“You can tell him.”

Noah was full of questions on the way back to Owen’s house. “Why do we get to go back? How long is summer? Is it almost a year? Can I fish today? Can I swim? Do I have to have quiet time again? Should I tell Sully? We could call him or we could go over there. We’re taking all this stuff back in the house, right? We don’t have to leave it in the car for summer, right?”

Hannah was laughing, but she was also driving. “Summer is a long time. Yes, we’re going to take all our things in and put everything away in the drawers and closets. Play a game while I drive!”

Owen carted all their belongings back into the house and while the boys hung out, fished, threw the ball for Romeo and read in the hammock for a while, Hannah was busy putting things away and calling her girlfriends.

“I’m staying for summer,” she said. “I’m staying to see if I love him. I’m giving it a chance to see if I love him like I think I do.”

“I had a feeling,” Kate said.

“I’m not crazy. You’ll meet him and you’ll know. I don’t fall in love fast or easy. I may have picked a couple of bad apples but not because I was impetuous—because they were wrong. Owen is...” Right, she thought. “I have to know. We’re happy here.”

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Kate asked.

“Yes,” Hannah said. “I’m not sure of the outcome yet but it’s what I want. I wanted so much for him to say, ‘Let’s see if we’re right together.’ When you meet him, you’ll understand. He’s amazing.”

“Will this be okay for Noah?” Sharon asked.

“I think it will be the best thing for Noah, but you shouldn’t worry about that. I will always put Noah first and if it ever becomes a negative for Noah, I can have that car loaded in thirty minutes. But Noah loves Owen even more than I do.”

“You said love,” Sharon said.

“I’m not getting ahead of myself,” Hannah said. “I’m not sure it’s true love but it feels like it. That’s why we’re giving it the summer. Before the leaves change color, we’ll know if we should be together.”

“Hannah, you should wait. Don’t move in together so fast. Take your time.”

Hannah laughed. “I waited a year with my first fiancé. I waited two years with my second. Both were excruciatingly bad choices. Neither felt like this feels. How long should I wait? Owen makes me feel better about myself than both of those fiancés put together. And Noah is too young and sweet to have to leave behind another person he loves. We’re going to stay with Owen for the summer and if we belong together, it will be longer. I have shortcomings of all kinds but you must believe me—I will protect Noah. I love him to the moon and back.”

“We’re going to have to come and visit,” Sharon said.

“By all means,” Hannah said. “But when you fall in love with this place and the man, don’t think you get the whole summer!”

It was a slow and languid day because everyone was tired. Apparently the stress of knowing they had to leave and all the getting ready wore everyone out. The sun was trying to sneak behind the Rockies when Noah was snuggling on Hannah’s lap, yawning.

“I think you need a quick bath and bed,” she said.

“Can Romeo come?”

“Owen?”

“If he wants to. And if I know Romeo, he wants to.”

By the time she got back to the porch, he had opened a nice bottle of wine. Instead of sitting on her favorite chair, she slid onto his lap and put her arms around his neck. “I hope you don’t regret this,” she said.

“I almost didn’t catch you in time,” he said. “I almost let you get away.”

“My girlfriends are worried about my judgment. They’ll come for a visit, check you out, decide whether I’ve lost my mind.”

“How soon will they be here?” he asked, nuzzling her neck. “I get a couple more days to seduce you, don’t I?”

She laughed. She also shivered at the sensation of his lips on her neck. “You don’t need all that much time, Owen. But when did you discover you felt this way? I had no idea.”

“It was pretty quick. Not immediately, but within a day I was asking myself, what is this feeling? I couldn’t risk scaring you away so I made myself slow down. You guys had been through a lot and the only thing I wanted was for you to feel safe and happy here. And with me—here with me.”

“Owen, maybe you should have told me how you felt. When you were offering me a chance to stay longer...”

“It’s been such a long time since I was in love, Hannah. You’re going to have to be patient with me. I’m a solitary old dog. But what I want is to be part of a family like yours. What I really want is to not let go of you for twenty-four hours. At least.”

“Are you offering to tuck me in tonight?”

“I could do that,” he said, aping Noah’s best-known phrase.

