by Sara Orwig
“Fascinating subject though you are, we’ve managed to move on to Erin,” Shelby answered, and Holly stood quietly enjoying the conversation as uncle and nephew talked, clearly revealing the closeness of their relationship.
Through dinner, she tried to focus on the conversations. She hadn’t wanted any kind of relationship with a man and now she was going into the most intimate one possible.
By the end of the evening Jeff’s parents had already planned a party Friday night to announce their engagement to close family friends.
When she climbed into the limo with Jeff and they started back to the ranch, her head was pounding.
“My folks are delighted,” Jeff said. “You did great tonight.”
“Maybe, but I don’t feel like it. Jeff, this is so crazy. I didn’t even want any kind of relationship whatsoever. That wedding is going to be here before we know it.”
He laughed. “Holly, not one woman in my life has taken such a dim view of me as you do. It’s a good thing I’ve had a lot of female friends or my ego would be demolished.”
“That’s impossible. You and Noah are both far too sure of yourselves,” she remarked. “I’m going to take a week off to get ready for this wedding.”
“Fine. Don’t forget about Thursday. You’re going with me to Houston.”
“I’ll do that whether I work most of next week or not. Noah is unhappy about our engagement.”
“I thought he covered it pretty well.”
“You two have talked about it.”
“You’d think Noah would have been the one for the marriage of convenience and I would have been the one impetuously in love. Instead, it’s the other way around.” He glanced at her. “Stop worrying. We’ll take things one day at a time.”
“I know you’re right about focusing on the one day, but this is a big step, Jeff, and we’re less than compatible.”
“We’ll both try because it benefits each of us, Holly.”
She knew he was right, but her uncertain future made it impossible to drop her worrying. Jeff’s optimism wasn’t helping her. It only emphasized how lightly he took life and the future.
If she concentrated more on work, perhaps the marriage jitters would diminish.
Thursday, she had a running current of excitement as she dressed to leave with him for Houston. They had separate suites booked at the hotel and they were having dinner with the president and marketing manager of Linscott Way West stores.
They flew in Jeff’s private jet. On the flight and the ride to the hotel, Jeff was relaxed, unconcerned with anything connected with business. Several times, she picked up the portfolio she had about the Linscott stores, hoping to familiarize Jeff and herself about it, but Jeff changed the subject swiftly and twice, he took it from her hands, closing it and setting it aside.
“Don’t you want to know about their company so you can talk to them with some background and knowledge about them?”
“I know about their company. That’s why we’re flying down here. They have very profitable stores. Stop worrying and enjoy yourself.”
She tried to bank her annoyance with him, thinking how Noah would sit and pour over his notes before meetings with people who were new to him.
“Do you ever take anything seriously?” she snapped, wondering why Jeff was making the effort to talk to them when he wasn’t prepared.
She saw the twinkle in his eyes and it heightened her aggravation with him.
“Sure, I take lots of things seriously.” He trailed his fingers lightly along her cheek. “When we kiss, I take it as vital.”
“Jeff, you can be businesslike now,” she complained.
“I’m very earnest,” he replied and she knew he was teasing her. “Relax, Holly. You don’t have to do anything tonight except be your usual charming self and they will be captivated. That’s what’s important.”
“That is not why we’re flying across Texas,” she stated in exasperation and closed her mouth tightly, turning to look out the window.
“Stop fretting,” he said. “Just relax and have a great time.”
“That may be impossible,” she said, turning to look at him and he smiled.
“We’re going to have an excellent dinner and I hope you have a nice evening. I know you’re comapring me with Noah.”
“He’s never as irresponsible and irrepressible,” she remarked and Jeff’s grin widened.
“I’ll try to be as responsible and repressible as possible tonight just for you,” he said and she had to smile.
“All right. We'll do this your way. No more business,” she declared, giving up on him. If the evening was a fiasco, it would not be her fault.
