The Cowboy's Baby(26)

“Esme…don’t go. I’m sorry I just…you have to understand it’s hard for me to adjust.”

Esme paused, her heart stuttering in her chest. Was this the part when the man poured out his woes over the woman who had walked away from him and the baby they’d planned to have together? Where she listened to him expound on how much he loved her – how she was just a tortured soul with a heart of gold?

“Alyssa was…difficult, but she was familiar. This…” He swept his free hand over the kitchen. “This isn’t familiar for me.”

“What isn’t?” Her words came out in a low, almost secretive tone as she stared down at him.

“Eating home cooked meals…living in the same house as a woman who doesn’t demand my attention…or twist me around her finger to get it.”

Esme let his words sink in as she listened to him, trying to hide her incredulity. Was the man trying to say that he’d never been with a woman who didn’t exploit him for what he had? That was certainly hard to believe. With all the money he had, the man had to have some sort of common sense. Gold-diggers were usually easy to spot from pretty far off. “Well, Daniel…” She finally ventured, “I can promise you I’ll never demand anything of you…unless, of course, the baby needs it.” She cleared her throat, hoping she didn’t come off sounding motherly. This child wasn’t hers – it was Daniel’s. “And if you want me to cook for you,” she continued, in an attempt to lighten the mood, “I can do that any old time. I enjoy it. It’s better when it’s for two.”

“Esme.”

Daniel turned in his chair, taking the dishes she held from her to set on the table before his deep blue gaze locked with hers. He never let go of her, his hold on her elbow turning soft as his thumb brushed over the sensitive skin just above her forearm. The place was surprisingly tender, and Esme swallowed thickly as her thighs tensed in anticipation. “It’s been a very long time since any woman cooked for me. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” His low, silky voice thrummed through her, and Esme wanted nothing more than to throw herself at his feet and beg him to screw her absolutely senseless. In her mind, she had absolutely no shame. But in the physical plane, she knew she had to show fortitude. Fortitude was the only thing keeping her from making a mistake she knew she might regret.

“Esme…I want to kiss you again.” The young woman inhaled sharply, the statement shooting directly to the core of her, heating it until the blood in her veins ran hot with repressed desire. “It’s been damn near all I can think of since the first time. Which was my fault, I know. I think of you sleeping just a floor below me, and all I want is to taste you again. Is that wrong of me?”

His words took her breath away. Esme could only stare into his blue, entrancing, utterly sincere gaze as her mind whirled. The last time he’d kissed her, the guilt she’d seen in his eyes following the encounter had torn her apart. She didn’t want to be a source of drama whenever his girlfriend decided to reappear.

But if what was between them was truly over…well, that was another matter entirely.

If they were going to live in the same house…Esme could handle a little tryst while she was waiting for the man’s child to ripen within her. She certainly wanted Daniel more than she’d wanted any man in a hell of a long time. She honestly didn’t care who he was or how much money he had. She had her own goals she was working to fulfill, and when she walked away, she’d walk away clean.

Like she always did.

“It’s not wrong.” She finally managed, wetting her lips slightly before she continued. “But I don’t want to convolute anything, Daniel. I’m you’re surrogate…and Alyssa is the mother of your child. If she comes back, I don’t want to-”

His mouth covered hers, firm and decisive, cutting off anything further she might have said. After a moment of shock, Esme allowed herself to melt into the kiss, her fingers sliding through his hair as she let Daniel tug her down into his lap. His tongue slid like silk against her own and a soft moan escaped her as she clung to him, liquid fire coursing through her veins.

When his mouth finally broke from hers, she was almost trembling with want. “I don’t want to make this about her.” The man murmured heatedly against her mouth. “And neither should you.”

It wasn’t the answer she was looking for, and Esme knew she should demand something more clear – but when Daniel’s mouth covered hers once more, she found herself at a decided lack of words. It was all she could do to hold tight to the man as his hands slid down to her hips, pulling her tight against the hard, flat pane of his chest as his mouth plundered hers.