Lone Star Millionaire

by Susan Mallery

  Chapter 10

  Cal rinsed the lettuce in the sink, then tossed it into a drainer. After nearly a week at their beach house, Sabrina had announced it was his turn to cook dinner. He’d tried protesting, but she’d informed him that even he could grill hamburgers on the built-in barbecue in the corner of their patio. He’d tried pouting and complaining, but she’d stood firm. They’d made a quick trip to the grocery store for supplies, including an assortment of salads from the deli. So here he stood, getting together lettuce, onions and tomatoes, along with pickles and mustard.

  The kitchen opened up onto the living room. Beyond that he could see Sabrina and his daughter on the patio. They were playing a board game. Although the sliding glass door was open, their voices didn’t carry to him. Still, he enjoyed watching them together.

  Anastasia continued to gain weight. Her face had filled out, and her eyes didn’t look so huge and lost behind her glasses. In a couple of more weeks, she would lose the gaunt appearance of an underfed child. She continued to tan. Just yesterday, he’d caught a couple of teenage boys giving her a second glance. Fortunately Sabrina had noticed his reaction and had pulled him into the car before he could walk over and tell them to leave his daughter alone. She was only twelve.

  Cal washed the tomatoes. As much as he wanted to change things, he couldn’t. His daughter was practically a teenager, and the trauma of her dating was only a few years away. He could already feel his hair turning gray.

  The sound of laughter caught his attention. He glanced up. Sabrina and Anastasia bent toward each other. The setting sunlight glinted in their hair. His daughter was dark like him, but Sabrina’s hair glowed like fire. She tossed her head and flame-colored strands danced against the back of her neck.

  Without wanting to, he remembered the feel of that skin against his hand. He’d touched her there, the night he’d kissed her. He’d stroked the softness, had experienced the warmth.

  He told himself not to go there, but in the past two days, he hadn’t been able to think about much else. What had started out as an impulsive, maybe even friendly kiss, had turned into something very different. Before he’d done it, he’d never really thought about kissing Sabrina. She wasn’t that kind of woman, at least not to him. But when she’d been so close and he’d inhaled the scent of her body, something had happened. Something he couldn’t explain but that he would very much like to repeat.

  Sabrina. Who would have thought she could store all that passion inside and he would never have known? Once he’d gotten the idea to kiss her, he’d thought he might enjoy it, but he hadn’t expected to be blown away.

  Thoughts of kissing led to other thoughts…of things like making love with her. They’d fit so well together. That had surprised him. He’d liked how she felt in his arms and the way her body had pressed up against his. He’d enjoyed the taste of her, the need he’d felt, the explosion that had nearly flared out of control. He couldn’t remember the last time a woman had made him want to lose control.

  Anastasia said something and Sabrina laughed again. He smiled as he watched the familiar crinkles appear at the corners of her eyes. He’d known Sabrina for years and he’d never suspected the truth about her. In his mind, she’d been a friend, an employee, someone he could work with, respect and even like. But desire? He shook his head. She wasn’t his type. No obvious beauty, no flash. Just a quietly attractive, very special woman.

  He wanted her. He wanted her in his bed, naked and willing. He wanted to know if there was the same magic between them as there had been when they’d kissed. Even though he knew better. He knew what happened when he went after a woman. He wanted her until he caught her. Once he’d won the chase, he was no longer interested in the prey.

  He couldn’t afford that with Sabrina. She was too important to him. He didn’t want to have to worry about getting rid of her or having to replace her. For one thing, she was damn good at her job. For another, he would miss her. So, for the sake of his business, their friendship and his daughter, he would keep it platonic.

  Which meant no more kissing.

  He sliced the tomatoes and placed them on a plate, then dried off the lettuce and tore it into hamburger-size pieces. When everything else was ready and on the table, he returned to the refrigerator and reached for the hamburger patties. Of course there were going to be regrets, he thought. He regretted that he couldn’t find out if they would be as good together as he imagined.

