His compliment pleased her more than she would have thought. “I’m glad you’ve gotten over your reticence about my cooking.”
“Yeah, I owe you an apology for that.” He grinned as he knelt beside her to help unpack their lunch. “But you were pretty clear that you wanted me off the ranch one way or another. As angry as you were the night before, I wasn’t sure you hadn’t decided to tamper with my food.”
“I suppose I owe you an apology for that,” she admitted. “I was tired and angry and might have overreacted just a bit.”
“More like a lot, babe,” he said, unwrapping a ham-and-cheese sandwich.
“I did make some pretty serious accusations, didn’t I?” She wasn’t proud of it, but her temper had gotten the better of her that night. “I’m sorry for bringing your integrity into question, Lane. But I just couldn’t understand why Grandpa would jeopardize any part of the ranch. I still don’t. It just doesn’t make sense to me.”
He put down his sandwich and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her to his broad chest. “Don’t beat yourself up, Taylor. I got over it and after I cooled down, I realized that you’d had a tough few weeks. You’d just lost Ben, learned that he had lost part of the ranch you expected to inherit, then had to fulfill his last wish and bring his ashes back here.” He ran his hands along her back in a soothing manner. “That kind of emotional roller coaster would put anyone on edge.”
If Lane hadn’t been so understanding, she might have been able to stop herself. But his insight into what she had gone through with the loss of her beloved grandfather was more than she could bear. For the first time since her grandfather’s passing, Taylor felt tears flow freely down her cheeks.
She hated to cry and had managed to hold the grief at bay until now. But once she acknowledged it, there was no way to stop it. Lane held her close as she sobbed against his chest and when the emotion finally subsided, he wiped away the last traces of her tears with one of the napkins she’d packed for their lunch.
Embarrassed by her uncharacteristic display, she stared down at her tightly clenched fists. “I’m so...sorry. I didn’t...mean to do...that.”
Placing his index finger under her chin, he lifted her gaze to meet his. “Don’t ever be sorry for mourning someone you love, Taylor. It’s part of the healing process. Was that the first time you’ve cried since you lost Ben?”
She nodded. “I don’t like...being weak.”
“Shedding tears for your grandfather’s passing doesn’t make you weak,” he said gently. “It shows the strength of your love for him. And you should never apologize for loving someone that much.”
His tender tone and the understanding she detected in his dark brown eyes caused a warmth like nothing she’d ever known to spread through her. With no thought to the consequences, Taylor pressed her lips to his.
She’d never in her entire life been the one to initiate a kiss, but Lane didn’t seem to mind her assertiveness. Pulling her more fully against him, he took control and lightly teased her with nibbling kisses that were both thrilling and frustrating. She wanted him to deepen the caress, to kiss her like he’d done before.
Apparently sensing what she wanted, he coaxed her to open for him and her heart skipped a beat. At the first touch of his tongue to hers, stars burst behind her closed eyes and a streak of longing coursed through her.
As he softly stroked her inner recesses, he slid his hand under the tail of her T-shirt and the feel of his callused palm against her smooth skin sent ribbons of desire twining to the most feminine part of her. But when his hand covered her breast and his thumb grazed her nipple through her thin bra, a shiver of anticipation coursed through her and left her feeling weak with longing. The sensation was so strong it frightened her with its intensity.
“It’s okay, babe,” Lane said, apparently sensing her panic. He moved his hand from beneath her shirt, then, straightening the garment, added, “Nothing is going to happen that you don’t want to happen.”
That’s what bothered her. She did want something to happen. She wasn’t comfortable with it and she certainly wasn’t about to tell him about it.
“I think it would be a good idea...if we stopped doing that,” she said, sounding anything but convincing as she put some space between them on the picnic blanket. “We’re rivals.”
“Yeah, it’s probably not wise,” he said, his tone as unenthusiastic as hers. The slow, sexy grin curving the corners of his mouth made her feel warm all over. “But there’s nothing wrong with a little friendly rivalry.”