by Sara Orwig
She took his hand. “Luke, you don’t have bad genes,” she whispered. She shouldn’t be holding his hand. She shouldn’t be caught up in sympathy for a man who was handsome, sexy and one of the richest men in the country. Why did it hurt to hear him say he had bad genes and he didn’t want to marry? Luke had walked out on her years earlier, and he hadn’t really changed in all the time between. He liked making love. He was lusty, sexy and energetic. But his heart was so locked away, she wasn’t certain he could find it.
Scarlett swallowed a lump in her throat. She shouldn’t care, but no matter how hard she tried, she did care. So very much. And now, she was going with him to Dallas for a night—a night that would bind her heart to him more than ever. She was on the verge of falling in love with him all over again, despite knowing how badly she was going to get hurt again What was important was keeping Luke away from Carl. She intended to keep her baby from being hurt. She didn’t want Luke in her life again because if he was, Carl would love him and get hurt, too, when Luke went back to California.
She should tell him to turn the limo around and go back to her safe, quiet life that she had before he came back to Royal and melted her with fiery kisses, taking her to paradise with his lovemaking. She was going to spend the next twenty-or-so hours with him and fall all the way in love with him. And in the end she would end up burned even worse than the last time.
She had read about him, seen the pictures of the celebrities he was involved with in California. They could give him babies that were his own bloodline, and they were gorgeous women with dazzling careers. If she thought he would ever fall in love with her, she had lost her grip on reality.
“You’re quiet, Scarlett,” he said, taking her hand in his. “A penny for your thoughts. That’s a silly old saying.”
“Just thinking about the evening.”
“I’ve been thinking about it all day—since the shower this morning. We can do that over tonight or in the morning and do it right,” he said in a husky voice.
But if, by some miracle, he fell in love with her and asked her to marry him, she would have to say no. She couldn’t give him babies. She couldn’t have his children. A man like Luke would want babies that had his blood in their veins. She felt certain of that, in spite of his spiel about bad genes. He couldn’t really think that he had bad blood after all the gizmos he had patented and the fortune he had made from his inventions, the company he had built and the success he had. He was smart, strong, healthy, and he definitely had good genes.
She couldn’t trust him to stay. She couldn’t let Carl think of him as dad only to have him walk away. She looked out the window of the limo and felt as if she were riding straight into a disaster of the heart.
“You are way too solemn. Something’s worrying you.”
She smiled. “Sorry. Sometimes I worry about my patients after I leave them. I need to stop stressing about them, but sometimes it’s impossible.”
As the limo slowed, she glanced out to see a plane waiting on the Royal airport runway. In minutes they were aboard, and she gazed out the window as they taxied down the runway to take off.
“Your limo driver is up front with the pilot?”
“There are two of them. Jake also has a pilot’s license, so he’s up there, where he can fly if necessary. I don’t like to take chances.” He flashed a grin. “You ought to come out and see me, Scarlett. See where I live and let me show you around. California has everything your heart could ever desire. I’m partial to my part of it.”
Amused, she smiled back at him. “I can’t ever get far from my vet practice.”
“Sure you can. If you don’t have someone now who can take over when you’re gone, you need to get somebody.”
“Maybe someday, Luke,” she said, doubting if she ever would.
In Dallas they were met by another waiting limo and another driver who worked for Luke. He had whatever he wanted, when he wanted it. And witnessing it up close made her realize how she would never fit in his grandiose world with her dogs and vet business, with little Carl and a far simpler life. She would take tonight, and maybe another night or two, but he would go back to Silicon Valley before long and would never look back. She needed to face what was ahead and not have any illusions.
In no time, he opened the door to his penthouse suite and held it for her to enter.
