Expecting the Rancher's Heir (7 page)

Melissa was touched by their enthusiasm and happiness for her. “I'd like that, but don't you think it's a bit early to start planning something like that? I'm only a couple of months along.”

“You can never start planning the perfect party too early,” Avery said, laughing.

“Besides, from everything I've been told, it will
start getting extremely busy in a couple of months when the ski season starts,” Erica agreed. “If we get most of the details worked out now, we won't be so rushed later on.”

Agreeing on a time for their lunch, Melissa watched her sister and future sister-in-law leave the restaurant. She loved finally having female family members. After growing up as the only girl in a house full of boys, it was definitely a welcome change.

“I think everything went pretty well tonight,” Shane said, walking up to put his arm around her. “At least, none of your brothers threatened to grab their shotguns and run me out of town.”

She laughed. “I doubt that any of them own a shotgun.” As they walked from the Sky Lounge, she added, “I'm just glad everything is out in the open and we don't have to sneak around anymore.”

“Yeah, I'm not going to miss those midnight treks from the stables through the woods to Willow Lodge one damned bit. It's a wonder someone hadn't noticed and thought I was a Peeping Tom.” Waiting for the elevator, his laughter turned into a grin that held such promise it stole her breath. “From now on, I'll just roll over and turn out the light.”

“Really?” she asked, laughing at his lascivious grin.

“Most definitely.” He leaned close to whisper, “And just in case you have any doubts about that, I intend to give you a demonstration as soon as we get back to the lodge.”

 

Using Lissa's key, Shane let them into Willow Lodge, then closing and locking the door behind them, took her into his arms. He nibbled kisses from her neck up to her delicate earlobe.

“I've been wanting to have you all to myself all evening.” Used to being alone with her, he'd had the devil of a time keeping his hands to himself.

“The dinner party did seem to drag on, didn't it?” She put her arms around his waist and snuggled close. “Thank you, Shane.”

He leaned back to gaze down at her. “For what?”

“For taking charge tonight when we told my family about us.” She kissed his chin. “I wasn't quite sure how to go about it.”

“I never said I hadn't rehearsed a few dozen different speeches before I settled on one.” He grinned. “When you're in a room full of men who just might take your head off and shout down your neck because you got their little sister pregnant, it inspires you to think things through.”

“You did just fine,” she said, unknotting his necktie. He loved the feel of her fingers brushing his throat as she removed the silk tie.

Placing his hands on her shoulders, he turned her around. “As good as you look in this dress, I think you'll look much better out of it.”

Slowly sliding the zipper down from her neck to her lower back, he sucked in a sharp breath. “Good
thing I didn't know earlier that you weren't wearing a bra,” he said, kissing the back of her neck. “I'd have never made it through the evening.”

When he started to slide the black dress from her shoulders, she caught the front to her and shaking her head, stepped away from him. “Why don't you build a fire in the fireplace while I change?”

As she walked from the room, Shane blew out a frustrated breath and slipping off his suit coat, unbuttoned and rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt. Building a fire hadn't been high on the list of things he'd had planned for the evening. In fact, it hadn't been anywhere on it. But it was something Lissa wanted, and he was finding more and more that he was willing to do whatever it took to make her happy and see her pretty smile.

A nice fire had just started crackling in the stone fireplace when the lights in the great room went out. A moment later, Lissa walked up and knelt down beside him in front of the hearth.

“I thought these might be nice to snuggle up with,” she said, setting a stack of pillows and a couple of fluffy blankets on the floor beside him.

Glancing over at her, he did a double take. She was wearing the sexiest black satin robe he had ever seen. One side of the slinky little number had slipped down over her bare shoulder and he knew as surely as he knew his own name, she didn't have a stitch of clothes on beneath it.

“Do you want me to make some hot cocoa?” she asked before he could find his voice.

Shane swallowed hard and shook his head. The shimmering light cast by the fire seemed to bathe her in gold, and he knew for certain he had never seen her look more beautiful.

“The only thing I want is right here beside me,” he said, pulling her to him. He brushed his mouth over hers. “Do you have any idea how sexy and desirable you are?”

