The Ransomes: Matt, Nick and Katherine

“Get some control,” she whispered. “You’re mush when he kisses you.” She didn’t want to even think about his devastating kisses. But if he was leaping over barriers around her heart, she suspected she might be building bridges over his. “Just you try to resist falling in love with me, Matt Ransome,” she declared.

She straightened up. “Yeah, right,” she said, reminding herself that the man had iron willpower, and he could probably keep his heart locked away for a lifetime if he chose to. She thought about Jeff’s story about Matt rescuing their father when all the professional rescuers had pulled out of the area. Jeff said Matt refused to give up, but he wouldn’t let Jeff or Katherine search with him and Nick had a sprained ankle. She was dealing with a man who had a will of iron and would make all kinds of sacrifices to get what he wanted.

Would her heart break over this hard, tough cowboy? And beneath the wealth and sophistication, she suspected there was a cowboy who was a lot of country.

She squared her shoulders and smoothed her skirt. She was willing to take some risks. At this point she had the world to gain—and only a broken heart to lose, she reminded herself.

With a toss of her head she left to join him for dinner.

By the time she strolled onto the patio, he was grilling steaks. A plume of gray smoke spiraled above the cooker and tantalizing smells made her mouth water, but it was the tall, handsome cook who took her breath and made her pulse jump.

He had dressed in slacks, western boots and a knit shirt, but how easily she could remember the body and muscles beneath those neat clothes. He glanced at her and then turned to give her his full attention, watching her walk toward him.

Tingling and growing hot, she sauntered up to him, stopping only inches from him. “Like what you see?” she asked in a sultry voice.

A faint smile quirked his mouth. “My anticipation about our wedding night is growing,” he replied and her pulse jumped another notch.

“It’ll be even better than you imagine,” she said.

“You’re flirting again, Olivia.” He ran his finger just above the top of her sundress, drawing a line on her bare skin that made her draw her breath. “But why do I think you have an ulterior motive? I think you want me to fall in love with you so you can steal my heart away and twist me around your little finger.” His fingers trailed upward to her nape where he caressed her lightly. “Am I right? Or will you admit the truth?”

“I’ll answer honestly,” she replied, wanting to kiss him instead of chat with him. “I hadn’t thought about twisting you around my little finger and I don’t really believe that I possibly can. Maybe I’m just trying to protect my heart so if I do fall in love with you, I won’t be rejected.”

He propped his foot on an iron chair and placed his arm on his thigh as he leaned closer. She was hemmed in by him and by his leg on one side of her, the cooker on the other and the chair behind her. His blue eyes pierced her as if he were searching for answers in her gaze. “So you’re not getting cold feet yet over our deal?”

“Of course not,” she said, acutely aware of his proximity and his leg touching her hip lightly. “We need to talk about the wedding. How many attendants will I need to have because you’ll have groomsmen.”

“Back to business? I’d rather talk about making love.”

“We better take care of business if you want this wedding next week.”

He smiled at her and traced the curve of her ear. “All right. How many attendants do you want?” he asked in a husky voice and she suspected he was giving little thought to the approaching nuptials.

“You’re not thinking about our wedding,” she said.

“I’m thinking about making passionate love to you on our wedding night,” he answered in a husky voice and leaned down to brush her lips with his.

Her heart thudded, but she fought her impulse to kiss him and stepped back. “Matt, we have to make decisions about the wedding. How many groomsmen? I have three friends here, but I can well imagine that you will have a lot more close friends, plus your brother. I’ll be happy to ask your sister to be an attendant.”

His heated gaze kept her pulse racing. “All right. We’ll discuss the wedding—for now. I’ve been trying to get in touch with my family to let them know. While you dressed, I tried to call Nick and Katherine. I’ve left messages for both of them.”

“Are they here in Texas?”

“No. I called their cells. Katherine is in Chicago, and Nick is on a rig in the Gulf. I talked to my dad and of course, he wants to meet you. We’re having him join us for breakfast in the morning. How’s that?”

“Fine,” she said, wondering if his entire family would disapprove of her and try to talk Matt out of the marriage. For an instant a surge of panic threatened, but then she reminded herself that Matt had agreed to marry her and he said he would keep his word.

