Jess couldn’t stand it. She closed the distance between them and grasped the lapels of his shirt. “Stay,” she whispered.
Tyler’s throat worked. He rested his hand on her shoulder, thumb brushing her tatt as he studied her a long time, everything in his eyes. Then, slowly, he nodded.
“Yeah,” he said, the word barely audible. “I’ll stay.”
* * *
This time was different, Jess thought. In Dallas, they’d been daring, exploring, strangers in the night. Tonight they slowed their touches, their kisses, learning each other. Tyler had been agile in the dance, and he brought that fluidity of movement to his lovemaking.
He undressed Jess with careful hands, next following the path his fingertips had taken on her body with his tongue. When he straightened again, Jess slid his shirt up his torso, pushing it aside so she could lean down to nip his chest, taste his hot skin.
Tyler glided his hands under her breasts, thumbs brushing her already tight nipples to firm points. He kissed her neck, her shoulder, her mouth, his lips and tongue bringing her to life.
A breeze stirred the wind chimes at the top of the stairs, another detail from his sisters-in-law. The sound flowed through Jess, resonating in her blood. Tyler’s burning touch and his kisses on her neck joined the vibrations to make her body one point of fire.
He kissed his way to her breasts, his hair brushing her skin. He licked the end of her tattoo around her nipple then drew the point into his mouth.
Jess arched back, arms going around him to draw him against her. Once more, Tyler awakened her, Jess who had passion in abundance, but passion no one else wanted from her. Even her husband had told her flat out that she turned him off and had showed no interest in a physical relationship in the dying days of their marriage.
Tyler had plenty of interest. He caressed her as he suckled her, the roughness of his hands stirring need. The pull of his mouth on her breast made Jess shift her legs open, her craving for him escalating into something raw.
He didn’t make her wait long. Tyler opened her waistband and slid her jeans down her hips, his skilled hands removing her underwear in the next stroke. Jess kicked jeans and underwear away, impatient to be bare.
She started to speak but was silenced when he slid his hand between her legs.
Jess let out a moan, her feet moving farther apart, her hips rocking, her body wanting the crazed sensations he stirred. Her bad knee started to buckle, but Tyler caught her and held her in the curve of his arm, his kiss hard as he began to stroke her.
Not fair. Jess fumbled with his belt, finally popping it open at the same time he slid a long finger inside her. She gasped with it, but still worked to squeeze her fingers between herself and Tyler to unbutton his jeans and open his zipper. She managed to get her hand inside his underwear, closing it around his hot, stiff cock.
Tyler groaned in his throat but he didn’t break the kiss. His fingers moved on Jessica, stirring her to climax, until she was gripping his cock hard, stroking him through her fist.
Tyler’s hips moved with her rhythm, letting her make love to him with her hand, as he made her crazy with his. They held each other in the middle of the room, both making noises of pleasure as they each found ways to excite the other.
It wasn’t long before Jess cried out, the white-hot sensation of his fingers inside her taking her over the top. She no longer remembered where she was or how she got there—all she knew was that she stood in the arms of a cowboy who made her body sing.
Tyler finally tugged her hand from his cock, lifting her to carry her swiftly to the bedroom. They more or less fell to the bed, Tyler landing on top of her.
Before Jess could draw a breath, he thrust himself inside her, the firm length of his cock taking the place of his fingers, renewing her frenzied need. She cried out, unable to stop herself, dimly hoping no one was below to hear them. Tyler caught her cries with his kisses, but his own voice soon joined hers as he rocked into her, his thrusts accelerating.
A hard-muscled, hot-bodied man was making love to her with skill but with a natural wildness that kept it from being rehearsed. Jess remembered the raw look she’d seen in his eyes at the bar, and that strength came to her now as he drove into her, his face set, eyes fixed on her. He had grace, but he had power as well.
As Jess came apart once more, Tyler rode her faster, finally giving one last thrust as his own climax hit him.
