A Ring for Cinderella (13 page)

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Authors: Judy Christenberry

Tags: #Romance, #Contemporary, #Historical, #Nonfiction, #Series

BOOK: A Ring for Cinderella
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She froze. “Why?”
“So I’d take better care of you, Susan. Are you all right?”
“Yes. Did I do something wrong?”
“Hell, no! If you were any better, I might not’ve survived.”
She relaxed against him, and he noted her drooping eyelids.
“Go to sleep, honey. We’ll talk later.”
He held her until she slept, his gaze trained on her
beautiful face. Even as she dozed, he couldn’t resist touching her, to reassure himself that she was his.
 
Several hours later, Susan awoke to find herself alone. Her heart constricted as she thought about what had happened. She and Zach had made love—or at least it was love on her part. Zach probably figured they’d had good sex.
“Good heavens!” she muttered as she realized she had taken no precautions to prevent pregnancy.
Just like her mother.
“No,” she whispered. No, she wouldn’t be like her mother. She was already different because she loved Zach. As she’d never loved anyone else on earth. And if their lovemaking made a child, she’d take care of it.
She’d never abandon or neglect it, as her mother had with her children.
Susan sagged against the pillow, relieved to discover that a lot of her father, Mike O’Connor, must be in her. He’d taken care of his two children.
But she also faced the fact that she had to leave the ranch, even if it did cause Gramp and Paul, and maybe even Zach, a lot of unhappiness. Because she couldn’t go back to the ranch and not make love with Zach.
And she couldn’t continue to share such intimacy with him without his caring.
And since he was planning on her leaving in May, he didn’t care the way she did.
She shoved back the covers, planning to get
dressed, when the door opened. Immediately she yanked the cover to her chest.
“You’re awake?” Zach said, a lazy, satisfied smile on his face. “Want some dinner?”
He was wrapped in a terry-cloth robe, looking even sexier than before. Susan’s mouth watered. She couldn’t believe she wanted him again, now. “No, thank you.”
“Honey, it’s after seven. Sorry I didn’t wait dinner on you, but I was starved. Sure you don’t want to eat something?”
She closed her eyes. “No, thank you. I’d better get dressed and—”
“You want to go to the theater?” he asked, his voice rising, as if he thought she was crazy.
What was wrong with the man? He was acting as if their making love was normal, everyday, expected. “No! I’m—I’m going to the ranch to start packing.”
His eyes widened, then he closed the bedroom door behind him and came across to the bed. “What are you talking about?”
“I can’t stay there any longer, Zach.” She fought hard to hold back the tears her words brought
“Why not?”
Anger rose in her. “You think I can pretend that we have a real marriage? That it’s going to last? I signed that piece of paper. I’m moving out next May. I can’t—”
He pulled her into his arms and kissed her, a long, deep kiss. a kiss that brought back the lovemaking
they’d shared. She wasn’t sure she was breathing when he took his mouth away.
“You’re not leaving, Susan Lowery. Not now and not next May. Not ever. I’ll burn that piece of paper. I’ll eat it myself if I have to. But I’m not letting you leave.” His frown was ferocious as he stared at her.
“Why?” Her quiet question seemed to take him by surprise, but she had to know the answer before her heart burst from hope.
“Because I love you,” he whispered. “I never thought I’d love a woman, but you stormed into my life with your sweetness, your concern, your determination to keep your distance.” He kissed her again. When he raised his head this time, he said, “I can’t let you go, honey. I found you at the Lucky Charm Diner and you’re my personal four-leaf clover. With you, I’ve found happiness.”
“Oh, Zach, I love you, too,” she cried. “But I thought you were planning to end the marriage. That it was just for Gramp.”
He curled his body around her, touching her from her head to her toes. “It was just for Gramp...in the beginning. But I couldn’t resist you, honey.”
Her arms circled his neck. “Zach, it’s been so hard.”
“Tell me about it,” he said before he gave her another soul-shattering kiss.
“I suppose we should go tell everyone we’re married,” Susan said dreamily, her lips traveling over his face.
“Mmm, later,” Zach suggested.
She didn’t argue.
Epilogue
Susan lay against the pillows, listening as Zach talked to the bellboy in the living room. She hoped he’d hurry. She was starving.
The door swung open. “Dinner is served, my lady,” Zach said with a grin. “You know, I think the staff gets as much pleasure out of our anniversary as we do.”
“I doubt that” she said dreamily. This was their second wedding anniversary, and like last year, they’d come back to the Plaza to celebrate.
He rolled the table near the bed, filled a plate for Susan and handed it to her after she piled pillows behind her.
“Comfy?”
“I’ll be more comfy if you come back to bed.”
He brought his own plate with him as he stretched out beside her. Then he set it down to rub her protruding stomach. “How’s Junior doing?”
“I think he’s dancing a jig. It’s my Irish blood”
“I hope he doesn’t have your Irish temper,” Zach teased.
She smiled. He might need an Irish temper to hold his own in their ever-expanding family. Kate had had a little girl in April. Both Susan and Maggie were due in November. Josh said they were having a race, but Susan didn’t care which one delivered first.
“
I
think Junior is practicing his calf-roping.”
Susan groaned and shifted a little closer to her husband. “I know he is if Paul has anything to do with it. The boy sleeps with that rope you gave him.”
“He’s getting pretty good, too. Gamp says he’s better than me at that age. He’s already planning a rodeo career for Paul.”
“We’ll discuss that latter,” Susan said. “But I’m taking the rope away from him if he uses it on Josie anymore.”
Zach leaned over and kissed her. “Don’t worry. I had a talk with him and Manuel about how a cowboy treats women.”
“They might as well learn from an expert,” she said softly, snuggling against her husband.
“Well, thank you very much, my tittle bride. But I think this cowboy needs more practice. I don’t want to forget how to please you.” He set his plate aside and took her into his arms.
And just as it had been the past two times they made love in this hotel, their dinner was forgotten.
Another tradition for the two of them.
 
 
ISBN : 978-1-4592-5936-2
 
A RING FOR CINDERELLA
 
Copyright
© 1999 by Judy Christenberry
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system is forbidden without the written permission of the editorial office, Silhouette Books, 300 East 42nd Street, New York, NY 10017 U.S.A.
 
All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual know or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.
 
This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
 
® and TM are trademarks of Harlequin Books S.A., used under license. Trademarks indicated with ® are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Canadian Trade Marks Office and in other countries.
 

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