WM02 - Texas Princess (43 page)

Several people turned to look.

When he reached her, he bowed as politely as any gentleman. “Libby,” he said. “I’ve come to take you home.”

Before she could think to answer, he swept her up in his arms and headed for the door.

The music stopped. Everyone in the room stared. Several of the ofcers present moved to help her.

The man she’d danced with blocked Tobin’s path. “Now just a minute. What’s going on here? Does the senator know about this?”

Liberty felt Tobin’s muscles tense. “I’m taking my wife home.”

In the moment of confusion that fol owed, he stepped around the ofcer and reached the door.

She looked over his shoulder and saw several ofcers rushing to fol ow. One buckskin-clad ranger closed the exit with his body and held up his hand.

Liberty didn’t know whether to scream or laugh. Though Tobin had surprised her, she felt no fear of him. She had no idea what he wanted, but he’d solved the problem of when to tel her father. Within minutes, a hundred people would probably repeat Tobin’s words.

The thought that he’d learned of the baby, and somehow came because of it, frightened her. What would he do—hold her prisoner until she delivered? He’d consider the child a McMurray whether he wanted it or not.

He tossed her up on his horse and swung up behind her. “Hold tight, Libby,” he ordered.

“Where do you think you’re taking me?”

She wasn’t surprised he didn’t answer. He only kicked the horse into a ful gal op and raced through the streets.

“This is kidnapping this time, Tobin.” She tried to keep her hair from blowing wildly as hairpins and combs ew in the wind. “My father won’t stand for it. We’re due to leave tomorrow, and he thinks I’ve already delayed him long enough.”

He slowed to make sure he wasn’t being fol owed. When he turned onto a narrow street, she twisted to face him. “You can’t just come into a bal and grab me.”

His mouth came down on hers hard as his arm pul ed her so tightly to him she couldn’t breathe.

When he broke the kiss, she gulped for air as he turned down a dark al eyway.

“Where are we going?” she demanded.

“Be quiet, Libby,” he whispered. His words were an order, but his nuzzle against her neck could only be a caress.

The horse slowed at the side door to a home Libby recognized as being very close to the state capitol. Tobin gently lifted her down and carried her along a path to an open door. The house was dark, but he seemed to know his way. After two turns, she saw the light of a replace.

“If you’ve kidnapped me to ravish me, Tobin McMurray, I swear I’l —”

He laughed as he dropped her into an overstuffed chair by the re. “Since when have I ravished
you
, Libby?”

She got to her feet as graceful y as possible. “Then why did you bring me here?”

“Get undressed.”

She straightened as excitement blended with fear. “I wil not.”

He jerked off the formal coat he wore and tossed it along with his tie. “Get undressed, Libby.”

“No.” She faced him. “Not until you talk to me. Why did you kidnap me tonight?”

He pul ed off a black shoe and threw it across the room.

“Tobin, talk to me.”

After removing his other shoe, he took a deep breath and nodded once. “I can’t sleep without you.”

Libby stared. Of al the reasons she’d thought he might say, that had not even been in the running. She waited him out.

He paced back and forth for a while then added, “With you gone I gured I was dead already, so what difference did fearing the future make?” He stared at her, hunger and need in his eyes. “I dozed off once and saw generations of horses running...But after that...I sat on that damn mountain for three days trying everything to fal asleep. When I closed my eyes, al I saw was you.”

Anger boiled in Liberty. “You embarrassed me in front of half of Austin because you can’t sleep.”

He moved closer. “I can’t sleep without you, but I didn’t want to embarrass you. I got dressed up, had a real haircut and shave. I even wore shoes, though they hurt like hel .”

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She turned her head when he leaned to kiss her. “You’l have to do better than that.”

He caught the ribbon at her neck and tugged his ring from between her breasts. “You belong to me. You signed your note ‘your Libby.’ Not Liberty, but Libby. And not just Libby, but my Libby.”