“I haven't really thought about it,” she said, toying with the top button of his shirt. “I've been too busy thinking about how much I think you deserve a good, relaxing massage.”

His mouth went as dry as a desert in a drought. What man in his right mind would turn down having a beautiful woman run her hands over every inch of his body?

Without a word he stood up, and while she arranged the blankets and pillows on the hardwood floor in front of the fireplace, he made short work of taking off his clothes. It was only after he lay facedown on the soft blankets that she slipped the robe off. Dropping it beside him, she picked up a bottle of oil that he hadn't noticed before. He felt her pour several drops of the warm liquid onto the middle of his back.

At the first touch of Lissa's palms on his bare skin, Shane felt as if he had died and gone to heaven. Her gentle, soothing touch was driving him crazy and his
reaction was not only completely predictable, it was immediate.

By the time she worked her way down the back of his thighs and calves, then told him to turn over, he felt as if the temperature in the room had gone up several degrees. Never in his entire life had he experienced anything as exciting and arousing as having Lissa's hands gliding over his body.

Their eyes met and, holding his gaze with hers, she drizzled a small amount of the oil onto the middle of his abdomen. As she caressed his shoulders and pectoral muscles, Shane ached with the need to hold her, to touch and excite her as she was doing to him.

“Enough,” he said, catching her hands in his to pull her down beside him.

Covering her mouth with his, he traced her soft lips with his tongue. He didn't think he had ever tasted anything sweeter. When he coaxed her to open for him and the tip of her tongue touched his, he felt as if a charge of electric current coursed from the top of his head all the way to his feet.

He broke the kiss and turned her to her back. Deciding to treat her to a little of the same sweet torture she had put him through, he picked up the bottle of oil. Smoothing the slick liquid over her satiny skin, he paid special attention to her breasts and tightly puckered nipples. By the time he moved down to her flat stomach, he wasn't certain which one of them was suffering more.

The blood rushing through his veins caused his ears to ring as he stared down at her. Her expressive blue eyes reflected the same hunger that filled him and her porcelain cheeks wore the blush of intense passion. Shane knew for certain he would remember her this way for the rest of his life.

The evidence of her desire fueled his own and the need to once again make her his was overwhelming. Using his knee to part her thighs, he settled himself over her.

“P-please,” she murmured.

“What do you want, angel?”

“You.” She reached to put her arms around him. “I want you, Shane.”

His breath lodged in his lungs as he pressed himself forward and her supple body accepted him. Closing his eyes for a moment in a desperate attempt to hang on to his rapidly slipping control, he held himself completely still. He wanted to make this last, to love her slowly and thoroughly. But when she wrapped her long legs around his hips to hold him to her, Shane knew he had lost the battle.

With his pulse pounding in his ears like a sultry jungle drum, he slowly began to rock against her. The way she met him stroke for stroke, their bodies perfectly in tune, sent a flash fire to every fiber of his being and clouded his mind to anything but the mind-blowing pleasure surrounding them.

All too quickly, he felt her body tighten around his. Her feminine muscles clung to him, driving Shane
over the edge, and he felt as if he had found the other half of himself when together they found the release they both sought.

 

Melissa couldn't help but smile when she snuggled against the man sleeping next to her. After they made love in front of the fireplace, he had carried her into the bedroom to make love to her again. Then, true to his word, he had rolled over and turning off the bedside lamp, pulled her close and gone to sleep.

As she studied his handsome face, she thought about how wonderful he had been at dinner. He had seemed genuinely happy when he told her family about their upcoming marriage and the baby they'd have in the spring.

Placing her hand on her still-flat stomach, she couldn't help but marvel at the fact that she was going to be a mother. For as long as she could remember, she had hoped to one day have a precious little miracle of her own to hold and love. She reached out to touch Shane's strong jaw with her fingertip. He had made that happen and she couldn't help but love him for it.

Her heart skipped a beat. She had known from the beginning of their affair that she was in danger of getting in over her head. He had been clear that their involvement was temporary and she had wanted that, too. But the attraction she had felt for him was too strong, had been too immediate not to pose a serious threat to her peace of mind.

She had told herself she could control her infatuation and avoid falling in love with him as long as she kept things in perspective. She knew now that she had been lying to herself all along.