Matt caressed her nape and she stopped thinking about his family. “Three attendants will be fine. If you want her, ask Katherine,” he said. “I can’t predict what she’ll do or say.”

“I hope they don’t hate me.”

“If they do, do you want to call off the marriage?”

“No, I don’t.”

He tugged on a curling lock of her hair. “Dad will be the most difficult to deal with. He’s not the same since Jeff’s death. Jeff was his baby and his favorite which is why he let Jeff do just what he damn well pleased.”

“If I have a boy, I don’t mind if you want to name him after your brother.”

Matt traced his finger around the curve of her ear. “That might be a real fine thing. It would mean a lot to the whole family. ’Course you may be having a girl.”

“When the time comes, I’ll find out what my baby is going to be. When I have an ultrasound, you can even go with me if you want.”

His eyes narrowed. “I’d like to go with you,” he replied. “I’d really like it,” he repeated as if surprised by his own feelings. “Something else—as soon as we marry, I wish you’d refer to this baby as ‘our’ baby, even though I’m not the blood father. For all intents and purposes, I will be this baby’s father.”

“That’s wonderful!” she exclaimed, delighted with his suggestion. “Our baby,” she repeated, the words thrilling her. Then she focused on him again. “You’re standing close,” she said quietly.

“It bothers you?”

“You know you disturb me,” she replied.

“If the steaks weren’t going to burn, I’d do more to disturb you right now,” he said in a husky voice that was its own caress. He walked to the grill to take the steaks off and set them on the table.

Hunger pangs increased her anticipation, but when she sat down at the table across from Matt, she lost interest in food. Talking to him and making wedding plans took precedence over eating. As they chatted, she couldn’t believe her good fortune.

Over dinner Matt charmed her with stories about the ranch and his brothers and sister, yet all the time he talked about them, Olivia couldn’t stop wondering how much they would accept her and the approaching marriage.

She barely touched her steak and noticed that Matt didn’t either. They talked about a myriad of subjects and she wondered if his life had been lonely before, but then she pushed that notion aside as ridiculous. Matt could do as he pleased and she suspected he kept busy all the time. Looking into his thickly lashed blue eyes, she couldn’t imagine, in spite of what he had said, that there weren’t women around often. His handsome looks and virility took her breath. If only—she dismissed that thought immediately. She was getting more than she ever dreamed possible. She had to stop looking for love.

The sun set and lights came on automatically in posts scattered around the patio. The pool sparkled with light and she was dazzled by her surroundings, but far more by Matt. He reached across the table to take her hand in his. His fingers were warm and strong. At the intense look in his eyes, her pulse speeded.

He reached into his pocket with his other hand. “I bought a ring for you today while I was waiting,” he said and placed a small black velvet box in her hand.

Surprised, she opened it and her heart missed beats when she looked at the dazzling diamond that sparkled against the dark velvet. “Matt!” she gasped, stunned by his gift. She looked up at him. “It’s fantastic!”

“You like it?” he asked.

“Of course, I love it!” she said. “It’s magnificent! I can’t believe you would do this! We barely know each other. I’m astounded—” She realized she was babbling, but she was caught off guard and never had expected any such ring.

“Olivia,” he said, cutting short her words and leaning closer to slip his hand beneath her chin. “For this baby’s sake, we’re entering into a marriage of convenience, but as far as I’m concerned, I think it would be best for our baby if all our friends think we’re in love. You’ll get a hell of a lot more respect that way, and men will leave you alone. Unless you let them know they don’t have to leave you alone.”

“Don’t worry about that one,” she said. “We’ve already agreed to be faithful to each other.”

“At this point that’s merely lip service.”

“Not for me,” she said, solemnly, her excitement diminishing.

He took the ring from her and slipped it onto her finger.

“It’s a perfect fit,” she said, wiggling her fingers slightly and watching the huge diamond sparkle. “This has to be the biggest diamond I’ve ever seen in my life.”

“Good. It’s eight carats and that should be big enough to keep guys away and earn you respect from the women.”

