He lay down beside her, breathing hard, tugged her against the length of his body, and covered them with a sleeping bag.

She rose up on one arm and pressed a tender kiss to his cheek. "For me, that was the very first time. I've never felt anything close to what I experienced with you."

"After all these years, yes, this is our very first time." He swept Lauren closer, hardly able to believe the love of his life was in his arms in the bed of his pickup on Lovers Leap. And yet, he felt as if this was exactly the way his life was meant to be.

She snuggled against him and then shrugged her shoulders. "You know what, I'm really hungry."

He grinned, pushing her damp hair back from her face. "Ready again?"

"Food." She laughed and sat up. "Where's that barbeque when a gal needs it?"

He groaned and sat up, too. "Is there no satisfying you?"

She shook her head. "Not if that little session is what you've got in store for my future."

"I've got that for you. And a whole lot more."

"Good. I want to try out your big bed next."

"You got it." He leaned over, picked up the sack of barbeque, and handed it to her. "For now, this'll have to do."

She pulled two Styrofoam containers out of the sack, gave one to him, and opened the other for herself. "Oh yum, this looks good."

"Simple chopped brisket sandwich and fries so it wouldn't be too messy." He watched as she took a big bite of her sandwich and moaned in pleasure. That simple act sent his mind to imagining other pleasures. But he set that thought aside for later, pulled out his sandwich, and bit into it. She was right. It hit the spot.

They ate silently, except for a few moans and groans of pleasure, until the food was all gone. He quickly slipped the containers back into the sack, set it aside, and pulled the drinks out of the cooler. While they slurped from straws, he glanced around the area. They were as alone here as if they were at the top of the world. Maybe they could stay the night. He'd always wanted to spend long hours with her, and this was just the beginning of building a treasured life.

Lauren handed her mostly empty drink back to him, giving him a come hither smile that beckoned him closer. And that was more than fine with him. He set their cups back in the cooler and turned to her.

"I think it's time we got those jeans off you," she said in a husky voice. "I'd like a little show."

He chuckled as he realized her mind had gone exactly where his thoughts had gone a moment earlier. She wanted to be here with him all night long, too. He reached for the waistband of his jeans. He'd be happy to shuck them for her.

As he stood up so she'd get the full effect, the sound of chirping crickets filled the air. Startled, he glanced around to see if a cricket had leaped from the oak tree down onto the truck.

Lauren sat up fast, appearing alarmed as she looked toward their pile of clothes.

"What is it?"

"That's my phone. I can't help but worry something might have happened to Hannah."

He quickly turned serious and zipped up his jeans, looking about at the same time for her phone. He walked over to the clothes and tossed each piece aside until he found Lauren's jeans. He pulled out her cell and carried it over to her.

She grabbed the phone and swiped it open. "h.e.l.lo." She listened for a moment, appearing more and more concerned, and then nodded. "I'll be right there. Yes, Ruby, I'll bring Kent."

"Is Hannah okay?" He felt suddenly cold with dread at the thought that something could have happened to her.

"She's okay, I think. Ruby said Hannah awoke from a bad dream. She's crying and won't stop." Lauren started putting on her clothes. "I thought maybe now that she's here those nightmares would stop."

"Nightmares?"

Lauren jerked her T-shirt over her head. "She dreams her daddy is gone and she can't find him."

"That's terrible."

Lauren nodded, sighing. "It's my fault. I shouldn't have left her alone with only Ruby tonight."

Kent enfolded Lauren in his arms. "Don't blame yourself. Blame me. I lured you up here. I didn't know about Hannah's nightmares."

"How could you?" She hugged him hard. "Listen, let's don't blame ourselves. Let's just go home and comfort her."

"How do you get her past her fear?"

"So far, nothing works. She'll eventually wear herself out and fall asleep. All I can do is hold her and be there for her."

"Then let's go home and comfort our daughter."

Chapter 35.

When Kent cut the engine of his truck in front of Twin Oaks, Lauren felt a great sense of relief, as well as a sense of loss. She'd be able to comfort Hannah, but she worried that what she'd just shared with Kent might slip away. They'd confessed their love years ago and still they'd lost each other. She didn't want to think that could happen again, but their reconnection was still so fresh that it felt fragile. But she mustn't let that possibility weigh on her mind, not when Hannah needed her.

"Do you want me to go on home?" Kent asked in a voice tinged with concern. "I don't want to intrude or cause problems."

She gazed at the warm lights glowing inside the house, but she felt no answering warmth, only chills. To feel so helpless to stop her daughter's emotional pain was almost more than she could bear, but she must be strong for Hannah.

"Lauren?" Kent squeezed her hand. "I'll support you any way I can."

She shook her head to clear out the cobwebs. "Normally, I wouldn't want to chance upsetting Hannah with extra people in the house."

"That's fine. I understand. She hasn't been around me very much. I'm still a stranger to her."

"That's just it. Hannah doesn't view you as a stranger. And Ruby asked for you to come in the house."

"Okay. I'll come inside, but I'll hang back till we get a lay of the land. If it looks like my presence causes more trouble, I'll quietly slip back out the door and go home."

"Thanks."

"But if that happens, please call me as soon as she's settled down so I'll know she's okay."

"Of course, I will." She squeezed his hand in return, feeling the welcome power of his warmth and strength, then opened her door.

She was down, out, and headed for the kitchen door before Kent had a chance to round the front of his pickup. She jogged up the brick steps and paused with her hand on the doork.n.o.b. She took a deep breath and gave him a quick nod before she opened the door. She stepped inside and smelled the tantalizing aroma of fresh-baked brownies, so she knew Hannah had been having fun earlier in the day. She glanced downstairs and saw Ruby sitting in her recliner with Hannah curled in her lap, softly sobbing.

