Cinderella and the Playboy / The Texan's Happily-Ever-After

by Lois Faye Dyer

  Raina didn’t think now was the time to split hairs. She didn’t know what would happen with Manuel’s adoption, whether it would go forward with just Shep, or if she would be included. They’d be sitting down with the caseworker soon to discuss that.

  So she simply said, “I’d like you to think of me as your mom.”

  “That’s all right, isn’t it?” Roy asked his older brother.

  But Joey didn’t look so sure. “I guess so.”

  Raina saw that Shep had been right in his decision not to tell them about the baby yet. This change was enough for now. She hugged Roy, crossed to Joey and knelt down before him. “It’s a big decision, whether you want somebody for your mom or not. So you could just call me Raina until you decide.”

  “Instead of Dr. Gibson?” Joey looked to Shep for confirmation.

  “If that’s what Raina wants, then that’s what you can do,” Shep said, looking approving at how she was handling this. His approval meant a lot to her, and that surprised her.

  “So you’re going to live here with us?” Joey wanted to make sure he had it right.

  “After we get married, I will. We’re not sure when that will be yet, but we’ll let you know. Tonight, I just came over to cook dinner with you. Your dad says you like tacos.”

  “I love tacos,” Joey replied, still with a bit of wariness.

  “I make my own salsa. Do you want to help?”

  Again Joey looked at Shep, and Shep gave a nod. With a roll of his shoulders, he agreed. “Okay.”

  Apparently, Joey still firmly had his guard in place. She hoped this new situation wouldn’t make his walls even sturdier. Only time would tell what was in store for all of them.

  Manuel had toddled over to her and now wrapped his arms around her legs.

  She stooped and picked him up. “Do you want to help, too?”

  Roy made the decision for his little brother. “He can taste it.”

  They all laughed, and Raina hoped this was going to be the start of their new family life. It might be different from her first marriage, but just as fulfilling in its own way.

  The preparations for supper were noisy and fun, with Shep exchanging glances with her often. Those glances held questions and doubts and anticipation and excitement.

  After dessert, she and Shep played board games with the boys, and spin-the-top with Manuel. They put the toddler to bed first, then read stories to Roy and Joey. Finally, everyone was tucked in for the night.

  They were almost out the door when Joey called Shep back in.

  Raina gave them some privacy and went downstairs. She straightened up a bit, surprisingly feeling as much at home here as she did at the Victorian. Afterward, she stood at the coffee table and looked around the room, letting its warm, comfortable ambiance seep into her.

  When Shep came downstairs, he found her like that and asked, “Looking for something?”

  “Nope.”

  His face sobered. “I guess I should have asked what you want to change.”

  She crossed to him, feeling their attraction wrap around her as she gazed into his blue eyes. “I was looking at it through a mom’s eyes, or trying to. I wouldn’t change a thing.”

  His brows arched, and he seemed surprised at her answer. “Most women would want to come in here and redecorate.”

  “I’m not most women, Shep, and I don’t think you’d be marrying me if I was. You’ve done a fine job with the place. Everything’s comfortable and sturdy and made for boys. The decorations speak of your Texas heritage.”

  Taking her hand, he brought it to his lips and kissed each of her fingertips. She felt shivery all over. But they weren’t married yet, and they still had a lot to talk about until they were.

  “What did Joey want, or is that a private matter?”

  “Nothing too private. He just asked me if you were going to sleep here overnight again.”

  “What did you tell him?”

  “I told him, after we were married, you’d be moving in here and we’d be sleeping in the same bedroom. I thought I might as well be honest about it.”

  “Did he ask any more questions?”

  “No, he just turned over and went to sleep.”

  After Shep led Raina to the sofa, he sat beside her. “We should go to the courthouse and fill out the applications for a license next week. How do you feel about that?”

  “That would be fine.”

  “If you want a church wedding, we could wait.”

  “I don’t need a church wedding, Shep.” She saw a flicker of something pass over his face. Disappointment, maybe? “Do you want to get married in a church?”