She looked at the glittering diamond and then at him. He was being generous beyond her wildest dreams. She pushed back her chair and walked around the table and something flickered in the depths of his eyes. As she approached him, he scooted his chair and she sat on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Thank you,” she said and leaned down to kiss him.

His arms enveloped her and he shifted her closer, kissing her in return until she forgot all about the dazzling ring and was lost in Matt’s kisses.

His hands brushed her bare shoulders and nape, sliding down to twist free her buttons. He pulled down the front of her sundress to cup her breasts in his hands. When his thumbs drew circles on her nipples, she moaned with pleasure, a sound that was muffled as his tongue plunged deeply into her mouth.

Then his hand was beneath her full skirt, pushing it high while his fingers caressed the inside of her thigh. He turned her on his lap so he could slide his fingers into her lacy panties.

“Matt!” she gasped.

Shifting her over him so she was astride him, he cupped both her breasts and lowered his head to her breasts, to kiss first one and then the other. He drew his tongue in slow circles around her nipple while his thumb continued to circle her other nipple.

Bombarded by sensations and desire, she clung to his shoulders and then let her hand slide down to his hard shaft. With a pounding pulse, she unbuckled his belt and unfastened his trousers, trying to free him from the restraints of clothing. She wanted him totally, yet she clung to her resolution to wait until their wedding night to give herself fully. She refused to fall into his arms and his bed so quickly even though every caress and kiss was fueling the bonfire that consumed her.

Lost to his lovemaking, she moved her hips while trying to fight through the fog of need back to caution and patience.

Catching his wrist, she held his hand. “You’re going too fast again.” She swung her leg over him and straightened her clothing, trying to pull the top of her dress back in place.

His blue eyes had darkened with passion and the heated look in them made her heart pound. When he fastened his clothes, she returned to her chair and studied her new ring. “I’ve never dreamed of owning jewelry like this.”

She looked at him and her heart missed a beat because the desire in his expression shocked her.

“I want you, Olivia. I want you in my arms in my bed and I want all that passion you have bottled up turned loose.”

“You have to wait only a few more days,” she reminded him, wondering if either one of them could resist that long. Already, they weren’t able to keep their hands to themselves and when they started kissing, they almost lost all restraint.

“Let’s clean this up—”

“Nope,” he said, standing and taking her hand and crossing the patio to a cushioned glider. “Later. Let’s sit and talk.”

Olivia moved to a chair close to the glider and received a mocking smile from Matt. She looked at the ring again. “This is absolutely fabulous. Thank you so very much.”

He nodded. “Wedding dress, ring, minister, wedding planner, caterer, band and lawyers. We need to get in touch with my family and get our attendants lined up. Your attendants will need to get dresses. As soon as we go to the courthouse tomorrow and take care of the legal stuff with the county, I think we’ll have everything else in order.”

“I can’t believe you’re getting all this done this quickly,” she said, knowing she could always expect him to try to take charge and go at a gallop to get what he wanted.

“We have parties out here and some of the arrangements aren’t that different,” he said.

Butterflies flitted in her stomach at the thought of talking to the rest of the Ransome clan.

Matt took her hand, lacing her fingers in his. He raised her hand to brush her knuckles with kisses, his warm breath a caress that made her want back in his lap. As she talked about classes she could take in the fall, Matt scooted his chair against hers. Finally, she stood. “I insist we clean. Mrs. Marley won’t be here tonight or tomorrow.”

He waved his hand. “Sit and talk. I’ll clean. It’ll give me something to do because I’m not going to sleep.”

She wrinkled her nose at him. “I’m not going to ask why you won’t sleep,” she said as she sat again.

“You know exactly why,” he replied in a low voice. He reached over to lift her into his lap.

She wound her arms around his neck and smiled at him. “I think we did this a short time ago.”

“I can’t remember,” he said, looking at her mouth.

She inhaled and pulled his head down as she placed her mouth on his to kiss him, knowing every kiss made her want more. “Matt,” she whispered, kissing him between words, “you’re making it harder to wait—”

“Darlin’, you’re definitely the one making it harder,” he drawled in a sexy innuendo that she barely heard over her pounding pulse. Matt’s arm tightened around her and his tongue went deep. He kissed her long and thoroughly before she made him stop again. Standing, she moved away. “I’ll see you at breakfast.”

