by Meg Lacey
His eyes narrowed as Raven laughed at something Nana said. Raven Rutledge wasn’t a conventional beauty. Far from it. What was it about her that was so powerful that he almost started to sweat remembering her lips on his?
Her chin was too pointy, her nose a bit too long, her eyes too slanted, and her mouth entirely too big for the rest of her face. In fact, her mouth dominated her face—pouty with a smaller heart-shaped top lip and plump bottom one. It was a mouth made for wicked dreams, as were her dark amber-colored eyes. Her black hair was always wild, curly and out of control, and her body was not the type designers dreamed of, her breasts were too large and her hips too curvy. It didn’t matter. When you put it all together, she was stunning, provocative, vital, brimming with life and passion. Raven was every teenager’s wet dream. And, Nicholas smiled to himself, no man ever outgrew his teenage fantasies.
He could feel the heat rushing to his groin. Do I want her? Hell yes! I’m only human. Do I want to be saddled with her? Hell no! That way madness lies. Do I want Jackson to have her? Absolutely not!
Funny thing was, even if there was no business deal, he wouldn’t let Jackson have Raven. She’d end up miserable.
His mind flashed back to the vulnerability he thought he’d seen in her in the hallway. No. He didn’t mind making Raven so angry that she took a swing at him and vowed to hate him forever; but there was no way he’d let anyone else make her unhappy. He let his smile escape. His attitude made no sense. It just was. His gaze drifted back to Raven, who was starting to show a few cracks.
Time to join the party.
Nicholas started toward the others still maintaining a stilted conversation in an effort to appear normal. Nicholas was sure the effort exhausted all of them. God knew he was already tired. Dealing with Raven tended to promote that feeling. At other times, she gave new meaning to the word “energy”.
Raven looked up, giving him a bright artificial smile. She handed him a plate of mini-sandwiches as he took a place near the fireplace. The heat felt good on the back of his legs in light of the cool silence that fell for a moment.
Margaret rebounded, saying, “Isn’t this lovely?” With that inane comment, society’s pretense of not acknowledging anything uncomfortable was off and running.
Nicholas glanced at Jackson’s grandmother who seemed rather amused by the whole thing as her bright eyes darted from face to face. Lorianne seemed both hopeful and nervous by the recent events as she watched Jackson from beneath lowered lashes. The only person who seemed at ease was J.R.
Nicholas snuck a glance at his watch and inwardly groaned. Only six thirty. They had to get through the rest of the night. He tossed back his drink and prayed for deliverance.
Later that evening, Nicholas wanted to cheer when everyone drifted off to their own pursuits, leaving Nicholas and Raven as the only ones in the living room. Raven stood by the window while he remained at the bar, pouring a brandy. He picked up the glass, rolling it between his palms as he studied Raven. A brisk wind hurling snow against the window distracted him for a moment.
Raven shivered, then turned to face him. He leaned back to enjoy the show as she strolled over. Her body was clad in a clingy red sweater and black slacks that hugged her centerfold figure like an enthusiastic lover. That, plus the way she rolled her hips as she moved, could make a man’s tongue hang out.
Nicholas was no exception.
“What?” Raven asked as she reached for the brandy he’d poured for her.
“What do you mean, what?”
“You were watching me with a funny expression on your face.”
“You should be used to people watching you by now.”
Raven flushed a bit. “Some times are more comfortable than others.”
He raised his glass. “I’ll drink to that.”
Raven took a delicate sip. “I think everyone is being very gracious about this entire thing, don’t you?”
He nodded. “Miss Manners would be proud.”
“Even Jackson seems—” She jerked to a stop, an uneasy expression hovering over her face. “Although…”
“He’s going to be more trouble than you expected?”
“Maybe.”
“Not a wimp, you mean?”
Raven sent him a disgusted look. “As if I’d be involved with someone like that.”
“You’re always involved with men like that.”
“I am not. What about that race car driver last year?”
“The one who lost a race so you’d feel sorry for breaking up with him?”
“He didn’t do it deliberately. He was upset. Said he couldn’t get me out of his mind.”
“Any man worth a damn would have won that race just to show you what you were throwing away.”
“That’s what you would have done, you mean?”
He sent her a laconic grin. “Nope. I wouldn’t have gotten involved with you in the first place.”
Raven tossed her head, preening, her hair moving like a dark wild storm. “Well, Jackson didn’t feel that way.”
“No, and look where you are now.”
She glanced around the room. “It’s not turning out the way I thought when I accepted his invitation, that’s for sure.”
“You actually thought about this first?” He chuckled. “Oh, man, now I need to sit down.”
Raven glared at him. “It’s very flattering to have someone want you for yourself and not because of your social status. It almost makes me think I should hang—”
Nicholas snorted. “Are you nuts? Jackson doesn’t have the vaguest idea who you are. If he did, he’d run like the hounds of hell were in his shorts.”
Raven grinned, acknowledging the truth even as she protested, “That’s not funny.”
“You’re right. It’s not.”
