Defending Hearts (11 page)

“You move pretty fast once you make up your mind,” he said. “Let’s not rush this part, though.”

She didn’t intend to. She’d been denying herself the highly anticipated pleasure of Alex’s touch for too long to let it be over too soon. “I’ll try to take my time getting your clothes off, but it won’t be easy.”

“Any chance of you getting naked first?”

She grinned, slowly shaking her head. “I don’t want you distracted.”

“You don’t have to be naked to distract me.” He squeezed her ass, pulling her even closer, so she had to brace her hands on his shoulders to keep from falling on top of him. While he might have enjoyed that, she had other plans.

Reaching back, she took his hands and made another attempt at pulling him to his feet. This time when he resisted, she tugged harder and won the battle.

Once he was standing, she hooked her arms around his neck and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him because she wanted his lips on hers before she did anything else.

This kiss was even better, his mouth hot and demanding, because she wasn’t torn between wanting him and knowing they should stop. There was no ongoing argument in her mind or trying to ignore the intense need that his touch inflamed in her.

There would be no stopping this time.

She bunched the fabric of his T-shirt in her hands, slowly gathering the fabric as they kissed. When she got to his chest, she stepped back and made him pull his arms out before working it over his head. T-shirt tossed away, she ran her hands over his naked chest and smiled.

“What’s that look for?” he asked.

“I’ve spent a lot of time imagining running my hands over your body, so now that I have the chance, I intend to enjoy it.”

“You won’t hear any complaints from me.”

“Before we go any further—” He groaned and she scowled at him. “You said I wouldn’t hear any complaints from you.”

“I didn’t say a word.”

“That was a complaint sound.”

He looped one finger through a lock of her hair. “I was simply acknowledging that now’s a perfect time to stop and have a conversation.”

“I just want to know if you have protection or if I have to make a trip to my room, because I’d rather do it now than later.” She’d ordered a box of condoms on the Internet, making sure a few other things they needed were packed with it, because when Chase bought condoms in the hope
of getting lucky with Kelly, it was handled with the usual Stewart Mills discretion. Even Gram had known about the purchase.

“My nightstand drawer,” he said, tugging on the strands of hair wrapped around his finger.

“Good.” She reached down and unbuttoned his jeans, laughing when his stomach muscles tightened in reaction to the touch of her knuckles. They didn’t relax any when she very slowly worked the zipper down, either.

“You’re killing me.”

“The race was your idea.”

He sucked in a breath when she tucked her fingers under his waistband. “I assumed I would win.”

She might have laughed if she wasn’t so aware of the erection pressing against the open fly of his jeans. It was probably getting painful for him, so she worked the denim down over his hips. He exhaled slowly, as if in relief, and obediently stepped out of the jeans and let her pull off his socks as she tapped each knee.

As she stood, she ran her hands up his thighs, letting her fingertips slide under the legs of his boxer briefs. Scratching lightly with her fingernails, she tilted her head back to see his face. He had his eyes closed and looked like a man whose self-control was hanging by a thread.

Deciding to leave the boxer briefs for the time being, Gretchen stood straight and ran her fingertip down his chin and over his Adam’s apple. He opened his eyes and gave her a hopeful smile. “Is it time for you to get naked now?”

“I’m not done stripping you yet.”

“You were just down there and I’m not naked, so I thought maybe you lost your nerve.”

“You’re pretty mouthy for a guy who’s almost naked.”

“It’s
your
mouth I’m more interested in.” He cupped the back of her head in one of those big hands, pulling her close. “I love your mouth.”

He kissed her deeply until she moaned against his lips and her fingernails bit into his shoulders. His other hand yanked up on the hem of her T-shirt so he could get under it and feel her bare skin.

“I think we can start stripping me now,” she said against his mouth.

He didn’t waste any time getting her out of her clothes. And as he slid her cow pajama pants down her legs, managing to take her underwear with them, he made an appreciative moaning sound. Seconds later, he kicked his boxer briefs into the pile and pulled her up against him.

