Summer Nights (Fool's Gold #8)(79)

She thought about her first marriage, about what had gone wrong. Lewis had a lot of culpability, but she’d been looking for more than any husband should have to provide. They were both at fault. It sounded like Shane had been trapped in a situation he would never win.

“Shane’s biggest problem is that he’s a man of his word,” Clay told her. “He wasn’t willing to think the worst of his wife. I would have dumped her the first time she cheated. But he’s loyal and didn’t want to give up on the marriage.”

“He’s a good guy.”

“He is. Which leaves me in the uncomfortable position of wondering if I should ask your intentions.” He grinned. “There’s something I never thought I would say. But he’s family, you know?”

She didn’t know. She’d heard. She’d seen other families. On a personal level, she’d always wanted to belong. She’d wanted it so much, she’d pretended to see characteristics in Lewis that weren’t there.

She looked at Clay. “You sure you want to know?” she asked.

“I can take it.”

She waited for a second, letting the truth wash through her. She’d been avoiding it for a while now, but there was no escaping reality.

“I love him.”

Clay grinned. “That’s putting it on the line. Does he know?”

“I haven’t told him.”

Clay held up both hands. “Don’t think I’m gonna do it.”

“I didn’t. That would be very strange coming from his brother.”

Clay put his hands back on the railing. “He might be a bit of a jackass about the whole thing. Because of Rachel.”

“I’ve already seen hints.”

“Don’t give up on him.”

“I won’t.”

Because she’d finally found where she belonged. Now all she had to do was convince Shane that she was worth a second chance.

* * *

SHANE HEADED TOWARD the house to wash for dinner. He was sorry he hadn’t said he was heading into town. He hadn’t seen Annabelle in a couple of days and found himself wanting to see her and talk to her. He should have asked her out to dinner.

Which he could right now for tomorrow, he thought as he grabbed his cell phone. Just then the alert signal chirped, telling him he had a text message. He pushed the button and read, then grinned.

Miss you. Want to come over tonight?

He quickly texted back, Absolutely. Say when and I’ll be there.

7:30 okay?

Perfect. See you then.

He walked into the house grinning.

Two hours later he parked in front of her house. He’d showered and changed. On a whim, he’d stopped by a florist shop on the main street and picked up a bouquet of roses. Hokey, maybe, but still a classic choice. He’d gone with pink rather than red, to keep things light.

She opened the door before he had a chance to knock. She was wearing one of her strappy summer dresses and no shoes. Which meant she barely came to his shoulders. Her hair was long and loose, all curls. Her toes were a bright pink. She was walking, breathing sex and the second he saw her, he wanted her with the desperation of a man who’d spent the past twenty years alone on a desert island.

“For me?” she asked, smiling up at him. “Thank you. Wow. That’s unexpected. But lovely.”

Barely able to control his need, he handed her the flowers. She took them, breathed in the scent, then drew him inside and shut the door.

She put the flowers on a small table by the door. After turning back to face him, she put her hands on his shoulders and drew him close.

“Hey, handsome cowboy. I haven’t seen you in a while,” she murmured.

He went willingly, pulling her against him and kissing her deeply. Even as he ran his hands up and down her back, he thrust his tongue into her mouth. She met him stroke for stroke, arching against him, rubbing herself against his rapidly growing erection.

He moved his hands from her hips to her rear. He squeezed the curves. When that wasn’t enough, he found the zipper and jerked it down. After grabbing her dress by the shoulders, he gave it a tug.

Several things happened at once. Annabelle moved back slightly, so her dress could fall off her arms and drift down to the floor. He opened his eyes to watch the show. A heartbeat later, he saw she wasn’t wearing anything under the dress.

Nothing. As in naked.

She smiled up at him. “I missed you.”

He had to swallow before speaking. “You, ah, mentioned that in your text.”

“I wasn’t lying.”

“I get that.”

“Good.” She took his hand, then turned and led the way to her bedroom. “I thought we could play doctor. I have a few places that need attention. Want me to show you?”

He wasn’t sure how he’d gotten so lucky. Annabelle was funny, smart and caring. She was also something of a wildcat in bed. No one looking at her reading a story to kids at the library would guess that. Unless the person knew about the dance of the happy virgin and had had the pleasure of kissing her into moaning surrender.

Need pulsed through him in time with his heartbeat. He was hard enough to ache, and more than ready to play any game she wanted.

They reached her bedroom. She turned to face him again. “Oh, Dr. Shane, can you help me?”

As his hands settled on her br**sts, he leaned in to press his mouth to hers. “Yes, ma’am, I can. Let me see if I can figure out where it hurts and then I’ll kiss it and make it all better.”