Jackson was a wild card. After Raven’s behavior today, Nicholas had expected the man would respond like Raven’s other slighted suitors, rage for a while, then slink off to lick his wounds. But for whatever reason, Jackson wasn’t going to give up easily. In subtle ways he’d made that clear all night. Nicholas set his jaw, almost grinding his teeth as he made a decision. To preserve his business deal, he’d have to up the ante. He’d have to make Raven positively off-limits to Jackson. He could only think of one way to do that; he’d have to brand her, say he was going to marry her. Marry—where the hell did that idea come from? Marriage? Just the word made him nervous. Still…
Raven refilled their drinks. “You look way too serious.”
He swirled his brandy, watching the rich liquid catch the light. “I have a decision to make.”
“Why? Did something happen?”
Nicholas sent her such a wondering look that Raven’s faced turned the color of a stoplight. “Okay, I mean beyond what’s already happened. Did Jackson say something else? Is that why you look as if someone’s just peed on your Wheaties?”
“Thanks for that image. Now I won’t be able to eat cereal for a week.”
Raven giggled. “Oops.”
Staring into his drink, Nicholas took a deep breath. “I’m about to do something very stupid. So stupid that I’m questioning my sanity.”
“Be still my heart.” Raven laughed, clutching her breast. “Does this mean you’re human after all?”
“Keep it up and you’ll see how human I am.”
Pursing her lips, Raven breathed a seductive, “Oooh, can’t wait, darling.”
He gave her a sudden grin. “Give it up. That won’t work.”
Moving closer, Raven walked her fingers up his arm. “Think not?”
Damn the woman. Her touch burned into his flesh, making him more aware of her than he found comfortable. Annoyed, he growled, “I don’t see any other options Jackson would accept, so you’d better marry me.”
Raven snatched her hand from his arm, then shook her head as if to clear water from her ears. “Huh?”
“I said, marry me.”
“If this is a joke I don’t think it’s funny.” She gave him
a suspicious look. “Are you drunk?”
He rolled his eyes. “Not yet. But if this is what I have to put up with from you, I soon will be.”
“You did say, will I marry you?”
“Sort of.”
“Why? What are you up to?”
“Hell if I know.”
“Wait a minute,” she warned, eyes narrowing. “That kiss this afternoon was pretense, not an invitation.”
“Calm down. It’s not because I want to make love to you.”
“Oh? Don’t you, luv? You don’t want to jump my bones?” She gave him a flirty little smile that had probably raised more men’s blood pressure than Nicholas could count. “I’ve been told I have very good bones. Along with other areas.”
He let his gaze travel over her. “In a pinch, I could force myself to jump your bones all night, but that’s not why I said you should marry me.”
“Then why?” She sent him a speculative look. “Unless you’re—”
“Get real, Raven. It’s not because I love you, either.” Even if he were head over heels in love with the woman, there was no way he’d hand her the keys to his heart. He wouldn’t trust her not to lose them. “I think it’s the best way to make Jackson realize you’re not serious about him.”
“I’m not serious about him.”
“All the signs show he’s serious about you.”
“Well, I don’t see why we have to get married to convince him otherwise? Isn’t that rather drastic?”
“We’re not going to really get married, you nit. Why do you have to argue about everything?”
She set her lips in a mulish frown. “I don’t.”
“You don’t?”
“No, I damn well don’t. You know very well—”
He grinned as she realized how easily she’d fallen into his trap. “You were saying?”
“I’m not arguing, I’m commenting. There’s a difference. Let’s get back to the marriage.”
“Engagement. I’m talking about a pretend engagement, that’s what I meant by marriage.”
Raven brightened, giving him an approving look. “How strange. That was my plan when I first saw you, but I thought better of it.”
“Think again, Raven.” Jackson’s determined expression popped into his mind. “It’s our best option.”
“You make it sound like a business deal.”
Nicholas sipped his brandy, looking at her over the rim. “It is.”
Raven wrinkled her nose, “Hmmm. Should we draw up a contract or something? A pre ‘together-because-we-have-to-be-together’ contract.”
He waved that off. “Our relationship won’t last long enough to get it notarized.”
She raised her brows and teased. “A bit of advice, darling. That’s not a great way to convince a woman to marry you.”
He sent her an exasperated look. “Get this straight, you imp from hell, I don’t want to marry you. I don’t want to be engaged to you. Most of the time, I don’t want to be within five hundred miles of your chaos. But I do want to get you out of this situation.”
“It’s not like you to be so helpful to me from what I remember. Or was the man who’s been trying to tear strips off my hide for the past few years an impostor?” Suspicion crept into her voice. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“What makes you think there’s anything?”
She folded her arms. “Because I’ve seen that shrewd devious single-focused mind of yours in action before.”
“Let’s just say it’s in everyone’s best welfare to see Jackson’s interest in you terminated. Including mine.”
Raven was quiet for a moment. “I think my father will be disappointed.”
“I’m sure he will.” Nicholas tried to keep the cynicism from his voice, if not his expression. The Exeter family is worth very big bucks, and Sebastian needs cash fast. The sour thought stuck in his throat as he looked at Raven.
Raven sighed. “I wish…”
Once again she’d seemed to drop her shell, exposing her vulnerable side. He wished she’d stop doing that. He liked it better when he wanted to lock her up and torture her every time he saw her.