  He was halfway across the kitchen when the realization hit him. The answer was so incredibly simple he didn’t know why he hadn’t thought of it before. It was true that he was more interested in the “getting” than the “having” where women were concerned. But he already knew and liked Sabrina. So once he had her and lost interest, all that would change was that he wouldn’t want her in his bed. He would still need and trust her as both an employee and a friend. Their relationship would return to its pre-kiss uncomplicated state and his curiosity would be satisfied. The perfect solution. All he had to do was seduce Sabrina into agreeing with his plan. Fortunately, seduction was something he was very good at.

  “But I don’t want to,” Anastasia whined the next afternoon.

  Sabrina told herself to stay patient, that the girl was just reacting to the unfamiliar, but her patience was being stretched thin. What she wanted to say was “Shut up. We’re doing this so you’ll have a good time and enjoy life, but if you want to go sulk in your own room, fine.” Instead, she smiled brightly.

  “Anastasia, in-line skating is a lot of fun. You’re going to like it. The beach is a great place to learn. When we get back to Houston, you’ll be able to do it there, too, because it’s practically the flattest city on the planet. I’ve seen tons of kids your age in-line skating all over. You’ll be able to meet them and hang out.”

  Anastasia looked around at the boardwalk. They were outside a rental shop. It was midweek, so the skate-bike-people traffic wasn’t too bad. “I’m not good at this kind of stuff. I’m gonna fall.”

  Cal plopped down on the bench next to his daughter. “Hey, kid, there’s plenty of padding. You might end up with a bruise or two, but it’ll still be fun.” He leaned close and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Look at it this way. Sabrina and I are way older than you and we can both blade. You’re young and athletic. Once you’ve picked up the sport, you’ll be skating circles around us. Isn’t that worth a couple hours of looking awkward and silly?”

  The girl shrugged. “I guess.”

  “I guess,” Cal mocked. “There’s enthusiasm. I don’t know, Sabrina. What do you think? Should we just lock her in the car while we go have a good time without her?”

  Sabrina pretended to consider the suggestion, then shook her head. “No, let’s give her a chance.”

  Hearing Cal teasing his daughter and watching him smile was enough to blow away her ill-temper. It wasn’t Anastasia’s fault, she reminded herself. She, Sabrina, had been out of sorts ever since the kiss.

  She followed father and daughter into the rental shop. Telling herself it had just been a kiss didn’t seem to be helping. No matter how many times she thought she’d put it into perspective, it just kept coming back. At night, before she fell asleep, she relived the moment. At odd times during the day, when Cal smiled at her, or accidently touched her, she thought about it again. To make matters worse, he seemed to be touching her a lot. It was starting to drive her crazy. Because when she thought about the kiss for very long, it was too easy to think about other things, like touching him back all over—and having him kiss her on places other than her lips.

  They rented skates for the three of them, then went outside. Cal helped Anastasia into her gear while Sabrina slipped on hers. She hadn’t been skating in a while, and the narrow wheels felt awkward. But after a couple of minutes, she was able to glide up and down the boardwalk.

  “See,” Cal said, pointing. “She’s kinda old and she can do it.”

  Anastasia giggled. Sabrina gave him a mock glare. “‘Kind
a old’? I don’t think so. Anyway, if I’m kinda old, what does that make you? A fossil?”

  “I’m a man in my prime. Everyone knows women don’t age as well.”

  “Hit him!” Sabrina commanded. “Hit him, then hold him until I can get there.”

  Anastasia laughed out loud. Sabrina skated toward them. Cal easily sidestepped her, caught her hand as she came around and pulled her close. He hadn’t bothered with his skates yet, so she was nearly at eye level.

  “I could take you out with one punch,” she told him.

  “You and what army?”

  Amusement glinted in his brown eyes, amusement and something that called to her. Desire? That’s what she wanted it to be, but she wasn’t sure.

  “Should I try to stand?” Anastasia asked, breaking the mood.

  “It’s a good place to start,” Cal said, releasing Sabrina and moving to his daughter’s side.