"Hannah, sweetie, I'm here," Lauren called as she quickly walked across the kitchen.

"Mommy!" Hannah cried as she leaped out of Ruby's lap.

Lauren descended the steps, dropped to her knees, and held out her arms. Hannah launched her small body forward and Lauren caught her, holding her tight as her daughter sobbed against her shoulder. She patted Hannah's back, noticing she wore her favorite teddy bear fleece pajama onesie with feet. She stroked her daughter's long hair, trying to dislodge the mats, but gave up for the moment.

"Did you have a bad dream again?" Lauren asked as she heard Kent quietly enter the kitchen and close the door behind him.

"We read her favorite book before she went to sleep." Ruby sighed and leaned forward, patting her lap. Temple jumped up, kneaded his paws, and settled down in her lap. "We tried to comfort her, but she wasn't having any of it."

"It's okay." Lauren hugged her daughter closer. "I thought maybe once she was here she wouldn't have her nightmare about losing her father."

"Her father?" Ruby asked, sounding puzzled as she glanced up toward Kent in the kitchen.

Hannah raised her tear-streaked face. "Cowboy Daddy! I dreamed he's gone and never coming back."

Lauren felt shock reverberate through her. "You're worried about Cowboy Daddy?"

"Yes!" Hannah nodded vigorously. "He fell off a horse like Aunt Hedy, but he never got up."

Lauren sighed. So much for little ears. She hadn't been careful enough discussing Hedy and hippotherapy and horses. But what amazed her more than anything was her daughter's concern about Kent. Could she be that attached to him already? And if so, what if-somehow-Lauren's relationship with Kent didn't work out? She must protect her daughter's emotional well-being.

"Hannah," Kent called softly, gently as he walked across the kitchen, down the steps, and stopped beside Lauren.

"Cowboy Daddy!" Hannah's head jerked up and her eyes grew wide. She pulled away from Lauren and launched herself at Kent.

"I'm here. All's well." He easily caught Hannah and swung her up into his arms in a big bear hug.

She encircled his neck and buried her face against his chest, sobbing more softly as she clung to him.

He looked from Lauren to Ruby and raised his eyebrows, appearing like a deer caught in headlights.

"Looks like we've got a daddy's girl on our hands." Ruby chuckled, shaking her head. "I thought he was what she needed for rea.s.surance."

Lauren stood up, more surprised than anyone, but also grateful that Kent was handling her daughter so well.

"What do I do?" Kent asked.

Ruby pointed toward a big rocking chair with soft cushions in front of the fireplace. "If Lauren agrees, I suggest you sit right down there and rock Hannah to sleep."

Kent queried Lauren with raised eyebrows.

She nodded in agreement as she remembered his words up on Lovers Leap. "Let's go home and comfort our daughter." Why had she suddenly doubted him or his commitment? He was rock-solid, and Hannah must instinctively know it.

Kent carefully sat down in the rocker, eased Hannah into a comfortable position on his lap, and gently began to rock.

Lauren pulled tissues from her front pocket and wiped her daughter's eyes and nose before she settled on the edge of the sofa.

Hannah leaned against Kent, rubbed her eyes with the back of one hand, and gave a big sigh as her tears slowly subsided into quiet calm. "Cowboy Daddy, will you tell me a story?"

"A story?" Kent glanced from Lauren to Ruby and back again. "I'm not sure if I know any bedtime stories."

"Story, Cowboy Daddy. Story!" Hannah insisted in her high, sweet voice as she wriggled to get more comfortable.

"Why don't you tell her a Comanche myth?" Lauren leaned forward so she could quickly help her daughter if she started to cry again.

Hannah reached up and patted Kent's cheek with her small, dimpled hand. "Cowboy Daddy tells the best stories."

Ruby chuckled as she stroked Temple's fur and elicited loud rumbles of contentment.

For the first time in a long while, Lauren relaxed as she looked at the cozy domestic scene in front of her and leaned back against the sofa. If she could trust Kent with her child, she could trust him with her heart.

"Well, let's see," Kent said, glancing down at the top of Hannah's head. "Long ago, when darkness and coldness enveloped the Earth, all the animals called a council to discuss the situation. They gathered at a large tepee, one with a framework of four poles in the Comanche way. Soon they went inside to sit in a circle around a bright blaze in a fire pit made with smooth river stones."

"What's a tepee?" Hannah asked, c.o.c.king her head.

Kent chuckled as he looked at Lauren. "Guess she hasn't had much chance to hear Comanche legends."

"Just goes to show it's a good thing she's back in Wildcat Bluff," Ruby said as she continued to stroke Temple's back.

"Tepee?" Hannah patted Kent's chest.

"It's a big, warm tent."

"For camping?" Hannah asked.

"Yep."

"Will you take me and Mommy camping?"

"Sure. We'll do it sometime."

Lauren caught Kent's gaze and smiled as he nodded at her. He certainly had a way with children.

"More animals," Hannah said.

"Okay," Kent agreed. "Coyote took the lead because he always gets into some mess or other."

Hannah giggled. "That's me."

Kent pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Coyote asked the other animals if they were sure they wanted to change from living in darkness and coldness. Bear agreed, along with Hummingbird, who wanted light, and Turtle, who wanted heat. Coyote warned them that change could be dangerous."

As Lauren listened to Kent's deep voice weave a spell around her, she knew exactly what the Comanche meant by "change is dangerous" because you never knew how it would turn out. In Hannah's case, change was turning out to be the absolute best of all possible worlds.

"Opossum piped up that she liked the dark," Kent continued. "Racc.o.o.n agreed because his fur coat kept him warm. But Bear growled that she wanted change. And she usually gets her way because she is so big and strong."

"I like Bear," Hannah murmured in a soft, sleepy voice.