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He shrugged. “Not bad but I’ve slept better. Look, I’m sorry about last night. I shouldn’t have puked out that sad tale.”

  Lynn’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t ever apologize for speaking your mind. We all have issues, Ransom, even you, and it helps to be able to talk things out. I mean, wouldn’t you listen to me if something was bothering me?”

  “I would.”

  She focused on her breakfast. “Then no apologies.”

  He was willing to go along with that. As they had their breakfast, he realized how nice it was to have someone here to share his mornings. With Cassie, he’d… No, he wouldn’t go there again. Cassie was his past. Yes, she was an important part of his past but it was time to focus on Lynn. Like him, it seemed she was a morning person. She was alert, sharp and, considering the emotional garbage he’d dumped on her last night, she seemed calm. “What are your plans today?”

  Lynn sighed and leaned back in her chair. She frowned a little. “I think I should head back to Dallas.”

  Something inside him froze. “Why? I thought you’d at least stay until the weekend.”

  “I’d thought so too but when I went to bed last night, I started thinking about some things.”

  He’d shot off his big mouth in a moment of weakness and now she was leaving. A pit grew in his stomach, yawning and stretching until he figured it would swallow him. His heart thumped hard and it was a struggle to remain composed. “I see.”

  Lynn shook her head. “No, I don’t think you do but I’ll explain. I meant what I said earlier about your being able to discuss anything with me. I care about you. That’s also part of the problem.” She reached across the expanse of the table and took his hand. “Maybe I care too much, Ransom. Nothing makes me happier than to know you loved your wife and aren’t afraid to admit it, but I worry that you haven’t let go of the past enough to move on. I’m not an idiot. I know exactly why I was never welcomed in your bed. You always came to mine. You shared that room with Cassie and just couldn’t stand the thought of desecrating the holy shrine.”

  Lynn shook her head. “I’m sorry. That was bitchy and uncalled for. Please forgive me, Ransom. I shouldn’t have said that. You are entitled to your feelings. As much as I have come to care for you, I don’t want to fall in love with a man who doesn’t have room for me in his heart. It’s silly. You haven’t spoken of love or of even wanting to pursue something more permanent with me. I’ve been presumptuous in thinking there was a possibility, but, Ransom, I deserve a man who can offer me his whole heart, not just a part of it.”

  She released his hand and carried her empty plate to the sink. Ransom watched her, saw the determination on her face and knew she was going to leave. He hated it. Standing, he walked over to hug her from behind. He settled his mouth at the curve of her ear and slid his hands beneath her nightgown to rest on her belly. “Stay.”

  Lynn leaned into him. “I want to but it’s an impossible situation. There’s the distance to deal with, Ransom. How on earth could we make it work and should we even try? I’m not an impulsive kid anymore.”

  “Hell, do you think I am?” He slipped his hands lower, tracing the edge of her panties with his fingertips. Lynn went tense for a moment then relaxed against him and Ransom took advantage of her acceptance by pushing his hand beneath the stretchy cloth. When he traced the seam of her labia to find her damp, satisfaction ripped through his core and he was just mercenary enough to push his agenda. “Stay.”

  Circling her clit, he pressed and teased, strumming the distended knot until Lynn whimpered, moving against his touch. “Yeah, that’s it, darlin’. You’re creaming and wet.” Sliding one hand over her torso, absorbing the feel of her whisper-soft skin against his touch, he gripped her breast while he sent the fingers of his other hand deep into her body. She clenched around his invading fingers as he thrust repeatedly. He kept her caged against the counter as he plied her slick flesh. Giving in to the moment and the hunger that curled through his belly, he made a sharp sound of frustration and hastily unzipped his jeans. “Hang on. Hang on.”

