going to take a quick shower while you decide what you want to do, okay? No pressure.”
Silver scrambled to find her cell and sent a text to Mrs. Morgan and to Ben’s father so they’d know where she was, and not worry. By the time Ben came back, she’d gone into his bedroom, which had only a twin-sized bed and a chest of drawers, stripped down to her bra and panties, and got under the sheets.
He sat on the edge of the bed and stared down at her, his hair damp from the shower.
“I still can’t believe you’re actually here.”
“I’m most definitely here.” She patted the sheets. “And so should you be.”
He cupped her chin, his expression so full of awe that she almost wanted to cry again. “I can’t think of anywhere else I’d rather be right now.”
“Then get in and hold me while I fall asleep.” Silver tried to speak lightly even though her heart was stuffed full of emotions she was afraid to unpack right now.
“That I can do.” He climbed in beside her and frowned as he gathered her close. “I’m going to have to get a bigger bed.”
“Damn straight,” Silver murmured and promptly fell asleep.
Chapter Twenty-Two
“Ben?”
Ben groaned and forced his eyes to open as he held his phone to his ear.
“What’s up, Dad?”
“You’d better get back here right now, and bring Silver with you, or I won’t be responsible for what happens next.”
Before Ben could even attempt a reply, his father had ended the call, leaving him blinking like a fool.
Beside him, Silver stirred. “What’s wrong?”
“My dad’s got a mad on, and is demanding we meet him at the ranch.” Ben checked the time. He’d forgotten to set his alarm, and it was already past seven in the morning. He’d slept better than he had in weeks with Silver wrapped in his arms. “Do you want to shower first?”
She ran the tip of her finger over his bare chest. “Maybe we could do that together?”
“Honey, you haven’t seen the size of my shower. I have no intention of getting stuck in there and having to get the volunteer firefighters of Morgantown out to cut us free. I’d never live it down.”
“Okay.” She sighed. “Then, sure, I’ll go first.”
He wasn’t normally this slow in the mornings, but as she went to climb over him, he put his hands on her hips so that she was straddling him.
“Or we could just stay here a while longer?”
“Won’t Jeff be mad?”
He smiled up at her as he hooked a finger in the side of her panties. “He’s already mad. Maybe we need to give him some time to cool off.”
* * *
After checking in with Pablo, Ben took Silver and drove his truck back home. There were several other vehicles in the yard, including a fancy rental he wasn’t familiar with.
“Come on.” He held out his hand to Silver as she climbed out. “Brace yourself.”
They went through the mudroom and took off their boots and hats. It was eerily quiet inside the house and Ben wondered what on earth was going on. He went on through to the kitchen and then stopped so fast that Silver, who was following behind, bumped into his back.
She peered around him and gasped.
“Dad? What are you doing here?”
Before Mr. Meadows could answer her, Ben’s dad spoke up.
“Good question! This guy barges in here like he owns the place and starts accusing me of abducting his daughter!” He glared ferociously at his companion. “Then, when I tell him to simmer down, he starts threatening to call the cops on me! In my own home!”
Silver marched over to her father. “Why on earth are you here disrupting Mr. Miller’s morning?”
Ben’s startled gaze met his father’s as Silver squared up to her father.
“Can’t you just leave me alone for five minutes without interfering?”
“Silver, if you would just calm down . . .”
Ben winced as somewhat predictably Mr. Meadows’s words had the absolutely opposite effect on his already-furious daughter.
“Go away, Dad. Go home, and when I’ve calmed down—if I ever calm down—I will contact you and we can talk!”
“You turned your phone off! I was worried about you. I—”
“I asked you to give me some space to try and sort out the mess you’d made between me and Ben, so why are you here?” Silver had her hands on her hips. “And why did you send Ben a check for fifty thousand dollars like you were paying off a prostitute?”
Mr. Meadows gulped. “I was trying to help.”
“Fifty