Holidays on the Ranch (Burnt Boot, Texas #1)(80)

The buzz sounded like bees had been turned loose in the back of the van. It was still going on when they piled out of the vehicle at the house and tore off to their bedrooms to change clothes.

Verdie picked up an apron and looped it over her head. “I’m thinking that this afternoon we’ll play board games and maybe I’ll read them a book.”

“I’m taking a long nap,” Finn said.

Callie turned around for Finn to tie her apron strings. “Me too.”

“Makeup, round two?” he whispered into her ear so softly that only she heard it.

She nodded.

“Stop whispering. It’ll make me think something is going on between you two. Want to tell me what all this moony-eyed business is about?” Verdie teased.

“It’s need-to-know,” Finn said.

“What does need-to-know mean?” Martin asked. “I’ll set the table. Adam and Ricky will be here in a minute to get the napkins.”

“Need-to-know means it’s information you only get when you need it,” Finn said.

“And you don’t need to know,” Verdie said.

“Sounds like big people talk. I’m not ready for that,” Martin said. “But I’m ready for dinner. I’m starving and I love chicken baked in the oven and potato casserole. And I couldn’t hardly sing for thinkin’ about that peach cobbler over there on the cabinet.”

“And I couldn’t hardly sing for thinking about session two,” Finn whispered in Callie’s ear.





Chapter 25


Callie’s heart threw in an extra beat when Finn dropped a kiss on her cheek and crawled in behind her. One arm went under her, one around her, and his face was buried in her hair. It was absolutely amazing that they could be wound up in a cocoon with five other people in the house and yet feel so very alone in her bedroom.

“Being in your arms feels so good,” she said.

“Yes, it does,” he agreed.

His hands traveled down her arms in a lazy fashion, taking his time until she shivered and flipped over to face him, body pressed against his, hearts thumping so loud that she was amazed the kids didn’t come running to see what the noise was all about.

“I like the way our bodies fit together,” he murmured.

She wanted to touch him, to feel that he was ready, and then she wanted to make wild love, not the kind where he built her into a frenzy then backed off with sweet little kisses to let the flames cool to embers. She wanted the fire and the heat all at once.

Carefully unzipping his jeans and slipping her hand inside, she let out a gasp. Nothing between naked flesh and his zipper pushed her desire to have him even higher. She sat up, unzipped his jeans, and tugged them all the way off. Then he pulled her shirt up over her head. Everything was going so fast, it was a blur. Then he slowed down, taking his time to unfasten her skirt, to pull it all the way off, and then gently lay it over the rocking chair.

“My God, Finn, I’m aching for you,” she said.

His eyes were shut when he kissed her. His hands went under her bottom for leverage, and she grabbed the rungs of the headboard with both hands. His lips came down on hers with so much passion that it almost brought tears to her eyes.

She kept up with the rhythm, and her body responded even though her mind and soul nagged at her in worry. Something was out of sync between them.

“Callie,” he said hoarsely.

“Oh. My. God,” she whimpered and hung on to him, hoping she was wrong and when she opened her eyes, everything would be perfect again.

***

Finn rolled to one side, keeping her tightly in his arms and close to his side, so she wouldn’t look at him with those big aqua eyes. He’d thought he’d gotten over his commitment issues, but there they were in living color, upsetting his world again, and she’d seen it. Even the wild, passionate sex hadn’t completely erased it.

Why did doubts about Callie leaving him flash through his mind when he crawled between the sheets with her?

“It was fear of me being like her, of leaving you, wasn’t it?” Callie propped up on an elbow. “Open your eyes, Finn O’Donnell.”

If he did, she would know, and he’d fallen in love with Callie. He didn’t want to hurt her, but she deserved so much more than a hard heart that could still conjure up doubts right in the middle of sex.

“I said to open your eyes,” she demanded.

That was his Callie. The one who’d been his partner. Bossy as hell and twice as sassy. He opened his eyes.

“Now look at me. Look right into my eyes and don’t blink. What do you see?”

“I see Callie.”

“What do you feel?” She pressed tighter against him.

“I feel your naked body against mine,” he said.

“What do you smell?”

He smiled. “How graphic do you want me to get?”

“Tell me.”

“I smell your perfume, coconut in your hair, and the musk that is your scent and no one else’s after we make love,” he said.

“That’s because I’m right here. Lala did you wrong, but that is all in the past. Shut the door on it. Slam the damn door on it. I’m not going anywhere. If you can help me to get over my commitment fears, then I’ll help you with yours. They’re going to pop up for both of us. There’s nothing we can do about it but fight the hell out of it when it happens. It will happen less and less, trust me. I love you and that’s the way it is. Now you can blink.”