Back to the Heart (13 page)

Ana could hardly think of anything other than sex as she watched Ryan change in the corner of the barn. How she would love showering with him, running her hands over all the smooth, soaped-up, hard muscle. The very thought made her hot and bothered. Ice cream would be good to cool her down.

“You ready?” Ryan turned to her while he buttoned his clean flannel, the last bit of delicious skin disappearing beneath the fabric.

“I’m as ready as I’m going to be,” she sighed before realizing that it seemed misplaced.

Ryan flanked her side with a smile, brushing his fingers across her cheek before he leaned in to crush his lips against hers. The passion behind the kiss was so sudden that it had Ana’s head spinning. And for a few brief moments, she thought they were never going to make it out of the barn.

“I haven’t had one of these in ages.” Ryan’s eyes went wide as he set the waffle bowl sundae between them. Ana couldn’t help but grin. While he had wanted turtle-flavored, he had settled for chocolate-covered strawberry after she had expressed disinterest in his first choice. It seemed there was no end to his wanting to please her, even when it came to ice cream flavors.

They could have each gotten their own. But the suggestion that they shared a bowl was too romantic for Ana to deny. And now that she was sitting in a booth beside him, their spoons dipping into the cold dessert together, she was completely in her happy place. It was as if the misery of earlier had never even occurred.

“This is exactly what I needed,” she purred, leaning over to give him a kiss.

“It’s been a hot day. Although not as hot as you.” He took the kiss deeper, though Ana couldn’t maintain it for very long. The way he tasted like chocolate made her giggle. “You like my cold kisses.”

“I just like you.”
Too much.

“Still thinking about things?”

“A bit.”

“Tell me your thoughts.” He bumped shoulders with her before digging a strawberry out of the bowl and feeding it to her.

“I was wondering what you’re going to do when you run out of things to fix around the ranch.”

Ryan shrugged. “I think I’m going to take over some of the other responsibilities until Molly feels like kicking me out.”

“I think she’d keep you until she managed to marry me off to you,” Ana teased.

“Then I guess I’ll stay until then.” He leaned over to kiss her temple, and his cold lips made a shiver roll down her spine.

“Will I be able to talk to you while you’re gone on your business trip?” Ana cringed at how desperate that sounded.

“Of course. We can talk on the phone and Skype.”

“Good.” She wanted to ask if they could speak every day, but she didn’t want to come off as too needy. “I still can’t believe my mom almost caught us.”

“Oh, I know. That was about the only time I’ve been displeased with your mother.”

“If I were still a teenager, she would have chased you off. And if my father found out . . .”

“A shotgun, I’m guessing.” Ryan smirked. “He was one of those kinds of dads, wasn’t he?”

“Yeah, he was.” She nodded.

“I can’t blame him. If I had a daughter as pretty as you and some guy was trying to get at her, I’d probably chase him off with a shotgun too.”

Ana’s hand slid over the bulge of her stomach. Was that the kind of father Ryan would be if she was to have a girl? The thought made her smile.

“Protective much?”

“Of those I love, definitely.” He leaned in to kiss her. Ana reached her hand up around Ryan’s neck, deepening the kiss. The thought of being cared for and protected by a man who loved so transparently was more than she could have ever hoped for.

They loved each other’s mouths until they were both out of breath. By the time Ana pulled away, she was all bleary-eyed. The expression on Ryan’s face was much darker, though it softened when he regained awareness of their surroundings. This was not the place for a necking session.

“So.” He turned back to the ice cream, picking up his spoon to scrape the bottom of the waffle bowl. “Your mother tells me there’s going to be a county fair this weekend.”

“There is.” Ana nodded, her cheeks flushing with the realization that several people in the restaurant were staring at them—people who would no doubt gossip about the kiss. “I had almost forgotten about it.”

“Do you have a date yet?”

The question was so blunt that it made Ana grin. “Nope. Not many gentlemen are interested in taking a girl who is pregnant with someone else’s child.” Her fingers splayed across the swell of her stomach, and she could have sworn she felt the baby kick.

“They don’t know what they’re missing out on.” He broke off a piece of the waffle bowl and fed it to her. “I bet you can guess my next question.”

Ana’s heart skipped a beat. “No clue,” she lied.

“Will you be my date for the county fair this weekend?”

“A date.” As far as she was concerned, they had been on plenty of dates already. Wasn’t this a date right now? But hearing confirmation that he wanted to take her on an actual date made butterflies flutter in Ana’s stomach.

“A date, Miss White. You know, when two people who are romantically interested in each other get together and have a good time.”

And are seen together by everyone in town.
If he upped and disappeared after that, it would make her look like a complete fool. As happy as she was that he had asked her, perhaps they should just go as friends. After all, weren’t they supposed to be trying to go slow until he came back from the trip?

“You’re thinking too hard.”

“I’m worrying again,” she confessed.

“About what?”

“About the fact that I’m falling for you way too fast. I know we keep going over this, but I still don’t know you very well.” She gave him an apologetic look.

Ryan placed his hand on top of hers and gave it a squeeze. “Then get to know me better. Go out on this date with me. It would make your mother happy.”

“Are you playing the guilt card now?” She quirked an eyebrow at him.

“I’ll play my entire hand if it will get you to say yes.”

How could she possibly say no when he was being so adorable?
Trust him, Ana. He’s a good man. If your mother thinks so, then it will be all right.

“I think it’s a date.” She nodded.

“You think?”

“It’s a date.” A smile broke out across Ana’s lips, and it was matched by Ryan’s excitement. If a man had ever been so happy to have his invitation accepted, Ana had only seen it in the movies.

