by Cindy Kirk
Carmen’s lips twitched even as she nodded and cleared away the last of the dishes. “I’ll get the dessert.”
Though her stomach signaled full, Lia decided she might be able to manage a bite or two of something sweet. She took a sip of iced tea, leaned back in the chair and let herself relax. The shades at the window were partially drawn, protecting the room against the heat of midday.
Her eyelids wanted to flutter closed. By the time she’d gotten ready for bed last night and picked up the apartment, it had been nearly one. The alarm went off at five.
She knew she should be getting more sleep but she was having too much fun. The past couple of weeks had been a roller-coaster ride of emotions. She’d loved spending time with Shane. He was smart and funny and considerate, not to mention sexy as all get-out.
Of course, because they’d decided the focus was on friendship, they’d limited their physical intimacy to a good-night kiss. But those kisses had been getting longer. Last night’s kiss had lasted almost an hour. She’d been oh-so-tempted to ask him to stay the night.
She’d resisted, but barely. And now, conscious of those blue-on-blue eyes focused on her, she found herself tempted by him again.
“You have shadows under your eyes.” Shane leaned close and brushed the area lightly with the pads of his thumbs, the skin sizzling beneath his touch. “You’re dead on your feet.”
“Thanks for the compliment,” Lia said with a wry smile.
“I’m worried about you,” he said softly. “And about the baby.”
For a second she thought he might be implying that she wasn’t taking good care of herself, but when she looked at his face, all she saw was concern. For her. For their unborn child. Her heart lurched.
She glanced at her wrist and stretched. “I still have fifteen minutes to recharge.”
Pushing back his chair, Shane stood and held out a hand. “Then we’ll take our dessert in the living room where you can sit on the sofa and put your feet up.”
His wicked grin made her wonder if rest and relaxation were all he had in mind.
Ten minutes later she sat in the living room with a half-eaten bowl of peach cobbler on her lap and the taste of Shane on her lips. She offered him another spoonful of cobbler. Once he took a bite, he’d get a kiss. Then it would be his turn to feed the cobbler to her...and get a kiss. Lia had to admit she liked the game almost as much as the sweet peaches and whipped cream.
But before Shane’s mouth could close around the spoon, Sawyer strode into the room. Lia knew her boss’s sharp and assessing gaze missed nothing. Not Shane’s thigh pressed tightly against hers, not his arm looped intimately around her shoulders, nor the slight trace of red gloss from a kiss that had missed its mark. Sawyer’s lips tightened.
Though she and Shane had been doing nothing wrong, heat rose to Lia’s cheeks. She pushed to her feet, dropping the spoon into the bowl and placing it on the end table. “I was just getting ready to head back to the office.”
Sawyer nodded curtly then focused on his brother. “There’s a phone call I believe you’ll want to take. It’s Jeanne Marie. She says it’s important.”
Shane rose and his brows pulled together. “Why did she call you if she wanted to speak with me?”
“She didn’t.” Sawyer held out the phone. “You left your phone in the other room. I heard it ring and noticed her name on the screen so I answered. She wouldn’t tell me why she’s calling.”
In two steps, Shane was at his brother’s side, lifting the phone from his hand.
“I have it on Mute,” Sawyer told him.
Shane took one last glance at Lia. “Are you okay?”
Lia scrambled awkwardly to her feet, smoothing the wrinkles from her skirt. “I need to get back to work.”
“I’ll call you later,” Shane said, then immediately refocused on the phone. “Jeanne Marie, it’s good to hear from you.”
The rest of his words faded as he strode down the hall.
“Jeanne Marie.” Lia tried to comb through her tangled hair with her fingers. “She’s a family friend, right?”
A muscle in Sawyer’s jaw twitched. “Is that what Shane told you?”
She nodded, surprised at the suspicion in his eyes. What was his problem?
“You ask a lot of questions,” Sawyer said flatly. “About things that are none of your business.”
Lia felt as if she’d been slapped. She blinked back unexpected tears before he could notice.
“I just don’t want to see my brother hurt,” he said as she grabbed her shoes and brushed past him.