His skin was hot, and the length of his erection pressed against her lower belly. She moved her hips a little, rubbing across his sensitive flesh, and his hand fisted in her hair. With a growl, his mouth took hers again. The kiss was hard and fast, and then he turned, lifting her onto the bed.

The look he gave her was almost enough to send her over the edge, and she grabbed his hand to yank him down beside her. He grinned and pushed her hair back from her face. “I love your eyes.”

“You don’t have to say pretty words to get in my pants, you know. My pants are already on the floor.”

He kissed the center of her throat before shaking his head. Stretching out beside her, he slid his hand down her stomach to the aching juncture of her thighs. “I told you I love your eyes because I love your eyes.”

“Gaze into them all you want,” she told him, her body
practically quivering in anticipation, “but just move those fingers a little bit lower.”

Her hips bucked against his hand when he hit the sweet spot and she whimpered, but he just smiled as he slipped one finger inside her. “I guess I don’t have to wonder if you really want me.”

She didn’t answer him for a few seconds, savoring the friction of his hand against her sensitive flesh. “I’ve wanted you since the day you got here.”

“Really?” He worked another finger inside her. She sucked in a breath, grinding against his hand. “You’re very good at hiding your thoughts.”

“I think it was the shoulders.” She trailed her nails over his shoulder, making him shiver. “And your smile.”

He stroked her and kissed her until her hips bucked against his hand and she was practically ready to beg him for more. When he bent his head to run his tongue around her nipple before sucking it into his mouth, she couldn’t take it anymore.

Reaching down between them, she wrapped her fingers around the hard length of his erection and stroked, squeezing just slightly. He inhaled sharply, then muttered a curse against her skin.

“You can’t keep doing that,” he warned in a husky voice.

“I think it’s only fair, don’t you?” She brushed her thumb over the tip, and then laughed when he reached down and jerked her hand away.

“You won’t be laughing if I come and you haven’t yet,” he warned.

He had a point, she thought as he got off the bed to grab a condom from the nightstand drawer. He also had a very
fine ass, and once he was covered and between her thighs, she filled her hands with it.

When he pushed into her, Gretchen closed her eyes and dug her fingers into his flesh to urge him on. He rocked his hips, filling her more completely with every stroke, until he was totally inside her.

Alex stilled, bending his head to close his mouth around her nipple. He sucked, gently at first, and then harder. When she made an impatient sound, deep in her throat, he lifted his head to grin at her. Then he lowered his lips to her other breast.

When she couldn’t take it anymore, she cupped his jaw in her hands and hauled his face to hers. She kissed him, dipping her tongue against his, as she lifted her hips to force him to move.

Slowly at first, Alex obeyed her unspoken command. With slow, even thrusts, he moved within her. She slid her fingers into his hair, then ran her hands down his neck and over his shoulders. The muscles in his back flexed with each thrust, and she trailed her nails over them.

His pace quickened and he nipped at her mouth, then at her throat. “God, you’re beautiful. Don’t close your eyes. Look at me.”

She opened her eyes, looking into his intense gaze. “I need more. Please. I can’t . . .”

He lifted her knees, opening her even more to his body. The thrusts were deeper and harder, and Gretchen felt her breath catch in her chest. Then she felt his hand—his thumb brushing over the sensitive nub where their bodies met. “Yes.”

The orgasm rocked her, and she curled her fingers around the brass rails of the headboard, her back arching off the
bed. Alex’s breath came in ragged, hot bursts against her skin as he found his own release.

When he collapsed on top of her, Gretchen let go of the headboard and wrapped her arms around his waist to hold him close. He kissed her neck and her throat, then kissed the top of her breast, his breath still coming in quick, shallow pants.

“I needed that so much,” he said, his words slightly muffled as he spoke against her neck. “Needed
you
so much.”

“I needed that, too.” She kissed his hair. “It was worth the wait, though. Maybe even better because the anticipation built up, you know.”

“Interesting theory. Give me a few minutes and we’ll test it out.” He brushed a few strands of her hair away from his face. “We’ll see if it’s just as good without the wait and the buildup of anticipation.”

