Cinderella's Tycoon

by Caroline Cross

  As if that weren’t surprise enough, he liked spending time with her out of bed, too. She had an inner serenity and a steadiness of character that made her easy to be around, and an unspoiled view of life he found refreshing. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d enjoyed himself as much as he had on their trip to Dallas.

  Unless it was the past few days. For the first time in years, he’d actually taken some time off from work. And since the library had finally found a replacement for Susan, they’d been able to spend quite a bit of time together. They’d gone on errands, begun to plan the baby’s room, driven out to the Moran’s to see Clarry and visit the puppy, now named Rosie, who would finally be ready to come home with them next week. Although it was the last thing he expected, Sterling had found that the more he did with Susan, the more he looked forward to her company.

  Not that he needed her or anything, he was quick to assure himself. Hell, he didn’t need anybody. He simply enjoyed being with her, that was all. And as Susan herself had pointed out, a strong bond between them was best for the baby...

  Staunchly rejecting the errant thought that there might be more to it, he continued to float, his mind drifting like one of the wispy clouds high overhead, until the sound of approaching footsteps brought his head around.

  “Hi.” Susan, pretty in a pale green sundress and sandals and with her hair tied back, smiled at him. “You look like you’re enjoying yourself.”

  “Yeah, I am.”

  “It’s so hot. It’s hard to believe it’s already October.”

  “Yeah, I know.” He made his way to the side of the pool, slicked his hair off his face with his hand and looked up at her. “I guess we’d better enjoy it while we can.”

  She nodded, her gaze sliding over him like an invisible caress.

  “So what’s up?” he asked.

  “Oh.” She looked up from her open admiration of his water-beaded chest. “I just came to remind you about my doctor’s appointment. It’s no problem if you’d rather stay here and laze around the pool—”

  “No. I told you. I want to go.” Bracing his hands on the coping block, he levered himself out of the pool. “It’s not until four-thirty, right?” He climbed to his feet.

  She picked up his towel off a chair and handed it to him. “Right.”

  He scrubbed the water from his hair and dried his face. Looping the towel around his neck, he glanced over at the clock on the cabana wall. It read three forty-five. “No problem. Give me twenty minutes to shower and dress and we’ll be on our way.”

  “Okay,” she said in her easy way.

  He looked at her, the breeze gently ruffling her hair, and a strong surge of emotion went through him. Telling himself firmly that what he felt was simple fondness, and that his unwillingness to analyze it further was due to the need to get going, he nevertheless found time to give in to temptation. Leaning forward, he looped a hand around her neck and kissed her, careful not to get her dress wet.

  When he finally straightened, her cheeks were flushed and her eyes a little dazed. “What was that for?” she asked faintly.

  He shrugged. “Just because.”

  And yet as he headed for the house, he felt a little surge of uneasiness. Because deep down he recognized that he’d just done what he had out of an undeniable need to brand her as his.

  The soft strains of a string quartet floated from hidden speakers, mixing with the soft hum of conversation that permeated Claire’s, Royal’s best—and only—French restaurant.

  Susan set down her fork and sat back in her chair, unable to eat another bite of her dessert. Try as she might, she couldn’t seem to conjure up much of an appetite. And the reason was sitting across from her.

  Her doctor’s appointment had gone smoothly. Due to her method of conception, this was the second time she’d seen Dr. Ross, a calm, cheerful man in his late forties. After answering a barrage of questions from Sterling, he’d given her a thorough examination, then assured them that everything seemed to be progressing normally. He’d told her he’d like to see her again in six weeks, and that had been that.

  Yet Sterling had been markedly quiet ever since they’d left the doctor’s office. Susan had tried repeatedly to draw him into conversation over the course of dinner with limited success. And though she tried to tell herself it was nothing, she couldn’t seem to stop worrying about the cause.

  “Sterling?”

  “Hmm?”

  “You’re not disappointed are you?”

  He set down his coffee cup and looked at her, one dark eyebrow rising. “About what?”

