Page 69 of Cowboy's Healing Heart

"Is that so, Mr. Kennedy?" she purrs, closing the distance between us.

The world outside fades away as we focus solely on each other. The stress of the day is forgotten I focus on the heat desire in Krystal's gaze. I reach out, my hand cupping her face gently.

Then our lips meet, and I feel a surge of emotion. This is what matters.

I wake before dawn,my body still on ranch time. Krystal sleeps soundly beside me, her face peaceful in the dim light. I brush a kiss against her forehead before slipping out of bed, careful not to wake her.

In the home gym, I lose myself in the familiar rhythm of my workout. Push-ups, sit-ups, weights—the routine grounds me and helps clear my head. But as I finish my final set, I catch sight of myself in the mirror.

The man staring back at me is a stranger.

Polished, professional, every inch the CEO my father wants me to be. Gone is the relaxed ranch hand, replaced by someone I thought I'd left behind.

I shower and dress quickly, donning another impeccable suit by the time I make it to the kitchen, Krystal and Ashanti are both looking slightly overwhelmed by the massive space.

"Morning," I say, kissing Krystal's cheek. "How'd you sleep?"

"Like a rock," Ashanti pipes up, her mouth full of cereal. "This place is awesome, Mr. Shane!"

I grip her head, place a kiss on top, and wink at Krystal. She rolls her eyes, and the conversation resumes.

Ashanti turns in her chair, eyes blazing, and swallows her cereal quickly. "And Mr. Shane, the horse! I can't believe you got me a horse!"

My heart swells with joy at her excitement. I wish I could have been there to see her reaction when she first saw the horse, but I had an international conference call. "I'm sorry I missed your first meeting. What do you think of her?"

"She's beautiful!" Ashanti gushes, her hands moving animatedly as she speaks. "She's got this shiny black coat and a white star on her forehead. I named her Starlight!"

I chuckle at her enthusiasm. "That's a perfect name. I've arranged for a riding coach to give you lessons if that's all right with your mother."

Ashanti's eyes widen, and she turns to Krystal with a pleading look. I follow her gaze, meeting Krystal's eyes over the rim of her morning coffee cup. There's a softness in her expression that warms my heart.

Krystal nods, a small smile playing on her lips. "I think that sounds wonderful."

Ashanti lets out a squeal of delight, nearly knocking over her cereal bowl in her excitement. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

I try to absorb the joy in her smile, and store it away for when the darkness becomes overwhelming. "You're welcome, baby girl. We'll set up your first lesson soon."

As I watch Ashanti bounce in her seat, chattering about all the things she wants to learn, I feel a sense of rightness settles over me. This is what I want—to bring happiness to these two incredible people who have become my world.

Ashanti heads back to her room to get ready, leaving Krystal and me alone.

Krystal's quieter, nursing a cup of coffee. "You're up early for a Sunday morning," she observes.

I nod, pouring myself a cup. "Heading into the office. Lots to catch up on."

She raises an eyebrow. "We have a whole day in the city planned."

Guilt twists in my gut. "I'm sorry, babe. This contract is crucial. I promise we'll do something next weekend, okay?"

I pull out my wallet, flipping it open to reveal my sleek black credit card, embossed with the Innoventis logo. The distinct sound of the plastic card sliding free echoes in the quiet kitchen as I place it deliberately on the island between us.

Krystal's eyes flicker to the card, and for a moment, I'm confident this will hold them over until I return. Her neck snaps like she's been slapped.

"Are you fuckin' kidding me?"

"Don't do this." I move closer and place a kiss on her lips.

Krystal doesn't pull away, so I take advantage, sweeping my tongue across her bottom lip. She moans, and I can't help myself. My hands roam her body as my tongue explores her mouth, stroking in and out, craving more.

---