With This Ring (Denim & Spurs Book 1) (23 page)

“I know that. Not sayin’ I understand it, but I do know it.” She stuck her tongue out at him, and he winked in return. “Just like I know silver is your color. You don’t like snakes and have an insane fascination with salamanders. I watch you around with them. You may not dress in frills and lace, but you are all woman, through and through. You’re smart as a whip, fair and kind to everyone.” He crossed his arms again. “You are incredibly passionate about that which you love. You handle your job with a professionalism most men don’t have, but that toughness doesn’t extend to the inside. You’re one hell of a farrier and a woman any man would be proud to have on his arm.”

She canted her head and held his gaze. “Is that what you’re doing here?”

He shrugged and said, “Not all. I brought you something.”

“What’s that?”

He gestured with his head, and she followed his direction. On the counter—she wasn’t sure how she’d missed it previously—sat a can of whipped cream and some chocolate sauce.

Her gut tightened with need and anticipation. “What about dinner?” she asked, untucking her shirt.

His grin was pure wicked sin. “Some say you should eat dessert first, that way you know you’ll have room.”

“I’m game.”

He swiped the items off and followed her to the bedroom. She yanked her clothes off and was pleased to find that he’d wasted no time in doing the same. He shook the can of whipped cream and pointed at the bed. “Get over there.” His gaze blazed with passion as he stared at her naked body.

She did as he’d ordered and lay on her bed, body flushed and hot with want. Her focus riveted on the rigid length of his cock. Goose bumps exploded on her skin as she trembled with anticipation. He fisted one hand around himself, and she licked her lips as he stroked. Once. Twice.

“Arms above your head,” he said, his voice a low thrum of pleasure.

She complied and gasped when the first of the cold hit her heated skin. He drew a line down between her breasts to her belly button. Then he dipped his head and began licking it off her.

She tangled her fingers in his hair, holding him to her as he followed the trail he’d left. He was absolutely correct—dessert
should
be eaten first. And once he’d had his fill, she and the chocolate would have her own fill.

Chapter
Fourteen

Dustin turned his head and glanced down at the woman who slumbered against him. The snow fell outside in what he would call a blizzard. He’d done all he could last night to point out to her that they did know one another.

All except tell her you love her.
Yes, well, he was a bit hesitant on that. Last woman he’d said that to had been Charlotte, and that hadn’t gone so well for him. He loved Samantha. He knew that just as he knew he was in Maryland and it currently snowed outside. He knew it as he knew the sun was rising and he needed air to breathe.

Would it help him to hear it from her first? Possibly.

She stirred against him, and he brushed a kiss along her forehead. He could tell himself that she was the one who changed the subject anytime it got too personal and dealing with what was between them. And she had, but she wasn’t the only one.

“Why can’t you just say you’re coming home, Samantha?” he asked the quiet.

“Because I am home.” Her reply, while slightly muffled, wasn’t hard to hear.

That lingering frustration rose again. “This isn’t your home. You’re a Texas gal and belong back under the wide open skies, riding the range, being with friends and family.”

She didn’t try to pull away from him. In fact, if anything she crawled closer and he wished there were no clothes between them so he could tell her with touches what he was apparently too chicken to say with words.

“Maryland’s not that bad, Dustin. And I have friends here, more than I ever had in Branchwater. Besides, what would I do there? I refuse to move home and take work from my father. Not to mention there are other farriers around.”

Let me take care of you.
He moved his hand up under her long shirt and relished the feel of her warm smooth skin beneath his palm.

He opened his mouth to speak, but the phone rang. With a disgruntled groan, she rolled over and reached for it.

“Hello?” Samantha’s entire body tensed, and he rubbed her back, offering immediate support. “Yes, sir, I’ll be right there. I’ll bring Dustin with me. He can help as well.” She ended the call and rolled to her feet.

He followed suit. “What’s going on?”

“They have some horses down with colic. Not sure what’s going on, but a bunch of the hands haven’t made it in yet because of the weather. They need help.”

He didn’t need to hear any more. They dressed swiftly, and he was on her heels as she led the way to the barn. At least it was warm in there for it was freezing outside. It didn’t take long, and he was at one end of an arena walking a gelding warmblood.

Dustin watched Samantha as she walked and talked. When more of the family arrived, he took the time to just observe. She spoke their language and as he stared, he saw something he’d not seen in Texas, aside from a few occasions. The joy on her face told of pleasure. Yes, the situation was serious, but she
was
happy. She was with family.

The knowledge dropped a rock in his stomach. He couldn’t compete with that. What could he offer her? What would she do on his ranch all day? He wouldn’t expect her to work if she came with him. This was part of the problem.
He couldn’t force her to give it all up for him. Surely, there had to be a better way.

Tearing his gaze from her, he patted the muscled neck of the gelding and encouraged him to keep moving. Time passed and finally the vet arrived. Turning over his charge, he searched for Samantha. She stood with Rolf deep in conversation.

At the side of the arena, he shoved his hands in his pockets and waited for her. She looked at him, gave him a smile, and gestured it would only be a few moments. While he waited, he thought about last night.

Holding her in his arms as they fell asleep, he couldn’t get over how much he’d missed having her against him. It wasn’t as if they’d been sleeping together for years but the way he’d missed it, the time may as well have been so long. Hell, he had regressed to the spot he’d been at the night she brightened his life after the non-wedding and was waxing poetic.

The little girl who dashed around shot him a blazing grin, and he tipped his hat at her in return. She had a head full of incredibly pale ash blonde curls that bobbed as she moved around. Her hot pink coat had a horse’s head in jewels on the back, and she had black thick pants on. Then her boots matched her coat in the vibrant hue. She skidded to a stop before him and peered up.

