Page 25

Chapter

Thirteen

T hey left the car and went upstairs to her apartment. Opening the door, Kelby sensed the air being stale. It had been weeks since she had been home.

Only this was no longer home now. Home was in Hawthorne.

With West.

She definitely saw a future with this man. She hadn’t told him that she loved him yet, but her heart sang out that she did. Kelby only hoped that their time together now would be as perfect as she had imagined.

Going to a candle, she lit it. “I hope this will help,” she said.

When she turned back, she started to speak again, but words wouldn’t form. West was looking at her ravenously.

“Come here, Kelby,” he said in a low rumble, causing her pulse to leap.

She did as he asked, stopping just before him. He ran his fingers through her long strands of hair.

“Do you know how often I’ve thought about doing this?” he asked, his head cocked to one side.

His fingers continued to sift through her hair, their tips brushing her scalp and then trailing through her locks. It caused her heart to quicken. Her mouth to grow dry. Heat pooled in her belly.

“Maybe once or twice?” she asked, a smile playing on her lips.

His fingers stopped, and he cupped her cheeks.

“You were all I could think about those last few weeks of high school. I failed an economics test because I was daydreaming about you. The bell rang and jolted me. I hadn’t written a single thing on the pages.

I waited until everyone left and handed in my paper.

Miss Alexander asked if I hadn’t studied for the test, seeing the blank pages.

I admitted to her that while I had studied, I couldn’t concentrate on anything. Because of you.”

Kelby’s heart skipped a beat. “Seriously?”

“Seriously. She told me that she’d been in love once, so she knew exactly how I felt.

Asked if I could stay after school that same day and take the test. I had to miss baseball practice to do it, but the coach cleared me.

Miss A put me on the clock. Told me she wouldn’t remind me of the time if she saw I was woolgathering.

I buckled down and forced myself to think about monetary policy and the Fed. Net exports and international finance.”

West grinned. “When we got our tests back the next day, I had an A+.”

“Well, you always were a top student.” Kelby hesitated.

“I thought about you, too. It’s funny how we had known each other since we were in diapers, but I suddenly saw you in a different light those last couple of months of school.

I even thought about giving up going to UT so I could be near you, but I knew you wouldn’t have a lot of time for me.

Plus, Mom would have been so disappointed since she had cheered for the Longhorns.

Darby, too. We’d made the squad together and were slated to be roommates. ”

His hands framed her face. “I still think we made the right decision back then. But that was then. This is now. And I still have all those unresolved feelings, Kelby.”

“Then you better do something about them.”

West’s mouth moved to hers, hovering over it slightly for a moment as her heart slammed against her ribs. Then his lips were on hers, moving, nibbling, teasing her mouth open. He kissed her deeply, leisurely exploring, playfully moving his tongue against hers.

Each kiss was more drugging than the one before.

His hands slid down her back, cupping her buttocks and squeezing, bringing new sensations.

She leaned into him. Into his heat. His scent.

Wrapping her arms about him and moving so close that their bodies were pressed together, molded against one another as if they were two halves of a whole finally coming together after being separated.

The hunger grew inside her as their kisses became more frantic.

She felt West branding her as his, and she reveled in that idea.

His fingers matched hers as they both unbuttoned each other’s shirts, parting them.

Her hands moved up and down his sleek chest, her fingers brushing against abs hard and flat.

He pulled her blouse over her shoulders and down, kissing her neck as he did.

It fluttered to the floor, his lips traveling along her collarbones, heat trailing as he did.

She managed to get his shirt off him as he slid her bra’s clasp apart, ridding her of it.

His arms wrapped around her, pulling her close.

Her breasts pressed against the hard wall of his chest, her core beginning to pound violently, wanting his touch.

They kissed again for a long time, his hands stroking her back. Then he broke the kiss.

“These have got to come off,” he insisted, undoing her tailored trousers. His mouth followed the pants, his tongue gliding along her thigh to her calf. She slipped off her shoes and stepped from the black slacks, only wearing her panties now.

He peeled them away and she stepped out of them as he stood, his hands firmly gripping her buttocks.

He walked her backward, all the way to her bedroom, kneading her bottom as he did so.

The back of her legs bumped against the bed, and he lifted her onto it, leaning her back against the mattress.

Then he kissed her, hard and possessive, causing the fire within her to turn into a blaze.

His tongue worked its way down her body again as he nudged her legs apart. It plunged inside her.

Instantly, she arched, need pouring through her.

His tongue stroked her deeply, and she found herself whimpering, meeting each thrust of it.

He teased her with tongue, teeth, and fingers, causing a sudden, violent orgasm to erupt.

She bucked against his mouth, crying out, tears escaping her eyes as he gave and gave and she continued to take.

Then she grew limp, not thinking she could lift a finger.

West stepped away, stripping away the rest of his clothing as she looked at him through slitted eyes. He had a magnificent physique, the body of a professional athlete in his prime.

And that body was hers for the taking.

Energized now, she was ready when he lifted her from the bed, pulling back the covers, and placing her against the pillows. He climbed up, hovering over her, but she shook her head.

“My turn for fun,” she told him, pushing him to his back and having her wicked way with him.

Kelby touched him everywhere, stroking him with hands and tongue, learning every bit of his incredible, muscled body. He seemed to do the same, as if he memorized her every curve. They became frantic, their hands searching, seeking, their kisses almost desperate now.

“My wallet,” he croaked. “Need a condom.”