  “The doctor’s appointment. Because there’ll be more to it on the next visit. We should be able to hear the baby’s heartbeat. And Dr. Ross will probably do an ultrasound. I’m sure he would have done one today if the technician hadn’t been working on the machine.”

  “Susan. I wasn’t disappointed. Everything’s fine. What’s the matter?”

  “It’s just...you’ve been so quiet ever since we left the doctor’s office. I thought maybe something was bothering you.”

  “No.” He shook his head, although he still looked far too serious. “Not at all.”

  “Because I’d understand, I really would, if you were feeling bad because...because I’m the one who’s pregnant.”

  He gave an inelegant snort. “As opposed to who? Me?”

  She flushed. “No, of course not. I meant—” she took a deep breath “—instead of Teresa.” Heaven help her, but the words just sort of popped out. Yet the instant she said them she had to admit that the idea had been bothering her for a while.

  He stared at her, his expression suddenly impossible to read. “Why the hell would you think that?”

  She gave a little shrug. “You just never talk about her,” she said slowly. “And you obviously never would have gone to the clinic for help, much less married me, if having a child wasn’t terribly important to you—”

  “It is,” he interrupted. He was silent a moment, then said more gently, “That’s the point. I guess it just hit me, that’s all.”

  “What?”

  “That we’re having a baby.” His expression turned slightly rueful. “I mean, I’ve known it all along in an abstract way. But somehow today, when the doc confirmed the due date and asked whether you wanted to deliver here at the clinic, or make the trip to Odessa or Midland, it suddenly seemed real. In a little more than six months, I’ll be somebody’s father.” He hesitated a second, then reached across the table and lightly touched her hand with his own. “As for Teresa... she’s not my wife and she’s not the one who’s carrying my child. You are. And that’s all that matters.”

  She smiled, feeling relieved, yet also aware that he hadn’t said a word about how he felt about her. And though she knew she wasn’t being fair, she couldn’t deny she felt a slight sense of disappointment.

  “Actually I’ve been thinking that it might be nice to have a party, sort of make our marriage official,” he went on.

  “I’d like that,” she said sincerely.

  “Good.”

  Across the room, a mixed party of six stood up from their table and began to make their way to the exit. They were partway across the room when one of the group, a good-looking man casually dressed in boots, jeans, sport coat and hat, glanced over and caught sight of them. A sudden smile lit up his lean, rugged face. He said something to his companions, then detached himself from the group and made a beeline for Susan and Sterling’s table. “Hey, Church. I thought that was you.” He stuck out his hand and Sterling rose to take it.

  “Forrest. Good to see you.” Handshake completed, he snagged an empty chair and pulled it over. “Have a seat.”

  “I’ve only got a minute.” The newcomer sat, not trying to hide his curiosity as he glanced at Susan.

  Following his gaze, Sterling made introductions. “Susan, this is my friend, Forrest Cunningham. I’m sure you’ve heard of his ranch, the Golden Steer.”

  “Oh, yes. Of course.”

/>   “Forrest, this is my wife, Susan.”

  The two exchanged polite greetings.

  “I heard you got married,” Cunningham said to Sterling. He shook his head. “I didn’t believe it at first. But now, seeing your bride here...” He turned to Susan, his gaze admiring as he said with disarming charm, “It’s pretty obvious why he fell for you, ma’am.”

  She smiled at the compliment. “Why, thank you.”

  “Truth to tell, I’ve been thinking about tying the knot myself, lately,” he confided unexpectedly.

  Sterling’s eyes narrowed with surprise. “I thought you liked being a bachelor.”

  Forrest nodded. “I do. But I’m not getting any younger. And that little trip I took to Europe recently got me thinkin’, I guess.”

  Before he could say more, one of the people from his party appeared in the door and waved, and he abruptly came to his feet. “It appears I’m holding things up. It was good to see you, Church, and real nice to meet you, Susan.” Tipping his hat to Susan, he was on his way.

  “What a nice man,” Susan said softly.

