Читать книгу The Ransomes: Matt, Nick and Katherine - Sara Orwig - Страница 14

He slipped his arm around her waist and drew her up against him. The moment she touched the length of his warm, hard body and legs, her stomach did flip-flops. When her hands went to his shoulders, desire exploded in her.

Sliding her arm around his neck, she looked at his lips and then glanced up to see him looking at her mouth with hungry longing. When he bent his head and covered her mouth with his, her heart pounded. Time and thought stopped. She lost all sense of where she was or what she had been doing. She was in his arms and he was kissing her senseless and she was coming apart at the seams over his kisses.

His arm tightened and his arousal was hard against her belly. Desire shook her. His free hand moved over her shoulders and throat and then slid down her front. While he continued to kiss her into oblivion, he held her away a fraction. His hand unfastened the halter top she wore and peeled it down, baring her breasts.

“Matt!” she exclaimed, ready to protest, remembering that she was going to show some restraint with this Ransome, but his fingers stroked her nipple and her protests melted. Warm and wet, his hand cupped her breast while his thumb circled her nipple slowly, making her moan softly and thrust her hips against him and want him with a need that shocked her. She twisted slightly to give herself access to him, sliding her fingers over his thick rod.

He growled deep in his throat as he kissed her. Then he leaned down to take her nipple in his mouth, teasing with his tongue, stroking and circling her taut bud.

“Matt!” she gasped again, unable to tell him to stop, knowing she was already breaking her promises to herself. How would she resist him twelve more days when she was letting him do what he wanted now? Did she want to wait until after they were married?

Desire surged, and she trembled as she kissed him and responded to his hands playing over her, first on her bare breasts and then sliding down over her belly. His hand slipped into the bottom half of her swimsuit and he found her soft folds, stroking her so lightly, yet setting off more blazing fireworks.

“You’re so damn responsive to me,” he whispered.

She tangled her legs with his and ran her hands over him, feeling his muscled body and firm bottom.

In minutes she knew there would be no stopping for either one of them. She pushed lightly against his chest and twisted away. He caught her arm to hold her.

“Matt, don’t go so fast. I’ll be in your bed soon enough.”

Desire blazed in his eyes. An intense yearning that made her heart pound as violently as his passionate kisses had. He placed his hands on her waist and lifted her up out of the water and she placed her hands on his shoulders.

His gaze drifted over her bare breasts, slipping lower. “You’re beautiful!” he gasped and her heart jumped.

How could she possibly keep from falling head over heels in love with him? He was devilishly handsome, rugged, sexy. He could be charming and she had the feeling that he really hadn’t turned his charm and lovemaking on full force as far as she was concerned.

She didn’t doubt that he meant what he said about keeping his heart locked away. Could she really scale the walls of that fortress?

She looked into his blue eyes and all she could see was desire so blatant it made her nipples tingle again. The heat low in her body intensified.

With his gaze locked with hers, he lowered her slowly, holding her closer and letting her slick, wet body slide against his. His hard shaft slipped between her legs and she gasped with desire that swept her with the force of a tidal wave. Closing her eyes and clinging to him, she knew she had to stop him right now and she needed to get out of his arms and get some distance between them.

She wasn’t going to fall into his arms and into his bed and succumb to his seduction on the third night she had known him.

With an effort, as he leaned forward and his lips brushed hers, she splashed away from him and scrambled to pull her suit back into place. She looked over at him and saw him treading water while he watched her with a faint smile.

“Scared of me? Or scared about your own reactions?” He waved his hand. “Come on back. I can show restraint.”

“Sure you can,” she teased lightly. “Catch me,” she said and turned to swim away as swiftly as possible.

He caught her easily and hauled her into his arms, laughing with her, but as their legs tangled and he held her close, their laughter vanished, replaced swiftly by need.

With pounding pulse, Olivia wriggled away. “Not yet, Matt,” she said, wondering how long she could wait.

He swam past her and climbed out, grabbing up a towel and tying it around his middle. He shook water away from his face as he slicked back his hair. “I’ll get out the steaks and pour glasses of iced tea.”

