Quade's Babies - Brenda Jackson [20]
Evidently there was a “what else,” Quade thought as he looked at Cheyenne’s face. It looked as if shock had knocked her speechless. But that look would not hinder his plans. He had arrived in Charlotte earlier that day not knowing what to expect. He had figured he had possibly fathered a child, but he certainly hadn’t expected to discover he had fathered three. Now, knowing that he had, there was no way he could walk away. Nor was there any way he could not do what was expected of him—expected of a Westmoreland.
“Is there a problem?” he decided to ask when Cheyenne continued to stare at him as if he had just provided concrete proof to her that there was life on another planet.
He could actually hear her clench her teeth before she said. “No, there isn’t a problem. At least not on my end because I have no intention of marrying you.”
“I wouldn’t say that if I were you,” he cautioned. “You might want to think this through carefully.”
She tightened her mouth in a firm line and glared over at him. “There is nothing to think about. I have no plans to get married, especially to you. I don’t even know you.”
Returning her glare, he crossed the room to stand in front of where she stood. “Then I suggest that you get to know me. Like it or not, I don’t intend for you or our children not to carry my name.”
She tilted her head and glared up at him. “My babies and I have a name—Steele. Thank you much for your offer, but we don’t need another one. I happen to like the one we have.”
He stepped closer. “And I happen to like the name Westmoreland for you and our babies better.”
“Too bad,” she snapped.
“No, too good,” was his response.
And too late, Cheyenne thought, when she noticed his gaze had zeroed in on her mouth and that he had taken a step even closer while continuing to hold her gaze. She returned his stare and for the moment she was unable to move. She was transfixed in place. Breathing was even difficult as she remembered that night almost eleven months ago causing heated desire to run up her spine.
Deciding she needed her space she took a step back, but he recovered the distance in record time. “Going somewhere?” he asked, reaching out to place his hands around her waist.
Her entire body reacted to his touch. How in the world could he get such a reaction from her when she was mad at him? Her body was treacherous when it came to his touch…just like before.
“Don’t think you’re going to seduce me into anything,” she said, and then wished she hadn’t said it when she saw the flash of challenge that lit his eyes. “I’m used to men like you,” she decided to say. “I was raised around four male cousins.”
“And?”
“And I know how to handle you.”
A smile touched his lips. “Yes, I’d be the first to say that you do. If memory serves me correctly, you have the ability to handle me very well,” he said, his voice was low and guttural.
She tried to ease back again, but his hand at her waist made it difficult. Instead she continued to stare at him, and literally stopped breathing when he began lowering his head toward her.
She wanted to resist. To move. To stop the kiss she saw coming. Instead, she braced herself for it, and heaven help her, she felt fire surge in the area between her thighs in anticipation of it. All the while she tried convincing herself that this was not what she wanted, but another part of her was declaring loud and clear that this was exactly what she needed.
His lips hovered close to her, so close the warmth of his breath moistened her lips. It seemed he was refusing to bring it any further and she couldn’t help wondering why he was stalling.
He must have read the confusion in her eyes because then he said. “Go ahead and take it.”
She stared at him, thinking that he had a lot of nerve. But then a lot could be said for nerves, she thought when she found herself inching her mouth closer to his. Then she quickly made a decision and decided to act on it.
She leaned in closer, latched on to his mouth, clung to it and the moment their lips connected