“Then you know how I feel,” she replied.
Ally...
Chapter Eight
When Ally pulled up at Luckey’s place, he was
already outside, leaning against the corral. She drove her dad’s truck along the side of the house to the barn and made a turn in front of it before stopping. His truck and trailer were parked farther on.
He straightened and walked toward her with purpose in every step. She could hardly breathe as he opened the truck door and pulled her into his arms. They closed around her body, not allowing her feet to touch the ground.
“I thought you’d never get here,” he whispered into her hair. “If I don’t kiss you right now, I’m not going to make it.”
“I want you to kiss me,” she confessed, inching her lips over his smooth jaw to the compelling mouth she’d longed to taste. Ally wanted him in such an elemental way, there was no thought of holding back. His hunger matched hers as their mouths met in a fiery explosion of need she had no way of controlling.
Ally hadn’t been with a man for several years, but nothing had prepared her for this. Luckey was taking her to a place she’d never been before. His kiss was a conduit to something much bigger, igniting her passion. All sense of time and place fled from her mind while she devoured him and was devoured in return.
His hands roamed over her back, pressing her to his well-honed physique. She had no idea when he’d lowered her so her feet touched the ground. The two of them moved and breathed as one person. No air separated them in their struggle to get as close as possible and not let this ecstatic moment end.
He bit her earlobe gently. “You’ve set me on fire, Ally,” he whispered. His breathing sounded ragged. “I could do this for the rest of my life and never come up for air.” Once again his kiss engulfed her, robbing her of words, of breath. She’d been rendered witless and it was all his doing.
As the minutes went by, the heat built between them. Ally trembled against his hard-muscled body, loving everything he was doing to her, loving the way he made her feel. “You’ve done something terrible to me, Luckey.”
“How terrible?” He stole another deep kiss from her mouth.
“Can’t you tell? I’ve never felt this way in my life.”
“You think I have? You’ve turned me into someone I don’t know anymore. But as much as I want to steal you away and make love to you nonstop, we’d have to marry first. Anything less would never satisfy me.”
Ally swayed in place and looked into his eyes. “You want to marry me?”
“I know I’ve shocked you, but there it is. That’s the way I feel about you. But I’m sure you need time to think about marrying a man you’ve only known...what is it? Ten days?”
“Luckey...” She couldn’t take it all in.
His hands slid to her hot cheeks. “I didn’t expect to meet someone like you. You’ve come as a total surprise to me when I least expected it. After we ran into each other at your office, my life changed and will never be the same again.” He kissed her lips once more. “Come on. Let’s saddle our horses and go for a ride while I still have the ability to let you out of my arms. Persey’s in the barn waiting for us.”
Ally couldn’t move. Her Texas Ranger had just made her happy beyond measure. Riding was the last thing on her mind. As she slid her hands up his chest to let him know much she loved him, his cell phone rang.
The sound jarred her so badly she moaned in protest, but knew he had to answer it.
He pulled it from his pocket and checked the caller ID. “This is Davis.” Ally clung to him and waited. She felt his body stiffen. “I’ll be right there,” he stated, his voice grating. This sounded serious.
No...
Just like that her joy turned to pain. She almost begged him not to go, but stopped herself in time. He wouldn’t leave her if it wasn’t an emergency. She knew that.
Don’t let him see what this is costing you, Ally.
She put on a smile and lifted her head. “I know you’re needed. Call me tomorrow.” Ally raised up on tiptoe to kiss his lips before turning to get back in the truck.
He followed and shut the door for her. His troubled, dark brown eyes searched hers for understanding. “I’m sorry, Ally.”
As much as she knew he didn’t want to go, she could already tell his mind was elsewhere. “It’s your job,” she said through the open window. “I understand.”
“I’ll phone you later tonight if I can.”
“Don’t worry about it.”