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She couldn’t argue with him about that. It had been at her insistence that he leave Willow Lodge each night after they’d made love.
“But that’s water under the bridge now,” he said, shrugging.
Too tired to debate the issue any further, she nodded. “I suppose you’re right.”
He put his arm around her shoulders and steered her out into the hall. “I’ll help you move your things to my room in the morning before we leave. Right now, we need to get to bed. We’ll have to be up early if we’re going to have lunch at the falls tomorrow.”
When he led her into his bedroom and turned on the bedside lamp, she took a moment to look around. A lot could be learned from someone’s personal space.
She wasn’t at all surprised to see the large room was decorated in the same rustic, masculine style as the downstairs. A king-size log bed with a Native American–print comforter and pillows dominated the room. The bright colors of the matching drapes contrasted perfectly with the dark log walls and heavy, peeled-log dresser and chest of drawers.
If she had ever had any doubts about Shane being the quintessential cowboy, they were gone now. One look at his choice of decor was all it took to know that he was a lot like the land he loved—rugged and a little wild. The type of man that was dangerous to a woman’s peace of mind. The very type women just couldn’t seem to resist.
“How long has your family owned the ranch?” she asked.
“A little over a hundred and twenty-five years.” He unbuttoned his shirt. “Hasn’t your family owned Jarrod Ridge about as long?”
Fascinated by the play of his chest muscles when Shane shrugged out of the shirt, it took a moment for her to realize what he had asked. “Y-yes, my father’s great great-grandfather started it and every generation since has expanded the business.”
“What do you think your generation will add to the resort?” he asked, unbuckling his belt and reaching for the button at the waistband of his jeans.
“I don’t know,” she said absently. She was far too engrossed in watching him reveal his magnificent body to worry about what would happen at Jarrod Ridge.
When he pushed the denim down his thighs, her heart skipped a beat. She had watched him strip off his clothes many times since they began their affair. She had even helped him take them off a few times, but the sight of his well-developed physique never failed to take her breath away.
“Aren’t you going to change?” he asked as he reached for the waistband of his boxer briefs.
He either didn’t know the effect he had on her or he was intentionally trying to drive her crazy. She suspected it was the latter.
Suddenly feeling as if she would burst into tears and not entirely certain why, Melissa quickly took off her clothes and pulled the nightshirt on. Walking around to the right side of the bed, she got in and closed her eyes. She was on Shane’s ranch, in his bed and pregnant with his baby. It was all too much to comprehend.
Overwhelmed by the events of the day and completely exhausted, she couldn’t stop a tear from slipping from beneath her lashes. She swiped it away with the back of her hand and turned onto her side in hopes that he hadn’t noticed.
“Lissa, are you crying?”
“N-no.”
She felt the other side of the bed dip as Shane stretched out beside her. A moment later, he wrapped her in his arms and turned her to face him.
“What’s wrong, angel? Why are you crying?”
His concerned tone and the feel of him holding her so tenderly against him was all it took for the floodgates to open. Sobbing her heart out and unable to stop herself, she clung to him as the torrent of emotion ran its course.
“I—I don’t know…why…that happened,” she said when she was finally able to get her vocal cords to work. She had never been more embarrassed in her entire life.
“I think I do,” he said as his hand continued to stroke her hair in a soothing manner. “You’ve had a hell of a day and you’re so tired you can barely keep your eyes open.”
His understanding words and the gentle tone of his deep voice helped ease some of her humiliation. “You’re probably right. I think this has quite possibly been the most stressful day I have ever endured.”
He reached over to switch off the lamp. Then, cradling her to him, he kissed her so tenderly another wave of tears threatened.
“Try to get some sleep, angel.” His arms tightened around her. “It’s all going to work out. I give you my word on that.”
Too exhausted to think about everything that had happened since her return to Aspen two months ago for the reading of her father’s will, Melissa snuggled against Shane and closed her eyes. Maybe with the morning light things would be clearer. Maybe then she would be able to cope with the fact that her life had spun completely out of control and there didn’t seem to be a single thing she could do to stop it.
