by Cora Seton
She got to her feet and for the first time ever allowed him to pull her close. Let him settle her on his lap, tilt her chin up and kiss her.
It was a proper kiss, too—not like the one he’d stolen back in his kitchen in December when she’d first moved in. He took his time moving his mouth over hers, tasting her, then tucked a hand under the nape of her neck and deepened the kiss. He let all of the passion he’d been holding back flood through him and into her, hoping to set her feelings alight, too. It occurred to him that tonight when they went home they would share a bed for the first time. The idea revved him up more than he could say.
When his mother bustled back into the kitchen, they pulled apart.
“Don’t mind me,” she trilled. “I didn’t see a thing.”
Mia buried her face in Luke’s neck. “You won’t change your mind? You won’t leave me, will you?” she whispered.
Luke pulled back. Cupped her face in his hands. “Never. This is it, princess. You and me together, forever, okay?”
She searched his face. “Okay.”
Hours later they climbed the steps to their own cabin. As soon as she took off her coat and boots, Mia collapsed on the couch with a sigh of exhaustion.
“Don’t stop there,” Luke said, coming in after her.
She pushed up on her elbows. “Why not?”
“You march your fine self right up those stairs, princess. Time for bed.”
Princess again. Apparently she had a new nickname. His words sent a thrill of anticipation through her body, but she didn’t know if they meant what she wanted them to mean. She’d always slept in the guest bedroom—her rental bedroom—while he slept in the slightly bigger one next door. Would that change tonight?
She hoped so.
“What’s with the princess thing?” Maybe that would spread some light on where they stood.
He sat down at the opposite end of the couch, lifted her feet onto his lap and began to knead them. Mia let out a loud groan of pleasure. A full day in heels had left them sore.
“You’ve always looked like a princess to me, the way you stand so straight and proud. I can see a crown sitting on top of that pretty head of yours.”
She sobered. There was a reason for her ramrod posture she didn’t like to be reminded of. All those endless beauty pageants. She brushed off his reference to a crown with a joke. “You want to know why my posture’s so good? I’m trying to look taller!”
His deep chuckle warmed her almost as much as his sensual touch on her feet. If his technique with the rest of her body was as good as this—she was a lucky woman indeed.
He tugged her ankle. “Come on, princess. Up to bed.”
She got up slowly and followed him upstairs, pausing in front of her bedroom door. He shook his head. “Uh-uh. Get what you need, but you’re sleeping with me tonight.”
A smile curved her mouth and he grinned back. “Sounds good, huh?”
“Yeah,” she admitted. “Sounds real good.”
Luke didn’t waste any time once they were in his room. He unbuttoned his dress shirt, slid it off and cast it over his desk chair, then undid his belt buckle and the button at the waistband of his best jeans and shucked them off, too. He hesitated a moment when he got to his boxer briefs, but only for a moment.
“Wow.” Mia eyed him frankly and he wasn’t ashamed of the way his body let her know he was interested in seeing what she had under all of her clothes too. “Would you help me with my zipper?”
“Sure thing.” He undid the tiny clasp at her neck, then the long zipper that trailed down the back of her blue dress. Underneath she wore a pretty bra and panty set. He turned her around slowly, taking her all in, then reached behind her to unclasp her bra. She waited while he peeled it off, then looked up at him coyly through her eyelashes.
“Well?”
As if she had to ask. Her breasts were as magnificent as the rest of her. Full and round, with dark areolas that begged for him to kiss them. He couldn’t wait to give them the attention they deserved, but first he wanted to see the rest of her.
He hooked a finger through the strap of her panties at each hip and slipped them down, letting out a grunt of pleasure at the sight of her neatly groomed thatch of dark hair.
“Beautiful.” He led the way to his bed and drew her down beside him, the brush of her nipples against his skin enough to set every nerve ending ablaze. Mia entranced him. Always had. Probably always would.
He’d meant to be careful with her. Wanted to tease and delight her into such an ecstasy of longing that she’d beg him to give her more. But now that she was in his bed, instinct took over.
