World's Most Eligible Texan (11 page)

“Aaron, I told you that I've signed up to substitute teach. I don't want to do anything to jeopardize the safety of children. I can't imagine that I'm in danger, but then I'm shocked that someone searched my apartment.”

“If you can afford to wait, it might be best if you didn't substitute for a little while. I don't think you would bring any element of danger into a classroom, but if you're a target,
maybe it's best not to take the chance. I don't think it'll be long before we learn something about what's going on. There are several of us working on it.”

“You think all of us, Lady Helena and Jamie Morris, too, are in danger?”

“Yes,” he repeated. “Just be alert to everything going on around you.”

Once again she sat and studied him, piecing together questions and remembrances and what she knew about the Texas Cattleman's Club members.

“What's running through your mind now?” he asked, while his fingers continued to comb slowly through her hair and his other hand rested on her knee.

“Aaron, there's an old legend about Royal prospering because of jewels found in the War with Mexico. They were put away for safekeeping and, according to the legend, the town has prospered because of them. I always thought it was just a legend, a myth, and the jewels didn't actually exist. Now those investigators asked me so many questions, and I keep recalling a lot of questions from them about jewelry. Did I own any? What jewelry was I taking to Asterland? What valuables did I have? I told you the things they asked me.”

“Yes, you did.”

“Is the legend of the jewels true?”

He looked down at her knee, rubbing his fingers lightly over it.

“It's true,” he said finally, meeting her gaze. “It's safer if most people think there's only a legend. Do you know any of the story about the jewels?”

“I've heard that old Tex Langley who founded the Texas Cattleman's Club hid the jewels that were found during the War with Mexico.”

Aaron nodded, and more questions swirled in her mind, puzzle pieces that might explain some of the strange happenings lately.

“The Texas Cattleman's Club members are the sworn guardians of the jewels,” Aaron said quietly. “I wasn't going it.
to tell you about them because I thought the less you knew, the safer you might be. Since you're getting more involved all the time, maybe you should be informed.”

“Those stones—are they safely hidden?”

She knew his answer before he gave a negative shake of his head.

“That's what they think I have? Good heavens! That's impossible.”

“Someone has one of the stones.”

“What are we talking about here? I'll keep it confidential, but is this why I've been followed?” she asked, aghast that someone thought she had something highly valuable. “What are these stones? Are they valuable?”

“They're damn valuable. We've already recovered two of the jewels. Justin found the emerald and the harlequin opal on the Asterland jet. There's a missing red diamond.”

“I've never heard of red diamonds or harlequin opals,” she said, growing more appalled that someone would think she possessed one of the stones.

“The black harlequin opal is the stone of justice. It's credited as a healing stone with the power to protect its owner, not just from disease, but to give the owner wisdom. It's not as valuable as the emerald, which is two carats, but the opal holds a great deal of value because of its history.”

As Aaron talked, his fingers drifted across her nape, winding in her hair, sliding along her arm and then drawing circles on her knee. Every touch was fiery, causing a continual awareness and building the need that was already burning in her, taking half her attention from the problems at hand.

“I know that emeralds are sometimes considered healing stones,” she said, barely thinking about the stones. “And I think I remember that an emerald was supposed to be the gemstone of Ceres, a Roman goddess.”

“The goddess of agriculture,” he whispered, as he brushed a kiss on her cheek.

“They're the color of your eyes,” she added, unable to
resist telling him. His gaze met hers, and the desire that flamed in the green depths curled her toes.

“I hope our baby has your blue eyes,” he said in a husky voice and her body grew taut with desire while heat smoldered in her. “Beautiful blue eyes,” he whispered, rubbing her cheek with his knuckles.

His words were magical, tempting and taunting, making her long for all she couldn't have. “When I think of my baby, I think of a green-eyed, brown-haired baby boy,” she whispered, unable to keep her secrets to herself.

“Ahh, darlin'. When I think of
our
baby, I see a little blue-eyed, black-haired girl.”

