Lusting after Shane McDermott was what had landed her in her current predicament. It would definitely be in her best interests to remember that.
“Melissa, did you hear me?” Avery Lancaster asked. Engaged to Melissa’s brother Guy, the petite blonde had become a very close friend in the month since they met.
“Um, sorry,” Melissa murmured as she took a sip of her water. With her mind still reeling from the results of the pregnancy test, she found it hard to concentrate on the conversation.
“I asked if you’ve tried the cucumber sandwiches Guy added?” her friend asked patiently as she pointed to the leather-bound folder Melissa held.
Perusing the new healthy-choices section her brother had added to the Sky Lounge lunch menu since taking over managing the resort’s restaurants, Melissa shook her head. “No, I hadn’t even noticed the new dishes.”
Avery frowned. “Is something wrong?”
“Oh, just the usual stuff that goes along with managing a spa,” Melissa lied, closing the menu and setting it on the table. She hated not being truthful with her friend, but she needed to talk to Shane about the pregnancy before anyone else.
“Still having problems with your assistant manager, little sister?” Guy asked, walking over to join them. He leaned down to kiss Avery, then seated himself beside her.
“Actually, Rita is doing a little better than she was,” Melissa said, thankful to have something to focus on besides her own dilemma. “She did have a moment this morning when I thought her nerves were going to send her into a panic attack, but we got it straightened out.”
“In other words, you took care of it,” Guy said, knowingly.
“Well, yes,” Melissa admitted. “But in all fairness to Rita, there wasn’t anyone else to teach the yoga class this morning.”
“Are you still taking the weekend off like you planned?” Avery asked.
“Blake thinks I should,” Melissa said, shrugging. Guy’s fraternal twin and the new CEO of Jarrod Ridge Resort, her oldest brother had pointed out at the last managers’ meeting that she needed to back off to see if Rita could handle the assistant manager’s position or if she needed to be replaced. “I’ll only be a phone call away, so I don’t suppose it would hurt to be off for a few days.”
“You haven’t taken any time for yourself since you started managing the spa,” Guy pointed out. “We both know if Rita knows you’re available, she’ll call.”
Melissa rubbed at the tension building at her temples. “I can’t just leave her on her own. What if something happens like this morning?”
Guy looked thoughtful for a moment. “If Rita runs into something she can’t handle, she can get hold of me or Blake. I’ll be around most of the weekend, and you know that Blake will be, too.”
“You and Blake both intimidate Rita.” Melissa couldn’t help but laugh. “Besides, what do you know about running a spa or teaching yoga?”
“Me? Intimidate someone?” Guy grinned. “Just because I demand the best from my kitchen staff, it doesn’t mean that I’m a tyrant.” Reaching out, he patted her shoulder. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of whatever comes up at the spa. You just relax and enjoy a little down time.”
Never having been encouraged by their father to develop close family ties while they were growing up, Melissa and her four brothers had become a lot closer as adults. She couldn’t help but wonder what it would have been like if they’d had a strong bond when they were children. Maybe growing up in Jarrod Manor wouldn’t have been as lonely for her.
“Thanks, Guy,” Melissa said, smiling. “If you need me…”
Her brother shook his head. “I won’t.” Checking his watch, he rose. “Break’s over. Time to go back to the kitchen and see how things are going.” He kissed Avery’s cheek. “I’ll see you this evening.”
Watching Guy make his way across the crowded restaurant, Avery sighed happily. “Isn’t he just the best-looking man ever?”
“You’re in love,” Melissa said, unable to keep from feeling a bit envious.
Although they’d had a rocky start, Avery and Guy had the kind of loving relationship she had always envisioned for herself. Unfortunately, what she and Shane had together would never go any further than what it was now—a strong physical attraction that would most likely cool considerably once he learned of her pregnancy.
As she and Avery finished lunch, they chatted about the upcoming dinner honoring the Food and Wine Gala investors. By the time they parted in the lobby an hour later, Melissa was more than ready to get back to Willow Lodge. Shane would be coming over soon, and although she had no idea how he would take the news about the baby, they needed to get used to the idea that in about seven months they were going to be parents.
Shane walked out of the meeting room toward the Jarrod Ridge lobby with a single-minded purpose—find Lissa and convince her to spend the three-day weekend with him at his ranch. The resort’s annual Food and Wine Gala had been in full swing for the past couple of weeks, and everything had been extremely busy. The time they’d been able to spend together had been limited, and, now that the event was over, he fully intended to remedy that as soon as possible. He certainly wasn’t looking for anything long-term to develop out of their affair, but he wasn’t yet ready to give up on whatever they had going on between them, either. He had enjoyed spending time with her the past couple of months and looked forward to at least a couple more before they went their separate ways.
