Free The Cowboy Lassos a Bride (Cowboys of Chance Creek) by Cora Seton Page B

She’d have to leave him when the two weeks were up, and if she was smart she’d leave him right now.
    But there was Gladys to think of.
    And herself. If she couldn’t spend a lifetime with Jake, at least she could spend thirteen more nights with him.
    “Okay,” she said. “We spend two weeks together and we don’t mention marriage until the time is up.”
    “Then I get to ask you again?”
    She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. Her answer would still be no.
    Jake shifted to join Hannah where she leaned against the headboard and drew the covers up around them. He hadn’t gotten the answer he wanted, but then he hadn’t meant to propose quite so soon. Waiting two weeks was a hell of a chance; he wouldn’t have time to find another woman to marry. But he wouldn’t find another woman he wanted to marry no matter how much time elapsed. It was Hannah or no one. In fact, he couldn’t think too deeply about what would happen if he didn’t eventually convince her to marry him. It was one thing if they missed the deadline and he got kicked off the ranch. It was another thing altogether if she refused to ever become his wife. There wasn’t another woman in Chance Creek he wanted the way he wanted Hannah.
    She leaned against him and he relaxed a little. Hannah liked him, that was obvious. Making love to her was better than anything he’d ever experienced before and he already wanted more, but a silence stretched between them and he figured he’d better fill it.
    “I’ve been making some plans of my own.”
    “Really? What kind of plans?”
    “Changes to make around the ranch.”
    She was so beautiful he wished he could pull her into his arms and go back to making love to her, but he figured if he tried she’d get mad and leave. Women liked to talk at the strangest times and this was one of them. He couldn’t put a ring on her finger, but she was still in his bed, still naked, still interested in what he had to say.
    “I want to add a bison herd, for one thing. I’ve done some reading about them. Did you know they’re far more hardy than our cattle? They’re built for our winters; you barely have to help them through. Their meat is better for us. Since it’s a specialty meat you can charge more for it. I don’t see why we shouldn’t have a herd.”
    “Gladys would like that.” She turned to him with a smile and her breast grazed his arm, sending heat straight through him.
    Jake couldn’t help himself. He tilted her chin up and kissed her softly on the mouth. “We could set up relationships with restaurants and distributors.” Her hand slid up his arm to his shoulder and she kissed him back. Jake lost his train of thought. “I want to talk to you, slow things down a bit, but the truth is…”
    “What?” She leaned into him, arching her neck as he trailed kisses down it and gasping when he bent down to cover one nipple with his mouth. “Jake.”
    Her arms slid over his shoulders and she allowed him to tilt her back until she lay on the bed. “Jake, we should really…” But her hands caressed his back and shoulders, and she moved with him as he began to nuzzle her breasts.
    “We will,” he said. “In a minute.” It was plain she welcomed this distraction as much as he did. He had no idea what they’d do tomorrow, but it was too late to sort anything out tonight. They were in bed together. Naked.
    He traced kisses around her breasts, down to her stomach and lower still. Hannah moaned when he found her core and tasted her. She was so sexy leaning against the pillows, her back arched in pleasure, her thighs spread to grant him access. She trusted him, that was clear, so on some level she knew he wouldn’t hurt her. Knew, in fact, he’d do whatever it took to bring her happiness.
    He let all thoughts of the future slide away and concentrated fully on the woman before him who had given him her body, if not her heart quite yet. He had to make her understand how fully he wanted her. They were