Relief soared through Shay. She finally understood that to get Reese to acknowledge their connection, he needed to hear that he was enough man for her. He’d said he was half the man he used to be. It had been the right choice of words at the right time to push him over the edge and into her arms. And into her bed.
Reese looked up toward the open tack room door. His mouth worked and he looked down at Shay. “Are you sure?” he rasped, tangling his fingers through her hair, easing it across her shoulder.
Shay gave him a tremulous smile. “Never more sure, Reese. Come on. Come to my bed. I want to love you. I want you to love me.”
*
Shay didn’t think she could make it from the barn to the ranch house on her jellylike knees. Reese’s heated, powerful kiss had begun melting her like red-hot lava inside. They agreed to go individually into the house, not together. She knew that Harper and Garret were gone. Noah was down working with his horses. Reese had concerns about their relationship being seen by the other vets, unwilling to let them know anything just yet. Shay had agreed.
She entered the house, the screen door creaking as it closed. She was sweaty and dirty from working all afternoon on the fence line. Entering the bathroom, she quickly shed her clothes to take a quick, cooling shower. She was shaking, literally, from anticipation as she made fast work of getting clean and washing her hair.
By the time she emerged from the bathroom, Reese had arrived. She had a towel wrapped around her, one hand holding it together between her breasts as he walked quietly down the hall toward her. The look in his eyes thrilled her. It was as if Reese had finally gotten around that block within himself. She met him halfway, holding his gaze.
“I need to wash up,” he told her, halting, threading his fingers through her damp hair. “Shay. Are you still sure about this?”
Closing her eyes, she leaned into his cupped hand against her cheek. “Never more sure, Reese.” Now, she had to be the strong one. Shay realized she was further along in her own, internal healing process than Reese was.
Nuzzling his palm, she placed a kiss in it and opened her eyes, staring up into his darkened green gaze. Reese wanted her. The hunger was stark. Stirring. Her whole lower body exploded with yearning for this brave warrior. “Meet me in my bedroom?”
“I won’t be long,” he promised her thickly, dropping his hand.
Shay nodded and opened the door, watching him disappear into the bathroom. Her heart beat with joy and anticipation as she allowed the towel to drop away. She’d never thought of herself as a bold person, but now she was being just that. And it seemed to give Reese the confidence he needed in order to take this step with her.
Smoothing the quilt across her queen-size bed, the light soft from the eastern window, the pink curtains lacy and feminine, she sat down on the edge of the bed and waited. Worried that Reese would back off if he got a chance to think about it, Shay was proven wrong.
She heard the bathroom door open fifteen minutes later. She straightened, her eyes on the open door to her bedroom. Reese walked in silently, a towel draped low over his narrow hips. His erection was clear to see even through it. She dragged her gaze upward across the expanse of dark hair on his chest, to his proud, broad shoulders, to his eyes. He closed the door, turned, and didn’t hesitate as he walked over to her, his gaze raking her naked body, appreciation in his expression.
“You continually surprise me,” he rasped, standing before her. He reached out, sliding his fingers through her drying hair.
“I like surprising you,” she admitted, her voice becoming tremulous as his touch wreaked fire across her scalp.
Reese removed his hand and couldn’t keep his eyes off her beautiful, lush body. “I wasn’t expecting a kiss in the tack room,” he told her wryly, sitting down, sliding his arms across her shoulders, drawing her against him so their thighs were pressed to one another.
“I couldn’t help myself,” she admitted, moving her hand across his chest, his hair damp and slightly curly beneath her fingertips. “I’ve wanted you ever since I met you.”
Reese searched her face, memorizing her . . . memorizing this moment. “I never thought this would happen, Shay.”
Resting her palm against his heavily thudding heart, she whispered, “I didn’t either.”
“So? What changed?”