by Christi Snow
“You thought wrong.”
Real pain flashed in her eyes.
He hated to be cruel, but good god, this was not what they’d ever been, and now, everything was even more screwed up between Emily and him.
“Fuck. You knew it was never like that between us. And if I ever led you to believe otherwise, I’m sorry. I certainly didn’t mean to. Come on. Let’s take you over to the main house, and I’ll find a way to get you home.”
It was Christmas Day. He had no idea how he would accomplish getting Anya home, but he couldn’t have her here. That would be true even if he weren’t with Emily. He wouldn’t give Anya even a single hope of more.
He could only pray this hadn’t completely ruined his chances with Emily, the woman he did want in his bed for the rest of his life.
EMILY SHIVERED IN A rocking chair on the porch as Brady and Anya stepped out of the cabin. Anya dragged a suitcase behind her, but Emily sure wasn’t going to assume. She rose stiffly out of the rocking chair, trying to keep her teeth from chattering.
“What’s going on?” she asked Brady in a low tone as he approached her.
He threaded his fingers through hers. “You’re frozen. Why did you come out here instead of staying inside?”
“I wanted to give you privacy.”
Brady closed his eyes and blew out a deep breath. Then he opened them again, his gaze so soft and caring. He kissed her on the forehead. “It wasn’t needed, but thank you. Come on. Let’s go over to the main house.”
Emily glanced back at Anya, who appeared to be fighting tears. Suddenly, she felt some empathy for the other woman. She probably shouldn’t have come here without letting Brady know first, but it was Christmas day. In the right circumstances, a surprise like this could have been seen as really romantic. Like so many women before her, Anya had just read Brady wrong.
She was still young and hadn’t learned yet that men were only faithful until the next shiny thing came along to capture their attention and heart. Then they were off, leaving behind a woman with a broken heart.
This was a good reminder to Emily, too. She couldn’t fall for Brady no matter how charming he seemed to be. She could be the next Anya if she didn’t protect her heart.
But this would be an even more humiliating scene for the other woman if Emily trailed along. She drew in a deep breath. “You two go. I’ll stay here.”
“Emily—”
She shook her head. “There’s no reason for me to be part of your family day on Christmas. I can meet them tomorrow. Take Paige’s gift, and I’ll see you later. Besides, I have a book that I need to read.”
“Come on, Brady,” Anya whined. “It’s cold out here. If she doesn’t want to come, leave her.”
Emily could see the turmoil in his eyes. She rose on tiptoes and brushed her cold lips across his. “It’s okay. Really. Go.”
His shoulders slumped a little bit. “Okay, but I’ll be back after I get Anya taken care of.”
She just nodded, not trusting herself to speak. With a final squeeze to his hands, she turned and went back inside his cabin.
Once inside, she stood with her back against the cold door, taking deep breaths, willing the tears to stop rolling down her cheeks.
Alone.
On Christmas Day.
She had known better than to come here with him.
FORTY-FIVE MINUTES later, Brady texted Emily to let her know he was taking Anya to the Aspenridge airport and would be back as soon as possible.
She had tried to get lost in a book but instead ended up staring morosely into the gas fireplace.
The knock on the front door surprised her. She considered not answering it but wasn’t that much of a chicken. She squared her shoulders, brushed at her still damp cheeks, and pulled the door open.
An older, beautiful woman stood there with a kind smile on her face. She had an elegant grace about her from her chignon-styled, dark hair to the soft drape of her black pants and belted black coat. She even managed to make black hiking boots look stylish for trekking in the snow.
“Um, hi,” Emily said, at a loss for how to handle an unexpected guest who had to be one of Brady’s relatives. “Brady had to leave for a little bit. Can I help you?”
The woman stepped into the house and grabbed hold of Emily’s hand. Her hands were cold but dry and soft. “I’m so sorry for the confusion this morning. I feel just dreadful. What an awful way for you to come into the family.”
Come into the family?
Oh, hell, no. Brady did not tell his family they were married...did he?
“Um, thank you.” She had no idea what to do here. “Who...who are you?”
“Oh my. Forgive me my lack of manners. I’m Lily Gresham, Brady’s mother. I feel just awful. I can’t believe Brady didn’t tell us anything about you until this morning. I never would have brought Anya with us if I’d known. Scott, Brady’s dad, had tried to tell me I was making a huge mistake.” The woman shook her head.
“I’m so sorry. I had thought it would be romantic. I feel just awful. Brady should have warned me. I swear, I taught him better manners than that.” The woman wrapped her into a hug and Emily was enveloped in the scent of Lily’s floral perfume. “I’m just so happy to meet you.”
“Okay...” Emily tugged out of the woman’s embrace. “Um...” Brady was a dead man when he got back from the airport. She had no idea how to handle this and he wasn’t here to give her any guidance. “Mrs. Gresham...”
“Oh, no, you have to call me Lily. We’re very relaxed here with family. Now, come on. I can’t believe Brady left you over here all alone on Christmas. Come over to the big house and meet everyone.”
Emily shook her head. “I don’t want to intrude. I’ll come over when Brady gets back.”
