Chapter Eight
He had to be the stupidest man in the world for taking this chance, Noah told himself as he walked up the steps to Camila’s old cabin. If Liam or Jed found Olivia on their land, there’d be hell to pay.
The door swung open, and Olivia pulled him inside. It was cool in the cabin and already had the musty smell of an unused home. Noah wanted to take Olivia into his arms and forget about everything that had happened in the past few days, but he couldn’t do that. Not when their families were taking up weapons.
“We don’t have water for our stock, Noah,” Olivia told him. “The creek’s so low now, it barely flows into the channel.”
“Your family started this.”
“Lance said your family diverted water first.”
“Lance is lying. But you won’t believe what Liam and Jed are up to.” He filled her in on their plans, and for the first time, Olivia cracked a smile.
“Tubing? On the irrigation channel? That’s—”
“Insane,” Noah finished for her.
“And kind of… ingenious,” Olivia said. “I mean, the water’s only a few feet high, but how much do you need, really? Especially if it’s kids we’re talking about.”
“He wants to charge ten dollars a head. Stella said we need—” Noah cut off abruptly. Hell, he hadn’t meant to say that.
“You need the cash,” Olivia said when he didn’t. She nodded. “Don’t we all.”
“I’ll make them change it back,” Noah told her, although he wasn’t sure how Liam would react to that. His brother was changing in ways he didn’t like. He seemed brittle lately. Pushed to the edge.
“I’m not sure if I can keep Lance from starting something again.” Olivia looked miserable, her arms crossed and her shoulders hunched as if she was cold, although the night was warm.
“I’m not sure if I can keep Liam on the straight and narrow, either. It might take me a day or two to convince him about the irrigation channel. Do you think you can keep Lance in line that long?”
“I can try, especially if I have your word that it will happen.”
“You have my word.” Noah paced the room. “I don’t want it to be like this between our families.” He turned to face her. “I want to be with you.”
“I know.”
“How about you? What do you want?” He had to know. Was there any hope for them?
“I want you, too.”
Noah was suddenly aware of the cabin in a way he hadn’t been before. It had four walls. A door that locked. Curtains that could be closed. Unable to keep away from her any longer, he stepped forward, caught her up and kissed her. He couldn’t stop himself. He didn’t care about the Ridley property, or the water, or his ranch, or anything else. Or rather, he did, but this was more important.
He wanted Olivia. Wanted to forget all the rest of his problems and simply be with her.
Now.
And Olivia wanted him. He felt it in the way she melted against him. The way she linked her arms around his neck and went up on tiptoe to meet his kiss willingly. Now that he’d started, he couldn’t seem to stop, either. He tightened his embrace, pulled her body against his and groaned.
She felt so damn good.
“Olivia—”
“Yes,” she said definitively before he could even finish his sentence. “Me and you. Together. Now. Screw everyone else.”
She slipped her hands down between them, tugged the hemline of her shirt up and over her head, and stepped back a moment before crashing against him again and reaching for another kiss.
Hell, yeah. Screw them all.
Noah reached over his head, grabbed a fistful of his shirt and tugged it off as well, breaking off the kiss only momentarily before tossing it away, tugging Olivia close so he could undo her bra.
“You and me,” he echoed. “Just you and me.”
“Just you and me,” she agreed.
As her bra fell to the floor, he palmed her breasts, and Olivia moaned.
Noah could barely think straight. He wanted more. Needed to touch her everywhere.
This was the only answer that mattered. What was between them—the longing, the lust, the… desire—was far more important than what the rest of the world was dishing out.
And she was kicking off her boots and undoing her jeans, and he was tugging them down, and she was fumbling with the button at his waist and tugging at his jeans—
And then they were in a heap on the floor, and Noah didn’t care, because he needed—
Olivia slipped out of her panties in a maneuver that gave him glimpses of everything he wanted to see. He didn’t know how he got naked. But it was quick, and suddenly he was free, flipping Olivia onto her back, settling between her legs, nudging her thighs apart and—
Oh, God.
