by Annie Seaton
“Stupid, stupid, stupid.” Why the hell had she kissed him back? When they got the news about his brother-in-law’s being alive, hugging him had been a spontaneous reaction, and she’d had no intention of it going any further. Closing her eyes, she touched her lips, reliving the feel of Blake’s mouth against hers. Her heart had skittered up a beat when she’d kissed him back, and it hadn’t settled no matter how hard she’d tried to calm herself. If she didn’t know better, she could dream they were meant for each other.
Ha. If he weren’t a big corporate player. With an attitude about business she’d never agreed with. And her future boss. She couldn’t afford to get involved with him.
She’d called Sienna before her shower to let her know that she was staying in town, and managed to avoid her questions about who she was with and how the meeting with the new CEO had gone.
Ana put the soft white cotton up to her nose and inhaled the clean, soapy smell of Blake’s shirt. She knew it had been freshly laundered, but she kidded herself that she could still smell his masculine aroma in the soft fibers.
She tugged the T-shirt down as far as it would go and then walked slowly down the stairs to the family room. The children were all asleep on the soft chairs, including Billy, who had his iPad tucked under his knees. They’d decided to leave them there and not risk disturbing them while they were sleeping. She looked around. Blake was sitting in the shadows, curled up in a recliner, watching over them with a football game turned low in the background. He turned his gaze on her, and she imagined she could see the hunger in his expression.
Well, too bad. Getting involved with her new boss was not going to happen.
And he didn’t even know he was her boss yet. Things were sure to change when she told him why she was here.
“So you’re a football fan now?” She tugged self-consciously at the T-shirt as he watched her.
Her stomach fluttered as he held her gaze before he replied with a laugh. “What choice did I have? I got hooked because that was all that was on the TV when you all lived here.”
“I don’t remember you watching it. You never used to come to the games with us.”
“You were just focused on your beloved 49ers.” His eyes didn’t leave hers. “When you weren’t watching the game, you were doing your cheerleader routine around the living room.”
Ana had forgotten about the silly things she’d done in those days. Life had become too serious, too quick when Mom had gotten sick. All she remembered was watching Blake and how good he’d looked. “Do you want a coffee or anything before I go upstairs? I’ve got to go to the kitchen to make up a couple of bottles.” She laughed nervously. “Jake’s bound to wake up soon and he’s going to be starving when he does.”
“Yes, please.” He didn’t take his gaze off her, and she turned into the kitchen as the heat ran up her neck.
“Still lots of cream and one sugar?”
His laugh followed her into the kitchen. “Black, no cream. Watching the arteries. I spend too much time at a desk these days.”
She carried a tray back out with his coffee, along with two baby bottles in a warmer, ready for when Jake woke up, and a cup of peppermint tea for herself. She handed him his coffee.
“Still drinking the hippie stuff?” Blake gestured to her cup.
“I was pleased to see it in your cupboard,” she replied.
He shrugged. “Jeannie started drinking it, so now I always keep it on hand.”
Ana picked up the tray and walked to the door, pausing before she headed for the stairs. For a moment, she considered raising the real reason she was here before she went up to the baby. But when she looked across at Blake, he’d dropped his head into his hands. He’d done that in college when he was stressed. Worry was etched into his forehead and he closed his eyes. It would have been wonderful if she could have gone over to him and held him to comfort him.
Don’t go there. Not the right time. For talk or comfort. She had to get out of this situation as soon as she could. All these old feelings were messing with her head and she had to focus on why she was here.
“I’ll look after Jake through the night.”
He lifted his head, and his forehead cleared as he smiled at her. “Good night. And…thanks. I really appreciate it. I’m sure this was the last thing you expected when you stopped by.”
Ana ignored the question in his tone. When she told him why she was really here, she wanted to be calm and present her arguments logically. The way she felt now, she couldn’t even look at him without turning into a quivering heap.
She walked slowly up the stairs, reluctant to leave him, but Jake would be awake soon, and besides, she had to remember she was here for business, nothing more. The effect he had on her hadn’t changed a bit, and she didn’t like that at all. Playing happy families and looking after the kids had taken them back to their old relationship too quickly, but she knew it was a false security. Their new relationship was all about business. If she kept her job, Blake would be her boss.
She had to talk to him about the restoration business sooner rather than later. And as soon as she raised the personal issues she had with the takeover, Ana just knew they would have a great slamming argument. Her business philosophies had firmed over the years, just as Blake’s had. She’d read the interview in the newspaper with dismay. He was harder now in his attitude than he had been when they’d argued back in college.
Maybe it would be easier if she just left the store before he even knew that she was one of his employees.
No.
She stiffened her spine.
Don’t go there.
She was here to convince Blake there was a place for a restoration department in the new store. It was needed in Nebbiton, no matter how modern he wanted the store to be or how much money he wanted to make for his company.
The baby’s cry was a blessed interruption to her thoughts and she hurried into the spare bedroom with a bottle. She bent down to scoop little Jake out of the portable crib and laid him down on the bed to change his diaper.
Five minutes later, she was sitting in the alcove of the bay window, with a dry, sweet-smelling baby sucking contentedly on a bottle.
