10. Amanda

Chapter 10

Amanda

He knew. He promised. He took off for Dallas anyway. Then he surrounded me with men who wouldn’t even let me pee without someone hovering nearby.

I’m so relieved he’s back in one piece that it checks some of my anger.

When he gets out of the truck, the first thing I do is hug him. Then I search him for injuries. Other than his damaged knuckles, he appears to be okay.

“I’m fine, honey. You don’t have to worry anymore. The issue’s been resolved, and no one is coming after you,” Leo says.

I’m happy about that but it doesn’t appease me. “You promised me, and then leave a note?”

If this had been in the time before Leo, I would have woken when he moved around the bedroom. But since him, I’ve begun to sleep through the night.

And after he had his face between my legs, his tongue tasting me last night, making me come repeatedly, I slept even harder.

A thought hits me. Narrowing my eyes I ask, “Did you do that on purpose?”

“What?” He sweeps his Stetson from his head to wipe his brow.

“Me. Did you do me last night so I’d sleep deeply.”

“Honey, I’m not that devious. I’ll want to eat you regardless of what’s going on in our lives.”

My body heats from the memory of that pleasure. From the arching-off-the-bed orgasms.

Leo looks around. “I don’t want to finish this conversation in front of others.”

Before I can say another word, he picks me up and carries me inside to a chair by the bed. Then he kneels in front of me. “I don’t want to upset you because I love you. But I’d rather have you pissed off at me than for you to get injured or taken. And I did technically let you know.”

I sigh and the anger drains from me. I know this is an issue we could go around and around about, and I wouldn’t win the argument.

Taking his hand in mine, I run my thumb over his knuckles. “I was worried sick and couldn’t eat a bite all day.”

“I’m sorry,” he says.

I gently push one of his shoulders. “No, you’re not. You’d do the same thing again.”

He doesn’t bother to deny that he would.

I shake a finger at him. “If we’re going to be together, there are rules you’ll need to obey.”

His brows shoot up toward his hairline.

“You must ask permission before you—” That’s as far as I get with teasing him before he kisses me, his lips claiming mine.

“I want to taste that pussy,” he says against my mouth.

“ Meow …”

He jerks back. “What the fuck?”

I lean down to pick up the kitten rubbing my ankles and nuzzle it against my face. “River found an abandoned kitten when he went to Clover County to look for something he needed. I named her Pepper because of all the little black dots she has.”

Leo strokes Pepper and she pushes her head into his touch. “I’m sure I’ll adore her as much as you do, but right now, she needs to take a nap so daddy can poke mommy.”

I get to my feet. “I’m going to go feed her and give her a bath, then read her a bedtime story.” I turn away to cut off a laugh at Leo’s expression.

“Wait, honey. Are you serious? Amanda!”

He follows me out and down the stairs into the kitchen where his brothers are gathered around the table.

River’s eyes light up. “How’s she doing?”

Leo takes her from me and hands her to his brother. “She’s missing you and needs you to comfort her for about an hour.”

Then he takes my hand and tugs me from the room. “Leo!” When we reach the bedroom, I say, “Do you know what your brothers thought?”

“They’re not that smart.”

He raises my shirt and pulls it off my head. “I couldn’t stop thinking about your titties in that lace thing you had on last night.”

“The lingerie you took off me with your teeth?”

“You liked the feel of my beard on your titties.”

I can’t refute that.

He unbuttons his shirt. “Do you know what I like to feel? Your body against mine.”

Like he’s demonstrating, he pulls me to him. Holding me close he says, “Would you be willing to consider staying with me forever?”

My heart trips on a beat. “I don’t have to consider. I already know you’re where I want to be.”

“Then in that case…” He tips my chin up. “Will you stay by my side as my wife? I don’t have a lot of money right now and won’t until the ranch debt is taken care of but?—”

I put my finger over his lips. “I don’t care about that. I only care about being with you and building a true home. It’s what I’ve wanted with you from the first time you saved me. My answer is yes.”

His erection nudges against me and I grin. “Looks like my cowboy is excited by my acceptance.”

“Mmm…very. He wants you to take him for a ride to celebrate. Giddy the fuck up.”

I laugh as we fall onto the bed.

Leo

I didn’t show it, but I was nervous Amanda would say no. She loves me, I’m sure about that, but I wasn’t sure she would want to marry me. I don’t know why I thought that. I guess all those years searching for her made me afraid the dream I’ve had of making her my wife wouldn’t come true.

Her hands on my thighs snap my thoughts back because she presses the spot where I was hit. Then I don’t think about that because her hands are removing my pants, then my underwear.

When my cock springs free, she mounts me, pushing me backward on the bed.

Her pussy is wet and tight, and I groan as I dig my fingers into her hips. “That’s it, honey. Ride me.”

Bracing her hands on my shoulders, she leans to kiss me before she sits and throws her head back.

Her tits bounce as she moves up and down.

I slip my hand between her legs and stroke her clit as she rides me.

“Ahh…” she moans, her movements gaining speed.

I push a finger into her to find her g-spot.

“Leo…oh my….”

“Nice and deep, honey. This cock will fill you up. Ride me faster. Yeah, like that.”

She shudders right before she shatters. Her pussy milks my finger and cock.

I push deeper into her. I’m so close…and then I’m gone, spilling my come into her, giving everything I’ve got.

Her pussy feels so damn good sheathing my cock like this.

That realization jerks me out of the sex bliss. “Honey, I didn’t use a condom.”

She stretches out on me, our bodies still connected.

“I got caught up like you did but I’m okay if you are. I mean it’s not like we don’t want kids, right?”

“Right,” I say, holding onto her and turning so that we’re side by side.

“I think you and I will make a beautiful home and we’ll be able to give our children so much love. Everything we didn’t have as kids.”

She’s quiet for the space of a heartbeat, then says, “Would you tell me what happened to you after I left?”

I hate it. Hate talking about that shit. But I don’t want any secrets from the woman I love. “That one guy, the one who was the size of a fucking mountain who made us kids steal and shit, he pushed River into a well…anyway…I learned how to fight after that. “

I pause to take a breath. The past always makes me edgy.

“It’s okay, Leo.”

“I learned how to fight and when that asshole went after River again, I tore his ass up. He was taken to the hospital with a couple of broken bones and I was…”

“Disciplined,” Amanda says because she knew the drill.

“But I survived. Those dark days were awful but at least I experienced love after I was adopted. I trained to become a bodyguard and made a lot of money. I used the majority of it to help the kids who experienced the Home who weren’t as lucky as me.”

“What do you mean?”

“Different things. Like I paid for college for some of them. Rehab for others. Paid for therapy for them. Helped a couple with deposits for places to stay. That sort of stuff.”

“That’s why you’re a hero.”

I take a moment because my throat gets tight. “I’m not a hero. At the back of my mind when I was helping others, my thought was that I hoped someone was helping you. I guess I was trying to good deed the universe or whatever it is into a tit for tat for your sake.”

“Oh, Leo. You are a hero whether you can see that or not.” She toys with the bottom of my beard. “Do you ever think you’ll want to go back to working as a bodyguard?”

“No. I was already thinking about returning to the way of life that saved me long before I got the call that the ranch was in trouble.” I hug her closer, grateful that even the current situation going on with the ranch turned out to be a good thing for me because I came home and found her.

And because that happened, it gave us both the wings we need to fly free from the past into the hope and future that our love promises to give us.