutting around the back yard.
“Not a problem,” Hale insisted, ducking when the irritable hen took flight and almost flew into his face.
He squared off, determined not to let her win. Lately, he’d been doing everything backwards, like marrying a woman before he had the chance to win her affection. At least he knew what to do on a farm.
One ornery chicken wasn’t going to best him. Granted, this one took him by surprise. He didn’t expect her to be so cranky. The other hens he purchased seemed delighted with the repaired coop, but this member of the flock squirted out of his grasp the moment he took her into his care.
She wasn’t too happy about being forced to be with a Cooper, a parallel similar to what Danielle must’ve felt when she had to marry him to keep the farm afloat. Hale stuffed that disturbing observation aside to focus on the task at hand. Catching a chicken wasn’t easy, and this one had fled to the back yard. Even worse, she’d attracted an audience.
The boys watched with their mouths agape, and their hollering attracted their gorgeous mother.
Hale caught the unmistakable glint of Danielle’s blonde hair as she joined Luke and Drew on the deck. He pulled his hand down his face, remembering how good falling asleep with his arm around her last night felt. Ever since sunrise, he’d been stumbling around the farm in a distracted state of semi-arousal.
He couldn’t wait to see if she’d let him hold her again.
Luke let out a low whistle. “That bird looks mad.”
The hen took another run at Hale.
He tried to grab her, but missed.
Cocoa trotted into view, eyeing the bird.
The agitated hen pecked at the ground, tilting her head when she spotted the lab.
If the dog walked toward him, perhaps she’d herd the bird closer. “Cocoa, come.”
The hen wasn’t falling for that. She flapped her wings and charged at Cocoa, who yelped and sprinted toward Hale.
“Whoa, girl. No!”
She put on the brakes and slid through the wet grass, clipping Hale. Losing his footing near a huge puddle, his first thought was
Lulled by the warmth radiating off the solid man behind her and the small boy nestled in front of her, Danielle blinked sleepily and looked over her shoulder at Hale. “Is it okay if Luke stays here?”
“Anything you ask.”
He twisted toward his nightstand to put away his hearing aid. When he settled back on his side, she shifted to give him room. She almost didn’t feel him lift a small tendril of hair, rubbing the strands between his fingers for a long time before letting the heavy curl fall against her shoulder.
Danielle wondered how often he bestowed those secret caresses while she was asleep.
She thought about the way Hale held her son’s hand a few moments ago. Would he hold her just as sweetly? Curious, she reached back until she touched his sturdy arm. The crisp hair furring his forearm tickled her fingertips as she slid her hand toward his thick wrist. He was big boned, the back of his hand a full inch wider than hers. The relaxed power beneath her questing touch shot a surge of wariness into her bloodstream.
Was getting closer a good idea?
Hale’s hand turned up, opening slowly.
An invitation. She grazed her index finger along his palm, discovering a callous near his thumb. This was the hand of a hardworking man. One who hadn’t poured a drop of alcohol into his mouth since he returned. Giving into temptation, she wove her fingers through his.
He claimed her hand with a meaningful squeeze, pulling her close. “Come back to me. I like when you’re near.”
At his murmur, shivers cascaded down her neck. She relaxed into his loving embrace. When he smiled against her bare shoulder, a tingling warmth radiated out from the center of her ribcage. The feeling was something she hadn’t experienced in a long time.
Happiness.
****
“That chicken is nuts!” Drew yelled.
Hale heard the boy’s exclamation above the squawking bird strutting around the back yard.
“Not a problem,” Hale insisted, ducking when the irritable hen took flight and almost flew into his face.
He squared off, determined not to let her win. Lately, he’d been doing everything backwards, like marrying a woman before he had the chance to win her affection. At least he knew what to do on a farm.
One ornery chicken wasn’t going to best him. Granted, this one took him by surprise. He didn’t expect her to be so cranky. The other hens he purchased seemed delighted with the repaired coop, but this member of the flock squirted out of his grasp the moment he took her into his care.
She wasn’t too happy about being forced to be with a Cooper, a parallel similar to what Danielle must’ve felt when she had to marry him to keep the farm afloat. Hale stuffed that disturbing observation aside to focus on the task at hand. Catching a chicken wasn’t easy, and this one had fled to the back yard. Even worse, she’d attracted an audience.
The boys watched with their mouths agape, and their hollering attracted their gorgeous mother.
Hale caught the unmistakable glint of Danielle’s blonde hair as she joined Luke and Drew on the deck. He pulled his hand down his face, remembering how good falling asleep with his arm around her last night felt. Ever since sunrise, he’d been stumbling around the farm in a distracted state of semi-arousal.
He couldn’t wait to see if she’d let him hold her again.
Luke let out a low whistle. “That bird looks mad.”
The hen took another run at Hale.
He tried to grab her, but missed.
Cocoa trotted into view, eyeing the bird.
The agitated hen pecked at the ground, tilting her head when she spotted the lab.
If the dog walked toward him, perhaps she’d herd the bird closer. “Cocoa, come.”
The hen wasn’t falling for that. She flapped her wings and charged at Cocoa, who yelped and sprinted toward Hale.
“Whoa, girl. No!”
She put on the brakes and slid through the wet grass, clipping Hale. Losing his footing near a huge puddle, his first thought was
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