A Fortunes of Texas Christmas

by Helen Lacey

  “No.”

  He frowned. “No?”

  “Every time I say good-night to you, it’s harder, if you get my meaning.”

  Amersen understood. Even if he didn’t like the idea. “So, this is it? Our last time together as friends?”

  She nodded. “Yes. Absolutely.”

  He kissed her cheek again, stepped back and dropped his arms. “Then bonne nuit, Robin.”

  And by the time he got back to his car, she was already inside her house and the door was closed.

  * * *

  On Sunday morning, Robin took Butterfly out for a long ride. It was chilly and overcast, and by the time she returned to the stables, it was spitting rain. She spotted her brother’s Jeep in the driveway and smiled. Both her brothers knew their parents would be at church this morning, so he’d obviously come to visit her. Reece was always good to talk to, a little more serious than Evan, but less disapproving. And she needed someone to talk to about Amersen. She wished she had a girlfriend close at hand to spill her woes to, but her best friend, Amy, was traveling through South America with her boyfriend and wouldn’t be back in Austin for several weeks. Other than Amy, she had a few other female friends she could call, but she didn’t feel like explaining how she felt when she could barely explain her feelings to herself. But Reece would have an understanding ear.

  Only, when she dismounted, grabbed Butterfly’s reins and walked into the stables, it wasn’t Reece sitting on a hay bale waiting for her. It was Evan.

  “Where’s the Bimmer?” she asked and tied Butterfly to a hitch.

  He grimaced. “Fender bender last night. And Reece is in Dallas on business, so I borrowed his car until I pick up a rental this afternoon.”

  She nodded and loosened the cinch. “The folks won’t be back for another couple of hours. Mom’s got that quilting class after church.”

  “I know,” he said and wandered toward her. “How was your date yesterday?”

  Her fingers fumbled. “My date?”

  “I saw you in town,” he replied. “With Beaudin.”

  “Spying on me now?”

  “Coincidence,” he said, pulling the saddle off Butterfly. “I was out and saw you from across the street. You looked...happy.”

  “Something wrong with that?” she asked.

  Evan scowled. “Don’t get all loco on me. I’m just concerned.”

  “We had this conversation the other day,” she reminded him and grabbed a currycomb from the bucket by the stall.

  “And yet you didn’t take my advice.”

  “Oh,” she said with emphasis. “That was advice? I thought it was you being a bossy older brother and telling me how to live my life.”

  “I’m not gonna apologize for being concerned about you.”

  Irritated, Robin turned and glared at him. “What exactly do you think Amersen is going to do, Evan?”

  “Break your heart,” he said flatly.

  “My heart is fine,” she assured him. “We’re friends, that’s all. And he’s leaving tomorrow, so you have nothing more to worry about.”

  “Good,” he said. “I’m glad. I don’t like him.”

  She made an exasperated sound. “You’re such an idiot. You don’t know him.”

  “And you do?”

  “Yes,” she said hotly. “I do. He’s not what you think. And this conversation is over. Again.”

  “Why are you being so stubborn about this, Rob?” he asked, using the shortened version of her name as he’d done since she was a child. “The guy is bad news, and it looks like you’re the only one who can’t see it.”

  Robin’s temper kindled. “How about you sort out your own love life before you start interfering in mine.”

  Her brother threw his hands up in the air. “What? You’re in love with him now?”

  She let out an exasperated sigh. “That’s not what I said. I like him, okay. That’s all. We’re the same age, we like a lot of the same things, he’s interesting and smart and easy on the eyes. Not that I have to explain myself to you or anyone else. I like Amersen Beaudin!” she exclaimed and ran the brush over Butterfly’s neck. “There...I said it. I like him and he likes me. We’re adults, so it’s allowed. I don’t need to ask your permission to like him, to see him or to even have crazy wild sex with him if I want to. So, just mind your own damn business already!”