Nothing to it.
She gazed out over the harbor and mulled over her dilemma once more, her eyelids getting heavy as she snuggled the baby to her chest. She shut her eyes just for a brief moment…
…
Blake turned the television off and leaned over each sleeping child, tucking them under their blankets. It was a mild night, but it was still cool enough for a light cover over them. He lifted the kittens off Maddy’s lap and took them into the kitchen for a saucer of milk, before checking on the disgraced dog curled up on a rug. Now that he’d been fed, Jaws had stopped chewing everything in sight.
He picked up a garbage bag from the laundry room and wandered out to the small garden collecting half-chewed pieces of assorted sticks and tools. Cursing as he stubbed his toe on a broken stick, he gave up and left the rest of the mess for the morning. He locked the back door, checked his phone for messages, and then walked quietly up the stairs to check on Ana and Jake.
That’s all I’m doing. Just making sure they’re okay.
Yeah, sure.
Admit it. You just want to look at her and appreciate the view.
He’d met many women over the past ten years and had a couple of halfhearted relationships, but no one had ever given him that same spark that Ana had lit in him.
Now he wanted to know about her. Find out about her life, where she lived, what she did. If there was a chance of them renewing their friendship—or the brief relationship they’d started—he was not going to let her slip away this time. Ana’s walking in from the street had given him lots to think about apart from focusing on the takeover. But before he made a fool of himself he needed to find out why she was here. Once he set his mind on a path, there was no stopping him until he’d investigated the options thoroughly and achieved his goal. That was the way he ran
his businesses…and his life. He trusted his instincts, and something was not quite right with Ana. When they’d lived together, he’d always been aware of her expressive face. It had been a dead giveaway whenever she was up to something, and heck, he’d seen enough of those expressions. She’d enjoyed teasing him most days and he’d always risen to the bait. But it had been great fun. And now she was blowing hot and cold, and obviously had something on her mind.
He tapped lightly on the door of the guest bedroom, but there was no answer. He opened it and poked his head in. Jake was sound asleep in the crib but there was no sign of Ana. After checking the other bedrooms, concern rippled through him.
Jeez, man, that’s what you get for indulging in daydreams. He ran quietly down the stairs, his mind working furiously.
Where the hell is she?
He unlocked the front door, heaving a sigh of relief when he saw the red BMW parked on the road. Resting his head against the doorjamb, he took a deep breath in an attempt to calm down. He locked the door and set off on a search of the house from top to bottom. He was just checking the guest bathroom downstairs when Jake’s loud cry came from upstairs. Taking the stairs two at a time, he ran along the top hall and pushed open the door of the guest bedroom where the empty cot had been. The cries got louder as he stood at the door and he could hear Ana’s soft voice.
“It’s okay, Jakey. Mommy will be back soon.” There was silence for a moment and then a loud sucking sound filled the room. Blake tapped on the door and pushed it open. Anastasia was sitting in the bay window tucked into the large cushions, and the swag curtains at the side half obscured his view of her.
“Is everything okay?”
“Come in. He’s just having his second bottle. I was in the bathroom when he woke up.”
Blake walked across to the window seat. Staring at her, he pulled his hand though his hair and looked over her head through the window.
“I couldn’t find you,” he said quietly. “I thought you’d…left…again.”
“Of course I wouldn’t leave without telling you.” She smiled at him sadly. “Last time it was out of my control. I got a call from home and it…it was bad news.” She stood and put Jake up onto her shoulder and patted his back.
Warmth flooded through Blake as he watched her. Just looking at her was swamping him with all sorts of unfamiliar feelings. He couldn’t help himself. It seemed as though his hands had a mind of their own, and he reached over, lifting her chin before he changed his mind. “Where’s home?”
“Down the coast a little way.”
Jake began to cry and she bent forward away from his hands, reaching for the bottle she’d put down on the window seat. “I need to get this little boy to sleep. I’ll have to leave at five o’clock to start work early and you’ll have to take over.”
Blake reluctantly moved toward the door, trying to avoid staring at her long, bare legs. He waited till she’d settled Jake and put him in the crib.
“Blake?” Her soft voice sent a ripple down his spine, and he waited to see what she was going to ask.
“We need to talk about why I came to see you. Can you set aside some time for me tomorrow night after the children are settled?”
“Sure.” He fought the urge to cross the room and take her into his arms as she tugged at the T-shirt. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
Chapter Four
The house was quiet when Ana tried to slip out without disturbing anyone, including Blake. She gasped when his warm hand grasped her elbow as she reached for the front door. Bare skin above unbuttoned jeans filled her vision when she turned, and she lifted her gaze to Blake’s face. His hair was tousled, and his eyes were sleepy but totally focused on her. She fixed her gaze on them, desperately trying to avoid the muscular chest in front of her. Even half-asleep, he was more sexy than he’d looked in his suit yesterday, and her heart rate kicked up a notch when he touched her, his fingers sliding down to gently encircle her wrist.
Oh God, she was in trouble here. One glance and he filled her heart just as he always had. She’d tossed and turned all night, unable to get him out of her head. And it wasn’t just the business she’d been thinking about.
