Grayson (20 page)

What if she told him to take a hike?

That wasn’t the only worry on his mind. Still, he had to see for himself that she was okay, that she had recovered both physically and mentally from the shooting.

He was about to get out of his truck, when the front door to her condo opened, and Eve backed out. She had on jeans, a dark red sweater top, and she was dragging something.

A Christmas tree.

Not a fake singing one but a real one with dry, browning branches. No ornaments, but there were a few strands of silver tinsel that caught the cold January wind and the afternoon sun. Since she was struggling with it and since he was pretty sure she shouldn’t be twisting and turning her body like that, Grayson hurried over to help her.

She must have heard his footsteps because she let go of the tree and whirled around as if she’d expected to be attacked.

Hell.

She’d been having those nightmares about the shooting.

But her expression quickly went from alarm to a smile. Not the weak half-assed smile that she’d given him in the hospital. This was a real one. An Eve smile that lit up her whole face. That smile caused him to freeze.

Oh, man. She was beautiful. Always had been, always would be. And he would always feel as if it he’d been sucker-punched when he saw her.

“Grayson,” she said on a rise of breath.

“Eve.” His voice didn’t sound any steadier than hers.

They stood there, staring, waiting. And because Grayson had to have something to do with his hands, he grabbed the trunk of the dead tree.

“Where do you want this to go?” he asked.

She motioned toward the Dumpster at the end of the parking lot where there were several other discarded Christmas trees. “The recycling truck is supposed to pick them up today,” she let him know.

Grayson headed in that direction, and Eve followed along beside him. He looked for any signs of pain or limited movement, but there weren’t any.

“I’m okay,” she assured him as if reading his mind. “I had my post-op check up last week, and the doctor said I was healing nicely.”

“Good.” He cursed himself when he repeated it.

Grayson didn’t hurry because he didn’t want Eve to hurry to keep up with him, but he didn’t dawdle, either. It was cold and blustery, and despite her
healing nicely
remark, he didn’t want her outside any longer than necessary—especially since she wasn’t wearing a coat. He tossed the tree next to the others and headed back.

“Would you like to come in?” she asked. The invitation was tentative, like her body language. She wasn’t fidgeting exactly, but it was close.

“Yeah. I’d like to talk.” And say what exactly, Grayson didn’t know.

Well, except for asking her the results of the pregnancy test she’d taken. Of course, if by some miracle that result had been positive, she would have already told him.

Maybe.

And Grayson had to accept that maybe she had already written him out of her life. It seemed that way in the hospital.

Eve walked into the condo ahead of him and shut the door once he was inside, but didn’t sit. She stuffed her hands into the back pockets of her jeans, causing her sweater to tighten across her breasts.

Something he shouldn’t have noticed.

However, he also noticed her necklace. Not an ordinary one. It was a familiar concho with the double
R
brand of his family’s ranch.

“Dade gave it to me for Christmas,” she said, following his gaze. “He had it made years ago.”

Funny, his brother hadn’t mentioned a thing about seeing Eve or giving her a Christmas present. After Eve had left the goodbye note at the hospital, Grayson had thought all the Rylands had respected her wishes to be left alone.

Apparently not.

And he would take that up with Dade when he got home.

“The concho doesn’t have bad memories for me like it does for you and your brothers,” Eve explained. She shifted her weight, glanced away. “When I see it, I don’t think of your father leaving. I think of all the memories of when he was there. When things were good.”

Leave it to Eve to find the silver lining.

Grayson reached out and slid his fingers beneath the concho pendant. But it wasn’t just the pendant he touched. His knuckles brushed against her breasts. She made a slight shivering sound and stepped back. Grayson let go of the concho and stepped back, too.

“Sorry,” she mumbled. But then her chin came up. “I guess it’s stupid to apologize for an involuntary response. I’m always going to feel an attraction for you, Grayson, and saying I’m sorry won’t make it go away.”

No. But admitting the attraction only reminded him that he felt the same about her. Not that he needed a reminder. Just seeing her had the heat sliding through him.

“Always?” he questioned. Oh, yeah. This was playing with fire all right.