  Ransom shoved her panties down until they fell to the floor then he pushed her nightgown past her hips, exposing her rocking body. Her breath burst from her lips in harsh little pants. Reaching crisis point, he dug into his front pocket for a rubber and covered himself, then settled a hand between her shoulder blades to bend her over. “Spread your legs.” When she obeyed the harshly spoken command, he placed a hand at the back of her neck and shoved his cock deep. Desperation seized him as he fucked her clasping cunt and prickles of sensation sped like lightning over his spine, burning him as he withdrew slowly then pushed in again, seeking relief for his lust. His fingers flicked her clit and with a whimper, Lynn moved against him, taking every thrust. “Oh yeah, darlin’, you’re good, so fucking good. This is the creamiest, sweetest damn pussy. Take it all. That’s it. Yeah.”

  No longer able to control the pace, his body dictating his actions, he rammed home faster and faster as her pussy flexed and released. Throbbing, aching, the sweet, torturous pleasure pounding through his system, he gritted his teeth and mercilessly applied his fingertips to her clit. Lynn unraveled with a low cry, her silky walls squeezing and milking his cock as he thrashed deep, deeper, release approaching like a fast-moving storm. A raw sound moved from his chest to hover in the room as he clutched her ass and came hard, spilling his lust into the condom.

  Ransom pulled Lynn up and she turned to sink against his chest.

  “Don’t leave.”

  She shook her head and spoke as if to herself, her voice shaky. She clutched the sides of his tee shirt. “I shouldn’t. I must be crazy,” she whispered breathlessly. “I’m sure I’ll live to regret this but, yes, I’ll stay for a little while longer.”

  * * * * *

  Once again the Double D suffered from a Delight, Texas, invasion as throngs showed up at the ranch to assist in the after-barbecue cleanup. Ransom stood at his bedroom window and watched some of the guys load tables into the back of a truck while several women rushed around gathering the red tablecloths and stowing centerpieces into other vehicles. Earlier, Lynn and Harley June had borrowed his truck to return baking dishes to a number of the ladies in town and after that, they planned to meet up with Melanie, who needed help picking out a wedding cake or something. Since Cooper’s wedding and now T’s, Ransom knew far more about planning this kind of event than a man needed to know, and that was a fact.

  Leaning against the window, he watched his brothers. They were good men. Sure, they’d had a rough start losing both parents so suddenly, but the three of them had managed. To him, it was a testament to their strength as a family that they’d survived under such painful circumstances. Cooper was making a name for himself with his construction company and baby brother T still worked on an occasional movie but seemed content at the moment to divide his time between construction work and work at the ranch. Ransom didn’t mind, as long as T was happy.

  As Cooper and T continued to disassemble the makeshift bandstand, Ransom turned to the pile of empty boxes in the center of the room. He should be out there helping his brothers but there was another little task occupying him at the moment.

  Exorcizing ghosts from his past took top priority.

  He knew Lynn had wondered why they’d never spent the night together in this room and he had to admit, it was pretty sick that he’d kept Cassie’s things for so long. Shortly after the accident, he’d gathered up most of her jewelry and sentimental things that women tended to save over the years. Those had been given to Cassie’s parents. It was only right. Now he was left with old clothes and worthless knickknacks. He would keep the pictures of them but the rest? It was going. Hanging on to these things wouldn’t bring her back and had nothing to do with his memories of the woman he had loved.

  Resolved to change his life and move on with things, he went about the task of emptying the walk-in closet that had been Cassie’s. He didn’t stop to look around. He didn’t let his mind wander into the past but
went immediately to work, not stopping until he’d filled ten large boxes. He’d just taped the last one shut when he heard Cooper holler out.

  “Up here.”

  Ransom heard boot heels strike against the stairs and then move down the hallway until his brothers came into the master bedroom. T leaned back against one wall and took in the pile of boxes while Cooper let out a low whistle.

  “Man, bro, you’ve been busy.” He looked up and frowned. “What is this?”

  “Cassie’s things.”

  T shook his head and grunted. “I can’t believe you held on to this stuff for so long. Why didn’t you let us help?”

  Coop chimed in. “You have a problem with that? Asking for help? Why the fuck do you have to be so tough all the damn time?”

  “I’m not tough and I reckon this proves it.” He looked around at what remained of her presence in his home, then focused on his brothers. “I know you mean well but this was something I had to do on my own.”

