The Cowbear's Christmas Bride (Curvy Bear Ranch 4) by Liv Brywood Page B

him a few more days than that. I’m not sure how many friends he’s got left. You might want to head up in the morning and try talking some sense into your mother,” Tanner said.
    “We will,” Carol responded.
    After they’d hung up, she fell back against the bed. At least her mom was safe for tonight. The strain of the day had turned her muscles to lead. Even the hot bath hadn’t been enough to make the aching stop. She turned to find Hank looking at her with concern.
    “She’ll be okay until tomorrow,” he said.
    “I know. I’m just… I wish I could have done something more. I wish I could have helped her.”
    “Some people don’t want to be helped. They don’t know any other way. It sounds like she was beaten on by her father and probably by all the other men in her life in one way or another.”
    “Why wouldn’t she just leave?” she asked.
    “This is going to sound really bad, but maybe she was so used to it that she thought it was normal. Guys like Trevor are master manipulators. They tear down their women until they’ve got nothing left. Maybe she just doesn’t believe that she deserves better,” he said.
    She considered his words. Although she didn’t want it to make sense, it did. Her mom had probably been taught from a young age that men were superior and that she would never be strong enough to live without one. She wished there was a way she could give her mom the courage she needed to walk away.
    “Do you want me to stay the night?” Hank asked.
    “Will you hold me?” she asked softly. When he hesitated, she frowned. “You don’t have to. If you’d rather sleep in your own bed, I just—”
    “Honey, I don’t want to leave you alone, but crawling into bed with you… I’m not a strong man.”
    The instant his meaning clicked, she smiled shyly.
    “Can you at least try?” she asked.
    He nodded and stripped down to his boxers. She slid to the other side of the bed to make room for him. The huge, king-size bed was big enough for both of them to sleep in it without touching, but she wanted to lie next to him.
    After he climbed into bed, he rolled onto his side to face her. She swallowed at the raw look of desire in his eyes. It seemed so wrong to want him right now, but she did.
    “If you keep looking at me like that,” he said in a husky voice, “I won’t be able to stay on my half of the bed.”
    “Hank…”
    He brushed the back of his fingertips across her cheek. When he cupped her face, she leaned forward. And when he lowered his lips to hers, she let out a choked cry. He closed the distance between them, drawing her into his arms and against his hard body. She slid her hands across his shoulders, pulling him down to cover her.
    “If you want me to stop...” he murmured after finally breaking the sensual kiss.
    “No… I need you.”
    She wound her arms around his shoulders, delving back into the sultry kiss that made her wet with desire. Half-expecting him to flip her over, she was surprised when he took his time, slowly exploring every inch of her face with gentle kisses.
    When his mouth moved to her throat, she moaned. His hand glided across her belly to rest on her upper thigh. She quivered in anticipation. As he stroked the insides of her thighs, she arched against him.
    “Faster,” she whispered.
    “No,” he murmured. “I want to know every inch of you. I want to find the places that make you tremble and moan. I want to explore the hollow at your throat, the backs of your knees, and the edge of your earlobe until you’re begging me for more.”
    She melted against him as his fingers grazed the soft thatch of hair over her pussy. What more could a woman possibly want other than a man to worship her body? With every kiss, with every touch, and with every caress, he made her his. He ruined her for any other man. She knew, deep in her soul, that she’d never find a better lover.
    When his teasing kisses left her neck and traveled to the valley between her