Six
A s she dressed for dinner, her excitement grew. She had bought a new dress for the occasion. A sleeveless dark green that clung to her all above the straight skirt. She put her hair up and stepped into high-heeled sandals. She looked forward to actually seeing Jeff deal with potential clients.
When he knocked on the door of her suite, she picked up her purse and opened the door. “I’m ready,” she said, gratified by the pleased expression that greeted her.
“You look gorgeous. You’ll dazzle them so much, they won’t know what I’m saying anyway.” He took her hand and kissed it, an uncharacteristic gesture that charmed her.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” she said, smiling at him. “You clean up rather well yourself.” He took her breath away and she hoped he couldn’t feel her racing pulse as he held her arm.
They were driven to an elegant restaurant nestled in tall pines with fountains inside and out.
Once seated in a glassed-in room, she noticed the view of a pool with waterfalls and fountains and blooming lilies. Candlelight and rosebuds in crystal vases were centered on the linen-covered table. With their surroundings easing her disgruntled feelings, she couldn’t shake her expectation of a wasted evening. All of a sudden the maître d’ appeared with two men, whom Jeff rose to greet—Garrett Linscott and Matt Arapowski.
Jeff was charming over the course of the meal, engaging her in their talk. It didn’t surprise her, and she wondered if he hoped to use his renewed friendship with Garrett to get him to be receptive to a sales call from Brand. Noah could be engaging; halfway through dinner, at the latest, he would have brought up some aspect of business.
Over dessert, Jeff sipped ice water and set down his glass. “Garrett, we’re carrying the Cabrera boots, saddles and leather goods exclusively.”
“I’d heard. That’s a coup for you.”
“I know you handle the best lines out there, but you don’t carry Cabrera in any of your stores.”
“No. At one point, it wasn’t worth our while to carry them and we’ve never really bothered looking into it since,” he said, glancing at Matt, who gave a negative shake of his head.
Holly sat listening quietly as Jeff talked about what they were missing by not carrying Cabrera. Quoting figures, Jeff covered their margin of profit and the cost-benefit of carrying his boots. Amazed, she saw why he had been amused on the plane. He had a complete grasp of facts and figures.
“You can’t get a better boot and they are all hand-tooled by craftsmen,” Jeff said. “Right now, Emilio Cabrera himself is still making boots,” Jeff said. “Let me send both of you a pair. You wear them and you’ll see,” he continued. “This is a prestigious line. Looks, feel, wear—they have it all,” he continued.
As she listened to him win them over while still entertaining them, she realized she had to quit judging him on appearances and underestimating him. The figures he quoted were some they had gone over when he had been at headquarters in Dallas. From the time they left the office today until now, he hadn’t looked at anything as far as she knew, yet he knew cost and pricing and margin—an array of figures necessary to make his pitch.
A couple of times he brought her into the conversation with questions about the line of boots. Yet when Jeff questioned her, she knew he already had the answer, but was merely keeping h
er in their conversation and doing so without a real break in his sales pitch.
She listened as Garrett and Matt agreed they should try Cabrera boots in their catalog and in certain stores that were their highest-volume stores in high-dollar areas. And then Jeff got back to entertaining them. Looking as if it had been effortless, he had sold them on the boots and they had agreed to carry them, even before getting their gift boots. Realizing he was as sharp as Noah had said, she was astounded. Excitement buzzed in her. Noah would be ecstatic over this sale. He had talked about wanting to try to get Linscott as a customer.
How wrong she had been about Jeff all this time. She hoped her calm facade hid her excitement.
Gradually, she was drawn back into the conversation. Part of the time Matt chatted with her while Jeff and Garrett reminisced.
When the evening was over, they said their goodbyes outside. After Garrett and Matt had driven away, Jeff summoned their chauffeur. They were soon headed to the hotel.
“Congratulations, Jeff, on a stupendous job tonight. Noah will be overjoyed,” she said, feeling excited over the huge sale Jeff had just made.
“Could it be you’re surprised?” he asked, smiling at her.