Ana wanted a dress that would blow Ryan’s mind, one that she’d look so gorgeous in he couldn’t stand the thought of not coming back to her. That dress was not in her closet, and while she didn’t have a whole lot of money left after the move, she figured it wouldn’t hurt to splurge a little.

After she finished her chores on Friday, Ana sneaked away to San Antonio for a shopping spree. Unfortunately, Bandera just didn’t have the selection she wanted, especially since she was pregnant. But once she got into town and hit the maternity section of every store in the mall, she realized that neither did San Antonio.

They just don’t make nice dresses for pregnant women
. Most just looked like a sheet you threw over yourself. Ana was about to give up when her eyes landed on a white chiffon summer dress with a gold sequined collar. It still wasn’t as sexy as she would have liked, but Ana shrugged and took it into the dressing room anyway.

When she slid it over her head, she was impressed by how slim it made her look. From the front, you couldn’t tell she was pregnant at all, and from the side, it wasn’t too noticeable. Not to mention the dress was short enough to show off her long legs. Ana liked the dress even more when she looked at the price tag. Well within her budget.

“It will do,” she told herself as she pulled it off and put her clothes back on, preparing to head to the register.

As she was walking toward the counter, one of the sales ladies came to greet her. “Buying a dress for a special event?” she asked.

Ana squinted at her name tag, which said “Rhonda.” “Trying to get something that will knock a guy’s socks off, but that’s kind of hard to do when you’re pregnant.” She frowned.

“Well, you made a good selection. Can I suggest a few things though?” The woman stepped up to her, and Ana leaned back a bit when Rhonda started messing with her hair. “You’re going to want to pull your hair up into a high ponytail with this one. Do you have any red shoes?”

“Red shoes?”

“Yes. We have the best red shoes to go with that, and a matching clutch. And some pearls. You’ve got to have pearls.”

“I don’t really like pearls.” Ana wrinkled her nose.

“Trust me on this.” Rhonda grabbed her arm and pulled her over to the shoe section.

Ana felt like she had been caught up in a whirlwind as the lady sat her down and went around the store grabbing up shoes and accessories to go with the dress. It was a bit overwhelming and more than she wanted to deal with. But as she looked at the woman, Ana realized how exquisitely she was dressed. Maybe she did know about fashion after all.

“Are you sure these will match?” Ana asked hesitantly as Rhonda held up a pair of bright-red pumps.

“Go put the dress on, then try the shoes on. I promise you won’t be disappointed.”

Reluctantly, Ana headed into the dressing room with the dress. After she came back out, Rhonda added all the accessories. When she finally released Ana to go step in front of the mirror, Ana was blown away. The pearl necklace Rhonda had placed around her neck looked elegant, and the flower ring and bracelet she was wearing gave the dress a more wholesome appearance, which Ana knew her mother would like. It was the perfect combination of sophisticated and sweet. And Ana knew that she had to buy everything.

“Just pull your hair back, put on some nude lipstick, and you’ll be good to go,” Rhonda said from behind her with a smile.

“Wow. You really know your stuff. I thought the red shoes and clutch would be too much, but it gives the dress flair.”

“I wanted to be a fashion designer when I grew up.”

“And now you’re a master accessorizer. I’ll take it all.”

“Want some lingerie to go with that?” Rhonda perked up again at the thought of selling Ana more stuff.

It was an enticing idea. If anyone knew how to pick good lingerie for a pregnant woman, this woman was it. Still, Ana had already gone way over budget.

“Maybe next time.” She cringed at her own words.

By the time Ana finally made it to the register, Rhonda was holding up a set of lingerie. “How about this?”

Ana stared at it longingly, thinking of how Ryan would react seeing her so scantily clad. She could imagine the hungry look in his eyes, the way his hands would feel as they moved over her body, exploring and disrobing. The very thought of him taking the lingerie off her made her heat up inside. Maybe she wouldn’t be able to wait until he came back from his business trip.

She swallowed, certain of what it would mean if she wore the lingerie for him the day of the fair. They would have alone time afterward, she was sure of it. Did she want to tease him like that? Would he really be able to resist if he saw her looking so seductive and wanton?

Ana took a deep breath, then she shyly said, “I’ll take it.”

Every day Ana was more and more beautiful to Ryan, but she had never looked as stunning as she did right now. The breath left his lungs in a rush as she walked down the stairs, one long leg at a time, the white dress swishing around her thighs. It was hard to believe she came from a small country town. She was one hundred percent New York, high fashion, and exquisitely put together. Not to mention sexy as hell.

He could see her fitting into his world, picture her on his arm at the charity parties he attended. It made his heart soar.

This was just another step to getting there. But it was hard not to want it all now, and even harder to keep his hands off her.

Ana’s mother was standing at the bottom of the stairs, her eyes shimmering. She was watching Ryan too, though, and for that reason, he needed to be a gentleman.

“You look gorgeous.” He offered Ana his hand when she reached the bottom of the stairs, and she took it with a smile that made his heart skip a beat. Good Lord, how was he going to resist kissing her?

“You look quite dapper yourself.” She cast an appreciative glance at the faded blue jeans and black polo shirt he was wearing. Looking up at her, Ryan felt underdressed.

“Are we ready to go?” Molly asked, perhaps seeing the intensity with which they were sizing each other up.

“I think so,” Ana took a deep breath before standing up on tiptoe to give Ryan a peck on the lips. In the heels she was wearing, she didn’t have to reach too far.

Now was the time to present themselves to the town as a couple. It was an important day for both of them, but especially for Ryan. It was the day Ana accepted that he might someday be a bigger part of her life.