“I love you, Buck.”
I pulled her into my arms and kissed her harder, deeper than I had a few seconds ago. “I want to make love to you, Stella. I want to tell Ali and Cope to go away, take you back to the cabin, and spend the rest of the day and night, showing you exactly how much you mean to me.”
“I want the same thing—”
“Don’t say it. I know we can’t. Can’t fault a guy for wishing, though.”
She smiled. “Maybe they’ll be tired from traveling.”
“Right.”
“Can’t fault a girl for wishing, though.”
I hit the remote for the gate and motioned with my arm for Cope to follow me. I pulled up to the main house and cut the engine. Stella, sitting right beside me on the bench seat, looked up at me when I didn’t get out. “I need another kiss to hold me over.”
She turned and wrapped one arm around my neck before planting her lips on mine. She pushed her tongue into my mouth and pressed her lips hard against mine.
There might’ve been a time I would’ve wondered if Ali could see us. I didn’t give a shit now. Did Stella care if Cope did?
I pulled back, cupped her cheek, and stared into her eyes. “You better be thinking about me, Stella.”
“You know I am, Buck.”
“Let’s get this over with so we can be alone.” I got out of the SUV, walked around the front of it, and opened her door. When she shimmied to the edge of the seat, I put both hands on her waist and lowered her to the ground. I wanted to kiss her again, but I stopped myself. She might think it was just for show, and the last thing I wanted was for her to doubt that I truly loved her.
“I’m so sorry about Barb,” said Ali, running forward to embrace Stella. Cope was standing behind her, and when Ali stepped away, he hugged her too.
“I know how important Barb was to you, Stella. I promise to do everything I can to find her killer,” I heard him say.
“I appreciate that,” she murmured, taking a step back. I was right behind her and snaked my arm around her waist.
“Have you heard from Deck?” Cope asked, his eyes trailing from mine, down to where I had a firm grasp on the woman I loved.
“No, why?”
“He’s supposed to meet us here.”
“Let’s go inside.” I motioned for Cope and Ali to go ahead. “You okay?” I asked Stella.
“More than okay.” She leaned into me and put her arm around my waist.
I silently cursed all the time I’d wasted by not admitting my real feelings sooner. We’d had two glorious weeks as alone as we could be, given every time we ventured outside the ranch gates, we had two or three bodyguards with us.
With Cope and Ali here and Decker on his way, God knew how many hours it might be before I could hold Stella’s naked body in my arms again.
I was about to wal
k through the front door when Cope came back out, looking at his phone. “He says he’s at the cabin. That make any sense to you?”
“It does. Follow me.”
I drove up the dirt road and parked in front of the one I considered Stella’s and mine.
“You’re in that one down there,” I said to Cope and Ali, pointing. “We’ll let you get settled before we meet.”
“We can do that later,” said Cope. “We have a lot to talk about. Where’s Irish?”
“He’s in that one,” I said, pointing at the same time my sister came out the front door.