by Leah Brooke
Charity didn’t bother trying to hide her smile. “It’s not going to work, you know.”
He glanced down at her as he opened the door and carried her inside. “What’s not going to work?” He lowered her to her feet and worked her jacket off of her, careful to ease it from her shoulder.
Grinning up at him, she tossed her hair over her shoulder, and crossed the room to sit on the sofa. “Trying to be serious all the time. It’s not you.”
Beau knelt in front of her, holding her gaze while he removed her shoes. “Like this playful act that you’ve adopted since your accident? That’s not you, either.”
Tossing her shoes aside, he rose to his feet, his expression grim. “Don’t try to be what you’re not to please me. It pisses me off.”
Charity lifted a brow, settling back. “Ditto, darling.”
With a sigh, Beau dropped to the sofa beside her. He stared at the door for several long moments, the tension emanating from him keeping her silent as well.
After several long seconds, he turned to her, his eyes dark and thoughtful. “My father was a workaholic.” His lips twisted. “That’s putting it mildly, I guess. All he ever thought about was work. It’s all he ever did.”
Sitting back, Beau stared at his hands. “He took his role as a provider very seriously. He became obsessed with it. He didn’t enjoy life at all. I can’t ever remember even seeing him smile.” He took a deep breath, and blew it out slowly. “My grandfather, on the other hand, made a killing in the liquor business and enjoyed himself immensely. He made and lost fortunes his entire life. He enjoyed every day. He laughed. He played, and he was happy every day of his life.”
Glancing at her, Beau shrugged. “My father hated the cavalier way his father did business—called it luck—and vowed never to be like him. He worked hard every day of his life. He made a fortune, but guarded each dollar like it was his last. He paid the bills and made sure we had a nice home, good clothing, and that I went to nice schools, but nothing frivolous was ever allowed.”
Sitting forward, he looked at his hands. “He had several companies. Several investments. A hotel that my mother couldn’t even stay in. She had nice things. No jewelry or anything like that, but she had all the comforts she could want. She had everything except my father.”
Struck by the desolation and sadness in his voice, Charity sat up, taking his hand in hers. “Oh, Beau.”
Beau stared at his hands and continued as if he hadn’t heard her. “As far as I know, they never even took a vacation together. He died of a heart attack while sitting at his desk. He was only forty-seven years old.”
“Dear God!” Charity squeezed his hand. “That’s terrible.”
Beau disentangled her hand from his and got to his feet as if too restless to sit still. Going to the window, he looked out, but Charity doubted very much he saw anything on the street below. “My mother was left with plenty of money and businesses she didn’t know how to run. My grandfather tried to help her, but my mother remarried, and her new husband took over. He ran the businesses down to the ground. He cheated on her. My mother died a broken woman.”
“Oh, Beau.”
She couldn’t imagine what it must have been like for him. “I’m so sorry. Were you and your father close?”
Beau’s lips twisted. “I hardly knew the man. My mother and I were close until she remarried. After that, her husband didn’t want me around, and I spent more and more time with my grandfather.”
She heard the love for his grandfather in his voice, and saw it in the softening of his expression. “Tell me about your grandfather.”
Some of the tension in Beau’s body eased. “He was a character.” He smiled, and glanced at her. “Every day was an adventure. I used to spend my summer vacations with him and my grandmother, and then moved in with him when my mother remarried. I was still in high school. He taught me not to take life too seriously. To have fun, and to enjoy every day. He and my grandmother were still going strong into their eighties. You could see how much they loved each other.”
Turning from the window, he met Charity’s gaze. “They died within months of each other, and were happy until the end. My grandfather told me many times about my father, trying to ease my bitterness. He said that I could learn something from him. He wasn’t a bad man. He wanted to provide for his family.”
Moving closer, he knelt at her feet again, his eyes dark with turmoil. “He provided financially, but ignored the rest. Life is to be enjoyed, Charity. I have plenty of money. My grandfather made sure of that. I invested quite a bit of it, and more than doubled it.”
