Ring of Fire Book Two of the McKay's (12 page)

"And I can see something in your eyes when you look at Hank, Letty. It's love. Don't let it get away from you. Don't waste time, honey, it's just too precious."

Letty glanced at Hank once more. "But Julie, it's not me that is keeping us apart. It's him."

"Then you are just going to have to make him see.
Break down all those old barriers that Dad put up and make your own rules."

"And how do I do that?"

"I'm not sure, let me think on it a while, and I'll get back to you. Now, is there anything I can get for you, I'm going to town tomorrow so let me know, okay." Julie stood up and helped Letty out of the chair.

"Not unless you can get this thing off of me
," she suggested.

"Leave that alone, young lady. And don't forget I'm driving you to the doctor on Friday."

"Okay…" Letty gave one last glance at the corral and moved to go into the house.

If Hank really cared about her, he'd have to be the one to say so.

Chapter Eight

Two weeks later, Letty was feeling much better, but she still couldn't do all the things she wanted. Her arm was still in a sling, and still hurt, her ribs had mended but she hadn't regained a lot of her strength back, she was losing weight and having headaches and it all came to a head one day in the barn.

Restricted to riding Old Whitey, she was trying desperately to put a saddle on him when Hank walked in.

Embarrassed that tears streamed down her face, she wouldn't face him at first.

"What in
heaven's name are you doing?" he asked as he caught her and gently pulled her about to face him.

Ashamed for her weakness, she turned her head away. "I wanted to ride Whitey, but I can't get the saddle on him."

"Why didn't you ask for some help?" he demanded.

"I thought I could at least do this. But everything I try to do for myself lately…I just feel so helpless."

"Hey," Hank's voice softened as a finger lifted her chin so he could see into her tear-stained eyes. "Any time you need help, just ask. I'll be there. So dry those beautiful eyes."

"I'm a grown
woman; I shouldn't need help getting on a horse," she explained, the tears rolling down her cheek unchecked.

"Most of the time, that's correct, but not
now. I guess you never broke an arm before. Now come on, I'll help you," he insisted. "Everyone needs help once and a while."

Letty turned back to the horse
, swiped her eyes and watched as Hank put the saddle on, cinched it and turned to look at her.

"Where are you headed?" he asked.

"Just thought I would go for a ride," she managed weakly. "I've been kind of cooped up for a while. Need to get some fresh air. And quit feeling sorry for myself."

"Okay, then I'll go with you
," he insisted.

"I don't need your help!" she hollered
, turning away. "You have your own job, and I'm not part of that."

He turned her back around and stared into her eyes
. "No…you're wrong, I'm a big part of that. But right now…you need this…" And then his lips fastened onto hers so quickly she didn't know what hit her.

How did his big, warm body fuse itself so quickly to hers
?

How did her curves fit his so comfortably? How come her lips were butter soft when he kissed her? And how would he ever get enough of her?

He heard her whimper, and his lips smiled against hers, as he pulled her fully into his arms, being careful not to hurt her arm, but cradling her there. He molded her to him, until only material separated them.

She sighed and relaxed in his arms, as he played with her bottom lip
, pulling at it, then caressing it into soft submission.

He kissed her
for long and breathless moments, assuaging the ache within himself, knowing this was what he wanted ever since the first night she was hurt. He needed her in his arms, knowing she was alright; knowing she was his for the moment seemed enough.

Things weren't going like they should, he told himself. He wasn't supposed to drown into this woman ever
y time he kissed her. He wasn't supposed to ache with the need of her. But he did, and somehow he had to put a stop to the needs she produced in him.

She was a McKay and nothing could come of loving her. He told himself that every day, and every day he ached a little more to be with her. Just seeing her every day made him want to make love with her.
But seeing those crocodile tears in her eyes, and her own prideful stubbornness, he ached to comfort her. He needed to protect her from all harm, even tears.

Why this woman? He asked himself that every day
too. He'd disciplined himself against falling for a woman that was above his own means. Letty McKay would be a rich woman, a very rich woman, but that wasn't what he wanted. He didn't care about her money, he wanted her, and yet it wasn't possible. She led one life, he led another. What could he offer her? But all these arguments were lost the minute he touched her.

He didn't want to think about that though while he held her in his arms. He wanted to enjoy loving her even if it was just for a while. Letty McKay was like Thunder itself, wild, free, and so adorably attractive he couldn't keep his mind or heart away from her. She stole his thinking. Stole his heart.

But right now, here in the barn, away from the rest of the world, he wanted to make her his. He felt the heat from their bodies, felt the pounding of her heart. He smelled the sweetness of her, like jasmines and he heard her little throaty moans as he kissed her into submission. His tongue darted deep inside her mouth, supping her sweetness, a taste he would remember forever. And she swooned at his needs of her. He felt her hold him tighter. He felt her breast come alive against his chest, and his hands itched to hold them, caress them and kiss them. And then he felt himself come alive. She moaned raggedly as his lips moved against her neck and down to the valley of her shirt. His breathing was harsh like a man barely in control. He kissed the edge of her breast, his nose nudging her shirt away. He was moments of taking what she offered so willingly.

With just a flicker of his thumb, he could delve into her pert little aggravating breast that rubbed sinuously against his chest. His lips needed to touch her there.
He wanted to look at her. He wanted to pull the clothes from her body and look at all of her. Just look. But no, he knew better. He could never look at her and not take. His thumb slid slowly against one pert nipple and she moaned aloud. Her body seemed to bend toward him as his head dipped to take the sweetness of her into his mouth. Just once he wanted to touch her there, kiss her, and love her. His wants and needs were outweighing every argument that he shouldn't be doing this.

