*****
“You had fun, I take it?” He watched as she climbed back into bed. They'd stayed for the entire thing because she'd insisted on making sure the children had everything they needed. He'd watched her with the kids and realized that she was going to be a great mom.
“You small town people know how to throw a party,” Amy said with a grin. She turned her head to look at him. “And you deliberately avoided Ms. Abigail.” She took his hand in hers. “I know that we aren't in a traditional relationship, but you can always talk to me, Lance.”
“I already told you that what was between Abigail and I has been over a long time.”
“The way she was looking at you proved otherwise.”
“That’s her problem.” He moved his hand in hers, his eyes meeting hers. “I feel nothing for her anymore, that’s all in the past.”
She stared at him for a moment and let go of his hand. “I have to admit that when I saw her I kinda felt like scratching her eyes out for hurting you.”
His heart leapt inside his chest with hope. “You did?”
She grinned at him. “I know men get off on seeing women fighting over them and I clearly hear it in your tone. It’s not going to happen, buddy.”
“I would have loved to see you pulling her hair and scratching her face.”
“Pervert,” she muttered as she moved over and straddled him. “Enough talk about ex-girlfriends.”
“I agree.”
Chapter 10
“I noticed that impressive library you have on the first floor with all those first editions and kinda figured that all the books there weren't for show. I know big houses like these come retrofitted with the big cozy library lined with books and the deep cushioned chair placed strategically in front of the fireplace to give the impression that lots of cold winter days are spent there with a book in hand. I'm saying all that to say that it isn't just for show and that you actually like books.”
He handed her a cup of hot chocolate and took a seat next to her on the sofa. They were in the living room, with the Christmas tree still lit and towering towards the ceiling. She'd spent the night after the party, which had seen them coming inside at some minutes to twelve when everyone had left. He'd made love to her and she'd fallen asleep in his arms. She had to admit that being with him was starting to feel pretty damned good.
“My mother loved to read and so did my dad,” he admitted as he cradled the cup in his hands. It was Christmas Day and usually he would spend the day rounding up cattle and finding something to do around the ranch. This year was different, he'd given the ranch hands time off to spend with their families and he was spending time with her—the woman carrying his child and a woman he considered to be his family. He just had to find a way to make her see that as well. “I was read bedtime stories from as long as I could remember and I became fascinated with books then and it never left me.”
“I did as well when I discovered a stack of old moldy books in Dad’s basement. He loved reading and we would read together. Remember when I used to drag you to the library?”
“Clearly,” he said dryly as he stared at her. She looked so snug in a black sweater dress and her hair piled on top of her head, with strands drifting along her face. He'd spent several fascinating minutes spanning the bump of her pregnancy and talking to his baby, nestled inside her womb. “As I recall, it was raining one of those days and you told me that I wasn't going to melt if I got caught in the rain.”
“You were such a wimp,” she told him with a grin.
“If being cautious makes me a wimp, then I accept it,” he told her graciously. “I also recall that we got drenched in the downpour and I caught a cold that took a week to get better. I missed school, thanks to you.”
“I apologized and gave you my notes. But you already had them, seeing as how your parents were such a big deal and all that.”
“That’s not the point. You're stubborn and willful, Amy, like a cyclone.”
“Is that a bad thing?”
“It can be.” He got up and went to a drawer next to him. He took out a gaily wrapped package and came over to hand it to her. She stared at it suspiciously for a moment before looking at him. “You bought me a present.”
“Yes.” He went back to his seat. “Aren’t you going to open it?”
“It’s small.” She shook it next to her ear to try and identify what it was. Then, giving up, she opened it, tearing through the neat wrapping with no regards to the time and effort it had taken to wrap the box. She lifted the cover and stared at the slender platinum chain, picking up the lights from the fire, but it wasn't the chain but the large diamond surrounded by the beautifully cut sapphires that had her staring at it in amazement.
“It’s a combination of Christmas gift and a thank you for carrying my baby.” He spoke into the silence.
She tore her gaze away from the sparkles and looked at him. “This is going to make my gift look like something I picked up in a thrift store.”
“It’s the thought that counts and I had no idea you bought me anything.”
“People usually say that so that people don't look bad. And yes, I bought you a book. I sat in my apartment and brainstormed. What can you buy a guy who basically has everything?’ He doesn't go for designer threads and basically lives in faded jeans and washed out t-shirts, which look good on you buy the way.”
“Thank you.” He inclined his head in a mock bow.
“You're welcome,” she told him with a grin. “When I was here the last time, I got a chance to delight myself in that library. I do believe that it's even bigger than the local library!” she shook her head. “Anyway, I got you this.” She dug into her large purse which she'd brought downstairs with her, and took out a volume. “You're going to have to come and get it and I don’t do gift wrap.”
He got to his feet and came to take the book from her. “The Canterbury Tales,” he mused as he studied the cover. “We used to have a copy when I was little but it went missing. I never remembered to replace it.”
“So, I did give you something you don't have.”
“You did.” He hunkered down in front of her. “You haven't told me if you like my gift.”
“How remiss of me, I love it!” To prove that she did, she took it out of the box and put it around her neck. The stone settled into the crease of her bosom, warm against her flesh. “Thank you. I'm going to have to adequately show you how much I love it when we get upstairs.” She played with the pendant for a bit. “There's something I want to talk to you about.”
He straightened and went back to his chair. “What is it?”
“My mom is going through something. Apparently, she's still insisting on going through the divorce and Bryce is giving her a pretty hard time about it.” She sighed and shook her head. “He's a pretty decent guy who tried to make a home for her but failed. There are also several meetings that I have to attend and some editing and rewrites to do, which is going to take me a couple of months.”
Lance’s fingers tightened on his gift. He'd been waiting for this moment to come and hadn't dared to think about it! “You're leaving.”