Hannah had missed Ben and wanted him to be part of her life and the baby’s too, but could she trust him? Trusting people was scary. They could easily hurt you and break your heart. Hadn’t she already given him another chance?
“Hannah,” Ben said, hugging her gently as if afraid she would break. “I have no right to put pressure on you so I don’t expect an answer right now, but will you forgive me—again? I want to be your shield from the things that hurt you. I want to be the man you can turn to in times of trouble and I want to be the one that puts a smile on your face. I’m only human and I make mistakes, but I’d rather you yell at me and kick my ass when I’m wrong. I don’t ever want to see that look of devastation I saw on your face that day at the shelter. I will never forget it as long as I live. I’m so ashamed that I was the one to put it there.”
Hannah felt the tears slipping from her eyes as she closed them and leaned on Ben’s chest. He tilted her head up and she felt his lips touching hers. In this sweet, tender moment there were no doubts, no problems, just two people in love. When the kiss was over she searched his face. He looked sincere and she could see how sorry he really was but she was afraid to put all her trust in him only to be disappointed again. Could she be that brave?
“Let’s take this slowly. We’ll concentrate on getting you better for now and save the heavy conversation for later,” he suggested, leaning his chin on her head. He looked around at her pink bedroom walls and smiled, looking at her pictures of her favorite horses. There were a few of her, Jackson, and him from when they were younger and one of her and Grace taken at the Fourth of July fair over the summer. “I used to glance up at this window sometimes and see your frilly curtains flowing in the wind and I wanted so badly to climb the tree and kiss you. But I knew your dad and Jackson would kick my ass all over the yard for messing with their princess.”
Hannah giggled at his words. “I would have let you kiss me. I always wanted to kiss you but you ignored me and agreed with my brother when he shooed me away. That’s why I was always trying to tag along with you two.”
He put her radio on low and just laid in bed, holding her in his arms with her head pillowed against his chest. “What was I supposed to say, honey? Your sixteen-year-old sister is so hot, Jackson. I would never have been allowed over again, so I admired you from afar, the princess that was out of my league.”
They fell asleep holding each other until a knock on her bedroom door woke Hannah up. Why did she feel so warm and comfortable? She turned her head to see Ben lying next to her snoring. “Yeah?” she answered in a low voice, not wanting to disturb him.
“Dinnertime,” Grace said softly, followed by a bark from Molly.
Ben groaned and sat up, rubbing his tired eyes and looked around confused for a few seconds. He yawned and kissed Hannah’s forehead. “We’ll be right down.” he answered for her.
Hannah heard Grace and Molly’s footsteps going down the stairs. Hannah sat up, looking down at her nightgown. “I’d better get dressed. I do feel hungry.”
Ben looked at her with his sleepy eyes and soft smile and her stomach did a flip-flop. “I’m hungry, too, very hungry.”
She got the feeling he wasn’t talking about food. Oh boy, she shouldn’t be feeling all this sexual attraction right now. Wasn’t she mad at him? She cleared her throat and got out of bed quickly. “Well, good. Give me a few minutes and I’ll meet you in the dining room.”
Ben smiled and shook his head, staring at her with his sexy green eyes. “I’ll wait for you. What if you get dizzy while going down the stairs and fall?”
Hannah grabbed some soft jogging pants and a T-shirt. “Okay.” She went into the bathroom to change.
Everyone was already seated when they reached the dining room. Ben seated Hannah first then sat down in the chair next to her.
“Well, we didn’t hear yelling or things breaking so that’s a good sign,” Jackson blurted out, looking at the couple with curiosity.
Grace rolled her eyes but smiled. “Way to be subtle, babe.”
Jackson shrugged carelessly, not at all concerned with his manners. “What? I’m not the only one who wants to know if they are making up, or do I have to take Ben behind the barn and kick his as—I mean butt.” He finished, looking at his aunt Ida’s glare with a wink.
“There will be no butt kicking tonight, so let’s eat,” Hannah answered firmly, not wanting to discuss her relationship with Ben, not yet.
She was still feeling confused at his sudden about-face concerning Dorothy. She grabbed the bowl of macaroni and cheese. “I’m hungry and the food smells awesome as always, Aunt Ida. But I have to save room for those delicious strawberries waiting for me in my room.”
They began to eat and talk about other subjects. Ben asked Jackson if they had set a date for their wedding yet.
Jackson nodded, not looking too happy with the subject. “Christmas. We’d be married by now if Grace had run away with me like I suggested. We could get married in Vegas, honeymoon, and gamble all at once. Simple.”
Grace laughed, showing she wasn’t offended by Jackson’s grumbling. “My family would be mad at us for a long time if we did that. They are moving here soon, you know, and you’d have to face their disappointment on a daily basis.”
Hannah felt like her old self all through dinner, surrounded by Ben and her family. They talked casually about the ranch and the upcoming wedding of Grace and Jackson. She wished things could always stay this way but life was unpredictable.
“Well, if I get married,” she began stressing the word if, letting Ben know he wasn’t completely off the hook yet. “I want a simple, no fuss wedding. I don’t have the energy to worry about fancy dresses and all the other million little details that go with it.”
“Just don’t get married in your jeans, dear, and I’ll be happy,” Aunt Ida said and everyone laughed.
After dinner Hannah and Ben walked over to the stables and just watched the horses lazily moving around the grass. There was a soft breeze to the evening air.
“How about tomorrow I bring a picnic lunch and we eat by the creek?” Ben suggested, kissing her forehead and whispered in her ear. “Maybe I can finally see if you sunbathe in the nude.”
Hannah jabbed her elbow into his stomach and he grunted. “Okay, we’ll just relax and eat, no fooling around.”
Hannah gave him a sultry smile. “What if I want to fool around, sheriff? Will you arrest me for being bad?”