Texas Tycoon's Christmas Fiancée
Page 17
He blinked and stared into the dark bedroom, pondering his question. It would be so simple to get her back. Tell her he loved her. Which was worse? A real commitment or this empty hell of missing her?
He had feared commitment since he was a kid and had continual upheaval in his life because of his father’s failures, but he didn’t have to repeat his father’s mistakes. Had he cut himself off from the best relationship he could find in his lifetime?
Nick looked at his watch. It was four in the morning. He scrambled around looking for her address. He didn’t want to wait—Michael never hesitated to wake her. And he wasn’t declaring his love on the phone.
He paused. He was taking a giant step. This would make his marriage real and “convenience” would go out the window. He wanted Grace back in his life, so if that was love, he had to admit he had fallen in love with his wife.
The notion was startling, yet it made him feel better to think about loving her and getting her back.
He shaved and dressed, pulling on jeans and a navy sweater. The streets were empty as he followed the directions on the GPS.
At the gate, he fished out the code she had given him when he’d had to pick up Michael once. He drove in, pulled out his cell phone and called his wife.
Eleven
Grace woke to the ring of her cell phone. Instantly, thinking of Michael and Aunt Clara, she sat up in bed and grabbed her phone, becoming fully awake. The minute she answered, a deep male voice startled her.
“Grace, it’s Nick.”
“Nick?” she asked, puzzled, picking up her watch to look at the time. “Are you all right?” Why on earth would Nick call during the night? Had he had a car wreck? Did he need help?
“No, I’m not all right. I’m here at your door. I need to see you.”
“Nick, are you sober?” she asked. She had never known him to drink to excess, but what would cause him to want to talk to her at this hour?
“Cold sober. Come to the door and let me in before a neighbor calls the police.”
“I’m coming,” she said, scrambling out of bed and grabbing her red velvet Christmas robe. She glanced in the mirror at herself. Her hair was tangled and in disarray and she looked sleepy. As she hurried to the front door, she tried to comb her hair slightly with her fingers, gave it up and finally unlocked and opened the front door.
Nick stepped in. He wore a leather jacket and he looked handsome enough to make her weak in the knees.
“What is it, Nick?” she asked. “What’s happened?”
He stepped in, closed the door, then reached for her, pulling her to him to kiss her hard and passionately.
Her heart slammed against her ribs and she couldn’t catch her breath. She had one startled moment and then she was on fire. Desire blazed, a hungry need that tore through her like a raging wildfire. She embraced him, arching her hips against him, kissing him back while her pulse pounded.
In minutes they had peeled away each other’s clothes, trying to get rid of all barriers and finally made love in her entryway with urgency tearing at them as Nick picked her up and she locked her long legs around him.
Later, he let her slide to stand. “Where’s a bed?” he asked.
Picking up her robe to hold it in front of her, she squinted her eyes. “Nick, why are you here?”
He looked down at her and a muscle worked in his jaw. “I want you back. I want you to come home. I love you, Grace.”
Her heart thudded and she wondered if she had heard correctly. “Nick, if you are just saying the words to get me back—”
“I love you. I mean it. I want you in my life. I’m making a commitment right now. Come home.”
She felt as if a crushing burden had been lifted off her heart. “Nick, I love you,” she cried, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him hard.
Epilogue
Grace stood on the verandah, greeting guests while children played on swings on the grassy lawn. She held a sleeping baby in her arms and smiled at Nick as he walked up to her.
“How’s the little princess?” Nick asked, looking at the baby.
“She’s sleeping and might sleep right through the first party she’s ever attended.”
“She will have plenty more,” Nick said.
“Where is the prettiest baby in Texas that we’ve been hearing about?” Tony and Jake walked up to join them. Both men smiled at Grace as they said hello. “Let’s see this little doll.”
“You guys know nothing about babies, but even so, you’ll have to admit this one is adorable,” Nick said, turning his daughter so his friends could see her face.
One-month-old Emily Rafford yawned, opened big green eyes and gazed up at her daddy. Her wavy black hair had a tiny pink hair bow fastened in it and her pale blue dress with white embroidery made her look like a beautiful doll.
All three men studied the tiny baby. “I don’t know anything about babies,” Jake said, “but this is a pretty one. I’ll agree.”
“The two of you may know the oil business and real estate and high finance, but babies—you are both know-nothings,” Nick joked, and his friends grinned.
“Never thought I’d live to see the day Nick Rafford became domesticated,” Jake said, and they all laughed with Grace. She liked his friends and suspected they were as against commitment as Nick had been. She had no intention of matchmaking or meddling in the life of either one. They were charming and handsome, but not nearly as charming and handsome to her as the man she married.
Nick placed his arm lightly across her shoulders and moved close.
“Now where is Michael?” Tony asked. “We’ll say hello to him.”
Nick pointed. “At the swings with Grace’s aunt Clara.”
“We’ll go see if we can relieve Aunt Clara,” Tony said. Both men strolled away, their long legs covering the sloping lawn.
She looked around at the mansion that Nick had built for her, letting her decorate. Nick had also built a house on the grounds for Clara.
When Grace turned to smile at Nick, his arm tightened around her shoulders. “Here comes Megan and I know she is going to want to take Emily to Dad, so I’ll go deliver her now.”
Grace watched Megan take Emily from Nick and head in Eli’s direction while Nick strolled back. “Quick, before someone else comes up, you come with me. I need you to look at something.”
“Nick, you aren’t just trying to escape talking to guests for a few minutes, are you?” she asked, amused and suspecting that was exactly the case.
Holding his hand, she went with him to the library. He pulled her inside and closed the door, turning to lean against it and take her in his arms.
“At last,” he announced. “I want you and I don’t want to wait.”
She smiled at him. “I quite agree. Let them hunt for their host and hostess for just a few minutes while I kiss my dashing husband.”
“Dashing? I don’t know about that. Now beautiful, gorgeous, sexy wife—that’s on target. I adore you and I want you. Come here.” He kissed her and she tightened her arms around his neck.
Joy filled her as she held the man she loved with all her heart. While her heart drummed with devotion, she was secure and happy in the knowledge that she not only had two beautiful children, but also that Nick loved her and meant what he said.
ISBN: 978-1-4268-7475-8
TEXAS TYCOON’S CHRISTMAS FIANCÉE
Copyright © 2010 by Sara Orwig
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