  Evan look predictably uncomfortable at the idea of his baby sister doing any such thing. But she was tired of the interference, tired of being told what to do. It wasn’t as though Amersen was some kind of ogre taking advantage of her. In fact, he’d been nothing but respectful and considerate. Her family, and Evan in particular, were out of line.

  “I’m only trying to—”

  “You’re trying to control me,” she cut him off. “And I won’t stand for it, Evan. I didn’t see all this concern when Trey was cheating on me with—”

  “I didn’t want to hurt you,” he said quickly and then clammed up when he realized what he’d said.

  Robin’s gaze narrowed tightly. “You knew?”

  He shrugged. “I...I...”

  “You knew he was cheating and you didn’t tell me?” she demanded as betrayal seeped through her blood and into her bones. “How could you?”

  “I was trying to protect you,” he said quickly. “We both were.”

  Her suspicions soared. “Reece knew, too?”

  Evan nodded. “We were out one night at that new honky-tonk place off the highway,” he explained and let out a long breath. “We saw him there, with this girl, and it looked...well, I guess you know how it looked. Afterward, we thought it best not to say anything. We talked to Trey...he said it was a onetime thing. Reece threatened to knock his teeth out if he did it again, and we really thought he would come to his senses and stop behaving like such an ass.”

  “He didn’t.”

  He shrugged again. “I know, I’m sorry.”

  “Me, too,” she said, feeling so hurt she could barely breathe. “It would have been easier hearing it from you than seeing it with my own eyes. Go home, Evan. I’ll tell the folks you dropped by.”

  Long after her brother left, Robin was still in the stables, brushing Butterfly and thinking about how she was so coddled by her family that her brothers thought it was okay to lie to her about the man she’d believed she would marry one day. But it wasn’t okay. It was brutal. It was gut-wrenching.

  Since she’d caught Trey cheating in such a humiliating way, Robin had become a hermit, staying home, refusing invitations to go out, saying no to anything that would make her seem available. Because she was hurt and betrayed and had lost faith in people. In men. And now even her brothers had proved her right. She used to enjoy parties and company and socializing...now her weekly highlight was having dinner with her parents.

  Until Amersen.

  Somehow, he’d helped heal the bridge between her humiliation and despair.

  I like him and he likes me.

  The words she’d said to her brother earlier stayed with her. Because it was that simple. She liked him. She wanted him.

  It was chemistry, pure and simple.

  And suddenly, it was enough.

  She didn’t want to waste another moment thinking about how he was leaving the next day. So...he’d come back. Or he wouldn’t. It would work out, or it wouldn’t. They didn’t have to make grand statements or demand commitment. They were both young and single. And the shackles of the past few months, the ones that had been holding her back from enjoying herself and actually having a life, suddenly fell to her feet. Because she knew what she wanted. And she’d go and get it. Right now. Because if she didn’t, she sensed she would regret it for the rest of her life.

  Fueled by bravado, later that afternoon Robin showered, applied makeup and dresse
d in her favorite purple crushed-velvet dress that showed off a good portion of her neckline and hugged under her bust, emphasizing her waist and curvy hips. She wore heels, the kind that were good for only short distances, grabbed her bag and by six o’clock was heading into Austin.

  The hotel where Amersen was staying was the best in town. A valet greeted her as she pulled up outside, and she ignored the tremble in her knees as she headed toward the lobby. The place was busy, bustling with guests and staff, and Robin took a few long breaths. She had never done this before—she’d never actively pursued a man in her life. And now here she was, standing in a hotel lobby, dressed for sex, and suddenly she realized that she might have overplayed her hand. She didn’t even know if he was at the hotel. What if he was out? Perhaps he had a date? A man who looked like Amersen wouldn’t have to try hard to find company. She might have walked right into another humiliating scene, and it would be like catching Trey with his pants around his ankles all over again. A sensible woman would have called first.

  A sensible woman wouldn’t have sent him away night after night.

  Robin pulled her cell from her bag, found his number and quickly sent a text before she lost her nerve.