  She rose to her feet and wobbled back and forth. Cal put his arm out and let her steady herself by holding on to him.

  “Why don’t you show her what to do,” Cal said, glancing at Sabrina and smiling.

  It didn’t mean anything, she reminded herself. They’d always worked well as a team. That’s all this was. Teamwork to help his daughter.

  “In in-line skating, the key is to keep your center of gravity as low as possible,” Sabrina said. “So skate with your knees bent. When you feel yourself losing your balance, the instinct is to reach up and back. That’s just going to ensure that you fall. Instead, drop into a crouch and bend forward.”

  She demonstrated the action.

  “That’s important to remember,” Cal said. “You’ve got knee pads, elbow and wrist guards. If you fall forward, you’re protected. If you fall backward, you’re going to get bruised.”

  Anastasia looked doubtful but took a tentative step forward.

  “Glide,” Sabrina instructed. “Push out to the side, not forward.”

  “Come on, you can do it,” Cal told his daughter. “I’ll stay right with you.”

  It was a perfect summer afternoon, with the sky clear and the ocean sparkling just beyond the beach. Not that many people were out and they had a lot of room to practice. Anastasia was slow and off balance, but she managed to skate a few feet without holding on to her dad’s arm.

  She was tall and thin, still awkward, but Sabrina saw the hint of elegance in her carriage and facial bone structure. In just a couple of years, she was going to be a beauty. She was bright, sometimes too bright, and she was a survivor. All in all, Cal had done well with his daughter, and the young girl had gotten lucky with her father.

  In the past few days, they’d started making peace with each other. They still had a lot of things to work out, and Anastasia wasn’t going to be an easy teenager at times, but Sabrina knew they would form a bond that would last them forever. The love would be more precious for having been hard won.

  When Anastasia could skate about a block without wobbling too badly, Cal put on his rented skates and joined them.

  “Race you to the ice cream store,” he said, pointing to a bright pink building up about two blocks away. “Winner has to buy.”

  “There’s motivation not to win,” Sabrina said, and laughed.

  “You know I’m going to buy, anyway,” he told her. “Where’s your competitive spirit?”

  “In my suitcase.” She eyed his easy grace on the skates. While she could hold her own on a straight path, she wasn’t the least bit athletic. Cal, on the other hand, could skate backward, do crossover turns and had, a few years before, spent a summer playing in a roller hockey league. His constant travel had forced him to drop out.

  A warm breeze caressed them. Sabrina inhaled the scent of salt air and ocean and knew that whatever happened she would remember this time with Cal and his daughter.

  “Dad!” Anastasia called as she realized the boardwalk had taken a slight dip and she was moving faster than was comfortable. “Help me.”

  Cal stood frozen in place, his expression wide with shock. “Catch her,” Sabrina told him, and gave him a little push in his daughter’s direction. She knew exactly why he was so stunned. She felt herself tearing up slightly as Anastasia plowed into her father.

  The preteen probably didn’t realize what she’d said, and if she did, she might get scared and embarrassed, only to retreat into sullen silence or rudeness. But she and Cal had heard it, had heard his daughter call him “Dad” for the first time.

  Cal wrapped his arms around the girl. “Good going,” he said, his voice gruff. “You’re doing really well.”

  “Think so? It’s fun. A little strange, but fun. Back in Ohio, a few kids had skates, but not that many. They’re kind of expensive, aren’t they?” She sounded wistful.

  “If you want to start skating, I think we might be able to buy you a pair,” he said. “I like skating. It could be something we do together.”

  Brown eyes met brown eyes. They were both a little scared, both wanting to reach out but terrified of rejection. Sabrina held her breath.

  “Okay,” Anastasia said shyly. “Can I get pink ones?”

  Cal gave her a hug. “Sure. The brightest pink they have in the store. Maybe Day-Glo so you can put them on your bookshelf in your room and read by them instead of a lamp.”

  His daughter giggled.

