The #1 Bestsellers Collection 2011

by Catherine Mann

  “I’m lying.”

  She moistened her lips. “I’m glad.”

  “So am I,” he murmured, undoing the sash at her waist and peeling the robe off her shoulders, leaving her standing there in her pearl-colored chemise. “Oh yeah, sweetheart. I’m … so … glad.”

  He pulled her close and started kissing her again.

  Deeply, this time.

  Deeper than any other time, not so much in touch but in intensity.

  And intimacy.

  This time it wasn’t about two people making love together, but about two people being intimate.

  And then he reached down to her hem and lifted the nightgown over her head, leaving her naked.

  She gasped as his hands slow-traced her hips … her derriere … brushing over the bare skin of her back … exploring her body from behind.

  And then those wonderful hands moved up and around to her front, touching her breasts, circling the sensitive skin before cupping them as he weighed and measured them in his palms, before lowering his head and fitting one of the brown nubs in his mouth.

  “Oh my heaven,” was all she could manage, her mind reeling as he gently nipped and licked her body to life … a life that had her clutching his bare shoulders, wanting to touch him as he was touching her.

  She was almost ready to sink to the floor by the time he moved back, but she somehow managed to speak. “Please, Matt. My turn.”

  A light smoldered in his eyes. “Go ahead.”

  A flash of heat washed over her and suddenly her hands shook, but that didn’t stop her from sliding her palms over his hair-roughened chest, reveling in the hot feel of him beneath her palms.

  He shuddered and her head spun and she grew more daring, her hands sliding down over the tight muscles of his stomach, over the front of his pajama pants to where he felt hard and demanding.

  “Stop,” he rasped.

  She stood her ground. “No.” She pushed his pants down until they reached his feet.

  Swearing softly, he stepped out of them and kicked them aside and she made her way up his naked flesh, running her hands up along his flanks, across to his powerful erection, where she fondled him, loving the sound of his groan and the shudder of his body before she stood back to fully admire him for the first time ever.

  He was fully exposed.

  There was nothing left but him.

  The utterly perfect male.

  She reached for him again, but he put his hand over hers. “No.” His gaze dropped down to her thighs, then shot back up. “Do you realize I’ve never tasted you? Not once.”

  His words sent electrifying shivers down her spine. “Then don’t let me stop you.”

  Growling satisfaction, he dropped to his knees.

  Her legs shook as he began kissing her in a more intimate way. She was acutely aware of his dark head at the junction of her thighs, doing marvelous things to her, his tongue warm and smooth, enticingly so.

  She trembled, verging on the edge of discovery.

  She was almost ready to topple.

  “Not yet,” he muttered, and the next thing she knew he was lowering her onto the bed, her body still one big ache, craving that joyous feeling just out of reach.

  He opened the bedside drawer and took out a foil packet, and instantly her mind cleared even as her body still hungered for release.

  “Matt, stop.”

  He paused, looking at her with a question in his eyes.

  “You don’t need those.”

  “I don’t?”

  “I’m protected.” She saw him wince and the past came back to haunt her. At the Christmas party it had been over before they knew it, and afterward she’d lied about protection so he wouldn’t worry about her becoming pregnant. “I’m telling the truth this time, Matt.”

  She held his gaze.

  If he didn’t believe her she couldn’t proceed.

  He stared hard for a couple of loaded seconds, then dropped the foil back in the drawer. The mattress lurched as he joined her, just as her heart was lurching in her chest. He stretched out on top of her, his arms pure steel, holding him up to look down at her from above.

  His eyes trapped hers for a heart-stopping moment.

  And he grew rigid between her legs.

  “Thank you for trusting me,” she said sincerely.

  “No, thank you for giving me our daughter.”

  Her vision blurred as tender warmth entered her heart. Then she took a ragged breath. “I’m yours tonight, Matt,” she murmured, and let her thighs fall open so that he could find his way.

  He entered her and she moved to meet him. Soon after, she cried out his name, delicious contractions hitting her until she abandoned herself to a spine-tingling fusion to become one with him.

  One body.

  One heartbeat.

  Her one true love.

  “Are you okay?”

  Lana heard the words in her ear but couldn’t reply. How had it happened? How had she tumbled headlong into love with him? She was staggered by the revelation.

  Oh Lord.

  He stayed inside her and looked down into her eyes. “Lana?”

  She thought fast.

  “Just catching my breath,” she said with a smile, her fingers itching to run lovingly along his jaw.

  She daren’t.

  He studied her without giving anything away himself. “No regrets?”

  Could she regret that she loved him?

  She shook her head. “Not this time.”

  His face relaxed. “Me either.” Leaning down, he gave her a long, soft kiss that made her want to stay in his arms for the rest of her life.

  Eventually he lifted his head. “I’ve never made love to any other woman without a condom.”

  “I know. You told me that the first time we made love.”

  “I remember.” His eyes darkened. “And you believed me.”

  “Of course,” she said without hesitation.

  His gaze searched her eyes. Then slid down to where the tips of her breasts pressed against his chest. “I want you again.”

