The Rancher's Seduction

by Catherine Mann

  She couldn’t help but be curious to learn more about them, to see how closely they resembled what she’d discovered reading up on them. What was real and what was paparazzi fodder?

  “That’s very generous of you to offer.”

  “Consider it my Christmas gift to a great employee.”

  “I’ve only just started.”

  “And look at how much you’ve already impressed me.” He eased to his feet and clasped the doorknob. “I’ll see you at lunch. Don’t work too hard.”

  Before she could answer, he left, closing the door behind him, leaving her alone with the holiday music and boxes full of Steele memories.

  Had she really just agreed to go out with him? But it wasn’t a date. Just a boss offering his employee a ticket to a show.

  So why was she already planning what she would wear?

  * * *

  Who had he been fooling that it didn’t mean anything inviting Tally to join in their family’s plans? Going out with her for dinner and the ballet on a Friday night felt exactly like what it was.

  A date.

  At intermission, Marshall’s family milled about, visiting with drinks in a private room reserved for major donors to the theater. Boughs of holly and pine hung from the dark wood banister in the dimly lit room.

  At the large red-cloth-covered buffet table with a spiraling candelabra, Marshall opted for spring water. At what point would his family notice he’d stopped drinking anything with alcohol in it?

  Beside him, Tally sipped her champagne. He wasn’t sure how he had made it through dinner without alerting his whole family that he had the hots for his cleaning lady. Temporary cleaning lady, he reminded himself, as if that might somehow make the attraction more acceptable. Not that his family had questioned his showing up with her. But he knew there would be talk among them once the evening was over.

  Tally slid her hand in his, the softness of her skin stirring him. He shot her a curious glance, and she smiled, pulling him aside to show him a Christmas display in a window across the street. She arched up on her toes, bringing their heads side by side as she described how she wanted to re-create the look at his place.

  He should be paying attention to her words, but he was so focused on the soft sound of her voice, the feel of her skin.

  She squeezed his hand lightly. “Look at that snowman. Wouldn’t it be fun to have something like that greet the family as they arrive?”

  But it was all Marshall could do to stand so close and not pull her into his arms. He closed his eyes and breathed in the scent of her and imagined them together.

  “Marshall? Do you like it?”

  “Yeah,” he said, his voice gravelly. “It’s great.”

  She laughed softly. “You’re not even looking.”

  He opened his eyes, and she was already walking away. A good thing. Because without question, the attraction was getting deeper, and this was not the time or the place.

  And even if they were alone? Holidays were a dangerous, emotional time for him to risk a new relationship. He was on edge enough with his broken arm and Christmas bringing back memories of his mother and sister. In the past, he’d lost himself in alcohol over the holidays...

  His family hovered around; Marshall’s Uncle Conrad lifted a number of festive-inspired canapés on his plate and winked at him from across the well-decorated refreshment table. Marshall shot his uncle a dark glance. To his credit, Conrad simply gestured to the wasabi shrimp with avocado on rice crackers.

  Blaring trumpets reached a subdued apex as the soundtrack from The Nutcracker played in the background. Holidays as usual.

  Or almost as usual.

  Marshall glanced at the woman beside him. Tally was stunning in her black lace dress. Simple, covering all the way to her neck. But formfitting in an understated way that drew his gaze like a magnet. Her hair was piled on her head in a loose topknot of curls, leaving her neck exposed as she leaned to listen to his sister Naomi.

  The women hooked arms and walked toward the ladies’ room. His sister Delaney followed.

  Jeannie glided over to him, her floor-length red gown settling around her like the robes of a great monarch. A queen. “I’m glad to see that Tallulah is fitting in so well. That will make the holidays run all the more smoothly.”

  The rest of his family and the Mikkelsons went silent, all eyes on him. So much for keeping things low-profile.

  He cradled his spring water. “She’s efficient.”

  Jeannie gave a polite, knowing smile. Crossing her left arm to the crook of her right elbow, she let the champagne glass dangle in a relaxed grip. “I’m glad you acquiesced to having her around while you recover.”

  He quirked an eyebrow. “Did I really have a choice?”

  His stepmother chuckled, raising the champagne glass to her lips, eyes wide and sparkling with mischief.

  His brother Broderick slung an arm around his wife Glenna, softly twirling her hair between his fingertips as they talked to Trystan and Isabeau Mikkelson. Nearly everyone was paired up and expecting a baby. Marshall could see where inviting Tally might have been stirring rumors. That needed to stop. And the best way to stem that tide would be to ignore them, since it was unlikely a protest would be believed anyhow.

  Jack Steele made his way to his son, a confident swagger in his worn-in black boots.

  Marshall held up his hand. “Don’t ask.”

  “I wasn’t planning on it.” His clapped him on the shoulder. “How’s the arm feeling?”

  “Annoying.”

  “Well, thank you for humoring Jeannie about the help around the ranch. It means a lot to her that this event go off without a hitch.”

  “About the bachelor auction—”

  “You’re already on the program. Jeannie and I feel passionately about starting this charity foundation as a tribute to her former husband and to your mother’s memory.”