  “Now, what about that ice cream?” Cal asked. He looked at Sabrina. “I’ll give you a head start.”

  “Five minutes,” she called, and started skating.

  “No way. A minute.” His voice carried on the wind.

  “Two,” she yelled back, but it was too late. She heard Cal starting out behind her. His stride was long and powerful and she knew she didn’t have a chance.

  “Dad, wait,” Anastasia said, unable to keep up.

  Sabrina glanced over her shoulder and winked. “Yeah, Dad, wait for your daughter.”

  He shrugged. “Can I help that I’m a sucker for the kid?”

  “No, and I’m glad you can’t.”

  “You’re just excited about winning.” With that he slowed and waited until Anastasia caught up with him.

  Sabrina didn’t bother racing ahead. She would rather they went together, so they moved up the boardwalk at the preteen’s slightly awkward pace. On the way, they passed a couple of kids throwing a baseball back and forth.

  Cal stared at them for a second. “You like baseball?” he asked. “There are two local pro teams here. One down here in Orange County, the other up in Los Angeles. I bet we could get tickets to a game.”

  They reached the ice cream stand. Anastasia sank onto a bench out front and sighed. “I’ve never been to a game. Is it fun?”

  “You bet. There’s hot dogs and peanuts still in the shell. This guy walks around the stand and tosses them to you.”

  Sabrina chuckled. “The game is fun, too.”

  “Oh, that,” Cal said. “So you want to go?”

  “Sure.”

  The girl smiled, and Sabrina realized for the first time that she’d inherited her smile from her father.

  “Great. Okay, what flavor ice cream?” Cal asked as he fished some bills out of his shorts pocket and started for the shop. “Sabrina, I know you like rocky road. On a cone, right?”

  She nodded.

  “Anastasia?”

  “Chocolate, on a cone, too, please.”

  Sabrina raised her eyebrows. Please? That was a new one. Apparently the message about trying to be pleasant to make things easier had gotten through.

  Cal returned in a couple of minutes and handed each of them their cones. He perched on the bench between the two females, his long legs pressing against Sabrina’s. His free hand casually rested on her thigh, as if he’d done that a thousand times. As if he had the right. The heat from his fingers burned her skin. She thought about protesting, but the truth was, she liked him touching her, even if she didn’t understand why he was doing it.

  She wanted him. Lord help her, she also loved him. It was a deadl
y combination, and she didn’t see a way for her to win in this situation. The most she could hope for was to entice Cal to her bed. For years she’d known he never thought of her as more than an employee and maybe a friend. But something had changed. She wasn’t overly experienced, but she knew that while he’d been kissing her, he’d wanted her. Since then she’d caught him looking at her in a way that led her to believe he’d been thinking about her and their shared kiss as much as she had.

  But then what? He might come to her bed and make love with her, but that would be the end of it. She knew Cal. He was loyal and faithful while he was interested, and then it was over. She didn’t delude herself into thinking she might be the one woman on the planet who could actually figure out how to keep him around. The last thing she needed was to get her heart broken by him. She also didn’t want to be used as a stand-in mom for Anastasia.

  She had to be strong, she told herself. But when Cal told her she had a smudge of ice cream on her cheek, then brushed her skin to supposedly wipe it off, being strong seemed incredibly overrated.

  Sabrina read the page for the third time, then put down her book. She wasn’t getting anywhere in the story, and this was a new release by her favorite author. But today she couldn’t concentrate. The phone sat next to her on the end table and she stared at it longingly. She’d sent out feelers to the headhunters and had initial phone interviews. Both had promised to be in touch with her soon. So why weren’t they calling her back? She needed to find out if there were jobs available to her. She had to get out of here before Cal drove her crazy.

  It wasn’t fair, she thought as she rose to her feet and crossed to the window. Anastasia and Cal had gone sailing for the afternoon, but she’d begged off. Privately she’d told Cal it would be good for him to have some time alone with his daughter. However, that was only part of the truth. The other part was she couldn’t take much more of his attention.