One Winter's Night

by Brenda Jackson

  “That’s the Westmoreland Way.” He moved across the room to open the blinds to a huge window that had a gorgeous, picturesque view of the mountains.

  “And how do you keep it all clean and everything in place?” she asked, not seeing a speck of dirt or smidgen of dust anywhere.

  His eyes glinted as if insulted. “Are you trying to insinuate I’m a slob?”

  She waved off his pretended insult. “You’re a man, Riley. Not too many tidy up after themselves. I’m impressed.”

  “Thank you, but I’ll admit to having a weekly cleaning service. A woman drops by and takes care of the houses for all the single Westmorelands. It’s an annual birthday gift from the ladies in the family for the single male Westmorelands.”

  He glanced at her messenger bag, which she was still carrying in her hand. “You can set up things in my office. I even have a pull-down screen in there.” He glanced at his watch. “And while you’re doing that, I’ll start dinner.”

  She arched a brow. “You cook?”

  He chuckled softly. “Yes, sweetheart, I learned how to fend for myself when I discovered the women inviting me over to their place to eat all had ulterior motives.”

  She tried ignoring the fluttering in the pit of her stomach caused by his term of endearment as she eyed him up and down. He had removed his jacket and tie and was standing in the middle of his humongous living room, looking at home and oh-so-sexy.

  “Can you?”

  “Can I what?”

  “Cook,” he said, opening blinds to another window.

  “Yes.”

  “The kitchen is around that bend in the wall,” he said. “After getting things set up, you can join me and we’ll see how well you can cook.”

  * * *

  When was the last time he’d whistled while cooking? Riley wondered as he pulled all the spices he needed out of the cabinets. He glanced to where Alpha stood at the island making dessert—sugar cookies. She had come up with the idea after discovering that he had all the ingredients she needed.

  This wasn’t the first time he’d ever invited a woman to his house by any means, and this wasn’t the first time one had shared space in his kitchen. But he would admit, although he didn’t want to do so, that she was the first whose presence felt totally right.

  He pushed the thought to the back of his mind, not wanting to ponder why he felt that way. All he knew was that he enjoyed glancing across the way and seeing her there. She was wearing a pullover sweater and a pair of skimmer jeans, and he liked the short leather boots on her feet. He thought the outfit was perfect for what he had in mind later. They were going horseback riding around his property after dinner.

  A thought then entered his mind. “You do ride, right?”

  She glanced over at him. “Ride what?”

  “A horse.”

  She chuckled and the sound echoed around his kitchen. “Yes. I went to school to become a vet, remember. One year I spent the entire summer on a horse ranch in Ocala, Florida, working as a ranch hand. It was definitely a learning experience. I’m no jockey, but I can hold my own.”

  He stopped what he was doing and turned around. “Glad you think so because we’re going riding later.”

  “We are?”

  “Yes.”

  She shrugged. “Okay.” She then returned to what she was doing.

  “How are you coming along over there?” he asked, curious. She had been quiet, concentrating on the task until he’d interrupted her just now.

  “Fine. You did preset the oven to 350 degrees, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good. I haven’t made sugar cookies in a long time. What are the odds that you would have everything I need?”

  “Only because Bailey likes my kitchen and keeps it equipped.”

  She glanced up and around. “I can certainly see why she likes this one. It’s a cook’s dream. Beautiful oak cabinets, granite countertops, stainless steel appliances and—”

  “Hey, you have all those things in your kitchen, except your cabinets are maple instead of oak.”

  “Yes, but I can place my small kitchen in here three or four times over. Most men would see this much square footage in a kitchen as wasted space.”

  “I’m not most men.”

  She glanced over at him and moved her gaze up and down. “Yes, I can see that.”

  He smiled and shook his head. “You know those kinds of looks can get you into trouble.”

  An innocent smile touched her lips. “I’m not doing anything.”

