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“Yeah. I never thought I’d feel like that, but I am with my nieces and nephews.”
She watched her son smile and talk to Ford as he led him around the arena. Autumn kept her eyes off the man’s body, tried not to think about all the muscle that lay beneath and how good it would feel to run her hands and mouth over it.
He’d said he had the urge to kiss her constantly. It was no different for Autumn. She had the urge to let him.
Chapter16
Ford had thought seriously about not coming tonight. The weather had gone from warm and sunny to wet as the storm they’d predicted rolled in. He also knew that if he didn’t turn up, Nash would come to him with Maggs and Fin.
“Why can’t they just continue to leave me alone?” he said to the dog sitting beside him, who was now called Kismet, courtesy of Autumn.
What the hell was he going to say to his family? He ran through scenarios as he drove, and when his mind veered to Autumn, he let it.
She’d been sexy as hell in that blue schoolteacher dress that crossed over between her breasts and tied at the sides of her waist. He wasn’t sure which look he liked the best on her, but that one was up there. Her hair had hung in a braid over a shoulder, and she’d worn comfortable, low-heeled shoes. Ford had wanted to mess her up a bit. Pull the tie at her waist and unwrap her like a present.
He hadn’t lied when he said the need to kiss her was becoming a problem. He wanted to do that and a shitload more. Pull all those soft curves into him and devour her.
He turned in to his brother’s drive and felt the tension inside him notch up. Pushing Autumn from his head, he focused on what he needed to do to get through this night with his family. He parked beside Fin’s vehicle, then he and Kismet ran to the house as fat drops of rain started pelt them.
They were all inside waiting for him. Did he want to do this? Was it time to come clean? Would he feel better for it? Part of him thought that maybe he would, the other part wanted life to just continue as it was, as it had been for years.
Nash and Luna’s house sat surrounded by natural gardens and paths. A large building Luna used as her office was to the right, as was the cottage Nash had lived in while building the house.
Reaching the door, he knocked and then opened it.
“Through here!”
Kismet charged ahead like she’d lived here her entire life, not visiting for the first time. He heard the greeting bark of Bee, Fin and Maggie’s dog.
The inside was an extension of outside. Natural and a bit edgy, which was Luna’s influence. Nash wouldn’t know edgy if he fell over it.
Ford entered the open-plan kitchen and dining area. Beyond that was a large outdoor area. Everyone sat inside on the soft sofas and chairs.
“Beer?” Nash said from over by the fridge.
Ford nodded as the dogs shot past him at a run. He felt stiff, like he’d been wrestling cattle all day and hadn’t won. Uncomfortable too, which he usually never was in his brother’s home.
“Hello, Ford.”
Luna got up to greet him, and he didn’t know whether to hug or strangle her. The woman was the catalyst to all this with her talk about him looking tired. Okay, maybe she hadn’t found the letter, but still, because of her, people were asking questions and showing interest in him where before they’d left him alone.
“You’re angry with me.” She gripped his shoulders. “But I didn’t really start this. I just said you looked tired, and your brother ran with it.”
“No. Maybe.”
She hugged him hard.
“I’m not really one for spilling my guts, Luna, and I’m okay. Happy even.”
“Are you really?”
He’d always thought so. She herded him toward a seat and nudged him down next to Fin.
“Bud.” His brother-in-law held out a hand and Ford slapped it. “Not sure what the occasion is, but Luna always cooks an outstanding feed, so no complaints here.”
So Nash hadn’t said anything, which gave him an out if he needed one.
He took the beer his brother handed him, and when Nash sat, the silence settled around them, heavy and thick.