Getting out of the pool, she watched him cross the patio and her mouth went dry as her gaze drifted over his broad, powerful shoulders and muscled back that tapered to his tiny waist and tight bottom. Abruptly, he halted and glanced at her, catching her staring at his body. He turned around to stroll back to her and each step closer he came to her, the more loudly her pulse pounded until she was certain he could hear it.

He placed his hand under her chin. “Go ahead and look. What you see will be yours to play with whenever you want,” he said in a velvety voice. He stroked her cheek and let his fingers lightly slip lower, caressing her throat and pushing open the cover-up to fondle her breasts. “And what I see will be mine to play with and make love to, I hope.”

“I believe that was part of our bargain,” she whispered, unable to get any firmness in her voice. Was she already falling in love with him even before her wedding?

How disastrous would this bargain be to her heart? A bargain with a demon of her own creation. She could have taken the money, lived with him and waited to see if they fell in love instead of this headlong rush into marriage to get a commitment for her baby.

It was done now and she wasn’t backing out, but she should take care and guard her heart more than she had so far. Two days ago she wouldn’t have dreamed she would be at risk of heartbreak.

He looked over at her. “Penny for your thoughts.”

“I was just mulling over what odd turns life takes and a week ago this time, my life and prospects for the future were entirely different.”

“Regrets?”

“Absolutely not. Never! I couldn’t possibly regret the changes. What about you? This morning you were filled with anger.”

“We’ll see what the future brings. Let’s sit down and go over some more stipulations.”

Amused, she smiled. “You’re trying to think of everything. That’s impossible.”

“Maybe, but I want some requests. I’m in no hurry, but I want a DNA test to determine that there is no question that my brother was the father.”

“That’s fine,” she said. “He was, so test away.” She sat at a wrought-iron table on a cushioned iron chair, crossed her legs, catching Matt staring at her bare legs.

He pulled on a T-shirt over his swim trunks and then dropped the towel. The T-shirt hid his swimsuit and it was easy to imagine him without it and she hoped he had no inkling that she was doing so.

“Do I get a say in the baby’s name?” he asked, pulling his chair close and stroking her knee, starting more fiery tingles.

She thought about that one. “I think we should both approve the selected name,” she said breathlessly, only half aware of what she was replying to him.

He moved closer and placed his hands on her shoulders. “We’ve already learned that we can get along and the sex promises to be great. We both have mutual goals about the baby. But make no mistake, Olivia. I’ll never fall in love again,” he reminded her.

Annoyance flashed in her at his stubborn refusal to even give love a chance and then she thought how far she had already come with him. She slanted her head and smiled at him. “At the moment, I’m not after your heart. But when and if I decide I am, you may find that you don’t have such a fortress as you thought.”

“You’ve been warned.”

“So have you,” she said, and interest danced in his eyes. His gaze lowered to her mouth. She started to turn away, but he caught her, kissing her and lifting her onto his lap. Their legs were warm and bare and her pulse thundered while passion possessed her.

Matt leaned down to kiss her possessively. While his tongue stoked a fire in her, his arm banded her waist tightly. His other hand slipped down over her back and across her bottom, heating her desire.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she twisted to press against him while she kissed him in return, pouring all her need into the kiss. She could feel his arousal hard against her and his free hand roamed over her while his hungry kisses demolished her intentions to resist him.

With desperation, she broke free, gasping for breath and satisfied to see his breathing was as ragged as hers as they both gazed at each other.

“Olivia, I don’t think my life will ever be the same again.”

“You can bet the ranch on that one,” she whispered, standing and wanting to stay in his arms, wanting him to love her the rest of the night. She swept past him. “I’ll dress for dinner,” she called over her shoulder without looking back at him.

She hurried to her room for a cold shower, lecturing herself about resistance and caution and self-control and gaining his respect. She dressed in a denim sundress, sandals and caught her hair up in a ponytail. There was no way to stop unruly tendrils from escaping and curling around her face. She leaned forward to glare at her reflection.