  Instead of disagreeing with her, he turned back around to the sink to start peeling the potatoes that he planned to stew on top of the stove with pork chops and his special gravy. The dish wasn’t as good as McKay’s, but he didn’t think it was all bad.

  Out of the corner of his eye he watched as Alpha opened his oven door to slide the tray of cookies inside. “These are slow-baking, so an hour should do it.”

  “I can’t wait,” he said, turning toward her. “Once I get this started it will be on simmer for a while.”

  “All right. Do you want me to cover the rest of the info for the party before or after dinner? The only thing left to cover is the budget.”

  He nodded. On the drive over she had covered a lot, being detailed and precise and, not surprisingly, he had liked all of her ideas. “Let’s do it before dinner.”

  “Okay, I’ll go get things set up in your office.”

  He watched her walk off with his pulse hammering and his erection throbbing. She looked good all over but had such a curvaceous backside that seeing her in jeans was a total turn-on for him.

  Riley drew in a deep breath as the rush of blood seemed to hit him right in the groin. At some point they would share a bed, but he had promised not to rush her and he wouldn’t, even if it killed him. Alpha was not a one-night stand, nor would she be a one-and-done. She would have her six weeks. More importantly, he would have his six weeks. He doubted he would want less than that. And he’d taken the time earlier that day, while in his office, to figure out the exact ending date, and wouldn’t you know it, it would be the night of the holiday party.

  So it would be one winter’s night in more ways than one.

  Seven

  “Well, what do you think about the pork chops?”

  Alpha glanced across the table at Riley. It hadn’t taken long to go over the budget and wrap up all the other minor details she needed to finalize in order to move ahead with her plans. All her people were ready and in place and now that he had approved her suggestions and the budget, it was full steam ahead. She’d be putting on a party that she knew would impress him and everyone attending.

  She smiled ruefully. “I think if push comes to shove, you can quit your day job and become a chef. Everything tastes wonderful, Riley.” And she meant it. The pork chops were so tender they all but melted in her mouth and the gravy and potatoes were better than any she’d ever eaten…even those at McKay’s.

  From his smile she knew her compliment pleased him. “Thanks. Wait until you taste my shrimp and lobster casserole. It’s going to knock you off your feet.”

  Hmm, was that an invitation? Sounded like one to her. “I’ll look forward to it.”

  “And I’m looking forward to eating your cookies. They smell good.”

  “Thanks.”

  She continued to eat and when she glanced up he was watching her with a strange look on his face. She tilted her head and arched a brow. “Something’s wrong?”

  “No,” he said rather quickly and continued eating. Moments later, after taking a sip of his wine, he said, “I looked at a calendar earlier today and if we both agree to go the full six weeks for our affair, then it ends the night of the company party.”

  “Sounds good to me.”

  She saw something flash in his eyes. “So we understand each other?” he asked.

  She smiled. “Perfectly.” She then picked up her wineglass and took a sip, not sure why he was still sitting there staring at her. Had h
e expected her to request more time or something?

  She glanced at her watch. It was getting late. She darted a look over at him. “Do you still want to go riding?”

  “Yes.

  “Then we need to get going if we want to take advantage of the daylight.”

  He stood. “I agree.”

  She stood, as well. “I’ll help clear the table.”

  “You don’t have to.”

  “I want to, and it’s the least I can do for such a great meal. You outdid yourself.”

  He chuckled. “For you, any day.”

  She didn’t say anything as she helped him clean off the table and load up the dishwasher. The heat was on, and it was getting to her already. And she had a feeling things would be getting hotter.

  * * *

  An hour later Riley stood at the window and looked out, waiting as Alpha used one of his guest bathrooms. He had enjoyed his time with her and now it was close to seven. It was hard to believe she had spent five hours with him today. And he had enjoyed every second of those hours. After dinner she had helped him clear the table and load the dishwasher. Then they had gone riding, and she’d pulled one over on him when she’d given the impression she wasn’t good when it came to riding a horse. The woman was an excellent rider.