  I’m downstairs.

  And she waited. Two minutes later her cell pinged.

  Don’t move.

  She couldn’t have moved if she tried. Her legs were wobbling so much she thought she’d fall if she dared take a step. And then, minutes later, she saw him, striding toward her from the elevator. Dressed in black, he looked handsome and exotic and exactly what she craved to quell the desire thrumming through her body. He stopped a few feet away, his gaze traveling over her slowly, until finally he reached her eyes.

  “Hi,” she said.

  “Hello,” he said, his voice raspy. “I didn’t expect to see you tonight.”

  Robin shrugged one shoulder. “I know. I’m sorry, I should have called first. I was... I was...”

  “You look so beautiful,” he said, the rawness in his tone speaking volumes.

  Robin fiddled with the edge of her dress. “It’s...purple.”

  “It’s...jolie,” he said. “Lovely.”

  She swallowed hard. “I was wondering if you still wanted to—”

  “Yes,” he said quickly, cutting her off. “Of course.”

  She smiled. He was nervous. She liked that. It relaxed her edgy nerves. “I thought we could have dinner if you still wanted to...unless you have other plans.”

  “I have no other plans,” he said and reached out to grasp her hand and then gently pull her close. He leaned in and kissed her cheek. “Mon Dieu,” he muttered against her neck. “You take my breath away.”

  Robin’s weakened knees trembled. “Amersen.” She said his name on a sigh and then gently touched his jaw with her fingertips. “Would you do something for me?”

  He grabbed her hand, looked directly into her eyes and pressed her knuckles to his mouth. “Anything.”

  “Would you make love to me tonight?”

  He groaned out her name, gently squeezing her fingers. “I’ll give you a night you will never forget.”

  Chapter Eight

  He was nervous. Watching Robin walking around the luxurious hotel suite, her fingertips caressing the back of the sofa, the table, the balustrade leading out to the patio—it turned his usual confidence to mush.

  He ordered dinner, agreeing with her suggestion that they eat in his suite. He wanted to have as much alone time with her as he could. He opened a bottle of wine, a pinot noir from his own vineyard that he’d brought with him, and he watched as she took a sip, mesmerized by the way she savored the taste. She did everything with such intense passion—she tended the gardens at the Fortune ranch with a zeal and commitment that was riveting. She rode a horse as though she’d been born in the saddle; she ate a doughnut as though it were a delicate pastry; she spoke about Christmas with animated delight. And she kissed with a hunger that undid him.

  Knowing they were going to make love, knowing he would be touching her, kissing her, making her his own in the most intimate way possible, filled the air between them with a kind of blistering-hot awareness.

  “This is nice,” she said and gestured to the glass in her hand.

  “It is from my vineyard,” he explained, so aroused by the mere sight of her that he could barely stand being in his own skin.

  She smiled. “Tell me about it.”

  “It is on a hill in the Loire Valley. It has a house on it that I am planning to renovate. There is much to do, as the home has not been lived in for many years, but it has the most spectacular view of the vines. In the evenings, the sun sets and the colors mix with the scents of lavender and rosemary that are embedded deep within the earth.”

  Her gaze was locked with his. “It sounds magical.”

  “It is,” he said softly. “One day, I think I would very much like to live there.”

  She had a tiny smile on her lips. “So, maybe you’re not such a nightlife-loving playboy after all.”

  He couldn’t help shrugging. “Maybe. I don’t know...I think perhaps I just live the life I have and don’t let myself believe I have time for anything else. But the vineyard...” His voice trailed off for a moment. “It is away from the city, away from the world. I can imagine what it might be like to simply sit out on the balcony with a glass of wine as the sun sets.” He met her gaze straight on. “I would like it very much if you would visit sometime.”

  “I’d like that, too.”