She wouldn’t settle. “I don’t belong to you or anyone. I’m on my own.” Pushing past him she headed for the door. “I suggest you take drugs to sleep and I’m sure you can return the clothes and shoes no longer than you wore them.”

With her hand on the knob, she turned back. “I don’t want to be just needed or wanted. I’l not be handled like a thing, not even by my husband.”

He looked so handsome standing by the re she almost ran back to him. For a shy man it must have taken a great deal to rush into the bal and take her. But that wasn’t what she wanted in a man. In a strange way he’d given her the strength to walk away.

As she opened the door, she heard him say, “I came because I know you love me.”

“I never said I did.” Her pride wouldn’t let her run to him.

“Yes, you did.” He pul ed the tattered note from his pocket. “You signed it.”

“You came al this way because of a note?” Each word caught in her throat as hope grew in her heart.

“No, Libby, I came al this way because I love you. I don’t know how long I’m going to live but, however long it is, I want it to be by your side. If you’re set on going to Washington, then I’l go. If you want me to get al dressed up, I’l do that. Just promise me that you’l sleep beside me.”

Libby smiled amazed he could say so many words al at once. “You’d real y go?”

She took a step toward him.

He nodded once, looking very much like a man agreeing to take poison.

She moved closer. “And you’d wear proper clothes and shoes?”

He stared at her as she neared, his dark eyes almost burning her skin.

“Tobin answer me.”

He smiled. “I can’t think when you’re smiling at me, but whatever the question was the answer is yes.”

His stare met hers. “If I agreed to go...”

She smiled. “If I agreed to stay...”

She was so close she felt the warmth of his body, but she didn’t touch him. “What do you want?”

“I want you,” he whispered, “to get undressed and come to bed.”

She began unbuttoning her dress. His gaze fol owed her every movement. “Not before you say it again, Tobin.”

“Say what again.” His tone left no doubt that he thought he’d done enough talking for a while.

“Say you love me.”

He stopped her hands and pul ed her to him. Looking into her eyes, he said, “I love you, Libby. I think I have since the moment I saw you. I’l love you every day for the rest of our lives.”

“Good.” She smiled. “Get undressed and come to bed.”

He kissed her gently then lifted her up and carried her to the bed. As she watched him pul off his clothes, he said, “I won’t mind living in Washington or wherever you want to during the days as long as I’m beside you at night.”

She loved seeing every part of him. He was a man who looked grand in formal attire and even better without it. “Good.” She laughed. “Then you won’t mind living at the ranch for a while rst.”

He frowned as if not believing her.

She grinned. “I real y think the next McMurray should be born at Whispering Mountain, don’t you, Papa?”

He froze, his shirt open, his trousers half unbuttoned. He stared at her so hard she could almost believe he could see through her. He showed no emotion at her sudden announcement.

No playfulness remained in her voice as she whispered, “I know you planned no family, but I’m going to have a

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baby.” Lifting her chin, she added, “I want it. In fact, I already love it. If you want me, you’l have to want our child.”

He knelt beside the bed and slowly nished unbuttoning her dress.

Liberty watched him, her heart shattering. If he walked away now, it would be a hundred times harder for her to leave, knowing that he loved her but wanted no family.

He pushed her undergarments aside and spread his hand over her bel y. When he raised his head, she saw tears oating in his eyes.

“The next generation.” He smiled. “After you left I climbed Whispering Mountain and dreamed of horses running across our land. I dreamed of generations of McMurrays.”

Libby put her hand over his. “I love you, Tobin, and I love your child already. It doesn’t matter where we live. If I’m with you, I’m home.”

He spread out beside her and pul ed the covers over them both. Then he pul ed her close and whispered, “Go to sleep, Libby. You’l need your rest for the ride home.”

She cuddled against him. “And?”

He was silent for a moment, then he added, “And I love you.” His hand moved across her middle. “I love you both.”

When she woke him a few hours later to make love he was so gentle she almost cried with joy. This time the room was silent as they communicated al they felt without saying a word.