  “Yeah, I guess,” Sterling murmured thoughtfully, as he watched the other man leave the room. Turning back to Susan, an appreciative smile curved his mouth as he looked at her. “I’ve got to admit, he does have better taste than I thought.”

  They stared at each other. Susan felt a little shiver go through her as she saw the heat in his cloud-gray eyes.

  “Did you get enough to eat?”

  “Yes.”

  “I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to go home,” he said quietly.

  “Me, too.”

  Without another word, he threw some money down on the table to cover the bill and stood, coming around to pull back her chair. With a proprietary hand to her shoulder, he guided her toward the door.

  God help him, but he suddenly couldn’t wait to get her alone.

  Ten

  “Come here,” Sterling said quietly, reaching for Susan as they entered his bedroom. Stroking his hands down her slender back, he pressed her against him and claimed her mouth, unable to wait another second.

  On some level, he chafed at his urgency. Though he’d struggled not to let on, it had been riding him hard ever since their trip to the doctor’s office. And though he’d stubbornly refused to give in to it, suggesting they eat dinner out just to prove to himself he could do it, the passage of time clearly hadn’t done a damn thing to temper his need for her.

  But then, while he’d told Susan the truth in the restaurant earlier when she’d asked him about his air of distraction, he hadn’t told her the whole of it. He hadn’t told her how, as he’d listened to her talk to the doctor, he’d been struck by an intense gladness that she was his child’s mother. Or explained how much her honest joy in her pregnancy meant to him. And he sure hadn’t volunteered that, for a few paralyzing moments, as the doctor had blandly discussed labor and delivery, he’d been struck by sheer terror at the thought that something might happen to her.

  Nor could he explain why all those things together had seemed to translate into an intense need to take her to bed.

  They just had.

  In his arms, Susan gave a little shudder and broke the kiss. She gave him a curious look, then released a shaky laugh and leaned weakly against him, her hands splayed against his chest. “Wow. I keep thinking I’m not going to melt just because you kiss me,” she murmured, rubbing her cheek against his shirtfront. “But so far, I’m not having much luck.”

  “Good.” Catching her chin in his hand, he slid his mouth over hers and gently raked her bottom lip with his teeth. “Let’s go to bed.”

  Instead of acquiescing the way he expected, she shook her head. “In a minute. First, I have something I want to give you.”

  “I have something I want to give you, too.”

  She laughed her gentle laugh. “I’m serious.”

  “Me, too.” Nevertheless, his curiosity was aroused and he reluctantly let her go. “Okay. I’ve waited this long. I guess I can wait a few minutes longer.”

  With an air of anticipation, she headed for the inner door that led to her bedroom. In a minute she was back. In her hands was a large, flat package. It was beautifully wrapped in dark blue foil paper and tied with a thin gold ribbon.

  He looked at her in surprise. “What’s this?”

  “I told you. It’s for you.”

  He looked from the package to her shyly smiling face, not about to admit that he’d assumed her “gift” was going to have something to do with killer lingerie. Suddenly he felt off balance. “Susan,” he protested, “you shouldn’t have bothered—”

  “I wanted to. You’ve given me so many lovely things. I wanted to give you something back.”

  “You already have. The baby—”

  “No.” Shaking her head, she held out the package. “That’s not the same. This is just from me to you.”

  He gave her a long look. Then, without further ceremony, he took it, pulled off the ribbon and tore away the paper.

  He looked down at her offering.

  It was an enlarged photograph of a horse, beautifully matted and placed in an elegant silver frame. Not just any horse, he suddenly realized, looking more closely, but his very own Cassie. Obviously taken in the mare’s prime, the photo captured her beautiful spirit as she ran full out across a pasture, her head and tail up, her mane floating on the air, her legs beautifully extended. In the moment caught on film, she seemed the embodiment of joy.

  “I know it’s not much,” Susan said anxiously at his continuing silence. “But I thought you might enjoy having it.”