“Shane is more than capable of looking out for himself,” she said over her shoulder, not turning back.
“I’m not so sure,” she heard Sawyer murmur as she exited the room. “Not anymore.”
* * *
All week Lia had been looking forward to attending the annual Red Rock Spring Fling. When Shane pulled the truck into the dirt parking lot on the outskirts of town, she expected them to talk about what rides they’d go on or debate whether a funnel cake topped with apples could be considered a fruit.
Instead Shane brought up the subject of her moving to New Fortunes Ranch...again.
“I’m not moving in with you,” Lia said as she took his hand and stepped out of the pickup. “So quit asking.”
“I don’t like where you’re living,” he said in an equally firm tone. “It’s not safe.”
Though the crime rate in Red Rock was low, Lia couldn’t deny that most of the recent assaults had occurred within a mile of her apartment. Still, she felt safe in her neighborhood. Or relatively safe.
The mulish expression on her face must have told Shane he wasn’t making any headway, so he changed tactics. “Think how much easier life would be with us being under the same roof. Instead of my driving into town to drop you off, we could just walk up the stairs.”
“It would be even more convenient if we were in the same bedroom. That way, if you thought of something you wanted to say to me, you wouldn’t need to call,” Lia said with a heavy dose of sarcasm. She wondered when he was going to concede defeat on this topic. Knowing his tenacity, probably never.
“Now we’re on the same page.” Shane slipped an arm around her shoulders, a movement that had come to feel so natural.
“I love carnivals,” Lia said, changing the subject as they approached the entrance to the festival.
“Judging by the crowd, this is definitely the place to be.” Shane pulled her close, shielding her with his body as a drunk cowboy stumbled past.
His whole family would be at the carnival tonight. They knew he was now seeing Lia regularly. While his brothers were still suspicious of her motives—especially Sawyer—Shane’s own concerns about her lying to him had vanished. Which was funny considering he was the one with the most to lose.
Yet, he wasn’t worried. From spending time with her, he was convinced deliberate deceit wasn’t in her.
He believed the more his family knew her, the more they’d accept and like her. That was why he was eager to throw them together as much as possible. Even if they didn’t run across his siblings at the carnival, they planned to gather at Wyatt’s house later in the evening.
“I love the rides.” Lia gazed at the multicolored lights with a wistful expression. “But I don’t think the jerky motion would be good for the baby.”
“What about the Ferris wheel?” Shane suggested. “That’s pretty tame.”
“You don’t want to go on the Ferris wheel,” Lia said, even as her gaze lingered on the brightly lit wheel. “You’re just being nice.”
Normally the thought of getting on a ride with all the excitement of a rocking chair wouldn’t have appealed to Shane. But the longing in her eyes made him change his mind.
“Actually, I would.” He fingered a strand of her long dark hair. “It’d be fun to kiss you at the top, under the stars.”
“You’re not into public displays of affection,” Lia reminded him.
“Not true. I’ve got my arm a
round your shoulder,” Shane said lightly. “We hold hands all the time in public.”
“You’re right.” Two bright patches of pink colored her cheeks. “Forget I said anything.”
“I’m not ashamed to be seen with you.”
She looked up in startled surprise. That was when he knew he’d correctly read her thoughts.
“I understand, you know,” she said quickly, the pink in her cheeks deepening to a dusky rose. “Your family is a big deal in this town. I’m a Latina born on the wrong side of the tracks. And I’m pregnant, to boot.”
“There is so much wrong with what you’re saying—” Shane pressed his lips together and counted to five “—that I’m not sure where to start.”
“Hey, want to go on the roller coaster with us?”
Shane turned to find his brother Wyatt standing by a snow-cone booth, Sarah-Jane at his side, her long auburn hair pulled back in a complicated braid.
“I love your cowboy hat,” Lia said, eyeing the black Stetson on the tall man who looked as if he was Texas-born.
Wyatt smiled at Lia with surprising warmth. He lifted the hat off his head and plopped it down on hers. “It’s yours.”