“Get some control,” she whispered. “You’re mush when he kisses you.” She didn’t want to even think about his devastating kisses. But if he was leaping over barriers around her heart, she suspected she might be building bridges over his. “Just you try to resist falling in love with me, Matt Ransome,” she declared.

She straightened up. “Yeah, right,” she said, reminding herself that the man had iron willpower, and he could probably keep his heart locked away for a lifetime if he chose to. She thought about Jeff’s story about Matt rescuing their father when all the professional rescuers had pulled out of the area. Jeff said Matt refused to give up, but he wouldn’t let Jeff or Katherine search with him and Nick had a sprained ankle. She was dealing with a man who had a will of iron and would make all kinds of sacrifices to get what he wanted.

Would her heart break over this hard, tough cowboy? And beneath the wealth and sophistication, she suspected there was a cowboy who was a lot of country.

She squared her shoulders and smoothed her skirt. She was willing to take some risks. At this point she had the world to gain—and only a broken heart to lose, she reminded herself.

With a toss of her head she left to join him for dinner.

By the time she strolled onto the patio, he was grilling steaks. A plume of gray smoke spiraled above the cooker and tantalizing smells made her mouth water, but it was the tall, handsome cook who took her breath and made her pulse jump.

He had dressed in slacks, western boots and a knit shirt, but how easily she could remember the body and muscles beneath those neat clothes. He glanced at her and then turned to give her his full attention, watching her walk toward him.

Tingling and growing hot, she sauntered up to him, stopping only inches from him. “Like what you see?” she asked in a sultry voice.

A faint smile quirked his mouth. “My anticipation about our wedding night is growing,” he replied and her pulse jumped another notch.

“It’ll be even better than you imagine,” she said.

“You’re flirting again, Olivia.” He ran his finger just above the top of her sundress, drawing a line on her bare skin that made her draw her breath. “But why do I think you have an ulterior motive? I think you want me to fall in love with you so you can steal my heart away and twist me around your little finger.” His fingers trailed upward to her nape where he caressed her lightly. “Am I right? Or will you admit the truth?”

“I’ll answer honestly,” she replied, wanting to kiss him instead of chat with him. “I hadn’t thought about twisting you around my little finger and I don’t really believe that I possibly can. Maybe I’m just trying to protect my heart so if I do fall in love with you, I won’t be rejected.”

He propped his foot on an iron chair and placed his arm on his thigh as he leaned closer. She was hemmed in by him and by his leg on one side of her, the cooker on the other and the chair behind her. His blue eyes pierced her as if he were searching for answers in her gaze. “So you’re not getting cold feet yet over our deal?”

“Of course not,” she said, acutely aware of his proximity and his leg touching her hip lightly. “We need to talk about the wedding. How many attendants will I need to have because you’ll have groomsmen.”

“Back to business? I’d rather talk about making love.”

“We better take care of business if you want this wedding next week.”

He smiled at her and traced the curve of her ear. “All right. How many attendants do you want?” he asked in a husky voice and she suspected he was giving little thought to the approaching nuptials.

“You’re not thinking about our wedding,” she said.

“I’m thinking about making passionate love to you on our wedding night,” he answered in a husky voice and leaned down to brush her lips with his.

Her heart thudded, but she fought her impulse to kiss him and stepped back. “Matt, we have to make decisions about the wedding. How many groomsmen? I have three friends here, but I can well imagine that you will have a lot more close friends, plus your brother. I’ll be happy to ask your sister to be an attendant.”

His heated gaze kept her pulse racing. “All right. We’ll discuss the wedding—for now. I’ve been trying to get in touch with my family to let them know. While you dressed, I tried to call Nick and Katherine. I’ve left messages for both of them.”

“Are they here in Texas?”

“No. I called their cells. Katherine is in Chicago, and Nick is on a rig in the Gulf. I talked to my dad and of course, he wants to meet you. We’re having him join us for breakfast in the morning. How’s that?”

