Angel's Peak (Virgin River #10)(48)

“You can go as far as Luke’s house in Virgin River, Mom,” Aiden said more gently. “But if you’re very smart, you’ll ask Luke if one of those nice little cabins is available, or it’s going to be that much longer until you get the next grandchild. Do you remember what it was like when a mother-in-law visited?”

Maureen made a derisive sound. She remembered. It put quite a crimp in all the conjugal privacy. “Well, with five sons maybe your father’s mum didn’t visit often enough,” she said quietly.

Aiden and Sean both laughed at that. “Space and patience, Mother,” Aiden said sternly. “Or you’re going to muck up the whole business.”

“I just don’t understand how all this could have—”

“Enough of that,” Aiden said. “You know as much about that end of it as you need to know. Sean, get her a glass of wine and check in with Luke. Mother, you throw too much of your mom around and I’m not going to be able to save you.” Just then there was a loud sound in the background.

“Did someone just scream?” Maureen asked.

“More of an enthusiastic grunt,” Aiden replied. “I’m signing off. Behave yourself!”

The line went dead and Sean and Maureen just looked at each other. Finally Maureen spoke. “Well, I think calling in the reinforcements is a bit over the top.”

“For some reason, Aiden can get through to you like no one else can,” Sean said. “I think because he’s a doctor. The big show-off.”

“He’s always been the peacekeeper in the family,” she said. “Now, let’s go out to lunch, then we’ll call Luke. I bet we can get a flight out today.”

“You’re going to wait until the timing is right to meet Rosie?” Sean asked.

“I give you my word, but don’t test me by making it too long a wait. I’m a weak old woman,” she said, walking back to the living room and grabbing her purse off the table by the front door.

“Yeah, right,” Sean replied to her back.

“Let’s eat something Italian,” she said. “That’ll hold us till we get to the outback.”

He chuckled and walked out the patio doors as she followed. They’d only gone a few steps when she whacked him in the back of the head. “Ma!” he yelled, a hand going to his head as he whirled on her.

“Holy Mother Mary, you ought to be ashamed of yourself! Were you raised by wolves?”

Nine

Forty-eight hours after receiving a phone call from Sean and his mother, Luke rode his motorcycle up to Walt Booth’s stable and parked it outside, right next to Shelby’s Jeep. He walked in, pulling off his gloves as he went. When he found his wife in one of the stalls with a rake, he slapped his gloves into the palm of one hand to get her attention. When she turned to look at him, she smiled and shook her head.

“Where’s your uncle Walt?” he asked.

“I think he has plans with Muriel. He called my cell phone around noon today and asked me if I could tend and feed the horses on my way home from school. His truck is gone.”

Luke stuffed his gloves in his jacket pockets and pulled the rake out of her hand, leaning it up against the stall. “His truck better stay gone or he’s going to see us naked.”

She laughed at him. “Can’t you wait for bed?”

“I could, but the house is full of people. Why’d you insist my mother had to stay with us in the house? She was perfectly willing to take a cabin.”

“First of all, there’s only one cabin empty and it’s hunting season, and second, I’m not going to have your mother stay under a different roof when we have two perfectly good upstairs bedrooms. That would be rude. Besides, we’re married—we’re allowed to have sex in our own house, in our own bed.”

He grabbed her perfect behind in two large hands and pulled her against him. “You’re noisy when you come.” Then he swooped down on her mouth and kissed her like a starving man. When his lips were somewhat satisfied he broke away slightly and said, “And before and after.”

“No, I’m not,” she argued.

“Uh-huh. Then you snore and talk in your sleep.”

“Do not.”

“And you missed a period.”

“You noticed that? It’s just a little late.”

“Did you pee on a stick yet?” he asked her.

Shelby shook her head. “I think it’s too soon and I don’t want to be disappointed. Besides, it might be coming—I feel weepy and my br**sts are a little sore.”

“You’re pregnant,” he said. “And I want to do you in the hay. You can scream until the horses stampede.” He grinned at her. “Maybe I can get you more pregnant.”

“Luke…I don’t want to go home with hay in my hair…”

“I can take care of that problem,” he said. He picked her up and carried her out of the stall, closing the door behind him, and into the tack room. He tugged her shirt out of her jeans, deftly opened her belt and popped the snap. Before sliding them down he lifted one of her legs and grabbed a boot heel, pulling it off. Then the other. And then the jeans and panties were in a heap on the tack room floor and Shelby was left mostly na**d in her shirttails and socks.

“We should do this kind of thing more often,” he said. “Adventure sex.” He drew off his belt because of the large buckle and let it fall. Then he pulled her against him once more, kissing her deeply while his hand wandered to the V of her legs and gently, slowly, sweetly and deeply caressed her. He smiled against her lips. “Shelby, you’re not very good at this hard-to-get game. You’re ready for me.”