The Tycoon's Cupid Surprise (a Valentine's novella) (Holiday Babies) (3 page)

“Two whole weeks,” Xander said, flipping the closed sign on the door. “And things are really starting to move. We need to go out and celebrate.”

Brooke agreed.

For the most part.

Since becoming
a partner in
I Hart Flowers
, Xander had shown up at the shop every day, at first only in the afternoons. Then Heather had phoned apologizing and asking if she could have more time off with her family. Heather’s father had suffered a heart attack; he was still in hospital and her mom needed support. Brooke had assured Heather to take as long as she needed, and then explained about the changed circumstances in the business.

After that
, Xander had arrived at the shop around opening and stayed until close. He’d swapped those impressive dark business suits for a pair of mouth-watering jeans, a white tee that highlighted his dynamite physique, and one of her aprons. Didn’t get better than that. Except…it did.

In between helping with customers and
caring for Chance, Xander had made it his mission to learn about wholesale produce, floral supplies, handling cut flowers as well as the art of floral design. An uber masculine man like Xander…he’d actually said it was fun. On top of that, he’d made phone calls. Lots and lots.

The rent was taken care of, and
his lawyer had drawn up a contract. Xander insisted that Brooke have her own attorney look over the terms of their partnership agreement; he was fine with her deducting that fee from the operating account he’d set up. That account sat on more cash than she earned in a year.

Xander
was also sourcing possibilities for a new premises here, as well as looking into opportunities for a second shop in L.A. Finally, he’d let her know that, even though they had never gone on a “date” as such, given the time they’d spent together, he felt justified in having met the terms of that contest’s requirements. Consequently, he’d passed on his donation to the charity. Brooke suspected he’d have done it anyway.  

As he joined her
now, looking like a vision from a girl’s hottest dream, Brooke smiled at his suggestion.

“How should we celebrate?”
she asked, coiling ribbon around a finger—which she hadn’t chewed in over a week.

As he circled behind her, Brooke imagined she felt the
sear of his gaze on her shoulders then her hips.

His voice was
close enough to make her quiver. “How about dinner out?”

“
You mean take the baby to a restaurant?”

“
It’s been done before. Or, you’ve said your sisters are desperate to have a sleepover.”

Brooke had spoken
with Xander about her sisters, particularly Ella’s pleas to have the baby overnight.

“It’s
probably too late to organize tonight,” he said. “But maybe later in the week? It’d be good for you both to get a change of scenery.”

When the warmth of his
breath stirred her hair, Brooke got her ready-to-party hormones under control and crossed over to see Chance. Xander had set up a playpen enclosure, and associated security cameras, behind the counter. Not only was the baby well supervised one hundred percent of the time, suddenly he was sleeping less through the day and better through the night. Bonus!

N
ow Chance lay on a big, thick quilt. Recently he’d discovered his hands. Brooke watched as he spread his fingers and then, making a loose fist, tried to plant his hand in his mouth. Hunkering down, leaning over the rail, she wriggled his foot. He cooed and then sucked again.

Xander crouched beside her.
Brooke tried not to focus on the powerful bronzed arm resting an inch away from hers. And that subtle musk scent literally made her mouth water. Once, when he was changing in the back room, she’d seen him sans shirt.
Damn
, was that body ripped! Chests like his belonged on billboards. Sometimes she caught herself imagining him bench pressing, hitting the bag…

H
olding her close.

“
You on for scissors, paper, rock?” he asked.

She grinned. Strange way for a
rich dude to make decisions and yet, at least once a day…

“What for this time?”
she asked.

“Who give
s Chance his bath.”

Xander w
asn’t angling to ditch a chore. They both got a kick out of seeing the baby splash around in his suds.

She and Xander
pumped their hands twice then both delivered paper, and then scissors, and then paper again. By the time Xander’s paper finally covered and squeezed her rock, they were laughing. And his nose was a hair’s breadth away from hers.

T
heir expressions eased but his hand over hers tightened more. Then he leaned that bit closer and suddenly her eyelids grew heavy. Beneath her tee, her nipples seemed to swell, rubbing against the lace of her bra. Her heart was beating so hard, she wanted him to kiss her so bad, the physical longing was an ache beneath her ribs.

H
is gaze dropped to her lips...her eyes drifted shut…and then….

The
n the heat of his hand fell away.

R
eality flooded back.

Brooke
smoothed her hair and cleared her clogged throat. Beside her, talking to the baby about his bath, Xander appeared unaffected.

What
the heck was she trying to do? Ruin everything? Xander might find Chance irresistible; he obviously felt for their situation and, for whatever reason, believed in her business. That did not mean he wanted to get romantically involved. Not on a long-term basis anyway.

She wasn’t that naïve.

Brooke pushed to her feet as a knock sounded on the door. It was after closing time but another sale was another sale. Besides, she needed time and space away from Xander and his pheromones. Every day those deeper feelings seemed to grow.

As Xander scooped Chance
up and headed for the back, Brooke crossed to the shop’s street entrance. Before she could open the door, she caught a glimpse of the person waiting outside. When she recognised the jacket, the color and cut of the hair, an ice-cold veil settled over her.

The man on the street
had turned to study the traffic. Now, as he angled back to face the door, Brooke grabbed the window’s blind and wrenched it down. With every muscle braced, she counted three beats before that knock came again. And again. To her soul, she wanted to charge out there and tell him to go to hell and never come back. But, even more, she didn’t want to cause a scene. She wouldn’t give him that kind of power or satisfaction. 