  Her eyes widened as she felt him grow hard inside her. “So soon?”

  “Yes.”

  She swallowed. He was looking at her as if he wanted her more than anything else in the world. The feeling was so new it made her blush.

  “Don’t you need to gather your strength?” she babbled, suddenly self-conscious that a man wanted her so much.

  And not just any man.

  Matt.

  “I’m stronger than I look,” he muttered.

  She acknowledged something when she heard those words.

  He was strong.

  In every way.

  And it wasn’t just physical either. She’d known men who were muscular but hollow. Others had been too strong for their own good and would never let a woman see their softer side as Matt had this evening over Megan.

  But Matt, oh yes, he just seemed to fit her like a piece in a jigsaw puzzle. Everything he did, everything he was, seemed tailor-made for her.

  It gave her a sense of rightness as Matt began to make love to her all over again. And afterward, when she rested her cheek drowsily on his chest, two thoughts crossed her mind before she fell into an exhausted slumber.

  Yes, she loved this man.

  But sometimes love wasn’t enough.

  Eight

  Matt ignored the budget reports waiting on his desk and sat back in his chair for a moment. He was still reeling from seeing Megan sick yesterday. Thank God she was better now.

  Lord, when she’d held out her little arms to him he thought his heart would explode with love and concern. He was learning that loving a child was a bittersweet pain. Lana was right. Once you saw your child and the love entered your heart, there was no going back.

  Lana was an old hand at this now. She’d done this by herself for the last eleven months. Not to mention coping with being pregnant.

  Something turned over in his chest at the thought of her carrying
his baby. To have been pregnant and alone with only an uncle a world away in France must have been terrifying.

  He felt humble.

  And could he really blame her now if she’d stolen that money to support her and her child?

  If?

  Yes, he had his doubts now and with each day they were growing stronger. But hell, he was still angry deep inside that she hadn’t come to him about her pregnancy. He really didn’t understand why she hadn’t.

  Yet she’d supported him yesterday over Megan and then again late in the night when she’d offered herself to him. If she didn’t have some sort of feelings for him, would she have done either of those things?

  Of course having some feelings was like having some money. A person could get by on a small amount, but it wasn’t enough to build a house.

  Or a marriage.

  That’s if a person wanted to build a house in the first place, which neither he nor Lana wanted. They were both only looking to put a roof over their daughter’s head.

  Dammit, Lana had come into his life with the greatest gift in her arms.

  And he was now going to share her bed full-time until their divorce.

  And still he couldn’t figure her out.

  Perhaps he shouldn’t even try, he decided, accepting that some things were a mystery.

  Just then the intercom buzzed.

  “Matt, there’s a gentleman on the line from France looking for Lana,” Irene said. “He said he’s her uncle.”

  Matt frowned. “Put him through, Irene.” He waited a moment for the connection to go through. “Matt Valente here.”

  “Matt? I’m pleased to meet you. It’s Dan Moore here. Lana’s uncle. I’ve just got back from a trip to South Africa and I read the letter from Lana about her marriage. Congratulations. Lana’s a wonderful girl.”

  “Thank you, Dan. Yes, she is.”

  “I’m sorry I missed the wedding. I would have been there if I’d known, but I understand the rush for little Megan’s sake.”

  So he knew the reason for the marriage.

  “Yes.”

  “I don’t have your home number but if you could get Lana to give me a call that would be terrific. I need to tell her that now she’s married to you, I want to deed the apartment over to Megan.”

  Matt’s heart thudded. “The apartment?”

  “Yes. Lana would have told you I bought it for her and Megan.”

  “Of course,” he lied without missing a beat.

  So that’s where the money had come from.

  “I want it to be my gift to my great-niece. I don’t ever want her to be alone like Lana was when her parents died.” He took a breath. “Not that they were much use to her when they were living, God rest their souls. She would have told you about that, too, no doubt.” He paused. “Unfortunately I was living in France and couldn’t be there for her, but she always knew I was just a phone call away.”

  Matt felt a band of tightness in his chest. He should have read that report his father had ordered on Lana and her family. It would have explained a lot about the pieces that made up his wife.

  “I won’t let that happen to Megan, Dan. She will always have me and my family to look after her.”

  For all that, he suddenly realized he didn’t like the thought of sharing his daughter with some unknown person. Not even one of Lana’s relatives.

  “That’s good to know, Matt. Please give Lana my love and tell her Aimee and Julien send their love, too. I’ll talk to her soon.”

  Matt was curious. “Is Julien your son?”

  There was a moment’s hesitation. “So Lana hasn’t told you yet? I guess it’s not an easy thing for her to say, but I’d appreciate if you could keep this in the family.”

  “Tell me what?”

  “Julien is my lover.”

  Lana spent the day trying to come to terms with loving Matt, knowing she could never tell him. If it had been only her and Matt, then she might have given it a shot. She was strong enough to walk away if things turned bad.

  She couldn’t take such a chance when she had a responsibility to her daughter. Matt was great with Megan, but she couldn’t stand back and let Matt’s disdain for her become a part of their lives.

