“Always?” he questioned. Oh, yeah. This was playing with fire all right.
She met his gaze head-on. “Always.”
Their gazes held, and so many things passed between them. Questions. But very few answers, only the obvious one about this simmering heat. Yes, it would always be there.
“How are you, really?” he asked.
The corner of her mouth lifted. “Well, I’m not in any shape to haul you off to my bed, but I’m healing.”
That didn’t cool him down. Oh, man. He was stupid to keep at this, but Grayson had no choice. He needed to get to the bottom of this once and for all.
“Do you want to haul me off to your bed?” he asked.
He didn’t quite get the reaction he’d hoped for. Eve huffed, and her hands came out of her pockets and went on her hips. “Yes. Happy now?” She didn’t wait for his answer. Not that he had one. “What’s this visit really about?”
He didn’t have an answer for that, either. But he knew he sure as hell needed one. Grayson couldn’t go back to kicking Christmas trees or to his nonstop surly mood. He had to resolve this situation once and for all.
“Well?” she prompted. She wasn’t tapping her foot, but it was close.
Grayson tried to wrap his mind around his feelings, but Eve huffed again.
“I’m in love with you,” she tossed out there like profanity. “I’ve tried not to be, but I can’t make my feelings go away. So, there! Learn to deal with it.” Another huff. “Would you like to know what I’ve been dreaming about for the past two weeks?”
Not the shooting. Grayson prayed it wasn’t that.
“About you,” she tossed out, as well.
Grayson was relieved. Sort of. “I’ve dreamed about you, too.”
He had to gather his breath because he knew these next few minutes would be the most important of his life. Everything was about to change.
And it all hinged on Eve.
“I’m in love with you, too.” He said the words fast, like pulling off a bandage, and he was surprised that it hadn’t hurt one bit. Just the opposite.
Grayson felt relieved.
That relief didn’t extend to Eve, however. Her eyes widened. Her mouth dropped open. “When did you realize that?” she asked.
“A long time ago. It just took me a while to get around to saying it.” And because it’d taken him too long, he decided to repeat it. “I love you, Eve.”
She didn’t say a word. She just stood there, mouth open, and then the tears sprang to her eyes. Grayson moved first, but she was faster. Eve launched herself into his arms.
He took things from there.
Grayson kissed her, and for the first time in his life, he didn’t hold anything back. He loved her, and he wanted her to know that. He must have succeeded because the kiss quickly turned fiery hot.
Eve coiled her arms around him, pulling him closer, but Grayson kept things gentle. Or at least he tried. Hard to stay gentle with the kiss going French and with Eve pressed against him. It wasn’t easy, but Grayson pulled back to remind her of her injury.
“You’re not in any condition for sex,” he reminded her.
“Maybe not our normal version of sex.” She put her mouth right against his ear because she was obviously a twisted woman who knew that would torture him in the best kind of way.
Grayson groaned and gladly gave in to the torture. He lifted his hands in surrender while she went after his neck.
Oh, yeah.
Eve knew every inch of his body, and within seconds had him rethinking that no-sex-right-now rule.
She pulled back slightly, met his gaze and gave him a nudge with her body that had his eyes crossing. “But remember, I’m in love with you,” Eve confessed, “and we can find a way to make this happen.”
He froze. And Eve noticed. She went stiff, too, and some panic raced through those jeweled blue eyes. “I was talking about sex when I said we can find a way.”
“Were you?” he challenged.
More panic. She stepped back, as she’d always done in the past because she didn’t want to put him in a corner. Well, Grayson was sure of two things—he was crazy in love with Eve, and he wanted to be in that corner.
He caught on to the silver concho pendant again, and because he wanted to hear that little shiver of arousal, he let his fingers trail over her right nipple.
He smiled when he heard the sound.
And then Grayson let go of the pendant and dropped to his knees.
Eve’s sexy shiver turned to a gasp. “What are you doing?”
Grayson didn’t even have to think about this. “I’m asking you to marry me.”
The room was suddenly way too quiet. No more shivery sounds. No gasps. Eve just stared at him, and for one horrifying moment, he thought she would turn him down.
She certainly didn’t say yes.
“Why are you asking me now?” she wanted to know.
Grayson had to release the breath he was holding so he could speak. “Uh, is that a trick question?”
“No.” Eve was quick with that assurance but not with the answer to his proposal.
He shrugged. “I thought it was obvious. I’m asking because I love you. Because you’re already part of the family, but I wanted to make it official. And because I want you in my bed every night.”
She stared at him, as if waiting for more.
What?
That wasn’t enough?