“Did your father encourage you to get involved with Jackson?”
Raven sidestepped the question. “Daddy met him in Denver and invited him up to see Ravens Nest. I’d met Jackson before and I was home at the time, so I gave him a tour at Daddy’s request.” She shrugged. “Next thing I knew, I was accepting an offer to go skiing in New York.”
Nicholas wondered why Raven couldn’t see through her father’s game. But then she’d always adored the man, if he remembered right. While her father had always adored himself.
Raven shifted her weight under Nicholas’s steady stare, an uncomfortable expression settling on her face. “I didn’t bargain on a family party, though. I expected casual fun, with no—”
“Strings attached?”
“You got it.”
Nicholas grinned. “Same old love’em and leave’em Raven.”
Raven straightened her spine and gave it right back. “You have no room to talk.”
“But I’m not the leading story in the papers each week.”
Raven batted her eyelashes and cooed, “Maybe I can help you change all that, darling.”
Nicholas laughed. “No thanks, sweetheart. I’ll leave the headlines to you.”
Raven opened her mouth to respond and then seemed to think better of it. “Why don’t we find everyone and announce our engagement so we can leave now?”
“No. We’ll drop the bomb tomorrow after a good night’s sleep.” He glanced toward the window. “Besides, the roads are beyond treacherous. We’ll give the snowplows time to work overnight.”
Nicholas watched as Raven climbed the staircase to her bedroom. He started to follow her, but decided to have another drink instead. He had a lot to think about. He went back into the drawing room, unsurprised to discover that J.R. had entered the room behind him.
“I’ll have some of that scotch too,” J.R. said, indicating the bottle Nicholas was holding.
Nicholas nodded and poured two drinks, handing one to J.R. who took a large sip before saying, “You see the problem, don’t you?”
“Judging from my reception by Raven, I don’t think the problem is as disastrous as you’d indicated.”
“That’s because you weren’t watching my son when your cousin jumped on you and stuck her tongue down your throat.”
“I was a little busy at the time,” Nicholas murmured, still remembering the feeling of her lips on his.
J.R. snorted. “I can tell he’s still determined to have her, and it would ruin all my plans for his future.”
Nicholas arched a brow. “You’re planning his future?”
J.R. gave him an arrogant look. “Of course. Jackson would be announcing his engagement if it weren’t for your…damned relative.” J.R. practically spat the word, which caused Nicholas to bristle.
“Be careful,” Nicholas warned. He might want to strangle Raven, but he’d be damned if he’d let anyone else say anything about her.
J.R. continued without acknowledging Nicholas’s comment. “Lorianne is very important to our future plans, mine and the Sterling’s.”
“What plans?”
“Jackson is going to be President of the United States someday. But not if your wild-as-be-damned cousin drags his name into the tabloids.”
“Plenty of politicians have been tabloid fodder, J.R.,“ Nicholas said.
“Not in my family, and certainly not in the Sterling family. And if my son is still as infatuated with your cousin as he is now, a reporter is sure to catch wind of it.”
There was a freezing silence for a few moments.
Nicholas’s mind clicked like a computer. J.R. was right. The Sterling family was about as straightlaced and conservative as you could get. And talk about connected. They made Exeter look like a country cousin, something that didn’t happen easily.
“I know you can’t choose your
relatives—”
“That’s the truth,” Nicholas muttered, pouring another drink.
“But I expect you to put a stop to this situation.”
Nicholas faced J.R. “I have put a stop to it.”
“I’m not so sure. I know my son. When he gets an idea in his head, he’s like a dog with a bone.”
“You don’t have to worry about Raven. She’s no man’s bone.”
J.R. shook his head, pushing his glass forward for another refill. “I wish I was as sure of that as you are.“
Nicholas hoped he was sure of it also. But who was ever sure of anything with that unpredictable wench?
“Uh…” Nicholas took a sip of his drink. “How did your son meet Raven?”
“He was in Denver on business, took one of those tours of silver mines and historical houses. I think he met her at your family estates.”
Nicholas shook his head. “Not my family. We come from opposite branches of the Kristof tree. I’m not sure we’re really related.”
He came from the mongrel branch, while Raven descended from the “gilded age American Silver Mine heiress” who went shopping for an English title and a husband in that order, before eventually moving the family back to Colorado to live on her daddy’s money.
“I don’t give a damn who’s related to who in your family,” J.R. exploded. “All I know is I don’t want this woman related to me. My son mentioned marriage and—”
Nicholas slammed his drink down on the bar so hard it was a miracle the glass didn’t break. “Holy hell. You didn’t tell me that.”
“I didn’t? Well, he told me he wanted to marry her. I’m telling you, if Jackson put half as much passion into politics as he’s putting into chasing your cousin, the sky is the limit for the boy.”
“Marriage,” Nicholas muttered. He had to admit that J.R. had a point. Jackson had made it clear that he still wanted Raven, regardless of Nicholas. This could be a bit trickier than he thought.
“I don’t mind telling you that if you don’t take her away from him permanently, I might have to make other arrangements when it comes to our business.”