  His heart surged, and for the first time in his life Amersen wondered if what he was feeling was more than simply physical desire. Because the idea of having her beside him at his home on the hill didn’t make him want to run a mile. He’d never sought commitment in a relationship; he’d never dated anyone long enough to recognize any woman as his petite amie...a girlfriend. Lover, certainly...but a girlfriend was different. But Robin made him think about it. Being with her was easy. It felt...right. As though they’d known each other forever and not a matter of mere days.

  There was a knock on the door, and his thoughts were quickly diverted. “Our dinner.”

  Within minutes they had their meal on the table by the balcony, their wineglasses were refilled and the waiter who had brought the food discreetly disappeared. Amersen pulled out a chair and beckoned Robin to sit. Once she was in the chair, he lingered behind her for a moment, noticing her beautiful neck and how her long hair hung down her back. Never in his life had he met a woman with such beautiful hair.

  “I have something for you,” he said as he sat and passed her a small box that was on the table. “I meant to give this to you tomorrow, before I left.”

  She took the box and met his gaze levelly. “Another gift?”

  He shrugged, faintly embarrassed. “It is just a—”

  “As much as I appreciate the gesture,” she said softly and laid her hand over his, “I don’t need gifts. That’s not why I’m here with you, Amersen. I know you’re wealthy, and maybe in the past you’ve known women who want something from you that comes in a box...but I don’t. I don’t care about your money or your fame. I don’t care that you have countless followers on your social media accounts and that every move you make is probably watched with interest by the paparazzi. That person,” she said with a kind of raspy emphasis, “that man, the one who owns a nightclub and knows celebrities by their first names and writes a blog that’s read by millions of people around the world...that’s not the man I want to be with tonight.” She rubbed her thumb gently across his knuckles. “The man I want to be with is the one who makes me laugh, the one who looks at me and makes me feel like I’m the only woman in the room. You,” she said softly. “Just you.”

  His chest inexplicably tightened. “I can take the gift back to the store if you—”

  “Just be yourself
,” she said warmly and patted his hand. “That’s all I want.”

  “I guess I am not good at this...thing?”

  Her mouth curled at the edges. “What thing?”

  He searched for the right word. “I don’t know...this dating thing.”

  She smiled broadly. “Is that what we’re doing?”

  He shrugged. “I have no real idea. I did not come to Austin expecting to meet someone like you. And the gift...” He paused, taking a breath, feeling the heat of her stare through to his soul. “The gift is merely a clumsy way of saying what I cannot say with words.”

  She gasped slightly and pulled her hand away. Her eyes were never bluer and glittered brilliantly. He watched as she unwrapped the box and held the trinket in her hand. He’d found the jeweled unicorn, attached to a gold linked chain, days earlier and had instantly thought of Robin.

  “It’s beautiful,” she said and met his gaze. “Thank you.”

  He nodded slightly. “My pleasure.”

  She smiled and then began eating. Amersen wasn’t particularly hungry, but he ate a little, and when she was done with her meal, he offered her a selection from the desserts he’d ordered. She tried a little of both the tiramisu and the chocolate-orange mousse, and he watched as she licked the spoon, rolling her eyes back delightedly.

  “God, that is divine,” she said and caressed the mousse in her mouth with her tongue in a motion that was so damned erotic he went hard instantly. “Better than sex.”

  Amersen had every intention of proving her wrong. “Want to bet?”

  She laughed loudly, and her tongue danced over her lower lip. Without another word, she pushed back her chair and stood, had a sip of wine and then held out her hand. “Mr. Beaudin, I believe you promised me a night I wouldn’t forget.”

  “That I did,” he said and took her hand.

  The bedroom was as luxurious as the rest of the suite, but Amersen only noticed Robin. He flicked on the bedside lamp, keeping their fingers linked. Her creamy skin was like a beacon, and he fought the overwhelming urge to trace his tongue along her collarbone. He wanted to touch her so much he ached; he wanted to find out what she liked, to kiss her deeply and hear her moans and then hear her plead and whisper his name over and over.