Page 34 of The Texan's Baby Proposal

He stepped close to embrace her, ending her protest when his mouth covered hers. He pushed her back against the wall and she clung to him, returning his kiss. She couldn’t say she was sorry to be trapped there. In fact, when he released her, she felt disappointed. Her breathing was as ragged as his.

“Some night you’ll invite me in.”

“We talked about that. I don’t plan on it.”

“Some night you’ll invite me in,” he repeated, running his forefinger down her cheek and making her heart beat faster.

She shook her head and stepped into her suite, closing the door. “Not if I have good sense, I won’t,” she whispered to herself, but her answer was for him. “I don’t want to long for you in my bed every night and that would happen if we started sleeping together.” She just prayed she wasn’t already getting too attached to him.

Seven

The next morning Marc was in the great room waiting for Lara, looking out at his patio, pool and, beyond the fence, the endless vistas of the ranch. His grandfather was coming home today. Marc felt certain the old man was hanging on to see the land once more and to take his last breath on the ranch he loved.

Marc realized that life was short and that family was what was important. He thought about Lara and how she had already changed his life for the better. He hoped he had changed hers for the better, too, and enabled her to do what she wanted when they parted.

She was his wife—so far, in name only. One minute he intended to change that and the next minute he thought that if he did, he might make everything worse for both of them. He didn’t want that to happen. He wanted her, but common sense warned him to stick to their original plan so no one got hurt when they parted ways. And they would part; he knew that for certain.

He heard her high heels on the hardwood floor and he stood as she swept into the room. His heart thudded. She wore a cheerful, bright-red dress with a straight skirt that ended just above her knees. She had on red high-heeled pumps and her hair was scooped up on either side of her head and pinned to fall freely in the back.

“You look gorgeous.” He crossed the room to her, drawn without conscious thought. “I just can’t resist, Mrs. Medina,” he said, reminding her of her marital status as he wrapped his arms around her, leaned over her and kissed her.

Her eyes flew wide and then closed, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, pressed against him and kissed him in return, making his heart pound. She could be instantly responsive, and when she was, it set him on fire. He wanted her with all his being. He’d spent a restless night, tossing and turning, dreaming about her, waking and being unable to go back to sleep for a long time, arguing with himself about pursuing her.

“If we didn’t have to go see my grandparents,” he said, raising his head, “I would carry you off to bed.”

She opened her eyes and had a dazed look that made his pulse jump another notch. “We have to go,” she stated, but there wasn’t any conviction in her voice. Her mouth was red from his kiss and desire filled her blue eyes.

He pulled her up to whisper in her ear. “One day I’m going to make love to you for hours and you’ll want me to.”

She froze in his arms and he wasn’t sure what her reaction would be. Finally, she turned her head slightly and looked into his eyes. Her emotions were unreadable. She didn’t pull away. Instead, she cupped his cheek in her hand and softly said, “We both know that’s not the sensible thing to do. We need to get back on a safe track until we say goodbye. Goodbye is still in our lives, Marc. Now, I think we were going somewhere,” she said, smoothing her dress and shaking her head to get her hair to fall back in place.

He wanted her with all his being. He was amazed by the effect she had on him. She was changing his life, hour by hour, day by day, bringing him back to life. “Marrying you was the smartest thing I ever did.”

She smiled, her blue eyes getting a twinkle. “Is that so? I’m very flattered. Then I have to say, we have a good bargain.”

“Yes, we do.” And he needed to remember the terms of that bargain.

“Let’s get going. My grandpa awaits.” He put his hand on the small of her back as he ushered her out of the great room. “You know, my grandpa does like beautiful women. You’ll make him happy today.”

“I hope so. Your grandmother, too. Will your mom be here?”

“No, because she knows I’ll handle it and she’ll be at the restaurant, making sure everything is running smoothly there the way it has each day it’s been open for the last thirty years.” Then he paused. “At least, as far as I know, she won’t be there. She surprises me sometimes.”

He took his pickup, aware it was one of the few times he’d been in the truck in a suit and tie.

They arrived before his grandfather, but within ten minutes an entourage came up the road with the ambulance in the lead. Marc and Lara went out to meet the car carrying his grandmother, and Marc took her arm to help her into the guest house. Lara walked along with them, with a nurse on the other side of his grandmother.

Medics brought his grandfather in and took him to the room that Marc had made sure was ready.

Finally, Marc and Lara went to see him. Marc brushed a kiss on his grandfather’s forehead and came back to stand by Lara, who greeted his grandfather.

His grandfather smiled. “You look beautiful, Lara,” he said in a raspy voice.

“Thank you,” she said, smiling at him. “We’re glad you’re home.”

He nodded and folded his hands.

Marc told him about the ranch, and while he talked, he stood beside her with his arm around her waist. She was sure they looked like happily married newlyweds.

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