Though she was obviously unharmed, his frown had gone even deeper. And she knew why—her husband was innately protective, and as soon as they’d found out that she was pregnant, his need to keep her safe had gone into overdrive.
Though fiercely independent, Lori loved her husband for exactly who he was. Lord knew he could be difficult sometimes—an immovable boulder of a man, in fact. Had she been a woman who had trouble speaking up for herself, their relationship would surely never have worked.
Fortunately, she had no problem whatsoever pushing back if she ever felt constrained or misunderstood. Granted, sometimes that pushback took the form of sassy comments or stormy behavior. At the same time, Lori’s mother had raised her well, teaching her not only to apologize when she was wrong, but also to ask for forgiveness when she took things a step—or a dozen steps—too far.
Good thing Lori knew exactly how to put her husband at ease. Their guests wouldn’t be arriving for at least fifteen minutes. It wasn’t a ton of time to put Operation Relax Grayson into action, but she was positive that the time she had to take his mind off his worries would definitely be worth it.
Before she could whisk him out of the kitchen, however, he asked her mother, “What can we help you with, Mary?”
Her mother waved away his offer. “You know me—I had everything ready by seven o’clock this morning. Why don’t the two of you get a drink and relax for a bit before everyone arrives?”
“Thanks, Mom, will do,” Lori said. “First, though, there’s something I need to show Grayson in my old bedroom.”
“Take as much time as you need together before you come out to greet the masses.” As Mary picked up two bottles of white wine and headed into the backyard to chill them in a bucket of ice, Lori wondered if her mother had guessed her plan. Though her mom obviously wasn’t a virgin—not with eight kids—the thought of her having sexy-times with her father still made Lori blush.
“Are you sure there isn’t something we could help your mother with?” Grayson looked out the window to the backyard, where Mary was tying down a corner of a tablecloth that had blown free in the breeze.
“My mom could throw a brilliant party for one hundred people with five minutes’ notice and both hands tied behind her back—and she truly does like taking care of the details herself. Besides, before the party starts, you really need to see what’s in my old bedroom.”
Grayson looked adorably suspicious. “What could you possibly have to show me that you haven’t shown me before?”
“You’ll see.” She took his hand and led him through the dining and living rooms, toward the bedrooms.
Apart from a remodeled kitchen and bathrooms, and some new upholstery on the couch, the house was the same as it had been when Lori and her siblings were growing up. As the youngest of the group alongside her twin, Lori had only ever known a home that was loud and crazy and full of love. LoudCrazyLove was her default setting, she thought with a grin. Whereas Grayson had grown up as the only child in a perfectly pristine New York City brownstone, where polite and well-mannered was the order of the day.
Were it not for a twist of fate, Lori and Grayson might never have met. Several years ago, when she had learned that her then boyfriend was a lying, cheating scum, she had fled Chicago, where she had been choreographing a show, and ended up in Pescadero, a wild and remote farm town on the Northern California coast. She’d stopped in at the local general store for a sandwich and found a FARMHAND NEEDED sign. Though she made her living as a dancer and choreographer, she was so hell-bent on leaving her past behind that she hadn’t thought twice before applying for the job. After all, what could be more different and strange and divergent from the life she’d always lived than working on a thousand-acre farm? There, she had planned to kick all men to the curb forever.
But she hadn’t counted on meeting her tall, gorgeous, reserved, and extremely loving cowboy.
Though she and Grayson had been oil and water at first—every word out of his mouth had been a challenge she couldn’t back away from—he was the best thing that had ever happened to her. Not to mention the most shockingly sexy. Two hundred pounds of tanned muscle, his square jaw dusted with dark stubble—every time she looked into his eyes, butterflies flew inside her belly.
It wasn’t long before she’d learned about his tragic past and the grief and guilt that he carried inside himself. She had been determined to help him find the joy in life again the only way she knew how—with laughter, fun, adventure, and love.
Plus lots and lots of hot, sticky, sweaty, breath-stealing sex, of course.
She had been so happy when he’d finally started to climb out of the darkness. What she hadn’t realized was that she would rise up too, when his love and support had helped her rediscover her love of dancing.
As soon as they were inside her old bedroom, Lori reached around Grayson to lock the door, then immediately started unbuckling his belt.
He gave her one of his dark looks as he covered her hands with his much bigger ones, his callused skin giving her the best kind of shivers. His voice was gruff as he said, “You’re not planning what I think you’re planning, are you?”
She laughed. How could she not when he was everything she’d ever dreamed of, and then some? “How about you tell me what you think I’m planning—or better yet, show me—and then I’ll tell you if you’re right.”
Though she could tell that he wanted nothing more than to do just that, he reminded her, “Your uncles, aunts, sister, cousins—and brothers who will surely want to beat me to a pulp if they suspect I’m so much as looking at you sideways—will be arriving any minute. And your mother is just down the hall.”
“First of all, my mom has eight kids. So I’m pretty sure she was down for plenty of hijinks when my dad was still around. And my brothers won’t want to beat you up. They think you’re great.”
“Only when they can fool themselves into believing that I’ve left you as pure as the driven snow.”
She looked down at her very rounded stomach, showcased by the soft red fabric of her dress. “It’s pretty clear that horse is out of the barn.”
“You’d be surprised at how many lies a guy can tell himself. Especially when it comes to wanting to take care of someone he loves.”
She had to kiss him then, this wonderful man who would protect her with his dying breath. “I’ll be quiet.” She could barely get out such a fib. Certainly couldn’t keep her eyes from twinkling as she spoke.
“You’re never quiet.”
“You have only yourself to blame for that.” She pressed her breasts—which had increased by two cup sizes during her pregnancy, much to Grayson’s delight—against his chest. “If you weren’t such an incredible lover, I would be able to stay quiet as a mouse.”
At last, he gave in and pulled her closer, putting his hands on her hips and groaning into her hair. “You drive me crazy.”
She wound her arms around his neck. “I love you too.”
CHAPTER TWO
Grayson Tyler couldn’t get enough of his wife as his mouth claimed hers, and his hands roamed her luscious curves. From the first moment he’d set eyes on her, he’d been utterly spellbound, growing more and more enthralled every day they were together.