Page 43 of The Texan's Baby Proposal

“Don’t be ridiculous. Mom loves you and loves that I’m married to you. You’re already really a part of my family and I want your opinion on a family thing that I’m worried about. Just listen.”

They both sat up and she turned to face him. Her eyes had adjusted to the dim light of the one small table lamp that was on in the room. His eyes, she saw, were dark and somber as he related what his mother told him.

“Oh, Marc. Dirkson Callahan is your blood father,” she said. “I am so sorry, but thank heavens he wasn’t part of your life. Have you told Gabe?”

“No. Besides Mom and Dirkson, you and I are the only other people to know. Gabe is already my best friend so I don’t think I should tell him. This is what worries me, because I want to do what’s best for Gabe. What do you think?”

She looked away, thinking it over. She glanced back to see him watching her. “Thank you for confiding in me,” she said. “That makes me feel very close to you. Maybe even important to you.”

“You are important to me and you’re trustworthy and you’re levelheaded. I value your opinion.”

She lapsed into silence while she thought about what he had told her. “You said Blake is a half brother.”

“Yes, he is. He was good friends with Cade. Dirkson never acknowledged Blake until after he was married and even then, Blake called Dirkson. Cade drew Blake into the family circle of brothers. Cade isn’t quite as close as I am with Gabe. In a way, I feel like leaving them alone. We’re all close anyway.”

She sat thinking about it. “Well, you told me because you want my opinion, so I’m going to give it to you. I have no family, so family seems the most important thing there is for anyone. You and Gabe are blood brothers. I think you should tell him and let him decide if he wants to keep it to himself.”

Marc clamped his lips together. “Well, I wanted your opinion. I’ll still think about it, but you’ve got a strong point for telling him. I’ll tell you, as far as I’m concerned, my real dad is John Medina. He was a wonderful dad and I loved him, and I hate claiming Dirkson, even to tell Gabe.”

“I understand. You’ll make the best choice, I’m sure.”

“Enough about that. I think now we should talk about what makes me happy in bed.”

She laughed and kissed his throat. “I’m beginning to find out. Actually, you’re rather easy to please.”

“Am I ever,” he said, pulling her in for a kiss.

* * *

For the next two weeks she slept in his room at night. Marc wondered if he would ever tire of her. He couldn’t imagine that happening. One night, as he held her in his arms after making love, he toyed with her hair. “I’ve never brought a woman to the ranch until you. I mean, someone I was going out with. I’m not talking about Mom.”

Lara turned on her side to look at him. “Really? I’m flattered, I guess. Unless you didn’t bring them because you seldom came yourself.”

“Oh, no. I’ve been here plenty. I haven’t taken anyone home with me in Dallas, either. I go with them so I can leave.”

“That makes sense and sounds like you.”

“Well, I thought you might find that fact flattering, that I brought you home with me.”

“Not exactly, because you married me. You had to take me with you. We really have a business deal between us.”

He laughed. “I guess you can look at it that way.”

“You had no choice.” She ran her fingers along his jaw and when the moonlight caught the glitter of diamonds on her hand, she grew pensive. Finally she said, “How long have your grandparents been married?”

“A thousand years,” he answered. “Actually, how’s sixty-three?”

“Impossible. I can’t remotely imagine.”

He nodded. “A long time.” He pulled long locks of her hair through his fingers and let them fall. He loved the feel of her silky strands and loved when she wore it down for him. “I’ve been thinking about us. Lara, let’s just separate for a while instead of divorcing, and see how that works and if we want to go ahead with the divorce.”

She shook her head. “No. When it’s over, it’s over and we’ll each go on with our lives.”

“I have a feeling that I’m not very important to you,” he said.

“You’re incredibly important, but I know you’re not going to want to stay together.”

“I want to stay together now. I don’t want to get out of this bed today. Maybe this week,” he said, rolling over on top of her and letting his kiss keep her right where he wanted her.

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