“I’m leaving now,” he said after firmly planting the cowboy hat on his head.
“I see that.”
Galen didn’t miss the way Patrick stared up at him expectantly. He reached out and patted him on the shoulder, which seemed to appease him.
“Have a good time.”
“I will. Take care of Myka for me.” Patrick leaned closer and whispered, “She gets kind of stressed out when I’m gone. She doesn’t know I know that, but I do. Don’t tell her I told you.”
“I’ll take good care of her. Don’t worry.”
Galen smiled when Patrick launched himself against his legs and gave him a quick hug.
“K! See ya.” He turned and ran back toward the car where Betty and a boy that appeared to be the same age as Patrick stood talking to Myka.
The boy had to be Leroy. He was the complete opposite of Patrick. Leroy had dark hair, brown eyes, and dark skin. Patrick was blond with green eyes and lighter skin. He figured Patrick must have taken after his mother in the looks department because Myka had dark hair and skin as well. Unless, of course, Myka’s brother had had the same coloring as Patrick.
Betty and Myka talked for a moment while Patrick and Leroy got acquainted. Betty waved at Galen before she opened the passenger side of the SUV to let the boys in and helped them buckle their seat belts.
“Hey! I didn’t get my hug,” Myka said before leaning into the SUV and giving Patrick a good squeeze.
Within a couple minutes, the SUV was making its way back down the drive. Myka slowly walked toward him. The slight sway of her hips called to him like a siren’s song. He wondered if she had any idea how incredibly sexy she was. Did she possibly understand how much she turned him on? How much he wanted her? Did she know how much power she held over him? That she had the ability to crush him in her tiny hands?
No. She didn’t. He was sure of that. And he was even more sure that if she did, she’d never use that power against him. He’d met women who used their sex appeal to get what they wanted from men. Myka was nothing like those women.
“I almost have the paddocks repaired.”
“I don’t know what I’d do without you.” She smiled up at him.
His gut clenched. He’d rather die than walk away from her, but if he didn’t . . . she might die. That was unacceptable.
“You’ve done fine without me up until this point. You’d continue to do fine without me now.”
“I suppose, but you’ve made my life easier. It has slowed down now with the gardening out of the way for the year, but I still couldn’t have gotten all of the things done that you have already.”
“Making your life easier brings me great pleasure.”
“I have to do some paperwork and clean the chicken coop. After that, I’ll help you bring the horses in and brush them down.”
He wanted to kiss her, but if he did, he had no doubt he’d have her on the dirt in two seconds flat, taking advantage of her. He remembered last night, and his cock twitched. He hadn’t been the only one taking advantage. And damned if he hadn’t loved it.
“I’m not sure what I’m cooking for dinner. I thought I’d wing it,” Myka said.
“I could help.”
“You cook?” she asked in surprise.
“It is the twenty-first century. Men do cook on occasion,” he said sardonically.
“I guess you’re right.” She laughed. “I’d love to have help cooking dinner.”
She nodded and slowly turned toward the chicken coop. He couldn’t help but watch her delectable ass as she walked away. The dark jeans perfectly outlined the curve of her hips. He gritted his teeth as he fought down the wolf and his own need to chase after her. He never thought he could want a woman as badly as he wanted Myka. The yearning made his body ache, and the thought that she may very well hate him after tonight nearly killed him.
Chapter Nine
Anticipation rode him hard as Galen tapped on the door. He’d spent all afternoon doing hard physical labor trying to keep his need for Myka in check, which had barely managed to take the edge off. When it had finally gotten close to dinnertime, he’d brought the horses in and showered.
While he liked spending time with Patrick, he was glad for the upcoming evening he and Myka could share alone. Not to mention that he thought it was good for Patrick to hang out with Leroy. Boys needed to be boys, and Galen hoped the two days Patrick spent at Betty’s would provide a pleasant distraction and give him a moment’s peace from a reality without his father.
When Myka opened the door, all thoughts fled his mind, and the breath rushed from his lungs. She had on the dress he’d bought her from Susie’s, the one Mr. Lee had mentioned Myka admiring. When he’d slipped in the house earlier and left it on the end of her bed, he wasn’t sure if she’d accept the gift or not. He was more than pleased that she had as he eyed her slowly from head to toe and back.
The dark red fabric trimmed in black around the collar, sleeves, and flared skirt laid against her dark skin, enhancing its golden hue. The wide black belt made her already tiny waist appear even smaller.
“Beautiful,” he whispered.
His cock, however, was not into subtlety, and swelled against his jeans.
She looked down, the forward tip of her head freeing a few wavy strands of black hair from the clip holding it up to fall softly around her face. Her fingers fluttered over the fabric before she looked back up at him and smiled.
“Thank you, Galen. It’s absolutely gorgeous.”
“Yes. It is.” But he made it clear with his hot stare that he was not talking about the dress. “If you only knew how badly I wanted to kiss you right now,” he growled.
“What’s stopping you?” She raised a brow and sucked in a sharp breath.
He shook his head. “If I kiss you, there will be no dinner, no talking, no anything because I won’t be able to stop at just a kiss.”
“I’m not sure I see the problem with that.”
“Too tempting, Myka.” His body was so hot he thought he might go off like an A-bomb at any moment.
“I guess we better get cooking then. Um, I mean dinner.” She giggled nervously.
He bent and kissed her on the cheek and breathed her sweet scent deep into his lungs. She stepped aside and shut the door after he walked through to the kitchen.
Earlier, Myka had been a bit overwhelmed when she found the dress she’d been eyeing at Susie’s for the past several months in a box on the end of her bed. She couldn’t remember the last time someone had given her such a thoughtful gift. However, the gift did raise a few questions in her mind as well. She’d initially thought Galen to be a drifter. Most of the drifters she’d met flitted from job to job, only staying until boredom set in. And while she didn’t like to label people, none of the drifters she’d met had much money. The dress was not cheap.
She’d promptly chastised herself and her overcurious mind before it traveled on to bigger and more creative things to explain why Galen had the means to buy such a frivolous item that wasn’t a necessity. He was obviously not a drinker, as were a lot of drifters, but that was labeling again. Just because the ones she’d come across had liked their alcohol, it didn’t mean they all did. In the end, she’d felt bad about scrutinizing his gift in such a way.
It had been a sweet, unselfish, kind gesture, and she decided to take it for what it was. He’d wanted to do something nice for her. She figured the only reason she’d thought it a bit strange in the first place was because she’d never gotten a gift from a man other than her father—years ago—and Travis. That made the dress a gift she’d never forget, one she’d cherish forever, as the man she loved had given it to her.