The Christmas Inn

by Stella MacLean

  “Will you please stay? It’s Christmas Eve, a time for miracles.” He chuckled at that. “If you stay I promise you a very special Christmas.”

  She moved so close to him that her perfume clouded his senses. He reached for her, pulling her into his arms. “Say you’ll stay.”

  “I will,” she whispered.

  His lips sought hers, gently at first, tasting her, breathing in her scent. But when her arms went around his neck and she pulled him down toward her, her tongue on his, his reserve faded. He pulled her tighter, sliding his hands over her hips, forcing her against his erection, his body flooding with heat as her hands tightened around his neck.

  He held her, his fingers in her hair, her body pressed to his, the thrill of once again being alive to another person aroused him so much he came dangerously close to dragging her off to his room, the stairwell, anywhere they could have a few precious moments of privacy.

  “Daddy!” Ethan pushed against his father’s legs. “I’m hungry!”

  Startled, Luke sucked in air, banking his need as he kissed her once more—lightly this time, nuzzling her cheek, and hearing her sharp intake of breath. “Meet me for dinner around seven?”

  She kissed his jaw, her lips lingering. “Sounds perfect.”

  His body thrummed from the touch of her lips on his skin. “Christmas Eve is the busiest day of the holiday. So much has to be done around here. And we’re having a traditional Christmas dinner. I’m afraid that, as my date, you’ll have to share the hosting duties.”

  She leaned back into his embrace, a teasing grin on her face. “Another date?”

  “And more whenever you like.”

  “I’ll have to move back to my old room. Mary tells me all the guests are on their way here now.”

  “Have I told you I have a certain fondness for that room?”

  “No, you haven’t,” she said, laughter in her voice and a mischievous smile on her face.

  “It was where I stayed while they renovated my apartment.”

  “So you’ve had a few encounters with the walls.”

  He laughed, a laugh that cleansed and warmed him. “I have.”

  “Daddy!”

  “I’m coming, big guy.” He took Ethan’s hand. “See you later?”

  “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  ALL HER LIFE SHE’D DREAMED of a man running his fingers through her hair, in just the way Luke had done. The men she’d dated had wanted to run their fingers somewhere else. Not that she didn’t want to have sex with Luke—she did—only this time it would be with the man she loved.

  As she gathered her bags to move back to her tiny room, she marveled at what a rollercoaster ride the past few days had been. She’d have to call her mother, and tell her that she wouldn’t be home for Christmas, a call that would fill her with guilt. Yet somehow, she had to make her family understand that she needed to be with Luke, without letting them launch into their stories that proved how impulsive she was around men, how little she seemed to know about picking the right man, and on and on and on…

  She sighed as she put her makeup back in its case and checked her appearance in the mirror. Then she lugged her bag up to her old room, put things away and closed the door.

  When she reached the bottom of the stairs and started down the hall, she heard music. Someone was playing the piano, a beautiful rendering of Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata.” Curious to see who it was, she slipped into the dining room, and made her way over to the far corner. She found Luke playing the baby grand piano nestled in behind a folding room divider. Ethan was sitting beside him with his face turned up to his father adoringly.

  Luke finished playing and smiled up at her. “Ethan came to share my coffee break, and we decided to play the piano together. How’s your afternoon going?” he asked, resting his arms on the top of the piano.

  “I didn’t know you played the piano.”

  “What’s that old cliché? There’s a whole lot you don’t know about me.”

  “Marnie!” Ethan shimmied off the piano seat, throwing his arms around her legs.

  “I’ve got you,” she whispered as she lifted him up, hugging his little body next to hers. “Can I sit next to your dad? I’ll hold you on my lap?”

  He squeezed her cheeks between his hands. “Yes!”

  “Ethan, why don’t you try for your indoor voice, please,” Luke said, suppressing a grin.

  “Do you play often?” she asked, sliding onto the bench beside him, keeping her arm around Ethan.

  “I don’t, but somehow this afternoon it just felt right to be down here at the keyboard.”

  As he began the opening bars of Beethoven’s ninth symphony, Marnie couldn’t help but notice his fingers, their length and their controlled touch on each key. She listened, feeling the emotional thrust of the cascading notes until the melody faded and Luke lifted his hands off the keys.

  “I used to play the piano before I started Total Elegance. It seemed there wasn’t any time for the piano after that. I really miss it, especially the songbooks from the Big Band era.”

  Appreciation flared in his eyes, his gaze fixed on her. “I prefer classical. My all-time favorite is Beethoven.”

  A blush moved up her neck to her cheeks. “You were playing ‘Moonlight Sonata’ when I came in,” she murmured, as he turned toward her, his lips inches from hers. She had an overwhelming urge to kiss him.

  “Is music the way to your heart?” he asked gently.

  “Music is the way to anyone’s heart, isn’t it?” she countered, feeling suddenly vulnerable. “And yes, music is very close to my heart.”

  “What else is close to your heart?” he asked, the innuendo in his tone leading her to have thoughts of bed—his bed.

  Careful. Take it slow.

  “Peanut-butter cups, long walks and The New York Times,” she offered.

