“Don’t just say my name. Tell me. You know what I want to hear.”
She closed her eyes and turned her head on the pillow, away from him. Here he went again, pushing her too hard. What was wrong with him? She was back in his arms, they were joined, two as one, but he still pushed her.
“Liv, open your eyes.” He waited until she did. “I’m sorry, I won’t push. I need you so much, but I’ll only take what you’ll give. I won’t keep asking for more.”
She nodded and reached up again to put her lips on his. “Ben…will you catch me if I fall?”
“You know I will, baby.”
He eased off of her, and went into the other room to get rid of the condom. He looked in the mirror and shook his head. Why was he so impatient with her? What was it he had to know right now? That she loved him? She did, but something stopped her from saying the words.
Ben got back in bed and pulled her closer to him, so her back was to his front.
“What did you want to talk about?”
“We should wait until tomorrow.”
She was killing him. He wanted everything, her body, her love, and now her thoughts. This woman made him crazy with desire to get inside her in every way possible. He could never be close enough to her and yet, the harder he tried to hold her close, the more she inched away.
“Okay, I’ll talk.” He felt her body tense. “I was so afraid I’d lost you forever. I never would’ve allowed myself to think about you being here, as you are right now.”
“I know, Ben. I felt the same way.”
“The universe is telling us something. We keep coming back to each other. Maybe we should try harder to stay together.”
“It won’t be easy.”
“Why not?”
“I want to race again. Give it all I’ve got. It will take hard work and training. And travel.”
“As long as we’re both committed, we can make this work, Liv.”
“What about you? You’re going back out on tour.”
“I am? Have you been on our website, darlin’? You watchin’ my tour schedule?”
“I’m a stalker, remember?”
“We need to get you set up with your own barrel racing fan page, so I can watch you. See you in those tight jeans and cowgirl shirts. The way your body bends and moves when you’re racin’. Jesus, that gets me hot.”
What had it been? Five minutes? And he wanted her again. He planned to wear her out tonight. She might not have enough strength left to ski tomorrow.
There was a good idea. Renie and the boys could go to the mountain, while he and Liv stayed here at the house. There were all kinds of places he imagined making love to Liv’s sweet body.
“What are you thinking about, cowboy?”
“You. Naked. All over my house.” She shuddered. Evidently she liked that idea as much as he did.
Luke woke them the next morning. He climbed up on the bed and situated himself between his dad and Liv.
“What’s up, partner?” Ben groaned, his voice still thick with sleep.
“What’re we doin’ today, Daddy?”
“What do you want to do?”
“Let’s go snowmobiling around the ranch.”