Her heart was squeezed as if a fist had closed around it, and she tried to close her mind to what he said before she lost control of her emotions.

“Aaron, we were talking about the jewels,” she reminded him, catching her breath and knowing she sounded as disturbed as she felt. “The emerald—remember. What about the red diamond?” she asked, trying to concentrate on his words, but far more aware of his hand caressing her and the tempting magic of his words. As she caught his hand in hers, he watched her intently. “The red diamond,” she prodded.

“Red diamonds are rare. They've been called the stone of kings. This particular one is over a carat with no flaws to the naked eye. Its value could be enormous now. These stones were stolen and taken on board the plane for Asterland.”

“How do you know the red diamond was there, too?”

“It just is a logical conclusion. All three were stolen, two turn up on the plane—the third stone was bound to be there, but in the forced landing everything was tossed everywhere.”

“Everything and everybody,” she said. “That landing brought out the best and the worst in people. I'm sorry Lady Helena was hurt so badly. When we first boarded the plane, I talked to her a little. I didn't know the man who was hurt at all, but, from what I last heard, he's still in a coma.”

“That's right. He's an Asterland cabinet member, Robert Klimt.”

“Someone thinks I have a red diamond in my possession,” she said, dismayed and realizing she might be in a great deal of danger. She ran her hand across her forehead. “I don't need this.”

“Don't worry. You'll be safe here.”

“I can't stay shut up in your house.”

“You can for a few days. We're working on this.”

“Then you're in even more danger. Someone may want something from me, but the person who's doing this may just want you and your friends out of the way. Aaron, be careful,” she urged, while concern for his safety overrode all her other stormy emotions.

“You
care,
darlin', a lot more than you want to admit,” he said in a husky voice. His eyes darkened, and his gaze lowered to her mouth. Every inch of her flesh tingled, her lips parting because she couldn't get her breath. Her breasts were taut, and the heat smoldering so low inside her became a wildfire that raced along her veins. He was ruggedly handsome, too appealing, too irresistible. And the way he was looking at her now made her tremble. Forbidden, tantalizing, he was all she wanted.

Unable to resist, she leaned toward him and closed her eyes.

His mouth covered hers, his tongue sliding over her lower lip, touching the tip of her tongue and then stroking it while he lifted her onto his lap.

Throwing caution to the wind, she slid her arm around his neck, feeling his heart pounding in his chest as she placed her other hand against him. She twisted free his buttons and rested her hand on his solid chest. His heart thudded just as hers did. She let her hand drift lower to his flat stomach and she heard him growl deep in his throat. He was aroused, constrained by the suit trousers. She longed to just let go completely, to follow her heart and yield and love him. She did love him and she had to hold back the words because if she said them, he would, too, and his would be meaningless.

He leaned over her, shifting so she was lying on the sofa. While he kissed her, his hand slipped beneath her dress and
he pulled away her panty hose, his fingers caressing her warm, bare thigh.

She wanted to spread her legs and arch her back and let him love her. Everything in her cried out for him, her body, her heart. Instead, she pushed against his chest.

Pausing, he raised his head. His green eyes were stormy and filled with scalding desire as he stared at her. “I love you,” he said.

She placed her fingers on his mouth. “Shh. Stop that, Aaron.” Hurting and wanting him, wanting his love and wishing he meant it, but keeping a grip on reality, she sat up and then stood.

“I should go to bed. Alone.”

His darkened emerald eyes conveyed his roiling emotions. She was buffeted by his will, yet she knew the time would come when he would look at all this in a more rational manner, and be glad he wasn't married to her out of duty. He was aroused, his belt unbuckled, his shirt pushed open to reveal his muscular chest, covered in a mat of chest hair. Locks of straight brown hair fell across his forehead and his mouth was red from her kisses. He looked incredibly appealing and she found it wrenching to turn and walk away from him.

If only…

She knew better than to follow that line of thinking, but it was so difficult to resist.
If only he really did love her. If only they had known each other under different circumstances.

