Expecting the Rancher's Heir

As water sprayed over them from all sides, their wet bodies moved together in perfect unison, and all too soon, she felt herself start to climb toward the peak of completion. Her muscles tensed as the need grew and intensified. Then, as if something inside of her broke free, pleasure filled every fiber of her being and stars danced behind her tightly closed eyes.

Almost immediately Shane’s body surged within her a final time and he crushed her to him. She held him just as tightly as he rode out the storm and found his own shuddering release.

When she finally gained the strength to move, Melissa leaned back to look at his handsome face as he still held her to him. For the past couple of months, she had told herself their affair was strictly physical and she could walk away from it at any time with no regrets. She now realized that she had been deluding herself. From the moment he introduced himself at a meeting between her family and the Jarrod Ridge investors, she had not only been attracted to him physically, she had been drawn to his charming personality and easy sense of humor.

“You’re amazing,” he said, giving her a tender kiss as he lowered her to her feet. He turned off the shower, then helping her out of the enclosure, patted them both dry with a large, plush towel. “Why don’t I pop a pizza in the oven and find something for us to watch on one of the movie channels, while you dry your hair and get dressed?” he asked as he wrapped the towel around her, then tucked it under her arms.

“That sounds wonderful,” she said, realizing she was actually quite hungry.

He gave her a smile warm enough to melt the polar ice caps. “I’ll meet you downstairs on the couch in about twenty minutes.”

Feeling more relaxed than she had since taking the pregnancy test, Melissa picked up the hair dryer and turned it on. She wasn’t going to think about their predicament, what they were going to do about it or that in less than two days she would no longer be enjoying a few stolen hours with Shane. Tonight she was going to concentrate on the moment and face tomorrow when it came.

“What’s your life like out in California?” Shane asked as the movie he had selected for them ended.

The film’s storyline had been about a woman returning to her hometown and the life she had left behind to do that. That got him to thinking. He knew what it had been like for Lissa since returning to Aspen for the reading of her father’s will. She had to stay for at least one year and manage the Tranquility Spa in order to inherit her share of Jarrod Ridge. But her life in Los Angeles remained a complete mystery to him.

“Life in southern California is, in a word, hectic.” She shrugged one slender shoulder. “I’ve been there since I started college and you would think I’d be used to the pace after all this time.”

Her answer surprised him. “But you’re not?”

“Not really.” She shook her head and shifted on the couch to face him. “Everyone is always in such a hurry to get somewhere or to do something. Then, when they do accomplish whatever they set out to do, they are in a huge hurry to do something else.”

“Life in the fast lane can be draining,” he said, wondering why she had chosen to go to college so far from home. “But I think it’s that way in most urban areas.”

She nodded as she removed the fluffy tie holding her hair in a ponytail. “It’s a little better in Malibu where I live now, but life still moves a lot faster than Aspen.”

“That is a nice area.” He had been to Malibu a few times and although it was way too crowded for his taste, Shane had found the view of the ocean to be beautiful. “Do you live near the beach?”

“I have a condo not too far from the Malibu Pier.” She smiled. “I like living on the beach and my spa and yoga center, Serendipity, is only a couple of miles away. That’s another plus for me.”

“Who’s running things while you’re away?” he asked, reaching out to tuck a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. “I’m sure you left someone you could trust in charge.”

He ran his index finger over her hair. He loved the feel of the silky golden threads against his skin. He drew in some much-needed air and forced himself to concentrate on what she was saying. Lissa felt it was important that they talk and learn about each other. Besides, if he was going to get her to go along with his plans of getting married, he was going to have to pay a little closer attention.

“I have two wonderful assistant managers.” She smiled fondly. “Michael is very efficient at managerial duties and in the treatment room his hands are pure magic.”

“Oh, really?” For reasons he didn’t quite understand and wasn’t ready to analyze, the only hands Shane wanted her to consider magical were his.