Their children.
“I think we may have to rethink our earlier plan of not saying much and letting them figure it out,” Kelly said to Vaughan.
“You think?” He grinned.
He was so fucking cute it never failed to work on her. Like human catnip. Or dark chocolate and sea salt on almonds. He’d wanted this all along anyway.
“Okay, then, you go on and explain it.” Kelly waved a hand at him.
He moved to sit next to Kelly, mirroring her with a pillow on his lap. “When I started staying here it was to not only be a better dad, it was to also hopefully convince your mom that I’d changed from the terrible husband I was before. So she’d give me another chance, too. I want us to be a family, all of us.”
Terrified, Kelly nodded. Agreeing. “I want that, too. We won’t be making any babies, though.” Not for some time, maybe not ever.
“Were you a terrible husband, Daddy?” Kensey asked.
He licked his lips and nodded. “Yes. I messed up a lot. Your mom deserved better. I’m that man now. She’s giving me another chance to prove I’ll be the best I can be for all three of you. Will you guys?”
“We love you, Daddy,” Kensey said, throwing her arms around his neck. “We like it that you’re here. You pack good lunches and sing us songs while we make dinner.”
“What’s going to change?” Maddie’s voice had a little fear in it. Kelly reached out to pat her leg. Her oldest daughter’s eyes, so much like Vaughan’s just then, were a little wide. “Are we going to live at the ranch? Will we have to change schools? All my friends are here!” Maddie looked back and forth between her parents.
Kelly wasn’t anywhere near a place she could imagine living in such close quarters with her mother-in-law. She liked the house and the community here. They had roots and Kelly didn’t want to rip them up to live on that ranch, away from the life she’d built over the past eight years.
Her own life. Not a life made by her mother, or driven by the necessities of remaining on track to hold her place in her modeling career. Eight years ago she’d been a single mom to two children under eighteen months old.
The most pride she’d ever felt was that she’d made a home here for her daughters. She had a way to support them all. A job and career she loved. It took a lot of tears to get that far.
Going to live at the ranch—at least at that point—would be a repudiation of all that pain. Kelly had been responsible for her own happiness for the first time in her entire life.
And despite the ups and downs of her life, she was happy. Happier right at that moment than she’d been in a very long time.
She didn’t have to answer, though, because Vaughan did.
“No.”
Vaughan’s answer surprised Kelly. She’d figured his end goal was to have them all at Sweet Hollow Ranch.
“Your mom’s boutique is in Portland. The commute would be awful from Hood River. And you girls have school here, your dance studio, friends. I can’t see that your mom and I have any need to move. Especially during the school year.”
Kelly thought about how much he had changed. The Vaughan she’d married wouldn’t have even considered living anywhere else but Sweet Hollow Ranch. His home was custom. The band’s studio was at the ranch. Ezra, his best friend and brother, was at the ranch.
“But we all have a house on there. We’ve got weekends and the summers and school breaks. I need to be there a lot more often during the harvests. So we’ll have plenty of time in Hood River. Part of your heritage is that ranch.”
Kelly realized how much she’d sort of forgotten that key point. Yes, she loved that his family was close with Maddie and Kensey. But they should be helping during harvest, too, as a way to show their love. They were Hurleys after all.
“We’ll find a way to have you two help,” Kelly said. “Your uncle Ezra has some great ideas, I bet.”
Vaughan’s smile made her so much more glad she’d made that offer.
They had to work together. Not her telling him what to do. Or him trying to figure out what she’d be happy with. That felt way too much like parenting. She needed a partner, a leader of their family team to stand beside her.
Kelly made a shooing motion. “Now, ladies. It’s two hours past your bedtime. Tomorrow will get here pretty early so get moving back to your beds. Kensey, stop singing to annoy your sister.”
She and Vaughan put them back to bed, tucked them in and kissed them good-night.
He took her hand as they walked down the hall, back to her room. “I can do that now. Cool.”
“You might as well move your stuff in here,” she said as they got to her door. “Okay, not your clothes. You can keep them in that room.”
He pretended offense. “My clothes aren’t good enough to live in that fantasy closet of yours?”
She shook her head. “My closet is sacrosanct.”
He kissed her, clearly tickled that he could, which only charmed her more. “I can live with that. Be back momentarily.”
Boy, oh, boy did she have a lot to tell Stacey the next day at lunch.
* * *
VAUGHAN STOOD IN the middle of his room. No, the guest room. And he smiled.
He grabbed his basics; he’d complete the full move the next day, wanting to get back to her as soon as he could while still giving her a bit of time to process.
The new Kelly needed that so the new Vaughan tried to give it to her before he was drawn back to her.
This feeling, utter joy and satisfaction, was one he really fucking loved. The ache that he could have had it all these years had become less sharp, though the dull ache of it kept him remembering it was his choice. A painful lesson for them all.
That part hurt the most, still. He loved his girls more than anything, but after three weeks of caring for them daily through school and dance classes and dinner and all that, he realized the connection between them all had deepened.
He’d never be able to get those years back.
