The baby monitor hummed in her hand, giving her a sense of peace.
He jabbed a thumb in the direction of the French doors leading out to the deck. “I’m going to the hot tub. And that isn’t a come-on line.”
Hot tub?
Her body tingled with awareness at the suggestion. She tossed her hair over her shoulder with a nonchalant air she was far from feeling. “Glad to know you’re not hitting on me, because if that’s the best game you’ve got, you need help.”
A masculine, throaty laugh rolled free. “I’ll save my good game for later.” He winked. “For tonight, after the stress of our parents’ engagement and a surprise baby bundle, I could use some relief. I’m hoping to catch the northern lights. I never grow tired of seeing them stream across the sky and we’re almost out of season. If you wish to join me, there are always extra swimsuits of all sizes in the changing rooms.”
She studied him, wondering, assessing, and realized... “That’s a dare, isn’t it? To test your non-come-on line?”
“I’m simply stating where I’m going and inviting you to join me.” He winked again. “If you dare.”
How much did she trust him? Hell, how much did she trust herself?
But then ignoring him sure hadn’t worked out all that well for her, given how much he occupied her dreams at night. “Fair enough. I’ll bring the nursery monitor and join you once I choose the most boring swimsuit in the collection.”
“I can’t wait.” His chuckle rumbled over his shoulder and hung in the air long after he stepped outside.
Once in the changing room, she thumbed through the neat stacks, her fingers lingering on an array of swimsuits stockpiled in the drawer until... There. She found it. The perfect boring suit in her exact size: a solid navy blue one-piece. Nothing would set the “hands off” tone quite like that. But a rush of impulse made her reach back into the drawer to a skimpy black string bikini.
She slid out of her clothes and into the bikini, then stared at her reflection in the mirror. Feeling confident and ready. Removing the hair tie from her wrist, she piled her strawberry-blond hair on top of her head—ready.
Before she lost her nerve, she shrugged into a luxurious spa robe and yanked fluffy boots onto her feet. She wasn’t exactly a showstopper right now, but she couldn’t deny she looked forward to knocking Broderick’s socks off once her robe hit the deck.
Kota followed at her heels as she made her way to Fleur’s room for a final check on her way out. The young pup wagged his fluffy tail in anticipation.
Kota bounded to the crib, his icy blue eyes curious and interested. While the dog meant well, he was too young to be left alone with Fleur. Glenna could too easily envision Kota jumping into the crib to curl around the baby. A well-intended action, but not one she could risk. Satisfied that Fleur was peacefully sleeping, she checked the monitor’s setting once again before picking up her receiver, then guided Kota into the laundry room.
“Come along, boy. With me. With me,” she commanded. She’d set up his crate, with a doggy bed so it felt like and smelled of home. Beside it, his bowl of water and a bowl of kibble waited. She’d even left some treats.
He pranced right to his bed and curled up with a sleepy sigh.
She smoothed the black-and-white fur along his side. “I love you, sweet boy. I do.” She’d made sure to take him on extra long walks so he wouldn’t get jealous of the attention she had to give Fleur. “You’re a good pup. I’ll see you soon. Night-night.”
Standing, she turned on an iPod she’d rigged in the room to play soft, soothing music, the same she played for him at home. Then she dimmed the light and secured the gate in front of the door.
Turning on her heel, Glenna strode through the rustic cabin, her fluffy boots making muffled sounds on the stone floor in the kitchen. She made her way to the glass door that led to the picturesque deck extending out around the isolated cabin.
A watercolor sunset of reds and oranges melted over the snowcapped mountaintop, while to the east the evening’s first stars appeared in the sky. She glanced about, taking in the serenity of the water, the slow bobbing of the parked seaplane. She followed the sound of churning water, walking past a latticework partition to the hot tub, which provided an uninterrupted view of the mountains.
And an equally chiseled Broderick.
The cold air urged her to move, but so did his whiskey-eyed stare. After stepping onto the heated stairs, she kicked off her fluffy boots, deciding somehow she could resist him better if she quickly slid into the warm, welcoming depths.
Although right now she was having trouble remembering why she needed to resist him at all.
Swallowing hard, she discarded her robe and draped it over the railing. Her breasts tightened at the chill.
Or perhaps at the sight of the Broderick’s bare, broad shoulders and his muscular arms stretched out along the edge of the hot tub as he leaned back. His smoldering gaze met hers. Then stroked over her from her nose to her toes.
He lifted one dark eyebrow. “If that’s the most boring swimsuit in the collection, then heaven help me if you’d picked something else.”
His words eased the stress knotting inside her and she stepped into the welcoming waters.
She sat next to him, careful not to get too close, not yet, not trusting herself. Leaning back, she rested her head on the edge, eyes fluttering shut at the caress of the jets easing her tensed muscles. “I’m sure there must be something in the code of ethics about a business meeting like this.”
“Who says it has to be about business? We’ve crunched numbers, taken care of the baby...” His voice rumbled gently in the night air, soothing and intoxicating. “And we’ve helped our families. I say it’s fine for us to decompress. I would have brought wine, but I want us both to be completely aware and in control of our senses.”
