Santa fe fortune, p.13
Santa Fe Fortune, page 13
Dan grinned and playfully patted her rump. “That can be arranged.”
Fire shot through her veins and heated her belly. It wasn’t only kissing she wanted to do, and Dan’s patting her backside had driven that message home. Gwen wanted to be with Dan as completely as a woman could be. He loved her, and she utterly adored him. She ached for them to be closer than mere kisses. As hot and wonderful as those were, she knew now they could never be enough.
Dan lightly stroked her cheek with the back of his hand. “Penny for your thoughts, cowgirl?”
“I was just thinking about how wonderful you are,” she said with a grin. She stood up on her tiptoes and gave him a quick, firm kiss on his ultra-sexy mouth.
“Oh, good. That means we’re on the same wavelength.”
He gave her a quick peck back, then took her hand in his. “Rascal’s getting restless,” he said, leading her back to the horse. “Probably misses his filly,” he said with a wink.
Their trip back to the barn was even better than their journey out here. There was a new closeness between them as Gwen settled into Dan’s arms and they rode at a steady pace descending the mountain trail. She felt warm and safe nestled up against him, and the beauty of their surroundings was spectacular. The heavens twinkled above them like a black-satin sheath studded with diamonds. Cool breezes blew, rippling her hair and raking her senses with the scents of wildflowers and desert sage.
Gwen wanted to freeze this moment in time and stay out here with Dan forever. This wasn’t just any ranch; it was like their own private paradise, a special place made for just the two of them. While Gwen knew it was loaded with campers during certain months, that didn’t negate the sense of privacy this vastness leant, no doubt the whole year through. This space was a bounty of wilderness and natural beauty so rich and raw it almost hurt to absorb it. There was so much to take in, from the gorgeous mountain peaks to the surrounding flat-topped mesas and impressive cylindrical buttes. To see them in the moonlight was both eerie and breathtaking at once. Gwen felt as if she’d been transported to a fantasy realm, one utterly in contrast to the small East Coast beach towns she knew.
Gwen had never seen anything quite so romantic or been with a man she adored more. Dan’s kisses were hot and wonderful, and he’d said he loved her. She felt heady from the moment and the swirl of emotions churning inside her. When Dan had pulled her to him, she’d wanted nothing more than to feel closer still. Gwen was glad she’d waited for the right man and the right time. She felt her heart unfolding like a flower emerging from a frost and into the sun.
“Still doing all right?” he asked, his breath tickling her neck.
“Perfect,” she said, smiling back at him. “I love it here.”
“I’m glad,” he said, tightening his arms around her.
Dan dropped Gwen at the main house before riding Rascal back to the barn. He thought she’d be more comfortable waiting for him there, plus he needed time to sort through his thoughts. The way Gwen kissed him on the trail had set his heart on fire. She was so warm and yielding with that incredibly sensual mouth, her hot, curvy body molding against his. Dan had held her to him, his hands exploring the subtle lines of her nape, waist, and back. He’d ached to investigate further and taste that delectable neck, trailing his kisses down even farther. Heat tore through him like a wildfire out of control. He gripped the saddle with tense thighs and steadied the reins in one hand, unzipping his jacket with the other.
Gwen loved him. She’d said it as much with her eyes as with her words. That knowledge gave wings to Dan’s heart and caused it to soar. He couldn’t recall ever feeling emotion this intense for a woman. Gwen was gorgeous and funny and smart. She had a hard-edged sass about her but could be sweet and sensitive too. She likely employed those skills as a schoolteacher, allowing her to be both firm and kind to her students. Dan thought of his Paradise campers, positive they would adore Gwen. She’d be good with them too.
Dan swallowed hard at what he’d been thinking. He wasn’t just dreaming of sleeping with Gwen; he’d mentally started planning their future. Dan glanced back over his shoulder at the main house, its windows warmed cheerily from the lights indoors. He’d built that place as a bachelor pad but now was starting to envision it as something more. In his mind’s eye, Dan saw children there, and not ones from the camp. There was a pretty, curly headed little girl rushing into his arms and calling him Daddy.