“Nonsense.” Lily firmed her lips and shook her head. “I won’t take no for an answer. Grab your coat and boots. You’re coming with me.”
Emily really didn’t want to do this, but from the stubborn tilt of Mrs. Gresham’s chin, she wasn’t going to get out of it. She blew out a breath. “If you really think it will be okay...”
But really, how could it be? Brady hadn’t given her any guidance about what he wanted to share with his family. This was going to be epically bad.
She slipped on her hiking boots, turned off the fireplace, and grabbed her coat. “Will the cabin be okay? I don’t have a key.” She glanced around at the upscale furnishings.
“Of course, dear. It’s just family out here. No one will bother it.”
Emily nodded, and Mrs. Gresham led her outside as Emily tried to ignore the slow, nauseating roll in her stomach.
“Okay,” Mrs. Gresham said as they walked, the packed snow of the road crunching under their feet. Huge flakes continued to spit from the overcast skies. “You have me at a disadvantage. I don’t know anything about you. My goodness. I don’t even know your full name, although I guess now it’s Emily Gresham, isn’t it?” Mrs. Gresham’s laugh was a little stiffer this time.
Emily was happy she wasn’t the only one who found this completely awkward. She was so not prepared for this. “For now, I’m still Emily Hodges.”
“And where are you from?”
“I actually live in Denver full time, but I also have an apartment in New York City for when I have to work there.”
“Oh, really? Well, that will be convenient for you then, since that’s where Brady lives. Do you plan to relocate?”
Oh, good god. She didn’t know how to answer a third degree. She really was going to kill Brady when she saw him again. “We haven’t really discussed it.”
“Okay,” Mrs. Gresham said slowly as if she was starting to piece together that maybe this marriage wasn’t all she’d thought.
Yep, you’re reading this situation right. If Mrs. Gresham killed Brady for this farce, it would be nothing less than he deserved. Why had he put her, his mother, and the rest of the family in this position when next week there would be no more marriage?
Li
ly frowned briefly, but then recovered with a friendly smile. “So, what do you do when you go to work in New York?”
“I work in publishing at Hodges Media.”
Mrs. Gresham stilled and grabbed Emily’s arm, her eyes wide. “Wait a minute. Emily Hodges? You’re from Hodges Media Corporation. You’re the heiress, right?”
Very few people addressed her that way. It made her want to laugh. In her younger days, that was how the media had addressed her any time she made the news. The Hodges Media Heiress. The title had just made her want to run further away from the company and the intrigue with it. “Yes, ma’am, although my dad and brother handle most of the big media stuff. I work on the publishing side of the company.”
Mrs. Gresham nodded like things were beginning to make sense. Emily was happy that someone could make sense of it all.
“How did you and Brady meet?”
Emily winced, but Brady had left her here and had thrown her under the bus. He could deal with the fallout later. “I was in Las Vegas over Thanksgiving weekend for my best friend’s wedding. I met Brady at the jazz club where he was playing the night of the bachelor party.”
But instead of becoming upset, Mrs. Gresham laughed. “I’ve always told that boy when he met the right one, he’d know it. I can’t wait to hear more of that story, because there has to be a good tale.”
She had no idea. A huge two-story log cabin with glowing, welcoming windows appeared around the bend. That must be their destination.
Mrs. Gresham hooked her arm around Emily’s elbow as they approached the huge main house. “Let’s get inside. Everyone needs to hear this story, so they can appropriately razz Brady about it when he gets back. He’s never going to live down this Christmas and all the chaos he’s wrought.” Mrs. Gresham raised a mischievous eyebrow. “I know I won’t ever let him forget it.”
Emily smiled; she couldn’t help it. Brady’s mom seemed pretty cool, but a quick flash of guilt followed that bit of humor. Brady had better get back soon, before she buried the family in details he didn’t want known.
They entered the double, wooden doors and Emily swallowed as she looked around the large living room. Curious faces of every age looked at her.
This was a lot of Greshams.
Brady was going to pay for this.
TWO HOURS LATER, BRADY finally got back on the road leading into the family compound. His cousins had been blowing up his phone with texts that his mom had abducted Emily from their cabin and that he’d better hurry back.
It would probably be a toss-up as to which one of them killed him first—his mom or Emily. When he’d taken Anya back to the main house, she’d blurted out that she couldn’t stay since he’d brought a wife and then burst into tears.
His mother had been astounded and hurt that he hadn’t told any of them. Damn, he’d made a mess of this Christmas. Spilling the beans before Emily had agreed to it hadn’t been fair to her. It didn’t matter that he hadn’t been the one to spill the facts.
He parked the rental in front of his cabin and trudged over to the main house.
Emily was already having her doubts and had expressed her worries about telling anyone about the marriage. He should have been able to do something to stop the whole series of events that ended with Emily trapped in a situation she’d been trying to avoid. This wasn’t exactly the way to prove to her that he was ready for a real relationship with her. Man, he’d fucked up.
