by C. M. Steele
Christmas in July
Book Four in The Kane Family Series
C.M. Steele
COPYRIGHTED © 2017
All Rights Reserved
No part of this book may be reproduced, copied or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system without written expressed permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is purely coincidental.
Cover design: C.M. Steele
Cover Image: Deposit Photos
The use of actors, artists, movies, TV shows, and song titles/lyrics throughout this book are done so for storytelling purposes and should in no way be seen as advertisement. Trademark names are used in an editorial fashion with no intention of infringement of the respective owner’s trademark.
This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or if it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return it to the seller and please purchase your own copy.
All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior express, written consent of the author.
This book is intended for mature adults only. Contains sexual content and language that may offend some. Suggested reading audience is 18 years or older. I consider this book as Adult Erotic Romance.
The Kane Family
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Epilogue
The Kane Family
His Christmas Rose
Her Christmas Surprise
His Kandy Kane
Christmas in July
Ryan Kane has spent his life playing by the rules. Until he hired his assistant, being a rulebreaker never interested him, but he’s had enough. She’s everything to him, but he’s been pushing her away for so long that he’s not sure she’ll want him. After learning that she’s dating some guy, he forgets the rules and goes out to get her.
July has been in love with her boss from day one, and the months of working beside him have gotten too much to handle. The moment the tides turn and he stakes his claims, she can’t resist. A troublemaker is hellbent on keeping the two apart.
Ryan’s been patient, but nothing will stop him from taking what’s his.
Chapter 1
“I’m calling it an early night,” Ryan said as he peaked around the corner of his brother’s open office door. It was the end of a long workweek, and he had more things on his mind and agenda than to work late. He knew what his brother’s reaction would be.
“What’s up? You never leave this early.” It was about ten after five. Most of the staff left by now, but Ryan was the kind of businessman who had worked long hours every day since he started. Matthew, the youngest, stared at him but didn’t say anything because his assistant was there, and the way Ryan was looking it seemed to be a personal matter. Ryan pulled out his phone, checking the time, then looked back up at Matt.
“I’ve got a date.” It wasn’t a date per se since he was planning to steal someone else’s date and then take her home, but he didn’t care about semantics at the present moment. Nothing mattered except stopping July from being with someone else.
“Whoa. Okay, bro. Have fun.” Ryan smiled back and missed the scowl on Mara’s face. Matthew’s assistant was good at her job, but her main goal had been to nail one of the brothers in her bed and end up with one of their kids. Spencer was already taken, but she still had two others and both the brothers were well aware of it. With good looks and great physiques, the Kane brothers were sexy by anyone’s standards. Ryan was the one with the brown hair and light eyes. They were a mix of grey and blue, but it was his smile that could knock a woman off her feet. Well, almost all women. Ryan believed his secretary hated him. It wasn’t like he didn’t deserve her ire, but he pushed her one step too far the other day when he let his feelings for her get to him.
Ryan strolled to the elevator and took it down to the lobby. His hot date wasn’t really his hot date. He had plans to make a claim on the woman who stole his heart and mind.
For almost eight months, July Cooper had worked for him as his assistant and he hadn’t been able to shake the growing feeling of possessiveness that overwhelmed him whenever she was around. She was medium height, blond hair and green eyes with a sweet southern drawl that she tried to hide. It was probably why he would make her mad because then it would come to the surface and make hard. He’d gone out of his way to push a divide between them so he wouldn’t be tempted. There were rules in the company that Ryan wasn’t going to violate. After all, as one of the bosses, he could be in trouble and be sued.
The problem recently changed, though, because he’d finally pushed her into the arms of another man. When he learned that she was seeing someone, he went home and drank himself to sleep on his lonely bed. His heart was broken and he moped around for a few days. It took until this morning for him to chuck it all. Rules were meant to be broken, and she was worth it even if he had to beg her to forgive his dickhead attitude. She had been bubbly on the phone earlier, which made his jaw tic as he overheard her dinner plans. An idea formed in his head and he began writing them down the information on his cell phone; then and there, he decided to be the third wheel tonight.
He went home and fixed himself up, putting on the cologne he knew she liked. He caught her sniffing him once as he leaned over her desk. It was fine with him because he’d been taking in her scent every day in whatever covert way he could find. He walked out of the house in the same suit that had her eyes moving to his arms. It had the same affect every time, so he made it a habit of wearing them and had three others made. As much as he wanted her, he didn’t want to get involved with his employee. That was all going to change tonight, though, if he had anything to say about it.
