Owned (16 page)

“Take one of the ranch trucks, you’re on the insurance already,” I told him. “They’re newer than your truck, and they all have AAA.”

“You’re so cute, worrying about me,” Dean cooed, kissing me on the top of my head as he grabbed the keys.

“Cute? No one’s ever called me cute before,” I said disgustedly.

“That’s not true, I called you cute once and you kicked my feet out from under me and landed my ass in the mud,” Nate replied.

“That will happen when you piss me off.” I nodded in agreement. “Safe flight, you guys.”

“If these two give you any trouble, call me and I’ll be on the first flight back to chew out their asses,” Jamie insisted, kissing my cheek.

“That goes double for me,” Nate added, giving me a quick kiss on the lips.

“You kissed me!” I gasped in surprise.

“I’ve always wanted to, I figured I’d better steal my chance before you decide to keep these two.” He laughed at my expression. I just stood there shocked as they both headed to the truck waving.

“Can I kiss you too?” Jared asked quietly, his voice filled with uncertainty after they pulled away and we were in the living room. He caught me by surprise. I couldn’t talk so I just nodded. He closed the distance between us in three easy steps and placed just his fingertips against my cheek. He looked me in the eyes and slowly leaned in and gave me a wonderful, gentle kiss. Just from that I felt sparks throughout my body.

“Wow,” I said breathlessly when he pulled away.

“Me too.” His chest heaved and his gaze was intense. Keeping his hand where it was, he stroked my cheek. “Do you forgive me? I never meant to hurt you, Kate.”

“Yeah, I do. I forgave you when I saw you crying when the doctor told you the extent of my injuries,” I replied with a tired sigh. “I saw how bad you felt, and realized you really didn’t mean to hurt me once I let all the news sink in and digested it some. And I don’t mean just physically.”

“Why didn’t you tell me I was hurting you?” he asked, his eyes filling up with tears.

“Jared, the physical wasn’t a big deal. Yeah, you deserved a smack for not paying attention but it was no big deal. I was hurt that you didn’t seem to care if I got off or not. At first it was all passion and fireworks and then it was all about you.”

“I’m so sorry, baby,” he said, leaning in for another kiss. It was deeper this time, but still as gentle.

“I’m not very good at this,” I admitted when we broke away. “I don’t know if Dean told you about my dating history, but I don’t really have one. Can we take it slow?”

“He told me, Kate, and we can take it as slow as you want. I promise to always check with you before I do something, I won’t ever act like that again.”

“Okay. I want to tell you something, and it’s going to sound silly, but after you were so honest with me, I want to be the same.” I looked up at him, and when he nodded, I took a deep breath. “That day you carried me in and I snuggled on your lap, I’ve never done that before. I’m not really good with people touching me.”

“I know, Jamie and Nate explained why they reacted the way they did.”

“Jamie asked me why I let you and I told her, it was one of the only times I felt safe.”

“And I blew it by hurting you, I’m so sorry, baby.”

“I’m not saying that you blew it, I just wanted to tell you that it made me feel safe. And that’s a lot for me,” I said, looking down as my face flushed. “I want to always feel that way with you. It’s not that I didn’t like you jumping me and your passion, it just scared me too.”

“You don’t have to hide from me.” He tilted my chin up. “I’m glad you felt safe, and it means a lot to me that you told me. I promise next time I jump you that I’ll call a time-out into it and check you’re okay. And I’ll learn how to get my damn zipper out of the way when I do. And I’ll make sure you finish twice for my every one because that’s how you deserved to be treated, like a precious gift I won’t ever be selfish with again.”

That made me smile and I knew the fight was over. I wasn’t mad and I did want him to attack me like that again one day. “Will you stay with me tonight? I mean sleep in my bed?”

“I’d love to, Kate.”

“I’m not normally needy like this, it’s just with everything going on—” I explained but didn’t get to finish because he kissed me again.

“It’s not being needy. It’s just something you need. I need to hold you too, but I didn’t want to push my luck.”

