Holding Haley (The West Contemporary Romance Series) (14 page)

She shook her head. “It’s not that.”

“
Because I’m having a new double-wide moved there as soon as the bank approves me.”

She smiled. “It’s not the house. I just . . .”

“What?”

She closed her eyes and sighed. “I feel like there is this wedge.” She motioned between them. “Do you understand?”

He shook his head.

“
There’s something you’re not telling me, a part of you that you’ve been holding back. I’ve felt it ever since you got home.”

He shook his head again. “I don’t understand.”

She sighed and closed her eyes. “Maybe it’s all in my head.” When she opened her eyes again, she ran her fingers through his hair. “I like that you’ve grown it longer again.”

He smiled and pulled her closer until he could feel her breath on his face. When she bent down to kiss him, his hands shook on her hips. The coarse material of his jeans did little to hide the fact that he wanted her. As she kissed him, her hips moved slowly over his bulge, until he wondered if she would cause him to come in his pants without even touching him.

“Haley,” he pulled away a little.

“
No, just a little more.” She moaned, and he could see that she was on the verge.

Moving her down underneath him, he pushed her legs wider and rested between her, core to core. Her head rolled back and her eyes slid closed.

Slowly he moved his hands until his fingers felt under the elastic and found her moist and hot for him. Using his fingertips, he pinched her sensitive skin until she purred and moaned, her hips moving with his fingers, which were growing slick from her desire. He wanted to pull down her pants and quickly embed himself, but he knew it wasn’t the time or place.

Dipping his head, he took her nipple into his mouth through her white T-shirt. He sucked until he felt the bud pucker. Then he pushed two fingers quickly into her heat, causing her nails to dig into his shoulders as she gasped.

“More,” he growled as he watched her face. Her checks were flushed and her lips were swollen from his kisses. “More, give me more.”

She shook her head, keeping her eyes closed tightly. “I can’t,” she moaned. “Too much,” she said as her hips rose and fell with each thrust of his hand. “Please,” she begged just before he felt the slickness of her release.

He kissed her until he felt her relax in his arms. “You’re so beautiful when you come.” He smiled down at her.

She opened her eyes and smiled at him. “Really?”

He nodded. “You glow.”

She reached up and punched his shoulder lightly. “You’re delusional.”

He shook his head from side to side. “When can you come over again?” He moved until they lay side by side as the movie played.

“
Hmm, tomorrow. No, wait. I’m going to Tyler with Alex tomorrow. Aunties need to go on a shopping spree for the new baby.” She smiled and looked back at him. “It’s sort of our tradition.”

“
What about coming over after?”

She nodded. “Sounds like a plan.”

“I’d like to drive you up to the place on Bond. If you want to see it.”

She nodded. “I’d like that.” Then she laughed. “How did you get out of driving Savannah up there today?”

He frowned. “I told her I had another meeting. That woman has never shown interest in me before. I don’t get why she is now.”

“
Because she can, and she’s desperate. Ever since Travis left town, she hasn’t had a steady bang,” she said, then let out a large yawn.

He let her watch the TV for a while as he rubbed his fingers up and down her arm.

When she was fast asleep, he lay there and dreamed of his new life with her.

Haley woke when she heard Lauren and Chase come home. Wes was fast asleep behind her, his leg pinning her to the cushions. Haley saw the surprise on her sister’s face, then the slow smile that spread. Lauren quickly walked backwards out of the room, giving her two thumbs up as she went.

Haley tried not to laugh, but it was just too funny. She felt Wes stir behind her and snuggled back down for the night on a lumpy couch and in the arms of a man she was desperately trying not to love too much.

B
y morning, she wondered why she hadn’t just moved them up to her bedroom. Her neck was at an odd angle and her right hip was off the couch. Wes’s arms were still wrapped around her tightly, but even so, she was slipping off the couch and soon would be on the floor.

“
Mmmm,” Wes said, as he buried his face into her hair. “What a wonderful way to wake up.” His hands started roaming over her, pulling her closer so she was lying over him now. She moved until she was facing him and started raining kisses over his face and neck.

He felt too good not to touch, and she reached up under his shirt and felt his heated skin with her fingertips. He moaned and she could feel that he was totally aroused, which sent shivers down her body in anticipation.

Then they were attacked by a flying, dark-haired, two-year-old.

“
Wessss, Wesss.” Ricky jumped on her back, causing her breath to whoosh out quickly.

“
Sorry,” Lauren said from the door, laughing. “He escaped before I could grab him.” She smiled and pulled her robe closer around her waist.

Haley laughed as Ricky sat on her butt and started riding her like a pony, her long braid in his hands.

“Get up, Haley. Get up.”

Wes laughed.

“Come on, Ricky, let’s go get you some cereal,” Lauren said, trying to encourage her son to leave the room.

“
Wesss eat cereal too?”

“
Sure, I’ll be right in.” When Ricky jumped off Haley’s back and raced from the room, she looked down at Wes with a smile.