  When they returned they had eaten the cookies she had baked and drunk cold glasses of milk. He shared more stories about his family and she had listened attentively, asking questions and laughing when he told her all about Bane’s, Bailey’s and the twins’—Aiden and Adrian’s—escapades and how Family Services had threatened to separate the youngest Westmorelands from the family if their bad behaviors didn’t improve.

  But the one thing he noticed was that she hadn’t talked a lot about herself or her family. He knew she was from Florida, that her parents owned a veterinary business and that she had a sister. But there was the issue of the missing ring on her finger. Had something other than a career move driven her to Denver?

  “You even have a beautiful powder room, Riley. And it’s so big. I probably could roll a bed in there and take a nap.”

  He turned around slowly. “Glad you—”

  Whatever he was about to say died on his lips when their gazes connected. Suddenly, from across the room he held her in focus. His stomach tightened and his nerve endings sizzled. “Like it,” he said, finishing his sentence.

  She’d done something to her hair. It was no longer pulled back away from her face in a ponytail, but was now loose. A mass of brown curls were hanging around her shoulders. He’d seen her hair that way before, earlier today in his office. But for some reason, at that moment, restyling her hair made her look incredibly beautiful.

  His feet began moving toward her with a purpose ingrained in every part of his body. He met her gaze, held it, and when he came to a stop in front of her, he reached out and traced a finger across her chin. He then slowly moved his finger down the length of her neck before touching a lock of her hair. “You’re wearing it differently,” he said in a deep, husky voice, liking how the silky tresses felt flowing through his fingers.

  She nodded slowly. “The clamp came loose while out riding and I thought I’d play it safe and take it off. The clamp was a gift from my sister and means a lot. I don’t want to lose it.”

  “I like your hair this way. It’s a stunning shade of brown. The color is perfect for your skin tone. It’s beautiful. You’re beautiful.”

  “Thank you.”

  He lifted her hands to his lips and kissed them while gazing up at her. “I promised not to rush you, but just so you know, I have no qualms about making love to you tonight. I’m tempted to do just that.”

  “Then I better move temptation out of your way by letting you take me home. Then you can concentrate on other things.”

  His lips curved in a smile. “Even if you weren’t here, I would think about you, Alpha.”

  She chuckled softly. “I bet you say that to all the ladies.”

  Riley shook his head as he continued to kiss her hand. Now he was using the tip of his tongue to taste her skin. He liked hearing how her breathing sounded forced. “No, I don’t say that to all the ladies.”

  And he meant that. He would admit to throwing out a convincing line or two when it served his purpose. That was to be expected when he was a man on the prowl. But that’s not what he was doing here. With Alpha, he was being totally honest. He had thought about her over the past week more than he’d thought about any other woman. He had dreamed about her, waking up with a need and desire he’d never felt for any other woman.

  Since he didn’t know why his experience was so different with her, he intended to be cautious in whatever he did, whatever they shared. He had to be realistic enough to admit there had been something between him and Alpha from the first. She had been wearing gloves, yet when their hands touched he had felt the intense heat. He had felt the chemistry. An electrical charge had zinged through him. At first he’d thought it was a fluke, nothing more than an overreaction. But then, when he’d picked her up in his arms in McKay’s parking lot to carry her into the restaurant, it was as if something had exploded between them, a connection he couldn’t describe. And that was before he’d even seen what she was hiding under all those clothes.

  He straightened and reached up to touch her chin again, coaxing her to meet his gaze. “Go out with me this weekend. We can do dinner and a movie or a play.”

  He studied the shape of her lips. Heat stirred his groin, making several ideas flow through his head and prompting him to add, “Or better yet, after dinner we can come here or go to your place and play a game.”

  Her brow arched. “What game?”

  “The Pleasure Game. Have you ever played it before?”

  He saw how her eyes darkened with desire when she shook her head. “Can’t say that I have.”