He gazed at her with a smoldering intensity and she hurried away, knowing a few more seconds and she would have been right back in his arms.

That night she was restless, worrying about Matt’s father and how his family would accept her after learning she had talked Matt into a loveless marriage of convenience.

Tuesday morning at breakfast, she could feel the tension in spite of Matt being charming and his father chatting easily. Duke Ransome was a large, powerful-looking man with shoulders as broad as Matt’s and a deeply tanned complexion. Dressed in western shirt, jeans and boots, he still was a handsome man. He had brilliant blue eyes and a scar across his temple that was a testament to his rugged ranch life. He could be as charming as Matt, but his smiles ended before ever reaching his cold blue eyes that continually bored into her.

It was no surprise to her when breakfast was over and they moved to the family room to have Duke look at his son and announce, “Matt, I’d like to talk to Olivia for a few minutes, just the two of us.”

“I’d be happy to talk to you, Mr. Ransome,” Olivia said, trying to sound collected. She had dressed with care and was thankful in her shopping yesterday that she had bought a new, tailored navy suit and matching silk blouse. Ignoring her churning stomach, she hoped she looked poised with her hair looped and pinned behind her head.

“Dad, I think anything you have to say might be well said with all three of us together,” Matt suggested.

“Nope. I want to talk to Olivia. I’m not going to bite her head off,” Duke said and smiled at her, but it was a smile that chilled her and she wondered what he intended to say.

“I’m staying to hear whatever you have to say,” Matt said in a voice that was as firm and direct as his father’s and she knew at this point the decision was between the two males so she remained silent.

“Very well,” Duke said and nodded, motioning to her. “Please sit down.”

She sat in a leather wingback chair and Matt perched on the arm of the chair beside her.

The moment Duke Ransome turned his steely gaze on her, she braced for trouble. “You know we’re all interested in your baby and want the baby in this family because it’s a Ransome,” he began.

“Yes, sir. Matt has made that clear and that’s why we’re marrying,” she replied, aware that Matt remained silent. She wondered if he and his father had planned this talk together and hoped to get her to back out of the pending marriage.

“Which, of course, was your idea. I know my son doesn’t want to wed again, for convenience or any other reason.”

Olivia merely smiled and waited. Duke Ransome moved to the window and looked out at the sprawling ranch land. “We’ve fought for this land and protected it and I’ve struggled to keep my family together. I miss Jeff. This baby is his child and is a part of him.”

“Yes, sir,” she said, wondering if he intended to try to stir her sympathy. Questions swirled through her thoughts and curiosity about Matt plagued her. Why was he silent? Was he hoping his father would drive her away?

Duke Ransome turned to face her and his gaze chilled her. “There’s no love between you and Matt because a week ago you didn’t know each other and I know you haven’t fallen in love in the short time you’ve known each other. Matt is not in love, I’m sure.”

“No, sir. We haven’t fallen in love,” she admitted. “But we think we have a good arrangement.”

“Maybe I can give you a better one than Matt can. I don’t want you messing up my son’s life. And that’s what you’ll do.” She started to speak, but he raised his hand.

“Hear me out. Give us Jeff’s baby. You’re a beautiful woman and you’ll fall in love again. You can have a lot more babies. Give us Jeff’s baby and I’ll deposit in your account a half of a million dollars to let us have the baby and you get out of Matt’s life permanently. You can add this amount to what Matt has offered and you can keep the ring he’s given you. In total, my proposition, plus Matt’s offer and his ring will be well over half a million.”

Eight

Stunned, Olivia stared at him. After surprise shook her, her mind began to function. “Thank you for your generous offer, but my answer is no.”

Duke’s eyes narrowed. “Did you hear how much I’m willing to give you? You can’t turn down that much money.”

“I can and I have,” she said quietly. Matt’s arm curved around her shoulders and he gave her a squeeze.

“You haven’t even thought it over,” Duke said, scowling at her.

