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“I… We shouldn’t have done that. It was wrong of me to do it with Ritchie sleeping in the house.”
“Don’t worry about it, and you’re right. We shouldn’t have done it.” He had no right to mess with a woman who had a son. Especially as this woman turned him inside out and would likely want a commitment from him. Something he wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to give.
“Ford, thank you for last night.”
“You don’t have to thank me again.” He tried not to look at the curves of her unrestrained breasts, tried not to recall how good one had felt in his hand. Tried not to look at her vanilla-scented hair all over the place and those long legs.
“No big deal.”
“It’s a huge deal. I have no idea why you came to see me, but thank you.”
“I was passing by.” They both knew that for a lie—he’d been at his brother’s house, which was at the other end of town.
She didn’t call him on it.
“Well, thanks anyway.”
“I need to go before Ritchie wakes and gets confused seeing me here.”
“Yes, and I’m sorry for…”
“I’m not apologizing for the make-out session, Autumn, but I am saying it shouldn’t have happened.”
She nodded, and then before he could brace himself, she’d stepped into his body. Her hands went to his shoulders as she rose to her toes and kissed him.
“Thank you for once again for being my hero, Ford. I hope one day I can be yours.”
You already are.
He was pleased those words stayed inside his head. But she was. A single mom making a new life for herself away from her family was a hero. Add to that he’d slept a full night with her in his arms, giving him something he couldn’t remember having had in years.
“I don’t need a hero, but thanks for the offer,” he added, his vocal cords sounding like they’d been sandpapered.
“Everyone needs a hero.” Her words were soft.
He turned and walked away from her then. Walked outside with his dog, who was all he needed. What he needed to do now was believe that.
Chapter18
Autumn showered and then cleaned the house after Ford left. She also relived every moment of last night. Well, not every moment, she’d slept in Ford’s arms for part of it.
Nick had never made her feel like Ford did. Safe, vulnerable, like a teenager with her first crush.
He’d arrived as the storm raged because he’d known she hated them. Picked her up and held her. The feeling of being in his arms with the thunder rolling above them was something Autumn would never forget.
Safe.
He’d talked about his life at the ranch but held back on what happened in college. The incident that had stopped him from sleeping, what he had only just told his family.
She had no right to want him to share that with her, but she did. Ford Winter had helped her, and she wanted to return the favor.
“Can we go now, Mom? Tea Total has Grace’s Aunty Rory reading today, and she’s got great voices.”
Ritchie was sitting at the breakfast bar, eating and swinging his legs as he listened to the music she had playing.
“Okay. You finish your toast and I’ll brush my hair.”
He gave her a look.
