World's Most Eligible Texan (14 page)

“No. I don't know that I'll continue living in Royal.”

A fleeting look of pain flashed in his eyes and was gone. “All right, so it's temporary,” he said grimly. “At least, for now, humor me and accept my present.”

She studied him and could feel the clash of wills, yet knew his intentions had been good. “Thank you,” she said, and he leaned forward to brush a kiss on her forehead.

“You're welcome. The guy should be out here in thirty minutes to install it. Insurance will cover your losses on your furniture and clothing.”

“Please, Aaron, don't replace my furniture,” she said solemnly.

He studied her and held her shoulders, rubbing them lightly. “I'm just trying to do things to help, not hurt.”

“I know you are and the flowers are beautiful and the alarm will be very nice, but I'm accustomed to taking care of myself. Besides, I want to pick out my own furniture.”

“You don't like the way my house looks?” he teased, trying to lighten the moment.

“Your mother did your house, not you. You leave my furniture to me.”

“Fine, but let me at least buy you a new dress and take you out in it.”

She smiled and shook her head. “I think you're incredibly used to getting your own way.”

“Might be a little, but I think you are, too.”

“Not like you are, Aaron,” she remarked dryly, thinking of his unlimited funds that allowed him to do so much of what he wanted.

“Maybe that's what makes me so lovable.”

She had to laugh then. “That and your modesty.”

He grinned, touching her dimple. “If you only knew what
your smiles do for me. They chase away all my rainy days. Come on, let's see how things look.”

When they entered her living room, she drew a deep breath. The cleaning service had the floors polished and things righted. The room smelled of lemon furniture polish and surfaces gleamed. Books were on bookshelves, but most tables and shelves were bare because her vases and candlesticks had been broken. Throw cushions were gone; her pictures were stacked on the floor against a wall, the frames broken, the glass that had covered them gone or cracked. The few pieces of furniture that were not ruined were in place, but the cushions had slashes in them and the apartment was not livable. She went to the kitchen and found some of her dishes and utensils intact, but most crystal was gone and much of her china, swept out of cabinets carelessly to the floor when the intruder had searched her apartment.

“I hope you do catch who did this,” she said quietly.

The cleaning service had hauled away the ripped mattress and springs, so she had only a frame for a bed. Loss overwhelmed her and she ran her fingers across her brow.

“They're only things, Mellie,” Aaron said gently, pulling her closer against his side. “You're safe and that's what's important. This can all be replaced.”

“I know—” The doorbell rang, startling her, and she realized how tense she was. “That's probably the girls,” she said, turning to answer. He caught her arm.

“Let me go to the door,” he said grimly, moving ahead of her.

S
he moved cautiously behind Aaron. As he paused to look through the new peephole, he motioned to her to join him. When he opened the door and stepped back, Pamela faced her next-door neighbor who stood holding a casserole.

“Nancy, come in,” Pamela said. “This is Aaron Black. Aaron, meet Nancy Colworth.”

“We met the night of the break-in,” Aaron said smoothly. “Can I take that for you?” he asked, motioning to the casserole.

“Yes, I brought you a tuna casserole. Even if you aren't staying here, you can take it with you,” she said, handing the dish to Aaron.

“Thank you, Nancy,” Pamela said, touched that her friend would take time from her busy schedule to help. “Come in and sit down—if we can sit,” she said, smiling ruefully.

Nancy shook her head and ran her fingers through her black curls. “I have to pick the girls up. They're at their grandmother's and then we're going shopping for shoes, so I need
to get them. Purchasing shoes for them will take us a while, and they'll wear out and get tired, so I have to run.” She looked past Pamela at the apartment. “I see you're back in order.”

“Such as it is,” Pamela replied, watching Aaron returning from the kitchen. He looked so out of place in her tiny apartment. He belonged in a spacious house like his Pine Valley home. He wore a plaid shirt and jeans and she thought how handsome he looked and how full of vitality. It amazed her that he was still in her life and she in his. When she realized Nancy was talking, she tried to pull her attention from Aaron.

“So a few of us would like to have a party for you—sort of a house shower—when you can find time.”

“Nancy, that's so sweet of you!” Pamela said, hugging her neighbor and deeply touched by the kindness of her friends. “Y'all don't have to do that.”

“Of course we don't. We want to. You pick a time that's good, and we'll plan a party at my place. Give me a list of your teacher friends and anyone else you'd like to invite.”

“That's so sweet,” Pamela repeated, tears stinging her eyes. She was embarrassed by her emotional reaction. Aaron was beside her, his arm firmly around her waist, and she was glad for his reassuring presence.

“That's nice of you,” he said in a deep voice, while she tried to pull herself together. When had she gotten so emotional over everything that happened? Was it hormones because of her pregnancy? Or the upheaval in her life caused by Aaron?

