Heartbreaker Read online

  “I lost twenty years off my life when I found that note,” he growled into her hair.

  She clung to him, not loosening her grip. “You got here faster than I’d expected,” she gasped, still crying a little. “Edie must’ve gotten up early.”

  “No, I got up early. You weren’t in bed with me, so I started hunting you. As it was, we barely got here in time. Edie would have been too late.”

  Andy Phelps sighed, looking around the wrecked kitchen. Then he found another cup in the cabinet and poured himself some coffee. He made a face as he sipped it. “This stuff is rank. It tastes just like what we get at work. Anyway, I think I have my pajama bottoms on under my pants. When John called I took the time to dress, but I don’t think I took the time to undress first.”

  They both looked at him. He still looked a little sleepy, and he certainly wasn’t in uniform. He had on jeans, a T-shirt, and running shoes with no socks. He could have worn an ape suit for all she cared.

  “I need both of you to make statements,” he said. “But I don’t think this will ever come to trial. From what I saw, he won’t be judged mentally competent.”

  “No,” Michelle agreed huskily. “He isn’t.”

  “Do we have to make the statements right now?” John asked. “I want to take Michelle home for a while.”

  Andy looked at both of them. Michelle was utterly white, and John looked the worse for wear, too. He had to still be feeling the effects of hitting a steering wheel with his face. “No, go on. Come in sometime this afternoon.”

  John nodded and walked Michelle out of the house. He’d commandeered Nev’s truck, and now he led her to it. Someone else could get the car later.

  It was a short, silent drive back to the ranch. She climbed numbly out of the truck, unable to believe it was all over. John swung her up in his arms and carried her into the house, his hard arms tight around her. Without a word to anyone, even Edie, who watched them with lifted brows, he took her straight upstairs to their bedroom and kicked the door shut behind him.

  He placed her on the bed as if she might shatter, then suddenly snatched her up against him again. “I could kill you for scaring me like that,” he muttered, even though he knew he’d never be able to hurt her. She must have known it, too, because she cuddled closer against him.

  “We’re getting married right away,” he ordered in a voice made harsh with need. “I heard part of what he said, and maybe he’s right that I can’t give you all the luxuries you deserve, but I swear to God I’ll try to make you happy. I love you too much to let you go.”

  “I’ve never said anything about going,” Michelle protested. Married? He wanted to get married? Abruptly she lifted her head and gave him a glowing smile, one that almost stopped his breathing.

  “You never said anything about staying, either.”

  “How could I? This is your house. It was up to you.”

  “Good manners be damned,” he snapped. “I was going crazy, wondering if you were happy.”

  “Happy? I’ve been sick with it. You’ve given me something that doesn’t have a price on it.” She lifted her nose at him. “I’ve heard that mingling red blood with blue makes very healthy babies.”

  He looked down at her with hungry fire in his eyes. “Well, I hope you like babies, honey, because I plan on about four.”

  “I like them very much,” she said as she touched her stomach. “Even though this is making me feel really ghastly.”

  For a moment he looked puzzled, then his gaze drifted downward. His expression changed to one of stunned surprise, and he actually paled a little. “You’re pregnant?”

  “Yes. Since the night you came back from your last trip to Miami.”

  His right brow lifted as he remembered that night; the left side of his face was still too swollen for him to be able to move it much. Then a slow grin began to widen his mouth, lifting the corners of his mustache. “I was careless one time too many,” he said with visible satisfaction.

  She laughed. “Yes, you were. Were you trying to be?”

  “Who knows?” he asked, shrugging. “Maybe. God knows I like the idea. How about you?”

  She reached for him, and he pulled her onto his lap, holding her in his arms and loving the feel of her. She rubbed her face against his chest. “All I’ve ever wanted is for you to love me. I don’t need all that expensive stuff; I like working on the ranch, and I want to build my own ranch up again, even after we’re married. Having your baby is…just more of heaven.”

  He laid his cheek on her golden hair, thinking of the terror he’d felt when he’d read her note. But now she was safe, she was his, and he would never let her go. She’d never seen any man as married as he planned to be. He’d spend the rest of his life trying to pamper her, and she’d continue to calmly ignore his orders whenever the mood took her, just as she did now. It would be a long, peaceful life, anchored in hard work and happily shrieking kids.

  It would be good.

  THEIR WEDDING DAY dawned clear and sunny, though the day before Michelle had resigned herself to having the wedding inside. But Hurricane Carl, after days of meandering around like a lost bee, had finally decided to head west and the clouds had vanished, leaving behind a pure, deep blue sky unmarred by even a wisp of cloud.

  Michelle couldn’t stop smiling as she dressed. If there were any truth in the superstition that it was bad luck for the groom to see the bride on their wedding day, she and John were in for a miserable life, but somehow she just couldn’t believe it. He had not only refused to let her sleep in another room the night before, he’d lost his temper over the subject. She was damn well going to sleep with him where she belonged, and that was that. Tradition could just go to hell as far as he was concerned, if it meant they had to sleep apart. She had noticed that he hadn’t willingly let her out of his sight since the morning they had caught Roger, so she understood.

  His rather calm acceptance of his impending fatherhood had been a false calm, one shock too many after a nerve-racking morning. The reality of it had hit him during the night, and Michelle had awakened to find herself clutched tightly to his chest, his face buried in her hair and his muscled body shaking, while he muttered over and over, “A baby. My God, a baby.” His hand had been stroking her stomach as if he couldn’t quite imagine his child growing inside her slim body. It had become even more real to him the next morning when even crackers couldn’t keep her stomach settled, and he had held her while she was sick.

  Some mornings weren’t bad at all, while some were wretched. This morning John had put a cracker in her mouth before she was awake enough to even open her eyes, so she had lain in his arms with her eyes closed, chewing on her “breakfast.” When it became evident that this was going to be a good morning, the bridegroom had made love to the bride, tenderly, thoroughly, and at length.

  They were even dressing together for their wedding. She watched as he fastened his cuff links, his hard mouth curved in a very male, very satisfied way. He had found her lace teddy and garter belt extremely erotic, so much so that now they risked being late to their own wedding.

  “I need help with my zipper when you’ve finished with that,” she said.

  He looked up, and a slow smile touched his lips, then lit his black eyes. “You look good enough to eat.”

  She couldn’t help laughing. “Does this mean we’ll have to reschedule the wedding for tomorrow?”

  The smile became a grin. “No, we’ll make this one.” He finished his cuff links. “Turn around.”

  She turned, and his warm fingers touched her bare back, making her catch her breath and shiver in an echo of delight. He kissed her exposed nape, holding her as the shiver became a sensuous undulation. He wouldn’t have traded being with her on this particular morning for all the tradition in the world.

  Her dress was a pale, icy yellow, as was the garden hat she had chosen to wear. The co