“Whoa there, buddy!” Dan said aloud, as much to himself as to his horse. Rascal obediently came to a halt, and Dan dismounted. Could he really be thinking about marriage and kids with Gwen? Dan had been forced to confront those thoughts with Elena, and they’d pained him deeply. Feeling as if he might be pinned to a woman he didn’t love for the rest of his life had filled him with an overwhelming despair he feared he’d never escape. He’d hoped that over time, and in the common interest of the child, things between him and Elena might change, that he’d somehow grow to love her in an appropriate and respectful way. Then again, he worried he might not. It was to be an uphill climb with those unrelenting memories of one very kissable cowgirl hovering over him for eternity.
Dan glanced back at the main house, wondering if the idea of having a family with him had crossed Gwen’s mind. He understood how hard it was for her to trust somebody again. She’d been through a horrible marriage, and it had taken her all this time to recover. She’d let down her guard and allowed him into her heart, nonetheless. It was written in those beautiful brown eyes every time she looked at him. Nothing in the world could disguise it, and nothing in the universe made Dan happier.
Yes, he wanted her, damn it. He wanted her not just with his heart and soul, but with his body too. He swore that if he got that woman under the covers with him, it would be about a week before they ever came up. Dan would have to call in a cook and housekeeper as reinforcements. He’d be mighty obliged to arrange it too. But was being with Gwen now in that way the right thing? She’d endured so much hurt for such a long while. Dan didn’t know whether she’d kissed a man since her ex. He had an even stronger suspicion she hadn’t slept with one. This made it all the more important that if Dan and Gwen were to get together in that way, Dan had to make damn sure the moment and circumstances were right.
****
Chapter Twelve
Gwen nervously checked her hair in an oval mirror surrounded in New Mexican tile. It hung in the passageway leading from the great room to the kitchen and stood beside the coatrack over which she’d draped her leather jacket. Her cheeks were still flushed pink from the night air, and her hair had been tousled by the wind. Gwen’s skin warmed at the memory of Dan’s touch. His fingers had raked through her curls, then traced the line of her back as his hungry mouth overtook hers. She recalled barely having the strength to stand in his arms. If there’d been a place for him to take her and lay her on the ground, she would have let him. Gwen strode to the kitchen and fixed herself a glass of water, her face and chest flashing hot.
She hadn’t felt these yearnings for a man in such a while, she couldn’t name the last time. It had to have been with Robert, and back at the beginning. That beginning was so hazy now, she felt as if she were examining it through a clouded glass. Even if she’d wanted Robert then, those impulses had nothing on the raging pull she was experiencing now. With Robert, she’d in many ways been a girl, a college kid engaged to her first love. Tonight, she was a woman with the accumulated experiences that had made her both jaded and wise.
She also was no longer attracted to a boy. She’d found a mature man, someone who was strong and caring. Dan knew himself and was sure of who he was. Gwen found his self-assurance and masculinity unbearably appealing. Plus, he had those unbelievably gorgeous eyes and that incredibly sexy twist to his lips that he revealed each time he was teasing. Dan lightened Gwen’s heart and made her laugh with joy. She’d never felt so much happiness around a man, nor had been made to feel at greater ease.
Gwen anxiously paced the kitchen, hoping Dan would offer her at least one glass of wine. As much as she wanted him, she couldn’t help the tiny knot that was forming in her stomach. While she was certain that Dan would be gentle and loving, she still experienced some minor nerves about them finally being together. Would he love her body just as much out of clothes as in them? Although she suspected he longed to be with her just as much, would he feel the same about her once it was done? Robert hadn’t done much to inspire her confidence in that department. Just as he’d accused her of failing at everything else, he’d said she hadn’t done much for him in bed either.