“You’ll have to have pajamas,” she told him. “Noah sometimes wakes up in the night. Do you own any?”

“There’s a trunk in the master closet, filled with my more personal items that I don’t bother to pack or move into the barn. There are some T-shirts and boxers in there. Will that do?”

“That would be nice,” she said, giving him a kiss.

“Do you have pajamas?” he asked, pulling her closer.

“Of course.”

“I don’t think you’re going to need them for a while,” he said. Then he kissed her with every fiber of emotion running through his veins. His hands wandered under her shirt, stroking her back, sliding under her bra to fondle her breasts and tease her nipples. His tongue made a playful tour of the inside of her mouth and both of them were breathing hard. He lifted his hips slightly. “Do you think he’s asleep?”

“He was almost asleep when I tucked him in, but I’ll check.” She laughed softly. “I’m not going to get a glass of wine, am I?”

“I’ll bring it. We’ll have wine. And other things.” He lifted her up so he could stand, placing her on her feet. “Come with me, sweetheart. Tiptoe. No need to wake anyone.”

The front door was locked, the lights turned off, Noah and Romeo looked in on, the covers on the large, extra-long bed pulled back. The bedroom door had to be closed. A bottle of wine and two glasses sat on the bedside table. “Have you missed your bed?” she asked him.

“It wasn’t the bed I’ve been wanting,” he said. He pulled her shirt over her head and kissed his way from her neck to her shoulder and down her arm to her wrist. He pulled his own shirt off and pressed her close against him, letting her soft breasts tease him. He pulled her down on the bed and lay facing her, leisurely kissing her and running his fingers through her hair, tucking a lock behind her ear. “I was afraid this might never happen. You were so insistent that you had to get back to Minneapolis.”

“I have a cute little house there,” she said. “It comes with a cute little mortgage. I was so proud when I was able to buy it. My life has changed ten times since then.”

“I hope from now on your only changes are welcome.” He slid her shorts down and flipped them away. “Starting here,” he added, sliding a hand over her belly and down. His long fingers glided toward her most private places and she opened her legs for him.

She unsnapped his shorts and slid a hand inside. “Starting here,” she added with a soft, wicked little laugh. Her hand slid over his erection and he moaned. “Owen,” she whispered. “Get rid of these shorts and let’s get under the sheet.”

He rolled with her right, then left. He pulled her under him and settled himself between her legs, gently prodding her. “How’s your birth control?” he asked.

“I guess that means you don’t have a condom...”

“I have some mighty dated ones in that trunk in the closet. If I wasn’t prepared it’s because I didn’t expect to be this lucky. How is this so far?”

“Almost perfect,” she said. “I’m on the pill and it’s served me well.” She pulled his face down to hers and kissed him while her hands roved all over his back and butt. He was so beautifully put together, his muscles long and lean, his male butt solid and round.

He pampered one nipple, then the other, then licked his way down her stomach again, this time not stopping until he reached the center of her body. He spread her legs and briefly buried himself in her soft flesh, his tongue torturing her. Her fingers were in his hair, gently massaging his scalp. Thankfully he didn’t waste a lot of time because she was struggling. He came back to her lips and whispered against them.

“Anything you want,” he said. “Anything.”

“I want you inside me.”

“Thank God,” he said, immediately sliding into her. He pinched his eyes closed and was still a moment, then began to move. She moved with him, clutching him tightly to her. She whimpered slightly, reaching for that moment. Her legs came around his waist and he grabbed her butt, pounding into her with hard strokes, pressing into her, reaching deeply.

She had a powerful, blinding climax in his arms. He opened his eyes, looking down at her. She closed her eyes and bit her lower lip, riding it out. “Honey,” he whispered. “Hannah.” Then, unable to wait her out, he pumped a few short times and exploded with her.

When he stopped panting, he covered her lips with short kisses, leaning on his elbows to keep his weight off her.

“I hope that was okay,” he said in a rough whisper. “Because I think after that one time, I’m addicted.”

She laughed softly. “It was very good,” she said. “Can you do that again?”

“In a little while,” he promised. “Right now I want to feel your whole body against mine. You’re so soft. So sweet.” He turned her a bit so he could spoon her. He nuzzled her neck. “I’m so happy my trip was canceled.”