He walked into the cabin, shook snow from his coat and found the normal Christmas day chaos. Kids were everywhere—although there was a noticeable absence of the tiniest ones. Maybe it was naptime. They all played with new toys. A few adults were scattered about on the sofas and chairs, most taking afternoon naps. The rest of the adults would be in the kid-free area at the back of the house in the bar area, media, or music room. The adults supervising would switch at regular intervals so no one became overwhelmed by the excitement of the kids.
His mother must have been watching for him, because she swooped in, hooking her arm through his elbow almost the moment he crossed the threshold. “Come with me. I think you need to explain some things.”
He shook his head. “Not yet. First, I need to find Emily. I hope you haven’t scarred her for life by dragging her over here.”
His mother scoffed, “She’s fine. She’s been having a great time. I like her, and so does everyone else. Come see.”
Brady had no idea where she might be taking him as she dragged him to the second floor. He didn’t come up here much himself. No one lived in the main cabin, but there were a few bedrooms for guests who didn’t fit in the other cabins. But mostly the bedrooms up here were used to put down the little ones who needed naps at these huge family gatherings. It was considered the “quiet” area of the house.
But as they walked down the hall, Emily’s melodic voice, rose and fell as she spoke. What...?
They turned a corner, and Brady’s mom put a hand to slow him down. This small area at the end of the hall had been opened up and turned into a small reading nook with chairs and a bookcase between them.
Emily sat in one of the two chairs. At her feet were piles of pillows and blankets covered with tiny Gresham toddlers, all watching her with rapt attention as she read a book to them. She had them enthralled.
He fell a little bit more in love with her in that split moment. There were always so many children here for these gatherings. No one ever managed to calm the majority of them, but here she sat with at least fifteen of the little heathens at her feet, looking like little angels, and she was the second coming.
He couldn’t let her go.
Emily had no idea they were there, and he didn’t want to interrupt her fun, so he pulled his mom back toward the stairs. “How long has she been reading?”
“About thirty minutes. She’s a natural with kids.”
He thought about her dream of having kids and that big, empty house. He wanted to help her fill it. He’d never even considered having kids before. In his family, they were everywhere. At this stage in his life, his goal had been to stay away whenever a dirty diaper might be present. But suddenly, he could see a future laid out before him with little blonde girls and boys who looked like Emily and had his musical interests. Or maybe they’d have his dark hair and Emily’s interest in books. Suddenly, he wanted that. He wanted her. All of her and the future they could have.
His mother sniffled, and he focused on her in alarm when he saw the tears filling her eyes. “What’s wrong?”
She shook her head and gave him a watery smile. “Not a thing. I’m just so happy to see that look on your face.”
“What look?”
“The one that says you’ve met her. The right person for you. Your future.”
Chapter Fifteen
It took another three hours before Brady got a chance to find Emily alone. He’d tried to capture her before then, but he’d either get swept up in a family task, or she would. A few times, their eyes had connected across the room, and he’d felt the heat and warmth that told him she wasn’t still angry with him. That made it a little less urgent to talk to her, although he really wanted to just to touch base with her.
Emily finally slid onto the piano where he sat taking notes on a song that had begun to thrum in his mind while he’d watched her playing darts with several of his cousins.
The last time she’d sat with him at a piano, she’d blown his mind through the tip of his cock. It hardened at both her presence and the memory. He cast a wicked glance at her.
She shook her head like she could read his mind.
He probably should figure out if he even had a chance of getting in her pants today before he made a lewd comment. “On a scale of one to ten, how angry are you with me?” he asked as he continued to run his fingers over the keys.
She laughed.
Again, a good sign that he wasn’t in as much trouble as he should be.
Her nails trailed across the top of his thigh.
His fingers stutte
red on the tune.
“Not angry enough for it to even rank, but aggravated enough that I’m not beyond a little torture,” she whispered suggestively.
He missed another note as his cock flexed in the suddenly very tight confines of his jeans. “I am sorry,” he said. “I know we hadn’t finished discussing telling the family. Anya blurted it out before I could stop her.”
“It’s fine. This way you’re not lying to your family, which I know is a better idea. There aren’t reporters here, and I’m assuming none of your cousins are sitting in a corner, texting the story to the paparazzi, so it really doesn’t matter.”
Dang, this woman. She just let things roll off her back when he expected drama and tears. He loved that about her.
He stopped playing and cupped her chin to turn her toward him so he could kiss her. Sadly, just a quick one since they were surrounded by family. “Thank you for being so awesome.” He licked his lips. “And I think you need to show me where you found sugar cookies.”
“Eww.” She scrunched up her face at the mention of how her lips tasted.
Sabrina—one of his oldest cousins—had been walking past, but she stumbled to a halt, shaking her head. “Boy, if that’s her reaction to your kiss, you’re doing something really wrong.”
Emily’s laugh tinkled over his heart, spreading hearts and glitter like he was a preteen girl. Damn, he had it bad for her.
He winked at Sabrina. “Maybe I should just take more time practicing.” Then he dove in for another taste.
“Ow, my eyes.” Sabrina groaned as she walked away, but he didn’t care anymore.
He honed in on the taste of Emily, the pressure of her mouth against his, her hands clutching at his thigh and shirt. Every point they touched—lips, hands, thighs—sizzled under his skin with the pulsing need for more, deeper.