Shaking his head, he smiled, his eyes begging her to understand. “I have a huge warehouse where I sell everything that I sell in the store, and much more, online. I like Desire, and opened a store just for something to do. That store’s more of a hobby than anything. Something to do and a way to be part of the town. I enjoy it. I enjoy meeting people.”
He got to his feet again, running a hand through his hair. “I made up my mind a long time ago that I wouldn’t be like my father. I always knew I wanted to get married one day. I want a family. I organized my life in a way that would allow me to have the kind of marriage my grandparents had. Fun. Exciting. Filled with love.”
Beau sighed. “And then there’s Jeffrey.”
Charity stilled, shocked at the anger in his voice. “Who’s Jeffrey?”
Beau scrubbed a hand over his face and moved away, once again putting distance between them. “Jeffrey is my stepfather’s illegitimate son. He seems to think that he got cheated because I got my grandfather’s money and he didn’t. He likes to make trouble every chance he gets, and instead of working to make a good living, he tries to take the easy way out. All he wants to do is play and have fun, not giving a damn about the wife he has at home who depends on him.”
Beau turned, meeting her gaze again. “And then there’s Anna?”
Charity’s stomach clenched at the affection in his voice. “Who’s Anna, or shouldn’t I ask?”
Beau blew out a breath. “Anna’s his wife and she needs me. That’s one of the errands I had to take care of today. I give her money to survive, and I’m paying the lawyer so she can divorce Jeffrey. She’s not like you, Charity. She’s helpless and dependent, and Jeffrey doesn’t even give her enough money to pay the bills. She wants to leave him, but she’s scared of being on her own. I’ve been trying to help her.”
Falling deeper in love with every word, Charity stood and wrapped her good arm around him, surprised at how tense he’d become. “Christ, every time I think I can’t love you any more than I do, you make me love you more.”
Breathing in the scent of him, she cuddled closer. “I didn’t understand you at all, did I?”
To her relief, Beau pulled her close and kissed the top of her head. “Just like I didn’t understand that you thought my teasing meant that I didn’t take my love for you seriously.”
Leaning back, Charity searched his features, relieved to find the love shining in his eyes she’d come to rely on. As always, her pulse tripped, her heart beating faster. “I understand now, Beau. I do. I’m so sorry. You’re nothing like Jeffrey. I was so afraid that I was falling more and more in love, and you were just playing a game.”
Gripping her chin, he lifted her face to his, grinning. “And still you came back for more?”
Charity shrugged, careful to use only her good shoulder. “You’re handsome and good in bed.”
One of Beau’s dark brows went up. “And all it takes is good looks and the ability to make you come for you to fall in love?”
Relieved to see him smile again, Charity faked a glare and pushed at his chest. “Shut up.”
Beau caught her before she could escape. “You can’t resist me, can you?”
Bubbling with happiness, Charity sighed and hid a smile. “Don’t get cocky.”
A smile, one so much like the ones she remembered, lit his features as he pressed his cock against her belly. “I can’t help i
t, chéri.” Lifting a hand to cup her breast, he searched her features. “Do you know what it does to a man to know that the woman he loves can’t resist him?”
Curious, Charity cocked her head, more than willing to help lighten the atmosphere. “What?”
“It makes him feel about ten feet tall.” Wrapping an arm around her, he guided her toward the bedroom. “Come on. Let’s get you to bed. I’ll give you your ring and you can go to sleep.”
Charity tried to pause, but he didn’t let her. “I want my ring now.”
“No.” Beau smiled faintly. “You have to get into bed first and promise to take a nap. I want you to recover as fast as possible.”
“That’s blackmail.”
Beau seemed to consider that before nodding once. “So it is. It seems I have a penchant for it. Interesting.”
Thrilled at the amusement in his voice, Charity decided she wasn’t above a little blackmail herself. She’d always thought the way her sister pouted to get her way with Ace ridiculous, but had to admit, she didn’t mind the results at all.
