A Diamond In The Rough. Catherine Mann

girl.”

      The sun climbing high into the sky told her she’d slept in, not surprising since they’d made up for lost time throughout the night. In bed, in the shower, moving into the kitchen for food, then making love against the counter.

      Her body carried the delicious ache of total satiation. Although she knew the moment she saw Stone, she would want him all over again, and she couldn’t help but want to look her best. She shoved her hands through her tangled hair, which must be a complete mess since she’d gone to sleep with it still damp.

      A quick glance at the clock had her rolling to her feet and racing to the bathroom. A fast washup later, she wrapped her hair and body in fluffy towels and opened the closet.

      The packed full closet?

      She stared at all the clothes that hadn’t been there the night before. Tags showed they were all new and in her size. Stone had been busy. He’d ordered her a whole new wardrobe for the rest of their trip. He’d heard what she said about feeling uneasy and in his own way he was trying to ease that worry for her.

      The barking dogs gave her only a moment’s warning before Stone walked into the bedroom. So much for dressing up. She secured the towel around her and tugged the other off her head, shaking her hair free.

      She skimmed her fingers along the rack of clothes. “You didn’t have to do this, but thank you.”

      “Glad you’re happy.” He captured her hand and pulled her close. “And just so we’re clear, it doesn’t matter to me what you’re wearing. In my eyes you’re magnificent.”

      “Thank you.” She arched up for a kiss. “You’re one good cowboy, Stone.”

      “I’m trying, lady, I’m trying.” He kissed her good-morning thoroughly before easing back. “I did hear what you said about going to formal functions before, and it’s killing me to think you ever felt uncomfortable.”

      “I know a person’s worth doesn’t have anything to do with their bank balance.”

      “Damn straight.” He dropped to sit on the foot of the bed, pulling her into his lap. “I imagine that’s part of my grandmother’s plan here, too, giving me a reality check when it comes to family values.”

      Her heart fluttered in her chest. He couldn’t possibly be changing his stance on a family. Could he?

      Afraid to wreck the moment by pushing, she changed the subject. “There’s quite a range of clothes you’ve bought for me.” She pointed to a rack with everything from jeans and slacks to sundresses and a couple of longer gowns. “Where else are we going?”

      “My grandmother has a wide range of people lined up, even a couple of backups if someone doesn’t work out.”

      She snagged an ice-blue lacy dress. “This looks fit for royalty.”

      “You’re perceptive,” he said with a grimace.

      She rolled her eyes, certain she must have misunderstood. “Really? Royalty, in addition to a former secretary of state.”

      “Really.”

      She froze, realizing he was serious. “All right,” she exhaled, sagging back against his chest. “If Sterling is going to the political powerhouse couple, that leaves Pearl and Ruby. Which one’s getting the tiara?”

      “Ruby. Enrique Medina lost both of his Rhodesian ridgebacks this year to old age. He and my grandmother are friends. He’s even the one who recommended contacting General Renshaw about Sterling.”

      Royalty. Honest-to-God royalty. Nothing would surprise her about this family again. “What about Pearl? Is she going to the Pope?”

      Stone snorted on a laugh. “I’m sure he’s one of Gran’s backups.” He kissed her nose. “Seriously, though, I don’t know as much about the last family other than that they live on a ranch in Montana.”

      “Are the formal gowns for the jewelers’ convention that you mentioned?” Her stomach gripped at the thought. Even with the fancy clothes, she was still a farm girl who felt most at ease in her jeans, with braided hair and a horse.

      “I canceled that. The variety of dresses are so we can go out to dinner somewhere nice. Just the two of us, to thank you for coming along this week to ease my grandmother’s mind. Regardless of where we go from here, I will always be grateful for all you’ve done for Gran.”

      She couldn’t help but be surprised again over how he was revealing more to her on this trip than she’d ever understood about him before. Had he suffered as much from their time apart? Or had confronting mortality with his grandmother’s illness brought down some walls? Either way, she couldn’t help but be drawn in by this man.

      He tipped her chin for another kiss, one that couldn’t go any further with the day slipping away, but God, she was tempted. Because she couldn’t help but think these changes were too good to be true.

      * * *

      An hour later, Stone opened the hatch on their rental SUV to load up the dogs for their drive over to the Landis-Renshaw compound. Ruby loped into the back and he lifted scruffy little Pearl in, as well, a mesh barrier keeping them from taking over the front seat. He’d stowed their luggage in a cartop carrier. They looked like a regular family on vacation.

      He rubbed the kink in his neck from lack of sleep, but he wouldn’t change a moment of their night together.

      The waves glistened under the power of the noonday sun and he wished they could just blow off his grandmother’s plan and stay at the cottage for the rest of the week. He and Johanna had connected, just like in the past, and he was working hard to reassure her. Maybe he was deluding himself into hoping she could overlook the bigger issues if he corrected some other problems in their relationship.

      To what end?

      Did he really expect they would ride off into the sunset together? He had to be honest with himself and admit he wanted her back in his life on a permanent basis. But being equally honest, he wasn’t sure that was possible no matter how many closets full of comfy clothes and easygoing outings he came up with.

      The beach cottage door opened, and Johanna stepped out with Sterling cradled in her arms. She’d chosen a simple flowery dress, loose and classic. But she looked good in everything she wore. His assistant had ordered everything and assured him the task would be easy. Johanna had pulled her hair back in a jeweled clasp—a Diamonds in the Rough piece. And of course she wore his grandmother’s horseshoe charm.

      He struggled to resist the urge to scoop her up, carry her back inside and peel the dress off her. Instead, he held out his arms. “I’ll take Sterling.”

      She shook her head, her ponytail sweeping along her spine the way his hands ached to do. “I’ll hold him. I’m feeling sentimental about saying goodbye to him. I keep thinking about the day your grandmother got him as a puppy.”

      He closed the back hatch and walked around to open her door. “I always think of you as being there for the horses. I forget sometimes that caring for the dogs falls under your job description, as well.” He leaned in the open door. “It will be tough for you to say goodbye to them, too.”

      “I don’t have pets of my own...so yes.” She stroked the Chihuahua-dachshund mix. “I have become attached. But your grandmother is wise to make sure they’re placed. Too many animals end up at shelters when their owners pass away or go into nursing homes.”

      “We would have taken them all for her. She has to know that.” Not a chance in hell would he have dumped Gran’s pets at the shelter. He closed the door, perhaps a bit more forcefully than he’d intended, but the reminder of a world without Mariah cast clouds over his day.

      He walked around the hood and took his place behind the wheel. He swept off his Stetson and dropped it on the console between them. Starting the car, he pulled his focus back in tight before he landed them nose first in a sand dune. Navigating the beach traffic was tough