Texas Tycoon's Christmas Fiancée (9 page)

“You're right. She has some great recommendations, but I wanted to be sure you were comfortable.”

“Actually, I imagine I'll enjoy dinner more. When I'm home, I never sit through a meal without interruptions.”

He smiled. “Yet you love taking care of him.”

“Of course. I love him. He's precious and I can't wait to get home to him every day. So what's our schedule here, Nick? Are presents opened tonight or tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow morning. We'll have the Christmas meal tonight and Dad will go to bed early. This has been great for him, Grace. He's trying to make it nice for you because he appreciates having Michael more than you can guess.”

“It's easy to do this now while Michael is a baby,” she said, wondering what the future held. Her problems had diminished with Nick's presence because she was so aware of him. He was close, tempting. She would be alone with him later and the prospect was exciting.

When they joined Eli again, Megan was with him. Dinner was served in a large dining room that could have easily accommodated twenty at the table. It was a lavish spread and the food was delicious, but it was difficult to eat with
Nick seated across from her, his smoldering dark eyes on her, holding promises of hot kisses later.

After dinner, Vanessa brought Michael in his pajamas to play in the great room. At his bedtime, she scooped him up, promising to rock him to sleep, and Grace kissed him and let Vanessa carry him to bed. Half an hour later, Eli apologized, saying he had to turn in for the night. Megan held his arm as they left the room.

Nick tossed another log on the fire, crossed the room to close the wide double doors and came back. “Let me show you something,” he said.

She stood to go with him and they headed toward the doors he had just closed. He stopped in front of them, but didn't reach to open them and she gave him a puzzled look.

“You haven't noticed,” he said, glancing up.

She looked up to see the mistletoe tied with a bright red velvet bow hanging above her head.

He shook his head. “I've been waiting since the last time we were together. We're under the mistletoe.” His arm circled her waist and he leaned forward to kiss her, pulling her tightly into his embrace.

“Since when do you need mistletoe?” she whispered, before their lips touched. She slipped her arms around him and stood on tiptoe while her heartbeat galloped.

Pressing against his hard body, she felt his erection thrust against her. She ached for him, wanting him, knowing each time they were together she was becoming more involved with him. This holiday was going to bind her closer than ever. While he kissed her, nothing else really mattered. His kisses fanned desire to greater heights. She needed more, wanted his hands and his mouth on her. All evening the looks he had given her, the slight contacts had increased her longing until she felt she would burst.

“Nick,” she whispered, and crushed her mouth to his for
more kisses, moaning as her hips plunged against him. He held her tightly with one arm, his other hand trailing down her back languidly, a sensual caress. His hand slipped over her bottom, following her curves and then slid around her waist.

Slipping beneath her red sweater, his large, warm hands pushed away wispy lace and cupped her breasts. She moaned with pleasure as her tongue thrust deeply over his.

She heard his deep-throated groan while his thumbs circled each taut bud. Waves of pleasure washed over her. Eagerly she ran her hands over his powerful shoulders, removing his jacket, to unbutton his shirt. His sculpted chest was rock hard with a thick mat of black curls. She tangled her fingers in black, wiry chest hair, relishing touching him.

He leaned over her, his passionate kisses going deep, heightening her response. Within minutes they had to stop or they'd be beyond stopping. She tore her mouth from his while caressing his chest, her signals as mixed as her feelings.

“Nick, we have to stop,” she whispered.

“Why?” he asked, raising his head. He continued to caress her breasts while his gaze slowly devoured her. “You're beautiful,” he whispered, his thumbs rubbing each nipple.

Fighting her own desire, she clutched his hands. “No more,” she whispered, unable to find a strong voice.

“Why? We're alone. No one will disturb us,” Nick said.

“I didn't come here tonight to sleep with you. I'm not ready for intimacy. I'm not making love at your father's house,” she said. “Lust isn't the point of this visit.”

“It's what we both want,” Nick said bluntly.

