Page 37 of The Rancher's Cinderella Bride

“Let me feel and see what I think,” he said, rolling her over beside him so he could lightly rub her stomach.

When his hand dipped a little too low, she slipped out of bed and walked completely naked to the bathroom.

As she showered, she thought about Gabe. In a few days she would be engaged to him. And in a few days she would be telling her family. She dreaded it, because doing so would cause a firestorm of arguments.

She refused to let those fears bring her down, so she turned her thoughts to Gabe and their lovemaking that only made her want him more than ever. She was lost in memories of the past few hours. Because she was wrapped in euphoria from making love it was hard to know the extent of her feelings and how much they had shifted after becoming intimate with him. All she really did know was that she couldn’t wait for tonight, when she got to share his bed and do it all again.

* * *

It was Tuesday when they returned to Dallas. Gabe drove and listened to Meg babbling about their plans. She was excited, bubbling with so much eagerness she could barely sit still. She’d called home and talked for almost an hour to her mother on Sunday, so her mother knew she’d been visiting Gabe’s ranch and they were returning to Dallas today so she could go to work.

Filled with mixed feelings, Gabe thought about them as he drove. Early in the morning he had stirred while Meg was still asleep. He still wanted to look at her constantly because she was gorgeous. That wasn’t all that’d had him staring at her while she slept. She was the most exciting woman to kiss and the most sensual and sexy in bed. Just thinking about it now could get him aroused and he took a deep breath, trying to focus on what she was saying and on watching the road as he drove.

He had a strange feeling that he might be getting in over his head. He hadn’t ever had a woman in his life like her. She came into his life like a whirlwind and he suspected she might leave it the same way—with his life in a shambles when she was gone. He didn’t want commitment and he couldn’t commit to anything with her because they really weren’t compatible when it came to lifestyles.

Frustrated when he hit some traffic, he wished he wasn’t in the car. This long drive was ridiculous. She just needed to get on a plane and find out how easy it was to fly to Dallas from his ranch or to the ranch from Dallas, but she wouldn’t fly.

She had turned his life inside out. He had never missed anyone after breaking up with them but he had mixed feelings about telling Meg goodbye at the end of the month. After these past few days he would miss her in his bed and in his life, but he would be glad to get his life back. And get back to ranching. He had taken her to see his prize bull yesterday. She had taken one quick look, shuddered and told him that was all she wanted to see of his livestock.

Despite that, for right now, he wanted every moment he could get with her and he wanted her in his bed and in his arms. She dazzled him in so many ways. She had certainly changed as she had grown up. She was so much more confident, self-sufficient, and she had a zest for life that amazed him. He couldn’t imagine her family trying to push her into marriage, but he could understand Justin wanting to marry her.

Tonight Gabe wanted to do something special. It wasn’t a real engagement, and tonight wouldn’t be a real proposal, but she deserved something special. Something that was just between them and had nothing to do with the goofy fake engagement. Something that told her it was great to be with her again even though he wasn’t totally thrilled to admit that she excited him more than any other woman he had ever known.

Her looks still blew him away. She didn’t seem to give them much thought, but that didn’t change her beauty. He suspected at some point in time she would revert back to her grade school hairdo and drop the makeup. But he would be attracted to her no matter which way she dressed.

Because of their differences in lifestyles and outlooks, if she hadn’t been desperate for his help, she never would have gone out with him. That might have been mutual because he wouldn’t have asked her out, either. Funny how that worked out, he thought.

Soon they would part, but before they did, he wanted to make her happy. Starting with tonight.

She poked his thigh with her finger. “Are you listening to me?”

Amused, he grinned. “Sorry. I was thinking about this morning in bed and thinking about you. What were you telling me?”

“For just a few minutes, get your mind out of the bedroom.”

“I’ll try, but it isn’t easy after some time in there with you.”

She smiled and blew him a kiss, making him laugh.

“I was just reviewing the plan to announce our engagement this week,” she told him.

“I want you to be absolutely sure that’s still what you want because it will upset your folks.”

“Stop worrying. I want the announcement.”

He glanced at her and she smiled sweetly while nodding at him, making him laugh again.

Her car was at her house, so he dropped her there and got out to walk her to her door.

“You don’t need to come with me,” she said, stepping out of his car.

“Oh, yes, I do,” he answered, taking her arm and inhaling her exotic new perfume.

She unlocked her back door and they stepped into her tiny entryway. He closed the door and turned to take her into his arms. Her brown eyes widened as she looked up in obvious surprise, which lasted one second before her arms wrapped around his waist and she gave in to his kiss.

She was soft, sweet, giving him the sexiest kisses of his life, and he wanted to carry her to bed now. He raised his head. “Go to work later.”

Her eyes were heavy lidded and she tightened her arm around his waist and pulled him close again. His mouth covered hers and as he kissed her, he picked her up, carrying her to a bedroom.

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