"Make no mistake Lilly, I want you here…with me, and I want Charlie too. Now do you understand?"
"Everything except why, Cord?"
He smiled at her now, "When the time comes, I'll tell you. Fair enough?"
"I guess…" but she wasn't allowed to finish the sentence, he pulled her unresisting body toward him and kissed her sweetly on the lips once more.
"Damn, you are gonna be nice to come home to."
He felt her body weaken as he held her against him. He felt her hands go inside his shirt and hold onto his hot skin. Like a fever he wanted her. The kiss was sweet and made her cling to him.
When they finally broke apart, she moved away from him, because a few more kisses like that and she'd be taking him to his bedroom. The hot flesh of his chest was smooth and seemed on fire for her.
"I passed the Dubs brothers as I was coming out here." Lilly informed him, trying to put a little distance between herself and his powerful kisses.
"They stopped by." Cord watched her but didn't move away.
"What did they want?" She asked, trying to sound normal and failing.
"From the looks of them, me."
"What happened?"
"I told them I dealt in lead. It was a warning. But I don't think they will heed it." Cord said, reaching for the buttons on his shirt.
Her eyes flew to the expanse of his chest. She sucked in air. "You don't have to button it because of me…" She uttered breathlessly.
"Yes I do…because you run y
our hands over me one more time like that and we might have to go into the other room, honey. Make no mistake about it Lilly. I do want you, but I don't want to start something you won't finish. When you ready for that, I'll be there. That's a fact. Without question. You're a beautiful woman, and I sure as hell want you, but it won't happen until you are ready. Understand me now? I care enough to not touch…yet. Does that tell you anything?"
"Yes," she whispered. Her eyes burned with the same desire as his as she stared into his eyes.
She nodded silently.
She moved away again.
"So you think there's going to be trouble?"
"I'm going to try to settle this before you and Charlie move out here." He told her. "I don't want the two of you in any danger."
She watched, fascinated as he buttoned his shirt. Again her hands itched to touch. "Are you going to kill them?"
"If need be. But I'd rather not. The youngest one, he's got a big mouth, but he's just a kid. Butch, I wouldn't mind tangling with. Jason, I'd rather not. Not because I'm afraid of him, but he's got a head on his shoulders and he might be alright if the other two weren't around."
She let out a breath, "I'm glad of that."
"Don't be. It'll probably take some killing to teach them. And if I kill one, the other two will want me."
"Cord, when are you gonna put your guns up?" Lilly asked.
"When they let me…I promise you that. I promised Charlie that too!" Cord came closer. "But the reality is, I've been using them a while. People know of me. You don't just take them off, honey. It'd be pure suicide to take them off and hang them up."
"For Charlie's sake, I wish you would."
Cord looked down then back up into her eyes. "I'll think on that. Maybe after this thing with the Dubs boys is over I can…"
"Thank you…for considering it. I don't want to be a widow before I'm a bride though." She said huskily. She glanced about the yard. "Where's Pedro?"