Pregnant with the Rancher's Baby: Reclaimed by the Rancher

He had to get past his concern of turning out like his miserable old man and be there for them through thick and thin—to protect them and take care of them.

“I’ll get some pictures ready for you,” Dr. Evans said quietly as she handed Jessie some tissues to wipe away the remaining gel. She clearly knew how special the moment was and didn’t want to intrude.

Once Jessie had cleaned away the last traces of the gel and rearranged her clothes, Nate helped her off the table. “Is there anything else we need to do?” he asked.

“No. I’ll see you in a couple of weeks for your regular appointment,” the doctor answered as she handed Jessie the pictures and opened the door to precede them out into the hall. “And you know if you have any problems, I want you to call my office or go straight to the ER.”

“What did she mean by that?” Nate asked. He didn’t remember Jessie mentioning anything other than morning sickness in the early weeks of her pregnancy. “Is something wrong? Have you been having problems? Is there something we haven’t been doing that we should?”

“Calm down,” Jessie said as they walked out the doors of the clinic to his truck. “I haven’t had any issues, nor do I expect any. And for that matter, neither does Dr. Evans. She frequently reminds all of her patients to seek medical attention if they do experience something out of the ordinary or that they’re concerned about.”

Nate breathed a little easier after Jessie’s explanation, but it appeared he needed to put in a lot more time on the computer. There was a whole hell of a lot more he needed to learn about what a woman went through during pregnancy, not to mention what was happening with the baby. And the sooner he got started the better.

* * *

“Did you get finished doing whatever you needed to do on the computer?” Jessie asked Nate when they walked into the media room after dinner. From the time they returned from having the ultrasound in Waco until just before dinner, he had been sequestered in his office, working on what she assumed to be ranch business.

“Not quite,” he said, picking up the remote from the coffee table.

“Is there anything I can help you with?” she offered as she sat down on the couch.

Turning on the television, he shook his head. “I’ve only got a few more things I need to read up on.” He sat down beside her and put his arms around her. “Have I told you lately how beautiful you are?”

“Where did that come from?” she asked, laughing self-consciously. “How did we go from talking about what you’re doing on your computer to how you think I look?”

His sexy grin made her feel warm all over. “I turned the computer off, darlin’.” He kissed her forehead, cheek and the tip of her nose. “But seeing you sitting here looking so damned irresistible turns me on.”

“It doesn’t take much for that to happen,” she teased, loving the look of appreciation in his dark blue eyes.

“You’ve always had that effect on me,” he said, his expression turning serious. He brought his hand up to cup her cheek. “From the first time I met you, I wanted you.” He lightly brushed her lips with his. “You excite me in ways that I could have never imagined.”

The sincerity in his tone and the desire in his eyes stole her breath. Over the past week she had lain in his strong arms each night, felt the evidence of his need and known the toll it had to be taking on him. For that matter, it had become exceedingly more difficult for her as well. She longed to once again have him join their bodies, to feel the exquisite power of his lovemaking and bask in the intimacy of being one with the man who meant so much to her.

When Nate lowered his head to cover her mouth with his, it didn’t occur to her to resist. She wanted his kiss, wanted to lose herself in his gentle caress. As his lips moved over hers, she lifted her arms to thread her fingers in the light brown hair at the nape of his neck and gave herself up to the feelings only he could awaken in her.

A delicious warmth spread throughout her body when he deepened the kiss to stroke her inner recesses with such tenderness it made her feel as if she might melt into a puddle. She had always responded to his mastery, but each time he kissed her, the need inside of her became more intense than anything she could ever remember.

Tightening his arms around her, he took her with him when he stretched out on the couch and, partially lying on top of him, she immediately felt his arousal as it strengthened with every beat of his heart. Her own body answered with an empty ache deep in the most feminine part of her. Whether it was due to the fact that they had shared a very poignant moment during the ultrasound or due to her crazy pregnancy hormones, she wanted nothing more than for him to make her his once again.