Gwen glanced down at her empty ring finger, upset with herself for letting Robert intrude on her life even now. It was high time she fully trusted that Dan and Robert were different. Dan would never say the hurtful things to her that Robert had. He loved her with his whole heart. Dan had said it, and Gwen believed it. From the top of her head to the tips of her toes, Gwen longed to give herself to Dan. She ached to take from him too. She wished to explore every inch of his toned and masculine body, first with her hands and then with her lips. She’d bring her mouth to his and kiss him deeply as he centered his hands on her hips. A brushfire ignited at Gwen’s breasts as she felt the heat spread lower. She had to sleep with Dan or go crazy. She’d never wanted anything more in her life than she wanted him tonight.
Dan entered as Gwen was cleaning up the kitchen.
“You don’t have to do that,” he protested, hanging his coat on the rack.
“I don’t mind, really,” she said with a smile. “Besides, it’s almost done.”
Dan looked around the gleaming kitchen, appreciation settled into the rugged lines of his face. “Thanks, Gwen. That was really nice of you.”
“It was no problem,” she said. “You took care of Rascal; I took care of this.”
He strolled to the center island and pulled two bottles from its built-in rack. “Can I offer you a glass of something? Wine? Whiskey?”
“Whiskey!” she cried with surprise. “I’d better not.” She’d seen the effect the tequila in that avocado margarita had on her. Gwen decided she’d be safer sticking with a lower-alcohol-content drink. “I’ll take some wine, though. Are you offering red or white?”
“Your wish is my command.” Dan gave her a sexy grin that sent her heart cartwheeling.
Gwen pursed her lips to stop herself from saying something foolish. She could think of lots of things she’d like to ask him to do, none of which were proper. “Which are you drinking?” she asked.
“Either’s great with me, as long as I can sit down and kick off my boots. Bet you’re ready to get out of yours too.”
Gwen’s heart raced into a gallop as he uncorked the wine. Already he was thinking of undressing her. “My feet are a little sore,” she offered, hearing her own voice squeak.
He raised his brow. “Need some water?”
“Got it,” she said, awkwardly lifting her filled glass from the counter and nearly dousing her shirt. She inhaled a quick breath and set it back down without taking a sip.
Dan eyed her curiously as he poured their wine. Gwen accepted her glass, her hand trembling. Maybe she’d been out in the night air too long. The altitude had gone to her head, then shot straight through to other regions.
“Are you all right?” he asked sincerely. “You look like maybe you should sit down.”
And she felt like it, too. The closer he got to her, the more she thought she would pass out. Faint from the nearness of his hot, masculine self. Gwen didn’t know how she’d make it through but was determined to stay strong. He was so god-awful beautiful there had to be a law against him, maybe even in several states.
“Come on,” he said gently, taking her elbow. “Let’s just ease you down on the sofa, nice and slow.” He held her wine until she settled in, then handed it back to her. “Maybe the horse riding was too much for you. I shouldn’t have kept you out so long.”
“No! I wanted to stay!” She felt her face flush hot, embarrassed that she’d sounded like a crushed-out teenager. She took a long, steady swallow of wine, then looked up, trapped in his gaze. “That makes two of us,” he said. “Unfortunately, Rascal didn’t agree.”
Dan went to get his own wine, then came and sat beside her, taking her hand.
“Gwen, sweetheart,” he said gently. “You can relax. It’s just the two of us here.”
That’s precisely what she was afraid of. Him… Her…. And, eventually, no clothes between them. Gwen wasn’t sure if she was ready for this.
“Let me help you with those boots,” he said, bending forward and gripping the left one. Gwen squeezed her eyes shut and lifted her leg, letting him take it off. She sighed with relief, realizing how much the boot had been pinching. “Better?” he asked.
Gwen nodded numbly. This was the beginning of the end, and she knew it. First came the boots, then the shirt…next the jeans… Of course, he’d be taking his off too. Gwen felt woozy, the room suddenly whirling around her.
Dan tugged off her other boot, studying her with concern. “I think maybe we’d better nix the wine,” he said, lifting the glass from her hand.
“It’s okay,” she said, grabbing it back. “I like it,”
Dan pushed back against the sofa and crossed his arms over his broad chest. “Sweetheart, you mind telling me what’s going on?”