“Luke, this is gorgeous,” she said, looking at a large, elegant living area with mirrors, oil paintings, huge bouquets of fresh flowers, statues and comfortable fruitwood furniture. The lighting was soft, and he pressed a switch for music. A table was set, and Luke lit two candles. “I’ve ordered dinner, and I let them know at the airport we had landed, so they should be here with our—”
The bell rang and Luke turned. “There’s dinner,” he said, opening the door and ushering in two waiters who wheeled a cart with covered dishes.
While they put dinner on the table, Scarlett walked to the floor-to-ceiling glass window and gazed beyond the balcony at the twinkling lights of Dallas that spread for miles in all directions. As they uncovered steaming dishes, enticing aromas of hot bread, coffee, thick steaks filled the room. Soon, the waiters were gone.
When Luke dimmed the lights, she glanced around to see him shed his jacket and tie and unbutton the top button of his shirt. As he crossed the room to her, her heart drummed, and she couldn’t catch her breath. She forgot the view and the dinner. All she could see was the handsome man approaching her, the man she loved. The man who was never going to fall in love with her. At least she could face the true situation this time and wasn’t in a dream world, as she had been at sixteen.
“You’re all I can think about. I’ve wanted this moment since we stepped into the shower together this morning. You’re beautiful, Scarlett. I can’t tell you how you excite me.” He leaned closer, wrapping his arms around her and kissing away any reply she had.
She closed her eyes and clung to him, her heart pounding while she kissed him as if it were the last kiss between them. In every way possible, she wanted to make love to him, to kiss, caress and arouse him to the point that he wouldn’t be able to forget her and walk away easily. All that about bad genes—she knew he didn’t have bad genes, and he had to be smart enough to know it, too. He just didn’t want to be tied down.
“Scarlett, I want you. I thought about you all day today and couldn’t wait for this moment. I can’t wait. Dinner can.”
She kissed him, stopping his conversation, relishing his strong arms holding her tightly against his hard body. His arousal pressed against her. He was ready to love, kissing her with a desperation as if tonight were their last night together. At any point in time, it could be her last night with Luke. She intended to make the most of her moments with him.
Leaning away slightly, her hands slipped between them to unbutton his shirt and push it away. It dropped to the floor. She ran her hands across his muscled chest, tangling her fingers in the scattering of chest hairs across the center of his chest.
Eagerness made her fingers shake. She wanted all barriers between them removed. Wiggling out of his embrace, she stepped back and watched him as she began to remove her clothing. She heard his sharp intake of breath when she reached behind her and pulled the zipper down the back of her dress, turning her back to him as she shrugged out of it, shimmying slightly so it fell off her shoulders and dropped just below her waist, resting on her hips. She held it and watching him over her shoulder. She slipped it down over her bottom and then let it pool around her ankles. When she stepped out of it, she turned to face him. She still wore a scrap of lacy bikini and a matching bra, and her red high heels.
While he watched her, she walked a few steps closer. As she did, he stripped away the rest of his clothes.
He wrapped his arms around her, crushing her against his chest, leaning over her. “Damn, you’re beautiful, and I want you.”
She rubbed against hi
m and wound one long leg around him. He caught her leg instantly and held it, caressing her from her knee to her bottom, letting his fingers slide over her intimately. She gasped and arched her back.
“I can’t wait, love,” he whispered as he let her stand while he got a condom and put it on. Drawing her to him, he kissed her while he picked her up and lowered her onto his thick manhood, easing into her.
She whimpered with pleasure and need, moving on him, locking her limbs around him while she put her arms around his neck. She wanted him, needed him to be part of her life. He was driving her wild, teasing her, a tempting torment as he held her on his thick erection.
He eased slowly out of her, lifting her off and then entering her again while she gasped and clung to him. “I want you,” she whispered fiercely, desire overwhelming her. And then he began to pump, and she moved with him, holding him tightly and kissing him. Lights burst behind her closed eyes. Her pulse drummed in her ears. Bracing himself, he held her with one arm while his other hand toyed with her bottom.