If the truth was known, she had fallen in love with him the moment they laid eyes on each other two months ago. He was the most charming, considerate man she had ever met and the longer she was around him the deeper her feelings had grown.

Her chest tightened and a tear slid down her cheek. She quickly swiped it away with the back of her hand. In the coming months, she was going to have almost everything she had always hoped for. She was going to marry the man she loved, have a home in one of the most beautiful places on earth and start the family she had always longed for.

So why couldn't she be happy and content with that?

Melissa knew exactly what was keeping her picture-perfect fantasy from becoming reality. She wanted it all. She wanted the home, the family and the one thing she wasn't sure Shane would ever be able to give her…his love.

“I
t looks like I'll just have to take a couple of the appointments myself,” Melissa said as she and Rita went over the afternoon reservations.

“I'm so sorry, Ms. Jarrod,” Rita apologized for at least the tenth time. “I don't know how I could have made that kind of mistake.”

“It's all right, Rita. These kinds of things happen from time to time,” Melissa assured her. “Just look a little closer next time to make sure there's an opening at the time requested by the guest.”

Rita was beginning to gain more confidence and improve her managerial skills, and Melissa was hopeful that would continue. She knew the woman was a single mother and needed the job to support
herself and her son. She certainly didn't want to cause Rita any more stress by having to replace her.

“Ready to go?”

Looking up, Melissa smiled at Avery as she entered the Tranquility Spa's reception area. “Would you mind if we have lunch in the Sky Lounge today?” she asked. “I only have an hour or so before I have to be back.”

“Problems?” Avery asked.

Giving Rita an encouraging smile, Melissa shook her head. “Not really. I'm afraid there was a mix-up and we're overbooked this afternoon. It seems all of the Jarrod Ridge guests want a spa treatment before this weekend's dinner honoring the investors. I'm going to have to do a couple of the massages and at least one of the facials myself.”

“Wow! You are busy,” Avery said, her eyes widening. “But that actually works out better for me, too.” She grinned. “In fact, I was going to ask you if the Sky Lounge would be okay. I wanted to stop by and talk to Guy for a few minutes after we eat.”

“What about Erica?” Melissa asked, grabbing her purse. “Is she going to be able to meet us?”

Avery nodded. “I called her this morning and asked her to get a table by one of the windows and that we'd meet her in—” she looked at her watch “—oops. Five minutes ago.”

“Then I suppose we'd better get going,” Melissa said, laughing. She loved that in the past couple of months she had gained a sister and a future sister-
in-law that were also quickly becoming her best friends.

A few minutes later, as they got off the elevator and entered the Sky Lounge, they immediately spotted Erica and hurried over to the table she had been saving.

“I'm sorry we're running late,” Melissa apologized as she slid into one of the empty chairs.

“You can blame me for that,” Avery said, seating herself. “Guy was running late leaving to go to the restaurant this morning because I…that is we…I mean—”

Grinning as they watched Avery squirm, Melissa and Erica both propped one elbow on the table, cupped their chins in their hands and asked in unison, “Yes?”

“Uh, never mind.” Avery's cheeks were pink as she shook her head and quickly picked up a menu. “I think I'm going to have the tuna melt.”

“Nice save,” Melissa said, laughing as she picked up her menu.

After they placed their order, the conversation turned to plans for the baby shower. “I won't know for a few more months whether to decorate in pink or blue,” Melissa said, shrugging.

Erica smiled. “What are you hoping for? A boy or a girl?”

“I haven't really given it much thought,” Melissa admitted. “But it doesn't matter to me as long as the baby is healthy.”

“That's all that's important,” Avery said, nodding.

Choosing a date in February for the shower, they discussed nursery themes and shops where Melissa should register. By the time they finished lunch and left the restaurant, she had only a few minutes to get back to the spa.

“I suppose I'll see you both on Saturday evening at the dinner?” she asked as they got off the elevator in the lobby.

“Christian and I wouldn't miss it,” Erica said.

“We'll be there.” Avery grinned. “I'll probably have a hard time keeping Guy out of the kitchen, though. You know how he is about wanting every dish to be perfect.”