“I’ve kept quiet, Dad, to hear your offer, as well as to hear Olivia’s response,” Matt said in a firm voice. “Just now Olivia refused you. That’s what I wanted to hear. She’s honest and true and up-front about all of this. You and Jeff have both underestimated her and misjudged her just as I did before I met her. In my judgement of her, I was off a country mile and you’re even more mistaken about her. Just as Jeff was. Jeff couldn’t see beyond a desirable woman.”

“Dammit! Neither can you!” Duke snapped, his voice rising. “Don’t be taken in again. You married a woman who couldn’t wait to dump you. You don’t know anything about women, Matt. Stop interfering here.”

“I’m not interfering. Olivia just refused your offer.”

“You don’t think this baby needs its mother?” Olivia asked, her anger increasing by the second.

“No,” Duke replied, his attention shifting back to her. “We’ll make up for that. My children grew up without their mother and they turned out fine.”

“Perhaps they did,” Olivia replied. “From what I knew, as charming as he was, Jeff cared about no one but himself.” She glanced at Matt who gazed back with an unfathomable expression. “Matt is cynical and talks about his sister and brother being wild,” she continued and turned to face Duke again. “All of your children might have benefited from a mother’s influence.”

“By any standards my family is a fine one,” Duke said, and his face flushed a deeper red. His anger was palpable. Olivia regretted she was the cause of it, but she wasn’t intimidated by Duke Ransome and she had no intention of giving up her baby for any amount.

“I didn’t say they weren’t a fine family, Mr. Ransome. I just think a mother might have had an additional positive impact on them. My baby is going to have its mother. Your family puts too high a priority on material things.” She tried to bank her own smoldering anger and think clearly because she was making monumental decisions about her future and her baby’s and she didn’t want to make the wrong choice in an emotional, knee-jerk reaction.

“I think that’s a bit difficult to accept coming from a person with your background and your demands on my son. You can’t tell me money means nothing to you,” Duke said, gruffly.

Matt stood and placed his hand on her shoulder. “That’s enough, Dad. A week from Saturday Olivia and I intend to marry. We’re working out a good arrangement that will give our baby a father and a mother and a family and financial support.”

“Financial support! Like hell!” Duke’s fiery gaze bored into Olivia. The room snapped with tension, yet she felt insulated, certain about what she wanted and reassured by Matt’s stand against his father.

“The tramp will take you for as much as she can get!” Duke exclaimed, still staring at Olivia.

“Tramp?” Matt put his hands on his hips, clenching his fists and taking a step toward his father. “I don’t think so,” he said in a chilling tone that made Olivia draw a deep breath. “She turned down your offer of half a million dollars—that’s no tramp after money, Dad, and you better face the truth. She’s going to be the mother of your first grandchild. You owe Olivia an apology.”

“Matt, please,” Olivia said, standing and placing her hand on Matt’s arm. “I don’t want to cause a rift between father and son.”

“Like hell you don’t,” Duke snapped. “In your lifetime you’ll never have such wealth as I’m offering. If you marry my son, you won’t be able to touch the Ransome money. Matt will see to that.”

“I’m not after cash. There are other things in life that are important.”

“I think you’re after the Ransome fortune and I’ll do everything in my power to keep you from getting a dime of it.”

Olivia could feel the waves of anger emanating from Duke. His fists were clenched, and his face flushed a deeper red.

“Dad, you’re on dangerous ground—” Matt said, stopping when she squeezed his arm.

“Wait, Matt,” she said and turned to his father. “Mr. Ransome, it’s not the Ransome money that I’m after. I’d like my baby to be part of this family that he or she belongs to by blood, although after the past few minutes, I am having second thoughts about that. From what I know so far, Matt is an honorable man. I would like a father for my child. My baby is a Ransome, therefore, I would like my baby to have the benefits of being a Ransome, but not at a price that will compromise his or her life in any manner. Frankly, you, sir, make me want to walk out of the door and never look back. Your son, on the other hand, has accepted my proposition for a marriage of convenience that will give our baby opportunities beyond anything I can ever offer.”

“Damn straight, you little—”

“Dad!” Matt snapped in a tough, determined voice as he stepped forward with clenched fists. “Apologize to the woman I intend to marry and to the woman who is the mother of your grandson! You damn well apologize or you’ll never know this child. I’ll cut you off right here and now.”