  “Then let me assure you that you’re going to enjoy it. It’s easy to play, and there are not a whole lot of rules to follow. You can let me know that night if you want to play. How about if I pick you up for dinner around seven? There’s this restaurant near the airport that I’ve heard nice things about, and I want to take you there.”

  “Okay,” she said, smiling softly.

  “And the Pleasure Game will require you staying overnight here or me staying overnight at your place. No pressure. No rush. If you don’t think you’ll be ready to play Saturday night just let me know.”

  She nodded. “I will.”

  He leaned in close and slanted his mouth over hers, needing to taste her and leave her with something to think about. When she opened her mouth to return the kiss, he pulled her into his arms and deepened it, knowing he would be counting the days until he spent time with her again.

  Eight

  “Wow, the invitations will be simply beautiful,” Lindsey Hopkins said. The twenty-something stay-at-home mom assisted Alpha on a part-time basis. As she looked at the computer screen over Alpha’s shoulder, she had a huge grin on her face. “And you’re the one designing them?”

  Alpha smiled, too, pleased that Lindsey liked them. “Yes, after coming up with what I thought would work for our theme, One Winter’s Night, I thought the idea of a country house in a light snowstorm would be perfect.”

  And she knew just the house she would use as a model. Riley’s home. It would be picture-perfect. She had mentioned using a picture of his home on the invitation when he brought her home the other night. He said he had no problem with it and had given her the green light to do it.

  “Do you know whose house you’re going to use?” Lindsey asked her.

  She turned her chair around and met Lindsey’s inquiring gaze. “Yes, it belongs to one of the Westmorelands. Riley Westmoreland.”

  Lindsey’s face lit up. “He’s one of Bane’s older brothers. I met him once, and I bet the house is as gorgeous as he is.”

  Alpha threw her head back and laughed. “Well, yes, I guess you could say that.”

  “Trust me, I do. Every woman in tow
n knows how good-looking those Westmoreland men are. Some of us are married, but we aren’t blind. Any woman can appreciate a good-looking man.”

  Alpha grinned. “True.” She turned back to the computer. “So you think Riley’s house might work as a backdrop?”

  “I’ve never seen it, but I don’t see why not. I’ve been to Westmoreland Country once or twice, years ago with my father when he did the landscaping for the main house. He took me and my brothers along to help. You know, free labor,” she said, laughing. “The main house was huge and majestic. I heard all the siblings have built their own homes now.”

  Alpha switched her computer to another screen, one that showed an example of some of the decorations she contemplated using. “Yes, that’s what I heard.” None of Riley’s rules had governed publicizing their affair, but she didn’t feel comfortable broadcasting it to anyone.

  An hour or so later, Lindsey had left to pick up her baby from her mom and Alpha was on her way to the kitchen to fix a sandwich—her favorite, peanut butter and jelly—when the doorbell rang. Wondering who could be calling on her, she crossed the living room to the door. A quick glance out of the peephole indicated a florist deliveryman.

  Pursing her lips thoughtfully, she opened the door. Who would send her flowers? Perhaps the man was at the wrong house. “May I help you?”

  The older man smiled. “Alpha Blake?”

  “Yes.”

  “These are for you,” he said, handing her the huge, beautiful ceramic vase of pink roses. A dozen of them.

  “Thanks,” she said, accepting the flowers.

  “And the tip has been taken care of.”

  “Oh, thanks,” she said, stepping back and using her toe to close the door. The roses filled her house with a sweet-smelling scent. As soon as she set the vase down on the table, she pulled off the card, eager to see who’d sent them.

  Two days left. Riley

  She threw her head back and laughed. She had thought about everything he had suggested for Saturday night, especially the Pleasure Game, and felt she was ready. There was no need to put off the inevitable. Besides, she’d never played games with a man in the bedroom. Eddie hadn’t had an imaginative bone in his body. LeBron had been full of ideas but only with the pretense that his bed partner was Omega. Alpha shook her head at how he actually hadn’t seen anything wrong with wanting to make love to her while pretending she was her sister.