  Anger rode his brothers hard and he didn’t have to be a genius to see it stamped plainly on their faces. He knew these men and they were downright pissed. “You shouldn’t have done this alone,” T said quietly. “We’re here for you. We’re brothers.”

  Cooper stepped closer. A muscle worked in his jaw. “You’ve taken care of us in good times and bad. Why can’t you let us help you for a change, you stubborn ass?”

  Ransom looked at them both and was so proud of them. There were no words to express his feelings. “There is one thing,” he said finally. “Can y’all load these up and see that Donna Mills over at the women’s shelter gets them? I’m sure she could use them.”

  Coop pounded his back a couple of times. “Okay, Ransom,” he said slowly, matter-of-factly. “I figure we can do that. Come on, T, let’s get this stuff downstairs.”

  Chapter Ten

  “Mm, I shouldn’t be doing this but I have such a weakness for pastries.” Lynn let the chocolate icing from her éclair melt on her tongue and struggled not to roll her eyes as she, Melanie and Harley sat together in the local bakery. Once she and Harley had dropped off the various baking dishes, they’d met Melanie to pick out the perfect wedding cake. “I can’t believe we’re doing this after eating all that stuff.”

  Melanie took a sip of her coffee then grinned. “Ah, that little bit of tasting was nothing more than an appetizer.” She forked up a creamy bite of her own pastry. “This, ladies, is the real deal.”

  “You just kill me, Mel,” Harley said. “I’ve never seen a woman with such a huge appetite.”

  “I’m a growing girl, ya know. Need fuel after dealing with the little hellions for the past few days.”

  After all the angst at the ranch and all the indecision, it was nice to get away for a while and do something frivolous. “How often do you have the basketball camps?”

  “Every summer, I host a few weeklong basketball camps and I’ll throw in a few weekend clinics. There’s not much for the kids to do here in the summertime so the camps keep the girls busy and I get to make some extra money. Once school starts, I won’t have time for this sort of thing.”

  “When is the wedding?” Lynn hoped she would get an invitation because nothing would please her more than to see Mel and T get their happy-ever-after.

  Harley leaned back in her chair as she industriously applied a napkin to her sticky fingers. “December. I love a Christmas wedding.”

  Mel snorted. “Yeah, like nobody has anything going on during the holidays, right? Jeez, what was I thinking?”

  Lynn smiled. “It’ll be beautiful. Are you getting married at the ranch?”

  Mel shook her head. “We thought about it but we’re doing it at the Methodist church. It will already be decked out with flowers so I won’t have to stress about that aspect. Ransom threw a fit but we consoled him by saying we’d have the reception at the ranch. Anyway, we have to wait until December because T has to head to Calgary this fall for a shoot.”

  Wow. A movie.

  “Ransom said T wasn’t doing stunts anymore.”

  Mel frowned. “No, he hurt his knee awhile back and the dangerous, daredevil stuff is out for him, but he’s so good with horses and has that authentic cowboy look so he picks up some work as an extra from time to time. Someone is filming a mini-series so he’ll be playing ‘cowboy’ for a month.” She sighed and stared into her Styrofoam coffee cup. “I’ll miss him.”

  “It’s too bad you can’t go with him.”

  “School. Can’t. Sucks.”

  Harley reached over and patted her hand. “With all the wedding plans and work, the time will fly by, honey.”

  As Lynn watched the friends interact, she realized how much she would miss these two once she left town. Yes, there was every likelihood she would return to Delight at some point, but she had no way of predicting the future, especially when it came to Ransom. While it was true he’d pulled out all the stops in getting her to delay her return to Dallas, he was still a man who obviously struggled with letting go of his past. Still, she couldn’t help wishing things were different and that she could always be around these nice people.

  What on Earth was she thinking?

  She had a medical practice, a house, a life and absolutely no indication that Ransom wanted anything permanent with her except for a few more days of her time. Though he’d spoken of a long-distance relationship, she wasn’t naïve. That would be very difficult to pull off and, in the end, might only bring her a truckload of heartache. As Harley and Mel continued to chat, she let her mind wander. It was impossible to ignore the off-the-charts chemistry she shared with Ransom and her mind relived what they’d done together this morning in the kitchen. Just the thought of it caused her panties to dampen and her heart to hammer. Her big, rough cowboy quite simply made her mouth water for more of what he had to offer. Only an idiot would deny him and Lynn wasn’t lacking in smarts.