“Since Guy took over managing the resort's restaurants and brought in Louis Leclere as chef, the efficiency of the kitchen staff has improved greatly,” Melissa said.

“The new items they've added to the menu seem to be a big hit, too,” Erica added.

Melissa checked her watch. She had only a few minutes to make it to the first massage appointment. “I'm really sorry, but I have to run. See you on Saturday.”

As she hugged them both and headed down the hall toward the spa entrance, something Erica asked her at lunch kept running through her mind. It didn't matter to her whether their baby was a boy or a girl.
But did it matter to Shane whether they had a son or a daughter?

Like most men, he would probably prefer to have a boy. But she didn't think he would be disappointed either way. Unfortunately, it was hard for some men to hide their feelings. She had always suspected that her father had been disappointed she was female.

Of course, she couldn't say he had treated her brothers much better. He had driven all of his children to be overachievers and in the process alienated them from the very thing he had wanted them to embrace—Jarrod Ridge.

Shaking her head, she relegated thoughts of her late father to the back of her mind as she walked through the reception area of Tranquility Spa and prepared to go back to work. The sooner she finished for the day, the sooner she and Shane could leave for the ranch.

For some reason he had insisted they have dinner at Rainbow Bend, which was fine with her. She loved the peace and quiet of the remote ranch and after a day filled with booking mix-ups, Melissa couldn't wait to get there.

 

“Dinner was delicious, Cactus,” Lissa said as she helped clear the table. “How did you know I love country-fried steak smothered in milk gravy?”

The elderly man beamed. “I didn't, but I sure am glad you liked it, gal.”

Shane sat back and watched the exchange with
interest. Cactus didn't care for most people and the fact that he was falling all over himself to please Lissa said a lot. If Shane didn't know better, he would swear the old boy was completely smitten.

Of course, he couldn't blame Cactus. With each passing day, Shane found himself thinking about her more often, wondering what she was doing and counting the hours until they could be together again. It was something he wasn't sure he was comfortable with, but there didn't seem to be anything he could do to stop it, either.

Deciding that it would be better for his peace of mind to simply not think about it, he left the table. “Lissa, I have something that I'd like for you to take a look at.”

“Can it wait?” she asked, handing Cactus a plate to rinse. “After that wonderful meal, the least I can do is help Cactus with the cleanup.”

“Don't you worry about it, gal,” Cactus said, shaking his head. “Since Shane got me this here dishwasher, I don't mind doin' kitchen chores near like I used to.”

“Are you sure?” When Cactus nodded, she surprised the old man by kissing his wrinkled cheek. “Thank you for dinner. It was wonderful.”

Shane had known Cactus all of his life and he'd never known the man to be at a loss for words. He always had something to say, whether it was to give his unwavering opinion or complain—which was usually the case. But the old geezer couldn't seem
to find his voice. He just stood there wearing the sappiest expression Shane had ever seen.

“You wanted to show me something?” Lissa asked, drawing Shane's attention. She had walked over to him and he had been so astounded by Cactus's atypical behavior, he hadn't noticed.

Smiling at her, Shane nodded. “But there is something I think we need to do first.”

“What's that?”

“We are going to make Cactus's day,” he whispered close to her ear. Shane put his arm around her shoulders and tucked her to his side. “Cactus, what would you say if I told you that pretty soon you'll be able to cook for Lissa a lot more?”

“That'd suit me just fine,” Cactus said, nodding his approval. “She's a danged sight more appreciative 'bout my cookin' than you are.”

Shane laughed. “So you want me to start kissing you now after every meal?”

“Try it and you'll be missin' your front teeth,” Cactus warned, turning back to the dishes in the sink.

“Then I guess after we get married, I'll just have to leave the kissing up to Lissa,” he said, anticipating the old gent's reaction. Shane didn't have long to wait.

He hadn't seen Cactus move as fast in years as when he spun around to face them. “Well, I'll be damned.” If he'd had teeth, his ear-to-ear grin would have lit a city block. “Married, you say?”

Shane glanced down at Lissa and winked. “Do you think I should tell him the rest?”

“You might as well,” she said, smiling.

“There's going to be a baby joining us in the spring.” A sudden, unfamiliar feeling settled in his chest and Shane realized that he was actually beginning to get excited by the prospect of becoming a daddy.

