The Country Guesthouse (Sullivan's Crossing #5)(33)

“We’re going to have to come and visit,” Sharon said.

“By all means,” Hannah said. “But when you fall in love with this place and the man, don’t think you get the whole summer!”

It was a slow and languid day because everyone was tired. Apparently the stress of knowing they had to leave and all the getting ready wore everyone out. The sun was trying to sneak behind the Rockies when Noah was snuggling on Hannah’s lap, yawning.

“I think you need a quick bath and bed,” she said.

“Can Romeo come?”

“Owen?”

“If he wants to. And if I know Romeo, he wants to.”

By the time she got back to the porch, he had opened a nice bottle of wine. Instead of sitting on her favorite chair, she slid onto his lap and put her arms around his neck. “I hope you don’t regret this,” she said.

“I almost didn’t catch you in time,” he said. “I almost let you get away.”

“My girlfriends are worried about my judgment. They’ll come for a visit, check you out, decide whether I’ve lost my mind.”

“How soon will they be here?” he asked, nuzzling her neck. “I get a couple more days to seduce you, don’t I?”

She laughed. She also shivered at the sensation of his lips on her neck. “You don’t need all that much time, Owen. But when did you discover you felt this way? I had no idea.”

“It was pretty quick. Not immediately, but within a day I was asking myself, what is this feeling? I couldn’t risk scaring you away so I made myself slow down. You guys had been through a lot and the only thing I wanted was for you to feel safe and happy here. And with me—here with me.”

“Owen, maybe you should have told me how you felt. When you were offering me a chance to stay longer...”

“It’s been such a long time since I was in love, Hannah. You’re going to have to be patient with me. I’m a solitary old dog. But what I want is to be part of a family like yours. What I really want is to not let go of you for twenty-four hours. At least.”

“Are you offering to tuck me in tonight?”

“I could do that,” he said, aping Noah’s best-known phrase.

“You’ll have to have pajamas,” she told him. “Noah sometimes wakes up in the night. Do you own any?”

“There’s a trunk in the master closet, filled with my more personal items that I don’t bother to pack or move into the barn. There are some T-shirts and boxers in there. Will that do?”

“That would be nice,” she said, giving him a kiss.

“Do you have pajamas?” he asked, pulling her closer.

“Of course.”

“I don’t think you’re going to need them for a while,” he said. Then he kissed her with every fiber of emotion running through his veins. His hands wandered under her shirt, stroking her back, sliding under her bra to fondle her breasts and tease her nipples. His tongue made a playful tour of the inside of her mouth and both of them were breathing hard. He lifted his hips slightly. “Do you think he’s asleep?”

“He was almost asleep when I tucked him in, but I’ll check.” She laughed softly. “I’m not going to get a glass of wine, am I?”

“I’ll bring it. We’ll have wine. And other things.” He lifted her up so he could stand, placing her on her feet. “Come with me, sweetheart. Tiptoe. No need to wake anyone.”

The front door was locked, the lights turned off, Noah and Romeo looked in on, the covers on the large, extra-long bed pulled back. The bedroom door had to be closed. A bottle of wine and two glasses sat on the bedside table. “Have you missed your bed?” she asked him.

“It wasn’t the bed I’ve been wanting,” he said. He pulled her shirt over her head and kissed his way from her neck to her shoulder and down her arm to her wrist. He pulled his own shirt off and pressed her close against him, letting her soft breasts tease him. He pulled her down on the bed and lay facing her, leisurely kissing her and running his fingers through her hair, tucking a lock behind her ear. “I was afraid this might never happen. You were so insistent that you had to get back to Minneapolis.”

“I have a cute little house there,” she said. “It comes with a cute little mortgage. I was so proud when I was able to buy it. My life has changed ten times since then.”

“I hope from now on your only changes are welcome.” He slid her shorts down and flipped them away. “Starting here,” he added, sliding a hand over her belly and down. His long fingers glided toward her most private places and she opened her legs for him.

She unsnapped his shorts and slid a hand inside. “Starting here,” she added with a soft, wicked little laugh. Her hand slid over his erection and he moaned. “Owen,” she whispered. “Get rid of these shorts and let’s get under the sheet.”

He rolled with her right, then left. He pulled her under him and settled himself between her legs, gently prodding her. “How’s your birth control?” he asked.

“I guess that means you don’t have a condom...”

“I have some mighty dated ones in that trunk in the closet. If I wasn’t prepared it’s because I didn’t expect to be this lucky. How is this so far?”