Hiding a smile, she took several calming breaths and worked up a pout before turning to look up at him. “I don’t think I can sleep.”
Beau stopped by the bed and started undressing her, his eyes narrowed. “Why not?”
Staring down at his hands as he worked her sling free and removed her shirt, Charity found herself arching toward him. “Well, I’m achy and I don’t want to take any of those pills.”
Beau’s eyes glittered with suspicion, making it even more difficult to maintain her pout. After several seconds, he nodded once. “Where do you hurt? I’ll massage the kinks out so you can sleep.”
“Can I have my ring first?”
Glancing up at her as he removed her sweat pants, Beau nodded toward the bed. “Once you’re in bed. Leave your socks on. I don’t want your feet to get cold again.”
Charity allowed him to help her into bed, and with her good hand, pulled up the covers. “I’m in. Gimme.”
Beau’s lips twitched. “Greedy little thing, aren’t you?”
Lifting her chin, Charity smiled. “I just want something to flash in front of your face whenever you think about changing your mind.”
Reaching into his pocket, he produced a ring box. “I won’t be changing my mind, cher, and neither will you.” He opened the box and pulled out a ring, one even more stunning by its simplicity.
The large, square-cut diamond took her breath away.
Charity gasped, unable to look away from it. “Dear God, Beau. It’s beautiful. Beau, it’s so big.”
Lifting her gaze to his, she shook her head, holding her hand out as if to ward him off. “Take it back and get something smaller.”
“No.” With a gentle hand, he held her left one, not moving it as he placed the ring on her finger. “I want everyone to be able to see it. That way they’ll know that you’re taken.”
Putting a finger over her lips to cut off her protest, he shook his head. “This was the diamond from my grandmother’s ring. She wore it every day and never worried about it. She enjoyed it. I want you to do the same.”
Bending, he touched his lips to the ring before lifting his head. “I had it set in a durable setting. Jake made sure it’s secure. My grandmother would want you to relax and enjoy it. So do I.”
With her heart in her throat, Charity blinked back tears. “I’m going to be scared to lose it. I can’t believe you gave me your grandmother’s ring.”
Shaking his head, Beau adjusted her on the pillows. “No. I gave you the diamond she wore. The ring I had made special for you.”
Incredibly moved that he’d given her something that belonged to someone special to him, Charity wiped away a tear. “Beau, this is so thoughtful, and the most beautiful thing I ever saw.”
With a smile, Beau bent forward and brushed her lips with his as he ran his fingers down her cheek, catching another tear. “And this is the most beautiful thing I ever saw.”
Blinking back more tears, Charity sucked in a breath, and then another. “You never talked to me this way before. Well, except—”
“Except for the night I took your virginity.”
Using the massage oil Jesse and the others had given her, Beau worked the muscles in her back loose. “Feeling better?”
Charity groaned, every slide of his hands over her skin easing the tension in her tight muscles. “Much. You know, I feel closer to you now. Beau, why didn’t we ever talk like this before?”
Beau sighed, and slid his fingers in a gentle caress around the muscles of her injured shoulder. “Every time I tried to talk about something more permanent, you got skittish, and I didn’t want to scare you off. I knew that I couldn’t tell you about Anna and Jeffrey until you were more secure in our relationship, but I didn’t know what to do to get you there. I hated having secrets from you, and didn’t know if you’d understand how much Anna needs me.”
Charity sighed, relaxing even more under his expert hands. “I knew your reputation and figured you were playing a game with me. I didn’t think you were really serious.”
Rolling her gently to her back, Beau lifted her left hand slightly and kissed the ring he’d placed there. “Now you know I am.” He slid into bed next to her, his oil-coated hand covering her belly. “You’re mine, Charity, and you’ll stay that way.”
Her stomach muscles tensed under his hand, her breath quickening. Unable to look away from the intensity in his eyes, Charity arched into his touch as need built inside her. Wincing at the pull to her shoulder and chest, Charity reached for him. “I need you.”