He gathered her in beneath him and surrounded her with his arms. Swooping down to kiss her senseless, he let his weight settle on top of her, wanting to feel her beneath him, wanting her to know exactly what she was going to get.
Mia sighed and kissed him back with as much ardor as he felt, and Luke’s blood jumped. She wanted him like he wanted her. Completely. Utterly. He nearly came undone right then.
Luke took complete advantage of this opportunity to get to know Mia’s body better. He spent time lavishing his attention on every delicious part of her until he couldn’t wait another minute to be inside her, and judging by Mia’s moans, she couldn’t wait for it either.
“Sweetheart, you ready for this?”
She nodded, her breath coming in pants. He nudged her thighs apart with his, positioned himself between them, and pushed into her slowly.
“Luke.” That one word told him everything he needed to know. Being with him felt as good to Mia as being inside her felt to him. She sighed with pleasure as he began to move within her, and the sound was so sensual Luke groaned.
He gave up all thought of controlling the remainder of the encounter. He gave up thought altogether. He let his body take control—let his body possess hers in the most primal way possible.
And Mia opened to that possession with utter abandon, the sensuality of her movements and body setting him aflame all over again. When she cried out her release, his guttural groans joined hers and they crashed over the top together.
Afterward, still joined, still breathing heavily, Luke kissed her again. “I’ve wanted to do that for a long time.”
“Me, too.”
“I want to do it again.”
“Yeah.” She nodded.
“I didn’t hurt you, did I? I didn’t…” He looked down at her rounded belly. Reached out a hand as if to touch it. Pulled back.
Mia reached out her own hand, took his and pressed it against her stomach. “Of course not.”
He held his hand there, feeling the tautness, trying to sense the baby inside.
“I’ll do my best to be a good…” He hesitated, afraid to say the word. Afraid she’d deny him the role he wished to take on.
Sudden tears shone in Mia’s eyes. “You’ll be a great father, Luke.”
As she threaded her arms around his neck and kissed him again, Luke knew everything would be all right.
‡
Chapter Six
“Wake up, sleepy head.”
Mia yawned, stretched and turned to see Luke enter the bedroom, the smell of barn and horses wafting in with him. She pushed up on her elbows and glanced at the time on the small bedside clock. After nine. Luke would have been up for hours and hours by now.
“It’s late!”
“You said you weren’t working today.”
“No, I’m not.”
“Get up, get some breakfast in you. Let’s go buy your ring.”
At his words, a memory of last night swept into her mind and she smiled. Luke was an amazing lover. Very masculine. Very sure of himself. With every reason to be. Twenty-four hours ago she’d never dreamed they would sleep together, let alone become engaged. It just went to show how your life could change in an instant.
He bent down and stole a searing kiss. “You keep thinking about that. I like the way you smile when you do.”
Mia laughed, but
as she climbed out of bed worry assailed her. Luke wanted her—he’d made that clear for months—and last night he’d taken her several times with all the ardor she’d expected from him, but would that ardor translate into enough love to make him actually marry her? She wasn’t sure.
Suddenly shy, she hurried to fetch her robe and a change of clothes, but Luke intercepted her, sliding his hands down her back to smooth over her bottom. “Look at you. You are one fine woman.”
She melted into him, stood on tiptoes and kissed the underside of his jaw. “And you are one fine man.” Still, her insecurities chased each other around her brain, even as Luke kissed her thoroughly. He must have sensed that, because he pulled back.
“What’s wrong?”
“It’s nothing.”
“Don’t hide things from me.”
Her cheeks flamed because she knew what he meant. Luke didn’t trust her all the way—not after she’d kept such a huge secret from him. She’d have to get used to opening her heart to him, which was hard after the way Ellis had treated her.
“I’m afraid,” she confessed.
He tugged her down to sit on the bed. “Because of what people will say?”