  “Where—” To his chagrin, his voice was thick with emotion. “Where did you get it?”

  “Your friend Becky dropped by one day last week. We talked, and I told her what I had in mind, and she gave me the name of Cassie’s original owners. I called and they were happy to send along a bunch of snapshots. This was my favorite.”

  He walked over and set it carefully on his dresser. “I can see why.”

  “Then you like it?”

  Sterling glanced over at her. The photo was something he’d cherish always. But more than that, he couldn’t remember the last time anyone had given him a present, much less taken such time with one. The fact that she had made him feel funny. Grateful and inexplicably uncomfortable all at the same time.

  He cleared his throat. “Yeah. I do. A lot.”

  The words seemed woefully inadequate. Frustrated, he took refuge in action. Closing the distance between them, he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her, willing her to understand what he didn’t have the words to say.

  For Susan, all the worries of the day seemed to fall away as she saw the look in his eyes the moment before his mouth touched hers. Kicking off her sandals, she came up on tiptoe. She rested her hands against his chest and kissed him back for all she was worth.

  The passion between them went from ember to flame in a heartbeat.

  He made a sound deep in his throat. Tugging loose the scarf she’d used to tie back her hair, he thrust his fingers into the silky softness, tipped back her head and slid his open mouth along the satiny column of her throat. Seconds later, his hands found her zipper and slid it down. On the way back up, he unhooked her bra and pushed it and her dress off her shoulders, then stripped off her panties.

  Faster than she could blink, he was out of his own clothes. He took her hand and tugged her toward the bed.

  “Hey,” she said breathlessly. “Where’s the fire?”

  He gave a hoarse laugh, but there was nothing amused about the look in his pewter eyes. “I want to be inside you. Now.”

  His bald admission and his raw need, so unlike his usual control, made her blood race with excitement.

  “Yes. Oh, yes...”

  The words were barely out of her mouth before the mattress dipped beneath his weight. Catching her hands with his own, he rolled her beneath him and settled himself between her thighs. Susan felt his sex nudge inti
mately against her.

  A second later, his back hollowed and he thrust, sliding all the way inside her.

  She shuddered at the look of satisfaction that came over his face as his body filled hers. Reaching up to clutch his rock-hard biceps, she brought up her knees and lifted her hips to bring him deeper.

  He braced himself on his elbows and caught her face in his hands. He nipped her bottom lip, worrying it beneath his teeth, and Susan moaned, shocked as she found that sharp little hurt seemed to intensify her pleasure. Faster and faster they rocked together.

  “Aw, damn.” His voice held a note of neardesperation. “I can’t seem to get enough of you....”

  It wasn’t a declaration of love but in that moment it was more than enough. Her heart pounding, Susan arched into him as a rolling flood of pleasure caught her. Crying out, she clutched at his back and pressed her face into the crook of his neck. “I love you,” she said breathlessly, unable to hold back the words any longer. “I love you so much.”

  The words pushed Sterling over the edge. Threading his fingers through hers, he pressed her into the mattress, his hips jerking uncontrollably. Dimly he heard himself groaning and saying her name as his whole body began to shudder and his climax slammed into him like a sledgehammer.

  It was a long time before he came back to himself. When he did, all he could think of was the words she’d said.

  I love you.

  Out of nowhere he felt a profound yearning to say it back. Appalled at himself, he clamped his mouth shut. And asked himself as he lay there, with Susan cradled trustingly against him, what the hell he’d done.

  Susan stood at the French doors in the kitchen early the next morning. To the east, dawn was breaking. The horizon was edged in gold, and ribbons of lavender and pink were beginning to stretch slowly across the silvery sky.

  She barely noticed. Her attention was all for Sterling.

  Unaware of her presence, he stood across the lawn at the fence. Although she was sure a hint of the night’s chill remained in the air, he was barefoot, clad only in an old pair of jeans. His bare arms were folded across the top rail, his bare back hunched as he stared out at something unseen. A few feet away, Cassie stood sentinel, one rear leg cocked in rest.