  He gave a shrug. “It doesn’t matter.”

  “Do you want the boys to be there?”

  “I think they should be. Also, I called Carla Sumpter and she said she can meet with us around six on Friday, if that’s okay with you.”

  “That’s fine. I have surgery in the morning and appointments until four. I should be free by then. Will our getting married prolong the adoption?”

  “Let’s not jump ahead of ourselves. We’ll see what she has to say.”

  “I don’t want to jeopardize your adoption of Manuel. We can always wait, or—”

  “Getting cold feet already?” he asked with a penetrating assessment.

  “No, but—”

  “No buts, Raina. Manuel’s going to be our son. And our baby is going to know both parents, however we have to do this.”

  However we have to do this. He was marrying her for their baby’s sake, and she’d better remember that.

  “You said you wanted a prenuptial agreement?”

  “I think we both need one, don’t you? There was a lot of information in the news about the Victims’ Compensation Fund and the settlement. You need to protect what you have.”

  “I don’t have much to protect. I used some for med school—what my scholarships didn’t cover. But the rest, and any donations that came in, I gave away.”

  “You gave them away?” he repeated, looking shocked.

  “I set up a grant program for fire companies that are affected by disasters.”

  “You are full of surprises,” Shep said with admiration.

  “I did what was right for me. And with the prenuptial agreement.” She’d considered it since he’d mentioned it, and made a decision. “Why don’t we have our lawyers just draw up papers saying we take out of the marriage whatever we brought into it? That way it won’t be complicated.”

  “I’m a wealthy man, Raina. I will definitely provide for our child and his or her future. Some should be yours if things don’t work out. We’re both going into this with the best of intentions, but you never know.”

  Suddenly she needed to get his doubts on the table. “You think I’m going to leave, don’t you?”

  He was silent.

  “Shep, tell me why you can’t believe I’ll be as committed to this marriage as you?”

  “Let’s just say, history has been a forceful teacher.”

  “Were you involved in a serious relationship and got hurt?”

  “You don’t really want to hear about my past love life,” he said, teasing, trying to make light of what she wanted to find out.

  She met his gaze. “Yes, I do.”

  For a few ticking moments he was silent, staring straight ahead. When he spoke, his voice was tight. “There was a woman in California. It turned out we didn’t want the same kind of life.”

  It was obvious he’d felt betrayed, and she wanted to know more. But she sensed Shep’s protective walls wouldn’t let him say more.

  He was still holding her hand, and now he turned it palm up and rubbed his thumb over the center. “You’re not like any woman I’ve ever met, and that’s a good thing. I want to believe that you’ll stay. But as I said, neither of us knows what will happen next.” Then he smiled. “Except that you’re going to have a baby—and he or she will belong to both of us.”

  “There’s something else we need to do.
Maybe tomorrow evening we could meet with my mother and brother and tell them we’re getting married.”

  “Are you sure you don’t want to tell them without me first?”

  “I’ve already told Ryder I’m pregnant, so he knows we’re involved. Mom doesn’t know anything yet.”

  “What did your brother say?”

  “He’s always on my side, no matter what happens, but he’s protective. He’s an older brother, so I’m not sure how he’ll react to the idea of me marrying you this quickly. But that’s the whole point, Shep. We are getting married, and I’d like to tell them together.”

  “If that’s what you want, then that’s what we’ll do.”

  When she gazed into Shep’s eyes, she saw determination and humor and desire. But if she looked deeper, she could see he’d been through a lot in his life. Telling her family they were getting married wouldn’t be difficult for him. Would he eventually confide in her about his life up until the present?

  In a flash of insight, she suddenly realized why facing her family wouldn’t faze him. “You’re willing to go through all this to be a father,” she said softly.

  “Yes.”

  Shep was a man of few words. Would he become more open with her as their relationship deepened? That was her hope.