  “I’m impressed, especially the peanut-butter part.” He played a few quick chords. “And my favorite Sunday morning occupation is reading The New York Times in bed.”

  Visions of the two of them in bed together, reading the paper filled her mind. “Mine, too.”

  His fingers halted. “Want to play ‘Chopsticks’?” he asked, his fingers once more moving languidly over the ivory keys, his dark eyebrows arched in challenge.

  “‘Chopsticks’?” she said. “I can do better than that.”

  She adjusted Ethan on her lap, ready to show this man her one social skill.

  “I’m waiting.” He moved over on the piano bench, letting her settle in front of middle C.

  She began the opening bars of “Moon River.” Ethan plunked his hands on top of hers and began to sing off-key in unintelligible words.

  “Want to play a duet?” she asked him, kissing Ethan’s cheek, and he immediately responded by smacking a kiss on her cheek.

  The sound of Luke’s laughter enveloped her—carefree laughter, the kind that turned heads and caused others to join in. Completely happy to sit here and play the piano with Ethan on her lap, she slowed the tempo of the melody, as she adjusted his fingers over hers.

  “What does that music make you think of?” Luke asked close to her ear, sending a thrill through her.

  How utterly content I am right at this moment. How easily I could stay right here for as long as you want me to.

  “I’m thinking that Ethan and I make a great duo, don’t you, Luke?”

  “You certainly do.” He grinned.

  “Okay, Ethan, let’s show your dad what we can really do.”

  “My cue to get out of the way,” he said, getting up off the bench and going to stand next to the piano.

  * * *

  HER SMILE WENT STRAIGHT to his heart, filling him with a need so strong he wanted to make love to her right then and there. Fighting the urge to send Ethan off to be with his babysitter, Luke leaned on the piano instead, and listened as Marnie guided his son’s fingers over the keys in an unhurried rendition of “Tenness
ee Waltz.” It had been so long since he’d felt like this, this feeling that someone special loved the piano the way he did.

  Ethan tilted his head up and smiled at Luke, and all he could think about was how much he needed this. How thankful he was that he’d managed to convince her to stay with him, if only until tomorrow. He couldn’t let himself consider how he’d cope when she went back to Boston, which she’d have to do sometime soon, leaving him to feel her absence.

  “The dynamic duo,” he said, trying for a lighthearted tone he didn’t feel.

  “That we are,” she said, switching to a few chords with Ethan’s fingers clinging to hers.

  “Daddy, I love Marnie.” Ethan planted a noisy kiss on her cheek without removing his fingers from her hands.

  She looked startled for a moment, and then pleasure swept across her face. “I paid him to say that. Trying to get in good with the boss.”

  “You’re already in good with the boss.” He came around the piano and slid back onto the bench beside her.

  “Daddy, go away,” Ethan said, elbowing him.

  Luke wished they could continue like this, that he didn’t have to go back to the reality of overseeing the Christmas Eve preparations. What he wouldn’t give right now to be able to stay where he was, to feel what he was feeling for the rest of his life. He took Ethan into his arms to hide the raw emotions rolling in his chest. “Love you, buddy—” Luke pointed in the direction of the door where one of his staff stood ready to take him back to the apartment “—but Charlene’s waiting for you over there. See?”

  Ethan scrambled out of his arms and ran across the room, making the edges of the tablecloths flutter as he passed them, before throwing himself into the woman’s arms.

  Watching Marnie from the corner of his eye, he made a decision. “Hope you don’t mind me asking you something.”

  * * *

  “SURE,” SHE SAID, acutely aware of how good his body felt pressed ever so gently along hers. “Ask away.”

  “Have you ever considered having children?”

  She glanced up at the ceiling, studying the chandelier, stalling for time. What could she say to that? That she was afraid? That it didn’t matter so much what she wanted, but what life dealt her? “Having children is a huge commitment.”

  “You’re ducking the question.”

  “If I were lucky enough to have children, I’d want to be home with them full-time at least until they went to school. I know that lots of mothers work full-time while they raise their family, but I couldn’t do it.” If she were ever blessed with a child she would keep her child close.

  His fingers encircled her hand, his touch as he traced a line over her palm, making her skin tingle. “The way you are with Ethan…you’d make a great parent.” His voice was low, sexy and went straight to her heart.

  She wanted to tell him that she loved kids, would love to have kids, but there were some issues too painful to share. “I want a career, and I’d love to have kids, too. But it’s a lot of responsibility…and maybe I’ve waited too long.”

  “I’m not convinced.” He slid his arms around her, his mouth searching for hers. Unable to resist him, she leaned into his embrace, touching his chin, angling her fingers into the open neck of his shirt. His lips moved along her cheek, close to her ear. “But right now, we have a more urgent matter to attend to.”

  Oh, God. Was she about to get her wish? Were they headed back to her tiny room? “And that would be?”

  “Want to play a duet?”

  Why did she always have to be wrong? And when would she get her wish? “What did you have in mind?”

  “How about ‘I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas’?”

  “You got it,” she said, her gaze going to the windows and the snow outside.