Her climax burst and she moved frantically, crying out and then sinking on his shoulder as he pounded in her, reaching his own climax. She didn’t know how much time passed as they gulped for breath, trying to calm their racing heartbeats. She slowly lowered her legs, and he withdrew. Then he pulled her into his embrace, and they stood holding each other. He ran his hand lightly up and down her back, over her bottom and up to caress her nape.
“I’ve wanted you naked in my arms since we left the shower,” he said. “I couldn’t keep my mind on anything else for thinking about you all day,” he said.
She turned her head to gaze up at him. “I’m glad. I want you to want me. I’ve always wanted you, Luke. I hope I’m in your dreams at night and in your thoughts during the day.” She trailed her fingers over his chest and ran her tongue along his throat, his ear, back to his shoulder, letting her fingers glide suggestively down his hip.
Still holding her tightly, he scooped her up and carried her to the shower. “We can shower and eat in bed if you want.”
She pursed her lips. “We’re not taking any food to bed. It would end up spilled, and we’d be making love in the gravy.”
He grinned. “Scarlett, oh, baby, how I like being with you,” he whispered and drew her close against him to hug her. He turned the water on, got it warm and began to run his hands over her wet body.
“Here goes dinner,” she said, doing the same to him, gliding her hands over his hard muscles, bulging biceps and flat belly. When he ran his hands between her legs and began to toy with her, stroking her, his other hand caressing her breast, she gasped and closed her eyes, clinging to him as she moved her hips.
“You can’t be ready again.”
“I’ve got two hands,” he whispered. “I can take you to a climax with my fingers,” he said, rubbing her intimately.
She writhed against him as he started another storm of desire. He turned her, sliding his thick cock between her legs, holding her close as he rubbed against her, and she cried out, all the while using her hands to try to excite him as much as possible. And then she was lost in sensation as tension grew and she felt as if she would burst with need.
“See what you do to me,” he said, his words husky, claiming her lips with his before he picked her up and thrust his hard rod inside her. She gasped and cried out, holding him tightly, wrapping her legs around him and moving on him until an orgasm burst through her and release came.
He shuddered with his climax, pumping in her, emitting a throaty growl as he shifted his hips, and then he finally slowed and held her tightly.
“I think that might have been able to go in Ripley’s list. I didn’t think that was possible so soon after I reached a climax.”
“You don’t know your own possibilities,” she whispered, kissing his shoulder.
“One of us has been working more than the other of us,” he said. “Give me a break.”
She smiled. “You’re saying you don’t want me to kiss you, or caress you, or rub against you—”
“For the next ten minutes—no, fifteen minutes—Scarlett. Then you can do whatever you want to do.”
“Whatever I want to do?” she said, smiling mischievously at him. She turned to let the water run over her, washing and then stepping out to grab a huge, fluffy bath towel. When she began to dry, Luke took the towel from her and dried her, rubbing her lightly, watching her as he ever so slowly dried first one breast and then the other.
“You’re beautiful,” he whispered, leaning forward, bending to run his tongue over her nipple. Sensations streaked from his hot, wet tongue making circles.
He walked behind her and began to dry her back, starting at her shoulders and slowly moving down. She turned to stand on tiptoe and kiss him briefly and then leaned back.
“Now I get to dry you.” She ran the towel over his strong body, pausing to touch his hip. “I remember this scar—bull riding when you were eighteen.”
“I was lucky I didn’t break any bones. My bull riding career was short. Very short.”
He tossed the towel away and grinned down her. “So far we’ve had a good start to the evening. Want to have a glass of wine? Beer? Eat dinner?”
“I’m ready for some dinner, except I’m not eating naked. I want clothes, and let’s go sit on the balcony and look at the lights.
“Whatever the pretty lady wants, the lady gets. The one plus about wearing clothes to dinner is that I will look forward to taking them off of you after dinner.”
She smiled at him. “Give me a few minutes on the balcony to enjoy the city lights.”
He caught her hand and brushed a kiss on her knuckles as they walked back to get their clothes and dress again. “This is good, Scarlett.”