She met his gaze head-on. “Always.”

Their gazes held, and so many things passed between them. Questions. But very few answers, only the obvious one about this simmering heat. Yes, it would always be there.

“How are you, really?” he asked.

The corner of her mouth lifted. “Well, I’m not in any shape to haul you off to my bed, but I’m healing.”

That didn’t cool him down. Oh, man. He was stupid to keep at this, but Grayson had no choice. He needed to get to the bottom of this once and for all.

“Do you want to haul me off to your bed?” he asked.

He didn’t quite get the reaction he’d hoped for. Eve huffed, and her hands came out of her pockets and went on her hips. “Yes. Happy now?” She didn’t wait for his answer. Not that he had one. “What’s this visit really about?”

He didn’t have an answer for that, either. But he knew he sure as hell needed one. Grayson couldn’t go back to kicking Christmas trees or to his nonstop surly mood. He had to resolve this situation once and for all.

“Well?” she prompted. She wasn’t tapping her foot, but it was close.

Grayson tried to wrap his mind around his feelings, but Eve huffed again.

“I’m in love with you,” she tossed out there like profanity. “I’ve tried not to be, but I can’t make my feelings go away. So, there! Learn to deal with it.” Another huff. “Would you like to know what I’ve been dreaming about for the past two weeks?”

Not the shooting. Grayson prayed it wasn’t that.

“About
you,
” she tossed out, as well.

Grayson was relieved. Sort of. “I’ve dreamed about you, too.”

He had to gather his breath because he knew these next few minutes would be the most important of his life. Everything was about to change.

And it all hinged on Eve.

“I’m in love with you, too.” He said the words fast, like pulling off a bandage, and he was surprised that it hadn’t hurt one bit. Just the opposite.

Grayson felt relieved.

That relief didn’t extend to Eve, however. Her eyes widened. Her mouth dropped open. “When did you realize that?” she asked.

“A long time ago. It just took me a while to get around to saying it.” And because it’d taken him too long, he decided to repeat it. “I love you, Eve.”

She didn’t say a word. She just stood there, mouth open, and then the tears sprang to her eyes. Grayson moved first, but she was faster. Eve launched herself into his arms.

He took things from there.

Grayson kissed her, and for the first time in his life, he didn’t hold anything back. He loved her, and he wanted her to know that. He must have succeeded because the kiss quickly turned fiery hot.

Eve coiled her arms around him, pulling him closer, but Grayson kept things gentle. Or at least he tried. Hard to stay gentle with the kiss going French and with Eve pressed against him. It wasn’t easy, but Grayson pulled back to remind her of her injury.

“You’re not in any condition for sex,” he reminded her.

“Maybe not our normal version of sex.” She put her mouth right against his ear because she was obviously a twisted woman who knew that would torture him in the best kind of way.

Grayson groaned and gladly gave in to the torture. He lifted his hands in surrender while she went after his neck.

Oh, yeah.

Eve knew every inch of his body, and within seconds had him rethinking that no-sex-right-now rule.

She pulled back slightly, met his gaze and gave him a nudge with her body that had his eyes crossing. “But remember, I’m in love with you,” Eve confessed, “and we can find a way to make this happen.”

He froze. And Eve noticed. She went stiff, too, and some panic raced through those jeweled blue eyes. “I was talking about sex when I said we can find a way.”

“Were you?” he challenged.

More panic. She stepped back, as she’d always done in the past because she didn’t want to put him in a corner. Well, Grayson was sure of two things—he was crazy in love with Eve, and he wanted to be in that
corner.

He caught on to the silver concho pendant again, and because he wanted to hear that little shiver of arousal, he let his fingers trail over her right nipple.

He smiled when he heard the sound.

And then Grayson let go of the pendant and dropped to his knees.

Eve’s sexy shiver turned to a gasp. “What are you doing?”

Grayson didn’t even have to think about this. “I’m asking you to marry me.”

The room was suddenly way too quiet. No more shivery sounds. No gasps. Eve just stared at him, and for one horrifying moment, he thought she would turn him down.