She opened her eyes to find him staring at her, a hungry smile on his face. Her throat dried up as an answering hunger churned inside her.
One she tamped down with both fists clenched in the water. “Would you care to clarify that?”
“I want us sober for the baby, and in case I need to fly the plane, of course. What did you think I meant?” he asked, with such overplayed innocence, she splashed him.
He splashed her right back, and then they both eased deeper into the swirling water, their legs brushing ever so briefly.
Emotional distance. She needed to keep finding some.
“Do you really think my mother and your father are going to get married?”
“What do you think?”
She shrugged, playing her fingers along the top of the water, popping bubbles. “My mother has dated a couple of times since my father died, but no one serious. For her to say she’s marrying Jack is huge. I don’t know your father well, only from business meetings and what I’ve heard.”
“What do you think of him?” The timbre of Broderick’s voice issued a bit of a challenge.
“He’s fearless in the boardroom. His devotion to his family has always been without question.”
“He loved my mother, deeply.” Broderick held up a hand. “Sure, I know there are kids who wear rose-colored glasses where their parents are concerned. But he grieved so hard when we lost her and my sister. I don’t believe the company would have survived if Uncle Conrad hadn’t stepped in for a year.”
“Somehow I never knew your uncle did that. He always seemed to have his own side projects going, independent of your father.”
Broderick swirled the water and she felt the small current against her tummy. “The family kept it on the down low to protect the stability of stocks. Uncle Conrad was masterful at reassuring the board. He comes across as such a jokester, but don’t underestimate him. He’s a smart man who doesn’t care about recognition.”
Stars twinkled in crystal brightness across the inky sky.
“Lack o
f ego in a man.” She laughed softly. “What a novelty.”
“Ouch.” Broderick flicked water at her. “Surely you didn’t mean that for humble me.”
“Of course not.” She crinkled her nose at him, feeling her body drawn toward his. Just like she had been over a decade ago. The laughter between them felt natural, familiar.
And so very enticing.
His hand lifted from the water to point to the beginning of the northern lights. Preternatural greens and purples filled the sky, dancing with no regard for anything besides the present moment.
Somehow, she and Broderick were closer than just a moment ago. She felt his body next to hers, aware and awake. Present.
Her eyes found his. Her own heart felt foreign in her chest, beating hard under his gaze. She wasn’t sure who moved first, or if they perhaps moved at the same time.
Because without question, they were now a breath away from a kiss—a kiss of passion and longing and a promise of so much more.
And she didn’t have the least inclination to stop.
* * *
So much for all his good intentions.
When she looked at him like that, he couldn’t keep his distance. When her shoulder brushed against him, she released the desire he’d tamped down for a decade.
Her mouth parted, ever so slightly, anticipation pulsing in the small gesture. Broderick was filled with the urge to wrap his arm around her. Pull her onto his lap. To let her legs straddle him, for her to open to him, accept him as he plunged deep inside her body as he once had. As he wanted to do again.
This woman had always had the power to bring him to his knees with desire. And yes, the thought of being on his knees in front of her, with her legs parted, ready for him to tease her to completion—
He exhaled long and slow, willing his heartbeat to slow from a gallop to something vaguely close to normal.
The last time he’d surrendered to that temptation, she’d walked away, married another man and ignored him for a decade. Did he have the will to stop if he let himself have a taste of her?
Broderick stroked Glenna’s cheek and plucked at a damp lock of hair clinging to moist skin. The silky softness of her sent a bolt of heat through him far hotter than the bubbling tub. Her pale blue eyes glistened with the reflection of the stars and hints of the northern lights.
Her creamy shoulders peeked above the rolling waters. The thin black ties reminded him she still wore a bikini top, and with one tug he could free those ties, baring her beautiful breasts for his eyes alone. He recalled in vivid detail what she looked like wearing nothing.
Yet there were more mature curves to her now and he ached to explore every inch with his hands and his mouth. To make love to her under the stars with the northern lights streaming through the sky.
He wanted that.
But if he didn’t want another decade of regrets, he needed to bide his time. Take things slow.
For tonight, he needed to relearn the feel and taste of her lips.
Angling forward, he waited a hairbreadth away, giving her the chance to protest. Praying she wouldn’t.
Then she slid closer. All the encouragement he needed to taste her, and for an instant he let himself do that. He brushed his mouth along her cheek, where his fingers had stroked only an instant before. Her skin was creamy soft. Her light gasp enticing as she swayed closer, her knees brushing his underwater.
Her breasts pressed against his chest with a sweet pressure that had him throbbing, longing to sweep aside her swimsuit and his and be inside her. The ache was intense, but the will to win her over for more than an impulsive hookup was stronger.
His mouth skimmed around to capture hers and her arms slid around his neck in a smooth affirmation that she wanted him as much as he wanted her. Heat and desire and the fragrant blend of Glenna mixed with the Alaska air threatened to send him over the edge of reason. Of control.
