Forever's Affection (Forever In Luck Series Book 3) (23 page)

“All
us kids are but a year and a half apart, and I don’t ever remember holding a
child in my life. At the airport, when you asked if I could hold Junie, I
remember thinking that kids scared me and that I didn’t know how to hold one,
then
figured it couldn’t be harder than holding a calf. I
was wrong, way wrong, it was harder. Something happened when Junie slid into my
arms and it was like she held me. She had me, and I never wanted to let her go.
It’s like she’s my little girl. I don’t know that you can appreciate this, but
for me it’s significant.”

Reaching
out he took a tendril of her hair that was swaying loose in the wind. Busying
himself, he twisted it around his finger before releasing it and doing it
again. “And you,” he paused, emotion prevalent in his words. He swallowed. “I
can’t even begin to list the ways you make me feel. It’s astounding to me. I’ve
never felt for another woman what I feel for you. There was one, a long time
ago. I thought she was the one, but I know now without any doubt, she was not
the one, not even close, and it ended badly.”

Taking
a deep breath, he tilted his head back and looked up at twinkling stars. “I’ve
been so cold for so long now it was like I was dead inside and I didn’t even
know it. My family did though. Right before I met you, Linnie tried giving me a
pep talk, told me I was a mess and needed to let go of the past. I blew her
off. Jake, he tried too, telling me that I should be thanking my lucky stars I
didn’t end up with her. Well, I am, right at this very moment, look up and see
them all.”

Leaning
forward, she kissed him before turning and leaning back against him and looking
up. Reaching for his hands, she pulled his arms tight around her and
sighed.
 

He
pushed the swing and they sat quietly for several minutes before he continued.
“I had hoped, given some time, you would feel something for me and would want
to stay. It’s like I said before, I know we haven’t known each other long, and
my plan was to give you a little more time because I don’t want to overwhelm
you so quickly with all that you’ve been through, but I would like us to be
married. I think it’s important, but if you don’t feel the same then we won’t.”

She
didn’t say
anything,
just lay against him massaging
his hands clasped at her waist. His first response was to panic, but then he
took comfort in her lack of response thinking that normally she’d have pushed
him back with her words at this point. Gathering his courage, he continued. “I
have land, a home, I farm,
that’s
it. We’d live off
the land and the animals I raise. You’d never go hungry, of that I’d be sure.
We’d live well, but we’d never be rich. And you wouldn’t need to ride another
rodeo event if you didn’t want to, and if that’s all you wanted to do, then you
could do that too. If training horses is what you’d rather do, then you could
do that. It would be whatever you wanted it to be.”

Turning
in his arms, she kissed him,
then
crawled onto his lap
as the swing creaked and wiggled. Putting his hands on her hips, he held her as
he looked up at the silhouette of her face against the stars and knew he would
remember it forever.

She
took a deep and troubled breath,
then
let it out.
“Thank you for caring about us—”

He
cleared his throat as he shook his head and tightened his grip on her hips.
“Let me be
more clear
, I don’t just care about you
two, I love you both with all that I am.”

With
a gentle whimper, she put her arms around his neck and held his head to her
heart. Nurturing him, she placed a kiss to the top of his head and rubbed his
shoulder with one of her hands. He savored the closeness of her and held her
tight. She was so soft.

 
“It can’t be all about us,” she said giving
him a squeeze. “We can’t ignore you.”

Gently,
he rubbed his cheek against her delicate skin, not wanting to scratch her with
his stubble as he went about nuzzling her neck. “Then marry me, because that’s
what I want. I want to work on my family’s farm, run a dairy operation with my
dad and brothers, farm the land we own, and raise a family with you. We can
hunt and
fish,
and you can teach me all about horses,
while I help you learn to read. We’ll both love Junie to death and be happy
together, I know we could be.”

She
smiled as she looked down upon him and gave a little laugh. He imagined her
eyes were twinkling like the stars in the backdrop.

Kissing
him gently, she finished by saying softly, “Let me talk with the attorney.”

Moving
to her neck, he kissed his way to her ear. He felt himself getting hard and he
shifted. “About?”

“To
see if,” she let out a little gasp on contact, “there’s a way to keep me and
Junie here and not be made to go back to Wyoming. I’m… I’m just afraid to upset
the applecart, because once my mother gets wind that I’m talking with the
attorney and her cash flow is in jeopardy, she’ll be back.” She cradled his
head to her body again and he got the hint loud and clear.

Untying
her robe, he pulled the silky fabric back to reveal the bounty it held. “Let’s
not say anything then,” he answered, as he slipped the delicate straps from her
shoulders and started placing tiny kisses here and there as her nightgown
slowly slid downward. Oh yeah, this was working out nicely. “Let’s just wait it
out. Five months from now we can call the attorney, and in the meantime, if the
authorities show up, we’ll deal with it then.”

She
arched her back. “I… I…can’t help but feel you’re getting the short end of the
stick here.” She gripped his shoulders as her head fell back.

“Nope.”
He used the
word as an incentive to graze his lips back and forth over her delicate skin.
“If I get to keep you, then I’m clearly a winner, and Junie is my bonus prize.
Plus there is nothing short about this stick.”

She
chuckled deeply. “You’re a good man, naughty but good. Whatever happens, know
that I love you too. We’ll stay if we can. Are we going to have breakfast
again?”

“Definitely.”
Holding her
tight, he stood up and turned for the house. “Let’s go inside, I want to be the
only thing nibbling on you tonight.”

*****

“Dani,
you did it! You did! Oh
my gosh
, you did it!” Linnie
threw her arms around Dani and loved her up. “You did a wonderful job, I’m so
proud of you.”

Tears
started running down Dani’s face as she sat smiling and looking at the first
book she’d ever really read.

