“God,” Presley gasped. Her neck arched and the tendons stood out on her neck. “I can’t…Harper!”

Deep inside, Harper roared in triumph.

Presley’s nails bit into her back. The sound of Presley’s pleasure stripped Harper bare and she crashed with her. She groaned, muscles locked as every nerve ignited. She buried her face in the curve of Presley’s shoulder and shuddered as the world disappeared.

“I thought I’d implode before I got here,” Presley murmured lazily a few minutes later. She stroked Harper’s hair, brushed her fingers over the sweat-dampened skin between her shoulder blades. “I love the way you make me come.”

Harper feared she wouldn’t be able to make words. She was fried, demolished. “Not…done.”

“That’s good.” Presley kissed Harper’s throat. “Harper?”

“Hmm?” Harper raised her head with Herculean effort. Presley was so beautiful she almost got lost in her again. The vulnerable look in Presley’s eyes drew her in. “What, baby?”

“I love you.”

Harper stilled. She’d heard the words before, but never like this. Never from the one woman she’d wanted to hear them from with all her heart. “I love you too. Totally out-of-my-mind in love with you.”

“I want you so much,” Presley whispered, “even though I know it’s a crazy idea.”

Harper tried to gather her wits. This was important. She needed to do this right. She pushed up on her elbows, kissed Presley, and gently framed her face. “Nothing crazy about us loving each other. It’s the most absolute right thing in the world.”

“I don’t fit, you know that.”

“My mother didn’t fit here either when she married my father, but she’s as much a part of this place, and this place of her, as anyone whose family has been here a hundred years. Do you love me enough for a lifetime?”

“What?” Presley asked faintly. Harper’s eyes burned into hers. Her hands were hot against her face, her body a furnace.

“Do you love me enough for forever?”

“Yes,” Presley answered instantly. “God, yes, I do.”

Harper smiled and the sun burst in her eyes. “Then you fit.”

“Don’t you want to know about the Rivers?”

Harper kissed her again. “Yes, but not now, not here. This is ours. Business can wait.”

“You might feel different—”

“No.” Harper brushed a thumb over her mouth. “I won’t. I told you that already. I know what you do and why. I understand.”

“Your father, your family—”

“I love them, more than almost anything. But you, you’re mine now, and I’m yours. Say yes.”

Presley caught her breath. “Say yes to what?”

“Say you’re mine.”

“I’m yours.” Presley knew it through every inch of her being. Tears trembled on her lashes. She’d never imagined the beauty of belonging like this and knew she would never want for anything as long as she had Harper. “Yes, I’m yours. I love you.”

“Then say you’ll marry me.”

“I…” Presley kissed Harper, as demanding and possessive as Harper had been just moments before. “Yes, I will. Of course I will.”

Harper threw back her head and laughed. “Yes. You will!”

Laughing too, Presley rolled her over and kissed her throat. Harper stilled as she kept kissing her, down the center of her chest and belly until she lay between her legs. She looked up and watched Harper watching her. “I’ve been thinking about this all night too.”

“Take your time,” Harper said, her voice husky.

“Oh, don’t worry, I plan to.” Presley kissed lightly between Harper’s legs, a satisfied purr rising from her throat as Harper twitched. “I’m going to enjoy taking what’s mine.”

Chapter Thirty

Harper called the big house a little after six. Her mother answered. “Mama, we need a family meeting.”

“What time?” Ida said.

“Breakfast?”

“Your father’s about to leave for the hospital. Flann is probably on her way there too. Is it important?”

“Yes.”

“Then I’ll get them here. Half an hour.”

“Thanks, Mama.”

“Are you all right, Harper?”

“Yes, Mama. I’m perfect.”

Silence sounded for a few seconds, and Ida said, “Will we need another chair at the table?”

“Yes.”

“All right then. Don’t be late.”

Harper set her cell aside. Presley leaned against the counter in nothing but a half-buttoned, faded blue cotton shirt she’d taken from Harper’s closet. She was drinking a cup of coffee, her hair a loose tangle that looked as if it had been finger-combed a dozen times, her face relaxed and her eyes ever so slightly hazy. Harper chuckled, a swell of contentment so potent overtaking her, her hands shook.

A crease formed between Presley’s brows. “What’s funny?”

“You look like you’ve just been fu—”

“Oh, aren’t you smug.”

“Uh-huh. I am feeling pretty pleased with myself.”