  She wouldn’t.

  When Matt arrived home later that day, she hid her love from him and prayed to God she could keep doing it until the year was up. Their physical relationship would have to be enough.

  So why hadn’t he kissed her hello?

  And why didn’t he pull her into his arms and hold her close? she wondered throughout dinner. Was this the way it was going to be? Were they just going to be lovers in the bedroom and nothing else?

  Her heart slumped against her rib cage as she realized something. He hadn’t asked Ruth to move his things into the master bedroom. Or was he going to do it himself? Were they even going to share a bed now?

  Oh God.

  Was Matt having second thoughts?

  She was tempted to come right out and ask him, once they’d put Megan to bed and were sitting in the living room watching television. At least they could talk without any interruption, Ruth having left a short while ago to spend the night at her sister’s place.

  She was working up the courage to speak when without warning he grabbed the remote and turned the television off.

  “I had a phone call today,” he said. “From Dan Moore.”

  Her eyes went wide. “Uncle Dan?”

  He nodded. “He received your letter but he didn’t know the phone number for the house, so he called you at work. Irene put him through to me.”

  “And?”

  “He’d just gotten back from South Africa. He wanted you to know he was delighted about your marriage and he sent his love.” He watched her carefully. “He also said to tell you that Aimee and Julien send their love.”

  She blinked, then quickly pretended to brush some lint off her dress. “How nice.”

  Silence.

  “Why didn’t you tell me, Lana?”

  She looked up. “What?”

  “That your uncle is bisexual.”

  She gave a soft gasp. “How do you know that?”

  “Dan told me Julien was his lover.” He grimaced. “Did you expect me to be shocked? His sexual preferences don’t matter to me.”

  “They do to the press. I owe Dan so much. I’d hate to repay him by having his private life dragged out in the open.”

  “I wouldn’t tell the press. They’d be the last I’d tell anything.”

  She shook her head. “Matt, just being related to a Valente is enough to send them into a media feeding frenzy. We were lucky that they romanticized our wedding because of Megan, but Dan’s reputation wouldn’t escape so easily.”

  He studied her. “He’s the reason you let me believe you’d bought the apartment with the stolen money?”

  Her eyes widened. “You know about that too?”

  “Dan said he wanted to deed the apartment he bought you over to Megan.”

  “Oh, he’s such a lovely man.” Then she remembered something. “I’m surprised you didn’t find all this when you did a background check on me. And I know you would have done one, Matt. I’m not naïve. It’s a necessary evil for people with money.”

  “My father ordered the report on you. I didn’t read it, but he gave me a brief rundown and that was all.” He frowned. “I should have read it. It might have saved a lot of arguments between us.”

  “But it might not have said anything about Dan and Julien. I was just fearful in case that did come to light and someone somewhere leaked it to the papers.”

  He considered her for a long moment.

  “Tell me about your parents, Lana.”

  She started in surprise, then groaned inwardly. If Matt had loved her she would have no hesitation in telling him about her background. People in love did that sort of thing, sharing their deepest thoughts and feelings.

  But there was only one of them in love here.

  Her.

&nbs
p; Then she looked at him and saw a determined look in his eyes that said he wouldn’t let her hold back.

  “My parents’ marriage was … abusive to say the least,” she began, her throat croaky with words that had never been said before. “My father used to drink and he’d hit my mother, and my mother used to blame him for all her ills, and that in turn gave my father reason to drink. It was a vicious circle and I was caught in the middle.” She drew a calming breath. “Thankfully Dan paid for me to go to boarding school when I turned twelve. Things were much better for me then.”

  A muscle knotted in his jaw. “I’m sorry.”

  She gave a strained smile. “Thank you, but there’s no need.”

  Dear God, she hated thinking about those days. As a little girl her father had been remote and her mother had been loving and caring, but as the years passed it seemed that her mother had forgotten she had a daughter and had been hell-bent on making her husband’s life a misery. Dan had tried to get his sister and brother-in-law some help, but they hadn’t wanted it.

  “From police reports they’d been arguing hours before the family home had burned to the ground with them in it.”

  “Bloody hell! I know they were dead but not how it happened.”

  “I know. It gives me nightmares sometimes.”

  There was a lengthy pause.

  “Then I’m here to hold you.” He held her eyes captive. “Come to me, Lana.”

  “Wh … what? There?” she said, looking at where he patted his lap. She was suddenly aware that they were alone.

  “Yes, right here.”

  He waited.

  She got to her feet and closed the gap between them, sinking down to sit on his lap. It felt strange sitting here like this with him.

  “Look at me.”

  She lifted her head to look him in the eye.

  He ran his palm up and down her shoulder in a comforting gesture. “I don’t want you to feel alone anymore, Lana.”

  “I don’t. I have Megan.”

  “You have me, too. Even after all this is over, I’ll still be here for you.”

  Her heart rolled over. He didn’t love her but he was showing her he cared about her. Oh, how she wished things could be different.

  “Thank you, Matt,” she said huskily.

  He put his fingers under her chin. “Come here.”