“No, not really. I’m afraid you’ll change your mind. Settling down to marriage is hard enough under normal circumstances. We won’t get a honeymoon period to adjust to each other. Before you know it we’ll have a baby and all the responsibilities that entails. How are you going to feel when I’m up three times a night breastfeeding and I don’t want to have sex? Will you still be happy you took us on?”
He scowled. “This isn’t about sex.”
“Really?” She indicated her naked body.
“You think that’s all that concerns me? We’ve lived together for months, and last night is the first time I got laid. If this was about sex, it would’ve been over a long time ago.”
“Exactly. Last night you got laid. The chase is over. Why wouldn’t you lose interest?”
He pulled back. “You think I only wanted you because you were playing hard to get? You’re dead wrong.”
Mia shrugged. “Maybe.”
“Maybe, nothing. I said I’ll marry you. I said I’ll raise that child as my own. That’s what I plan to do.” He tugged her closer. “And if you have any more complaints, Mrs. Matheson, you’re going to have to take them up with management.”
He lowered her back down onto the bed, shedding his shirt as he did. He climbed on top of her and kissed her neck, one hand loosening his belt and unzipping his jeans. Mia giggled in spite of herself. “What’s management going to do about it?”
“Look into it very, very thoroughly,” he said, trailing kisses down to her breasts as he shucked off his pants and boxers. Mia sucked in a ragged breath and twisted her fingers into the comforter. “You might even say they’ll probe the situation.” He settled himself between her legs and nudged against her. Mia closed her eyes and gave in to the sensation, all thoughts of future problems gone from her mind. As Luke thoroughly put to rest all of her complaints, she only knew she never wanted to leave his side again.
It was more than an hour before they left the cabin.
Luke helped her up into the seat of his truck. He started the vehicle, reached for her hand and held it the whole way into town to Thayer’s Jewelers.
Mia asked him to stop at the Cruz ranch on the way into town to see if Rose would come with them. Rose had worked for several years at Thayer’s before quitting a few months back, and Mia valued her opinion, plus Rose was reputed to have a sixth sense about couples—whether their marriage would make it or not. Mia wanted to know what kind of hunch she got about them.
When they got to the ranch, they found Morgan and Rob with Cab and Rose. All four of them were standing outside Ethan and Autumn’s bunkhouse in the snow staring at an evergreen shrub that Rob had been trimming.
“Awful cold weather for gardening,” Luke called as they approached.
“I’ve been wanting to try topiary in case any of my customers want it in their gardens,” Rob said. “I thought I could do one for Autumn as kind of a baby gift.”
“What is it?” Luke asked, cocking his head.
“It’s a bit of a puzzle, isn’t it?” Cab said with a grin.
“It’s supposed to be a horse.” Rob frowned. “It’ll look better in the spring when the new growth comes in. I hope.”
Mia bit her lip to hold back her laughter. She hoped there would be some new growth on that bush, because the current bare spots gave it a sickly look. She wasn’t sure where the horse came in, either.
“See, this is the neck and here are the four legs,” Morgan pointed out helpfully.
“I see it,” Rose said, but Mia saw laughter dancing in her eyes.
Another truck pulled up and Jake got out. “What the hell is that?” he said, striding up to them. He looked the bush over a minute. “A bulldog?”
“I was thinking armadillo,” Cab said. “But I see what you mean about the bulldog.”
Rob bristled. “It ain’t a bulldog or an armadillo. It’s a horse. Anyone can see that.”
“Rose, any chance you could come with us to Thayer’s?” Mia thought it best to ask before an argument erupted.
“Thayer’s? Are you two buying a ring?” Rose looked pleased.
“Yes, I was hoping you could give us your… opinion.” Mia sent her a hopeful look.
Rose nodded. “Of course.”
“It’s the head that’s all wrong,” Jake told Rob.
“It’s the legs,” Cab countered. “Look at them—stubby little armadillo legs.”
“You know what? I need to get my ring cleaned,” Morgan said. “How about you drive to Thayer’s with me, Rose? We’ll meet you and Luke there, Mia.”