This was what he wanted. What he needed.
Where he belonged.
Forever.
Olivia gasped as Noah pushed inside her with one strong stroke, sensation bursting through her like clear water running over dry earth after far too long. She clutched at his shoulders, slid her hands to his hips and tugged him back inside her when he pulled back.
Noah followed her lead, plunging into her again, and Olivia arched her back, sighing at the wonder of it. He filled her perfectly, tugging her further toward ecstasy with every stroke, and Olivia wished it would last forever.
She wanted more. Much more.
As Noah increased his pace, she met his rhythm with her own and lifted her hips to meet his thrusts. His fingers dug into her skin in answer to her own urgency. She lifted her head to kiss his neck, run her lips along his collarbone.
All she needed was Noah. He was here in her arms—inside her—and that was everything. She didn’t care what happened next.
Noah worked in and out of her, building the pressure, coaxing her to a climax she already knew would dwarf any she’d had before.
Noah was right for her. He was meant to be here between her legs. Meant to love her—to make her—
Olivia cried out as pleasure exploded through her and arched her back, crying out again and again. When Noah joined her, his gruff sounds echoing her cries, she hung on to him, riding the storm of his pleasure, too.
When it was over, he collapsed on top of her, gathered her up and cradled her against his chest, turning them over to the side.
“You and me.” He didn’t say more, and he didn’t need to; he’d already said everything.
They were perfect together.
They were all each other needed.
She was never going to let him go.
As Noah caught his breath and held Olivia in his arms, he knew he was lost. Here they were lying on the bare floor of an empty cabin, and it felt like heaven. How would it feel to be with Olivia in more comfortable circumstances? What would it be like to plan a whole life with her?
He wanted a whole life with Olivia. A life of waking up to her, of sharing his days with her. Learning all about her. Growing together.
He didn’t want to sneak around.
What was the alternative, though? Leave Chance Creek? Start over? He couldn’t walk out on his family the way his mother had.
Noah glanced at Olivia, who was staring at the ceiling, too. It was a mystery he couldn’t hope to solve. Not without asking his mother some difficult questions.
Olivia must have sensed his scrutiny. She touched his face. “You’re thinking.”
He nodded. “About my mom.”
“Anything in particular?”
Noah shifted, trying to get comfortable on the hard ground, and smoothed a lock of hair back behind Olivia’s ear. He hadn’t thought about his mother much recently. He didn’t talk to her as much as he should. Their conversations were always so stilted, and he supposed it was his fault. He still blamed her for what she’d done and how his life had changed so suddenly when she’d left.
“I won’t walk out on my family the way she did.”
“I’d never ask you to.”
“I know.”
“Tell me about her.” Olivia turned on her side to face him, and for a minute Noah got lost in wonder over the beauty of her body. She was comfortable in her skin in a way he appreciated. Her curves entranced him.
But she’d asked him a question.
“She left pretty soon after your family did. Went to Ohio, where she had some family. She works for an insurance company, has a boyfriend. They take vacations at a time share in Florida.” He found it all hard to understand.
“It must have been difficult when she left.”
Noah nodded. “She laid things on the line for us. Told us she’d never live on a ranch again. Told us she loved us, but that if we came with her, we’d have to leave all this behind. We all decided to stay.”
“Oh, Noah. What a decision to have to make.”
“At least she was truthful. In that way she did us a favor. I would die away from the ranch,” he confessed. “This is my home.” He knew Olivia understood.
“Strange how both our families fell apart at the same time.”
She didn’t know the half of it. Should he tell her how his father had taken care of Thorn Hill during William’s absence? That the job had fallen to him when Dale died?
His father had wanted that kept a secret.
“When I marry, it’s going to be forever,” Olivia said with determination, breaking into his thoughts.
Noah softened. “Me, too.” He edged closer and found her mouth again.
“What are we going to do?” she asked a few moments later.
“I don’t know,” he told her honestly. “I’ll take care of the water issue as soon as I can, but—” His phone buzzed. Noah fished around in his clothes until he found it.
