“Do you think I can learn to ride a horse?”

Laura and Cade were leaning on the rails of one of the pastures, watching some of the newly retired horses graze in the morning sun.

Cade wrapped an arm around Laura’s waist. “I think you can learn to do anything you want. Although, we may need to wait until after you have the baby for the horses. I guess we can ask Doc what he thinks.”

Laura smiled and patted her still fairly flat belly. There was the slightest rounding under her hand. “I know. I can wait. I just mean someday.”

“I like hearing you talk about someday here at the ranch. It’s much better than that talk about running and leaving all the time,” Cade said and he pressed his mouth to Laura’s neck, bringing a sigh from her as she leaned into him.

When he pulled back, though, he found Laura frowning.

“What’s that look for?”

Laura twisted her mouth up in the pouty little way she sometimes did when she didn’t want to tell him something. Cade put his hands on her waist and lifted her onto a flat section of the top rail of the paddock.

“What’s up? Why the look?”

“Can I ask you something?” Laura asked.

“Anything.”

“Why would you want to get involved with me? I mean, I’m having another man’s baby. Doesn’t that seem like a bad time for you to want to start something?”

Cade frowned at her. “I guess I don’t think of it the same way you do. The baby is just part of you. You’re a package deal. It’s no different than me getting involved with you if you were a single mom,” he said. “It seems to me, we need to be careful about the baby’s feelings until we’re sure where this is going, but we have several months for us to figure that out before the baby is in the picture. But, as for me wanting the baby if you and I decide we want a life together? That’s not even an issue. It’s your baby, Laura. Of course, I would want to raise it with you, to love it as my own.”

Laura didn’t answer, but it was clear the gears of her brain hadn’t stopped grinding. She was chewing on something.

“You gonna tell me what else you’re thinking about?” Cade asked, his hands rubbing up and down her thighs.

“What if the baby is like him? What if it’s a boy and…” She swallowed and couldn’t seem to finish her thought, but Cade knew where she was headed. He shook his head before looking her dead in the eye.

“This baby has you in him as much as he has his father’s genes. And, he or she will be raised by you, loved and taught by you. That’s what will matter.”

Laura didn’t respond but her features softened, like she might believe a bit of what he was saying.

Cade gave up trying to get her to talk. She’d talk more when she was ready. He pulled her down off the rail and into his arms, lowering his head to capture her lips. So soft, always so ready for him, melding to his mouth…as if her lips were the perfect match to his. Yup. He could definitely wait for her to be ready to talk.

Cade pulled Laura down in the grass, settling her so she straddled his lap. He wrapped his arms around her, loving the smile that stretched across her face as much as he loved the way her body fit to his, molded to him.

“Let’s just focus on being together now. Let’s forget about the past, stop worrying about the future, and just be here together. Now.”

Laura smiled and leaned down, gently kissing his mouth, tracing the seam of his lips with her tongue. He’d first pulled her onto his lap like this the other day, thinking she might need to be in control when they kissed, after what she’d been through with Patrick. He doubted Patrick had ever allowed Laura to take such a position with him. As it turned out, Laura did like the position. And, so did Cade. She was sexy as hell straddling him and taking what she wanted from him.

Her sighs went straight to his groin as he moved his mouth to her neck and kissed her throat, nipping gently at the soft skin. He traced her jaw line with his teeth and let his thumbs brush the soft nipples of her breasts. She rocked against him in response and his cock swelled. Everything in him was screaming to plunge into her body fast and hard, with all he had.

But, he couldn’t do that. He couldn’t take what he wanted. They were taking things slowly, making sure she was ready for this after all she’d been through, but it took every damn bit of control he had. He gritted his teeth as her hands wandered his body, setting him on fire with every touch.

The woman turned him on in ways he had never imagined any woman could. His erection pressed against his jeans, and he wanted nothing more than to delve into her core over and over until they both found the release they needed, but he’d be damned if he’d rush her. He never wanted to make a misstep and see fear in her face or feel her tense in his arms. So, he shoved aside his urge to possess her and let her set the pace, let her take the lead.

And, damned if she wasn’t erotic as hell while she did it.