She certainly didn’t say yes.

“Why are you asking me now?” she wanted to know.

Grayson had to release the breath he was holding so he could speak. “Uh, is that a trick question?”

“No.” Eve was quick with that assurance but not with the answer to his proposal.

He shrugged. “I thought it was obvious. I’m asking because I love you. Because you’re already part of the family, but I wanted to make it official. And because I want you in my bed every night.”

She stared at him, as if waiting for more.

What?

That wasn’t enough?

Grayson eased her down to her knees so they were face-to-face and so he could kiss her. She apparently needed a reminder of that love she’d professed for him just minutes earlier.

The kiss was long, satisfying and left them both breathless. “Say yes,” he insisted.

But she didn’t. She pulled back again. “Is this about the attempt to get me pregnant?”

“No.” And he hoped she could see that was the honest to goodness truth. “This is about being in love with you. We can discuss the details of our future later, but for now I need an answer, and I need that answer to be yes. Because I can’t imagine living the rest of my life without you.”

Now, she made a sound. No shiver, but a melting sigh, and her smile returned. Eve slid her arms around him.

“Yes,” she finally said. “Because I can’t imagine living without you, either.”

Grayson wasn’t sure which he felt first—relief or happiness, but it was the happiness that filled every part of him.

Eve had said yes!

He wanted to whoop for joy and celebrate, but first he needed another kiss. Their mouths met, barely a touch at first, but in their case familiarity bred lust because this kiss quickly turned scalding hot.

Grayson wanted to tell his brothers about the engagement, but after a few more of those kisses, he knew his brothers would have to wait. Right now, he wanted to make love—gently—to his fiancée.

He got up, scooped Eve into his arms and headed for her bedroom. The kisses didn’t stop. In fact, they got more heated as Eve pressed her mouth to his chin and then his throat.

“Wait!” she said the moment he eased her onto the bed.

Hell. That wasn’t a word he wanted to hear. “You can’t take back your yes,” he let her know. “You’re marrying me.” And he hoped she didn’t argue.

“I didn’t mean wait about that. Of course, I want to marry you. I’ve wanted that since I was sixteen.”

And that made Grayson smile.

He eased them onto the bed and then rolled her on top of him. “Then why did you say wait?” But his gaze dropped to her side. “Oh. Second thoughts about sex?”

“No.” She made it sound as if he’d lost his mind. “I want sex. Trust me, I really want to have sex with you. But I have to tell you something first.”

Her smile faded until she looked anything but happy.

Grayson froze again. In fact, he was reasonably sure that every muscle in his body locked up so he couldn’t move. “What’s wrong?”

“Uh…” And a moment later, she repeated it. She also licked her lips and bunched up her forehead. “The test was, well, it was positive.”

It took a few seconds for that to sink in through the worry and the haze in his mind. “You’re pregnant?” And that was something he thought he’d
never
hear himself ask Eve.

She nodded. Swallowed hard.

Eve eyed him as if he were a stick of dynamite about to go off. “I should have told you the minute you got on your knees, but I was so surprised. And happy. The only thing I could think of was saying yes. I didn’t think that this baby could change everything.”

He caught on to her arm. “Wait a minute.” The thoughts and words were flying at him so fast that it took Grayson a moment to speak. “You think a baby could change the way I feel about you?”

She blinked back tears. “Does it?”

Oh, man. He had some explaining to do. Grayson decided to start that explanation with a kiss. He gently pulled her down to him and did just that.

“Yes, it changes how I feel about you,” he admitted. He slid his hand over her stomach. “It makes me love you even more.”

Her breath swooshed out and she snapped him to her. Probably too hard. But Grayson couldn’t make himself let go of her.

“But this messes up the plans you had for your life,” she reminded him.

“Screw the plans.” In fact, he was looking forward to a little chaos, especially the kind of chaotic love that a wife and a child would give him. He hadn’t realized until now that having Eve and this child gave him something he’d never had—completion.

His life would be complete with them.

He wouldn’t just have brothers. Wouldn’t just be part of the Rylands. He would have his
own
family.