Brandon again.
“Shit.” He gave Olivia an apologetic look. “This might be important.”
“Go ahead.”
“What’s up, Brandon?” Noah disentangled himself from Olivia and sat up.
“Still no job. Noah, something’s got to give.”
“There’s no way you went to Silver Falls and knocked on every door.”
“I’m doing the best I can—”
“Well, it isn’t good enough, is it?” Noah snapped. “Suck it up, Brandon. I know it’s hard, but you’re the one who got yourself into this mess. You’re the one who has to get yourself out of it.”
Silence stretched out on the other end of the line. “Thanks for nothing,” Brandon said and hung up.
Hell. Noah scrubbed a hand over his face. That had been a real mistake.
“What was that about?” Olivia asked.
“One of my parolees about to go off the deep end.” Noah scrambled to his feet and reached for his jeans. “I’ve got to go. I promise I’ll fix the creek. Just give me time. First I need to keep a good man out of jail.”
“What about us?” Olivia asked, already pulling on her clothes.
“I want to see you again. Soon.” He shook his head. “I don’t know how we do this,” he confessed. “I don’t want to hide—”
Olivia chuckled. “After the other night, I’m down for hiding—at least for now. See you here tomorrow night?”
“Yeah. Good.” He snatched another kiss that was nearly the undoing of him, then pulled away. “Tomorrow. Same time.”
He slipped out the door.
Sex with Noah had been better than she’d ever imagined. Good enough she was already anticipating doing it again. Olivia wished they’d been able to spend the night together. What would it be like to curl up in bed with him? To wake up by his side. Did Noah snore?
Would she mind if he did?
As she dressed Olivia tried to pinpoint what it was about Noah that was so different. She’d dated other men, but she’d never felt the urge to think of something permanent with them. With Noah, it was as if they were reaching for each other, meeting in the middle rather than one or the other of them calling the shots and setting the tone of their relationship. It was more… mature.
Olivia laughed.
That was a sexy thought.
Maybe maturing had its perks, though. Noah was a man who’d showed he stuck around in adversity, both in the context of his life with his family and in the context of her relationship with him. He didn’t cut and run at the first sign of trouble, like so many people did. Noah would be a rock for his wife and kids to depend on.
She could use a rock.
Could she be a good wife to a man like Noah?
Could he even think of her that way?
As she finished dressing and paused near the door to gather her thoughts before sneaking back to her own ranch, Olivia wondered if she was fooling herself. Maybe Noah liked her because she was wild. Saw her as a diversion from the rest of his life—a diversion he’d grow tired of someday.
Why would the happiness that had eluded her all her life arrive now, of all times?
She let herself out of the house and scanned the area. The lights were on in the main house, and shadows crossed back and forth in front of the windows. Olivia hugged her arms over her chest, finding it hard to believe she’d ever be invited in there. Noah liked her—but it would take a lot more than that to overcome the distance between their families.
The hike back across the pastures to where she could cross the creek to her side seemed far longer than it had on the way here. Alone under a field of stars, she wondered if she had taken yet another wrong turn with her life. Being with Noah had been wonderful, but instead of sating her desire for him, she’d simply fanned it.
She knew what she wanted: a ranching life by his side.
It seemed impossible they’d ever have that.
When she finally let herself into her own house, it was quiet. Her brothers must be already in bed, ready for another long day tomorrow. Virginia would have gone to sleep hours ago.
Or maybe not. Sometimes her aunt suffered from insomnia.
Olivia stepped into the living room and stopped, struck dumb by the sight that greeted her. Virginia snoring in a rocking chair near their brick fireplace.
And a very familiar clock sitting front and center on the mantelpiece.
She had crossed to stand before it when her phone buzzed. Pulling it out of her pocket, she answered it.
“Olivia?”
“Caroline? Caroline, where are you?” Olivia was already racing back toward the door. Caroline sounded awful, her words slurred and her voice thick with tears.
“Home. I… need you.”
“I’ll be right there.”