Gretchen smiled and ran her fingers through his hair. She had absolutely no doubt it would be.

G
retchen woke slowly to the sun streaming over her face and did something she almost never did—she rolled over, pulled the light blanket over her head and closed her eyes again.

Today, she didn’t care about the chickens or the horses or those stupid pumpkins. She wanted to stay in bed and savor the feeling of contentment and slightly sore muscles. Maybe she’d take a long, hot bath. Then she’d spend the rest of the day in her cow pajama pants, curled up on the couch with a book.

Or with Alex.

She wasn’t sure where he’d gone, but she was surprised he’d awakened before her. Not that he was lazy in the mornings, but she was an up-before-the-dawn kind of girl
by nature. And she also hoped wherever he’d gone involved the kitchen and the coffeemaker.

Coffee.
She was willing to get out of bed for coffee. And since she was up, she may as well go out and gather any eggs the chickens saw fit to gift them. While she was out there, she may as well take care of the horses.

So much for spending the day in her robe, she thought with a disgusted sigh. After a quick shower to help kick her into gear, she got dressed and went in search of Alex. When she was halfway down the stairs, she caught the scent of coffee, but she didn’t smell breakfast.

“Good morning,” he said when she walked into the kitchen.

He was leaning against the counter, sipping from a mug. Shirtless and barefoot, he was only wearing unbuttoned jeans, and Gretchen had to admit Alex Murphy wasn’t a bad sight to wake up to.

Especially when he reached over and picked up another coffee mug, which he held out to her. She took a long sip and then smiled at him. “Good morning.”

“I was thinking,” he said. “After you take care of whatever you need to outside, we should go to O’Rourke’s and have breakfast.”

“We have breakfast stuff.” While Gram would know better than she did what was in the fridge and the pantry, they always had food. “Don’t we?”

“Yeah, but wouldn’t it be nice to relax and let somebody else do all the work? We can take our time and have coffee refills and then stick somebody else with the dirty dishes.”

That did sound nice.
Really
nice. It wasn’t quite a flannel
robe all day, but it would still feel a little decadent and lazy. “I like that idea.”

“Good.” He gave her a look that practically sizzled over the rim of his mug. “I like having you to myself.”

She rushed through her morning chores as quickly as possible, which made her laugh. She’d gone from wanting to skip chores to doing them like they were an Olympic event just because Alex wanted to take her out to breakfast. And the promise of unlimited coffee refills didn’t hurt, either.

O’Rourke’s was busier than she’d expected, though, and she belatedly realized it was Saturday morning. Living her entire life around the farm, there were times she knew what day it was only because there was a calendar hanging on the pantry door where Gram kept track of things.

And, of course, everybody looked up as they were led to an open table, and she knew there would be a lot of whispering. Not that it bothered her what they thought, but it always annoyed her when people gossiped in a way that was obvious to the person being talked about. She’d seen it when Kelly started dating Chase, and it had gotten on her nerves then, too.

“You can tell people we were here because I was interviewing you, if it makes you feel better,” Alex said when they’d been seated and served coffee.

“What?”

“You’ve been wound as tight as an eight-day watch since we walked in.” He shrugged. “I’ve bought a few people lunch here while talking to them for my story, so it’s something I’m known to do. Of course, some people might think it odd I brought you here when I’m staying in
your house, but you can tell them it was my way of saying thank you.”

She realized he thought she was uncomfortable because people might think she was on a date with him. A breakfast date, no less. “Why would I need to tell anybody anything? Everybody in the place is here for the same reason we are. Food.”

“It doesn’t bother you that they might think we’re sleeping together?”

“Doesn’t faze me in the least.” She took a sip of her coffee, considering that. “I guess I care what Gram thinks.”

“I could be wrong, but I suspect Ida wouldn’t really have a problem with us having a morning-after breakfast, if you know what I mean.”

She did know, but she didn’t think they were on the same page as far as her grandmother. No, Gram wouldn’t get bent out of shape about Gretchen sleeping with a man. But considering how Gram considered Alex practically part of the family already, it wasn’t her judgment Gretchen feared. It was Gram’s expectations.

