After he visited a jeweler in Douglas, Kade headed home, smiling as he thought about Kelsey. He’d found the perfect ring to give her, and had left it at the jeweler’s to be sized. He’d compared her ring finger to his pinkie, so he had a pretty good idea of the right size. Now he just had to find the perfect time to propose.
Kelsey was still away at an interview when he arrived at the ranch. Kade took a quick shower, then went in search of Trent and found his son in the windbreak. The boy was digging in the rich soil beside the playhouse.
“Dad.” Trent jumped up and hugged Kade with his dirt-covered arms before going back to his Tonka trucks and a giant mound of earth. “I’m building a city around a mountain made of gold, and digging a swimming pool with the backhoe behind this stick house that’s really made of gold, too. Wanna help?”
Kade crouched beside his son. “What do you want me to do?”
Trent pushed a bright yellow truck over to his dad. “You run the dump truck and I’ll fill it with dirt that I dig up with the backhoe.” Memories of his own childhood came back in waves as he spent time with his son. When he was a kid, he would dig in the dirt, build forts in the mesquite bushes, or ride his bike. His biological father had never taken the time to play with him, and by the time Kade was Trent’s age, his dad was long gone.
The day Kade had learned Lorraine was pregnant, he vowed he would be there for his child. As often as possible, he would attend Trent’s Little League games, school recitals, 4-H competitions, and birthdays. He would take him to the county fair, play catch, and play in the dirt. He’d hoped to have more children—brothers and sisters for Trent—but he’d never found a woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with.
Until Kelsey.
“Say, Taz. What do you think of Kelsey?” Kade asked as he guided the truck to the mountain of dirt and dumped its load.
“She’s cool and lots of fun.” Trent used the little backhoe to dig more earth and lifted it into the back of the dump truck when Kade pushed it into place. “When you’re not here, sometimes she plays games with me and I show her all kinds of stuff.” He looked up at Kade and squinted. “Can we keep her?”
Kade chuckled. “That’s a great idea. But I think that’ll be up to Kelsey.”
Trent jumped up and brushed his dirty hands on his even dirtier jeans. “Let’s ask her.”
“Now hold on.” Kade grabbed the boy’s arms. “Don’t say anything to Kelsey, okay?”
“Why not?” Trent frowned. “I want her to stay here, with us.”
Kade paused, trying to think of a way to explain it to his son. “She lives where Aunt Dara does, which is far away.”
Trent scrunched his eyebrows as he thought about that. “In San-frisco?”
“Yes, San Francisco. That’s Kelsey’s home,” Kade said, “and she may want to go back there when she’s finished with her job here.”
Trent screwed up his face in thought. “We could ask her to stay with us.”
“What if she misses where she lives?” Kade pushed the dump truck toward a mound Trent had piled up. “She might not like living here, so far from her home.”
“Oh.” Trent eased off his dad’s lap and stood. “What should we do?”
“Leave that up to me.” Kade patted Trent’s shoulder. “Kelsey’s supposed to be here another week, so for now, promise that you won’t say anything about keeping her, yet. Okay?”
His son had a dejected look. “If she leaves I’m gonna really, really, really miss her.”
Kade stood and hugged his son. “Yeah. Same here.”
With the aid of Marnie Perez as interpreter, Kelsey spent the afternoon interviewing two illegal migrant farm workers. The men explained how poor their families in Mexico were and how the money they earned in the United States helped to keep their relatives from starvation.
Kelsey learned from their point of view how badly the smugglers treated them, yet the men were willing to accept it as a means to sneak into the United States and better their families’ lives.
When she finished the interview, Kelsey thanked the men and Marnie and headed back to the ranch in the waning light. The sun was setting low behind the mountains, crimson and tangerine streaking across the western sky. Her customary energy had vanished and she felt so tired that all she wanted to do was crawl into bed and sleep. Hugging Kade.
While she drove, gentle warmth filled her as she recalled waking up in Kade’s arms that morning. She couldn’t get enough of the man.
That was going to make it all the harder when it was time to go back to San Francisco.
Kelsey sighed and tried not to think about leaving him, but it was impossible. Less than a week now. Just days until her flight was scheduled to depart from Tucson. Originally, she’d considered changing her flight to stay and interview for a position with the Tucson magazine. But now she wasn’t sure she could be that close to Kade and not be with him.
One day at a time. She would cherish whatever time she had with him and then get on with her life, no matter how lonely that life would be without him. It took some effort, but she reminded herself again that she wasn’t ready for a permanent relationship. Her heart and soul had been so badly bruised by her ex-husband and her hard-hearted father that she couldn’t help think that Kade was too good to be true.
It was dark when she drove up to the ranch. Her pulse picked up when she saw Kade’s truck parked in the driveway. A feeling twisted through her belly, as if she were home. And that these people were family. The thought surprised her. No place had truly felt like home since her family was taken from her.
Thinking that way was only going to make things harder when she left.
Roxie bounded up and greeted Kelsey when she climbed out of the SUV, and she scratched the dog behind her ears. Roxie proceeded to slobber all over Kelsey’s shoes and jeans as she returned the greeting. There was just enough light from the porch that she could make her way to the house.
