Chapter Eighteen
A few days later Liam asked, “What’s wrong, Val? You’ve been super quiet.” Ever since she’d run into Christy at Grey’s. Val hadn’t mentioned it, but Cici had told him what went down. He hadn’t thought she was worried, but maybe she was.
She looked up from brushing Starlight. “Do you regret not being a bachelor anymore?”
“Why would you ask me that? No, I don’t regret it.”
“I can’t help thinking that it would make things so much easier if I lost the baby. Then I feel guilty for even thinking that. Because I don’t want it to happen. I want the baby.”
He wasn’t sure she’d believe him, but he said, “I do too. Want the baby, I mean.”
“Do you really?”
“I really do.”
“It seems unfair that you’re taking responsibility for a baby that’s not even yours.”
“It’s not unfair. I chose to do it.”
“To help me.”
Partly. “It helped me too. What’s this about, Val? We’ve talked about this.”
“If your goal was to get your mom to marry Clint, then it’s a failure.”
“That wasn’t my only goal. Besides, I’ve figured out I have no control over what my mother does or doesn’t do. Is that all?”
She continued to brush Starlight even though he could tell the mare’s coat gleamed from brushing it. “I’m afraid you’ll regret marrying me. That you’ll get tired of being tied down.”
“Do I act like I’m tired of being married?”
“No. But what about when I get big and pregnant, and we can’t have sex anymore? You won’t like that.”
“Don’t get me wrong, I love the sex. But that’s not the only thing I like about being married to you.”
She stopped what she was doing and looked at him. “It’s not?”
“Of course not. I like being with you. I like that you worry about me getting enough sleep, or not eating enough. I like talking to you. In fact…” He took the brush from her and set it down before putting his arms around her. “In fact, I just plain like you .”
She rested her forehead against his chest. “You think I’m being silly but it’s a valid concern.”
He put his fingers beneath her chin to make her look at him. “Does this have anything to do with Christy?” According to what Cici had told him, she’d made it very clear that if Liam was interested, married or not, she was game for an affair. And she’d made sure Val knew it too.
“Maybe. Okay, yes. Who told you?”
“Cici. She thought I should know. What Christy said at Grey’s is bothering you. Why? You know it’s bullshit.”
“It was bad enough at the Stroll but hearing her talk about how you were going to be bored with me soon enough—” She broke off and shrugged. “And she doesn’t even know I’m pregnant. She’s very pretty.”
“Not as pretty as you. Val, I have absolutely no interest in her. I’m happy with you.”
“My hormones are making me insecure.”
“Come with me.” He grabbed her hand and dragged her into the tack room, closing the door behind them.
Liam backed her up against the door and caged her in with his hands on either side of her. “I don’t want another woman. I—” He broke off and stared at her. Oh, God, he’d almost said he loved her. Worse, he’d just figured out he really was falling in love with her. Which he’d promised himself he wouldn’t do. Crap.
“What do I need to do to prove to you I want you? And no one else.” Frustrated, he kissed her. Not a sweet, gentle kiss. No, his tongue plunged into her mouth and met hers. She put her arms around his neck and met him with a kiss so hot it sizzled. He broke the kiss and said, “I think about you all the time. Even when I shouldn’t. When I should be working and all I’m thinking about is how soon I can get you alone.”
“Really?” She looked at him with eyes the color of the cold, clear Montana sky.
He kissed her again. Boosted her up and put her against the door, his cock hard as a rock, which there was no doubt she could feel. He palmed her breast through her sweater. Impatient for skin, he pushed up the sweater and pulled down her bra so her breast spilled into his palm. Her nipple was already stiff. He rubbed it, tugged on it, bent his head and took her breast in his mouth. She gave a strangled groan and drove her fingers into his hair.
Someone tried to open the door but their bodies blocked it. Damn it, couldn’t people leave him alone for more than five minutes? “Busy,” he said. “Go away.”
“Liam?” Melody said. “Do you know where the form is for—”
“No,” he snarled. “Get lost.”
“Okay. Um, sorry.”
Talk about killing the mood. Val laughed. “What if it’s important? She’s your ranch manager.”
“Who should be able to take care of things for five damn minutes without having to ask me something.” He readjusted her clothes and let her slide down his body. Damn. She was going to kill him. “We’ll continue this later.”
“Works for me,” she said with a sunny smile.
He was pretty sure she wasn’t worrying about Christy anymore.
*
“Why don’t we go see the Garden of Lights this weekend?” Liam asked Val one day.
The Marietta Garden of Lights in Crawford Park began the weekend of the Stroll and lasted through to the new year. Val had always loved it, both as a kid and as an adult. But she hadn’t been in a while for one reason or another.
She’d have thought Liam would be tired of the festivities. “I’d love to go but are you sure you want to go? You’ve been leaving Melody and Les in charge of things more often.”
“I know. And they’re doing fine. The ranch is running smoother than it has in a long time. Plus I haven’t been killing myself working.”
“I didn’t realize you needed to get away but you obviously did.”
“You know what ranch life is like. I love it. I love the horses. And while I don’t love everything about it, I don’t mind working hard. But until we got married, I’d been working nonstop for years. Even I can use a change of scenery occasionally.”
“I’m glad you’re able to now.” She hadn’t realized quite how tied down Liam had been. Although, like all ranchers, Riley worked hard, he had help. A good bit of help and a foreman who’d been with them for years. So, he was able to take off when necessary. And she never had been as tied to the ranch work as her brother was. Sure, she’d had to find someone to take her place but mostly Riley needed another pair of hands. And if he needed to ask her opinion about breeding there was always the phone. But Riley knew more than she ever would, and there was always their dad to talk to as well. Their dad wasn’t physically up to the ranch work but his mind was as sharp as ever.
But Liam’s dad had died years ago. And she knew he thought his mother worked too hard and he wanted her to have a full life—preferably with Clint. Although that was looking less likely by the day.
“It’s the first time I’ve been able to go to the Christmas stuff in years.” He added quietly, “Not since my dad died.”
She patted his arm. “I’m sorry. You must miss him a lot.”
“He used to love Christmas. When we were kids we always went to the Stroll, the gingerbread house display, the hay rides at the Scotts’ Christmas tree farm, and whatever other Christmas festivity there was in Marietta. I never thought much about what he had to do to take off work. But back then we had more help and he managed.”
She’d discovered something about him she hadn’t known.
Liam loved Christmas. She resolved to do everything she could to make it one of his best Christmases ever. Hopefully the first of many.