“
Sorry, I should have known we wouldn’t have time alone. Not with a two-year-old in the house.”

“
That’s okay, I don’t mind Ricky. He’s my Roger.” He smiled up at her.

“
No nightmares last night?” She realized he hadn’t woken her up.

He shook his head. “You’ve cured me.” He smiled at her again.

After eating some Cocoa Puffs, toast, and orange juice, Wes headed back to his place. Haley promised she’d be by later that day so they could drive up to the place on Bond and then go back to his place for dinner.

After he left, she showered and made her daily rounds. She had been working with the calf, Roger. Since spotting how intelligent he was, she’d moved him to the smaller corral with his mother. The boy had a way about him. He constantly made her laugh, and she found herself falling head over heels for the little guy. He wasn’t the best looking, or the fastest, but he was smart and his coat was well taken care of, thanks to all her hard work.

She ended up spending more time with him than some of her other animals.

Blackjack, her five-year-old, blue-ribbon California Gray rooster, who never stayed in his pen, had always followed her around. But since he’d made friends with Roger, the rooster was never far from Roger’s side. The two of them actually played tag. Well, what she thought of as tag.

Roger would lean down and tip his nose to Blackjack’s tail feathers. Then Blackjack would take off running, with Roger right behind. It was funny to watch when the tables turned, and Blackjack chased the hundred-pound calf around the yard, as was going on currently. She sat on the top rung of the fence and chuckled at the sight.

“
You’ve got a really winner there.” Chase laughed as he leaned on the post next to her.

“
They do make an odd couple.”

“
Speaking of couples.” He tilted his hat back and looked at her.

She sighed, then looked off at the game, not really noticing it any more. “I don’t know yet. He’s taking me to see the land he’s trying to buy. He says he wants me to be a part of his future, but . . .” She shook her head. “He’s not the same person. I feel like I stood still, and he . . .”

Chase patted her knee. “Haley, he’s still Wes. I didn’t know him all that well, since you guys are a lot younger, but everyone in town can see it. He still has it bad for you. And,” he smiled and tipped his hat back, shading his eyes, “if I’m not mistaken, you still have it bad for him.”

Her smile faltered a little. She did still have it bad for him. If she had just gone with her gut instincts, she would have welcomed him back with open arms. But her heart still hurt when she thought about everything he was still keeping from her.

Chase broke her thoughts when he cussed under his breath. “If that woman doesn’t kill herself, I’m fixin’ to do it for her.” He marched off towards the barn where Lauren was busy trying to get on the back of a horse.

Haley chuckled and watched Chase grab his wife gently by the hips and hold her still as he talked quietly to her. Lauren put her hands on her hips for a minute, then nodded as they started walking towards the house together, leaving the horse standing in the shade of the barn.

She knew her sister was stubborn. Hell, it ran in the West family. Lauren had run this place all by herself for almost ten years. She thought her sister thought of herself as indestructible. Alex had been engaged to the wrong man for almost that same amount of time, until Grant had come along and rescued her from a big mistake.

Maybe she was falling into the same pattern that her sisters had. Both of them had fought love when it had come to them. They had needed a little push in order for everything to end up the way it had. Maybe she wasn’t giving love a chance.

Determined not to be a fool, she finished her chores and went inside to get ready for her date.

By the time she walked out the front door in one of her summer dresses, the clouds had rolled in and it had started raining lightly. She always dreaded summer weather. She enjoyed it when it rained, since it always made everything so green and smell so fresh, but she hated the lightning and thunder that usually came with it.

Jogging towards her car, she shivered when the fat drops landed on her shoulders. It was still in the high eighties, but the water felt cold on her skin.

She drove down the road and in less than a minute, she pulled up beside his truck. He stood on the covered front porch, smiling at her. When she opened her door, he was there with an umbrella, shielding her from the heavy ran that was now pelting down on them.

“So much for a quiet drive tonight,” he shouted over the loud downpour.

She smiled as he shook off the umbrella. “I don’t mind. We needed the rain.”

“Yes, I suppose so. Well, what do you say to dinner first, then if this clears up, a drive later?”

“
Sounds good.” She walked into his arms and kissed him slowly.

“
Mmm, maybe dinner later,” he said, walking her backwards through the door.

She chuckled when her back came up against the door instead.

“Sorry,” he grumbled, then smiled. “I’m usually smoother than this.” His hands were running down her sides. “Have I told you how beautiful you look?”

The heat in his eyes caused her breath to hitch. Shaking her head, she gasped when he dipped his head and nibbled on her ear.

She moaned when he whispered next to her neck, “So beautiful, you taste like spring.” He pushed open the door and walked her backwards until her knees hit the side of his bed. Then he stood back and looked down at her.

“
I’ve wanted you since the last time. So much. Too much.” His hands went up and cupped her face and she could see desire in his dark eyes that matched her own.

“
Wes?” She couldn’t explain what he was doing to her. For so long she’d imagined being with him like this again. Going slow as the rain pelted down on the metal roof overhead. Making love until the sun set and the stars came out.