Worth The Price (Hart's Fall, Montana) (25 page)

Danika stared at the packet the deliveryman had just placed in her hands. He must have served many of them judging by the awkward look on his face as he rushed to hand it over, before sprinting down the sidewalk.

She closed the door and pulled out the sheets of paper. The words on each page meant nothing to her at this point because it was now plain as day how Brandon felt for her. She allowed her gaze to sweep over the words.

Oh Brandon. Did it have to come to this?
The impressive weight of her own guilt, the role she played in all of this, made her weak in the knees. For the short time they’d been together, one thing she’d always known was, her husband was a man of many layers. Layers that he guarded with unending ferocity, and which she was determined now, more than ever to uncover.

Danika set the papers aside to find her keys. Two weeks ago she had been blind to the truth, only focusing on the hurt of Brandon’s abandonment. Ironically it had been her father who helped to open her eyes. Last night she’d lain in bed, tossing and turning, a routine that was now all too familiar. She’d sought relief by entering the living room. Curled up on the couch and with the television turned on, Danika hoped a late night show would dull her mind of all thoughts of a certain Irishman. When her father appeared at the archway between the living room and the kitchen, he’d stood there with the same broken look she had seen on his face months ago at the cemetery.

She had expected him to scold her and tell her to hop back into bed. It never came. Instead he said, “It’s a shame you’re the only one Sharpe decided to shit on in all of this huh?” She turned to him, baffled her father could give such a harsh reminder. He lifted a shoulder. “You’re better off without him, Dani. Any man who would show more kindness to the three people who stole from him than his own wife, can’t be too right in the head or worthy of you.”

Danika shook her head at the memory and looked outside to the morning sunlight. It was a blessed relief from the moon high in the midnight sky, which mocked her last night.

With the divorce papers in hand, she arrived on the Bar S, the one place she had promised herself never to return to. How stupid she had been. She climbed out of the car and bypassed the house, heading straight for the pastures. His schedule was ingrained in her memory along with everything that made him the man she couldn’t bear to live without. She didn’t have to shut her eyes to recall the feel of his lips on her neck, her arms winding around his strong, wide chest as she cajoled him every morning not to leave their bed so early. But he always did, rising with whispered promises of the night to come.

Poor Brandon. She couldn’t imagine what these past weeks must have been like for him now that she understood the extent of his love for her. How she loved him. That thought alone, made her steps quicker though ever careful on the icy ground. Danika rounded the completed corral and had to tear her gaze from the structure he had worked so hard on.
All because of me.
She spotted him then. Brandon had his back turned, shoveling a fresh heaping of last night’s snowfall. The two workers in front of him quickly abandoned their shovels. She watched his head raise. He cast about until his eyes were no longer focused on the men hurrying in the opposite direction.

“Smart guys,” she murmured, testing his mood.

“Danika.” The shovel landed on the thick pile of snow. “I‌—‌What are you doing here?” Before she had a chance to respond, his gaze traveled to her stomach, then settled on the thick white envelope inside her hand. The surprise left his face, softened into tenderness. “You shouldn’t be here,
Cailín
.”

“Because it’s painful for you to see me?”

He let out a breath. “Because I don’t want to hurt you again.”

“The way I’ve hurt you,” she said. “You’ve been hurting as much as I have, haven’t you?”

“Divorce isn’t exactly the highlight of a person’s life.”

“I know. But that’s not going to happen with us.” She held up the envelope, ripped it in half. His face froze with shock as she tore the paper into tiny pieces.

“Why did you do that?” His eyes searched her face.

Danika closed the distance between them. It was just as she had imagined while lying awake last night, after piecing everything together. She’d wanted to go to him, but the moon was high in the sky outside her bedroom window. Left without a choice, she willed herself to fall asleep, dreaming of this moment.

“The only reason possible. I did it because I love you, Brandon and I know you love me too.” She stroked the back of her hand on his face. “I know why you did all of this. You thought if we remained together it would always cause problems between my dad and me. You wanted to spare me, so I’d never have to choose between the two of you, right?”

“I only wanted to make things easier for you,” he said. “Always did.”

She shook her head. “It wasn’t easier. Every day was harder than the last. I couldn’t understand what I’d done wrong or hadn’t done to make it so hard for you to love me. I never considered what it meant for you. How hard it must have been to put yourself up for more whispers and gossip.” A shudder ran through her at the very thought. God only knew what everyone must be saying about him for leaving his pregnant wife.

“Your opinion is the only one I’ve ever cared about,” he muttered, still regarding her with a hint of caution.

Danika pressed her hand to his chest and nodded. Her throat felt dry, cracking with emotion. “I know that, Brandon. And I also know what it meant for you to drop the charges against my dad. You had to do the same for the other two. They got away without a chance of you recovering the rest of your cattle.”

He peered down at her. When he spoke his voice went velveteen soft. “I had to, Danika. Nothing else mattered except making you happy.” His glanced at the papers sodden with snow. “Are you sure about that?”

“Very.” Her body tingled from being so close to him. Her pregnant belly bumped against him when he inched nearer. “Now that I know you love me I’m not letting go of you this time.”

“I didn’t want to hurt you,” he said, tracing a hand along her cheek. “I thought it was the one good thing I could do for you. Be sure that a lifetime with me is what you want because I’m not strong enough to lose you again.”

She looked at him with a shy smile. “Brandon, I’m very sure. I have three suitcases in the back of my car.”

He drew her into his arms. “I get to hold you tonight,
Caílin
?”

Her pulse quickened. A rapid sensation of heat rushing to her hands, belly and between her thighs. “Tonight and every night.”