  “Hey, Lynn honey, where’d you go?” Harley grinned at her. “From the look on your face, I suspect you aren’t here with us.”

  Lynn’s cheeks burned. She shook her head. “I’m sorry, I—”

  Harley’s cell phone rang. “Hm. It’s Cooper. Hold that thought.” She answered the phone then frowned. “Oh boy. Now that’s interesting. I had no idea he was holding on to all that stuff. Did you help him? No, don’t answer that. He wouldn’t ask anyone for help, damn stubborn man.” Harley went quiet again and Lynn could faintly hear Cooper’s voice. “So T’s with you? Okay, we’ll meet up with you guys in an hour or so. Love you.”

  When Harley disconnected, she tucked the phone into her purse and looked at them. “Well now, this is an interesting development. Cooper and T have been at the ranch and he says Ransom just packed up all of Cassie’s old things from the closet. Coop and T are hauling the boxes to the women’s shelter.”

  Mel’s eyes widened. “Wow. I can’t believe he held on to this stuff for so many years.”

  “He loved her,” Lynn said simply. Emotion gripped her as she absorbed the implications of his actions. That he would take these steps after their recent conversations told her a lot about Ransom’s intentions. Maybe what they had begun would never grow into something permanent, but he’d obviously had a little talk with himself about guilt and holding on to the past. A chill raced over her arms and hope threatened to choke her. Playing it cool with Mel and Harley wasn’t easy but she gave it her best shot. “I don’t know why he held on to these things for so long but this is a positive step.”

  Harley and Mel exchanged glances, then Mel spoke. “I think you have a lot to do with that, honey. That he would make this kind of move now speaks volumes.”

  Lynn shook her head. “Now wait a minute, ladies, don’t read too much into this. Keep in mind that I live in Dallas and long-distance relationships seldom work out. I have a practice there.”

  “So?” Leave it to Harley to mess with her head. She leaned forward aggressively, her eyes brimming with excitement. “Doc Winston is at retirement age, Lynn, and Deligh
t could use another doctor. Just think about it. Seriously. Delight is a perfect town in which to raise a family.”

  “That’s a fantastic idea,” Mel chimed in quickly, equally pumped.

  “Whoa, just hold your horses, girls. Raise a family? Are you out of your mind? It’s far too soon to consider stuff like this. You guys have been too absorbed in weddings these days. You’re so happy with the wonderful things that have happened in your own lives that you simply want that for me too. It’s sweet. It really is, still, you are reading far too much into all of this. I know that speculating is fun, but let’s be realistic. He’s made me no promises. Yes, our chemistry is off the charts. That is undeniable, yet we still have a lot to learn about each other.”

  Harley grinned. “You’re perfect for him. Don’t argue.”

  Lynn shook her head. “I don’t know about that.”

  “I do,” Mel said firmly. “T and Cooper think you’re good for him too. We all approve.”

  Blowing out a breath, frustrated but so appreciative of the kind words, Lynn leaned back in her chair. “Not every woman has her own personal cheerleading squad and I love you to pieces. I’m glad you’re all in favor but damn it, this is Ransom’s call, Ransom’s and mine. We can’t just will things to happen and I’m practical enough to know that. From my perspective, I would love the chance to make something happen. I don’t have to tell you that he’s gorgeous. You know that.”

  “Damn straight,” Harley said.

  “Totally hot.” Mel’s assessment matched hers and then some.

  “Agreed. He’s sexy as hell but he’s so much more than that. I suspect he always has been. Ransom is the kind of man a person can count on. He’s tough but also fair, definitely a rare breed.”

  The ladies went quiet then Harley smiled. “Sounds like you’re half in love with him already.”

  Oh yes.

  “Maybe I am.” Lynn sighed and allowed some honesty into the conversation. “I’ve never known anyone quite like him. I had come to accept my life as a constant career opportunity but life is about much more than that, isn’t it?”