Expecting the Rancher's Heir by Kathie DeNosky Page B

their lunch, Melissa watched her sister and future sister-in-law leave the restaurant. She loved finally having female family members. After growing up as the only girl in a house full of boys, it was definitely a welcome change.
    â€œI think everything went pretty well tonight,” Shane said, walking up to put his arm around her. “At least, none of your brothers threatened to grab their shotguns and run me out of town.”
    She laughed. “I doubt that any of them own a shotgun.” As they walked from the Sky Lounge, she added, “I’m just glad everything is out in the open and we don’t have to sneak around anymore.”
    â€œYeah, I’m not going to miss those midnight treks from the stables through the woods to Willow Lodge one damned bit. It’s a wonder someone hadn’t noticed and thought I was a Peeping Tom.” Waiting for the elevator, his laughter turned into a grin that held such promise it stole her breath. “From now on, I’ll just roll over and turn out the light.”
    â€œReally?” she asked, laughing at his lascivious grin.
    â€œMost definitely.” He leaned close to whisper, “And just in case you have any doubts about that, I intend to give you a demonstration as soon as we get back to the lodge.”
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    Using Lissa’s key, Shane let them into Willow Lodge, then closing and locking the door behind them, took her into his arms. He nibbled kisses from her neck up to her delicate earlobe.
    â€œI’ve been wanting to have you all to myself all evening.” Used to being alone with her, he’d had the devil of a time keeping his hands to himself.
    â€œThe dinner party did seem to drag on, didn’t it?” She put her arms around his waist and snuggled close. “Thank you, Shane.”
    He leaned back to gaze down at her. “For what?”
    â€œFor taking charge tonight when we told my family about us.” She kissed his chin. “I wasn’t quite sure how to go about it.”
    â€œI never said I hadn’t rehearsed a few dozen different speeches before I settled on one.” He grinned. “When you’re in a room full of men who just might take your head off and shout down your neck because you got their little sister pregnant, it inspires you to think things through.”
    â€œYou did just fine,” she said, unknotting his necktie. He loved the feel of her fingers brushing his throat as she removed the silk tie.
    Placing his hands on her shoulders, he turned her around. “As good as you look in this dress, I think you’ll look much better out of it.”
    Slowly sliding the zipper down from her neck to her lower back, he sucked in a sharp breath. “Goodthing I didn’t know earlier that you weren’t wearing a bra,” he said, kissing the back of her neck. “I’d have never made it through the evening.”
    When he started to slide the black dress from her shoulders, she caught the front to her and shaking her head, stepped away from him. “Why don’t you build a fire in the fireplace while I change?”
    As she walked from the room, Shane blew out a frustrated breath and slipping off his suit coat, unbuttoned and rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt. Building a fire hadn’t been high on the list of things he’d had planned for the evening. In fact, it hadn’t been anywhere on it. But it was something Lissa wanted, and he was finding more and more that he was willing to do whatever it took to make her happy and see her pretty smile.
    A nice fire had just started crackling in the stone fireplace when the lights in the great room went out. A moment later, Lissa walked up and knelt down beside him in front of the hearth.
    â€œI thought these might be nice to snuggle up with,” she said, setting a stack of pillows and a couple of fluffy blankets on the floor beside him.
    Glancing over at her, he did a double take. She was