settled on her stomach. “Not to be rude, but you don’t know
much about running a ranch, so I guess I’m just curious as to why you’re
keeping it.”
I sat up, causing his hand to fall from my stomach. What was
with everyone around here wanting me to sell the ranch? Was there something
here I didn’t know? His question unnerved me, shocked me. “Does it matter?” I
finally asked my tone bitter even though I didn’t intend it to be.
“No, of course not.” He sat up and slid his hand along the
side of my neck, bringing my lips to meet his, and then he kissed me. “Can I
tell you something without you thinking I’m crazy?”
I laughed. “I guess that depends on what you want to tell
me.”
He gave me his dimple laden smile, but his eyes remained
serious. “We haven’t known each other long, but I’ve really enjoyed the time we
have spent together.”
“So have I.” I smiled.
“I think I’m falling in love with you, Heather.”
My jaw dropped and my eyes widened. I hadn’t expected him to
say that, but I couldn’t deny I was starting to feel the same way. I leaned
forward and placed a chaste kiss to his lips. “I don’t think you’re crazy.”
“You don’t?” he asked, surprised.
I shook my head. “No, because I feel the same way about you,
and I know I’m not crazy.”
His laughter wrapped around me, made me feel safe, loved. I
sighed and leaned into him as he hugged me. I never once thought I’d find
another man to love after Phillip, but I had, and it was just the start of a
whole new life for me and Jamie, a life I was thrilled about.
Chapter Seven
H udson and I had spent every day together, growing
closer and closer. Every evening when he left, he told me he loved me, kissed
me deeply. We had yet to have sex, but we were certainly headed in that
direction. Maybe tonight would be the night. Jamie was sleeping over at Dean’s,
and I was going to Hudson’s house for dinner.
It was eerily quiet as I put the finishing touches on my
make-up and double checked my reflection in the mirror. Butterflies filled my
stomach, made me nervous. Tonight was the first night Hudson and I would truly
be alone. Normally, when he was here, Jamie was upstairs. Nodding at my
reflection, I flipped off the bathroom light and went downstairs. When I got to
the kitchen, Hudson was standing outside the door, peeking in through the
window.
I laughed and opened the door. “Hudson, what’re you doing
here? I thought we were going to your place tonight.”
“We are.” He grinned and looked me up and down. “You look
fantastic, Heather.”
I glanced down at myself. “Thanks.”
Hudson gave my cheek a kiss. “And yes, we are going to my
place, but this is a date, and a gentleman always comes to the door and picks
up his woman.” His eyes sparked with mischief and… Desire? My heart tripped a
few beats before pounding loudly in my ears.
“Well, whoever said chivalry was dead was wrong.” I laughed
nervously.
“Ready?” Hudson held out his arm, and I looped my arm around
his.
“Yup.”
We stepped outside and I froze. I couldn’t believe my eyes.
He’d brought his horse, but more than that, he’d hitched a cozy little buggy to
him. It was big enough to fit just the two of us. “Wow, Hudson. You didn’t have
to do all of this.”
“Nonsense.” He helped me into the carriage, and then climbed
in beside me, taking the reins into his hands. “Hope you don’t mind going the
long way.”
“No, of course not.” I snuggled up next to him, resting my
head on his upper arm as he led us away from the ranch. He took a scenic route
around my property, down what appeared to be an abandoned dirty road, and
through the back end of his land. The sun was just beginning to set, and the
air was still warm. It was a perfect ride. Silent, but romantic. The scenery
was gorgeous. More and more I was loving it around here, missing the city less
and less.
“Here we are,” he announced. One of his ranch
much about running a ranch, so I guess I’m just curious as to why you’re
keeping it.”
I sat up, causing his hand to fall from my stomach. What was
with everyone around here wanting me to sell the ranch? Was there something
here I didn’t know? His question unnerved me, shocked me. “Does it matter?” I
finally asked my tone bitter even though I didn’t intend it to be.
“No, of course not.” He sat up and slid his hand along the
side of my neck, bringing my lips to meet his, and then he kissed me. “Can I
tell you something without you thinking I’m crazy?”
I laughed. “I guess that depends on what you want to tell
me.”
He gave me his dimple laden smile, but his eyes remained
serious. “We haven’t known each other long, but I’ve really enjoyed the time we
have spent together.”
“So have I.” I smiled.
“I think I’m falling in love with you, Heather.”
My jaw dropped and my eyes widened. I hadn’t expected him to
say that, but I couldn’t deny I was starting to feel the same way. I leaned
forward and placed a chaste kiss to his lips. “I don’t think you’re crazy.”
“You don’t?” he asked, surprised.
I shook my head. “No, because I feel the same way about you,
and I know I’m not crazy.”
His laughter wrapped around me, made me feel safe, loved. I
sighed and leaned into him as he hugged me. I never once thought I’d find
another man to love after Phillip, but I had, and it was just the start of a
whole new life for me and Jamie, a life I was thrilled about.
Chapter Seven
H udson and I had spent every day together, growing
closer and closer. Every evening when he left, he told me he loved me, kissed
me deeply. We had yet to have sex, but we were certainly headed in that
direction. Maybe tonight would be the night. Jamie was sleeping over at Dean’s,
and I was going to Hudson’s house for dinner.
It was eerily quiet as I put the finishing touches on my
make-up and double checked my reflection in the mirror. Butterflies filled my
stomach, made me nervous. Tonight was the first night Hudson and I would truly
be alone. Normally, when he was here, Jamie was upstairs. Nodding at my
reflection, I flipped off the bathroom light and went downstairs. When I got to
the kitchen, Hudson was standing outside the door, peeking in through the
window.
I laughed and opened the door. “Hudson, what’re you doing
here? I thought we were going to your place tonight.”
“We are.” He grinned and looked me up and down. “You look
fantastic, Heather.”
I glanced down at myself. “Thanks.”
Hudson gave my cheek a kiss. “And yes, we are going to my
place, but this is a date, and a gentleman always comes to the door and picks
up his woman.” His eyes sparked with mischief and… Desire? My heart tripped a
few beats before pounding loudly in my ears.
“Well, whoever said chivalry was dead was wrong.” I laughed
nervously.
“Ready?” Hudson held out his arm, and I looped my arm around
his.
“Yup.”
We stepped outside and I froze. I couldn’t believe my eyes.
He’d brought his horse, but more than that, he’d hitched a cozy little buggy to
him. It was big enough to fit just the two of us. “Wow, Hudson. You didn’t have
to do all of this.”
“Nonsense.” He helped me into the carriage, and then climbed
in beside me, taking the reins into his hands. “Hope you don’t mind going the
long way.”
“No, of course not.” I snuggled up next to him, resting my
head on his upper arm as he led us away from the ranch. He took a scenic route
around my property, down what appeared to be an abandoned dirty road, and
through the back end of his land. The sun was just beginning to set, and the
air was still warm. It was a perfect ride. Silent, but romantic. The scenery
was gorgeous. More and more I was loving it around here, missing the city less
and less.
“Here we are,” he announced. One of his ranch
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