His head tilted and Danika raised her face, their lips brushing. His mouth felt soft and warm. She sighed into the kiss, a little piece of her soul melting into him with each touch. “I love you so damn much,” he said into her ear, accent thick and rich. “Come inside with me.”

She followed him back to the house, Brandon’s arms around her thick waist, holding tight as if he was afraid she would fall or run away from him.

She didn’t need another urging from him to enter the bedroom she had missed so much. He closed the door behind them and gathered her to his chest. His lips swept kisses along her face. “I’ve missed feeling your body next to mine. Let me love you.”

She raised her head and caressed the underside of his jaw with her lips. “I’ve waited a long time for this moment, Irish. You’re all I ever wanted and all I ever will.”

He cupped her chin. “I’m going to take such good care of you. Both of you.” His hand slid inside her sweater, pausing over her stomach before moving up to caress her breasts. “Do you have any idea how hard it’s been for me? Every time I saw you, you were more beautiful than the last time. Every inch of you, ripe, waiting for me to taste and explore the sweetness between your thighs.”

Her clitoris throbbed. She, too, was guilty of craving physical intimacy with him during their separation. How could she not? With his brooding temper, sculpted frame and stubborn ways, her husband was all male. Just the way she liked him. Magnificently imperfect, but perfect for her.

Piece by piece, he removed every stitch of her clothes. He stepped aside to do the same and Danika reveled in the pleasure of watching him undress. How had she managed to stay away from him for so long? Sighing, she allowed her eyes to roam, taking in another eyeful. His thick, corded muscles flexed with every move he made to rid himself of his briefs.

Naked and aching to be filled, Danika whimpered in anticipation and hunger as her husband stood before her. She brought her legs together attempting to quell the need building within her after taking one look at his hard penis straining toward her.

“Carrying my child suits you,” he whispered, closing his lips over a taut nipple. She closed her eyes and sighed.

She didn’t try to protest when he lifted her, laying her on the bed. He spread her thighs and knelt between them. The heated tip of his shaft prodded against her opening. She couldn’t think, only feel as he pushed her knees up and settled between them, and thrust home. “Brandon,” was all she could manage as he locked eyes with her. “Did I hurt you?”

She shook her head and writhed her hips. “Never. I can’t believe we went so long without this.”

“I’ll want you every day for the rest of my life, Danika. You’ll never have reason to worry I don’t love you because you’ll always be the most beautiful thing that ever happened to me.”

A knot formed in her throat at the depth of his words, making it difficult to speak. Liquid fire melted inside her with every stroke of her husband’s cock sliding against her walls. It had been too long. Her body rippled with intoxicating pleasure that refused to subside, long after he spilled inside her.

As soon as her heartbeat decelerated and Brandon lay by her side, she turned to him. “I’m never letting you go, no matter what happens or what anyone says.” Danika rested her head on his shoulder, remembering everything he had done for her. “I’m so sorry those guys who stole your cattle will get away scot free.”

He tightened his arms around, kissing the top of her head. “Don’t worry about them. They got a bit cocky back in Oregon and tried out their skills on another ranch.” He grinned at her. “The owner, it seems wasn’t a stubborn mule-headed fool out to prove to his adorable wife that nothing in the world mattered except her happiness.”

“But…”

Brandon rolled to his back, lifting her astride him. “No buts. I mean it. I love you and that’s the end of it. Not another apology from you. From now on, we’ll focus on the good memories, the ones we’re going to make together. You, me and our baby.”

She leaned forward, kissing him with all the love in her heart because being with and loving Brandon Sharpe was worth all the price of their heartache.

Worth the Price

“Do you think she knows where we are?”

Brandon looked over at his five-month old daughter, who at the moment had her chubby hands clutched around a patch of strawberry clovers growing at the edge of the blanket she was lying on. “Not a clue,” he said, turning to his wife. “But it looks like the kid might soon be able to help the hands get rid of all the thistle that keeps popping back up.”

Danika groaned. “We’re thousands of miles from Hart’s Fall and you’re talking about the ranch.” She crossed her legs on the boulder they were sharing and tilted her head at a haughty angle. “Hmph, so that’s why I’m sitting here with another Sharpe growing inside me.”

He knew she was only joking. Danika had been thrilled when she announced to him the week after they had booked the trip to Ireland that she was carrying his child again. Her face was even brighter than last year when she’d come home with news of the first pregnancy. He was glad too, blessed in fact‌—‌with so many miracles he hadn’t dared dream about. But deep down, he was angry with himself.

Brandon glanced at Danika. She appeared lost in thought, with her eyes closed and face upturned to the sky, basking in the spurt of sunshine that was sure to dissipate in a few minutes time.

“You’re staring at me.” Her eyes fluttered open as she gave a quick check of the baby, hard at work uprooting the wildflowers. “My skin always gets kinda hot when you do it,” she said, avoiding his gaze. A tender smile danced across her lips.

His heart filled with love. After everything they had experienced and done together, he still had the ability to make her feel shy from such a simple admission. Was it any wonder he found her so irresistible? Ah, but then again, Brandon thought, that was the source of his problem.

“For months I’ve been waiting for you to say something about it. How can you not be upset with me?” he asked.

“Upset with you?”

Brandon closed his eyes. The image of her face moist with sweat, tears streaming down her cheeks as she squeezed his hand, apologizing that she couldn’t didn’t want to push anymore. It was beyond comprehension that after all the pain Danika endured giving birth to their child that she’d returned his desire that night almost four months ago.

He cupped her face with his hands. “I promised I’d never hurt you again and I did‌—‌getting you pregnant so soon when you’ve barely recovered.”