She reached up to tug it off, but Sarah-Jane placed a restraining hand on her arm. “Take it. Trust me, he has dozens more at home.” Sarah-Jane cast a teasing glance at Wyatt. “And you look better in it anyway.”
Wyatt growled in mock outrage and Lia giggled.
“Just for that,” Wyatt said to his fiancée, “we’re sitting in the very front of the roller coaster.”
Sarah-Jane smiled smugly. “My favorite spot.”
“That’s not why we’re sitting there,” Wyatt insisted.
“Whatever you say,” she said, her eyes filled with laughter.
Shane couldn’t believe what he’d just witnessed. He’d never seen his brother act so, well, so goofy.
Wyatt cast a pointed glance at Shane and Lia. “We’re planning on you coming over later tonight.”
“If I’m not too tired—” Lia began.
“We’re toasting marshmallows over an open fire and making s’mores,” Sarah-Jane said in a persuasive tone.
Lia brought a finger to her lips and pretended to think. “Ah. In that case, I’ll be there.”
“That’s what I thought.” Unexpectedly Sarah-Jane reached over and briefly embraced Lia. “I’m so happy you’re coming.”
Wyatt opened his arms to Lia, a devilish gleam in his eyes. “I’d like to give you a hug, too.”
Shane punched his brother in the arm. “You’ve got your own girlfriend. Leave mine alone.”
Girlfriend. Was that what Lia was now? His girlfriend?
Wyatt grinned and captured Sarah-Jane’s hand. “Come on, woman. The roller coaster awaits.”
“Your brother seems in a good mood tonight.” A smile lingered on Lia’s lips as they watched the two disappear into the crowd.
“He’s got it bad for Sarah-Jane,” Shane observed, wondering if Wyatt would say the same thing about him with Lia. For some reason the thought didn’t bother him.
“I can see why,” Lia said. “She’s a nice person.”
“Uncle Shane.” A young voice rang out and Shane turned to find his nephew Jace racing toward him at full speed.
When the little boy drew close, Shane snatched Jace up in his arms and swung him around until the child was laughing hard.
“I don’t know if I’d do that,” Asher warned. “He just ate a whole bag of cotton candy.”
Marnie took a step back. “And drank a soda.”
Shane stopped midswing.
“Please, Uncle Shane, do it some more,” Jace protested when Shane set him back down on the ground.
“That’s enough for now.” Shane remembered a long-ago day when his father had ignored his mother’s warning and kept swinging him. What happened next hadn’t been pretty. “What rides have you gone on, buckaroo?”
Distracted, the boy launched into a detailed accounting of each and every ride.
“We’re going to give the merry-go-round a try next.” Asher took his son’s hand and turned toward his brother. “You two headed that way?”
“Opposite direction.” Shane glanced at Lia and inhaled the clean, fresh scent of her. Her hair shimmered like rich dark mahogany in the sunlight. Dressed in blue jeans and boots with a bright orange shirt and her hair pulled back, she looked like a sexy cowgirl. My sexy cowgirl, he thought with a burst of possessive pride. “We’re going on the Ferris wheel.”
“I like Ferris wheels.” With outstretched arms Jace dipped and swooped like an airplane. “It goes all the way to the clouds, doesn’t it, Daddy?”
“That’s right, son.” Asher shifted his glance to Shane. “I seem to remember you making several derisive comments about that particular ride in the past.”
Shane rested his hand on Lia’s shoulder. “It’s all in who you’re with.”
“I find them very romantic.” Marnie gazed at Asher through lowered lids and spoke in a low tone. “I’ve always fantasized about being kissed at the top of a Ferris wheel.”
“What did Marnie say, Daddy?” Jace’s arms dropped to his sides. “She whispered. You told me it’s not nice to whisper.”
“I’m sorry, Jace,” Marnie said, looking surprisingly contrite.
Asher crouched down in front of his son. “Marnie wants me to take her to the top of the Ferris wheel and rock the cab back and forth really fast.”
Jace’s eyes widened. “That would scare me.”
“If we do that, I’ll have you stay on the ground with Uncle Shane or Uncle Wyatt.”