She stepped back, slipping her bra into place as he watched her. While she straightened her clothes, her heart raced. Nick stood inches away, his hair tangled from her fingers. His shirt was open and his muscled chest captured her attention. His
trousers indicated his arousal. He wanted her and he looked seductive, appealing.

Her heart hammered loudly. With an effort to break his spell she intended to stick with what she had told him.

“You and I shouldn't make love. Not tonight. Most likely not ever. I don't care how great the kisses are,” she whispered. “We've got Michael, different views and opposing goals between us. I'm not succumbing to desire, because it will only complicate everything between us a thousand times over. We're not in love. We're not in agreement. Your family, you because of your dad, wants Michael. I don't want you to have him. It's that simple, and seduction would be an emotional disaster.”

“It doesn't have to be,” Nick stated, studying her.

“This has been a nice evening, but we should each go our separate way now.”

“If that's what you want, Grace,” he replied. As he buttoned his shirt, she struggled to get a grip on her emotions. Resisting the urge to walk right back into his arms and toss aside her declarations, she shook her head, smoothing her hair away from her face.

“C'mon, I'll give you a partial tour and show you where you'll sleep. You and I are in the east wing, where the nursery is.” He led her down a large hall.

“How did you ever get used to this?” she asked.

“I grew up in it. Parts were off-limits for play for years. When I outgrew that restriction, I went everywhere. This was my home and I got used to it just like you do your home.”

He directed her through an open door and switched on a light. She stood in an elegant suite with decor in shades of brown and tan.

“Here's where I am, should you want to come talk,” Nick said. Grace gave him a sharp look to see amusement in his eyes.

“And my room?”

They returned to the hall and entered another suite. The pink and white looked done by a decorator, just as his had, with elegant white furniture and bright pink accessories. Pink and green Christmas decorations adorned the sitting room, which had a decorated white tree standing in a corner. Beyond the sitting room she could see a bedroom. When she stepped to the door, she saw a baby crib on one side of the room. Vanessa came forward with a book in her hand.

“Michael is sleeping. He hasn't stirred since I put him in his bed.”

“Thank you so much,” Grace said.

“He's a sweet, happy baby. I'll go to bed now,” Vanessa said as she headed for the door.

“Thanks, Vanessa,” Nick said. “We'll see you in the morning.” Nick and Grace strolled to the sitting room where Nick stepped ahead to hold the door for Vanessa. When they were alone, he walked back to Grace.

“I can watch him tomorrow morning.”

“Dad will want him with us for the opening of the presents. He's been talking about this for a week and you know he has toys for Michael.”

“I can imagine,” she said.

Nick reached beyond her and pulled a sprig of mistletoe off the Christmas tree to dangle the sprig above her head. “One kiss beneath the mistletoe,” he said. Without waiting for her answer, he kissed her, holding her close.

She remained immobile for a moment, but then wrapped her arms around him, her exasperation vanishing instantly as desire fanned to life again.

She moaned and poured herself into their kiss, returning his passion, her senses coming to life as longing assailed her stronger than ever.

She had no idea how long they kissed, but she finally ended it. “Nick, nothing has changed since we kissed earlier.”

“I'll leave now, but sometime you'll want me to stay. You'll let me make love to you because you want me just as much as I want you. We don't have a battle between us. Because of my dad, you're conjuring up demons. But you and I don't have a real struggle going. Far from it,” Nick said, stroking a strand of hair away from her face.

“Nick, you should go,” she whispered, his words as seductive as his caresses and his kisses.

He brushed another kiss lightly on her lips, tossed the sprig of mistletoe onto a table and turned, walking to the door where he paused. “If you want to talk, I'm right there. Knock on the wall and I'll come so you don't have to leave Michael.”

“Forget any knocking on the wall,” she said in amusement. He grinned and left, closing the door behind him.

Looking around the suite, she noticed the mistletoe and picked up the sprig. With a glance at the white tree and its pink decorations, she noticed there weren't any other sprigs of mistletoe. Had Nick put that sprig on the tree?

