Fall for Me (Cowboys of Crested Butte 1)

“I’d rather have waited to rest after you left.”

“I have a little time before I have to get on the road if you want me to wear you out again?”

“I guess you’re packed. Would the condoms be hard to find?”

“Not at all, darlin’, I left ’em in the drawer of your nightstand. And I counted ’em, there better be the same number left in there when I get back.”

“You’re coming back?”

“Soon as I can, baby. Soon as you’ll let me.”

Ben wanted to go slow. He wanted every inch of her skin against his, to savor being with her. In the days to come, he’d remember this, every moment of it. But he couldn’t stop himself, his desire for her was all-consuming. His need to possess her overtook him. “Liv—”

The words wouldn’t come, he longed to tell her that he loved her, but he didn’t. She’d never believe him. But he did, as he’d never loved before.

“I need you,” he said.

“I’m right here,” she answered, her eyes burning into his, questioning.

“Come with me. Come home with me.” Give in to me, give yourself over to me, he wanted to demand.

“Ben—”

He brought his head closer, his lips hovering right above hers, her hair still twisted in his hands.

“Come home with me, Liv,” he demanded again. “I need you,” he breathed. He’d never had such an overwhelming need for a woman. He brought his lips to hers again, kissing her gently. He broke the kiss, needing to take another moment, again, to look at her. When he closed his eyes he wanted to be able to see her face. He wanted the image seared in his memory.

Her long hair fanned out around her, and she gripped the back of his head, pulling him closer as their lips met again.

“Ben.” The way she said his name, every time, was as though she reached in and squeezed his heart.

They’d gotten dressed, and Ben was out on the deck on his cell phone, the door between them closed. He paced as he spoke, his hand rubbing over the top of his head.

She trusted Ben had handled the horses fine earlier, but she needed something to do with herself. The nervous energy was eating her alive. She longed to saddle Micah and take him out for a long, hard run, but she’d wait until Ben was gone. The thought filled her with an ache.

She went out the back door, walked to the fence where Micah stood, expecting she’d have a treat for him. She reached in her jacket pocket and pulled out a strand of red licorice. She didn’t like it herself, red or black, but for her horses, there seemed to be no better treat. He nuzzled up against her, as though he realized she n

eeded his affection.

She heard the back door close, and turned around to see Ben walking toward her. The way he looked at her, with such passion in his eyes, and when he smiled—Lord help her, her knees went weak. Did all women react to him this way? And was he aware of it?

“Time to go?” She wanted to be the one who said it first.

“Yeah, as much as I don’t want to. I’m already getting a late start. If I don’t get on the road, I’ll want to stay another night.” He pulled her hard against him, so hard it almost hurt. But even then the hurt inside overpowered it.

“Come home with me.”

“I’m already home, Ben. This is my home.”

“Come for a few days. I’ll fly you back when you’re ready.”

“You said it yourself yesterday, Ben. You’re going home to give us both time to breathe, time to figure out what this means.” She stroked the side of his face and reached up to brush her lips over his.

He held her so tight she couldn’t breathe. When he kissed her again, he took the rest of the air out of her lungs. She was dizzy, but it didn’t have anything to do with breathing. It was him.

Liv didn’t watch his truck leave the driveway. It might have been nicer of her to turn and wave him off, but she didn’t. Instead, she walked in the opposite direction.

She brought Micah into the barn and saddled him. They went east, away from the sunset and rode and rode and rode.