“Shane, my boy, it’s good to see you again,” a deep, booming voice said from somewhere behind him.
Stopping, Shane turned to smile at one of his late father’s oldest friends. “It’s good to see you, too, Senator Kurk. How have you been?” he asked, shaking the man’s hand.
“Can’t complain,” the senator said, smiling. Tall and commanding, the white-haired man had been a member of congress for as long as Shane could remember. “It’s always good to get out of Washington for a few days and come back home to spend a little down time with my friends and family.”
“I’m sure it is,” Shane agreed. “I’ve heard they’re keeping you busy these days with several important national issues.”
Senator Kurk chuckled. “And if that isn’t enough to keep me awake at night, I’ve been named the head of a new investigative committee.” He looked thoughtful. “Aren’t you an architect?”
Shane nodded. “I specialize in stables.”
“Interesting,” the man said. “I suppose your studies included other areas of architecture, as well?”
“Of course.” When the man remained silent, Shane started inching away. “I’m sure you’ll get to the bottom of whatever it is your committee is looking into, Senator,” he said, hoping the man wasn’t at liberty to share what the committee was investigating.
As much as he liked Patrick Kurk, the good senator could be as long-winded and boring as any other politician, and Shane had plans that didn’t include listening to him drone on about what ailed the nation. The sooner he got over to the lodge, the sooner he would start what he was certain would be a very enjoyable weekend with one of the most exciting women he had ever had the pleasure of knowing.
“Excuse me, Senator,” one of the man’s aides said, hurrying up to join them. “The Rotary Club meeting is about to begin and your speech is first on the agenda, right after the opening remarks.”
Relieved that his trip over to Willow Lodge wouldn’t be delayed any further, Shane smiled. “I won’t keep you, Senator. Maybe we can get together for some trout fishing on the Rainbow River the next time you’re in town.”
“I’ll take you up on that the first chance I get,” Senator Kurk said, turning to go. “It was good seeing you again, Shane.”
Walking out of the resort, Shane forgot all about politicians and senatorial committees as he started out. He was on a mission to get Lissa to join him for the three-day weekend and he wasn’t going to give up until he got what he wanted.
Given her concerns about feeding the gossip mongers at the resort, he was pretty sure it wouldn’t be all that easy to talk her into staying with him at Rainbow Bend. But there wasn’t a doubt in his mind that what they shared would be worth whatever he had to do to convince her.
Shane shook his head as he looked around to see if anyone was watching, then took the hidden shortcut back toward the luxury lodges. He had been jumping through hoops for the past couple of months just to please her, and it was beginning to get old.
Instead of going directly to the lodge where she was staying, it had become a ritual for him to head toward the stables, then cut back through a small patch of woods. She had insisted that no one would think anything of him going to check on the herd of horses he had sold the resort, and he supposed she was right. But he couldn’t control other people’s opinions of him and didn’t give a damn what they thought anyway. Lissa, on the other hand, was a very private person and he respected her need for discretion even if he didn’t completely understand it.
Slipping through the stand of pine trees behind Willow Lodge, he took the porch steps two at a time. Just as he raised his hand to knock, Lissa opened the door.
“What took you so long?” she asked, taking him by the hand to pull him inside.
As soon as they cleared the doorway, he took her into his arms and used his boot to shove the door shut behind them. “I don’t know a man alive who doesn’t want to hear a woman ask that question, angel.”
She looked as if she had something more on her mind, but it would just have to wait. It had been almost three days since he had held her, kissed her, and he had every intention of immediately remedying that particular problem.
His mouth came down on hers, and she let out a startled little squeak, but to his satisfaction, she didn’t protest or try to push him away. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed herself against him.
Her response to him never failed to send a flash fire rushing from the top of his head straight to the region south of his belt buckle. Today was no different. In the blink of an eye, he was hotter than a two-dollar pistol on a Saturday night.
Shifting to pull her more fully into him, Shane deepened the kiss. As he stroked and teased, her sweet taste, the floral scent of her silky blond hair and the feel of her soft body pressed to his much harder one had him feeling as if his jeans had shrunk at least two sizes in the stride. He quickly decided that he would do well to end the kiss or there was a good chance he’d end up emasculating himself.
“I’ve been wanting to do that ever since I saw you at the resort this morning,” he said, leaning back to smile down at her.
The dazed look in her vibrant blue eyes and the heat of passion coloring her creamy cheeks was one of the most beautiful sights he had ever been privileged to see. Soft and feminine, Lissa looked the way a woman was meant to look when a man kissed her.