Beau smiled. “You’re in no shape to have sex. It would only hurt you.” Touching his lips to her, he slid his hand lower and into her panties. “Spread your legs for me.”
The feel of his oil-coated finger sliding over her clit drew another moan from her. “Beau, it feels so good. But, what about you?”
“Don’t worry about me. This is about you. Besides, it excites me to watch you come. Just stay still. I don’t want you hurting yourself by thrashing around.”
He covered her mouth with his, cutting off her protest as he parted her folds and slid his oiled finger over her clit. Swallowing her cry, he deepened his kiss, taking her mouth with a fierce possessiveness that made her forget everything else except the pleasure.
His hand felt so big and hot pressed against her abdomen, holding her still while his fingers worked their magic.
The wave hit her hard, the new closeness between them making her orgasm stronger than ever. Amazed that he could send her senses reeling with such ease, Charity whimpered in her throat as the pleasure peaked, digging her heels into the mattress in an effort to lift into his touch.
Frustrated that the pressure against her abdomen prevented it, she fisted her hand on his shoulder and tugged at him to pull him closer.
Beau lifted his head, staring down at her with glittering eyes. “You’re so beautiful. So incredibly sweet.” He moved his finger once more before withdrawing it from her panties, the surge of sensation earning another cry from her.
Settling his hand at her waist, he dropped his head onto the pillow beside her. “Go to sleep, cher.”
“Beau, I don’t want to sleep.” Her trip to the diner and her orgasm had worn her out more than she wanted to admit. “I want to talk. Tell me more about your grandparents.”
“No. Sleep.”
She turned her head toward him, frowning to see that he’d closed his eyes. “Beau?”
“You promised to take a nap. I thought you prided yourself on being reliable. Are you breaking your promise to me?”
Frustrated at her own weakness, she stifled a yawn, and poked him in the stomach. “That’s not fair.”
One dark eye opened. “You agreed to it.”
After several minutes of silence, she opened her eyes again. “Can I ask you something?”
Although he’d relaxed, she knew he hadn’t yet gone to sleep.
“What is it, chéri?”
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“Are you mad at me for something?”
“No. Why would you think that?”
“We talked and got everything cleared up between us, didn’t we?”
“I’m sure there are issues we haven’t ironed out, but for the most part, I think we understand each other.”
Closing her eyes, she dropped her head back on the pillow. “I hate when you do that. I can’t tell what you’re thinking. If you’re still mad, just say so.”
Lifting his head, Beau pulled the covers higher over her shoulders. “I told you that I’m not mad, Charity. If I was, I would tell you. I don’t want any more secrets between us.”
Keeping her voice low, she reached out to touch his arm. “Okay. No secrets. Then tell me why you don’t want to play anymore. I already know how much it means to you.”
Beau sighed. “It did.”
“And it doesn’t anymore?”
“Not as much as it used to. I’m never going to be like my father. I know that, but since the night of your accident, I haven’t felt much like playing. You scared the hell out of me, Charity.”
“But I’m fine.”
“I know, cher, and I’m eternally grateful. Everything’s fine. Just leave it alone.”
“But—”
“Go to sleep, cher.”
When his voice slurred, Charity thought about all the nights that he’d slept sitting in the chair, or squeezed into the bed beside her. With a sigh, Charity shifted to a more comfortable position, careful not to take up any more room than necessary.
Lifting her hand as far as she could, she admired the ring he’d given her.
The sentiment behind it meant more than its monetary value—something she didn’t want to think about.
She found it so endearing that he wanted a marriage like his grandparents. She’d completely misunderstood him, but now that she did understand him a little better, she wanted the old Beau back more than ever.
She’d do whatever it took to do it.
Chapter Twelve
Charity looked up from where she’d signed another woman in, her breath catching at the sight of Beau approaching with a petite blonde woman.