“Fine,” she said, wondering if his entire family would disapprove of her and try to talk Matt out of the marriage. For an instant a surge of panic threatened, but then she reminded herself that Matt had agreed to marry her and he said he would keep his word.

Matt caressed her nape and she stopped thinking about his family. “Three attendants will be fine. If you want her, ask Katherine,” he said. “I can’t predict what she’ll do or say.”

“I hope they don’t hate me.”

“If they do, do you want to call off the marriage?”

“No, I don’t.”

He tugged on a curling lock of her hair. “Dad will be the most difficult to deal with. He’s not the same since Jeff’s death. Jeff was his baby and his favorite which is why he let Jeff do just what he damn well pleased.”

“If I have a boy, I don’t mind if you want to name him after your brother.”

Matt traced his finger around the curve of her ear. “That might be a real fine thing. It would mean a lot to the whole family. ’Course you may be having a girl.”

“When the time comes, I’ll find out what my baby is going to be. When I have an ultrasound, you can even go with me if you want.”

His eyes narrowed. “I’d like to go with you,” he replied. “I’d really like it,” he repeated as if surprised by his own feelings. “Something else—as soon as we marry, I wish you’d refer to this baby as ‘our’ baby, even though I’m not the blood father. For all intents and purposes, I will be this baby’s father.”

“That’s wonderful!” she exclaimed, delighted with his suggestion. “Our baby,” she repeated, the words thrilling her. Then she focused on him again. “You’re standing close,” she said quietly.

“It bothers you?”

“You know you disturb me,” she replied.

“If the steaks weren’t going to burn, I’d do more to disturb you right now,” he said in a husky voice that was its own caress. He walked to the grill to take the steaks off and set them on the table.

Hunger pangs increased her anticipation, but when she sat down at the table across from Matt, she lost interest in food. Talking to him and making wedding plans took precedence over eating. As they chatted, she couldn’t believe her good fortune.

Over dinner Matt charmed her with stories about the ranch and his brothers and sister, yet all the time he talked about them, Olivia couldn’t stop wondering how much they would accept her and the approaching marriage.

She barely touched her steak and noticed that Matt didn’t either. They talked about a myriad of subjects and she wondered if his life had been lonely before, but then she pushed that notion aside as ridiculous. Matt could do as he pleased and she suspected he kept busy all the time. Looking into his thickly lashed blue eyes, she couldn’t imagine, in spite of what he had said, that there weren’t women around often. His handsome looks and virility took her breath. If only—she dismissed that thought immediately. She was getting more than she ever dreamed possible. She had to stop looking for love.

The sun set and lights came on automatically in posts scattered around the patio. The pool sparkled with light and she was dazzled by her surroundings, but far more by Matt. He reached across the table to take her hand in his. His fingers were warm and strong. At the intense look in his eyes, her pulse speeded.

He reached into his pocket with his other hand. “I bought a ring for you today while I was waiting,” he said and placed a small black velvet box in her hand.

Surprised, she opened it and her heart missed beats when she looked at the dazzling diamond that sparkled against the dark velvet. “Matt!” she gasped, stunned by his gift. She looked up at him. “It’s fantastic!”

“You like it?” he asked.

“Of course, I love it!” she said. “It’s magnificent! I can’t believe you would do this! We barely know each other. I’m astounded—” She realized she was babbling, but she was caught off guard and never had expected any such ring.

“Olivia,” he said, cutting short her words and leaning closer to slip his hand beneath her chin. “For this baby’s sake, we’re entering into a marriage of convenience, but as far as I’m concerned, I think it would be best for our baby if all our friends think we’re in love. You’ll get a hell of a lot more respect that way, and men will leave you alone. Unless you let them know they don’t have to leave you alone.”

“Don’t worry about that one,” she said. “We’ve already agreed to be faithful to each other.”

“At this point that’s merely lip service.”

“Not for me,” she said, solemnly, her excitement diminishing.

He took the ring from her and slipped it onto her finger.