“I also don’t want Gram to think morning-after breakfasts might become a usual thing for us, if you know what
I
mean.”

“Ah. She’s a smart lady. I think she’ll figure out what’s up without too much drama.”

“Probably.” Gretchen opened her menu and looked over the breakfast choices. Maybe it was the workout she’d gotten last night, or maybe it was because she’d usually eaten by now, but she was starving. “Do you know what you’re having? They have a fruit cup.”

He gave her a look over the top of his menu. “I don’t think
a fruit cup is going to cut it today. I’m in a French toast kind of mood, and I think I earned myself some bacon, don’t you?”

She felt warmth on her cheeks as she nodded. “Definitely.”

When their server returned, they ordered their breakfasts, including a side of bacon for Alex.

“Tell me about your favorite photograph you’ve ever taken,” she said, propping her chin on her hands.

“Well, there’s this hot woman and a truck and some pumpkins.”

“I’m serious,” she said, though she was kind of laughing as she said it.

“Actually, I
am
very proud of that photo. But of the other ones I’ve taken . . . there have been so many.”

He talked about some of them, and Gretchen was content to sit and listen to the pride in his voice. Sometimes he used technical words she didn’t understand, but he had a way of talking about his work that was very sexy. He was confident, knew what he was doing and did it well.

When their breakfasts arrived, they did less talking and more eating. Gram was a good cook—at least as good as anybody who cooked for Cass and Don at O’Rourke’s—but Alex had been right. Sometimes it just tasted better when you could sit back and let somebody else do all the work.

Once their plates were cleared, they each had a third cup of coffee, which they took their time drinking. The crowd had thinned, and empty tables meant they didn’t feel rushed at all.

“How come you don’t get more chickens?” he asked out of the blue.

“The chickens we have are enough of a pain in the ass. Why would I want more?”

“Couldn’t you sell the eggs? With everybody jumping on the organic bandwagon, wouldn’t that be a moneymaker?”

She shook her head. “Organic doesn’t simply mean the egg came from a happy farm chicken. There are strict guidelines to meet to get that stamp, and I don’t have the time or energy for it. And by the time I go through the process of gathering, storing and delivering the eggs, the profit margin wouldn’t merit the extra work.”

“So you looked into it?”

She shrugged. “I’ve looked into pretty much everything. Even bees, since people love jars of local honey. The problem with that endeavor, however, is that it involves bees.”

His laugh was rich and carried through O’Rourke’s. A few people turned to look, but he didn’t seem to care.

They talked for a while longer, covering a little bit of everything, until Gretchen noticed the server was going around the room with the coffeepot again.

“Do we want another refill?” She rarely said no to more coffee, but they’d both already had quite a bit.

“I don’t know. What time is Ida supposed to be home today?”

“She said it wouldn’t be until late, probably even after dark. They’ll be at the craft show most of the day, and they’ll want to have supper before they hit the road.”

“So we could feasibly go back to bed for a couple of hours if we don’t spend all day in town.”

Gretchen grinned and put her folded-up napkin in her empty mug to signal that she was done. “I think I’ve had enough coffee.”

—

B
ecause they’d gotten distracted the night before and Ida was due home anytime, Alex volunteered to help Gretchen clean the kitchen. After spending the bulk of the afternoon in his bed, they’d thrown a quick meal together before helping each other shower.

But the clock was ticking on their alone time and Ida wasn’t going to be impressed to come home to two meals’ worth of dirty dishes sitting in the sink. She was laid-back about many things, but dishes in the sink was not one of them.

“You really don’t have to help, you know,” Gretchen said. “There aren’t that many.”

“Then we’ll be done that much faster. I’ll wash and you dry.”

“You always wash.”

“I hate drying and putting away. And you hate washing, so why are you complaining?”

