“You march your fine self right up those stairs, princess. Time for bed.”
Princess again. Apparently she had a new nickname. His words sent a thrill of anticipation through her body, but she didn’t know if they meant what she wanted them to mean. She’d always slept in the guest bedroom—her rental bedroom—while he slept in the slightly bigger one next door. Would that change tonight?
She hoped so.
“What’s with the princess thing?” Maybe that would spread some light on where they stood.
He sat down at the opposite end of the couch, lifted her feet onto his lap and began to knead them. Mia let out a loud groan of pleasure. A full day in heels had left them sore.
“You’ve always looked like a princess to me, the way you stand so straight and proud. I can see a crown sitting on top of that pretty head of yours.”
She sobered. There was a reason for her ramrod posture she didn’t like to be reminded of. All those endless beauty pageants. She brushed off his reference to a crown with a joke. “You want to know why my posture’s so good? I’m trying to look taller!”
His deep chuckle warmed her almost as much as his sensual touch on her feet. If his technique with the rest of her body was as good as this—she was a lucky woman indeed.
He tugged her ankle. “Come on, princess. Up to bed.”
She got up slowly and followed him upstairs, pausing in front of her bedroom door. He shook his head. “Uh-uh. Get what you need, but you’re sleeping with me tonight.”
A smile curved her mouth and he grinned back. “Sounds good, huh?”
“Yeah,” she admitted. “Sounds real good.”
Luke didn’t waste any time once they were in his room. He unbuttoned his dress shirt, slid it off and cast it over his desk chair, then undid his belt buckle and the button at the waistband of his best jeans and shucked them off, too. He hesitated a moment when he got to his boxer briefs, but only for a moment.
“Wow.” Mia eyed him frankly and he wasn’t ashamed of the way his body let her know he was interested in seeing what she had under all of her clothes too. “Would you help me with my zipper?”
“Sure thing.” He undid the tiny clasp at her neck, then the long zipper that trailed down the back of her blue dress. Underneath she wore a pretty bra and panty set. He turned her around slowly, taking her all in, then reached behind her to unclasp her bra. She waited while he peeled it off, then looked up at him coyly through her eyelashes.
“Well?”
As if she had to ask. Her breasts were as magnificent as the rest of her. Full and round, with dark areolas that begged for him to kiss them. He couldn’t wait to give them the attention they deserved, but first he wanted to see the rest of her.
He hooked a finger through the strap of her panties at each hip and slipped them down, letting out a grunt of pleasure at the sight of her neatly groomed thatch of dark hair.
“Beautiful.” He led the way to his bed and drew her down beside him, the brush of her nipples against his skin enough to set every nerve ending ablaze. Mia entranced him. Always had. Probably always would.
He’d meant to be careful with her. Wanted to tease and delight her into such an ecstasy of longing that she’d beg him to give her more. But now that she was in his bed, instinct took over.
He gathered her in beneath him and surrounded her with his arms. Swooping down to kiss her senseless, he let his weight settle on top of her, wanting to feel her beneath him, wanting her to know exactly what she was going to get.
Mia sighed and kissed him back with as much ardor as he felt, and Luke’s blood jumped. She wanted him like he wanted her. Completely. Utterly. He nearly came undone right then.
Luke took complete advantage of this opportunity to get to know Mia’s body better. He spent time lavishing his attention on every delicious part of her until he couldn’t wait another minute to be inside her, and judging by Mia’s moans, she couldn’t wait for it either.
“Sweetheart, you ready for this?”
She nodded, her breath coming in pants. He nudged her thighs apart with his, positioned himself between them, and pushed into her slowly.
“Luke.” That one word told him everything he needed to know. Being with him felt as good to Mia as being inside her felt to him. She sighed with pleasure as he began to move within her, and the sound was so sensual Luke groaned.
He gave up all thought of controlling the remainder of the encounter. He gave up thought altogether. He let his body take control—let his body possess hers in the most primal way possible.
And Mia opened to that possession with utter abandon, the sensuality of her movements and body setting him aflame all over again. When she cried out her release, his guttural groans joined hers and they crashed over the top together.
Afterward, still joined, still breathing heavily, Luke kissed her again. “I’ve wanted to do that for a long time.”
“Me, too.”
“I want to do it again.”
“Yeah.” She nodded.
“I didn’t hurt you, did I? I didn’t…” He looked down at her rounded belly. Reached out a hand as if to touch it. Pulled back.
Mia reached out her own hand, took his and pressed it against her stomach. “Of course not.”
He held his hand there, feeling the tautness, trying to sense the baby inside.
“I’ll do my best to be a good…” He hesitated, afraid to say the word. Afraid she’d deny him the role he wished to take on.
Sudden tears shone in Mia’s eyes. “You’ll be a great father, Luke.”
As she threaded her arms around his neck and kissed him again, Luke knew everything would be all right.
Chapter Six
“Wake up, sleepy head.”
Mia yawned, stretched and turned to see Luke enter the bedroom, the smell of barn and horses wafting in with him. She pushed up on her elbows and glanced at the time on the small bedside clock. After nine. Luke would have been up for hours and hours by now.
“It’s late!”
“You said you weren’t working today.”
“No, I’m not.”
“Get up, get some breakfast in you. Let’s go buy your ring.”
At his words, a memory of last night swept into her mind and she smiled. Luke was an amazing lover. Very masculine. Very sure of himself. With every reason to be. Twenty-four hours ago she’d never dreamed they would sleep together, let alone become engaged. It just went to show how your life could change in an instant.