The world dissolved into a wash of color as Jess wrapped legs and arms around this beautiful, beautiful man. Tyler continued to love her, his movements quieting until they fell together, breathless and smiling, in the patch of moonlight that flooded the bed.
* * *
Tyler woke with his face pressed to Jess’s shoulder. She lay on her stomach, her head turned from him, her breathing even. Her tatts were smooth beneath Tyler’s lips, lines sharp in the morning sunlight.
Tyler thought over all she’d told him since she’d arrived in Riverbend—her ex, Elijah, her fears for Mrs. Alvarez.
Jess had so much love in her—for Dominic, for Mrs. Alvarez—and interest in her fellow beings, like Grace, and Tyler’s brothers and niece. She shouldn’t have to struggle to survive.
Tyler had so much. When he’d lost Lindsey and thought he would die, his family was there to hold him up, to take care of him until he was able to go on. Not move on, because Tyler had learned you never really got over losing someone—they were always a part of you. But you could continue, and laugh again, and live your life.
Elijah wasn’t letting Jess move on, or live. He’d cornered her and was using her, in whatever game he’d decided to play. Tyler knew a man like that would not give up. He’d keep hunting for Jess until he cornered her again.
Tyler would never let that happen. He had brothers to help him protect her— Ross was already looking at Elijah’s and Cade’s records and seeing what he could do about keeping both of them out of River County, and maybe locked away, far from Jess.
Tyler could do something himself. It was obvious what the first step should be.
Jess woke. Tyler heard the change in her breathing, which was followed by a little groan.
She rolled over, shading her eyes from the sunshine that streamed through an open slat in the shutters.
“Is it morning already?” she mumbled in surprise.
“’Fraid so. Any second now, my brothers will be yelling at me to get my ass down to the ring.”
“Oh. Damn.” She sounded regretful, which made his heart sing. Tyler was definitely regretful and had the hard-on to prove it.
First things first. Tyler knew he’d lose the balls to do what he’d just decided if he didn’t plunge right in.
He touched Jess’s cheek, drew a quick breath, and said, “Marry me, Jess.”
Chapter Fifteen
Jess’s heart stopped beating.
At least, it felt like that, because there was a long pause followed by a huge bang in her chest.
She sat up, the blankets falling away, her hair stinging her eyes. “What?”
Tyler regarded her without blinking. “I said, marry me.”
She hadn’t dreamed the words, nor the resolve in Tyler’s voice. His eyes held determination, need, and … hope?
“Why?” came out of Jess’s mouth. Her lips were numb—she hadn’t meant to say that.
Tyler’s half smile vanished. “What do you mean, why? I have plenty in my life, and I want to give it to you. We can live here, or we can find our own house. Our own place, I think—Dominic will need more room. You won’t have to worry about slinging drinks for the horny men of Riverbend, and most of all, you’ll be safe from your fuck of an ex and his best friend.”
He was serious. Jess listened, open-mouthed, her limbs watery with shock.
Tyler wanted to save her, and so he held out this offer. Become Mrs. Campbell, of the Riverbend Campbells, wife to a famous stunt rider. Be taken care of by him. Free to sit in the kitchen with Grace every day after she sent Dominic off to schoo
l while Tyler worked on the ranch and came home for lunch, dinner, and bed.
This amazing, sexy, generous man was offering … himself.
It hadn’t been easy for him. She saw that. Already his face was clouding as though he regretted the words.
“You barely know me,” Jess choked out. “There are things about me you don’t understand. I mean, I could be this creepy, sadistic black-widow kind of woman.”
“You could be,” Tyler agreed. “But you’d have gotten rid of Elijah a long time ago if you were.” His brows came down. “Obviously you think it’s a bad idea. Forget it.”
He started to rise, the covers sliding from him, and Jess put desperate hands on his shoulders.
“I don’t want to forget it. I just think we ought to think about it. Both of us. It’s a huge thing.”
Tyler sat back down, but he didn’t relax. “Like I said, we should forget it.”
“No.” Jess let her hands drop away. “But I’m serious that there are things you don’t know about me. One big one you need to understand.”