Kelsey caught her breath as a shadowy figure stepped out from behind the vehicle. When she realized it was Kade, her muscles went limp with relief.
“Kade,” she murmured, hand to her pounding heart.
“I missed you,” he said as he drew her close. His arms felt so good around her, she never wanted to leave his embrace.
“You scared me,” she said against his chest, her heart still pounding. She poked him in the ribs with one finger. “Don’t do that.”
Chuckling against her hair, he said, “I came outside so that I’d be able to kiss you without an audience.”
“I’m glad you did.” Kelsey reached up and brushed her lips over Kade’s. “Just don’t sneak up on me again. Got that, cowboy?”
“Uh-huh.” He grinned against her mouth. “What do you say to a little walk in the dark?”
She cocked an eyebrow. “Oh, and what do you have in mind, mister?”
With a roguish grin, Kade took her hand. “I want to take advantage of you.”
A low thrill skipped within her belly as he led her into the dark windbreak and past Trent’s playhouse.
Excitement flowed in her veins at just the thought of what Kade had in mind. Before she realized it, they were approaching his plane. She tried to stop, fear overwhelming her and replacing her arousal. “I can’t.” She shook her head. “Not in there.”
Kade gently pulled her toward the plane. “We’re not going to fly anywhere, honey. I just want someplace where I can have you all to myself.”
Taking a deep breath, Kelsey forced herself to go forward, telling herself it was all right since they were going to remain on the ground. Just the warmth of Kade’s big hand covering hers helped to calm the fear churning in her belly.
When they got to the plane, Kelsey’s heart was pounding like mad, but she let Kade help her into the back and she settled herself on the edge of the seat as if she might bolt at any moment. It was a little four-seater, not a six like—
No. Don’t think about it. Kelsey.
When Kade climbed in he shut the door behind him. He sat in one of the back seats and pulled Kelsey onto his lap. For a long time he held her, just kissing her hair and hugging her close. She smelled that peculiar odor that small planes had along with dust, as well as night air and Kade’s comforting scent.
Gradually the fear eased and Kelsey relaxed. Instead she focused on Kade. He felt solid and real next to her and he smelled so good, like testosterone and his own elemental scent. The fact that they were in a small plane didn’t seem to matter any longer as she focused on the man who held her so tightly to his chest. She felt safe and secure and she knew that he would never let anything happen to her.
***
Kade felt Kelsey’s body relax, and he squeezed her tighter to him.
She turned her face to his and lightly kissed his mouth. “I’m all right now,” she murmured as her lips brushed his cheek. “And I want you. Right here in the plane. I want you.”
He trailed his thumb across her lower lip and smiled. “Let’s get you out of those jeans.”
After she kicked off her shoes, Kelsey sat on the floor and Kade helped her shimmy out of her jeans and panties. She tugged off her blouse and tossed her bra aside. In the dim light from the half-moon he could see her voluptuous shape and he couldn’t wait to get inside her.
Kade unzipped his jeans, releasing his erection. He was still sitting on his seat and Kelsey rose up, sliding between his thighs and grasping his cock in her small hand. She lowered her head and gave a little sigh as she slipped her lips over the head of his cock. She clenched one hand in his jeans and used the other to stroke his erection while she applied light suction with her mouth.
A groan rose up from Kade as he slid his hands into her silky hair. “You go down on me so good.”
Kelsey merely replied with, “Mmmmm.”
Kade groaned again and clenched his hands tighter in her hair. “Your mouth feels so hot and wet on my cock. And what you do with that tongue of yours... damn.”
He was so close to coming that he almost lost control. He held her head still as he pulled a condom out of his pocket. In the dim light pouring into the plane, he could see her satisfied smile.
He sheathed his cock and grabbed her around the waist, pulling her up and over his erection. She sank down on him, his cock sliding into her.
***
“You feel incredible.” Kelsey couldn’t believe how she just couldn’t get enough of this man. She braced her hands on his shoulders as he gripped her hips and moved her up and down. “I love it when you’re wearing all your clothes—your jeans and cowboy hat—and I’m naked and you’re—you’re...”
“Fucking you?” Kade said with a teasing sound to his voice.
Heat rose to her cheeks and she nodded. “Yeah.”
“What about making love to you?” he murmured, and more heat flushed over her.
She didn’t know how to respond, so she just rode him harder.
Her breasts bounced and Kade licked her nipples and gripped her ass, guiding her along even faster.
Everything around Kelsey blurred until she felt as though she were flying—that the airplane was gliding and she was riding it out in a storm. But she wasn’t afraid, she was safe with Kade.
Higher and higher she soared until she came with a shuddering cry that echoed in the small plane. Kade continued to raise her up and down on his cock and she held on to his shoulders for support, too boneless to guide her own moments.
Several more thrusts and Kade groaned and climaxed, his cock throbbing in her channel. He held her still for a few moments, riding out his orgasm until he was spent.
With a soul-deep sigh Kelsey relaxed, her naked breasts pressed against his chest, his cock still deep within her. “Ready for another round?” she murmured, and Kade laughed.
“Anytime, sweetheart.” He kissed the top of her head. “Anyplace.”