Savage Cowboy (Whiskey Valley: Bryant Brothers)

I smile at the soft, soothing tone he uses when he talks to me. "All right. I won't freak out."

His hand stops moving, and he looks into my eyes. "I didn't use protection, Amanda."

I blink up at him and am shocked a little. Even though this is all new to me, I know how to protect myself, but the thought never entered my mind. I didn't even think about it, but he's right: we didn't use anything. I open my mouth, and he flattens his hand on my chest. "I don't want you to worry about anything. I'm clean. That's not even a question, but—"

And I interrupt him. "Well, I'm clean too. You were my first."

He smiles possessively at me. "I know that, but what about... is it a good time for you?"

I look at him in confusion, not understanding his meaning. His hand slides down my body and cups my soft belly. "I mean, is now a good time for you to get pregnant?"

"Oh," I say. My face flushes with heat. I was raised on a ranch my whole entire life, so the idea of reproduction shouldn't embarrass me, but talking about it now with Chance does. I get nervous as I try to do the math in my head and count down to when my last period was.

The fact is I think that this could be a good time, but I don’t want to ruin this moment by getting him worried. The longer he stares at me, the more nervous I get. "I'm not really sure," I answer him.

He nods and draws me against his body, his arms encircling me. "It's fine." He kisses the top of my head. "Whatever happens happens."

Determined to change the subject, I lean back and look at his chest and the bruising on his arm. "How's your shoulder?" I ask him.

He shrugs. "Actually, I've forgotten all about it."

I lean up and kiss his bare skin before pulling back. "I really need to get back into town."

Reluctantly, he lets go of me, and I roll to my side of the bed.

My clothes are strewn all across the bedroom, and I shyly get up and start to get dressed. When I turn to look at him, he's staring at me up and down with his hands behind his head. "What are you doing?" I ask him.

He nods at me. "I'm just enjoying the view." Even though I believe him, I'm still shy at showing my body. So I pull on my clothes jerkily and get dressed. When I'm almost done, he gets up and pulls his pants on, leaving them unbuttoned at his waist. He walks me out to my car and kisses me thoroughly before I get in. "I'll see you tomorrow?" I ask him. I notice he still hasn’t made any claims to what he’s feeling after tonight, but I have my heart set on the fact that it’s all going to work out. It has to.

He tucks my hair behind my ear. "Actually, you'll see me later today. It's after midnight. Be safe and text me when you get to the apartment."

I nod and give him one final wave before I drive off. The whole way into town, I think about tonight and everything that I experienced with Chance. Never in my life have I felt anything as special as he made me feel. If only my family would be on board with this, I would be able to enjoy it completely. But just thinking about my dad and my brothers makes me sick to my stomach.

I really don't think that they're going to understand. And what am I going to do if they don't?

Chapter 13

Chance

No more hiding. That's the first thing that comes to my mind as I wake up.

At the break of dawn, I get myself ready and drive my truck over to the McCoy Ranch. I know it's early, but I also know that they'll be up. I barely get stopped in front of their big house when old man McCoy comes to the porch. When I get out, I'm thankful that at least he doesn't have his shotgun with him.

I grip my hands into fists at my sides and walk toward him, determined to get this out into the open. I have a guilt inside of me ever since I took Amanda last night, and the only thing that is going to soothe that is by talking to her father, because I refuse to hide our relationship any longer.

I get one foot on the porch, and Mr. McCoy holds his hand out to me. "That's close enough. What are you doing here, Bryant?"

Of course, he knows exactly who I am. "I came to talk to you, sir."

He points at the bottom step. "Well, you can talk to me from there."