Page 52 of The Tycoon

Chapter13

Regan and Cole walked over the gravel road and back to the house.They were arm-in-arm, both of them laughing and talking like they’d never done before.They had to let the other go as they entered through the door to the kitchen.

A short, round woman, with brown hair liberally streaked with gray and pulled into a tight bun at the nape, stood there with her arms crossed over her chest apparently waiting.

“I saw you two headed back this way.”The woman held her hand out to Regan.“I’m Mrs.Underhill, though you can call me Bea.It’s short for Beatrice, which I hate, by the way, so don’t call me that unless you want me to be mad.”

Regan bit her cheek to hold back a laugh.“No, Bea, I don’t ever want you angry.We’ll starve if you don’t cook.I can bake, and I like to, sometimes.Will that bother you?That I take over your kitchen, I mean.”

The woman waved an arm.“Heaven knows I can’t bake a lick.I’ve tried more times than I can count, and every one was an abject failure.Baking is an art and not an easy one to pick up.There’s following recipes and then there is the talent involved.The decorating is especially hard.I’ve never done anything like that before.”

“Maybe we can teach each other.I’d love to learn how to cook, especially my favorites.”

“Honey, I’ll cook you anything you like, but you’re right, everyone should learn how to cook a few things, anyway.”

“We’ll talk to you later, Bea.”Cole pulled on Regan’s hand.

Regan laughed.“I guess I’m going now.See you soon.”

“Not if I have my way,” grumbled Cole as he pulled her out of the kitchen.

“Don’t be a grump.Not when we’ve just declared our love for each other.You should be happy.”

He stopped at the bottom of the stairs.“You’re right.I do love you, and I want to make love to you.”

Regan shook her head.“I want to as well.”She cupped his jaw with her hands.“But I want to wait until after we’re married.I need to.I feel like Danny used me, and I don’t want to rush into physical love until we’re married and you can’t ditch me.I know that sounds harsh, and I’m sorry about that.”She rolled up onto the balls of her feet and kissed him.“We’ll make it.I know we will.”Then she kissed him again.This kiss was long and thorough, as she loved him with her mouth.Moving over him, delving inside with her tongue, circling his tongue, tasting his coffee from this morning.

He lifted his head and then pulled her flush with his body.“Can you feel how much I want you?”

Grinning, she nodded.“I sure can, big guy, but we’re still going to have to wait.

He narrowed his eyes and furrowed his brows.“Just stop right there.I’ll wait for you forever.I love you.”

“I love you, too.It just seems sudden.”

He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.“It’s not, really.I’ve felt this way since I saw you.”He chuckled.“Love at first sight.I never thought it was real and certainly not for me.But you knocked me over when we met, and then bruised my ego by taking me down.Seals will never live to accept that a Ranger, a woman, in fact, took out a Seal.

“Well, I can admit it now, but it was a close thing.I thought I was going to lose for a minute there.”She chuckled.

“Let’s take a walk or go upstairs.We can’t stand here all day, the help will wonder what we’re doing.”

She stepped back.“Let’s go for a walk.You can show me your ranch.All I’ve seen is the cabin.”

“There’s not that much to see.Just the barn, really, but you can meet my pride and joy.It’s a racehorse, my brother, Ray, bred especially for me.”

“Do you race him?”

“This will be the first year he’s eligible.He’s only two.”

They walked arm-in-arm to the barn.

As they approached the barn, the smell of horse manure, leather, and fresh hay hit Regan’s nose.Together, the scents weren’t bad.

Cole stopped just inside the door, turned on the lights, and then grabbed several horse cookies from a bag on the wall and put them in his shirt pockets.Inside were ten stalls; six were occupied.They walked down to the third stall on the right.“This is Satan.He’s my baby and doesn’t live up to his name at all.”He pulled a cookie from one of his pockets and placed it on his flat palm.

The horse took it with his lips.

Cole was never in any danger of being bitten, even by mistake.