Carrying His Secret
Page 19
When she turned around and was about to sail past him to get to the pantry, he caught her in his arms and held on. He kissed her forehead affectionately.
“By the time everyone arrives, you’re going to be too exhausted to enjoy the party—and the reason for it,” he told her.
“I want it to be perfect,” she insisted, easing herself out of his hold. This time she made it to the pantry.
“And it will be,” he assured her, following her once again. “Because you’ll be there.”
That stopped her.
Turning around, she looked at him. “I think that is the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard you say.”
“Stick around, I’m just getting warmed up,” he promised with a warm, sexy wink.
“Oh, I intend to stick around, Mr. Adair,” she replied. “For a very, very long time.”
“I will hold you to that,” he told her. “Until then, I’ll just hold you,” he said, taking her into his arms for a second time.
Again she managed to wiggle out of his embrace. “After the party,” she told him, hurrying over to the counter. She began taking things out of the refrigerator. She needed to get started on the appetizers. “You can hold me all you want after the party. But until then, there’s still so much to do.” A thought suddenly hit her. “You did remember to tell Ruby and her stepdaughter that they’re invited, too, didn’t you?”
“I did,” he told her solemnly. “Georgia declined,” he said with a slight shake of his head. “I tried to talk her out of it, but she insisted. I’m sure for Ruby, all the bad blood between her and my family is in the past, but as for Georgia, I think she wants to do battle with and string up every Adair she encounters to avenge the way Dad’s family treated Ruby when they were married.”
Word had it that his grandparents had been rude and belittling to Ruby because she didn’t have the proper bloodlines. He could well believe it.
Elizabeth paused for a moment, shaking her head. “That must have been really rough on poor Ruby.” She looked up into Whit’s eyes. “I sympathize with her completely.”
“I know what you’re thinking, but it’s not like that with my family.” He kissed the side of her temple, doing his best to hold himself in check—for now. “Good thing you’re so likable.”
“Your mother hates me,” she reminded him.
His face clouded over for a moment. “I have no mother,” he informed her.
The police hadn’t caught Patsy, who, rumor had it, had taken off for Europe. He sincerely hoped that the woman had sense enough to stay far, far away from the house and any of them—especially Elizabeth.
And then he brightened, changing the subject. “Since I can’t get you to relax, I might as well help you. What do you want me to do?”
Elizabeth paused as she grinned at him. “I thought you’d never ask.”
* * *
It had taken a lot of work.
In the end, she had utilized most of the household staff, reluctantly giving in to Whit’s entreaties, strictly because she didn’t want to overdo things in case that affected the baby. But the house was finally decorated for the party, the appetizers were all out and warm, and the bar was open and being manned by one of the ranch hands, who really knew his way around mixed drinks and straight alcohol. In addition, the cake had been made and was in the refrigerator, and the main course had been prepared.
All that remained was for the party to begin.
“It all looks great, doesn’t it?” she asked Whit, gesturing around the newly decorated living room.
Just then, the doorbell rang.
Their first guests were arriving.
“It looks nice,” Whit corrected her. “You look great.”
“You are definitely a better fiancé than you were a boss,” she told him, her eyes sparkling.
“Just wait, the evening’s still very young. I get better,” he whispered, then gave her another sexy wink as they went to answer the door together.
Guests kept trickling in, a few early, some on time and others fashionably late. But eventually, everyone who’d been on their guest list had arrived.
Whit had just picked up a glass of champagne and called for everyone’s attention. But before he could say another word, the doorbell rang again. Since he and Elizabeth had invited everyone they wanted to be here and those people were now gathered in the living room, Whit had no idea who else might have picked this time to come to pay them a social call.
“Everyone hold on to your champagne,” Whit instructed. “This won’t take long.” With that, he made his way to the front door.
Curious as to who was there, Elizabeth was right beside him.
Whit opened the door, about to dismiss whoever was on the other side of the door and send them away.
“Heard you were throwing a party. Thought I’d crash it,” the tall, dark blond–haired young man with the bright blue eyes said.
Whit was quick to recover. He hugged the well-built man with one arm, holding his champagne aloft with his free hand.
“Wow, you are a sight for sore eyes. Nobody expected you for at least another couple of weeks—if not longer,” he said. Then, suddenly remembering his manners, he turned toward Elizabeth. “Elizabeth, this jack-of-all-trades nomad is my cousin Noah. My aunt Emmaline’s son,” he added. “Dad left part ownership of the ranch to him,” he reminded her.
“I remember. Nice to meet you, Noah,” she said, shaking the other man’s hand.
