Guarding Hope

“To seduce?” Hope walked up to Gage and handed him a fresh glass of tea. Her hand brushed against his arm. She’d listened to the entire conversation as she stirred their favorite drink. She hid her smile as she heard Gage promise of a fun night. He unleashed a part of her that she couldn’t tie back up and had no intention of holding back—pure, passionate desire.

He set the glass on the table and spun her around, pinning her to the wooden surface. “Yes, Hope. I have plans of tempting you to take off all your clothes and spreading your legs wide for me, so I can spend the night licking every inch of you and filling you with my cum.”

“Seduce away, Mr. Gibson.” She threw herself into his arms, kissing him until they were breathless. Panting while relentlessly kissing and touching, the couple made their way out of the kitchen and into the living room. Gage settled down on the sofa with Hope straddling him, grateful that she wore a dress.

Gage slid his hand between them, cupping her mound and feeling her sticky wetness. “Your pussy’s gushing through your panties.”

“Of course I am. You broke the dam.”

“I’ll fix it.” He slid her backward onto his thighs while he unbuttoned his pants and freed his thick rod. Dragging her soaking wet slit over his cock, he tugged her panties to the side and thrust up. “Your pink sweets swallowed up my dick.”

“I’m so full, Gage.”

“Ride me,” he grunted, grasping her hips and helping her bounce on his cock. She rode him wildly until they came, collapsing in his arms.

Gage refused to deny his feelings. When his mother called, he wondered what he would say, but the words came out effortlessly. “Mom, she’s wonderful, sweet, and way too young for me, but I can’t and won’t let her go.”

A long, drawn-out silence hung between them until his mother, Grace, finally asked, “Are you sure?”

Gage smiled over the line. “More positive than I’ve ever been about anything. I’d do anything for her.” His heart jumped in his chest from just thinking about her. Hope had stolen it with one look across the market.

“So when do I get to meet this beautiful woman who stole your heart?”

Shit. Gage knew that was coming. He’d prayed that he’d have more time to get things settled and further along with Hope before he introduced her to people who’d steal her away.

“Not anytime soon. I have some problems here that I don’t want you mixed up in. Plus, I want to make sure she’s ready to be my wife before I make that introduction. I don’t want to scare her away.”

“Oh, hush. Well, I’ve got to head out, but you better be making it happen soon before I pop over to the ranch and say hello.”

“Okay, okay. I love you. Talk to you later.”

“Love you too, son.”

He hung up the call and drove back onto the estate with the groceries for the week. The ranch would require a lot more of his attention in these coming weeks.

Chapter 16

“A month. I’ve been stuck in this house for a month.”

Hope slammed the dishwasher closed, then leaned her hands on the edge of the sink, wiping tears away from her eyes. Her mood only soured after learning Gage hadn’t told his mother about her. If he hadn’t bothered to mention her, then there would be no way he intended to get married to her. She felt as invisible as before. Gage did everything he could with her, but he worked out in the fields or in his office most of the time.

Gage stepped into the room just in time to hear Hope shout out her frustrations. “I’m sorry, baby.”

She gasped as she turned around, blushing and hiding her face before returning to the sink to hold onto the fight she had in her. Gage always stole her senses when he came around.

“It’s not like I’ve been off the ranch. I’ve sent the guys for us. With Navarro out, I can’t trust anyone.”

Shaking her head, she muttered, “I know. I know, Gage. I guess. I don’t know. Ugh. Who knows what I’m saying? I feel like a total mess today.”

The day had started out great for Gage even to the point that he believed today would be the day he’d take the step he’d been itching to take the first night. Gage stepped up behind his woman. The ring in his pocket had been burning a hole for a week already. “You’re feeling cooped up. I get it.”

She spun around in his arms, pressing her hands on his chest and refusing to meet his gaze. “Don’t get me wrong. I love being here and with you, but it feels like it did before. I’m trapped.”

Gage shoved the ring back down to the bottom of his pocket. He wrapped her up in his arms, holding her close to his chest as he thought about a way to reassure her that her past and future had nothing in common. “You’re right. I told you that I wouldn’t do that to you. I’m so sorry. How about we go out tomorrow?”