“I think it is,” she answered. She paused. “I’m ready to eat now. Let’s get our plates filled and sit on the balcony.”
“Sounds like a deal.” Dressed again, Luke draped his arm casually across her shoulders. “Scarlett, it’s good to be with you.”
Her heart missed a beat. “I’m glad,” she answered truthfully. “It feels very good to be with you like this, as well.” Was he just being polite? Was it euphoria after making love? She knew better than to count on his remark having any deeper meaning, but hope took root anyhow.
“It’s beautiful up here, Luke,” she murmured a few minutes later, looking out at the sparkling city lights as Dallas spread out in all directions. Luke had poured wine and they had helped themselves from a spread with lobster, salmon, steak and creamed pheasant. She was more captivated by the view and the handsome man across from her than her dinner.
“Absolutely breathtaking,” he said in a deep, raspy voice that caught her attention and made her turn to face him. He smiled a slow, hungry smile that held a promise of kisses to follow. Her heart thudded.
“You’re breathtaking, Scarlett. I like being with you, and I’m glad you’re here tonight.”
“This is magical, Luke. I’ll always remember tonight.”
They sat quietly, Luke eating while she had a few bites of lobster with melted butter. “I’m glad you’re keeping the Double U ranch. You’ll have a fine ranch again.”
“I’ll have a fine new house. I’m going to have at least three houses—one for me when I come back. One for someone I’ll hire to run the ranch and be responsible for it, and a third for a guest house. There might be more, but that’s a start.”
She wondered how much he would come back to Royal. “That’s a good start, Luke.”
I just have to hire the right people. Either that or come home and do it myself, and I’m not ready to turn rancher.”
“You were good at it when you lived here.”
“California is my home. You should come see me, Scarlett.”
She smiled at him. “I wonder if I’d love it the way you do,” she answered, certain she would never
see his Silicon Valley home.
“I’ve put it off long enough and my anger over the ranch has cooled slightly... I need to go visit my dad. Would you go with me? That’ll keep me from yelling at him.”
“You won’t yell at him. Especially now, because it sounds as if he’s very ill.”
“I think he is. It’s sad.”
“I’ll go with you if I can. Just let me know when.”
“Sure.” They sat quietly eating. She wasn’t very hungry and she enjoyed the view.
“Let’s go inside,” he said, standing and taking her hand. They walked into the living room. He blew out the candles and turned to face her.
“Come here,” he said. Before she had taken three steps, he picked her up to carry her to the bedroom, where he stood her on her feet. He framed her face with his hands and leaned closer to kiss her. As her arms went around his neck, he wrapped his arms around her.
Scarlett’s heartbeat raced. She kissed Luke, knowing with full certainty that she loved him, wondering if he even had a glimmer of a notion that she felt so deeply for him. It wouldn’t matter. She wasn’t the woman for him, and she never would be. Luke would have his happy, rich, wonderful California life, and she was glad. He belonged there, and she belonged here in Texas with her baby, her mother and all her family. She was needed here. Her job was important and she had saved more than a few animals. Carl was happy and she didn’t want that to change. It was just unfortunate for her that they could never have anything beyond what they had tonight—a fun time making love, good company and that’s all.
She held him tightly and kissed him, wanting him, wishing she could just keep holding him. It wasn’t possible, and she had to take what she could and live with the beautiful memories. And she didn’t want to worry her mother or get Toby all riled up and angry with Luke. She hoped this time around she could keep her feelings from all of them. But could she really hide what she felt for Luke?
* * *
Sunshine spilled into the room and across the bed. It was 8:00 the following morning, and they’d slept in each other’s arms between the times they made love throughout the night. Scarlett had to get back to Royal. As sweet as Carl was and as capable as her mother was, she didn’t want to leave her mother to deal with her son for too long. She told Luke she needed to get home, and he agreed because he was getting information from Will about the missing Texas Cattleman’s Club money.