“It’s not so much that I want to get rid of it,” she admitted, yawning. “But I grew up with a father who was more absent than not and I don’t want that for our child from either of his parents. Besides, I’ll have Tranquility Spa, and if we stay as busy as we are now, I’m going to talk to Blake about expanding.”
“Uh-oh. It looks like the sandman is about to pay you a visit,” he said, chuckling when she yawned again. “We had better get you to bed.”
“I hope I can stay awake during the investors’ dinner tomorrow evening,” she said when he rose and guided her toward the hall.
“Yeah, it would be a shame to fall asleep during one of the speeches.” Shane laughed.
“Maybe I better plan on taking a nap tomorrow afternoon,” she said as they entered the bedroom.
“I’ll plan to take one with you,” he said, giving her a wicked grin.
“You’re insatiable, Mr. McDermott,” she said, shaking her head.
He took a step toward her. “And I intend to show you just how ravenous I am as soon as we get into bed.”
As he and Lissa walked into the Jarrod Ridge Grand Ballroom for the festivities, Shane knew beyond a shadow of doubt that he was with the sexiest, most beautiful woman in attendance. Lissa had put her long blond hair up in some kind of soft, feminine twist, exposing her slender neck. He would like nothing more than to kiss every inch of it.
But the long, shimmery black evening dress she wore was what had his libido shifting into high gear. Slinky and form-fitting, it emphasized every one of her delightful curves and each time she moved it reminded him of a sleek jungle cat’s elegance and grace.
Remembering where they were, he tried to rein in his unruly hormones. If he didn’t get things under control soon, everyone in the whole damned place would know exactly what he had on his mind.
He spotted Clara Buchanan on the other side of the room and concentrated on how she would react to the evidence of his wayward thoughts. That was enough to take the wind out of any man’s sails.
“There’s Blake and his secretary, Samantha,” Lissa said, bringing him back to reality. “They’ll be seated at the head table with Erica and the rest of my brothers.”
“What about us?” he asked. “Is that where we’re sitting?”
“No. As an investor, you’ll have your own table and I told Guy to have the kitchen staff put my place card next to yours.”
“You’re both looking very nice tonight,” Trevor said, walking up to them. Lissa’s brother had a pretty, young brunette clinging to his arm.
“Good to see you again,” Shane said, shaking Trevor’s hand.
After a few minutes of exchanging small talk, Trevor and his date moved on. “I wish he would settle down a bit,” Lissa said quietly. “I’ve seen Elmer and Clara watching him, and they don’t look all that pleased.”
Putting his arm around her bare shoulders, Shane kissed her temple. “I agree that your brother is known to play it pretty fast and loose with the ladies, but it’s really none of Elmer’s or Clara’s business what he does or how he chooses to conduct his life.”
Before Lissa could respond, several of the regular resort guests came over to greet them and pay their compliments to Lissa’s family on another spectacular event.
“The food in past years has been very good, but the cuisine this year is outstanding,” George Sanders, a food critic from Los Angeles, said enthusiastically. “As soon as I find him, I intend to let Guy know the resort’s pursuit of culinary excellence will be the focus of my next column. The crème brûlée is to die for.”
“I’m sure Guy will be very pleased to hear that,” Lissa said, smiling.
Once the portly gentleman stopped gushing about the food and moved on, Shane placed his hand on Lissa’s back. “Why don’t we find our table and see who our dinner partners are?”
He could use a reprieve and he was sure Lissa felt the same way. Besides, hearing himself repeat the same greeting at least twenty times, his face felt as if it had frozen in a permanent grin.
When they found their table close to the main table at the front of the room, Shane held Lissa’s chair, then settled himself onto the one beside her. “It looks like we’re hosting the politicians,” he said, glancing at the place cards on the elegantly set table.
She nodded. “I just hope they put their political differences on hold for the evening.”
“I’ll see what I can do about that,” Shane offered. “I happen to know that Senator Kurk and Representative Delacorte are both into fly-fishing. If it looks like the conversation is going to turn into a debate, I’ll invite them both to go fishing next spring on the Rainbow.”
“Thank you,” she said, looking grateful. “I would really like for the evening to remain free of controversy.”
“Shane, my boy, I hoped I would see you here this evening,” Senator Kurk said, approaching their table. “I think you know my wife, Beatrice?”
Shane stood up while the older woman sat down. “It’s nice seeing you again, Mrs. Kurk,” he said nodding. He shook the senator’s hand, then sat back down. “I’m glad you could join us.”
“The way I hear it, congratulations are in order. A little bird told me you’re planning on taking a trip down the aisle,” the man said, smiling at Lissa. “Is this lovely girl your bride-to-be?”
“Senator Kurk, Mrs. Kurk, I would like for you to meet my fiancée, Melissa Jarrod,” Shane introduced them.
