Down, boy, he ordered it. Not here and not tonight.
“Now that we’ve heard the baby’s heartbeat, I’m ready to say something to Liz and Eric about this pregnancy,” Lana said. “If it’s okay with you, I’m thinking I’ll do it after work tomorrow.”
That she was checking with him first sat well in his chest. “Sure,” he said. “I’ll tell Dani then, too.”
One lone brownie remained on the plate. He was eyeing it when she divided it and handed him half.
“What about your parents?” he asked, as he polished it off. “When are you planning to give them the news?”
She’d been about to eat her brownie. Now she bit her lip and set it down again. “Liz and Eric will be excited and happy for me. If I know my sister, it won’t be easy for her to keep something this big to herself. Especially from the parents, so I guess I’ll fill them in right after I tell her.” She let out a heavy sigh. “I dread that.”
“If family is as important to them as you say, they’ll support you no matter what.”
“I’m not so sure about that.” She tried to smile and failed.
“Because I’m the father and I’m suing dear old Cousin Tim.”
She nodded, and he swore. No matter how carefully he examined the situation, there was no easy way out. No out, period.
After that, neither of them spoke. The swing creaked as he pushed it with his foot. In the distance, an owl hooted.
“Know what I like about you?” he said after a while.
“My ability to consume vast quantities of sweets?”
“That, and the fact that no matter what, you’re always straight with me.”
“I’m not wired to hold in my thoughts.”
“Except when it comes to sharing them with your parents.”
“I want to get along with them.”
Her expressive eyes pleaded with him to understand, and he lost himself in them. “I’ll come with you when you tell them,” he offered.
She glanced away and her hands started their fidget routine, a sure sign something was bothering her. “I don’t know. That probably isn’t such a great idea.”
“They can hate me all they want. You’re carrying my baby, but you don’t have to face them alone. I want to be there with you.”
“You’d do that for me? You’re a good man, Sly Pettit. I’m awful glad my baby will have you for a daddy.”
Her warmth and sincerity went straight to his heart. She stroked his cheek, then leaned across the plate, cupped his face in her hands and kissed him. Nothing passionate, a light brush of her lips against his. But her sweetness was there, tempting him like a siren’s song.
Fighting a losing battle to control his desire and forgetting that on his ranch he wanted to keep his distance, he caught hold of her hand and kissed the sensitive inside of her wrist.
He heard her swallow and felt her pulse bump against his mouth, pounding almost as hard as his heart.
The brownie plate clattered onto the porch planking, a loud warning that what he was about to do was a bad idea.
“Oops,” Lana murmured, her voice husky with desire. “There goes the dessert plate.” Her lips parted, her eyelids lowered and she wrapped her arms around his neck.
Need roared through him, crushing the last of his tenuous grip on his control. He pulled her onto his lap and gave in.
Chapter
Twenty-Four
Sly’s kisseswere deep and demanding. Weak with desire, Lana sank against him. Her mind blanked and her whole world shrank to her and him, slowly rocking in the cooling night air. Hours later, or maybe it was only a few minutes, he pulled away.