Presley set the cup down, unbuttoned Harper’s shirt, and let it drop on the floor. Harper suddenly couldn’t move her lips, her mouth was so dry.

“Think about that today.” Presley turned and walked toward the back door.

Harper lunged after her. “Jesus, Presley. You can’t walk out there like that.”

Presley grinned back over her shoulder. “Who’s going to see me out here?”

“How about the farmer who’s plowing the field next door?”

Presley jerked to a stop. “Where?”

“Just saying there might be someone—”

“I think I liked you better when you were all broody and quiet.”

Harper grinned. “Where’s your suitcase?”

“Backseat.”

“I’ll get it for you. In a minute.” She grabbed Presley and kissed her. She took her time, tasting her, imprinting the shape of her mouth, the softness of her lips, the playful stroke of her tongue. She absorbed the fullness of her breasts, the hard points of her nipples, the soft curve of her belly and firm length of her thighs. She caressed Presley’s ass, and Presley’s head fell back with a soft moan. Harper’s belly twisted. “I want you again right now.”

“I want you to take me right now,” Presley gasped. “Do we have time?”

“Ten minutes.”

Presley pushed Harper’s hand between her thighs. “Plenty of time.”

*

Harper pulled in behind Flannery’s Jeep, turned off the engine, and took Presley’s hand. “How are you doing?”

Presley shook her head slowly. “I’ve gone into boardrooms where I knew every single person was gunning for me without the slightest hesitation, without the least bit of nerves. The idea of walking into that kitchen fills me with terror.”

Harper laughed and leaned over to kiss her. “You can handle them.”

“Seriously, Harper.” Presley rubbed the tops of Harper’s fingers with her thumb. “This matters more to me than any merger, any acquisition, anything I’ve ever accomplished. This isn’t just about the Rivers. This is about us.”

“No, it isn’t,” Harper said. “We’re solid, no matter what you say in there.”

“I know what your family means to you.” Presley took in the homestead with its stately manor house, the lush green fields, and the wide river beyond the trees. This place was Harper’s touchstone, but the family gathered inside, waiting for them, was the heart from which she drew her strength. “I would never want to come between you and them.”

“You won’t. I promise.” Harper squeezed her hand. “It would never come to this, but if I had to, I would choose you. Here, anywhere we needed to go to be together. I would choose you.”

“I’ve gotten rather fond of the country, and of course, there’s Rooster to be considered,” Presley said around the love burning in her chest. The tears pushed forward again.

“Can’t leave him,” Harper said, brushing the droplets from Presley’s lashes with a thumb.

“So we’ll be staying.”

Harper kissed her. “We’ll be staying.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to hear what I have to say about the Rivers first?”

“It affects the family, we should hear it together.”

“I love you.” Presley drew a deep breath. “All right, let’s go inside.”

Harper jumped down and hurried around the front of the truck to take Presley’s arm as she climbed out. She slid her fingers through Presley’s as they walked around to the kitchen. Everyone was there, Edward at the head of the table, Flannery to his left, Carson to his right, Margie next to Carson, Ida at the far end of the table. Two empty chairs remained—one on either side of Ida.

“I love you,” Harper murmured, let go of her hand, and took the empty chair on her mother’s right next to Flann. Presley glanced at the single remaining chair next to Ida. Every eye was on her.

“Have you had coffee?” Ida said.

“I’m fine for now,” Presley said.

“Then you should sit down.” Ida smiled and the invitation reached her eyes.

“Thank you.” Presley sat and folded her hands in front of her on the big hickory table. She thought she’d known what she was going to say—she had all the facts and figures lined up, had reviewed all the logic, analyzed the conclusions, formulated everything in terms a layperson could understand. Sitting here at this table, none of those things seemed to matter. She met each expectant gaze and focused on Harper. “I grew up believing success equaled happiness. In my family, success meant winning at business, mostly, but when I was younger it was anything…everything—sports, academics, social distinction. My brother and I competed fiercely.”

Flannery said, “Sounds like me and Harper.”

Presley smiled fleetingly. “No, nothing like you and Harper. We weren’t competing to bring out the best in each other, but to gain our parents’ approval. And it seemed that only one of us could ever have that at any given time.”

No one said anything, but the calm, steady look in Harper’s eyes gave her all the strength she needed.

“When I first came here, I thought I understood the situation at the Rivers. The hospital is a losing proposition and has been for quite some time. The patient base is geographically scattered, poor, and underinsured. Closing the institution makes fiscal sense.”