  “No kidding! Okay. Follow my lead,” he whispered, placing his hands carefully on the keys as his gaze held hers.

  She followed his notes with tinkling high notes on her end of the keyboard, harmonizing with him, as they sang the song’s verses together.

  Caught up in the moment, Marnie’s spirits soared with each note. She’d never done this before with a man. Piano had been her mother’s idea, and she’d gone along with it to make her mom happy. But now, she wished she could go on making music with Luke forever. As the last notes rose then faded, she met his gaze and saw the raw need in his eyes.

  “That was awesome,” he said. Without touching her, he kissed her lightly, the tension in his body matching hers, and then pulled her into his embrace. Her head was spinning with the sensation of being held so tenderly. With his arms encircling her, he whispered. “We have an audience.”

  She pulled away. “There goes your story about me being your assistant.”

  He held her fast. “Maybe we can drop the story and go for the real thing.”

  “Meaning?” She held her breath.

  “Marnie, I’m feeling so different. As if suddenly my whole life has changed, and you’re the reason. Why don’t we go somewhere private? No one will miss us.”

  His breath on her neck was hot, demanding. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes. I’ve worked my butt off the last couple of days. I can disappear for a few hours and no one will blame me for taking a little time for myself.”

  She wanted him to make love to her. But she didn’t want a casual fling. Yet, here he was waiting for her to say yes to his offer....

  “Why are you hesitating?” he asked.

  “Because I don’t want… I need to believe we have something—”

  “I can’t promise you that everything will work out between us, but I want it to.” He sighed. “You mean a lot to me. I’m happy when you’re around.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “You… We deserve the chance to know if what we’re feeling for each other is real. I’ve seen those feelings in your eyes, and I feel the same way.”

  “But I’m a born loser when it comes to love.”

  “You’re hung up on ideas about yourself that aren’t true. I understand how your track record when it comes to relationships could make you shy away from anything new. But if you never give it a try, you could miss out on something incredible.”

  “And what if we start a relationship, and Ethan gets attached to me, and then something happens between us? He doesn’t deserve to be hurt again.”

  “Ethan has a whole group of people here who love him, and look out for him. They’ll be there for him no matter what happens.”

  “How can you be so sure?”

  “Are you looking for excuses?” he asked, exasperated.

  “I…I don’t know.”

  He held her shoulders in his powerful hands and looked her straight in the eye. “I’m not worried about you and me. In my opinion we’re meant to be.”

  She shook her head, focusing on anything but his face.

  He touched her chin, raising her eyes to his. “Are you willing to give up on us so easily?”

  The hurt in his eyes tore through her with the force of a hurricane. This very kind, gorgeous, sexy man was offering her the chance to share his love, and he had a son she adored.

  Go ahead, do your usual thing. Make a joke. It’s how you usually get out of an emotional situation.

  “Stay right here. I have to go make a phone call. I’m sorry, but it can’t wait. “

  He stared at her, not moving, not saying a word, then grasped her head with both his hands and kissed her hard this time, before pulling away. “I’ll be waiting.”

  Marnie got up, and fumbled her way out of the dining room, past several guests who smiled at her. She ignored them. She couldn’t seem to clear her thoughts, her pulse pounded in her head. All she wanted was to get up to her room before she embarrassed herself by crying. She’d waited so long for a chance with a guy like Luke. A guy who made her feel valued…cherished…special. But most of all, he offered her what she’d missed out on all these years—the opportunity to have a real relationship.

  CHAPTER THIRT
EEN

  SHE’D NEVER DEFIED HER MOTHER, not openly at least. What a sad thing to have to admit at the age of thirty-five. But that had been her life…so far. She’d always complained about her family running her life, her brothers’ interference, but Luke had made her realize that she had allowed her family to control her life.

  She was aware that her family was especially protective of her, all because they were concerned about her health, but their concern after her accident had become a habit of constantly weighing in on her life and how she lived it. Still, she hadn’t fought back or stood up for herself—until she’d decided to sell her salon.

  It was time to call her mother.

  When Eleanor McLaughlan answered, there was impatience in her voice. “Honey, you haven’t called me all week, and I was worried. Scott said you were coming home today, and I’ve been waiting. Have you forgotten what day this is?”

  “Christmas Eve.”

  “Where are you? Your brothers and their families are due here later this afternoon. I need you. I have your Mrs. Claus outfit all ready. We agreed—”

  “We didn’t agree, Mom. You just assumed I’d show up.”

  There was a moment of silence in which Marnie suddenly wished she could simply pack up and go home, erase the flat line of her mother’s lips and once again be the person in the family whom everyone could always rely on.

  “Well, yes, of course your father and I have expectations of you, and your brothers do, too. You’re part of this family, and part of our Christmas tradition. Have you forgotten we’ve got everyone coming over after church tonight, and you’re the one who leads the Christmas singing?”

  “No, of course I didn’t.”

  “Then, tell me what’s going on with you. Why did you leave home without saying anything to your father and me? How am I supposed to host our Christmas party without you? And what’s this about you selling your business?”