“Can we eat first? I’m hungry, and I’m starting to feel pain again.”

“Of course,” he chuckled as he picked me up before making our way to the kitchen. He gently put me down on the counter of the island. “We’ve got some leftovers. Or do you like pasta?”

“I do. Do you cook?”

“Yes, but I wouldn’t call any of those fancy French chefs and tell them I’m taking their job just yet. I’m more a grilling man, but I can do a lot of the basics.”

“Jamie and Nate told you all my favorite foods, didn’t they?”

“They did. They said you didn’t eat very much when you were sad and that we should have your favorites around to help you eat,” he told me with a wink.

“Well, there are a few on that list that I’m sure aren’t accurate,” I snickered. When he turned and lifted and eyebrow at me I explained. “Some of them were stuff Jamie made that I didn’t have the heart to tell her I didn’t like.”

“For instance?”

“I’m not a big chicken fan, I really don’t like white meat in general. I’m more a leg and thigh girl,” I said and then burst out laughing when I realized how that sounded. Jared’s eyes shined with mirth but he simply watched me laugh as if enjoying the sight instead of joining in.

“What else?”

“I don’t do spicy, it hurts my tummy. What about you?”

“I’m a large man, I eat everything and anything,” he chuckled.

“So you’re easy?”

“Oh, baby, you have no idea how easy I am,” he drawled, wiggling his eyebrows, and I shook my head at his antics. He ended up bringing out a lot of leftovers and we had a little of everything. I had been starving and ate almost all of it. I even beat Jared in the food consumption. After we were done and he cleaned up, he picked me up again.

“I can walk, you know?” I asked.

“I know, but I like carrying you.” There was an awkward pause where he waited for me to tell him it was fine, but I didn’t. I wasn’t a fan of feeling helpless. “Is that okay?”

“While I’m injured, yeah, but don’t get too used to it.” I snuggled against him and kissed his neck. Jared let out a tortured groan. It was so loud that I felt it in his chest too.

“That feels so good, Kate. You’re making me hard as nails and it’s crushing against my zipper.” I flinched and he almost stumbled as he realized what he’d just said. “Jesus, I’m an ass. I swear, I didn’t—”

“Jared, it’s fine,” I said quietly and kissed his neck again. “It happened. We’ll just have to have a new first time being together when I get better. We can pretend that one never happened and not start things off like that.”

“You’d let me near you again?” he gasped.

“No, I’m just kissing you and letting you carry me because I’m the world’s biggest bitch and want to torture you,” I drawled. “Yes, but slowly this time. Well, in the beginning at least. You’re almost superhuman kind of strong.” My eyes darted to his when I felt his heart start racing. It was easy to tell when I was pressed up against his body like that. Interesting.

“I should never have lost control like that with you. You drive me crazy, woman, and I just—”

“Just what?” I asked when he clamped his mouth shut.

“It’s hard to explain,” he sighed as he climbed the stairs with me. “I wasn’t jealous that you were with Dean because we’d already both said that we wouldn’t give you up and wanted to both be in your bed. But it was that you let him first because I screw everything up. I’m not good at this, Kate. Everyone’s always drawn to Dean because he’s fun and teases and always smiling. That’s not how I’m built. Sure I can be fun, but I’m not really
funny
.

“And what you were going through was killing me. Dean’s more patient. He’d say,
she’ll find her way when she’s ready.
But I saw it as my failure. Maybe if I knew what to say you’d snap out of it. Or if I didn’t keep pushing, you wouldn’t have turned away. Or maybe I wasn’t pushing enough. It was eating me inside. I’m not saying Dean didn’t care, because he did and was worried too. But I was practically pulling my hair out because I couldn’t help you.”

“And then I let him have me first,” I surmised.

“Yes,” he whispered. “I’m not proud of it or the way I behaved. Dean’s easier for people open up with. I thought of leaving when I heard you with him. I packed my bags and everything. I didn’t want to get in the way of what you obviously wanted with him. But when I saw you that next morning, smiling and happy, I
knew
I could make you just as happy. I just had to show you how much I needed you.”

