The Texas Billionaire's Bride / The Texas Bodyguard's Proposal: The Texas Billionaire's Bride

Nevertheless, he didn’t appreciate the staring, so he shot the men subtle back-off looks, while approaching the doors to the valet and pickup area.

When they got out there, Monty hadn’t yet arrived, and Zane guessed it was because Livie was probably going through her new purchases and making it nearly impossible for the softhearted driver to get the packages in the trunk.

He would give them three more minutes before calling.

As they waited, a couple of valets were giving Melanie the eye, just as the guys inside had been doing. With one extra long look at them, Zane persuaded the boys to go back to being valets instead of slobbering dogs.

Melanie didn’t seem to notice any of it. She stood there, face forward, the silence deafening.

Luckily, she broke it.

“And how did Toys ‘R’ Us go with Livie?” she asked.

In spite of himself, a smile captured his mouth, and when it stayed, it surprised him a little. “She was really excited. They had a Ferris wheel in the middle of the store. We went on that thing three times.”

“Good.” A smile broke out over her face, too.

My, wasn’t she content about her schemes to get father and daughter together?

Her happiness would end soon enough when she realized that tonight wasn’t going anywhere beyond this.

He shifted under the weight of the thought—and under the heft of the tension that remained between them.

But she still seemed to be in a positive mood. She even laughed a bit, yet it sounded more self-aware than anything.

“What is it?” he asked.

She gestured to her dress, her face and hair. “This whole night. Me getting made over at your pleasure.”

He almost coughed.

She caught herself. “That’s not exactly what I meant.” Sighing, she shook her head. “I don’t know. Maybe it has something to do with…Well, I heard that you make sure all the Foley nannies have looked good to one extent or another.”

What was this about? “Meaning…?” he asked.

“Rumor has it that in the past most nannies were easy on the eye.”

That heat began its slow crawl up his skin again, from his neck to his face. “And who told you this?”

“You’re not confirming or denying my comment.”

He knew she wouldn’t give up her source, and even though that got to him, he also had to respect her loyalty. It was a decent quality for anyone to have. Besides, if he really cared about the mild gossip that much, he could narrow it down to one of a few other employees with whom she had regular contact.

“Pretty has nothing to do with it,” he muttered. “It’s never been a job requirement.”

And that was the truth. Even now, he couldn’t say if the other nannies had been good looking or not. All he knew was that Melanie Grandy affected him like none of the others had, and it didn’t sit well.

“If appearances don’t matter,” she said, “then why give me a makeover, even as a thank you?”

She’d turned to him in her direct manner. He faced her, too, and out of habit, he actually thought he might be able to make her look away if he stayed quiet long enough.

Yet she stood her ground, and he was the one at the disadvantage, overtaken by the depth and color of her eyes. There was a vivid strength in her gaze, like the undertow of the sea, and he’d noticed it even prior to the makeup bringing it out.

Before he knew what he was doing, he raised his hand and rested it on her cheek, where there had always been a natural blush, even without the aid of all these cosmetics.

Then, realizing what had just happened, he rubbed his thumb over the makeup as if to take some of it off.

“You don’t need all this,” he said.

And it was true. Achingly true.

Her eyes had gone wide. He’d shocked her, he knew, and he wondered if it was because of his brash move or because she could feel the same current that sizzled when his skin met hers.

He could see her throat working as she swallowed, and his breathing picked up.

What if he moved his fingertips down over her jaw, to her neck, where he could brush over the delicate, smooth lines? What would she do then?

What would he do after that?

Nothing around them stirred, the air seeming to hover in place, locking everything in to this one moment, this one touch. Locking them into each other’s gazes, where he could see a different world, a livelier one, hued with the laughter he’d heard on the roof of his townhouse a few hours ago.

But then he remembered how he’d put an end to the gaiety, just because he was Zane Foley—bad husband, bad father.

He’d promised he wouldn’t add any more “bad”s to his list.

Slowly, he removed his hand from her face and turned away, going for his cell phone to see where in tarnation Monty was.

As he accessed speed dial, he could feel Melanie beside him, awkward in the aftermath. And he hated himself for doing that to her—putting this otherwise self-assured woman in a place where she had no firm footing.

That’s right, he thought, once again Zane Foley’s made a mess of things.

But he was going to make sure it didn’t happen again.

Ever.

Melanie arose early the next morning, getting out of bed at the crack of dawn.

Since sleep hadn’t come easy—once again—she thought she might as well make the most of her last morning here. So she showered and threw on a sundress before going down to the kitchen, where she’d stored all the food she’d purchased from the market yesterday, including the makings of a meal that had been a hit with kids in the past—fluffy biscuit sandwiches teeming with egg, bacon and cheese. Hearty and filling.

As the biscuits baked in the oven, she began whisking the eggs, milk, garlic salt and pepper together, but all the while she kept looking toward the hallway that led to Zane’s study and bedroom.

Couldn’t she stop thinking of how he’d touched her last night? How her heart had nearly exploded at the feel of his hand on her cheek?

She stopped taking her frustration out on the eggs and fanned a hand in front of her face. Whoo. Maybe it was the heat of the oven, combined with the vulnerability of her skin after last night’s makeover facial.

Or maybe it was because Zane Foley had a power over her that no man had ever come close to.

Either way, he’d pulled away from her in the end, sending her belly sinking. Because…seriously?