Expecting the Rancher's Heir (11 page)

“What were you trying to run from, Shane?” she finally found the courage to ask.

“I was trying to run from loving you, Lissa,” he said, taking her hands in his. “There isn't much of anything in this life that I can honestly say I'm afraid of. But the thought of loving you the way I do and having you leave me one day, scares the living hell out of me.”

Tears filled her eyes. “You love me?”

Nodding, he took her into his arms and crushed her to his broad chest. “I love and need you more than I need my next breath.”

Before she could tell him that she loved him, too, he covered her mouth with his. Heat streaked throughout her entire body when he traced her lips with his tongue and she readily opened to grant him the access he sought. As he tasted and teased, her heart filled with the knowledge that Shane loved her. She'd never felt more complete than she did at that moment.

When he finally broke the kiss, Melissa leaned back to cup his face with both hands. “Shane McDermott, I love you with all my heart and soul.”

“And I love you, angel.” He gave her a quick kiss, then lifted her left hand to slip her engagement ring back onto her finger. “Promise me you won't give this back to me ever again.”

Throwing her arms around his neck, she shook her head. “Never.” It suddenly occurred to her that he had been wearing nothing but a towel from the moment she walked into the room. “Where did you keep the ring while you were telling me about your parents?”

He laughed. “You didn't notice that I kept my left hand closed?”

“I…well…not really.” She smiled. “I was too busy looking at your…um, heart.”

“Like that, do you?” he asked, grinning. He took her hand to place it on his chest. “It belongs to you now, Lissa. My heart, my soul, all of me belongs to you for the rest of our lives.”

“And I'm yours, Shane,” she promised. “I have been from the moment we met.”

Lifting her, he sat down and settled her on his lap. “We have a few more things we need to discuss.”

“What would that be?” she asked, laying her head on his shoulder.

“I believe you when you say that you love the ranch,” he said slowly. “But I think we'll build a house here in Aspen to live in during the snow season.”

Sitting up, she frowned. “But I won't mind being snowed in as long as it's with you.”

He laughed. “I know, but I'm thinking down the line.” He placed his hand on her still-flat stomach. “When our baby is old enough, I don't want to have him or her living with relatives to attend school like I had to do.”

“I hadn't thought of that,” she said, liking the idea that he wanted them to all be together.

“I also think it would be a good idea for us to spend this winter at Willow Lodge.” He kissed her nose. “That way we won't miss any doctor appointments because of weather.”

“You're just full of good ideas, aren't you,” she said, unable to stop smiling. “That way while you're traveling for the congressional investigation, I'll at least have Erica and Avery over from time to time.”

“You can have your family over as much as you like, but I'll be there, too,” he said, pressing his cheek to her temple. “You will?”

Grinning, he nodded. “I called Senator Kurk this afternoon and told him that after careful thought, I wouldn't be available for the job after all.”

“Did he understand?” she asked, wondering if he'd made an enemy out of an old family friend.

“He told me he was disappointed, but he understood that being a newlywed I wouldn't want to be away from you.” Shane kissed her temple, her cheek and the tip of her nose. “And that brings me to the last thing we need to talk over.”

“A wedding date?” she guessed.

He nodded. “Are we still good for New Year's Eve, angel?”

“Absolutely.”

He nibbled kisses along the side of her neck. “Why don't I get dressed and you take off the rest of the afternoon. I'd like to take you back to Willow Lodge and catch up on the three days we've been apart.”

“That sounds like your best idea yet, Cowboy,” she said, loving him more with each passing second.

He was her heart, her soul, her very life. She couldn't wait to be back in his arms again, celebrating the happiness of finding each other, the life they had created and the love she knew for certain they would share for the rest of their lives.