“Thank you.”

“Even if I wish I could fire him for stealing my sister’s virginity and defiling my barn.”

I smirk. “He didn’t steal anything. I gave it to him. And if you don’t want the details, then you shouldn’t ask. And that barn is only standing because of our hard work, so you are welcome, brother.”

“Fair enough,” he says, making a face.

“Thank you, Trevor. If you hadn’t gotten me down here this wouldn’t have happened at all.”

“And if it doesn’t work out, Mel? I worry about you.”

My heart skips a beat in my chest. “If it doesn’t work out then it doesn’t work out,” I say. “But I’m done avoiding things in my life simply because there’s a chance of future pain.”

One side of his mouth turns up into a smile. “That’s a good phrase. You should be a writer.”

“I’ll give it my best shot.”

Going in to give him a hug, he stops me. “No way. You’re going to have to wash off the paint first.”

The laugh that comes out of me is the freest sound I’ve made in a long time. “Fair enough.”

13

Harlan

Melena moved into my bedroom the night that Trevor left. Now it’s the last day of the summer. The day that Melena was supposed to go home and never return. She hasn’t packed, and we both know that she’s not going anywhere, but we’ve both been studiously avoiding the subject anyway. It’s not something that either of us have wanted to face.

The last few months we’ve just enjoyed being with each other. We worked our asses off on the ranch, too, but in our free time, we learned everything about each other. The first thing I really learned about her was how badly she wanted to write her book. So when we weren’t rolling around naked in bed, or in the hayloft, or out by the creek, I made sure she had plenty of time to write. One weekend I went to an auction a few hours away and came back to the ranch with an antique desk for her. I painted her old bedroom with a fresh coat of paint, hauled the bed down to the cellar, and made her a proper writer’s room, just for her, just like she deserves.

We’ve been living like that ever since, in a perfect rhythm. Early morning coffees on the verandah watching the sun come up. Big breakfasts together to fuel us through our day of hard work, and then the nights are just for us. Exploring each other’s bodies, finding new ways to draw pleasure from each other, just enjoying falling asleep together at night and seeing each other first thing in the morning. We didn’t want reality to interfere with what was a nearly perfect summer. But the contractors are arriving tomorrow, and our paradise will quickly become a bustling construction site. And Melena still has a home and life back in the city.

Things have to change somehow. Decisions need to be made. We’ve waited until the last possible moment to confront reality. There’s no more hiding from real life.

Back when I first proposed, we floated the idea of what we might do. Maybe she would stay at the ranch, and maybe I would go back with her to the city. But now I have a plan, and I’m hoping that she’ll say yes.

If she doesn’t, it doesn’t change a thing about the way I feel. I still want her. I’ll always want her. No matter what, I know we’ll make it work.

My arm tightens on her waist as we ride out toward my property. I’ve been keeping her busy and away from here because I didn’t want her to see what I was up to. But now, it’s ready.

She’s come a long way with her fear of horses, and I don’t sense any tension at all as we ride Bean. Though the way her curvy ass presses against me still makes me hard every time we do this—and we do it often. She’s not ready to ride by herself yet, and I’d much rather have her in my arms.

When the frame for my new house comes into view, she gasps. “Harlan, what is that?”

I ride up to the front of the building and help her down. “This is my house, Melena. I designed it myself. All those hours I insisted you spend in your writing room, well, I had other motives than just trying to motivate you. If you want, this can be our house.”

Melena looks at me, anxiety and wonder mixing in her gaze.

“I know we haven’t talked about it. In fact, we’ve been avoiding it, but I have a plan Melena. And the plan is to build a life here. With you. We’ll be here under the blue sky, in the fresh air. I’ll be working on the ranch and you can work on your writing, and when we’re ready, we can raise our children here together. Occasionally there will be a storm where we can lock ourselves in the house and I’ll fuck you senseless. And on the clear summer nights I can make love to you on the shore of the lake.”

Tags: Penny Wylder Romance
Source: readsnovelonline.net