“Melissa?” Beatrice Kurk exclaimed, disbelievingly. “I didn’t recognize you, dear. You’re all grown up. I think the last time we saw you, you were getting ready to leave for college.”
As Lissa and the senator’s wife exchanged pleasantries and caught up, Representative Delacorte and his wife arrived. Dinner was served shortly afterward and to Shane’s immense relief, the two politicians seemed to have put their opposing political views aside for the evening.
While the women asked Lissa about new services at the spa and plans for their upcoming wedding, Shane found himself enjoying the men’s stories of fishing for trout in the various rivers and streams in the Rocky Mountains. He was even surprised to learn the men were pretty good friends when they weren’t at loggerheads over political issues.
As they waited for dessert to be served, the two men and their wives politely excused themselves. Shane knew they were going to work the room and try to secure votes for the upcoming elections before the event’s closing speeches began.
Relieved to once again be alone with her, Shane turned to Lissa. But her attention was trained on her brother Trevor seated at the head table with her other siblings and their respective dinner companions.
“I can’t believe what he’s doing,” she said, shaking her head. Seated beside a shapely redhead, the brunette that had been clinging to Trevor earlier was nowhere in sight. “I can only imagine what Elmer and Clara are thinking right now.”
Watching his future brother-in-law whisper something to the redhead, then while her head was turned, wink at a blonde seated a few tables to the left of the head table, Shane had to admit the man was asking for a boatload of trouble. He saw nothing wrong with a single man playing the field. Hell, he’d had his own share of women before he met Lissa. But Shane had at least had the good sense to limit himself to being with one woman a night.
If Trevor wasn’t careful, he was going to set himself up to be right in the middle of a class-A catfight. And once the women figured out he’d been playing all of them, they would stop blaming each other and turn on him with claws bared.
“Shane, could I speak with you in private for a moment?” Senator Kurk asked, standing at Shane’s shoulder. Engrossed in the show at the head table, he hadn’t seen the man approach.
“Of course,” Shane answered, somewhat puzzled by the senator’s serious demeanor. Rising from the table, he kissed Lissa’s cheek. “I’ll only be a few minutes.”
He hated leaving her alone, but relieved to see Avery Lancaster heading toward their table, Shane turned his full attention to the man walking beside him. He had never seen Patrick Kurk look as serious or as determined as he did at that moment.
When Avery sat down in the chair next to her, Melissa couldn’t help noticing the scene playing out just beyond her friend’s shoulder. Her brothers Guy and Gavin had walked up behind Trevor at the head table. One of them spoke to him, then all three men left the room.
“What’s going on?” she asked, turning to her friend.
“Guy and Gavin are going to strongly suggest that Trevor use a little more discretion with the female guests here tonight,” Avery answered quietly.
“I’m glad,” Melissa said, meaning it. “He’s not doing the resort’s reputation any favors.”
“You mean ‘come to Jarrod Ridge and get your heart broken by one of its handsome owners’ isn’t going to be the resort’s new slogan?” Avery asked sardonically.
Melissa loved Avery’s quick wit. “I somehow doubt that would help business,” she said, laughing.
“Where’s Shane?” Avery asked, looking around.
“Senator Kurk wanted to speak to him in private about something.” Unconcerned, Melissa took a sip of her water. “He’s probably hitting Shane up for a campaign donation or wants him to volunteer to hold some kind of fundraiser.”
Avery nodded. “It’s not enough that politicians want our vote, they also want our money.”
“Are Guy and Gavin having their talk with Trevor?” Erica asked as she joined them.
Melissa smiled at her sister. “I’d say it’s hitting the fan, even as we speak.”
Erica winced. “I’d hate to be in poor Trevor’s shoes right now.”
“Me, too,” Melissa and Avery both spoke at the same time.
“I’m glad I have you two together,” Melissa said, deciding it was time for a change of subject. Even though Trevor deserved getting the warning about his notorious behavior, she took no pleasure in it having to be done. “One of the guests at the spa left a magazine in the reception area and it had pictures of a nursery decorated with an ‘under the sea’ theme,” she explained. “I really liked it and I think that’s what I want to use for the nursery. It incorporated all of the pastel colors and had the cutest baby sea creatures.”
“I looked at that just the other day,” Avery said, nodding. “It’s adorable.”
Melissa briefly wondered why Avery had been looking at nursery themes, but dismissed the thought. Her friend had probably been looking for ideas to use for the baby shower.
“I love the little pink sea horse and blue octopus,” Melissa added, knowing she had settled on the theme she wanted for the nursery.
“It would be perfect for a boy or girl, too,” Erica agreed enthusiastically. “And we can use all of the colors when we decorate for the shower.”