Vaughan shook his head as he took his Dopp kit and a few other basics over to her—correction their—room.
“I cleared out a few drawers for you in that dresser.” Kelly pointed to a tallboy-style dresser in a corner.
“I’m really not that bothered to have my clothes next door.”
She looked up from where she’d been pulling things from a bedside table. “That dresser was pretty empty. I’d been working on it for eighteen months and only moved it up here in the early spring. I don’t mind sharing that much.”
He liked her grin. Easy. No sign of wariness.
“All right. Thanks. I’ll keep the closet over there so yours can remain free of my boy cooties.”
She laughed. “I haven’t lived with anyone since you. I mean, the girls, but they have their own rooms. I should probably tell you I’m totally selfish about some things like my closet.”
No apology for it. That was a now Kelly thing, too.
* * *
EVERYONE NEEDED SOMETHING to be selfish about. He’d been too selfish and she hadn’t been selfish enough. They could balance one another without tipping over. If they did it right.
“I should also tell you I’ve staked a claim on the apartment above the garage.”
Instead of upset, she appeared to be happy. “Really? I’m glad. I knew you moved some stuff into it, but it’s a relief you like the space.”
“It’s got great light. It’s set far enough away from the house and all the surrounding properties that I can work out there and not get the cops called.”
“Okay. Good. Yeah. I know you need a place to work. You’ll also be able to work uninterrupted.”
He’d have to work at the barn, the custom recording and practice studio on the ranch, when the band was ready to work on their next album. But that wouldn?
??t be for another eighteen months or so at the earliest. Damien was about to be a father. Ezra was falling in big giant love, Paddy was skirting around proposing to Natalie. Everything was changing and each of them had to put their focus on their personal lives for a while.
“I want to do some solo stuff,” he said quietly, testing the waters, “so I’m going to get the guy who made our space in Hood River out to get it customized.”
“Solo? Wow, Vaughan, that’s amazing.” Kelly moved to him, sliding her arms around his waist.
“Well, I don’t know about that. I’ve been writing a lot lately. Some of it isn’t going to fit in what Sweet Hollow Ranch does. And I’m cool with that.”
He’d butted heads with Paddy over and over as they’d made their last album. Vaughan had ideas he wanted to pursue that he knew his older brother would always be trying to micromanage to change them.
He didn’t want to change it. He did need to talk with his brothers about it. Vaughan had no plans to leave the band or even take a hiatus. But he had some bluesy country stuff in his head and he wanted to see what shook out.
They’d support him in this endeavor. It was who they were as brothers and as a band. And apparently Kelly did, too.
“All right. Let me know if you need anything. I’m...well, I’m excited for you. I’d really like to hear stuff. I miss that a lot.”
He used to make music for her all the time. Always singing, playing guitar. He did that at his house and even with the girls, but he had a lot of music in his heart for this woman he looked at.
“Yeah?”
She nodded.
He kissed her. Speaking in between sips and tastes. “I miss it, too. I’ll be sure to do it when I’m not deep inside you.”
She gasped and he nipped her lips, pulling back so he could get her tank top over her head.
“Damn, these are spectacular. If I could walk around like this, with your breasts in my hands all day, I would.”
“You’re so full of shit.”
* * *
BUT HER BLUSH was so pretty, he knew she was flattered and not serious.
“I am on many, many things. About how amazing your tits are? Never. That’s stone-cold fact.”
“This time, make sure the door is locked.”
With a groan, he headed back to the door, which was indeed unlocked. “Sorry. I’m an amateur.” Though he hated that she wasn’t. Hated that Ross had been in that bed.
“We need a new mattress.” He tossed his clothes and pulled the rest of hers off as he got her on the bed.
“Uh? Okay. Whatever. You want a new mattress, that’s fine. Here I am naked on my bed with you over me. I don’t even know how you do it. Like in a book where the guy turns into a werewolf and you can’t quite see what happens when they shift?”
“You’re twisted.”
“I’ve always been twisted. I’m just better read now.”
He kissed her, this time settling in. No one was going to barge in and ruin this.
Her neck was warm and soft as he slowly drifted down to the hollow of her throat and licked until she shivered.
“You taste so damned good.”
Her rib cage was solid beneath his lips as he licked and kissed down her body and over to her right nipple.
“I’m not sure which one tastes better. I need a few tests.” He licked several times and then blew over her nipple, watching as it tightened even more.
Then he switched to the left side, teasing, torturing. He wanted to gorge and gorge on her. So he did.
“Please!” she burst out after writhing against him, her pussy against his cock. Bare. So hot he thought he might die from how good it felt.
She’d insisted on latex until they’d both been tested and retested. Only a week to go. Despite how much he yearned to slide himself inside her, claim her skin to skin, it would wait or he’d be spitting in the face of all the promises he’d made.
“Please?” he teased, swirling his tongue around the nipple he then left.
“In me or on me. Something! Anything!”
“I love it when you can’t get it fast enough. Just a little bit of a flounce. So sexy.”