Patting
her hand, Linnie praised her efforts. “You’ve been practicing your flashcards,
I can tell because you didn’t stumble over the words in this book. You should
feel proud of yourself, you really should.”

Dani
nodded as she wiped away her tears. “Kris has been helping me. He holds up a
card and Junie and I answer. It’s kind of a game to see who can answer faster.
At first, I would say them in my head to give her more time, but now she is as
fast as me, if not faster.”

Linnie
clapped her hands and laughed. “So you two are learning to read together.
That’s great! You two can help each other, and the immediate feedback is just
what you two need. Tonight, you’ll have to read to the two of them. Do you want
to read it again?”

“Can
we?” Dani answered hesitantly. “I mean, it just doesn’t feel real.”

“We
can,” Linnie answered approvingly, “and it is very real. We’ll read it again,
and then I have a few more flash cards to add to the pile. We’ll go over them
and then read the book again and again if you want. Practice makes perfect.”

Taking
a deep breath, Dani smiled at Linnie. “I’d like that. Thank you for being such
a good teacher.”

A
half an hour later, there was a thunderous applause as Dani finished reading
about Dick, Sally, Baby, and Spot. Shocked, she turned to see the guys standing
at the entrance to the farm’s kitchen. So engrossed in her endeavors, she hadn’t
heard them come in the house and the knowledge that they’d heard her made her
turn bright red and want to hide. Turning back, she buried her face in her book
to keep them from seeing her.

“Oh no, gorgeous, no hiding.
Come here,”
Kris said, making his way to her.

The
book taken from her hands, she hid her face in Kris’s neck when he pulled her
up and into his arms.

“Come
on, we’re so proud of you. You did fantastic.” He gave her a big bear hug,
lifting her feet off the ground.

“Yeah,”
Nik said, “I can see it right now, no more Sexy Lexy,
instead
it’ll be
Texty
Lexy the first trick rider to read
while riding upside down as she dangles off the side of a horse,
yeehaw
.”

Everyone
busted out laughing, and Dani had to admit the image was kind of funny. Laughing
herself, she glanced upwards shyly and when she saw how proud Kris was of her
just by looking in his eyes, she knew she loved this man. Putting a little kiss
on his jaw, she said. “Is he always like that?”

Rubbing
her back as he held her close, he answered her, “Pretty much, he’s always
making an ass of himself. Where’s
Junebug
?”

“Napping.
She’s been
getting up early with me, so a little nap in the afternoon is of paramount
importance.”

Kris’s
mouth instantly turned with a grin. Leaning to her ear, he whispered, “I
couldn’t agree more, I could use one right now, and gosh, you’re looking a
little tired yourself.” He started pushing her backwards out of the room.

She
gave him a warning look, and her tone went serious. “Excuse me, but your family
is here.”

His
eyes danced with mischief, and his grin turned salacious. “
Mmhmm
,
but they’re not invited.”

“
Kri
—”

He
had her up against the hall wall and her lips busy with a deep kiss before she
could finish his name. Sliding her hands up his chest and around his shoulders,
she kissed him passionately, because when it came to this man that’s what she
wanted to do. He had the nicest lips and the strongest arms, and when he held
her she felt safe and loved.

“
Geeeee
, I wonder where Dani and Kris went?” Nik said loudly
from a few feet away, followed by a loud, exaggerated gasp.
“Dad,
quick, call nine-one-one!
Dani’s doing mouth to mouth resuscitation on
Kris.”

Breaking
away from their kiss, Dani turned her head and looked at Nik contemplating her
response. His smile was wide and full of energy, and she knew he wanted her to
respond to the challenge. So far
be
it for her to
disappoint him. “Don’t forget I have a rope and know how to use it. Seven
seconds, two wraps and
one hooey
later, and you’ll be
talking like a girl, hopscotch.”

“
Woohoo
,” he howled,
then
clapped
his hands, thrilled with the exchange. “That explains the rope burns on Kris’s
wrists and ankles. Damn, I didn’t know you were into the kinky shit.” Cackling,
he laughed at their teasing.

“You’re
cruisin
for a
bruisin
, you
know that,” Kris snapped. “Now get lost, we’re busy.”

Ignoring
them and flexing his biceps, Nik taunted. “You want a piece of me, come on,
let’s
arm wrestle.”

Oh
yeah, she was going to take him. Pushing out of Kris’s hold, she snapped to.
“Alright, you’re on.
Kitchen table, now.
Move it.”

“
Woohoo
!”
Nik howled,
clapping his hands again and heading for the kitchen. “Kris you wimp, letting
the little woman do your dirty work.” Sitting at the table they squared off.
“Alright sister, I’ll try not to hurt you, but no crying if I do.”

Getting
straight to business, Dani said in all seriousness, “Let’s go hopscotch, no
whining when I dust
ya
.”

Nik
fell back in his chair laughing. “Oh Dani, I love having you around. You’re
cute when you act tough.”

“Who’s
acting?” Dani quipped with feigned irritation, as she emphasized her words by
cracking her knuckles. “Now quit stalling and yacking like a girl, let’s go
,
I want to get back to what I was doing. Kris, get Nik some
ice, he’ll need it for his arm when I’m done with him.”

There
was laughing throughout as Kris and his family gathered around.

Nik
fell back in his chair laughing again. Holding his stomach, he tried getting
control and struggled. “You’re hilarious. I hope I don’t ruin your nails or
something. Kris, she asked for it, so no getting upset if she gets hurt.”

Dani’s
elbow was on the table and her arm up in the air waiting. “You take it easy on
me and I’ll take you down and beat the shit out of you.”

More
laughing, then Nik’s arm went up and their hands clasped. Linnie stepped up and
put her hand on theirs.
“On the count of three.
One,
two, three—GO!”