“I’m on the pill,” she told him. “My periods were always erratic. It helps even them out.”

“But I?—”

“When was the last time you were with someone?” she asked, almost hating to hear his answer.

“It’s been a while. Months.”

“Then I think we’re fine.”

His crooked grin tugged at her heart. “Then I think it’s time you rode this Cowboy.”

West lifted her by the waist, settling her atop his cock. He lowered her onto it, and it sank deeply into her. Filling her. Satisfying her as never before.

She began moving sensually, finding a rhythm that pleased them both, starting slowly and then building, the pace becoming more frenetic. Desire poured through her as she moved. Stroked. Caressed. Kissed.

And then exploded.

Her orgasm rocked her, and she felt him tensing, his voice calling her name, even as she called his. They climaxed together, in a rush of heat and need. She collapsed atop him, her cheek resting against his heart, its erratic pounding in her ear.

His hand stroked her hair, and he kissed the top of her head. No words were necessary. They lay against one another, their hearts calming, their bodies cooling.

Then West lifted her chin, causing their gazes to meet.

“That was mind-blowing sex, Blackstone. You almost killed me.”

“Ditto, Sutherland.”

They grinned at one another.

Then he grew serious. “I need to tell you something. Something important.”

He was still inside her, their bodies connected, and she didn’t want to move from him. Pillowing her hands atop one another, she rested her chin on them and asked, “What?”

Raking a hand through his hair, he said, “I know this is probably the wrong time to voice this. People would think I was crazy if they knew I was saying this to you now.” He hesitated, his gaze searching hers.

“I love you, Kelby. I always have. I forced it deep inside me because I couldn’t do anything about it years ago.

I’ve never found any woman who comes close to holding a candle to you.

You’re smart. Beautiful. Caring. I don’t expect to hear you echo anything, but I had to tell you. ”

Hearing these words from West caused a ball of happiness to form in her belly, a ball of sunshine which quickly spread through her. She brushed the back of her fingers against his cheek.

“I love you, too, West. I can’t believe I’m saying that. That we’ve found one another again. That we’re finally in the same place at the same time and free to be together.”

He pushed his fingers into her hair, massaging her scalp. She closed her eyes and almost purred because it felt so good. So right.

“I’m yours if you’ll have me, Kelby,” he said softly.

She opened her eyes, meeting his turquoise ones. “I want all of you, West. Now. And always.”

They made love again. Tenderly. Slowly. When they came again and pure pleasure washed through her, she felt as if making love with West was the beginning of a new life. A new her. A new them. Together.

Finally, after all these years, Kelby knew that she had found her soulmate. The One.

And the fact that it was West Sutherland made the dream a solid reality.

They snuggled together, their limbs entwined. It was as if they couldn’t bear not to be touching one another. They talked for a long time, about everything and nothing, and then they fell asleep.

When she woke, the sun was setting. West stirred, and they kissed deeply.

Breaking the kiss, he said, “Hey, Kelby?”

“Yes?” she said sleepily.

“I think we should get married.”

Her body stiffened. She was now wide awake. “What did you say?”

“I want to marry you,” West said. “I’ve never come close to wanting to marry anyone.”

His thumb caressed her bottom lip, and then he kissed her, long and slow.

She pulled away. “Does it bother you that I was already married once?”

“Vaguely,” he replied. “I’m a little jealous that Bax got to spend years with you.”

“They weren’t good ones, West. I think we were too young to get married. When his first serious injury occurred, he didn’t have the maturity to know how to handle it, and I didn’t know how to handle him. He turned into someone I never knew existed. Things went downhill fast.”

He kissed her softly. “I’m sorry you went through all that pain.

I’m not saying our life together will be perfect.

We’re both strong personalities. We’ll clash every now and then.

But I think we have the maturity to talk through things when a problem crops up.

We won’t hide anything from one another.

We won’t ignore if a problem arises. We’ll deal with it, head on.

And we love one another, Kelby. The love has always been there. It’ll guide us and keep us true.”

A peace settled over her, a calmness she had never known.

And she liked it.

“So, we’re really going to do this.”

He grinned. “Yup. We’re really going to do this.”

“Don’t tell me you want to get married now. In Dallas.”

“Why not?”

“First, your mom would kill you. And then me. It would be the shortest widowhood in history. Seriously, West. I think you owe it to your parents to have at least a small wedding.” She kissed him. “And then we could have plenty of time for a honeymoon before you start your new coaching job.”

“I guess you’ll always be my voice of reason. Okay. A small wedding in Hawthorne. Just family. I’ll want Summer and Autumn there. And it would be nice if both Sawyer and Darby could come.”

“Darby definitely. She’ll be my maid of honor. And Chance.” She paused. “I want Dad there, too. That might be a problem.”

“We’ll figure it out when we get back to Hawthorne,” West promised. “Right now, I’m starving. For food first. Then you.”

“Campisi’s?” she asked, knowing how much he loved pizza. “It’s the best in town.”

“I agree. But let’s call in the order and bring it back here.

” A shadow crossed his face. “It’s hard for me to be out in public, Kelby.

I know we won’t be in Dallas often, and my fame will fade quickly.

I just don’t want people coming up, interrupting our dinner, asking for selfies.

I selfishly want you all to myself tonight. And after pizza?”

He waggled his eyebrows, which made her laugh.

“After pizza, we’ll get to know one another better,” she promised. “In every single way we can imagine.”