“Hello,” she said, waving a mittened-hand. “I’m Kjerstin.”

“Ma’am,” he replied, briefly tugging on the brim of his Stetson.

“Why are you here?”

He could hear her accent. Crouching down, he thumbed back his hat and stared into her startling pale blue eyes. “I’m a friend of Samantha’s.”

“
We
call her Finn.” She sounded imperious.

“I’ve known her since she was your age.” Okay, so maybe not that long. “We’re friends.”

She sniffed, apparently unimpressed. “She’s family.” A frown. “Are you going to try taking her from us?”

“Take her?”

“Get her to leave.” She crossed her arms and tapped the toe of her pink boot. It stood out so against the sand covering the arena floor.

He peered across to where the woman in discussion stood laughing. It hit him how much Samantha meant to them if they’d discussed her leaving such that this child overheard. Her eyes sparkled and even from this distance, he could tell she was happy. “Would it sadden you if I said yes?” Dustin glanced back at the child.

“Yes.”

“She’s really happy here?”

“Of course. We love her, and she knows it,” the girl answered.

Wise words from a young child. Dustin sighed and pushed back to his feet. “Seems she loves you as well.”

“And she rides really well.”

“I know.”

She sidled next to him and leaned against him. “Do you ride?”

“I do. I raise and sell cutting horses.”

“Are you here to work?” she asked.

“No, ma’am. I just came to visit Samantha.”

“Why do you call her that?” She moved in front of him and leaned back against his thighs.

Samantha looked up and a small smile curved her lips when she saw them. Then she went back to the conversation holding her attention.

“It’s her name,” Dustin answered. His indecision at what to do gnawed at his gut. She hadn’t lied when she said she was home. This place, these people were a home to her. But he wanted to be.

“She told me to call her Finn.”

He understood what the child was doing. “I promise I won’t take her with if she doesn’t want to go.”

“She won’t.” Kjerstin pushed away and glanced at him over her shoulder. “By Mister Cowboy.”

He wasn’t sure of the emotions that raced through him at the sight he witnessed. Samantha bent down and swept the child up in her arms, a wide grin on her face as she nodded at something Kjerstin said to her. Then there was the kiss she pressed to her cheek.

Working his lower lip with his teeth, he waited for her to return, keeping his gaze on the floor. Eventually her hand settled on his arm and he glanced at her.

“Thanks for helping.”

“Colic’s nothing to laugh at. Glad it all worked out.”

She rolled her shoulders and rubbed the back of her neck. “Me too. Come on, I could use some coffee.”

“Sounds good.”

Tell her
, his mind yelled.
Tell her you love her
.

“I see Kjerstin found you.”

“She’s adorable. Thinks the world of you. How old is she?”

“Six. I’m fond of her as well. The entire family actually.”

After they had some coffee back at her place, she lay down and left him alone with his thoughts. He stared at the divider keeping him from seeing her and imagined he could. Exhaling heavily, he got up and rooted through her drawers until he found what he sought. Paper and pencil.

Leaving the note on the table, he placed something over it and got his things gathered. He paused beside the bed and brushed some hair from her face, memorizing her features. Knowing she slept, he whispered, “I love you, Samantha.”

Then he left.

* * * *

Finn opened her eyes and stretched. She sat up and looked around.
That was some dream.
Her dreams were the one place she could allow her true feelings to be expressed for there was no lingering potential for repercussions. And this one had reached high marks by ending with those three little words she wanted to hear from him more than anything. I love you.

In her world, he’d leaned down, stroked a hand down her cheek, and whispered the words to her. Right before getting down on one knee and asking her to marry him. She snorted and rolled her eyes.
Get real, Finn.
She bent over and reached for her boots and tied them back on before rising from the bed.

“Dustin?” she called out as she stepped from behind the partition. Part of her had wished he would have joined her in bed but despite the fact he hadn’t, she still felt comfort just knowing he was there.

He didn’t answer so she called again. Still nothing and she stopped. Her place wasn’t big enough for him to be hiding anywhere. A quick look told her he wasn’t in the bathroom. The scent of coffee drew her attention, and she made her way to the pot, grateful to see a fresh pot brewing. Man could brew a damn good pot of java.

As she fixed her cup, she thought about Dustin and how she was going to handle his appearance. She didn’t want to stay away from him and as he said, they did know about one another. Yes, she knew more than he did but to be fair, she’d been in love with him for so long.

Okay, I’ve admitted I love him to myself. Apparently, it’s not been a secret to Daddy or Mrs. Pendle. So, why is it so difficult for me to tell him that?

She stopped stirring in the sugar and took a drink. “I’ll tell him when he returns. I don’t know what will happen or where things will go from there, but I have to tell him.” She smiled at herself, grateful to have come to that decision. With a sigh, she spun and braced her back against the counter and stared across her small kitchen.

In the middle of the dark wood sat a small piece of white paper along with a chain. She frowned and stepped closer, eyes widening as she realized what lay on the paper. The bracelet she’d lost the night in Texas. The night their lives had intertwined once again.

Biting her lower lip, she set the mug down with a trembling hand and picked up the pewter links. “He’d had it? This entire time?”

Her heart had broken when she’d been unable to find it. A gift from her father when she left Branchwater to find her own way in the world. To think that all this time, it had been with Dustin.

She pressed the bracelet to her lips and squeezed her eyes shut before looking at the note. His writing, scratchy and male, scrolled along the lines. Reaching out, she turned the paper so she could read it.