One Winter's Night

by Brenda Jackson

  Moments later, Alpha was still standing in front of the table and gazing at the roses when her cell phone rang. She pulled it out of her pocket and saw it was her father. She and her parents talked at least once a week, but usually at night. She was surprised he was calling her in the middle of the day.

  “Dad?”

  “Yes, Al, how’s my girl?”

  She couldn’t help but smile. “I’m fine. What about you?”

  “Great. Look, I just had to call you and tell you I saw Eddie today when he brought Cleo into the office.”

  She frowned. “Is Cleo okay?” she asked, inquiring about the beautiful Labrador retriever that Eddie owned. She had fallen in love with the dog and had begun considering Cleo as hers, too.

  “Yes, Cleo’s fine. He brought her in for her annual visit.”

  “Oh. You didn’t have to call to tell me that, Dad.”

  “I know, but I figured you’d want to know that he asked about you.”

  Like she cared. “Did he?”

  “Yes. He even asked if you’ve mentioned anything about moving back home.” There was a pause. Alpha knew she wouldn’t like what was coming next but decided to let her father have his say since he would do so anyway.

  “Look, baby, I know Eddie was the one to call off the wedding and all, but understand it from a man’s point of view. He didn’t want your reputation tarnished.”

  Alpha gritted her teeth. “He wanted me to disown Omega.”

  “But your sister chose the life she wanted. None of us were happy with it. Even your mom and I haven’t been able to forgive her for embarrassing us that way.”

  And to this day Alpha felt her parents were wrong. She’d told them so more times than she could count. Regardless, Omega was their child and her sister, and nothing should have slid a wedge between those relationships. But her parents had succumbed to their friends’ gossip and whispers. “I know, Dad, and you know how I felt about that. No matter what, she’s still your daughter and my sister.”

  “Well, one day you’re going to face up to what she did to us, what she did to you. You had men looking at you funny, thinking you were her.”

  “It was only one man, Dad.” She had heard all this before and wasn’t in the mood to rehash this with her father. “Besides, that was three years ago. Omega is now a happily married woman.”

  “With a past.”

  She rolled her eyes. “We all have one. Some a little naughtier than others.”

  “Naughtier? What your sister did was a disgrace.”

  “What Omega did has nothing to do with Eddie.”

  “Had you and Eddie married, the two of you would have been one, so it did have something to do with him. And as far as I’m concerned, he’s a good man. All he wanted was to protect you.”

  “No. He was trying to control me.”

  There was a pause on the other end. “So you’re saying the chances of the two of you getting back together are slim to none?”

  “I’m leaning heavily on none.”

  There was another pause. “I hope you’re not making a mistake. What about the next man you meet who might find out what your sister used to do for a living?”

  “Any man I become seriously involved with, Dad, is going to have to accept me as I am. Omega has nothing to do with it.”

  “You’re wrong, Al. She’s a part of your past that you can’t get rid of.”

  “No, Dad. She’s a part of my present, and I can’t imagine it being any other way.”

  * * *

  When he heard the brisk knock on his office door, Riley knew who it was without looking up. “Come in, Canyon.”

  His brother entered, letting off steam. “Keisha Ashford is not the same woman I was involved with three years ago. Do you hear me, Ry? She is not the same woman.”

  Riley leaned back in his chair. “Yes, I hear you. In fact, I’m sure everyone on this floor heard you. I take it the meeting didn’t go well?”

  “Go well? That woman deliberately tried to make me look as if I didn’t know what the hell I was doing.”

  A smile touched the corners of Riley’s lips. He seldom saw his brother hot under the collar and just to know a woman was responsible was somewhat amusing. Especially since the Canyon he knew would never let a woman get under his skin. “And did you?” he asked, watching his brother angrily pace back and forth in front of his desk.

  Canyon stopped and glared. “Did I what?”

  “Know what the hell you were doing?”

  At first Canyon appeared to have been taken aback by the question. But then he lifted his shoulders in a defensive stance. “Hell, yes, I knew what I was doing, but she deliberately tried to make me look bad.”

