She shot him a glance from her seat on Winnie.
“I mean to. A spot I wanted to take you to.”
She raised an eyebrow at his tone and innuendo, and he laughed. After that they were quiet, each taking in the scenery. The land dipped and they slowed, entering a string of trees lining a shallow creek. They stopped on a grassy bank under the canopy of shade.
“This is nice. Plenty of room to…lay out our picnic.”
“You’re in a mood.” Stephen only smiled.
“Mr. Ed had some new things to say to me this morning,” Stephen said as she dismounted and took the basket he’d been holding.
“Really? When did you talk to Mr. Ed?”
“When you went to get the blanket. It was quick.”
“Hmm. And what kind of things did you talk about?” She fixed the horses’ reins to the saddles while he spread the blanket.
“Secrets.”
“You’re keeping secrets with a horse? Interesting. I wonder what your business associates would think of that.”
He smiled, sly as a fox. “Oh, I don’t think they’ll find out.”
“They might,” she said, grinning right back.
“You talk to horses.”
“I only talk to horses, so it doesn’t matter what people think.”
“You talk to me.”
“Yes.” She gazed up at him, all joking aside. “I talk to you.” More than anyone, which made her equal parts warm and shaky inside. “So what did Mr. Ed say?”
“Take your clothes off.”
She gasped, feigning shock. “Mr. Ed would never say something like that.”
“I meant take off your clothes and maybe I’ll tell you.” He stalked toward her. “You know you’re hot.”
Her eyebrows shot up and she stepped back. “Am I?”
“You said you were.”
“I think you said it was hot and I agreed.”
He made a grab for her and she skipped away laughing.
“Come here.”
“No.” She skirted in and out of the trees along the bank while Stephen stalked her, playful, amused.
“Hannah.”
The deep rub of his voice when he said her name and the serious look in his eyes made her tremble. “What?”
“Take off your clothes.”
“It’s only two feet of water.”
“It’s not really about the swimming.” He’d stopped chasing and already had his socks and boots off.
“So this is another one of those guy tricks?”
He peeled off his shirt and all she could think was, it was a good trick. The sight of his chest made her fuzzy. His abs, his arms.
And distracted as she was, he shot out a hand and yanked her flush against him. “Take them off or get them wet.”
“You’re serious.”
“I’m very serious.” He dropped his jeans. “I want you. Out here. In the sunlight.” He let her go and waited.
Slowly, never taking her eyes from his, she pulled her shirt up by the hem, revealing her stomach and every mark on it. Was there anything she wouldn’t do for him? With him?
“Keep going.”
His eyes, so deep and brown, roamed every inch of her newly exposed body. What did he see when he looked at her?
“All of it.”
When she was in only her panties he lunged, wrapped thick arms around her bare thighs, and lifted her off her feet. She squealed and clung to his wide shoulders. He hooted and laughed when he hit the water.
“I told you it was cold.” But his lips were soft and warm when they found hers. His cheeks rough against her palms when she took his face in her hands.
She pulled her legs up and around his waist as he walked them deeper beyond the shady trees. He groaned, caught the hair at her nape and pulled, covering her mouth with his. It was a slow, lazy kiss, a pouring out of emotion that made her ache for more. With their lips still joined, he carried her out of the water. He let her slide down his body, her bare nipples rasping against his chest as she went. When her toes were inches from the ground, she dropped kisses over the flexing muscles in front of her. Circled her tongue around his flat nipples and trace the pattern of hair between.
He moaned, caught her mouth and kissed her until she couldn’t stand. He laid her down on the blanket he’d spread. The ground was cool against her back, Stephen hot above her. He slid his fingers into her hair, framing her face and she couldn’t breathe. Stephen looked at her and she trembled. He touched her and her breath caught.
“You’re so beautiful.”
“Only for you.”
“No, baby.” He feathered his lips along her cheeks, her mouth, the curve of her shoulder. “Always.”
He continued the onslaught, down her body and back, making her burn. Until he had her moaning with pleasure and squirming beneath him. He came back to her lips, met her eyes and held until she was shaking inside. “What…what did Mr. Ed tell you?”
“Mr. Ed told me,” Stephen kissed his way to just below her ear. “That you like me. He said…”—Stephen pulled back until their eyes met—“that you might even love me.”
Her heart was suddenly too big for her chest. Because she did. She loved him. She’d been half in love with him before their first kiss, and more than anything, she wanted him to love her too.
Chapter 38
Stephen stared down at Hannah, so small beneath him, so naturally beautiful, her hair spread out like a halo. Lying there in the sunlight. Open to him, trusting him. Exposed. Not just her body, but her heart. And his own stopped and stuttered at what he’d just said.