“You amazed me, I’ll admit.”
Smiling, he leaned close, placing his hands on the seat on either side of her. “You didn’t think I was prepared for tonight, did you?”
She could feel her face flush and knew that gave her away no matter how she answered. “I just told you, I was astounded,” she repeated, looking into his eyes. He was only inches away. She could detect his aftershave, see the faintest stubble on his jaw. Her heartbeat speeded. “You sold them so easily. You made it look as if there was nothing to it. I know they didn’t come prepared to take the Cabrera line in their stores.” Her words were breathless and she felt giddy and hot with desire. She wrapped her arms around his neck. “I was impressed,” she confessed.
His arm went around her and he lifted her to his lap easily. “Enough about business,” he said, leaning closer to kiss her. The instant his mouth covered hers, she forgot the dinner, business, meeting the men from Linscott, everything except Jeff and his kiss.
His hand drifted down her throat, lower over her breast. When she felt his fingers at her zipper, she caught his wrists and leaned away.
“Jeff, we’re not even in private right now,” she said, scooting off his lap.
“It was an asset to have you along. Thanks, Holly, for providing just the right touch.”
“I think you exaggerate, but I’m glad you were happy I was along.”
“Before we go back in the morning, do you want to spend a few hours here?”
“I’d love it. There are some things I can look at for the wedding.”
“Fine. I’ll take you to lunch and then we’ll fly home.”
The minute they stepped off the elevator at the hotel, he took her arm. “Let me unlock your door,” he said, taking her key from her.
The triumph of the evening still simmered and she knew sleep wouldn’t occur soon. She wanted to kiss, she guessed, as much as Jeff did.
Jeff opened her door and waited for her to enter. He followed, tossing her key on a table and closing the door, which automatically locked. He turned to pull her into his embrace.
Her heart thudded and she wrapped her arms around his neck, holding him. She kissed him passionately and poured her exuberance from the night into her kiss. He leaned back against the door and pulled her up against him. His erection was hard against her, heightening her own response.
She never felt his fingers on her zipper. Her dress and then her bra fell around her feet. Jeff stepped back and she opened her eyes as he cupped her breasts and caressed her lightly, drawing circles over each taut bud in a sweet torment. Her fingers shook as she pushed away his suit jacket to twist free his shirt buttons.
He paused to pull off his tie and then returned his attention to her, holding her breasts so lightly, his touches feathery, yet scalding.
“You’re beautiful,” he said in a hoarse whisper.
She pushed his shirt off his shoulders and it fell around his hips, still tucked into his trousers. His broad, muscled shoulders were smooth as she slipped her hands over him lightly. His sculpted chest made her mouth go dry, the sight of him inflaming her desire.
She ran her hands over his chest, tangling her fingers in the thick mat of chest hair, sliding her hands down over his washboard stomach. Without unfastening his trousers, she ran her hands over his thighs and he inhaled deeply, taking her hand to place it on his thick rod.
He unbuckled his belt until she caught his hands.
“We’re waiting—remember?” she asked.
He drew another deep breath and ran his hands over her, taking in the sight of her in a lusty look that made her tremble and long to unfasten his belt herself. Yet she wanted to wait, to know him better. Each day opened new doors and she discovered different aspects about him. They weren’t in love and were all but strangers. She wanted to feel as if she knew him when she went to bed with him.
“Jeff, wait,” she said, wriggling back into her dress and turning. “Zip me, please.”
He leaned forward to trail warm kisses on her nape. He showered kisses down her back and her protests died unspoken as she gasped and closed her eyes.
“Jeff!” she whispered, standing still and letting sensations shower her until she turned to pull him close and kiss him.
They kissed, desire becoming roaring flames until she stepped away and pulled her clothes in place again. “We have to stop tonight. In only a few weeks, we’ll be married and then we won’t stop or wait.”