She stopped and swallowed hard, the words sticking in her throat. It had been hard enough to tell her husband six years ago, and he’d freaked out. Said he didn’t want to deal with it, said she’d tainted his son, no matter how much she’d assured him no one had proved it was genetic. She’d already been prepared to leave Cade, and not long after that, he’d flung Dominic from him in rage, which had clinched it, and she had taken Dominic and fled.
What would Tyler do when he knew? Run away from her, far and fast? Take from her this tranquility she’d found?
But he had to understand. Jess couldn’t lie to him—it wasn’t fair after he’d been so wonderful.
She drew a long breath, her heart breaking, knowing her next words could lose him forever.
“Tyler, I have MS.”
Tyler looked at her, going so still that the only movement was his chest rising and falling. Then he shook his head. “I don’t know what that is.”
“Multiple sclerosis. It’s a neurological disorder. They believe.” There were many unknown factors about MS, new theories all the time, ones that sort of fit, ones that were thrown out as fast as they were thought of. But no definite understanding, even now. “It’s chronic, which means I need meds all the time. Basically the immune system attacks the myelin sheaths of the nerves—it’s hard to explain. Sometimes I’m fine; other times it flares up and it’s hell. I have to take one day at a time. That’s why I was going on about keeping a job that has insurance—why I need a job again. So if you marry me … you get my MS too.”
Tyler’s only change in expression as she garbled this explanation was a slight pucker of his brows. When Jess trailed off, her throat hurting, Tyler remained motionless.
“Jess.” He folded his fingers into his palms, forming fists. “Shit. I am so sorry.”
Tears stung Jess’s eyes. “I have a fairly mild form,” she made herself go on. “It could be so much worse than it is. My left leg has the most trouble—it’s weak and painful—and sometimes I’m too tired to do anything. Most of all, I need the medication to keep it under control, from getting worse. Injections, three times a week. They’re hellaciously expensive. I have enough for another week, and Mrs. Alvarez is authorized to pick up the next batch and get them to me. But then that’s it—that’s the last; I’ll run out at the end of September. Elijah … he was helping me pay for them. In return, I give him free drinks at the bar, run errands—nothing criminal, just annoying like doing his grocery shopping and stuff like that. This is how desperate I was to get away from him—I walked away from his money. The meds are thousands of dollars a month, and insurance only covers so much. But I …”
Her voice died, Jess unable to force out any more words. She had ceased crying about her condition years ago, realizing she could fold in on herself and exist in a ball of depression, or she could take care of what she could and get on with things. For Dominic’s sake, she’d got on with her life.
“Damn it.” Tyler’s face reddened with fury. “No wonder Elijah had such a hold on you. The mofo. If he so much as comes near Riverbend, I’ll kill him.”
“I didn’t want to tell you.” Jess heard the profound sadness in her voice. “I didn’t want to ruin this …” She waved a hand around the tumbled bed. “It’s been so wonderful.”
Tyler reached out and slid his hands over her arms, rubbing them as though worried she was cold. “You haven’t ruined anything, sweetheart. I’m going to take back taking back asking you to marry me. I still want to do it. But I guess you need to think about it a little more than I do.”
Jess dragged in a ragged breath. “Don’t you dare marry me because you feel sorry for me. I’ve figured out how to live. I’ll need to see a doctor soon and tell him or her my life story, probably I’ll have to go to Austin for a neurologist and my MRIs.”
“Is there a cure for MS?” Tyler asked. “I genuinely don’t know. If Elijah’s been holding out on you …”
Jess shook her head. “Not so far. It’s still not a well-understood thing. It’s like arthritis or lupus—not exactly like those, but something ongoing you just have to manage. You’ve been so damned nice to me, but I’m not going to marry you and dump my problems on you. And I won’t let you marry me out of pity.”
Tyler’s eyes narrowed. “If it’s okay with you, I can feel bad for you and want to marry you at the same time. When I asked you ten minutes ago, I didn’t know all this. Knowing hasn’t made me want to change my mind.”