“I guess now that there's gonna be a woman and youngin' underfoot, you're gonna expect me to stop my cussin', scratchin' and spittin',” Cactus said, his grin belying his complaint.

“It probably wouldn't be a bad idea.” Laughing, Shane turned Lissa toward the hall, then called over his shoulder, “You'll have to give up cooking breakfast in your long johns, too.”

As they walked down the hall to his study, he chuckled. He could still hear Cactus grumbling about kids, women and bone-headed ranchers who expected him to give up everything worth doing.

“What did you want to show me?” Lissa asked, when they entered the study and he closed the door.

She looked so sweet and desirable, he didn't think twice about taking her into his arms and kissing her until they both gasped for breath. When he finally raised his head, Shane drew in some much-needed air.

“I've been wanting to do that all day.”

Her smile sent his temperature skyrocketing. “I've missed you, too.”

“How was your day at the spa?” he asked, a bit surprised that something so mundane suddenly felt important to him.

She shook her head. “Don't ask. You really don't want to know.”

Leaning back, he frowned. “That bad, huh?”

“Just tiring.” She explained about the booking mix-up, then smiling, asked, “How about you? Anything interesting happen?”

“I got a call from Sheik Al Kahara.” He shrugged. “He wants to hire me to design all new stables for the Thoroughbred farm he just bought in Kentucky.”

“That sounds like a challenge,” she said, sounding genuinely interested. “Do you have to do a lot of traveling with jobs like that?”

“I have to travel occasionally, but not more than once or twice a year.” He shook his head. “Most of my clients e-mail the size of stable they want and what they want included in the design. I send them a quote and then once we sign the contracts, I go to work on the design. But the sheik's is going to be a piece of cake. He basically wants the same setup I designed for the stables at his palace in Almarif.”

Her eyes widened. “Do you have a lot of foreign clients?”

“I have quite a few.”

“Are they all royalty?”

Her curiosity about his career pleased him more
than he would have thought. “Not all of them are royalty, but I have designed stables for several members of this or that monarchy.” Taking her hand, he led her over to the other side of the room. “But I don't want to talk about sheiks or stable designs right now.” He motioned for her to sit in one of the chairs in front of the fireplace. “I want your opinion on something.”

“I can't guarantee how much help I'll be, but I'll try,” she said, smiling as she settled into the high-backed leather armchair.

“Oh, I think your opinion on this counts for a lot more than you think.” He turned to remove the small, black velvet box he had placed on the fireplace mantel before leaving to pick her up after she got off work. Flipping the box open, he turned to hold it out to her as he watched for her reaction to the pear-shaped diamond solitaire in a white-gold setting that he had bought for her the day before. “Do you think you would be interested in wearing this to the investors' dinner on Saturday evening?”

If the look on her face was any indication, he had hit a home run. “My God, Shane, it's beautiful.”

Removing the sparkling jewelry from the box, he took her left hand in his to slip the ring on her third finger. To her delight and his relief, it fit perfectly.

“How did you know my ring size?” she asked, jumping from the chair to throw her arms around his neck.

“I guesstimated,” he said, catching her to him. “So you like it?”

“I love it.” She leaned back to stare down at her hand. “It's exactly what I would have chosen.” Then, looking up, the smile she gave him lit the darkest corners of his soul. “Thank you.”

“Are you ready for my other surprise?” he asked, kissing the tip of her nose. He decided there wasn't anything he wouldn't do just to see her smile at him like she was at that very moment.

Her eyes widened. “There's something else?”

He took her by the hand and led her out of the study to the front door. “I want you to close your eyes and keep them closed until I tell you to open them.”

“What are you up to now?” she asked, laughing.

“If I told you it wouldn't be a surprise.” Shane grinned. “Would you rather I blindfold you?”

She shook her head. “No, I promise I'll keep my eyes closed.”

Once she did as he asked, he helped her down the porch steps and across the yard. “Don't peek,” he warned, releasing her hand to untie a set of reins from the corral fence.

“Shane, what on earth—”

Placing the leather straps in her hand, he said, “Okay, you can open your eyes.”