She couldn’t get over how much Whit and his cousin looked alike. Oh, their hair was different, but their eyes were the same color and their profiles were strikingly similar. But then, she knew that Noah’s mother was Whit’s father’s sister, so a family resemblance was to be expected, she thought.
She smiled at Noah warmly. “Welcome to the party.”
“Grab a glass of champagne,” Whit urged his cousin. “I was just about to make a toast—and an announcement.”
“You’ve twisted my arm,” Noah answered wryly, corralling the nearest server and plucking a glass of champagne from the man’s tray.
Taking Elizabeth’s hand, Whit worked his way back to the center of the crowd.
“I’m glad you could all make it,” he began. “Elizabeth and I have a little announcement to make. Actually, two,” he amended. “The first announcement is that, thanks to this lovely lady beside me, I’m going to be a dad.”
Congratulations began flying left and right as the people converged around them hugging, kissing and voicing their well-wishing.
Whit gave it a couple minutes before he called for everyone to quiet down. “I’m not finished yet,” he went on.
“You’re expecting twins?” someone in the group cracked.
“Not that I know of,” Whit answered. “No, since you all are the closest thing we have to friends—”
His wisecrack was greeted with other wisecracks. Laughing, he held up his hand. “Okay, okay, I confess, you’re all very important to us. So important that we wanted to share something else with you.”
“Diaper duty?” another voice yelled out.
“No, our wedding. Which is why we decided to get married here, tonight, in front of all of you,” Whit told them.
Voices rose again as more congratulations came from everyone there, mingling with other words that were filled with good wishes and kindly jabs.
This time, Whit made no effort to quiet the crowd. Instead he and Elizabeth stood in the center of their family and friends and absorbed every last sound, every last hug.
Both of them could feel the love permeating from the crowd—and from each other.
No man, Whit thought as he tightened his arm around Elizabeth, could have asked for more. He considered himself to be one very lucky son of a gun.
* * * * *
And if you loved CARRYING HIS SECRET,
you’ll enjoy these other suspenseful stories
from Marie Ferrarella:
CAVANAUGH STRONG
CAVANAUGH UNDERCOVER
CAVANAUGH HERO
MISSION: CAVANAUGH BABY
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SPECIAL EXCERPT FROM
When a masked intruder appears in her son’s window, Nicolette Kendall needs help from guarded cowboy Lucas Taylor. But even as his guarded heart begins to crack, they must unravel secrets to save her child...
Read on for a sneak peek of A REAL COWBOY, the first book in the COWBOYS OF HOLIDAY RANCH series by New York Times bestselling author Carla Cassidy, coming March 2015 from Harlequin Romantic Suspense.
He stepped outside and looked around. “What are you doing out here all by yourself in the dark?”
“You told my son that cowboys only bathe once a week, and now Sammy won’t get into the bathtub.”
By the light of the room spilling out where they stood, she saw his amusement curve his lips upward. “Is that a fact?” he replied. “Sounds like a personal problem to me.”
“It’s all your fault,” she said, at the same time trying not to notice the wonder of his broad shoulders, the slim hips that wore his jeans so well.
He raised a dark eyebrow. “The way I see it, you started it.”
This time the heat that filled her cheeks was a new wave of pure embarrassment. “Look, I’m sorry. When I told my son those things, I’d never really met a cowboy before. The only cowboy I’ve ever even seen in my entire life is the naked singing cowboy in Times Square. I now have a little boy who refuses to take a bath. Can you please come back to the house with me and tell him differently?”
Amusement once again danced in his eyes as he gave her a smile that made her feel just a little bit breathless. “Basically you’ve come to say you’re sorry about your preconceived notions about cowboys, because I think it would be nice if you apologized before asking for my help about anything.”
“You’re right. I am sorry,” she replied, wondering if he wanted her to get down on her knees before him and grovel, as well.
“Okay then, let’s go.” He pulled the door of his unit closed behind him and fell into step next to her.
“A naked singing cowboy…and you New Yorkers think we’re strange.” He laughed, a low, deep rumble that she found far too pleasant.
She realized at that moment that she wasn’t afraid of cows or horses, that she wasn’t worried about falling into the mud or getting her hands dirty.
The real danger came from the attraction she felt for the man who walked next to her, a man whose laughter warmed her and who smelled like spring wind and leather.
Don’t miss A REAL COWBOY by Carla Cassidy,
available March 2015 from Harlequin Romantic Suspense.
www.Harlequin.com
Copyright © 2015 by Carla Bracale
ISBN-13: 9781460375822
Carrying His Secret
Copyright © 2015 by Harlequin Books S.A.
Special thanks and acknowledgment to Marie Ferrarella for her contribution to The Adair Affairs miniseries.
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