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“Landon, I need to shower. A bunch of people camped out at my place last night so they can finish the barn raising today. They should be waking up any minute now and I need to be there.”
With a grumble, I reluctantly let go. Then I watched her gloriously naked figure retreat into the bathroom.
It wasn’t a dream after all. Callie really was my lady now.
I smiled to myself, scrubbing a hand through my hair.
After tugging on my jeans, I made my way downstairs and started the coffee. Callie joined me a few minutes later, her damp hair braided back. I pressed a cup of coffee into her hand in exchange for a quick kiss.
“Hey,” I said. “About us…”
“You’re not having second thoughts already, are you?”
“No, it’s just—” I hesitated, leaning against the counter. “I’d like to talk to Beau first. Before word gets out.”
Understanding dawned in Callie’s eyes. She nodded.
“Sure. We can keep it quiet for a little while.”
“I appreciate it,” I replied, hooking a finger in her waistband to pull her closer.
Callie laughed and put a hand on my chest, shaking her head.
“Don’t look at me like that. I’ll never get out of this house.”
I hummed. “Good.”
She smiled against my mouth as I kissed her, long and deep, the taste of coffee lingering on her lips. Callie whimpered, sliding her arms around my neck. I smoothed one hand up her body to cup her breast, teasing my thumb over her nipple. My other hand descended lower, lifting the hem of her skirt up.
She wrenched away, touching her lips.
“I’m going now. At this rate, you’ll have me naked in your kitchen in no time.”
“Is there a problem with that?”
“I’ve created a monster,” she replied lightly as she ducked out the door.
I stood on the porch, watching her climb the fence and hurry across the pasture. My heart gave a little tug in my chest. I was the luckiest man in the world. And if I screwed it up, I’d never forgive myself.
After I’d showered and changed into fresh clothes, the activity at Callie’s house was in full swing. I needed to track down Beau and pull him aside to have a talk. I didn’t know what this would do for our friendship now that Callie and I were together so soon after her breakup with him. Where Beau was concerned, he knew he had no competition with me when it came to the ladies. I kept to myself. He was the one who attracted women like moths to a flame.
As I started across the pasture, a battered old Chevy ambled up Callie’s driveway. I didn’t recognize it and I didn’t pay much attention to it. I was too busy searching the crowd at the breakfast buffet table for Beau. I spotted him chatting with Rory as she brandished a spatula with a menacing expression. He didn’t look intimidated in the slightest.
Callie stepped out of the house, balancing a large tray of scrambled eggs. She propped it against her hip as she waved at the approaching Chevy. The car came to a stop and the door opened to reveal a male figure. At this distance, I couldn’t see much except for a blur of clothing, a thatch of gray hair.
But something about the way the figure came up to Callie with his arms spread wide and a swagger in his step made my heart drop to my stomach with recognition.
My father was here. Only a few feet away from Callie.
A spike of red-hot anger cut through my chest. Before I realized what I was doing, I sprinted across the field in a dead run. Without slowing down, I vaulted over the fence and hurtled toward my father.
“Landon, no!” Beau yelled.
I hauled back and hit my father square in the jaw. He stumbled, shocked, touching his split lip. A noise of surprise and alarm went up from the onlookers.
“Get the fuck away from her!” I growled.
Beau was on me, grabbing my arm to pull me away. A few other cowboys launched into action, standing between my father and me. Callie was horrified. Loathing boiled in my chest, for myself, for my father. What was he doing here, on Callie’s land? And why did I have to put that look on her face?