Shane exchanged a smile with Lia.
“We’d be happy to watch Jace when you, ah, take your Ferris wheel ride,” Shane offered. “Just call when you need me.”
They talked for a few more minutes before Asher, Marnie and Jace headed to the merry-go-round and Shane and Lia headed toward the double Ferris wheel.
On the way they passed various red-and-white-striped tents filled with games of chance.
“Ooh, look at that gorgeous bear.” Lia stopped to stare at the giant stuffed animal with a yellow bow around its neck. Her gaze grew wistful. “I always wanted one of those when I was a kid.”
“Hey, buddy, win the little lady a great big bear. Just hit the right balloon and that bear is hers.”
Normally Shane would have walked right by, ignoring the sales patter from the carnival barker, but he couldn’t ignore the yearning in Lia’s eyes.
The game was a balloon dart throw. Though Shane hadn’t played before, he knew to be successful he had to have a strategy. He picked up the dart and felt the tip.
Dull.
It appeared finesse was out—a strong throw was in.
He studied the white board with all the balloons fluttering in the light breeze.
“Are you going to throw or look at it all day?” the man blustered. “Perhaps the little lady should try her luck.”
The sign proclaimed a prize behind every balloon. But all prizes weren’t equal. Since most people aimed for the middle, it stood to reason that the bigger gifts would be on the outer edge. Shane didn’t want to win Lia a trinket—he wanted the bear.
Balancing the dart between his fingers, he took aim at a balloon at the very bottom right corner of the board and threw as hard as he could.
The red balloon popped and Lia clapped her hands.
“What did you win?” She leaned forward and he inhaled the tantalizing scent of Chanel.
He grinned. “The bear, of course.”
The barker forced a smile and grabbed the large stuffed animal, handing it to Shane.
The man tried to get him to play again but Shane simply shook his head and took Lia’s arm. Once they were out of the man’s earshot, he presented the prize to Lia. “This is for you. And for the baby.”
“Her first gift.” Tears filled Lia’s eyes.
He stroked her arm. “Hey, I wouldn’t have won it for you if I knew it’d make you
cry.”
She swiped at the tears with the pads of her fingers. “I’m just happy. I can’t remember having so much fun at a carnival before.”
Shane agreed. He hadn’t been all that excited about coming tonight, but he was enjoying himself. “Ready for the Ferris wheel?”
A smile lifted her lips. “The night just keeps getting better and better.”
Though his parents had gone out of their way to instill good manners in all their children, whenever Shane was around Lia, his concern went beyond manners. He wanted to ease her burdens, take the weight from her shoulders, be her knight in shining armor. Could this be what love felt like?
“Let me carry this for you.” Shane reached for the stuffed animal.
Lia shook her head and tightened her hold on the bear. “I don’t want to let him go. Thank you for winning him, Shane. You’re the best.”
Last year Shane had closed several difficult multimillion-dollar deals in one day. He’d thought nothing could eclipse the high he’d felt then. But now, having Lia look at him with her heart in her eyes, he realized he’d been wrong.
The line for the Ferris wheel moved quickly. When they stepped into the gondola, Lia started to settle the bear between them, but Shane lifted it to the other side of her. He didn’t want anything keeping them apart.
If someone had told him six months ago that he’d be at the Red Rock Spring Fling winning a teddy bear and riding a Ferris wheel, he’d have told them they were crazy.
But being here with Lia, well, it felt good.
“You were right,” he murmured, holding her hand securely in his as their gondola began its upward ascent.
“About Ferris wheels?” When Lia looked up at him with those big brown eyes, he almost forgot what he’d been about to say.
“About the importance of becoming friends before becoming lovers.” His gaze searched hers. “We needed to get to know each other, to care for each other, before we made love again.”
The gondola lurched. She clutched his hand tightly.
He slipped his other arm around her shoulders, pulling her even closer. “Don’t worry. I won’t ever let anything happen to you.”
The vehemence in his voice seemed to surprise her, but Shane meant every word. Over the past weeks, Lia had burrowed her way into his heart, and he would move heaven and earth to protect her.