  Words rose in Marshall’s throat with a feeling he didn’t want to name. Wasn’t sure if he could. But he knew he had to give it a shot. This was no scarier than riding a horse. Just had to do it. “Dad, all those Christmases when we were kids...”

  “Yeah?”

  “How do you keep them from overwhelming the now?”

  His dad glanced at Marshall’s water, then back up to his face. “It’s not always easy. For those tougher days, I think about what they would want for me. And if that doesn’t work, then I flip it around to what I would want for them if I were the one who’d gone down on that plane.”

  “That makes sense.”

  “Your mother would be proud of you.”

  Tipping back his water glass in a room of twinkling Christmas lights, Marshall wished he had his father’s confidence in that, because no way she would have applauded the alcoholic he’d become. And if he fell off the wagon?

  He wouldn’t be able to forgive himself.

  Tally had never been in a ladies’ room quite like this. Posh velvet sofas, floor-to-ceiling framed mirrors and a red damask rug made the waiting area to the restroom feel like a spa retreat. An attendant stood patiently by, ready with warmed towels and other necessities.

  She tried not to appear too wide-eyed at the luxury, but it was tough being blasé about such wealth.

  Naomi perched on a velvet sofa, bracketed by carved reindeer. She cupped her cell phone, FaceTiming with her smiling baby twins—Anna and Mary—who were resisting going to sleep. Their coos echoed from the phone.

  From a pearl-encrusted clam-shaped bag, Delaney retrieved a tube of dusty-pink lipstick. Parting her lips, she refreshed her color, pursing her lips together. She glanced over her shoulder. “Everyone else is being diplomatic, Tally, but I’m dying to know about you and Marshall.”

  Tally paused washing her hands, her mind filling with that tingly moment at the theater when she’d realized Marshall was breathing in her
scent with his eyes closed. “There’s nothing to tell. I work for your brother. He was polite enough to invite me along tonight in the interest of sharing the Christmas spirit since I’m away from home.”

  Delaney closed her makeup and put the tube back in her purse. “He hasn’t participated in the Christmas spirit much lately.”

  “But he’s having that huge holiday fund-raiser at his property.” Tally took the hand towel from the attendant, smiling her thanks.

  Naomi’s eyes danced with mischief. “We didn’t leave him any choice,” she said to the women while waving to her babies on the phone. “We wanted to make sure he stayed busy and didn’t get crazy ideas about skiing with his broken arm. Besides, it’s Christmas, and that’s our childhood home.”

  She wasn’t sure how someone would have given him no choice, but clearly whatever they’d done had been successful. The party was officially in the works.

  “Marshall mentioned spending holidays there. I’ve started cataloging the ornaments to plan for party decorations. There are so many amazing family heirlooms.”

  “You’re cataloging all of them? That’s quite an ordeal. I don’t think everything’s been out in...well, I don’t know how long.”

  Delaney nodded as she dusted bronzer powder along her face. “We’ve accumulated quite a lot of decorations over the years, I imagine. We lived there until some of us began university, then Dad built the new place, with private suites since we were getting older. It worked out well for living there after college while working for the company.”

  “It’s nice you can still enjoy the place where you grew up.”

  Naomi waved to her twin daughters again before ending the call. “Marshall keeps the place in great shape. He’s expanded the stables for the riding business.” She paused. “It’s really more of a charitable foundation. He makes his money off investments. He would have been a great investment broker—if it weren’t for the fact that he hates office hours.”

  Tally’s mouth twitched with a grin. “I’ve noticed that about him.”

  Delaney squeezed Tally’s arm gently. “Whatever his reason for bringing you, thanks for what you did to get him here. This is a surreal Christmas for us with Dad’s remarriage and the business merger.”

  “Everywhere I turn there are ads for the new combined family company, Alaska Oil Barons, Inc.,” Tally mumbled softly.

  Naomi sat on the sofa beside her. “Marketing has been on top of things, especially considering we had so little warning about blending the Mikkelson and Steele companies—and the families.”

  Tally toyed with the string on her handbag. “I’m no expert in the marketing field by any means, but the merger has appeared smooth.”

  Delaney leaned in. “My brother Broderick’s romance with Glenna was rekindled when he went to see her about rumors causing stock market fluctuations. They went to confront her mom—Jeannie—and stumbled on Jeannie showering with my dad.”

  “Oh my.” Tally clamped a hand over her mouth. “Um, I’m not sure what to say.”

  Naomi nodded, tucking her phone into her beaded bag. “That’s pretty much how we felt when we heard about it.” She rolled her eyes. “But Dad let us know in no uncertain terms that they were in love and getting married. We could get on board with it or move along.”

  “They certainly seem happy.” So much so it almost hurt to watch them, knowing her own life was so lonely.

  “They are happy and in love,” Delaney said. “And they should live their lives as they wish. It just would have been nice if they could have eased us into learning about their relationship with a couple of dates first.”

  Tally scratched behind her ear. “I can see how the shower would have been a shocker.”

  Naomi leveled a steady look their way. “Thank God, they had time to grab towels—or at least that’s what my oldest brother—”

  “Broderick?”