“Well that didn’t go as planned I’m sure.” I snorted and then winced, realizing the pills loosened my tongue already.

“No, and I’ll do everything I can to earn the chance you’re—” He stopped and groaned when I nibbled on his ear and then kissed his neck. He was sorry. I knew that. He didn’t need to keep apologizing. “Baby, I want you so badly but you’re hurt. I can’t please you.”

“Oh sorry, I’ll stop then,” I said, grinning. Mission accomplished and topic changed.

“No, please don’t stop, it felt great. Did you take your pills?” I nodded as I kept kissing him.

“Jared, can I ask a favor?” I asked as we got to my room.

“Anything,” he whispered, looking down at me. I felt my heart skip a beat at the look he was giving me. It was so raw, so honest that I swear he would have given me
anything
I asked for in that moment. I swallowed loudly and mentally slapped that voice in the back of my head that wanted to ask for something ridiculous.

“I’d really like a bath. I feel very scummy from the hospital.”

“You trust me to bathe you?” he asked quietly.

“Of course, but I just feel bad that I’m getting you wound up when I can’t, you know. Fix it later,” I said, blushing.

“I love it when you blush, I love that you blush for me.” He kissed the tip of my nose and gave me a lopsided smile. “Don’t worry about me, you’re the one injured. If you want a bath, you get a bath.” He carried me into the bathroom, sat on the edge of the tub with me in his lap, and ran the water.

“Thank you,” I said, kissing him on the lips. He stood up and gently put me on my feet and started to undress me. I was very self-conscious about it, and tried covering up. When he was finished he let his eyes roam over my body.

“You’re so damn pretty, I wish I had taken the time to explore every inch of your body,” he whispered, kissing me again. “I love that your pussy’s bare, it makes me so fucking hard. When you’re better, I’m going to shave it for you and then lick you until you pass out from all the orgasms. I know I can please you the right way, Kate.”

What did a woman say to an offer like that? I had nothing so I simply nodded.

He lifted me gently and put me in the tub, careful of my shoulder. Then he put a towel on the edge of the tub so I could lay it there. Unfortunately because of it, he couldn’t fill the tub up very much. He washed my arm very cautiously after he took the sling off and then my face and other arm. When he started to shampoo my hair, I let out a relaxed moan.

“That feels wonderful,” I mumbled.

“How are you single? I can’t believe someone hasn’t snatched you up already,” he whispered in awe and gave me a quick kiss.

“Someone gave you rose-colored glasses, Jared. I’m not easy to deal with.”

“Who wants easy? A real woman isn’t just someone who does everything they think you want. I’m just saying by thirty I’m surprised you’re single, I didn’t know there were women out there like you.”

“Hey, don’t go adding years to my age!” I could almost see his mind working adding up years in his head. “You’re missing a few there, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, I am,” he said with a raised brow.

“I graduated high school in two years,” I told him, filling in the blanks. “I’m twenty-seven.”

“Oh well, I’ll have to throw you back then, you’re too young.”

“How old are you and Dean?” I asked, laughing.

“Thirty-two,” he replied, smiling when I gave him a wink to let him know their age wasn’t an issue. “Do you use conditioner?”

“There’s some spray-in stuff I put in after I towel dry my hair,” I replied before teasing him. “Thirty-two. Wow, that is pretty old for me.”

“Snot,” he said as he used the shower nozzle to rinse out my hair. “So tell me about some of the renovations you want to do?”

“Well I want to look into extending the upstairs, add a large spa bath to the master bathroom, and maybe a fireplace for the bedroom. I’ll turn this room into the guest room, since it has its own bathroom. All the bathrooms will be updated, and the carpet replaced or the floors refinished, not sure which.

“I want to add on to the downstairs to include an entertainment and a workout room. Probably add that off the living room, and I want a fireplace in the living room as well. The kitchen needs a whole overhaul and the study does need updating, but I want to keep as much of it as possible the way it is. I know I’ll be working in there a lot, but it reminds me of Gramp.”