Heartland by Sherryl Woods Page A

Aunt Lara!” Jennifer shouted excitedly, before skidding to a stop at the sight of Steven. She regarded him with a puzzled frown.
    Thoroughly disconcerted by the intrusion, Lara dragged the sheet up to her neck. She glanced down to discover that Steven had opened one eye to see what all the fuss was about. Her obvious discomfort brought a grin to his lips, but he quickly banished it as he waited in infuriating silence to see how she planned to handle the awkward situation. She glared at him, wondering if there was any way the floor could open up and swallow the two of them. Or, perhaps, only Steven.
    Before she could think of some explanation to offer her silent, wide-eyed niece, Mrs. Marston hurried into the room, her apron flapping, her lips pursed.
    â€œSo, there you are,” she said to Jennifer. “I thought I told you that your aunt was still asleep and that you weren’t to go bothering her.”
    â€œBut I knew she wouldn’t mind if I woke her up,” Jennifer protested indignantly. “I had to look really hard to find her.”
    She peered at Steven again. “Why are you here, Mr. Drake?” she asked in a voice that was both confused and unconsciously prim.
    Lara shot a fierce scowl of warning in his direction, and Steven promptly choked back a laugh.
    â€œWell,” he said, clearing his throat and carefully avoiding her eyes. Lara awaited his explanation with almost as much interest as Jennifer. “Umm. Actually your Aunt Lara had a bad dream during the night. I came in to make sure she was okay, and I guess I fell asleep.”
    It was a noble attempt and Lara loved him for it, but Jennifer still appeared skeptical. “But you don’t have any clothes on,” she pointed out.
    This time it was Lara who had to swallow hard to keep from chuckling. There was no denying Steven’s state of undress, not with nothing more than a discreetly placed sheet between him and total embarrassment. Fortunately Mrs. Marston, her own lips twitching with mirth, saved the day by taking Jennifer firmly by the hand.
    â€œCome along, young lady, and let your aunt get dressed if you want to get home to see your sister.”
    Jennifer’s eyes brightened. “Oh, yes, please hurry, Aunt Lara. I want to see Kelly and Mommy and Daddy.”
    â€œOkay, sweetheart. I’ll be as fast as I can,” Lara promised.
    When the door had closed behind her niece, Lara hardly dared to meet Steven’s gaze. When she did, his eyes glittered brightly and dangerously.
    â€œI suppose you’ll have to marry me now,” he said lightly. Lara’s eyes widened. “Otherwise it’ll be Jennifer prodding us all the way to the church with a shotgun. Do you suppose she gets that stern, disapproving attitude from her father?”
    â€œWhat I think is that we took her by surprise. I doubt if she fully understood the implications.”
    â€œToo bad,” Steven said. “I was sort of looking forward to the wedding.”
    His bantering tone kept Lara from responding the way she wanted to, by throwing herself into his arms and agreeing to marry him at the first possible moment. Instead, she said in her sassiest manner, “Give me a proper proposal, and we’ll see what we can work out.”
    She didn’t wait to see if that proposal was forthcoming. For all of his attentiveness in the past, he had never once suggested that they marry. He had talked of a future together. He had even gone so far as to discuss their house, to think of taking her away with him. But the subject of making a permanent commitment had been skirted with surprising agility. She saw no reason to expect that had changed, and for the moment it didn’t matter. He was back in her life, and that was more than enough.
    Lara leaped from the warm bed before she could be caught by Steven’s outstretched hand and pulled back into an embrace from which there would be no escaping.
    Unperturbed by her