  “Right. That’s how Broderick tells it. I can’t believe you manage to keep all our names straight. There are so many of us now I feel like we should pass out a family tree to all newcomers. Maybe laminate or frame it for future reference.” Naomi gestured to a framed Nutcracker poster on the wall, drawing a laugh from the other women. “Having Christmas in our childhood home will hopefully make all of this—I don’t know—normal somehow? Sort of a ‘fake it until you feel it’ mentality.”

  Three peals of bells poured through the speakers in the ladies’ room, overpowering the old-time Christmas tunes. Three minutes until the ballet resumed.

  Butterflies pirouetted in her stomach over the simple prospect of sitting next to Marshall again on their non-date that felt remarkably real. Tally had taken this job to make peace with the entwined tragedies of their pasts, not to fall for him. But with each day that passed in his employment, it got tougher and tougher to remember.

  Five

  Who was he fooling?

  Marshall figured it was time to stop lying to himself. This evening with Tally at the ballet was a date. Or at least he wanted it to be. He was attracted to this woman...mind-blowingly attracted.

  Leaning against the counter at the coat check and valet station, he handed his numbered card to one of the young men with a curt nod. One attendant grabbed keys, while the other excused himself to collect coats from the hangers.

  Absently nudging a cluster of gold reindeer on the far end of the marble counter, he listened to Tally talk to Felicity. Even the soft timbre of Tally’s voice sent his mind whirring.

  Itching to have her alone, he drummed his fingers on the counter, eager for the valet to hurry the hell up and bring his car around. Audience members filed past in a brush of gowns and winter capes.

  Felicity buttoned her cape at the neckline. “Tally, thank you so much for sharing the extra ticket with me.” She paused, looking over her shoulder toward the twinkling Christmas tree at the far end of the lobby. “And for arranging transportation. I’ve had a lovely time.”

  Tally gestured to Conrad. “Actually, it was Marshall’s uncle who secured the box and limousines for us.”

  Marshall gathered Tally’s wrap from the coat check. He’d chosen to drive his SUV. It had seemed practical at the time. Now he accepted reality. He’d wanted to be alone with her for the drive rather than sharing her with others more than he already had to at the show.

  How had he become this drawn to her this quickly? Especially since she was risky, the kind of attraction that could get under his skin and not let go. He’d always been a far more methodical man.

  Except when he’d been drinking.

  Felicity tugged on her leather gloves. “Your uncle doesn’t strike me as a supporter of the arts.” She winced. “That came out wrong. I’m sorry. I only meant that the Steeles seem drawn to outdoor recreation rather than this kind of grandeur.” The social worker gestured to the grand lobby full of jeweled patrons and crystal chandeliers.

  Stepping closer, Marshall held up Tally’s wool cape. “We are. But the ballet is a family tradition going back to when we were kids.”

  Tally swept her auburn hair free of her cape, the silky hair rippling into place in a curtain he wanted to touch, to test the texture between his fingers.

  To see it splayed over a pillow.

  Smiling, Felicity held her silver clutch to her chest. “You’re kind to include me.”

  “Well, our circle is expanding.” To put it mildly. He reached in his own coat pocket, feeling for his sobriety coin, reassured by the cool metal. Hell, anything to ground him and not make him seem too interested in Tally.

  Tally looped her festive red scarf around her neck twice. “Felicity, I’ll be right back. I see the parents of a child I rocked last year.”

  As Tally walked away, quiet descended for a moment before Felicity said, “She is an amazing individual.”

  “I haven’t known her long, but I agree.” Very much so.


  She turned her full gaze on him, pinning him with an unmistakably protective stare. “Handle with care.”

  This was not a conversation he wanted to have, and certainly not one he wanted Tally to hear. “As I said, I haven’t known her for long.”

  Felicity laughed softly. “You know what I do for a living, right?”

  Marshall wondered where his big, nosy family was when he needed them to interrupt. “You’re a social worker for children.”

  “I’m a social worker and a licensed counselor,” she said with a knowing grin. “I read people for a living. And you’re not fooling me. In fact, I would wager you’re not fooling the others, either.”

  He was saved from answering by the limousine arriving to pick up her and his uncle. A blast of cold winter air blew through the open door as they left. With each bracing breath, Felicity’s words sank in a little deeper. Maybe she had a point.

  He was attracted to Tally, and she felt the same. In reality, he wasn’t her boss. She was aware of the distinction, too. They both knew his stepmother was her actual boss, having interviewed and hired her to make sure the holidays and fund-raiser went off without a hitch.

  If she wasn’t his employee...perhaps that was the answer.

  They would be going their separate ways after Christmas. Emotions and long-term entanglement didn’t need to come into play. He wouldn’t drink, but he would have her.

  Time for a serious talk—about not being serious.

  * * *

  Conrad clasped Felicity’s hand, easing her into the limousine. Just the two of them. Alone. Finally.

  He settled into the black leather seat. Christmas carols filtered through the limo speakers. Luckily, Felicity hadn’t commented on the fact that no one else was along for the ride to her place.

  The rest of his family—and extended family—had departed, taking different cars to different destinations.