“I wasn’t complaining. Just an observation.” She took the first mug he washed out of the drainer and ran the towel over it. “Speaking of observations, you’ve spent a lot of time digging into people’s lives since you got here. Even mine, actually, since I
never
talk about my parents but ended up telling you all about them. You have this great ability to get people to open up to you, but you don’t say much about yourself.”

“People don’t really ask. And if they did ask, it wouldn’t require digging. I’m pretty much an open book.” He thought about what she’d said for a second. “And I’ve told you things. I don’t think anybody else in Stewart Mills knows I gained so much weight after football that I was extremely unhealthy and have to watch my diet. Not even Chase.”

“I know you were married once. You never really talk about that.”

His divorce wasn’t something he was ashamed of, but it wasn’t something he was really proud of, either. “Do most people just go around talking about their ex-spouses? Failed marriages don’t usually make for great dinner conversation.”

“Maybe not, but, like I said, you know more about me than I usually tell people. So you and your ex-wife didn’t have kids?”

He looked at her, a little hurt she didn’t give him more credit than that. “No kids. If I had children, they would
definitely
have come up in conversation. And I should point out you haven’t told me about your romantic past, either, so it’s not like I’m being secretive. It’s just not something people randomly talk about.”

“I’ve dated. I have yet to meet a man I want to keep who doesn’t mind the idea of living on a farm. So we spend some time together and then, when it’s run its course, we move on, and that’s my relationship history in a nutshell. See? Not worth talking about.”

It bothered him that she was so casual about it, though it took him a moment to realize why. Their relationship fit that pattern, too, so it was only a matter of time before he became somebody not worth talking about to Gretchen. It hurt him a little to think that someday she’d be as nonchalant about him as she was about the other men in her past.

“Did you meet your wife at college?” she asked.

“No. I met my ex-wife at a gallery showing of my work in Philadelphia. She’s a lawyer and she stopped in with some coworkers because she liked a photo I’d taken in Hawaii and wanted to know which island it was.”

“So you already traveled a lot when you started dating her? It seems like it would be different if you’d started your career
after
you got together, but she knew what she was signing up for.”

He nodded. “She knew, but I guess she thought I would cut back when we got married. I never said that to her, but I think she built a new life for us in her head and didn’t share it with me, so I never had the chance to agree or disagree.”

“Did she ever travel with you? I mean, not when you went somewhere dangerous, but if you were doing photos for travel magazines or whatever.”

He washed the last plate and pulled the plug before rinsing the soap away and setting it in the drainer. “She did once, when I was going to the Caribbean and she had some vacation time to burn. But she had her own career, and following me around the world wasn’t going to help her climb the law firm’s ladder.”

Gretchen put the last dish in the cabinet and hung the towel through its loop. “How long did you plan to do the long-distance thing?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. We lived in Philly, which isn’t hard to get flights in and out of, so I was probably home more often once we got married than I had been in the past. I probably would have cut back when it was time to start a family, but that wasn’t something in the cards for her until she felt secure in her career.”

“Well.” She gave him a small smile. “I’m sorry it didn’t work out.”

“I guess if it
had
worked out, being here with you would be a whole lot more awkward.”

“True. Hey, we finished just in time.”

He heard the car a few seconds before its headlights splashed through the living room windows, and he hoped the momentary disappointment he felt didn’t show on his face. As much as he liked Ida and Cocoa, he’d really enjoyed having some alone time with Gretchen.

By the time they got outside, Cocoa had already been set free and she ran to greet them. Once she’d received some affection and a high five from each of them, she set out to sniff every blade of grass in the yard to make sure nothing had changed.

Alex carried in Ida’s bag while the women chatted, then made another trip for Cocoa’s bag and the leftover food Ida had brought for her. There was also a large bag of yarn with Ida’s name written on it, so he grabbed that, too.

“I had the most wonderful time,” Ida said when her friends had gone and they were all inside. “So did Cocoa. She was so funny playing with those golden retrievers. I wish they lived closer so the dogs could have playdates.”

Alex looked at Cocoa, who had immediately gone to her pillow in the corner and collapsed on it as though Ida had made her walk every square inch of the city. “She definitely burned off some energy.”