“But, I don’t …”
“Son of a bitch, Jess.” Tyler released her and sat up straight, stark naked, fists balled, like a god readying himself to fight an enemy. “I’m not going to let you refuse me because you’re scared, or let you think I’ll toss you out on your ass for having something wrong with you. Hell, if being perfect was a requirement for living at Circle C, we’d all be homeless. If your husband gave you hell for it, I’ll kill him too.”
Jess said nothing, but Tyler must have read the truth in her eyes. “That’s it,” he growled. “He’s a dead man.”
He opened his hand, his touch incredibly gentle as he cupped Jess’s cheek. “So I’ve proposed. The ball is in your court. You said you’d think about it, so promise me you’ll think. And not just say no because you feel sorry for me. I’m fucked up too—but I can take care of myself.”
Jess let out a long, shaking sigh. Maybe, just maybe he was giving her something to believe in. “All right, all right. I’ll think it over. You’ve lost your mind, but I’m not going to let you take it back—again.” She gave him a severe look, as though daring him to tell her once more to forget it. Praying he didn’t.
Tyler’s grip tightened. He drew her closer and silenced any more words with a kiss that melted Jess into him, the heat of last night infusing it.
Down they went on the bed, Tyler’s hand parting her legs, his thick cock sliding inside her a moment later.
They made love in swift silence, the only noise the creak of the bed, the whir of the air conditioner clicking on, signaling another hot day in Hill Country.
Tyler thrust into her, diffusing all the tension their words had caused. Jess surrendered to sensation, nothing else existing. There was no more pain, no regrets, no fear.
Jess clung to Tyler as she rose to another crazed climax, this one the best of all. Tyler laid her down when it was over, Jess out of breath. He touched her face as he withdrew, then he stood all the way up, retrieved his clothes from the floor, and strode out.
The door banged. Jess had risen to her elbows to watch him go, and now she collapsed onto the bed, flinging out her arms, and let out a strangled laugh.
“Damn,” she said to the empty room. “That cowboy is good.”
* * *
Tyler showered in the main house, movements impatient, his body tight with emotions, and went to have breakfast. No one but Grace was in the kitchen so he told her a solution that had struck him in the shower.
Grace s
topped and stared at him, eyes widening, before she said, “You know, that’s actually a good idea.”
“Don’t sound so stunned,” Tyler snarled and started shoveling huevos rancheros into his mouth.
Dominic came out and sat down, saying he was waiting for Faith who would give him his second riding lesson in the hour before she left for school—it was cooler in the mornings. Grace closed her mouth over questions and returned to cooking, looking thoughtful.
Tyler’s mood lightened slightly as Dominic questioned him on the basics of horses—How do you steer? Do you fall off a lot? Tyler gave him pointers then slid his plate away and left for the stables. He liked talking to Dominic though. He’d do a lot more of that if he became the little guy’s stepdad. Tyler enjoyed the thought.
His brief respite with Dominic didn’t last, his anger returning as he tramped down to the ring where Grant waited with a new horse.
Tyler was mad at himself for springing the proposal on Jess, mad at her for not telling him how much of a hold Elijah had on her, mad at her for thinking he gave a crap about her disorder or whatever it was. Adam had burned himself all to hell and bore the scars, but he was still Adam. And Tyler was furious with Jess’s ex-husband for putting that certainty in her eyes that Tyler would reject her.
He’d proposed not out of pity but because Tyler thought he knew how to fix everything. He always thought that, but in his defense, he was usually right.
No, that wasn’t it entirely. Tyler had proposed because he wanted Jess in his life. The whole package of her.
Tyler stopped in his tracks halfway to the ring as realization hit him. He wanted her in his life. Never wanted her out of it.
He hadn’t meant for this to happen. Jess had never been a one-night stand to him, he’d known that from the start. With her, there was no emptiness, no acknowledgment that their encounter would be temporary. No shrugging it off, no walking away.