  “You’re taking on a lot more than I am.” He turned toward her, his thigh lodging against hers, his voice going a little husky. “Joey and Roy can be a passel of trouble, and at two, Manuel’s growing into his independent stage. He says ‘no’ to me now,” Shep added with a half smile. Showing he was thinking about their future, he continued, “I think we should build a guest cottage where Eva can stay. If you want to go back to work, maybe we can find some additional help.”

  Was he trying to convince her that her decision to marry him had been the right one? “Shep, moms handle three or four kids all the time.”

  “Not suddenly, like this. I don’t want you to feel you’ve taken on more than you can handle.”

  “I’m a do-it-yourself kind of person, just as you are. Someone else helping is fine, but I think we’ll want to raise our own kids. I’ve wanted children for a long time. The idea of taking on all of them is daunting, but I feel I’m ready for it. I want to be a mom just as much as you want to be a dad.”

  The warmth in Shep’s eyes slowly turned to desire. He slipped one hand under her hair as if he relished the silky feel of it. Then he tilted her head up until her lips were very close to his. A warm breeze blew through the living room window, bringing with it the scents of overgrown fields and night dampness that was primal and filled with earthy secrets. Then there was the masculine scent of Shep, the cotton of his shirt, a trace of cologne, male pheromones. Her response to him was quick and without thought, as it always was. She twined her arms around his neck and gave herself up to the wishes that were awakening in her heart.

  She’d been lost in his kiss for a few seconds…for a few minutes, when she realized Shep was pulling away. He had kissed her—but then his enthusiasm had seemed to wane. Or was it simply his restraint taking over? She felt foolish, giving in to hormones. The children were upstairs.

  She was rushing headlong into this marriage because she wanted to be a mom. She wanted to protect her rights to her child, wanted a connection to a life partner that she’d missed since Clark had died. She’d fallen for Shep’s strong and determined approach to life, his humor, his desire.

  But had this kiss been an indication of what was going to happen in their marriage? That he’d always keep himself guarded and restrained with her? Did he want her as much as he wanted their baby?

  The sobering thought had her sliding her fingers from his hair and drawing her arms to her sides.

  He caught the change. “We can’t expect too much,” he said, leaning back against the sofa, still keeping his gaze on hers. “We have to take this slow and just see what comes.”

  “Are you afraid?” she asked.

  “No. Just concerned that everything will work out the way we want it to.”

  “You mean that we’ll have a good marriage?”

  He nodded.

  “You’ve never been married. I have. It does take work.”

  “I’ve never been afraid of work,” he replied with a shrug and a smile. That smile made her heart flutter again, and her stomach twitter. He was one sexy cowboy.

  And she was going to have to do one heck of a job selling this marriage to her family.

  “This Victorian is at least a hundred years old,” Shep told Raina as he walked the rooms the next morning, examining it with a builder’s eye. “The way it’s built, it will be here at least a hundred more.”

  Raina had told him they would meet her family at the Victorian, rather than at her brother’s place or her mother’s. She felt neutral territory was best. But Shep wasn’t so sure. He’d suggested the ranch, where they could introduce the family to the boys. But Raina had wanted to go slower than that.

  Shep wandered back into the kitchen where Raina was preparing iced tea.

  “Be right back,” she said, slipping outside onto the patio.

  Trying to settle his nerves, he lifted the dessert dishes from the counter to the table and set out the napkins and silverware.

  Raina returned with a smile and a handful of fresh-scented leaves. “Fresh mint.” She took a sprig and held it up to his nose.

  He sniffed. “That’s mint, all right.”

  She laughed at his expression. “You’re wondering why I bother. I just love the smell of mint when I’m sitting out on the patio. And it’s just perfect dropped into a glass of iced tea. Will I be able to have an herb garden at the ranch?”

  His large hand went around her smaller one before she could take the leaf away. “An herb garden would be nice.” He took a bite of the mint leaf. “Definitely fresh.”

  After she took a bite, he lifted her chin. “Now let’s see if we taste like mint.”

