Come Home To Me (Wild Creek Ranch Book 1)

Chapter Six - With His Family

Adelaide thanked her lucky stars at their narrow escape, clutching onto his arm as they slowed down to a trot. She could see Granny's ranch in the distance but her heart felt heavy rather than relieved, wishing she could spend more time with him elsewhere. She didn't wish to go home yet!

"Do you remember tomorrow's dinner?" asked Rhett, unable to control the eagerness in her tone. With his stubble grazing against her neck, Adelaide trembled at his touch, wondering what he was up to. Was he longing to kiss her as much as she was burning, to feel his lips on hers?

"Yes, we'll be there."

"I'm helping Mom prepare tomorrow's dinner."

Adelaide turned her head to look at his face with disbelief. "Can you cook?" He looked down at her upturned face, almost cradled in his arms, with longing and a muscled twitched at his temples as he struggled to control the urge to smash his lips to hers.

"Yes, but I rarely do it," he whispered, unable to look away from her face, her radiant eyes, her moist, dewy lips that looked so inviting that he was on the verge of losing his restraint.

Adelaide noticed the way his gaze was stuck on her lips while her breath hitched, anticipating a kiss, but he looked away instead. Disappointed, she turned to find that they had reached home already.

Rhett quietly dismounted from Thunderbolt and helped her down, her hot and soft curves brushing against his muscular one, kindling a fire deep within him. He released her as if burnt by her touch. Another moment with her would make him lose his self-restraint and devour her delicious mouth.

"See you, Adelaide." He mounted his horse and galloped away at top speed, to escape his growing desire. Adelaide watched him disappear with a puzzled look on her face, wondering what made him leave so suddenly! She had said nothing that could hurt him. Shrugging, she went inside and helped Granny make dinner.

"Your mom called today, Adel," informed her granny while Adelaide sighed and massaged her temples.

"What did she want now?"

"She wants you to return to New York and pursue your post-graduation studies."

"Why would I need to study further when I'm happy being an ordinary nurse?" Adelaide knew this had nothing to do with her welfare. Her mom wanted her to be at least a head nurse to make her at par with her brother's qualifications.

"You had better talk to her before she sends someone to fetch you home."

"Didn't you tell her I'm settled here? I'll run away if she forces me to return. Why doesn't she leave me alone?"

"I told her that so relax, maybe she wouldn't send anyone. Sit down and eat," said Granny, to calm her down, but she knew her daughter-in-law wasn't one to be dissuaded so easily.

"I've suddenly lost my appetite, granny."

"You shouldn't take it out on your food, dear," said Granny, her unhappy and dejected face touching Adelaide's heart. She nodded, knowing how much her granny wanted her to stay with her. Maybe she was right and her mom wouldn't send someone to fetch her after all. Well, if she did, she could deal with it when the time arrived.

Rhett quietly finished his dinner while everyone around him mingled freely, discussing the day's event, as was always the ritual. However, this time they left him alone, seeing his bad mood. Afterward, he went up to his room, but the strange restlessness that bothered him all day didn't leave him at all. It spread all over him and he couldn't stop himself from thinking about Adelaide.

He had loved the feeling of her against him and wanted it to last forever! In fact, he loved everything about her. He had never felt like this with any other woman before, and he was worried that he was falling hard for Adelaide. Did she feel the same for him? Maybe not. He was just a simple cowboy while she was from NYC, where she might have met lots of gorgeous and smart city-bred men. She was beautiful and, coming from a good background, surely had many of them approaching her. Why would she give him any chance?