“Thanks for staying over.” Blake reached over and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, and she turned her face into his hand instinctively. “I owe you big-time. There’s no way I could have done it alone.”
Let me keep my job. And don’t think badly of me. She pushed the thought from her mind and decided to open up a little bit to him.
“When I left that morning, my mom had called to tell me her cancer was terminal.” Ana stared at him, ignoring the warmth that stayed on her cheek where his fingers had brushed her skin. “I had no choice. She only had a few months. I had to leave college…and the house.” Her voice shook and tears pricked the backs of her eyes as she remembered the grief that had consumed her on that morning ten years ago.
“I’m so sorry to hear that. You probably remember Jeannie and I lost our parents the year before we shared the house?”
Ana nodded and blinked away the tears. “Yes, I do. So…I’ll be back in the late afternoon…that is…if you still think you need me?”
“Oh yes, please. If it wasn’t for the baby, I could probably manage but—”
“I’ll be back,” she interrupted. “Now, I’m running late, so I’ll see you this afternoon.”
She stepped onto the porch, and reached down for the still-damp shoes. When she straightened, Blake was there next to her on the same porch where he’d first kissed her ten years ago. He slid his other arm around her waist and held her before she could pull away.
“Thank you for sharing your grief with me. And thank you for helping me out,” he said softly.
Ana tried to step back but he held her close, and a tremble ran through her as she looked up and saw the intent in his eyes. Her eyes stayed fixed on his as he slowly lowered his lips to hers and claimed her mouth in a gentle, comforting kiss. His mouth covered hers, fitting her lips perfectly, so softly, but she could feel nothing else but the sensation of his lips pressing on hers. She opened her mouth beneath his as he deepened the kiss, gently moving his tongue across her lips. His bare chest rubbed delicately against her thin shirt and she gasped at the warmth of his skin, searing through her clothes. Lifting her hands, she slid them down his arms and held him against her.
For a moment, she closed her eyes and gave in to the feelings surging through her. Forgetting everything but this man and how she had always held him in her heart, before reality came crashing back.
She pulled back with a jerky movement.
What the hell am I doing?
Blake stepped back slowly and let her go with a frown wrinkling his forehead. He seemed to be retreating from her as much as she was pushing him away.
Ana grasped her shoes and bag to her chest and backed down the steps, desperate to put some distance between them so she could think straight.
“What sort of work are you doing today?” Despite the ordinary question, Blake’s voice was like honey to her, and she was determined not to be caught in his seductive web.
“Er…I’m just going to do my normal job. I have had a pretty boring life, Blake. I’ve stayed around here. Nothing like you. Alaskan wilderness…New York…Singapore.” Heat surged into her cheeks when he frowned, and she realized she’d let slip that she’d kept tabs on his life. “Or at least that’s what one of the papers said last week.”
“So you still read the business papers?” His voice was hard to read.
With a quick nod, Ana turned away, not meeting the gaze that was fixed on her. The sensor light came on along the path as she ran down the stairs and opened the gate, and she didn’t look back at him until she was safely in her car away from his touch. He waved and turned back into the house.
Ana pressed down hard on the accelerator after she turned onto the Cabrillo Highway. The feel of Blake’s lips lingered on hers and she brushed her mouth with the back of her knuck
les.
Why did he have to kiss me? And why did I let him? And worse, why did I love every second of it?
She’d left the house before it was light, and now that the sun had risen, she decided to take the scenic route home to try to gather her thoughts. The situation had become so much more complicated. There was plenty of time to think how to handle it. She was heading off to a job later in the morning and had more time than she’d let on to Blake—she’d just needed to get out of the house before she fell into his arms again. Or even worse, jumped into bed with him. Just as well the children had been there, taking up every second. Now she needed to think more about how she was going to approach the discussion about the takeover. Picking up where they’d left off would put a huge tangle in her plans.
Thirty minutes later, Ana cursed as she came upon roadwork at Devil’s Slide. Interstate 280 would have been the better choice but she’d needed the scenery and salty air to help clear her head. Longing for a coffee, she pulled to a stop to settle in for a lengthy wait. Closing her eyes for a moment, she put her fingers up to her cheek and took a deep breath and tried to block Blake from her thoughts. Their current restoration job had to be finished up today and the last of the fine plasterwork would take all of her concentration.
Ha, she thought. You’ve got no chance.
Her reaction to him was based purely on the memory of that one night, and it was well-known that a girl held a soft spot for her first lover.
That’s all it is.
The fact that he was going to close down her department was much more complicated than any old feelings that may resurface. That was the big problem, and the one she had to deal with first.
Ana had managed to avoid the girls’ questions when she’d first arrived. Sienna and Georgie had both been immersed in their work and she’d waved a hand at them as she’d headed for her tools. “Finish what you’re doing first, and then we’ll take a break and I’ll tell you what happened with Blake.” Working had been a convenient excuse, since they’d already run over the contracted deadline for the job and promised the owners they’d be finished today. The blare of the radio in the background was the only noise as they each focused on finishing up the last of the work.