Oh, sure, a small voice whispered in her mind. It wouldn't have mattered how different the circumstances. She was still small-town West Texas and he was jet-set, international man of the world. It wouldn't have mattered what circumstances. She could not link her life to his any easier than a Texas filly could link its life to a shooting star.

Picking up her discarded panty hose, she went upstairs, pausing at the top of the steps. He hadn't followed her, but had let her go.

“I love you.”

His words rang in her ears, and he had sounded convincing.
She hurt so badly with wanting him. With wanting it
all
—his love, their marriage, their baby. Aaron, a father, there all the time for their child. Hurting, she clutched her middle and hurried to her bedroom, closing the door and leaning against it, feeling drained of all energy. Feeling drained of hope. She placed her hand against her stomach. She had his baby. She would always have that part of him. Tears stung her eyes, and she wiped at them furiously and moved to the bed where he had placed a large T-shirt of his and a navy velvet robe.

Gathering up the T-shirt and robe, she went to the adjoining bathroom, showered and pulled on the T-shirt, too aware that it was his. She slipped into the soft, elegant robe that was fancier than anything she had ever owned. She heard a knock, and her pulse jumped as she stared at the door.

Feeling a mixture of trepidation and eagerness, she crossed the room and opened the door.

Aaron stood there with his hands on his hips. He had shed his shirt and his trousers rode low on his narrow hips. His gaze was as stormy as ever as it swept slowly over her.

“Do you look good!” he said in a husky voice. He looked into her eyes, studying her.

“Did you want something, Aaron?”

His brow arched. “You,” he said, his voice dropping still lower, and her heart thudded.

“We're not—”

“I know we're not, but I wanted to kiss you good-night.”

“Oh, Aaron!” Against all good sense, she stepped forward and moved into his arms. In a deft movement that she never even noticed, he had the robe unbelted and pushed open, his arm sliding around her waist as he pulled her tightly against him and leaned over her to kiss her for all he was worth.

Aaron's pulse pounded hot and heavy as her soft curves pressed against him. Only his T-shirt covered her, and he longed to shove it away and caress her. He slid his hand beneath the shirt, running his fingers over the luscious smooth curve of her bottom, feeling her move against him. And then
his hand went up to the small of her back, caressing, memorizing her.

When she pushed against him, he released her reluctantly. Stepping back, she stared at him with huge blue eyes that danced with searing flames. Her breathing was as harsh and fast as if she had run a mile. Her mouth was pouty and red from their kisses. And the T-shirt clung, revealing the taut peaks of her nipples.

He wanted her and he loved her. And she only believed half the truth.

“Good night, Aaron,” she said. She closed the door, and he stared at it, wanting to kick it open and take her in his arms and kiss her until he melted every protest.

 

Instead, Aaron returned to his room and took a cold shower that did nothing to cool him down. As the cold spray hit him, he shifted his thoughts to her apartment. Not a cushion had been left untouched. Her wicker furniture had been ripped apart, and all her dresses had been slashed. Someone had to be searching for the missing red diamond. The Texas Cattleman's Club members didn't have it, but then, neither did someone else who had to have known it was on the Asterland jet.

This made Jamie Morris and Lady Helena incredibly vulnerable, too, but Ben and Matt would protect them.

Who had the diamond?
What had happened to it in the forced landing? And the jewels had to be tied to Asterland for the two Asterland investigators to question Pamela so much about what jewelry she was carrying. The jewels were priceless, so a fortune could be gained from their possession. But because of his background, he couldn't keep from thinking of other possibilities for the money from the sale of the stones. Terrorism? Revolution? Drugs? Weapons? They had to find the missing diamond and all clues seemed to indicate that it was still somewhere in Royal. Someone thought it was in Pamela's possession.

He turned off the shower and toweled dry, climbing into
bed to stare into the darkness. He was aroused, taut and aching for her. Aware she was only yards away. He went over the entire day, the news of her pregnancy, their arguments, their date.