Page 31 of The Rancher's Cinderella Bride

“Of course I do, but I want the right man and Justin definitely isn’t him.” She picked up her beer bottle. “But I think Justin has started to become history in my life, thanks to you. You’re a real buddy and you came through for me in the best possible way.”

“I can do even better if you’d let me,” he said, his voice becoming husky.

“You have a one-track mind.”

“If I do, it’s because you’re a good-looking, appealing woman who is fantastic to kiss.” He stood up and picked her up, sitting back in his chair with her on his lap. “Maybe I do have a one-track mind where you’re concerned,” he said, running one hand lightly up her bare leg, his fingers slipping beneath her shorts slightly to caress her. He had limited access, but her soft, smooth inner thighs made him want to peel away the cutoffs. “I don’t know how you expect me to think about other things when you dress like this. You’re beautiful, Meg. You know what you do to me when we kiss. I can’t stop wanting you or forget about that.”

As he talked, he caressed her nape with his other hand, kissed her ear, brushed her lips with his and then paused to look at her. There was enough light that he could see her eyes were heavy lidded, her focus on his mouth. He leaned close to kiss her, pulling her tightly against him.

She wound her arms around his neck and kissed him in return, and he wanted her more than he had earlier. He picked her up and moved to a chaise longue and stretched out with her beside him, holding her close the whole time while he kissed her.

Lying beside her was an irresistible temptation. He tried to take time, to not push her, although at the moment she seemed as eager as he was. He ran his hand beneath her shirt, then shifted her slightly to unfasten the front catch to her lacy bra and pushed it away, pulling her shirt high to allow him to hold and caress her breasts.

She gasped with pleasure. “We weren’t going to do this tonight,” she whispered as she showered kisses on his jaw, his throat, his shoulder, unbuttoning his shirt and running her hand over his chest. In minutes she leaned away to look at him. “I need to catch my breath.”

He nodded. He stood and took her hand. “Come on. We’ll go inside.”

“Inside and upstairs to our own suites,” she added. “That’s the safest plan. Tomorrow it’s church and then the drive to your ranch.”

“Whatever the lady wants,” he said.

It wasn’t what he wanted. Not by a long shot.

* * *

At the door to her suite, Meg turned and slipped her arms around his neck, leaning close to kiss him. Then she stepped back and opened her door. “This has been a wonderful evening, Gabe. Thank you.”

He shook his head at her. “Darlin’, you are a bundle of mixed signals. One minute you want to kiss me and the next minute you don’t.”

“Not so mixed. I want to kiss, but common sense takes over now and then.”

He took a deep breath. “I don’t recall you being this much trouble when we were kids.”

“We had a simpler life when we were kids. You’re a year older and could usually get your way or beat me in games so you didn’t view me as trouble. I still don’t see you as trouble.” She glanced down at his hands, which were reaching out to pull her close. She grinned and said, “Well, maybe some trouble.” She partially closed the door, needing that physical barrier between them.

“Still, Gabe, I’m so grateful to you for getting me out of the situation with my family and Justin. Remember,” she said, “I’ll do some big favor for you someday if you need me to help with a problem.”

She smiled as she entered her suite, closing the door and letting out her breath. “If you only knew how much trouble you really are,” she whispered.

She wanted to be in his arms, wanted his loving, wanted to be in his bed right now.

She decided to take her own advice and at least take tonight to think about her future and what she wanted to do. If she slept with Gabe—and supposing the sex was super—would she be able to walk away with her heart intact? Or would it be broken?

There would be no long-term relationship, no future with Gabe, so she needed to come to a firm decision. Did she want to miss this chance to make love with him?

She wondered if she could sleep at all. Could Gabe sleep or was he going to lie awake and think about making love?

* * *

Sunday after church they got into Gabe’s black sports car. He knew he would have to stay at the speed limit or lower or his passenger would be unhappy and let him know it.

She had come downstairs this morning, dressed in a tailored summer suit of pale-blue-and-white-striped cotton with a pale blue blouse and high-heeled blue sandals. Her hair was still in spiral curls and fell freely on both sides of her face, so she hadn’t reverted to her old hairstyle. And even in the tailored clothes that covered her, she took his breath away.

They went to church together and sat far from her family, but she left Gabe to talk to them after the service was over. As he headed toward his car, he stopped to talk to friends while the church crowd thinned. Each time he glanced at Meg, she was talking to her mother, and both of them looked engrossed in their conversation.

He hoped she was getting across to her mother her feelings about Justin and he might escape this month-long fake engagement, but he suspected that was highly unlikely.

“Gabe, wait up,” a man called, and he turned to see his friend Marc Medina so he stopped and smiled.

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