He took pity on her, also because he wanted all those things, too. Her belly quivered as he kissed around her belly button, and her breath caught on a gasp when he used his shoulders to wedge her thighs wide.
All of her right there for him to look—taste and touch—his fill. Yes.
Her taste, sweet mercy, he did so much love not only the salt of her taste, but the way her back arched as he took a few licks.
Vaughan lost himself in her. Let himself leap into making her feel as much pleasure as he could.
He made her come once and then another time before he allowed himself to think about fucking her. But once he had, he was rolling a condom on.
“Turn over. Ass up, head down.”
“What’s the rush?” Kelly asked, drunk with pleasure tongue. “I haven’t been able to return that favor yet.”
She actually loved to go down on him. He was responsive and it was so sexy how hot she got him, that it was way more fun with him than it had been with anyone else.
But Vaughan liked to fuck. Once he was inside her, he’d take his time. Drawing things out for a nice long time, or he’d thrust hard and fast, beads of sweat on his forehead as he took her until she was boneless.
Not like that was a chore, either.
Sex with Vaughan was like a grab bag, but all the prizes were ones you really wanted.
Kelly rolled over as he’d asked, her knees still a little rubbery. Her fingers tangled in the sheets as he knelt behind her. The heat of his body blanketed her ass and thighs as she waited for him to touch her.
He brushed the head of his cock against her, teasing, teasing until she made a sound of annoyance.
“Yeah? All right, then.” Vaughan pressed deep in one long thrust. Her answering moan had to be into the mattress or she’d wake up the girls and wouldn’t that be fun? Nope.
He set a pace just shy of fast and hard. But he knew where he was going so she went along. Everything he did felt so damned good she had no argument.
* * *
THIS WAS DIFFERENT. This time he meant to claim her. She knew it. The way he touched her, took up space in her bed in a different way.
A way that scared her to her toes and yet, it felt right. It could be the two orgasms talking, and it probably was, but she’d keep thinking that way because it was better than being afraid and worried he’d walk away.
The room was quiet but for the slap of skin on skin and her muffled sounds of pleasure. There was so much intense energy between them they didn’t need words.
Each touch he gave her told her things. The scent of her body and his, of sex and love and lust all melding into something new. Something more.
* * *
VAUGHAN WASN’T SURE how much time had passed since he’d pressed himself deep. He only knew there was nowhere he’d rather be, no one else who’d ever be to him what this woman was. Never had been anyone but her.
A long twisty road but through Kelly and the beauty of second chances, there they were. And while he felt so fucking good he never wanted the moment to end, he drew closer and closer.
There was no way around the insane pleasure at the hot clasp of her body around his cock. It was so fantastically delicious he couldn’t keep from coming so hard it was as if his entire body shot out his dick.
Wobbly kneed, he fell to the side, holding her close once he’d gotten the condom dealt with and returned.
“Well, that’s better than a glass of wine to help me sleep.”
* * *
STARTLED, HE LAUGHED and hugged her. “That’s me. My cock is better than wine any day.”
She pre
ssed a kiss to his shoulder. “You should put that on the cover of your next album.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
THE NEXT MORNING, Vaughan got the call that the custom-built Harley Softail he’d been excitedly waiting on was finally done and ready to be his. The girls were in school and Kelly had headed out for Portland half an hour before so he had the time.
But he needed someone to go along with him to drive his car back. He dialed Ezra.
“Hey, stranger,” Ezra replied as he picked up.
“Sorry about that. I didn’t mean to disappear.”
“Are you moving forward? Things are good with you and Kelly?” His brother didn’t bother to rise to the bait and let Vaughan head down some guilt trip. Which, Vaughan supposed, was why Ezra had been his best friend since Vaughan had been old enough to crawl and toddle around following him.
“I have so much to tell you. The girls know about me and their mom. I moved into her bedroom last night. It’s not totally fixed, not by any stretch. But it’s going in a good direction. I wanted to see if you’d be available to go pick my Harley up. It’s ready. On the way over you can fill me in on your love life.”
“I wish I could. I’m leaving for a few days in the mountains. I have too much to get in place today to be gone that long. I’m sorry. We’ll hang out when I get back.”
“Mountains?”
“It’s with Tuesday. For her birthday. Nat and Paddy are going, as well.”
First, a stab of jealousy because he missed being around his brothers all the time. And then the realization all sorts of things were happening with Ezra and he was missing it came.
But not in greater measure than his happiness over this growing something special with Tuesday. Ezra deserved to be loved by someone amazing. “Ah, cool. Well, have a good time. But if you’re so busy, I’ll be over there within the hour to help. The girls are at school and then Kelly can get them from the bus stop. There’s a carnival tonight but that’s not until seven.”
“Don’t even think about it. Go get your bike. It’s a sunny day. Have a nice ride, help with dinner and go to the carnival. I don’t need you here. I’m working with Fletch.” John Fletcher was the foreman of the ranch. Though Ezra ran things and their father was still active, as well, Fletch had been with Sweet Hollow Ranch since pretty much the beginning. He knew it as well as Ezra did.