Her Mothers Keeper by Nora Roberts

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you were having an affair with my mother, you simply told me it was
none of my business. I felt differently at the time."
Gwen paused to catch her breath, and Luke moved into the room to lean
comfortably on one of the bedposts. "I was wrong and you were right. It
wasn't any of my business, and you succeeded in teaching me a lesson
just by letting me draw my own conclusions. These were helped along
by Mama's unusual behavior and her affection for you. You could, of
course, have saved me a great deal of anxiety and humiliation by
explaining things, but you chose to make your point. Point taken, Mr.
Powers," she continued as she worked herself up into a temper. "I've
been put in my place by an expert. Now, I'd like you to get out of here
and leave me alone. If there's one thing I want above all else, it's never
to see you again. I can only be thankful we live on opposite ends of the
continent."
Luke waited a moment while she tore two skirts out of her closet and
heaved them into the case. "Can I get a copy of that speech for my
files?"
Gwen whirled, eyes flaming. "You unfeeling, pompous boor! I've done
all the groveling I'm going to do. What more do you want?"
"Was that groveling?" he asked, lifting a brow in interest. "Fascinating.
What I want," he continued, "is for you to elaborate on the statement
Anabelle made before she left the room. I found it very interesting."
"You want it all, don't you?" Gwen snapped, slamming the lid on her
first case. "All right, then, I'll give it to you. It makes little difference at
this point." She took a breath to help the words come quickly. "I love
you. What will you do now that you know?" she demanded, keeping her
head high. "Write it into one of your books for comic relief?"
Luke considered a moment and then shrugged. "No. I rather think I'll
marry you."
In stunned silence, Gwen stared at him. "I don't think that's very funny."
"No, I doubt marriage is a funny business. I'm sure it has its moments,
though. We'll have to find out." Straightening, he walked over and put
his hands on her shoulders. "Soon."
"Don't touch me," she whispered, and tried to jerk out of his hold.
"Oh, yes, I'll touch you." He turned Gwen to face him. "I'll do much
more than touch you. Idiot," he said roughly when he saw her tear-
drenched eyes. "Are you so blind you can't see what you've put me
through? I wanted you from the first moment I saw you. You stood there
smiling at me, and I felt as though someone had hit me with a blunt
instrument. I wanted to teach you a lesson, all right, but I didn't expect to
learn one. I didn't expect some skinny kid to tangle herself up in my
mind so that I couldn't get her out." He pulled her close as she stared up
at him, dry-eyed and fascinated. "I love you to the edge of madness," he
murmured before his mouth crushed hers.
It's a dream, Gwen thought dazedly as his mouth roamed her face,
teasing her skin. It must be a dream. She threw her arms around his neck
and clung, praying never to wake up. "Luke," she managed before her
mouth was silenced again. "Tell me you mean it," she begged as he
tasted her neck. "Please tell me you mean it."
"Look at me," he ordered, taking her chin in his hand. She did, and
found her answer. Joy bubbled inside her and escaped in laughter.
Laughing with her, Luke rested his brow against hers. "I believe I've
surprised you."
"Oh, Luke." She buried her face in his shoulder, holding him as if she
would never let him go. "I'm not surprised, I'm delirious." She sighed,
weak from laughter, dizzy with love. "How did this happen?"
"I haven't the faintest idea." He brushed his lips over the top of her head.
"Falling in love with you was not in my plans."
"Why not?" she demanded, rubbing her cheek against his. "I'm a very
nice person."
"You're a child," he corrected, lost in the scent of her hair. "Do you
realize what we were doing when I was your age?" He gave a quick,
mystified laugh. "I was working on my second novel, and you were
drawing pictures with your Crayolas."
"It's twelve years, not twenty," Gwen countered, slipping her hands
under his shirt to feel the warmth of his back. "And you can hardly make
an issue out of an age difference, particularly a twelve-year age
difference, after all this. You don't have any double standards, do you?"
she asked, lifting a brow.
Luke gave her hair a brief tug. "It's not just the years. You're so
innocent, so unspoiled. Wanting you was driving me mad, then loving
you only made it worse." He kissed her lightly behind the ear, and she
shivered with pleasure. "Even up to last night I was determined not to
take advantage of that innocence. Part of me still wants to leave you that
way."
"I hope the rest of you has more sense," Gwen tossed back her head to
look up at him.
"I'm serious."
"So am I." She ran a fingertip along his jawline. "Buy Bradley's portrait,
if you want an image."
"I already have." He smiled, caught her fingers in his and kissed them.
"You don't think I'd let anyone else have it, do you?"
"Have me, too." Amusement vanished from his face as she pressed
against him. "I'm a woman, Luke, not a child or an image. I love you,
and I want you." Rising on her toes, she met his mouth. His hands
sought her, possessed her, while she trembled with excitement. Her love
seemed to expand, surrounding her until there was nothing else. She
pressed closer, offering everything. It was he who drew away.
"Gwen." Luke let out a long breath and shook his head. "It's difficult to
remember that you're Anabelle's daughter and that she trusts me."
"I'm trying to make it impossible," she countered. She could feel the
speed of his heartbeat against hers, and reveled in a new sense of power.
"Aren't you going to corrupt me?"
"Undoubtedly," he agreed. Framing her face with his hands, he kissed
her nose. "After we're married."
"Oh." Gwen pouted a moment, then shrugged. "That's sensible, I
suppose. Michael was always sensible, too."
Luke's eyes narrowed at the mischief in hers. "That," he said distinctly,
"was a low blow. Do you know how very near I came to pulling the
phone out of the wall last night when I heard you talking to him?"
"Did you?" Gwen's face illuminated at the thought. "Were you jealous?"
"That's one way of putting it," Luke agreed.
"Well," Gwen considered carefully, trying not to smile, "I suppose I can
understand that. As I said, he's a very sensible man. It's all right, though,
I'm sure you're every bit as sensible as Michael."
Luke studied her carefully, but Gwen managed to keep the smile a mere
hint on her lips. "Are you challenging me to kiss you into insensibility?"
"Oh, yes," she agreed, and closed her eyes. "Please do."
"I never could resist a dare," Luke murmured, drawing her into his arms. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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