His ragged breathing was loud. He studied her and reached out to wrap a lock of her hair around her fingers. “I’ll be counting the minutes. This will be a good marriage, Holly. You won’t regret your decision.”
“I hope you’re right,” she replied solemnly.
“I’ll come get you for breakfast. You name the time you want.”
“Seven will be fine,” she said, trying to catch her breath, too. His hair was a tangle over his forehead, his chest bare. He looked sexier than ever, more desirable. “It won’t be long until our wedding,” she added, thinking aloud and knowing she would be eager when the time came.
He kissed her lightly and left.
Her heart pounded and she got ready for bed, her thoughts swirling again. The evening had been a glorious victory in the corporate scheme. Who knew what other secrets lurked beneath his facade.
The third weekend in August, she stood in the narthex of the huge Dallas church. Her father held her arm. “You look beautiful today, Holly,” Dennis Lombard said in a low voice. “You’re still certain about marrying Jeff?”
“Very,” she answered firmly, smiling up at her father.
His green eyes were solemn and searching as he looked at her and nodded. “Good. You’re making an excellent bargain. With the incomes both of you will have, you should manage well even if it turns out you’re less than totally compatible. Marriage is filled with adjustments.”
Amused, she listened to the last-minute advice. To her relief, the wedding planner motioned to them. “It’s time, Holly, Mr. Lombard.”
As trumpets blared and violins began to accompany the organ, they began the walk up the long aisle. She looked at the huge number of guests and then at the eight bridesmaids, with Alexa as maid of honor. Her gaze shifted to the groomsmen. Noah stood beside Jeff as best man. When her gaze met Jeff’s, her heartbeat quickened. More handsome than ever in his tux, he gazed back, a faint smile on his face.
She held no doubts now. She was committed and she would be in this marriage for the next year. Tonight they were flying to New York for four days and then on to Paris and she wondered if her excitement was over their enormous undertaking, or if it was the result of knowing she would stay in New York and Paris for the next two weeks.
Two weeks with Jeff on a honeymoon. Her heart raced at the thought. She was astounded that they
had filled this huge church with guests. Between each of their families and their sets of friends, the wedding had gotten away from them.
Her father stopped and soon placed her hand in Jeff’s warm, callused hand. She gazed into his gray eyes and tingled to her toes.
He smiled and winked at her, making her feel wrapped in a special moment for just the two of them.
They went through the ceremony, repeating their vows and exchanging rings and once she glanced at Noah, who gazed at her impassively, his feelings and thoughts hidden. She wondered whether he still disapproved or had even made one last effort before the wedding to talk Jeff out of going through with it.
Jeff’s parents, on the other hand, had seemed to grow more delighted each time she had been with them.
To his glee Jeff’s uncle knew the truth about their arrangement. He was overjoyed to see Jeff get the ranch in such a manner.
As she faced Jeff and repeated her vows, mixed feelings besieged her. Handsome, sexy, unpredictable—could she cope with this sham marriage? Jeff was turning out to be what Noah had said—a sharp, savvy businessman, which still astounded her because it seemed effortless on Jeff’s part.
He was never rushed, never uptight over deals, never lost in thought about business, yet he was getting things accomplished she had never expected to see happen. Had she completely misjudged him? She still couldn’t come to grips with his unorthodox methods.
As she repeated for better or for worse, she wondered whether the future would be better or worse. When she contemplated staying on his ranch for a year, she didn’t know how she would get through this. Even the money paled when she thought about Jeff’s personality and work methods, as well as where she would have to live. That cooled any likelihood of falling in love with him. She would never under any circumstances want to spend her life on his ranch. She clung to the prospect of a honeymoon in New York and Paris and her spirits lifted.
Finally, the minister pronounced them man and wife and introduced them to the guests as Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Brand.
She glanced up at Jeff, who squeezed her hand. They rushed down the aisle into the narthex and around the church to return for pictures as planned. In the deserted hallway, Jeff pulled her close to hug her. “We’re married. Thanks for agreeing to this.”