Page 45 of The Texan's Baby Proposal

“Neither you nor my mom know how to let go and enjoy life.”

“I have to do what I have to do. I know we will divorce.”

His gaze was stormy and she shivered, suddenly feeling as if the marriage was already disintegrating. “You’ll have your divorce and you can go to med school, but tonight I want to say goodbye.” He crossed the room to pick her up, carrying her to a bedroom while he kissed her, a demanding, possessive kiss that made her heart race. He stood her on her feet, peeling away her black dress as he kissed her and then flinging aside his shirt and belt. He stepped back to look at her.

“You take my breath away. You’re so beautiful—every inch of you. I want you. I don’t want you to go, but I know you’re going to school no matter what and we’re going to have to say goodbye. Tonight I need you. I want your kisses and I want to touch and kiss you.”

Her heart thudded and desire overrode all her other feelings. It had been an emotional day and tomorrow might even be more emotional because, any time now, she knew they would part. She wanted to give Marc a night that would make him remember her. And she wanted to take memories with her when she said goodbye. She loved him and she knew he wasn’t in love with her. Tonight he was hurting and angry she was going, but she couldn’t stay. There had never been words of love from him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, pouring her feelings into her kiss, wanting to drive away both his demons and hers.

He made a sound deep in his throat and his right hand tangled in her hair while he cupped her breast with his other hand, his thumb circling lightly, slowly around her nipple, making her moan with desire and pleasure.

Running her tongue over his male nipples, first one and then the other, she wanted to heighten his pleasure. He gasped and his hand was still tangled in her hair while he caressed her breast in feathery strokes that made her tremble with longing for more. As she ran her tongue over him, she slowly slid down until she took his thick rod in her hand, stroking him with her tongue, taking him in her mouth. She felt him shudder and gasp while she slipped one hand between his legs to caress him. He grew even larger with every touch.

He moaned and reached beneath her arms to pull her to her feet. She gazed into his dark eyes, which blazed with so much desire she couldn’t get her breath.

“Marc,” she whispered while wrapping her arms around him and kissing him. Her heart pounded so violently she wondered if he felt it as he held her pressed against him. His strength, his maleness, his caresses and kisses all drove her wild. She loved him, but she wasn’t going to tell him when he didn’t love her in return.

She put one leg up around him and he slipped his hand beneath her thigh to pick her up and lay her on the bed. He moved between her legs, caressing her with his fingers before using his mouth. He drew his hot, wet tongue over her, taking his time. Her hips arched beneath his touch.

“Marc, I want you,” she whispered.

He stretched on the bed beside her and easily lifted her on top of him. She sat astride him as he caressed her breasts.

Closing her eyes, she gasped with pleasure. For a moment she was still, relishing his hands on her body, his caresses that heightened desire. Finally, she leaned down to kiss him while he held her hips and moved her over him, his thick manhood easing inside her slowly. Crying out with need and pleasure, she tossed her head, her hair swinging over her shoulder as she rode him and he held her.

Her eyes flew open while he toyed with her breasts and then both of them were moving, faster and faster, as he pumped inside her. Need for release, for all of him, hot and wet, consumed her. The spiral increased until she cried out as she went over the brink. Seconds later, he reached his climax, shuddering and thrusting fast and hard, driving her to another climax. Finally she fell on top of him, turning her head to look at him as she shifted her hips and moved so they were no longer one.

When she did, he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close.

“You can’t know what a gift you just gave me,” he whispered, leaning closer to brush a light kiss on her forehead. “You’ve demolished me, but you drove away the demons for a little. You’re a fantastic woman, Lara,” he whispered.

“I wanted to make you forget your hurt for just a little while. And I wanted to make sure you’ll remember me.”

“I couldn’t possibly forget you. Tonight you took me to another place, and our loving held the pain at bay.”

“I’m glad,” she whispered.

Silence came and in the quiet her thoughts were in turmoil. She had to face the truth. She had fallen in love with him and there was no future for them except divorce. Their last kiss was her kiss goodbye.

* * *

Hours later, after Marc had gone to sleep, she lay awake in the dark, thinking about the changes that would be coming. They’d go ahead now with the divorce and she would move back to Dallas. There she’d keep taking chemistry courses that would count toward a doctorate in chemistry in case she didn’t get into med school. When her baby was six months or a year, she would see about going to school, but at this point, she felt she needed to give her attention to her baby.

Tears stung her eyes because she loved Marc with her whole heart. She had never been in love to this extent before. Breaking her engagement to Leonard Crane had been relatively easy because she hadn’t been that deeply in love, and when he wanted to have an abortion, she’d known he wasn’t the man for her. But Marc had really captured her heart. Until she left the ranch, she was going to have a difficult time keeping her true feelings hidden from him, but she had to. Nothing good could come from him knowing how deeply in love with him she was.

She hurt all over at the thought of telling him goodbye. But there wasn’t any reason for her to stay on the ranch now. He had said he wanted to be there when she had her baby, but she couldn’t live months with him or into more than a year and then say goodbye. That would be far more devastating than now and this was terrible. She had to face him and tell him she was leaving.

* * *

At breakfast the next morning, she got to the kitchen early so she could catch him. Shortly after, he came in. He usually brought an energy and vitality into the room, but this morning he wore a slight frown.

She wasted no time but went straight into the speech she’d prepared in the wee hours of the morning. “I wanted to talk to you. I know you have a lot of legal things to do to settle your grandfather’s estate, but this is important. We’re still headed toward divorce, but there’s no reason now for me to stay on the ranch. Whether we divorce now or not, I’m going back home to Dallas, Marc.”

His frown deepened and he gazed at her in silence for a moment. “I suppose I should have known that’s what you’d want to do. When do you want to go?”

She hurt inside, a tight knot in her throat, and she battled tears. He didn’t even try to stop her or say he wanted her to stay a while longer. She might have been able to compromise if there was love and acceptance, but he’d simply asked when she wanted to go. That hurt, but it shouldn’t have surprised her. He was letting her go as he’d always said he would.

“I’ll get your things moved, so don’t worry about that. Just pack and leave them. You can take the limo to Dallas. I’ll get your car loaded and one of my guys can drive your car. That’ll be easier for you.”

---