In three days she turns twenty-two. I’m done waiting and holding back. I’ve fought with my guilt. I’ve warred with my conscience, but in the end I don’t have a choice. Jenny will be mine .
“She’ll be home in a few hours,” I tell Mavis. “Make sure everything is ready for her .”
“Pfft… Like I wouldn’t have the place ready for our girl. Everything is ready, don’t you worry. Ole’ Mavis is going to make sure everything is perfect for her .”
I nod, but I don’t answer. I want everything to be perfect. It needs to be. Because I’m claiming her. Jenny doesn’t know it yet, but she’s my future. She always has been. I was just too blind to see it, to accept it. I’m going to marry her and I’m not even going to let her catch her breath before I claim her body, plant my seed deep inside of her and make sure it takes root. I’ll tie her to me in the most elemental way a man can. She’ll give me a son to guide this land into the next generation and a beautiful daughter with her mother’s glowing green eyes for me to protect. Jenny will give me everything .
I won’t stop until she does …
Chapter 2
Virginia
M y heart is thundering and I haven't even gotten off the plane yet. I know Carson will be waiting for me, know he won't have Mavis pick me up .
Although it hasn't been that long since I've been back at the ranch, it feels like an eternity. Truth is, every time I see Carson my feelings for him grow. He is all I think about, all I want. I’ve foolishly saved myself for a man who probably sees me as nothing more than his ward .
Carson has been my guardian for years, looked after me when my father passed away, and here I am lusting after him when I have no clue if he even reciprocates my feelings .
And truth is, I am too weak, too much of a coward to ever admit how I feel .
I grab my bag and get off the plane, my heart pounding so hard I feel like it's going to burst through my chest. The airport is small, very rural for this area. I had to do a layover before boarding this smaller airplane, and Carson's ranch is still almost an hour away .
But honestly, I've been looking forward to this trip since I was last here. I finally graduated with my degree, put what little possessions I had in storage, and couldn’t wait to get back here. But for the last year I've been working on finals, making sure I pass my classes, and trying not to think about seeing the one man who I want more than anything else .
I leave the small airport and am momentarily blinded by the sun. I blink until my vision clears. I see Carson standing there, his back against his old pickup truck, the red color faded, and the rust spots around the wheels telling of age and use .
He's had the truck for as long as I can remember, and damn does he look good with his arms crossed, a faded baseball cap on his head, and a pair of sunglasses covering his eyes. When he’s not wearing a cowboy hat while working out in the fields he has on that ball cap, one that I will always associate with him .
The smile he gives me has my heart pounding faster and this warmth seeping through my entire body. I smile in return but I feel like it’s a bit shaky, a little bit forced. My feelings for him are so consuming. Even though it has been a while since I've seen him, my love for him has only grown. But I can never admit how I feel for Carson, can't even say it out loud when I'm alone .
He takes the bag out of my hand and puts it in the back of his truck. When he turns around, there's only a second where we stare into each other’s eyes before he pulls me into the hardness of his body and embraces me. He's so big and strong, and my head fits perfectly against the center of his chest .
I close my eyes for a second and listen to the beat of his heart. It sounds fast, as if maybe he's a bit nervous too. But no, Carson wouldn't be nervous. He's always so steady and controlled .
When he pulls away, the grin he gives me is genuine. He reaches up and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear. His fingers linger right at my pulse point. Can he feel how hard and fast my heart is beating? Can he see the effect he has on me ?