  He knew her mother and brother would be there any minute, but that didn’t matter. The desire he felt was reflected in her gaze. Remembering their last kiss, he knew how damn hard it would be to restrain himself. This time he let a little more passion give way as his tongue searched for hers, easily tasting her and inviting her to taste him.

  But she pulled away all too soon. “I don’t have much time to get ready,” she said breathlessly.

  “It looks to me as if you are ready.”

  There was one small dish of pastries, another of cookies, a hand-painted plate with wedges of cheese and fruit. “I just have to take the corn bread from the oven. Sometimes Ryder isn’t into sweets. Can you make a pot of coffee? He won’t be crazy about mint tea.”

  Shep wasn’t sure how he’d feel about mint tea, but he wasn’t about to say so. This was Raina’s evening, and he was letting her take it as far as she wanted to.

  He told himself he was prepared for anything. “Is your brother going to want to throw my butt in jail for getting you pregnant?” He wasn’t nervous about it, but he just didn’t want to start out with her brother angry at him. Since she was close to him, Shep didn’t want to interfere with that.

  “Ryder’s a reasonable man.”

  “You’re saying the words, but I don’t see it in your eyes.”

  Suddenly they heard the front door open, and Angie came hurrying in. After greeting them, she assured them, “I won’t interrupt. I’ll slide out the back if your mom comes in the front. I just need my laptop.”

  “Work?” Raina asked.

  “No, Gina’s wedding. All my notes are on my computer. We’re going over the checklist. With the big day only a little over two weeks away, she and Logan are finally going to decide what they’re doing about a honeymoon.”

  Raina explained, “Angie’s sister Gina used to live here, too. She’s marrying Logan Barnes.”

  “He has a son, Daniel, doesn’t he?” Shep remarked.

  “Do you know Logan?” Angie asked.

  “He ordered supplies from us for the day-care center
he built at his factory. I supervised the delivery of a lot of it and he and I got to talking. Daniel and Manuel are close together in age, so we thought they might like to play together sometime.”

  “That would be wonderful,” Angie said enthusiastically. “We’ll have to have a barbecue and invite them over. Maybe Tessa and Vince and their kids, too. Do you know Tessa Rossi, the pediatrician?”

  “Yes, my boys go to her.”

  “Tessa used to live here, too,” Raina remarked. “And one of her housemates, Emily Madison, is a midwife who works with my obstetrician. He’s her husband. I’d like Emily to deliver my…our baby.”

  “Midwife?” Shep’s chest suddenly got tight. “You’re not thinking of having the baby at home?”

  “What better place to have a baby? Now don’t worry, Shep. You and Emily can have a nice long talk and she’ll explain how safe it is, how much better for me and the baby.”

  Angie leaned close to Raina and whispered, “Don’t spook him before the wedding.”

  Raina grinned at her friend. “He needs to know what he’s getting into.”

  Raina’s gaze found Shep’s, and he knew she was as uncertain as he was about this marriage. Yet, he was determined to take responsibility for his child. He was also determined to look after her—and knew having her under his roof was the easiest way to do it.

  Just look after her? the voice in his heart asked, the voice that kept him honest.

  All right. He wanted her in his bed every night. He wanted to wake up to her face each morning. He wanted to watch her play with the kids.

  Maybe he wanted too much.

  When the doorbell rang a few minutes later, Angie hurried out the back, while Shep considered the best way to deal with a mom who would be concerned about her daughter’s welfare and a cop who might look on him as the enemy.

  A few minutes later, in the quaint but comfortable atmosphere of the Victorian’s living room, Shep found himself offering his hand to first Raina’s mother, Sonya Greystone, and then her brother. “I’m Shep McGraw,” he said to the gray-haired woman who wore her hair in a sleek, chin-length cut. She had finer features than Raina, but he couldn’t miss the resemblance.

  Her brown gaze studied him quizzically, as if she wasn’t quite sure why she was here. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. McGraw.”