Lauri Robinson Read Online Free PDF Page B

hotel,” he said. “Why?”
    “I was just curious.” Her insides stirred, imagining how delightful it would be to meet him at the door each evening, or wake in his arms every morning. Of course his ranch was several miles from town, but since becoming a deputy, he rarely stayed out there.
    “Della,” he said, capturing her gaze.
    She swallowed, entranced by his stare and holding her breath to secure the moment forever. To live, here, beside him for an eternity would be utopia at its finest. She’d live in a cave if Spencer was beside her.
    “I came by to ask you what you want to do.”
    A swirling fog had overcome her mind. She blinked, asking, “What I want to do?”
    “I understand why you won’t take any money. So I came to ask what I can do to help.”
    Certain she’d missed a part of the conversation she shook her head to dispel the fog. “Help?”
    He pressed a gentle hand to her forehead. The touch caused the mist inside her head to thicken and made her heart race. “Are you feeling all right?” he asked.
    “Hmm, yes,” she mumbled. Leaning closer, enthralled by the shape of his mouth, especially the line where the top lip met the bottom. She licked her own.
    “Della.” He sounded hoarse and breathless.
    Deep inside, Della quivered, growing warm and moist. The sensation wasn’t new. There were nights when dreams of Spencer woke her. Covered in sweat and so keenly affected she’d have to pretend he was there, touching her, before her body would find release and settle down enough for her to draw a breath. The sensations were that strong right now, and the last bits of her willpower slipped away.
    “Spencer,” she whispered. “Kiss me.” A second later, she added, “Please.”
    His mouth captured hers, and unlike before, this time she held nothing back. Kissing him like a woman does the man she loves, fully, deeply, passionately.
    A poignant heat traveled through her system. She arched her back, stretching toward him and pressing herself to his chest. The raw pleasure had her blood pounding through her veins, chanting new desires with every pulse of her heart. To lay with him, disperse of their clothes and unite as one became an all-consuming need.
    Mere moments before she begged him to take her upstairs, Spencer broke the kiss. Gasping for air, she let her head fall onto his shoulder.
    “Marry me, Della.”
    The pounding of her heart was so loud she couldn’t have heard correctly. He couldn’t possibly have asked her to marry him. “What?”
    He leaned back and pressed her hands onto his chest where the firm, steady beat of his heart thundered beneath her fingertips. “I have a cabin out at the ranch, and plans drawn up to build a big house. Plenty of room for you, Anna and Elsie. I’ll take care of you Della, all three of you, for the rest of your lives. You’ll never have to worry about having a home ever again. I promise.”
    Della closed her eyes as the world came rushing forward, but then a clash of emotions erupted inside her. Burning tears trickled between her lashes as she shook her head. He’d said he’d take care of them, but hadn’t said anything about love.

Chapter Five
    Spencer drew in a deep breath, to brace against her answer and to give him the strength to continue. Kissing her had taken him back again. To the night by the pine tree. He wouldn’t give up so easily this time. “Why not? Give me one good reason, and I’ll walk away.” With the ball of his thumb, he rescued a lone tear sliding down her cheek. “But it has to be a very good reason.”
    The anguish playing upon her face ate at his heart, but he wasn’t going to stop. “Tell me why, Della. Why won’t you marry me?”
    “I got married once before because I thought I wanted a home, and that was wrong. I was wrong. A home wasn’t what I was looking for.”
    Half-afraid of her answer, but needing to know, he asked, “Then what is it? What are you looking for?”
    She took a deep breath and squared her