From behind her, a
deep voice broke into her thoughts and she spun around. Xander was looking at her, questioning.

“
Brooke, did you hear me? Are you okay?”

She forced a
thin smile. “Sure. Fine.”

“
Are you going to let them in?”

S
he hesitated. “I think they’ve left.”

With Chance balanced in the sling of one arm,
Xander walked over. When he studied her face, she pressed her lips together. She didn’t want to get into this. She’d rather never discuss it at all.

X
ander’s eyes narrowed before he reached and pulled up the blind. Brooke held her breath while he peered out that window. Finally, she looked again, too. No one was there.

Thank God
, Jake Bentley had gone, hopefully this time for good.

The next afternoon, ten minutes before shutting
up shop, Xander experienced a close encounter of the zany kind.

Brooke was out back with the baby w
hen a young woman came in. Seeing him behind the counter, the woman clapped both hands over her mouth and then shook her head as if to clear her vision. Her hair was palest blond, cut short and mussed up with a whole pile of product. She wore tatty jeans, a tee that read “Admit One,” and a pair of ankle boots encrusted with crystals.

Xander shifted his spray bottle to one side.
“Can I help you?” he asked.

“I’m sure you can
.” The woman’s gaze traveled down the column of his throat then over his chest before gliding back up to settle on his mouth. “How did my sister land
you
for an assistant?”

Sister?
Ah, now it fit.

“
You must be Ella,” he said.

“
Brooke’s told you about me?”

“
She certainly has.”

Ella tried to look contrite.
“Only half of it’s true.” Then her expression changed. “Hang on a minute. I bet I know who you are. Mr. Blistering.”

“
Blistering
?”

“As i
n hot. Sizzling.”

He joined the dots.
“Brooke called me that?”

Striking a slightly pigeon-toed pose in th
ose crystal boots, Ella crossed her arms and studied him hard. “This’ll sound like a scam, but haven’t I seen you somewhere before?”

“Though
t I recognized the voice.” Brooke had emerged with Chance from out back. “Ella, meet Alexander Drake.”

Ella tipped
sideways and almost fell off her heels. “
Holy balls
. I don’t believe it. Of course I know you. Everyone does. But what’s a billionaire doing behind a counter wearing an apron? Not that I’m complaining. I’m sure Brooke’s not complaining, either.”

Xander began to explain. “There was this contest—”

“A bachelor draw for charity,” Brooke chipped in.

“
Yeah…I read the woman who won had backed out.” Ella’s voice lowered in awe. “My God, Brooke, was that
you
?”

Brooke nodded.
“Still don’t know how that happened.”

Ella looked between the two of them.
“Someone must have put your name in. Don’t you want to find out who and seriously thank them?”

While Xander rubbed a corner of his grin, Brooke explained to him.
“Ella’s a little excitable.”

“But what’s he doing here
now,” Ella went on, “serving?”

Xander made himself useful, spraying some mixed bouquets
, while Brooke explained the situation fully. Ella still couldn’t come to grips with the news.

“I’ve phoned
,” Ella said. “I’ve come over nights to visit. Why didn’t you say something before now?”

Brooke kissed the top of Chance’s head.
“I wanted to see if this partner thing worked out.”

Ella eye
d Xander again. “Looks like it’s working out pretty well to me.” Then her focus shifted to the baby. “And why haven’t I said hello to you yet?” She put out her arms to nurse Chance and cuddle him close. “Lord, you smell good. All powdery and fresh and cuter than any baby in the world.”

Chance was
talking back, in cooing baby language, of course.

Ella
spoke to Xander. “Mind if I borrow my sister for a minute.  There’s a matter of utmost importance we need to discuss.”

He shot spray at the gerberas. “Be my guest.”

“I’ve come over to make you an offer you can’t refuse,” Ella told Brooke. “I’m staying over Hannah and Dan’s tonight. We really, really want to look after Chance, give you a night off.”

Brooke
took a moment and then exhaled. “Okay.”

Ella
froze. “Did you say…? I thought you said…”

“Yes
,” Brooke said, moving behind the counter. “You can look after Chance tonight.”

Ella
gently bounced the baby. “Yay us!” Then she sent Xander a sly but approving look. “Did you guys have something planned?”

Brooke said
“not really” at the same time Xander said “yes.”

He clarified. “We do now.”

“I expect to hear more about this,” Ella said, heading for the back room. “Right now, I’m going to pack this little man’s bag and get outta here before you all change your mind.”

Xander joined Brooke behind the counter.
She never wore make-up other than a lick of gloss he had grown increasingly impatient to taste. He got the feeling she was leaning that way, too. He often caught a certain sparkle in her eyes…a breathy quality to her voice. Still, her main priority was that baby. Only made her
more
attractive. There was something special about Chance. He got more into that kid every day.  

“So, what have you got in mind
for tonight?” he asked, setting down the spray bottle.

“
You’re right. We totally need a change of scenery.”

“Consider it done.”
He tore off his apron and set it down beside the spray. “Put on something pretty and I’ll pick you up at seven.”

Her eyes were sparkling
again. With a burp cloth slung over one shoulder and her ponytail mussed from where Chance had caught a handful of hair, Xander didn’t think his business partner had ever looked more beautiful.

“
Can I ask where you’re taking me?” she said.

“
And spoil the surprise?”

“As long as it’s not a red carpet affair.
” A finger went to her mouth. “I’m not much into the socialite scene.”

“I promise.
” He headed for the front door. “What I have in mind is ultra private.”