He came back up and looked into her love drugged eyes.
Something niggled, something nagged. He couldn't do this. Not like this…

"God woman, I want you…get in the house," he pulled away and shouted at her.

He hadn't meant to shout and push her away. Had meant to release her at all. And then his eyes did feast on the one pert nipple that peeked from her shirt as her chest heaved a heavy breath. He hadn't meant to be such a brute, but if she didn't leave now, it would be too late.

His breathing was so labored he stood there shaking, trying to regain control.

Losing control over a woman was not part of his life. He'd always managed to be a gentleman. He'd never been this ready for a woman in his life. He stared at her and how vulnerable she looked and his own arousal announced itself against his jeans. He was hungry for her.

The barn was silent, still, as they devoured each other from a distance.
But the fact that he wanted her in the most basic of ways shocked him. He wasn't sure he could walk away at the moment, for his readiness warned him he might be past that point. Even she could see what she was doing to him. There was no way to hide it. And her eyes traveled him and she saw.

He gasped.

She gasped.

"Honey
." He stared at her from a short distance. "For both our sakes, get in the house, please."

"Hank
, we're both consenting adults," she barely uttered, her breath making her breast heave against her shirt, the nipple boldly firmed and fought for freedom from her shirt.

That beautiful dark nipple beckoned him to be caressed. He was shocked at her words, shocked at the consent in her voice.

Letty seemed as shocked as he was.

"I didn't know…I didn't mean to…I'
m sorry. But I …." She let her eyes drift lower. And then she really did it. "I don't want to go…"

"This isn't the time…nor the place, and it damned sure would be foolish
." His eyes went from her booted heel to the hat she wore to keep the sun out of her eyes. He couldn't hide the desire in his eyes, but there was more to it than that. And yet there couldn't be.

She shook her head, and took a step toward him
. "I guess it would…but…"

He stared with disbelief at her willingness, and his heart leapt. About to take her back into his arms,
and kiss that sweet yearning nipple that firmed against her chest. How he wanted to taste her. He could spend the entire day just kissing her nipples and watching them pucker for him. And if that was heaven, what would the rest of her be like. His full arousal was aching and announcing itself.

Slowly he reached to pull her closer. She didn't back away. Without provocations she threw
her sensuous body provocatively against him. His head dipped and he shivered with wild abandoned as he took the nipple into his mouth, wallowing it against his tongue slowly, then faster, enjoying the jiggle in his mouth. His hand reached to hold the roundness and squeeze it more fully into his mouth. He played with it, nudged it with his nose, and picked her up in his arms so he could kiss her gently.

"You're beautiful…" he murmured at her ear.

"Don't stop kissing me…" she cried. "Oh dear God, Hank, I want you too."

He smiled against the nipple that beckoned his full attention.

He slowly reached around to pull her up firmly against him, fitting her buttocks in his hands and squeezing her against him so she could feel the fullness of his arousal as she moaned with pleasure.

About to rip the shirt away from her
completely, the barn door flew open and Caleb walked in.

Hank heard his curse under his breath, as he hurriedly protected Letty from Caleb's prying eyes. In one lithe movement
, he nudged her away and she hurriedly fixed her shirt as she moved toward Whitey that had been their only audience. Hank couldn't help but look one last time at the prize that was nearly his.

Caleb cleared his throat and smiled, and Hank knew he hadn't fooled the old man for one moment
from the look on his face. But if Caleb was a true gentleman, he wouldn't comment, even if he didn't like it.

"Going for a ride?"
Caleb said instead.

"No…I guess I'm not up to it today…" Letty murmured, as she slowly turned around and shot Caleb a slight smile an
d headed for the door. "Hank assured me I wasn't ready yet. Would you mind unsaddling him for me…? Managing with one arm isn't exactly fun."

"Sure…"

Then Caleb looked at Hank. Caleb was no fool, Hank quickly realized and to keep from embarrassing himself he turned away and busied himself with a rope hanging on the stall door. He wasn't sure he could fool the old cowboy, but he wasn't about to admit he was seconds from making love to Letty McKay.

"That Letty
, she's somethin' isn't she?" Caleb chuckled and turned away.

"Yeah, I don't think a ride is a good idea yet, do you?"

"Nope, I sure don't. Good thing you persuaded her to not do it. Someone would have to go with her, she don't need to be alone with that arm." Caleb chuckled and took the saddle off of Whitey, leading him back to his stall. "Glad you talked her out of that."

Hank thought about what nearly happened and berated himself. He didn't want to take advantage of Letty. He cared about her too much to do that, but nature had a way of taking
its course, whether he liked it or not wanting Letty had become a real and permanent problem for him. One thing was for sure, he'd treasure this day for the rest of his life. The day he almost made love to Letty McKay.

If Caleb hadn't come
in, he'd be making love to her right now. Hank thought about that and quite nearly couldn't move again. He sighed heavily against the stall door and tried to find a reason why he couldn't move for several long moments. And yet when he looked at Caleb he knew the old man knew too.

What did he think of him?

And how in the world was he going to be around the woman day after day without eventually doing what they both wanted?

***

Letty moved on shaky legs to the house. What almost happened shocked her now, and thrilled her even more. It was the first sign that Hank really felt something for her, even if it was just physical. She relived the kiss, making instant butterflies in her stomach, and causing her to almost fall from weakness. But the way he had kissed her breast was something she'd only dreamed about. The sensation he evoked simmered like wild flowers in her stomach. She ached for the completion of their love. She ached to be made love to, by Hank and only Hank.