And in that moment, he realized just how very much he longed to be in her bed again. And again.
That second again being the operative word. If he moved too fast now, this could well be his only time with her. And once would definitely not be enough. He’d learned that long ago from a weekend that had tormented him for over a decade. He needed to be smarter this time.
With more than a little regret, he eased away, stroking his hands along her shoulders. “Glenna, continuing is not a smart idea.”
“So you keep saying.” Her breath caressed his face. Her own voice was ragged as she looked at him through her lashes. “You know how much I want you.”
“Is that a proposition?” He stared deep into her eyes, a moment too long—just in time to feel more awareness pass between them.
“I’ll let you know.” She leaned in so close her lips feathered against his ear.
“Glenna, as much as I would like to continue this, it’s too soon for both of us.” He allowed himself one final stroke of her shoulders and a kiss on the tip of her damp nose. “Good night.”
Easing away from her was no easy task, but he knew the time wasn’t right. Not yet. With an extra dose of that regret charging through him, Broderick hefted himself from the water. And hell, yes, he welcomed that bracing cold wind whipping across the bay.
* * *
Jeannie Mikkelson didn’t doubt her course. She’d been a businesswoman and a mother long enough to know her mind.
But she still found herself reeling from the impact of her feelings for Jack. A man she’d known for decades, only to suddenly find herself falling head over heels, passionately in love with him. How strange to fall for someone at first sight even when you already knew him. But that’s what it had felt like. Seeing him with fresh eyes that day at the conference.
Now, stretched out on a leather sofa with him in his bedroom suite, the fireplace crackling, she was a part of his life, just as he was a part of hers. Not just dating or sex. Their daily routines were blending now that their romance was out in the open.
She looked at the remains of the simple dinner they’d shared, the tray on the coffee table. She knew well not to take the simple pleasures of life for granted.
If only others could understand that. “How can our children have so much in common and still be ready to knife each other in the nearest dark alley?”
His dry chuckle rumbled against her. “Might have something to do with the Hatfields and McCoys upbringing we gave them.”
“You and Mary bad-mouthed the Mikkelsons?” She glanced at him, tracing his bristly mustache. Gracious, he was handsome, in a tall, dark and weathered way that launched flurries in her stomach. “I’m astounded.”
Laughing, he nipped her finger. “Not Mary, but I may well have shouted my frustration at the Mikkelsons over dinner.”
“Why does that not surprise me?” She settled against his side, his arms warm and solid around her. “I guess we’re reaping what we’ve sown.”
“There’s truth in that, I believe, but I also feel they’re adults living their lives and we should be able to live ours.”
Jeannie admired Jack’s steadfast spirit, but wondered if they were being too rigid in their approach. “I don’t mind being accommodating and reaching out.”
“They’re not babies to be coddled anymore. And this is about the business, as well. They can get on board or not.”
There was no mistaking the steel resolve in his voice. He was aptly named.
“Jack, we can compromise with them.”
“Bargain from a position of weakness?”
She turned to face him, resting her palms on his broad, flannel-covered chest. “We’re talking about our family. That’s much more important than the business.”
“Once the kids realize that, they’ll be fine.” He clasped her hands and kissed the top of each. “But until then, someone’s always going to feel they got out maneuvered by a new stepsibling. And we can�
��t negotiate that. They need to figure it out on their own.”
She could see his point. If only she could be sure he was right. “I just wish I knew your children better so I could gauge the dynamics.”
He shifted his mouth to kiss her ring finger. “We need to go shopping for an engagement ring.”
“I just want a band.”
His mustache tickled her skin as he smiled. “Your feelings are heard, and I want to buy you an engagement ring.”
Lord, he was stubborn. So was she. “Can you donate the money to charity instead?”
“I can do both.”
Shaking her head, she eased her hands free and cupped his face. “You’re a tough negotiator, Jack Steele.”
“You keep me on my toes and I like that.” He rested his forehead against hers, then angled his face to kiss her lips.
She welcomed him, thoroughly, opening and tasting.
Yet even as she lost herself in the moment, she couldn’t stop her mind from spinning. She loved him, deeply. She would live the rest of her days with him. But she would never have children with him. All of that took some adjusting in her mind, given she’d expected to spend her life with Charles, the father of her kids. Things had upended for her when he’d died, and there were days she’d been certain her heart had broken so fully her body would follow. But somehow, she’d pieced herself back together.
For her children.
She’d held on for them. And now she couldn’t deny a feeling of resentment that they were holding back. She’d always supported them in their decisions. Could they really cut themselves out of her life over this? Could she live with that?
Could Jack?
He’d truly lost a child, in the worst way imaginable. He had to be aching inside over this new rift. If it came down to calling off the wedding to keep their kids, even if she could commit, could she ask him to give up that much for her?
Eight
What. The. Hell.
Even fifteen minutes after Broderick left, Glenna was still stunned to her curling toes from his kiss—and his abrupt departure. She slumped against the side of the hot tub, the water bubbling just under her chin.
The Baby Claim Page 8