“It’s a perfect fit,” she said, wiggling her fingers slightly and watching the huge diamond sparkle. “This has to be the biggest diamond I’ve ever seen in my life.”

“Good. It’s eight carats and that should be big enough to keep guys away and earn you respect from the women.”

She looked at the glittering diamond and then at him. He was being generous beyond her wildest dreams. She pushed back her chair and walked around the table and something flickered in the depths of his eyes. As she approached him, he scooted his chair and she sat on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Thank you,” she said and leaned down to kiss him.

His arms enveloped her and he shifted her closer, kissing her in return until she forgot all about the dazzling ring and was lost in Matt’s kisses.

His hands brushed her bare shoulders and nape, sliding down to twist free her buttons. He pulled down the front of her sundress to cup her breasts in his hands. When his thumbs drew circles on her nipples, she moaned with pleasure, a sound that was muffled as his tongue plunged deeply into her mouth.

Then his hand was beneath her full skirt, pushing it high while his fingers caressed the inside of her thigh. He turned her on his lap so he could slide his fingers into her lacy panties.

“Matt!” she gasped.

Shifting her over him so she was astride him, he cupped both her breasts and lowered his head to her breasts, to kiss first one and then the other. He drew his tongue in slow circles around her nipple while his thumb continued to circle her other nipple.

Bombarded by sensations and desire, she clung to his shoulders and then let her hand slide down to his hard shaft. With a pounding pulse, she unbuckled his belt and unfastened his trousers, trying to free him from the restraints of clothing. She wanted him totally, yet she clung to her resolution to wait until their wedding night to give herself fully. She refused to fall into his arms and his bed so quickly even though every caress and kiss was fueling the bonfire that consumed her.

Lost to his lovemaking, she moved her hips while trying to fight through the fog of need back to caution and patience.

Catching his wrist, she held his hand. “You’re going too fast again.” She swung her leg over him and straightened her clothing, trying to pull the top of her dress back in place.

His blue eyes had darkened with passion and the heated look in them made her heart pound. When he fastened his clothes, she returned to her chair and studied her new ring. “I’ve never dreamed of owning jewelry like this.”

She looked at him and her heart missed a beat because the desire in his expression shocked her.

“I want you, Olivia. I want you in my arms in my bed and I want all that passion you have bottled up turned loose.”

“You have to wait only a few more days,” she reminded him, wondering if either one of them could resist that long. Already, they weren’t able to keep their hands to themselves and when they started kissing, they almost lost all restraint.

“Let’s clean this up—”

“Nope,” he said, standing and taking her hand and crossing the patio to a cushioned glider. “Later. Let’s sit and talk.”

Olivia moved to a chair close to the glider and received a mocking smile from Matt. She looked at the ring again. “This is absolutely fabulous. Thank you so very much.”

He nodded. “Wedding dress, ring, minister, wedding planner, caterer, band and lawyers. We need to get in touch with my family and get our attendants lined up. Your attendants will need to get dresses. As soon as we go to the courthouse tomorrow and take care of the legal stuff with the county, I think we’ll have everything else in order.”

“I can’t believe you’re getting all this done this quickly,” she said, knowing she could always expect him to try to take charge and go at a gallop to get what he wanted.

“We have parties out here and some of the arrangements aren’t that different,” he said.

Butterflies flitted in her stomach at the thought of talking to the rest of the Ransome clan.

Matt took her hand, lacing her fingers in his. He raised her hand to brush her knuckles with kisses, his warm breath a caress that made her want back in his lap. As she talked about classes she could take in the fall, Matt scooted his chair against hers. Finally, she stood. “I insist we clean. Mrs. Marley won’t be here tonight or tomorrow.”

He waved his hand. “Sit and talk. I’ll clean. It’ll give me something to do because I’m not going to sleep.”

She wrinkled her nose at him. “I’m not going to ask why you won’t sleep,” she said as she sat again.

“You know exactly why,” he replied in a low voice. He reached over to lift her into his lap.

She wound her arms around his neck and smiled at him. “I think we did this a short time ago.”

