Catherine loved everything about it.
Though she could see some of her things, including her favorite McKnight painting of Corfu to add color, most of them would have to stay in storage. Of necessity having a baby in the house would guarantee a lot of clutter.
Cole had promised they’d drive to Elko to outfit the second bedroom into a nursery. For the moment it contained a twin bed and dresser, nothing more. For a niece or nephew to sleep over, perhaps?
At a glance it was clear he’d wanted no hint of past memories when he’d had this built. If he needed to touch base with his life before his wife died, all he had to do was sprint around the lake to the main ranch house.
Maybe it was wrong of Catherine, but she was fiercely glad no other woman had lived here with him.
While they finished walking around, Bonnie started making noises. “Sounds like she’s hungry. You can set your watch by her.”
She felt Cole’s masculine chuckle resonate in every cell of her body. “Lie down in our bedroom with her. I’ll bring the diaper bag.” They still had several bottles of the prepared formula they’d brought on the plane. The rest was in an extra suitcase.
When they entered the room, Cole must have noticed her surreptitious glance at the king-size bed. “I bought everything new when I moved in.” Meaning his wife hadn’t slept in it, in case Catherine was wondering.
It was scary how fast he connected the dots, no matter how obscure to anyone else. But then he wouldn’t be the head of the Bonnibelle if he didn’t have that remarkable capacity necessary to run a successful cattle empire.
Meeting Catherine had kept him away from his work a long time. Yet he hadn’t touched on the subject.
That was because of Bonnie. She had him wrapped so tightly around her baby finger, Catherine hardly recognized him as the for bid ding security guard. One who’d been prepared to drag her from the car if she didn’t confess what she was doing there the day of Buck’s funeral.
Driven by pain, she now under stood, and she had no doubt that man would have carried out his threat-to hell with anyone who might be watching.
But the rugged black-haired male who’d just come back in the bedroom and laid down next to her and Bonnie bore little resemblance to the other man.
After handing her the bottle, he propped his head with his hand to watch them through veiled eyes. The baby drank thirstily, making loud noises.
His mouth widened in amusement. He was such a beautiful male. Catherine had to close her eyes against his over powering charisma.
“You’re a true Farraday, Bonnibelle. No one enjoys a good meal more than I do.”
Catherine had thought he was going to say Buck, which only proved how total was the transformation from uncle to father.
CHAPTER NINE
AFTER Bonnie’s feed, she was out like a light.
As Catherine’s eyes slid away, they met the storm cloud gray of Cole’s.
“It’s time to tell me what you were doing out on the porch with John.” His low, penetrating voice wasn’t quite a demand. “What did I say that put you off? You were different before we even got out of the car.”
She swallowed uneasily.
Cole was so intuitive she could never hide anything from him. After her experience with him the first time they met, she didn’t dare hold back. He’d only find a way to get it out of her. His methods guaranteed success.
She didn’t want to fight with him. Especially with the innocent baby sleeping peace fully between them.
“If you must know, you and I never talked about-about having more children.”
The quiet that fell after her comment could hardly be described as comfortable. She could almost hear the air crackle with tension.
His brows arched quizzically. “Isn’t that part of what a real marriage implies?”
“Yes,” came the lame concession.
“So what’s the problem?” he infused in an unruffled tone.
She choked out, “The problem is me.”
“In what way?” he persisted.
“Not so loud. We’re going to wake the baby.”
Unable to handle the nature of their conversation being this close to him, she rolled off the bed, careful to leave Bonnie undisturbed. Cole followed her into the hall.
Before she reached the living room she felt a pair of strong male hands close over her shoulders, arresting her movements. His body heat permeated the silky material of her coffee-colored blouson. Combined with his natural scent, it all worked like an aphrodisiac on her senses.
He lifted the silvery gold strands away from her neck. “I’m the one who’s been a fool,” he whispered, letting his lips graze her heated skin. “I’ve been trying to give you time to get used to me. But it appears I’ve unwittingly sent the wrong signal.”
“I-it’s not that-” she tried to tell him, but the feel of his mouth created exquisite pleasure, robbing her of the ability to think clearly.
“Surely you know how much I want you?” His hands slid down her arms to her caress her hips. “I haven’t been able to hide it. Bonnie might have been the catalyst to bring us together this fast, but believe me- I felt the desire to make love to you even as you were evading my questions in front of the ranch house.”
“Cole-” she cried in absolute panic. Much as his admissions thrilled her, she couldn’t let this go on.
His hands stilled against her trembling body. “What is it? I know you want me too. It isn’t something you can hide.”
“I-I’m not trying to. But first there’s something I have to tell you that could change everything.”
He twisted her around. She glimpsed silvery eyes molten with desire. “Don’t be silly,” he murmured against her lips, gripping her waist to bring her against him.
With undeniable mastery he explored her mouth, tasting and finding every part of it. The fire he’d lit was starting to engulf her. This was a husband’s kiss, hot with desire.
Her husband. A man who might not want to claim that title once he’d heard what she had to tell him.
“Please, Cole-” She fought for air, really frightened now, because she could feel herself succumbing to the wanton needs he’d aroused.
“Don’t you under stand I want to please you?” he growled softly against her ear, sending little sparks of delight through her sensitized body.
He was too drugged by passion, too intent on making love to her, to listen. With Bonnie asleep for the next few hours, there was nothing to interfere with this ecstasy.
She shivered voluptuously, because she was drowning in a sensual haze he’d created that was sapping her power to resist him. Somehow they wound up against the wall, their mouths and bodies in satiable.
“Hey, Uncle Cole-”
A young male voice called out with excitement. At first Catherine thought she must have dreamed it.
“Mom said you were back. Where’ve you been?”
The voice was coming closer.
Catherine struggled to surface, but she didn’t make it in time.
“Oops-” the boy exclaimed.
Incredibly it was Cole who managed to ease himself away from her. Luckily she was still pressed up against the wall, which worked as a support until she could compose herself.
Cole turned to their young intruder. She could hear his ragged breathing. “Hey, Gavin-haven’t you learned to knock yet before you barge in on people?”
The dark-haired boy wearing jeans and cowboy boots couldn’t be more than ten. He hunched his shoulders, eyeing his uncle warily. “Sorry. I didn’t know anyone else was here.”