Heiress's Baby Scandal

What he did next surprised her. More like stunned her.

He dropped to his knees, slipped her shoes off her feet and set them aside. His hands slid up her calves, massaged along the way, paused at her knees, leaning forward and kissing each one, then, over her skirt, up her thighs, her hips, to her waist.

He placed his palms against her upper arms and gent ly guided her backward. “Lie back, Ellie, and take a load off.”

She did, letting him pull the covers around her and tuck her in as if she were a small child, then he straightened, stood staring at her with an odd look in his eyes.

Suddenly she felt terribly alone in the big bed.

“Ty, hold me.”

His brows went together in a surprised V, but he kicked off his shoes and slid into the bed next to her.

He wrapped his arms around her, held her close to him in spoon fashion and dropped a kiss on her hair. “Now, close your eyes and be very still, Ellie, or else we’re going to have a problem.”

It only took her a second to realize what he meant. Giddiness bubbled up inside her. She twisted around to face him, stared into his beautiful eyes and couldn’t keep from smiling.

“You really find me attractive, don’t you?”

He gave her a quizzical look. “Why wouldn’t I find you attractive? You are a beautiful, amazing, sexy woman, Ellie. Any man would have to be blind not to find you attractive.” He slid his palm over the curve of her hip. “Of course a blind man would have to feel his way. Then he’d know how hot you were firsthand, too.”

Eleanor’s insides melted. Unable to stop herself, she stretched forward and closed the distance between their lips. Just a soft brushing of her lips against his. It was the first time they’d kissed since the night of the fund-raiser. Instantly, longing shot through her. Longing for the way she’d felt that night. Longing for the way she felt at this very moment, touching him.

“Now you’re just tempting fate,” he warned in a low voice. “You’re supposed to be resting.”

She blinked at him, not so innocently. “What if I don’t feel so very tired anymore?”

Amazingly, she didn’t. That was crazy, as moments before just holding her head up had almost required too much effort, but lying in Ty’s arms, kissing him, energized her, cured her finicky stomach.

His brow arched, a boyish grin on his face, his eyes twinkling with delight. “Darlin’, were you playing possum to get me into bed and take advantage of me?”

Her gaze not wavering from his, she shook her head and with great clarity knew exactly what she wanted. “No, but kiss me, Ty. Kiss me as if you mean it.”

His expression growing serious, his eyes darkened. “I do mean it, Ellie. When I kiss you, I mean every touch.”

She wasn’t sure what he meant by his words or even what she’d meant by her request. Not until his lips touched hers.

Then she knew.

He kissed her softly and slowly, yet with an undercurrent of urgency that let her know he wanted more, that he struggled to keep from deepening the kiss. His hands ran over her body just as softly and slowly, as if she were a prize to be treasured.

That was how he made her feel, how he’d made her feel that night. Like she was the most important woman in the whole world to him. Like she was the only woman.

For now that was enough.

That was everything.

CHAPTER NINE

EELEANOR’S NOSE WRINKLED even before they stepped inside the long sheet-metal building they were headed toward, which Ty called the main barn. There was a definite outdoorsy smell to the cold, crisp February Texas air. Fortunately, her nausea had completely passed.

As had her fatigue.

Amazing what phenomenal sex did for a person.

And the sex had been phenomenal. Part of her had wondered if her recall of how fantastic Ty was had been due to too many glasses of the champagne she’d consumed.

Definitely not.