~~~~
July spun around in the mirror, loving how pretty she looked in her new dress, a navy seamless gown that twirled at the waist and felt like a dream. It wasn’t for her date tonight; she’d worn it for the man she hoped would show but knew wouldn’t. Her best friend back home had been in town. He wanted to see the city and, of course, check up on her. She’d been his personal tour guide for the past week and it had been a nice reprieve from having to deal with Ryan Kane. Her stubborn boss made her body come alive with just a whisper of a request. Her heart belonged to him, but after seeing Mara in his office, sitting on his desk with the door closed and his tie undone, she knew that he wouldn’t be hers and she’s be foolish to fall into his arms now. The attraction between them had been visible, and several times they almost kissed, but he’d always taken a step back and turned into a condescending asshole. Then yesterday, she spilled her coffee on the carpet outside his office. She grabbed everything needed to clean it up and got to work on her hands and knees, scrubbing it away. They had an important meeting and she didn’t want to make the Kane brothers look bad with a huge stain that w
as clear as day.
He roared for her to get up off the floor, telling her that he didn’t pay her to be on her knees. It cut like a knife the way he scolded her, but what made it worse was the small group of men in suits who had been looking on. At that moment, she planned on telling him she quit, but then she saw the look on Mara’s face- a smug expression of delight that changed her mind.
Tonight, she was going to dance the night away in the arms of a large, strong Texas man with looks to kill. Getting over Ryan would be hard for the twenty-one-year-old, but she was going to do it because the heartache was too much to take.
Skipping down the stairs in her sexy heels, she met her date at the bottom of the stairs with her coat bundled up and her blonde hair flowing around her in perfect curls. “Why, hello there, Miss July. You’re going to make me take you home and tell your daddy we’re getting hitched.”
“Oh please, Tyler Williams,” July replied, swatting his arm. “Take me dancing, Prince Charming.”
“With pleasure, little lady.” He took her hand and brought it to his lips. He was always the clown in the Williams family. Leading her to the waiting car, he helped her in and they headed out to a restaurant with a dance floor. What they didn’t know was they had someone watching them.
Chapter 2
Ryan clutched the steering wheel until his knuckles whitened and clenched his teeth until they hurt. He’d arrived at her apartment with the intent of catching her before her date came to get her. He was two minutes too late. There stood a six-foot three man with a build that mirrored Ryan’s strong body. She clearly had a type. He was about to turn around and go home, but he wasn’t going to give the guy the satisfaction of stripping her bare. Tonight, that was going to be him. He followed them to the place he’d been to several times with his family. It galled him that she would pick a spot so close to his heart. That she would take another man there after he’d taken her there twice on business dinners. In truth, they were more than that, but he always made her believe otherwise. He took her there to see her in that soft light.
Ryan purposely pulled up to the parking spot two away from them, watching how the man treated her with southern charm and his hand on the small of her back as he led her into the restaurant. He had sent her two text messages since they pulled away from her apartment. She hadn’t responded to either and that annoyed him. She forgot that he could call on her whenever he needed, and he definitely needed her tonight.
He called her and she sent it to voicemail. “Fine,” he muttered to himself, then opened the door to Carrigan’s. Instead of looking for them, he had a feeling she would pick their spot, and like a queen of evil, she did. He walked up to the bar and ordered a stiff drink. As a regular, he had his drink in his hand before they were fully seated. Taking it down in one large gulp, he left a twenty on the bar and strutted toward his assistant and her country boy.
“Ryan,” she cried out in shock, nearly dropping the glass of water she just brought to her lips.
Ryan looked over to her date, giving him a warning glare that had nothing to do with work and all to do with marking his territory. “July, I’m so glad I caught you here. I need your help with the project before I leave. I tried your cell several times and even went to your place.”
“How did you know I’d be here?”
“I didn’t. I came to have dinner until you called me back but you obviously are too preoccupied to handle your job.” He feigned the anger that usually sent her into a tailspin and she did just that.
That dark deadly stare down that turned him on was right no cue. She glared and gritted her teeth. “What? I’m off the clock. I said I was leaving on time today.”
“Yes. Well, you know that file you sent me as you rushed out the door? It was corrupted. It didn’t open and I need it.” Ryan threw on that lie to the other, but desperate times called for action.
“Shit, are you serious?” Her mouth dropped open in disappointment and upset. Ryan immediately regretted the tactic. He knew she was a perfectionist.
As much as he hated it, there was no backing down now. “Yes, I am. If you’d answered the messages or called me back, you’d know.”
She looked over to her date and gave him the saddest eyes, which only served to make Ryan growl. “Oh, Tyler, I’m sorry, but I have to get this done.”