“We want to. Pamela is special. Particularly to us. The girls have little things they've made for you, but they'll want to bring them over to you. In the meantime, is there anything any of us can do to help?”

As Pamela shook her head, Aaron said, “Let me give you my phone number and pager, in case you should want to get hold of us for any reason.” He pulled out a small tablet and pen and jotted down numbers, tearing out a page and handing it to Nancy.

“Call anytime you need to.”

“I will. Let me know when you pick a date for a party,” Nancy said.

“Thank you, and thanks for the casserole. We'll enjoy it,” Pamela said, thinking about the freezer filled with casseroles at Aaron's house and his cook who came in once a week.

Closing the door behind Nancy, Pamela leaned against it and turned to face Aaron. “Friends are nice.”

“You're nice,” he said, placing his hands on either side of her. “Want to keep her casserole in your freezer or take it to my place?”

“We don't need it at your house, but I'd rather take it and eat it, so I can thank her and return her dish.” It was difficult to think with him standing so close.

“Ready to go home?”

“Aaron, you're going to make it so hard to say goodbye,” she whispered, knowing she ought to stay anywhere except his place.

“I hope I make goodbye impossible,” he replied solemnly, looking at her mouth and making her ache to kiss him. What would one more kiss hurt? How many times would she ask herself that question? If they kissed, she knew he would stop, and if he didn't, she would stop before it escalated to reckless abandon. She couldn't resist winding her arms around his neck and pulling his head down to her. She stood on tiptoe and placed her mouth on his to kiss him hungrily.

His arms went around her, and he held her tightly, leaning over her to kiss her hard, passion flaring between them. Her pulse roared and she wanted him desperately, more every hour she spent with him.

In minutes she paused to whisper, “You're making it next to impossible, but someday, Aaron, I'll say goodbye and go. I promise—”

“Don't make promises you can't keep. I hope to see to it that you never go out of my life, lady,” he whispered in return, turning so he leaned against the door while he kissed her. He spread his legs and pulled her up against him. She felt his
hard arousal, his long lean body and legs pressed against her, while one hand slipped beneath her sweater and pushed away her bra, cupping her breast.

She moaned, wanting him, grinding her hips against him in need and feeling as if she was drowning in desire, knowing that minute by minute and kiss by kiss he was wearing away her resistance.

“We're not at my place now,” he whispered, raising his head to look at her, locks of his brown hair falling over his forehead. His solemn green eyes made her heart lurch. “Marry me, Mellie,” he said, and she felt as if all air had been squeezed from her lungs. She hurt, a pounding pain that hammered her.
Don't think about what might be.

“Aaron, stop pushing. If I say yes, it'll be for the wrong reasons,” she said, wanting him, certain that the wrong reasons were his, not hers. She kissed him to stop his words that tempted and held out glittering false hopes.

They stroked and kissed until he held her in his arms and her legs were locked around him, yet clothes were between them. He stopped and set her on her feet and moved away from her, crossing the room to stand with his back to her. His fists were clenched and she could hear his ragged breathing even above her own.

“We timed that right. Here comes the guy to set the alarm.”

She straightened her clothing and hoped she looked composed as the doorbell rang. She swung it open to face a uniformed workman with a toolbox in his hand. She ushered him in, and, in seconds, he and Aaron were deep in discussion about the alarm.

She gave up and let Aaron take charge, amused and chagrined at how easily he stepped into her life and took over. As soon as the man was working, Aaron said he would leave for a meeting and he would come back later to pick her up.

She agreed and followed him to the door, watching him look around carefully as he stepped outside, and she realized that even when she forgot, he was always conscious that someone could be watching them.

When he returned two hours later, she showed him the new alarm, gave him the code and finally they took the casserole and left for the Royal Memorial Hospital where she went to see Lady Helena Reichard.

While Pamela talked briefly with Lady Helena, Aaron found Matt Walker and spent time with him.

The moment Pamela emerged from Lady Helena's room, Aaron and Matt appeared. She looked at the two of them, thinking Aaron looked as much a cowboy as Matt, but she knew he wasn't. And she thought that both she and Lady Helena had some very good protection, but how long could this go on? As she joined them, Aaron draped his arm across her shoulders and pulled her close against his side.

“I'm glad you're staying at Aaron's,” Matt said, glancing past her toward Lady Helena's door.

“It's hard to think we might be in danger. Lady Helena is brave, and she has enough to go through without more troubles.”

“She doesn't know I'm out here. I plan to see to it that she's protected,” Matt said quietly, but his tone of voice sent a shiver down Pamela's spine and she knew he had that same toughness that Aaron did.

“We'll see you,” Aaron said, moving away while Pamela and Matt said goodbye.