“I can’t remember,” he said, looking at her mouth.

She inhaled and pulled his head down as she placed her mouth on his to kiss him, knowing every kiss made her want more. “Matt,” she whispered, kissing him between words, “you’re making it harder to wait—”

“Darlin’, you’re definitely the one making it harder,” he drawled in a sexy innuendo that she barely heard over her pounding pulse. Matt’s arm tightened around her and his tongue went deep. He kissed her long and thoroughly before she made him stop again. Standing, she moved away. “I’ll see you at breakfast.”

He gazed at her with a smoldering intensity and she hurried away, knowing a few more seconds and she would have been right back in his arms.

That night she was restless, worrying about Matt’s father and how his family would accept her after learning she had talked Matt into a loveless marriage of convenience.

Tuesday morning at breakfast, she could feel the tension in spite of Matt being charming and his father chatting easily. Duke Ransome was a large, powerful-looking man with shoulders as broad as Matt’s and a deeply tanned complexion. Dressed in western shirt, jeans and boots, he still was a handsome man. He had brilliant blue eyes and a scar across his temple that was a testament to his rugged ranch life. He could be as charming as Matt, but his smiles ended before ever reaching his cold blue eyes that continually bored into her.

It was no surprise to her when breakfast was over and they moved to the family room to have Duke look at his son and announce, “Matt, I’d like to talk to Olivia for a few minutes, just the two of us.”

“I’d be happy to talk to you, Mr. Ransome,” Olivia said, trying to sound collected. She had dressed with care and was thankful in her shopping yesterday that she had bought a new, tailored navy suit and matching silk blouse. Ignoring her churning stomach, she hoped she looked poised with her hair looped and pinned behind her head.

“Dad, I think anything you have to say might be well said with all three of us together,” Matt suggested.

“Nope. I want to talk to Olivia. I’m not going to bite her head off,” Duke said and smiled at her, but it was a smile that chilled her and she wondered what he intended to say.

“I’m staying to hear whatever you have to say,” Matt said in a voice that was as firm and direct as his father’s and she knew at this point the decision was between the two males so she remained silent.

“Very well,” Duke said and nodded, motioning to her. “Please sit down.”

She sat in a leather wingback chair and Matt perched on the arm of the chair beside her.

The moment Duke Ransome turned his steely gaze on her, she braced for trouble. “You know we’re all interested in your baby and want the baby in this family because it’s a Ransome,” he began.

“Yes, sir. Matt has made that clear and that’s why we’re marrying,” she replied, aware that Matt remained silent. She wondered if he and his father had planned this talk together and hoped to get her to back out of the pending marriage.

“Which, of course, was your idea. I know my son doesn’t want to wed again, for convenience or any other reason.”

Olivia merely smiled and waited. Duke Ransome moved to the window and looked out at the sprawling ranch land. “We’ve fought for this land and protected it and I’ve struggled to keep my family together. I miss Jeff. This baby is his child and is a part of him.”

“Yes, sir,” she said, wondering if he intended to try to stir her sympathy. Questions swirled through her thoughts and curiosity about Matt plagued her. Why was he silent? Was he hoping his father would drive her away?

Duke Ransome turned to face her and his gaze chilled her. “There’s no love between you and Matt because a week ago you didn’t know each other and I know you haven’t fallen in love in the short time you’ve known each other. Matt is not in love, I’m sure.”

“No, sir. We haven’t fallen in love,” she admitted. “But we think we have a good arrangement.”

“Maybe I can give you a better one than Matt can. I don’t want you messing up my son’s life. And that’s what you’ll do.” She started to speak, but he raised his hand.

“Hear me out. Give us Jeff’s baby. You’re a beautiful woman and you’ll fall in love again. You can have a lot more babies. Give us Jeff’s baby and I’ll deposit in your account a half of a million dollars to let us have the baby and you get out of Matt’s life permanently. You can add this amount to what Matt has offered and you can keep the ring he’s given you. In total, my proposition, plus Matt’s offer and his ring will be well over half a million.”