“Not a problem, sugar. I’m not leaving until tomorrow. Are you done being the working woman and coming back home soon?” Tyler knew damn well the file wasn’t corrupted. July was thorough and amazing back at her parents’ ranch. He could see the way the guy eyed him from the first moment. It was a territorial thing. She believed him, but he didn’t miss the way her pulse picked up. It was fine with him because he wasn’t really interested in her. His woman was back home, and he wished that she’d grow up already so he could marry her. This trip came up at the perfect time because he had almost gone too far with his sweet little Lily.
“You know I’ll be there for the holidays.”
“That’ll have to do for now.” He stood up and dropped the napkin down, but not before downing the bourbon he ordered. “That’s on you, pal.” Then he leaned into Ryan and added in a hush, “If you hurt her, I have tons of guns and I’ll take your Yankee ass out in a heartbeat.” Tyler walked up to July and hugged her tight. “If he hurts you, he’s going to pay.”
“Get out of here, Tyler. I’m really sorry about tonight.”
“It’s okay, doll. Thanksgiving is at my parents.”
“I’ll be there.”
~~~~
July stood up and Ryan left a fifty on the table. He took her coat from the rack and looked down at her with eyes that made her body shiver. “Come on, let’s go before it gets any later.”
“Okay.” She felt his hand slide under her coat and to the small of her back. Tyler had done nearly the same thing, but the effect was different.
“You look stunning, July.”
“Thank you,” she replied, blushing and feeling her heart pick up a beat. She picked his favorite place because she hoped at least one of the Kane family members would have seen her there. Her heart foolishly had hoped that she could have him all to herself.
“You didn’t valet?”
“Do you always think I’m a snob? There was a space available.”
“An ass, yes, a snob, no. It’s just about to snow.” She stuck her hand out and caught a flake in her palm. It melted on impact and Ryan’s tongue slipped from his mouth, wetting his lower lip as he looked at the now water droplet.
“Ryan, is the office still open?” she asked as he helped her into the car. He went around then looked at his watch.
Turning to her, he started the engine then replied with another lie, “No, everyone was out of the office. Matt was the last there, but he was leaving, too.”
“Okay, so how will we access it? I don’t have it on my phone anymore.”
“Why not?” he growled. His bright eyes pierced hers.
“I was tired of it crashing. It was supposed to be fixed but it still didn’t work and my phone has since been total shit.”
“Sorry, I’ll get you a new one tomorrow.”
“Isn’t your flight tomorrow?”
“No, it’s Sunday.”
“Wait, so this could have waited until tomorrow,” she exclaimed, feeling totally tricked. Tyler would go back home and tell her parents that she wasn’t as hospitable because she was working a lot and then her parents would guilt her into staying home.
“What the hell, July? Was I supposed to wait and hope that you weren’t too busy in his God damn bed to answer the phone?”
She didn’t say a thing because she sensed that this was more than work. Ryan was jealous. “I’m sorry. I can see Tyler later.” She knew what she was doing when she said it and loved that he grabbed the steering wheel hard. Her thighs were rubbing together as the wetness slipped from her panties and coated her flesh. She was heated by his jealousy, but nothing would ever happen between them because he would always fight
the feelings.
They arrived at his apartment and he led her to the elevator. The energy in the elevator became magnetized and pressurized like a heated kettle. Their pulses kicked up a few notches as the elevator climbed six floors. They were at the top in a few seconds, but it didn’t stop them from looking at each other a little longer than necessary.
He stuck out his hand, telling her to go first, following her as he admired her ass.
Chapter 3
“Where’s your laptop? I can pull it up from there and see what I need to fix.” She turned to him as she slid off her coat. He hadn’t worn his at all because his blood had been boiling since he learned of her date. The thirty degrees outside meant nothing to him. It could have been a blizzard and Ryan wouldn’t have shivered one time. He hated that he’d let someone get between them.
“In my office,” he told her as he walked over to his liquor cabinet, pouring them two drinks and walking back over to her. She took it and tossed it back like she was skittish, and it made Ryan smile.
“As in your home office?” she asked with an arched brow and a slight pout.
“No, at work.” He shrugged off her concern and her temper was back. She had no idea how much it turned him on and how he ached to fuck her on every surface.
“Um, so what the hell are we doing here?” He set his glass down with careful patience. Taking a deep breath, he approached her, closing the distance until their bodies were a mere inch from each other.
“What are we doing here? We’re here because as much as I have tried to stay away from you, I can’t, and the thought of someone else taking the place that belonged to me wasn’t going to cut it. The thought of losing you was too much. Damn it, you pushed me too far, July.”
She gasped, confused at the meaning behind his words and his only waiting until he believed she moved on. “So it took me to move on for you to see me as a woman?”