As they left the hospital, she looked up to see Aaron's gaze sweeping the area. She looked at the drive and the parking lot, people coming and going. She didn't see anything out of the ordinary, yet why did she feel as if they were being watched? Were they still being followed? Or was her imagination becoming overactive?

 

By the end of the week Pamela's nerves were as frazzled as shredded paper. She ached with longing to accept Aaron's declaration of love. She was unable to sleep and she had lost what little appetite she had. Drawn to him more each hour they spent together, she wanted him and loved him more than ever. At the same time, the gulf between them seemed vastly
wider. During the past week Aaron had taken her to the Black ranch, the sprawling house set on windswept plains covered with cactus and mesquite. He had flown her to Dallas and Houston for dinners and dancing. His life was houses, jets and money. Her world was Royal, Texas, little children and, soon, a baby. Yet when she was with him, she forgot everything else. He was fulfilment, fun and a companion she could confide in. He was the dash missing in her life. And dancing in his arms this past week had brought back all the powerful memories of their first night together.

She wandered restlessly around the bedroom as she got dressed to go to dinner. After spending almost two weeks constantly with him, she was on fire with sheer desire. Now it was Aaron who stopped their kisses and caresses, Aaron who pulled away, and she knew he was doing it to show her that it wasn't sex that was driving him to declare his love for her.

Glancing over her shoulder at the baskets of flowers in her room, she wondered if Aaron had bought all of Handley's flower inventory. The house was filled with them and twice this week she had sent baskets to the hospital and a nursing home.

He flirted and teased. When they weren't kissing, he constantly touched her, holding her arm, playing with her hair, stroking her back until she burned with wanting him. By now everyone in Royal knew they were a couple. They were constantly out in public together, and she had given up trying to keep their relationship private.

She glanced at the closed bedroom door and thought of him in his big bed and drew a deep breath. Safe or unsafe, she needed to move home. This was torment and only made the inevitable goodbye more difficult.

And she knew there would be a goodbye. Her feelings hadn't changed about marriage. She wanted Aaron and she loved him, but she was sure about her refusal to marry. He hadn't changed her mind one iota about their future. Aaron was dating her because being together was good. They liked each other and the chemistry was volatile, but it took more
than that for a family and a lasting marriage. All his declarations of love had come after he had learned about her pregnancy, not one word of love from him before.

Also, she wondered if she had simply become a challenge to him because she suspected he was accustomed to getting what he wanted out of life and ran across few obstacles.

She touched the diamond heart-shaped pendant around her neck, lifting it to look down at it. He had given it to her Valentine's night after dinner and dancing in Houston.

She shook her head and dropped the pendant against her bare skin, picking up a black dress to slip into. Today her friends had given her a party and showered her with gifts to replace what she had lost in the break-in. A few had teased her and asked when she and Aaron would be getting married, questions easy to fend off. Only her closest friend, Jessica Atkins from Midland, knew the truth about her pregnancy. Jessica was trying to help her find a teaching job for the coming year.

The new furniture was arriving next Wednesday, and then she would be able to move back into her apartment. Wednesday she would tell Aaron goodbye. She wondered if he would accept goodbye or if she would have to move to Midland. Yet would any distance stop Aaron's persistent courtship? He was a man accustomed to getting what he wanted, but sooner or later he would see that she meant what she said in her refusal to marry.

She ran her hand across her forehead, knowing she was doing the right thing. It still seemed right to her because she was sure Aaron wasn't as deeply in love as he thought. Should she give marriage to him a chance? Would love develop between them?

The questions plagued her more and more often now, but she always came back to the same answer. Aaron hadn't been in love until he discovered he would be a father. True love doesn't switch on like turning on lights.

She sighed and zipped up her dress. Another enchanting, magical evening that would tear at her emotions. Yet it would
also be a precious pearl of memory that she could cling to when he was gone.

Each day she loved him more. She combed her hair, slipped into her black pumps and looked at herself in the mirror, turning to study her flat stomach that didn't reveal a trace of her pregnancy. She turned again, looking at the diamond heart sparkling against her black dress. Her reflection looked poised, happy. None of the hurt and anguish showed in her reflection.

She picked up her small black bag and left to go downstairs. She knew Aaron would be ready and waiting. As she paused at the top of the stairs, he appeared below and stopped with his hand on the newel post to look up at her, his gaze slowly drifting over her like a caress.

Conscious of his consuming gaze, she came down the steps to meet him. Her pulse raced because he was in a dark suit that emphasized his tan skin and green eyes, and he looked incredibly handsome.

“Hi, handsome,” she drawled as she came within a couple of steps of him. She stopped because the steps put her on his level, and she could look directly into his eyes.

“Hi, beautiful,” he answered lightly in return, but his voice was husky and passion burned in the depths of his eyes. He rested his hand on her waist and propped his foot on the second step where she stood, his thigh pressing lightly against her. “Ready to go eat?”

“Starving, actually.”