Him calling her sweetheart was one of the nicest things she’d heard. Gwen knew she could get used to it. She could get used to a lot of things with this man. Some of them might take more practice than others. It wasn’t her fault that she was rusty. “Nothing. Nothing at all. I’m just recovering from the ride.”
“Good,” he said, bringing his arms around her and pulling her close. “For a moment there, I was worried you’d grown tired of kissing.”
“I’d never grow tired of that,” she said weakly as his mouth closed in.
He kissed her gently at first and then passionately, pressing his firm chest up against her. Her world spun out of control as her wants fought with her reason. She needed him so desperately, simply had to have him. Yet something deep inside her was just as desperately afraid. If she took this next step and became intimate with Dan, how would she handle it if he somehow went away? Would she someday look back and wish they’d never been together at all? Would that prove one more memory that would simply cause heartache?
Dan paused to stroke her cheek. His gaze was all smoke and fire, sultry and hot like a Santa Fe afternoon. “Honey,” he said, his tone growing gravelly. “You don’t know how much I love you, how much I want to be with you.”
Gwen swallowed hard, steeling her courage. “I want to be with you too.”
“I know you do, cowgirl. Believe me, I can’t wait.” He smiled at her and gently kissed her lips. “But I think that we ought to.”
“What?” she asked with surprise.
Dan took her hand in his. “Listen Gwen, I know this is all moving pretty fast for you. We’ve just admitted how we feel about each other. There are things we need to work out, like when we’ll see each other again and how we plan to manage our relationship.”
Gwen’s heart leapt with joy. This wasn’t only about her trip to Santa Fe. Dan was talking about a future. He was so wonderfully understanding and kind, Gwen could scarcely believe she’d been blessed enough to find him. Overcome by emotion, love, and longing, she felt the tears spring from her eyes. “I’d like that very much,” she said, her chin trembling. “I don’t want this to be over.”
Dan steadied her chin in his hand and moved in for another kiss. “Sweetheart,” he said, drawing closer. “We’ve only just started.”
He kissed her then, over and over, with a tender passion that assured Gwen everything would be all right. Here was a man who loved her and would watch over her heart. She didn’t know where the next step would lead, but as long as it was a road that she and Dan could travel together, she was willing to take it.
Hours passed, and their kissing turned to holding, then the holding turned to dozing…at least on Gwen’s part. Dan stared down at her angelic face, cheeks dusted light pink as she slept cradled against his chest. It felt so good to hold her. It was like she belonged here, like she’d always belonged here, with him, in his arms.
He’d seen the relief wash over her when he’d told her they wouldn’t sleep together. He repressed a chuckle at the irony that she was now sleeping on him. “My dear, sweet woman,” he whispered to her. “I’ve waited a lifetime for you. Did you think I couldn’t wait one more night?” She stirred slightly, and he held her more tightly, sensing in his heart he’d never want to let her go.
The truth was waiting one more night had been difficult for him. It was painful in more than just a physical way. Every one of his manly urges had insisted they be together. Reason had said waiting until Gwen was completely sure would make things that much more wonderful for both of them. Dan would never do anything to hurt Gwen or cause her regret. He needed her to trust him with her heart and soul. Once she did that, he had faith she’d trust him with that beautiful body too. Until then, he had to act like the mature individual he’d always told himself he was. For the moment, he was just happy to have her close.
His heart thumped in his chest at the recognition that he might have never met her. Serendipity was a funny thing, and a happy coincidence had placed Gwen in his path. Had Nancy not gone to France on her honeymoon, Dan wouldn’t have been overseeing the gallery. Hell, if Nancy hadn’t gotten engaged, she would have never left town. Love was unusually cryptic in how it brought people together. It was like a huge jigsaw puzzle filled with blotches of color that didn’t make sense until the individual pieces fit together and you saw the big picture.
Dan looked down at the incredible woman resting in his arms, knowing this was the portrait he wanted. He tried to paint it in his mind’s eye lest he forget. Dan shook off the feeling of panic that swelled his throat. Forgetting Gwen would mean that she’d be out of his life, and he absolutely couldn’t have that.