She peeked at Michael, who was sleeping on his knees facedown on the Co-Sleeper attached to the bed. He wore footed pajamas and had his stuffed bunny clutched in his hand. Filled with love, Grace touched his head. She couldn't keep his grandfather from seeing him or being with him. She wished she could just trust that Eli didn't intend to try to take Michael from her.

When she slid into bed, she guessed Nick would fill her dreams as he had every night for a week.

 

Christmas morning she showered and was dressed in a green sweater and slacks before Michael stirred. “Merry Christmas, love,” she said as she picked him up and nuzzled him. He smelled of baby powder and he clutched her shoulder while she carried him.

When she had Michael dressed in his red Santa suit, she left her suite. Nick's door stood open and he appeared. “Merry Christmas,” he said, smiling at her.

Casually dressed in a navy sweater and chinos, he looked dangerous, sexy, appealing.

“Merry Christmas, Nick,” she said as he walked up to her to kiss her lightly.

“Merry Christmas to you,” she said.

“Good morning, Michael,” Nick said, and the baby smiled at him.

“Look at you, getting a smile first thing. He barely knows you.”

“He knows I'm his uncle,” Nick said. “And he's glad to see me, just as I am glad to see you both. Sleep well?”

“Of course,” she answered.

“Let's do Christmas. Dad can't wait to give Michael a present. I don't think he ever got excited over either Bart or me on Christmas morning.”

“He might have when you were very young,” she said.

“We were in his way when he was young. Now, he's changed. His illness has turned him into a different man. Many of those driving goals he had are gone and the people around him get his full attention.”

“Michael is probably hungry. He's a very good baby, but I don't want to keep him waiting.”

In the kitchen Vanessa waited. As soon as she saw them, she came to take Michael from Grace. “How adorable he is,” she said, smiling at Michael. “Michael is happy all the time. I'll feed him and you can eat your breakfast. Mr. Rafford and Megan are in the great room. They've already eaten and have coffee waiting for you in there.”

Grace handed over Michael and joined Nick at the table. The cook brought plates of eggs and toast. After they finished, they
joined Eli and Megan by the Christmas tree. Little toys filled Michael's stocking and his toys sat at the foot of the tree.

“Santa has been here,” Eli said with twinkling eyes. His color was better and he looked stronger than when Grace had met him, causing her to wonder how big an influence Michael was in his life.

Grace left to get her cameras. When she returned, she saw that Eli also had a camcorder and a camera ready, and she laughed. “I think this baby is going to be a celebrity this morning and he'll have no idea what's going on. It'll be a thoroughly documented first Christmas.”

Nick smiled. “Dad wants every minute caught. We'll start with Michael though I know he can't open anything.”

“No, he would promptly put the wrappings in his mouth.” As Vanessa handed her the baby, Grace said, “I'll put him on the floor and let's see if he gets one of his toys first.” She set Michael down and picked up her own camcorder. He promptly crawled to a transparent ball filled with plastic butterflies and glittering spheres that played tunes when he rolled it around.

In minutes they were immersed in gifts and Nick handed her a box with a lovely blue ribbon that she intended to take home and keep. It was from Nick and as she opened it, she guessed he had one of the women who worked for him do his shopping.

It was a silver frame that would be perfect for Michael's picture and she looked up, smiling at Nick. “You know I love this. It's beautiful and perfect.”

“Great,” he replied, his eyes filled with a special look that thrilled her and made her forget they were in a room with others.

“Now I'll open yours,” he said, taking a present and sitting near her as he tore it open. Startled, he looked up at her. “Where did you get these?” he asked, surprise in his voice.
He lifted out two framed pictures of the last rodeo he'd been in as he rode a bucking horse.

“I'd read about you in rodeos in a Texas magazine, so I called around and finally found the pictures. I hope you don't already have them.”

“No,” he said, smiling. “I don't, and I'm happy you tracked them down. Thank you,” he said, and she had another tingle because his tone made the statement personal, carrying silent meaning. He might as well have been blatantly flirting for the effect he was causing. She watched as he walked to the tree and picked up one of her presents for Eli.