“Sounds good. Bye, Cab,” Mia said, although Cab wasn’t paying attention. Mia didn’t blame him; the bush with its lumpy shape and bare spots did draw the eye in this winter landscape. “I hope Autumn likes her armadillo, Rob.”
“It is not an armadillo. See what you started,” he said to Cab.
“I can’t help it if your horse is vertically challenged.”
When Mia and Luke reached Thayer’s, Rose and Morgan were already standing at the cash register, talking to Andrea Moore, the young woman who had taken over Rose’s position.
“I’m glad Emory isn’t here,” Mia heard Morgan say to Rose. Emory Thayer owned the jewelry store and had been Rose’s boss when she worked there.
“Emory’s in less and less,” Andrea told them. “He’s really slowing down. I think he’ll give up the store soon. Everyone will have to drive to Billings for rings.”
“Someone will buy the store and keep it running, don’t you think?” Rose said. “Every town needs a jewelry store.”
“Maybe you should buy it,” Mia said.
Rose just laughed. “I don’t have the time or money. What I need is a gallery.”
“Look around you!” Andrea waved a hand at the plain gray, mirror-lined walls. “There’s plenty of space.”
“A jewelry store and art gallery? That would be pretty weird,” Rose said.
Mia didn’t blame Rose for not being interested. Emory had been a strange boss at best—and he was also the father of the man she’d dated for years. When she broke up with him, things got ugly between her and Emory and she’d ended up quitting abruptly.
“Andrea, do you mind if I help Mia and Luke pick out a ring?” Rose asked.
“Not at all.” Andrea handed over her keys to Rose instantly and Mia had the feeling this wasn’t the first time Rose had acted the part of sales clerk since she’d left the position. She led the way to the engagement ring display cases.
“Do you know your budget, Luke?”
Mia’s heart squeezed again. They were buying a ring. She was marrying Luke.
But when Luke named a number, Mia’s jaw dropped open. Where had he gotten that kind of money?
“That will give you plenty of options,” Rose said, the surprise in her voi
ce matching Mia’s. She bent over the cases. “How about this one?” She pointed out a simple, delicate ring. Mia felt a rush of gratitude for her friend. The ring was beautiful and she’d love to own such a thing, but she instinctively knew it wouldn’t break the bank.
“Ooh, that’s pretty,” Morgan said. Her thick, dark waves swung over her shoulders as she bent to look at it more closely. Mia was happy the older woman agreed with her opinion. Morgan was so competent and self-assured; if she liked the ring, it had to be a good pick.
Focusing on the ring again, Mia decided that if she’d scanned the cases for an hour she couldn’t have chosen a better one herself. She slid a look at Rose, wondering if what people said was really true—that she got a feeling from the engagement ring about a couple’s chances for happiness. Had Rose seen something promising in them? Is that how she’d been drawn to the right ring? When she raised a questioning eyebrow, Rose nodded at her almost imperceptibly.
Mia’s heart soared. Maybe this was going to work out. Maybe she would get to have everything she wanted, after all.
Luke’s voice sliced through her thoughts. “That one’s too plain. I want my princess to have a real ring. How about that one?”
Mia bit her lip in consternation when he pointed to a fancy setting with multiple rows of diamonds and sapphires. She wanted to laugh out loud at the thought of how that ring would look on her hand, let alone the cost of it. She’d need a whole new wardrobe to match it, for one thing. And a cane to lean on to hold it up, for another.
Rose frowned. “I think Mia might prefer—”
“That one.” Luke tapped the glass again, his tone brooking no disagreement. Rose raised an eyebrow, but pulled out the glittering ring and slid it onto Mia’s finger. It was far too big. Mia had to hold it in place. Luke nodded. “That looks perfect to me. What do you think, Mia?”
Mia shook her head. It was a spectacular ring, but it didn’t fit her at all. In fact, it made her feel like a fake. Like a cheap plastic rain slicker trying to pass itself off as a mink coat. “I don’t think so.”
“I think so. Don’t be modest, Mia. It’s beautiful, just like you.”