Grayson eased her down to her knees so they were face-to-face and so he could kiss her. She apparently needed a reminder of that love she’d professed for him just minutes earlier.
The kiss was long, satisfying and left them both breathless. “Say yes,” he insisted.
But she didn’t. She pulled back again. “Is this about the attempt to get me pregnant?”
“No.” And he hoped she could see that was the honest to goodness truth. “This is about being in love with you. We can discuss the details of our future later, but for now I need an answer, and I need that answer to be yes. Because I can’t imagine living the rest of my life without you.”
Now, she made a sound. No shiver, but a melting sigh, and her smile returned. Eve slid her arms around him.
“Yes,” she finally said. “Because I can’t imagine living without you, either.”
Grayson wasn’t sure which he felt first—relief or happiness, but it was the happiness that filled every part of him.
Eve had said yes!
He wanted to whoop for joy and celebrate, but first he needed another kiss. Their mouths met, barely a touch at first, but in their case familiarity bred lust because this kiss quickly turned scalding hot.
Grayson wanted to tell his brothers about the engagement, but after a few more of those kisses, he knew his brothers would have to wait. Right now, he wanted to make love—gently—to his fiancée.
He got up, scooped Eve into his arms and headed for her bedroom. The kisses didn’t stop. In fact, they got more heated as Eve pressed her mouth to his chin and then his throat.
“Wait!” she said the moment he eased her onto the bed.
Hell. That wasn’t a word he wanted to hear. “You can’t take back your yes,” he let her know. “You’re marrying me.” And he hoped she didn’t argue.
“I didn’t mean wait about that. Of course, I want to marry you. I’ve wanted that since I was sixteen.”
And that made Grayson smile.
He eased them onto the bed and then rolled her on top of him. “Then why did you say wait?” But his gaze dropped to her side. “Oh. Second thoughts about sex?”
“No.” She made it sound as if he’d lost his mind. “I want sex. Trust me, I really want to have sex with you. But I have to tell you something first.”
Her smile faded until she looked anything but happy.
Grayson froze again. In fact, he was reasonably sure that every muscle in his body locked up so he couldn’t move. “What’s wrong?”
“Uh…” And a moment later, she repeated it. S
he also licked her lips and bunched up her forehead. “The test was, well, it was positive.”
It took a few seconds for that to sink in through the worry and the haze in his mind. “You’re pregnant?” And that was something he thought he’d never hear himself ask Eve.
She nodded. Swallowed hard.
Eve eyed him as if he were a stick of dynamite about to go off. “I should have told you the minute you got on your knees, but I was so surprised. And happy. The only thing I could think of was saying yes. I didn’t think that this baby could change everything.”
He caught on to her arm. “Wait a minute.” The thoughts and words were flying at him so fast that it took Grayson a moment to speak. “You think a baby could change the way I feel about you?”
She blinked back tears. “Does it?”
Oh, man. He had some explaining to do. Grayson decided to start that explanation with a kiss. He gently pulled her down to him and did just that.
“Yes, it changes how I feel about you,” he admitted. He slid his hand over her stomach. “It makes me love you even more.”
Her breath swooshed out and she snapped him to her. Probably too hard. But Grayson couldn’t make himself let go of her.
“But this messes up the plans you had for your life,” she reminded him.
“Screw the plans.” In fact, he was looking forward to a little chaos, especially the kind of chaotic love that a wife and a child would give him. He hadn’t realized until now that having Eve and this child gave him something he’d never had—completion.
His life would be complete with them.
He wouldn’t just have brothers. Wouldn’t just be part of the Rylands. He would have his own family.
“So you’re happy?” she asked.
Grayson wanted no room for doubt. “I’m the happiest man on earth.” And he pulled her into his arms so he could hold her and kiss her.
He could have sworn he felt everything in the universe go into some kind of perfect cosmic alignment.
Or maybe that was just his heart.
Either way, this was right. No, it was better than that.
It was perfect.
And Grayson wanted to hold on to Eve and his baby like this forever.
ISBN: 978-1-4592-1594-8
GRAYSON
Copyright © 2011 by Delores Fossen
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* Five-Alarm Babies
‡ Texas Paternity
‡‡ Texas Paternity: Boots and Booties
† Texas Maternity: Hostages
†† Texas Maternity: Labor and Delivery
** The Lawmen of Silver Creek Ranch
Table of Contents
About the Author
Books by Delores Fossen
Cast of Characters
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Copyright
Table of Contents
About the Author
Books by Delores Fossen
Cast of Characters
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Copyright
Grayson Page 16