  Riley forced the smile off his face. “And why would she do something like that? Was it because she found out you were seeing another woman behind her back, when the two of you were supposed to be dating exclusively? Hmm?”

  Canyon glared. “I was not seeing that other woman and you know it. Bonita Simpkins set me up, and Keisha fell for it.”

  Riley opened his mouth to say something but the receptionist’s voice on the intercom stopped him. “Mr. Westmoreland, Ms. Alpha Blake is on line two for you.”

  “Thanks.” He then glanced over at his brother. “I need to take this call.”

  His brother shrugged. “Go ahead.”

  When Canyon just stood there, apparently still fuming over his encounter with Keisha, Riley cleared his throat and said, “It’s a private call.”

  Canyon lifted a brow. “With the company’s event planner? What could be so private about that?”

  When Riley didn’t respond but continued to sit and stare at his brother, waiting for him to leave, something flickered in the dark depths of Canyon’s eyes. “Please don’t tell me you’ve got the hots for the event planner.”

  “Okay, I won’t tell you. Close the door behind you on the way out.”

  Canyon stood there and gaped at him. “I don’t believe it.”

  Riley rolled his eyes. “What don’t you believe?”

  “What happened to your policy about never mixing business with pleasure?”

  “It’s still in place. I’m not mixing them. When we conduct business, we conduct business. And when we want pleasure, we’ll have pleasure. Solely separate entities that aren’t being mixed.”

  Canyon threw his head back and laughed. “You sound like a damn politician who’s breaking the rule and then trying to find a way to make the situation work for you.”

  “Goodbye, Canyon. If I were you, I would focus on a way to make peace with Keisha Ashford.”

  The amusement on Canyon’s face immediately vanished to be replaced with a glare. “You take care of your business, and I’ll take care of mine.”

  It was on the tip of Riley’s tongue to tell his brother that he was the one who sought him out and not the other way around. “Whatever.”

  It was only after Canyon had left and closed the door behind him that Riley clicked on the second line. “Alpha? Sorry for the wait.”

  “No problem. I’m just calling to thank you for the flowers. They are beautiful.”

  So are you. “I’m glad you like them.”

  “I do. I truly do.”

  He leaned back in his chair and did something he hadn’t done in a long time—propped his feet up on his desk. “So, what have you been doing with yourself since I last saw you?” Which was only two days ago.

  “Designing the invitations, picking up items for decorating and finalizing the menu with the chef. However, I did take time out for my dance classes.”

  He lifted a brow. “You’re taking dance classes?”

  She chuckled. “Yes, twice a week at the high school at night.”

  Why didn’t he know that? And just as quickly as he thought it, he was reminded that their connection was about sex without commitment. There was no need for him to know what she did every hour of the day. “Sounds like fun.”

  “It is. Well, I don’t want to ho
ld you up. I just wanted to call and thank you for the flowers and to let you know how beautiful they are.”

  “You’re welcome and have a good night.” He paused a moment and then said in a low tone, “Think about me tonight.”

  “I will. We have two more days.”

  He drew in a long and deep breath, already feeling frustration settle within his bones. Two days was too long in his book. “Yes, we have two days.”

  It was hard not to suggest they shorten that time. He could drop by later. But he would hold fast and not give in to temptation. He had offered this time before their date on Saturday because he wanted it to be special for her. However, he decided to say, “I can’t wait to see you again. I’ve thought of you often.”

  “And I’ve thought of you often, as well.”

  That was good to hear, but he doubted she had thought of him as much as he’d thought of her. It had been hard to concentrate on all the reports that had come across his desk and not on the memories of her and that night they’d dined together at his place. Whether it was the dinner they’d shared, the conversation between them or the horseback ride they’d taken, he had enjoyed his time with her, and there hadn’t been anything sexual about it. Just sitting across from her, admiring the soft and smooth skin of her face, the stunning bone structure that made her such a gorgeous woman, the pair of lips he could get addicted to if not careful…

  “Goodbye, Riley.”

  “Goodbye.”

  He eased his legs off his desk to stand and walk over to the window. He and Canyon had tossed for this office, mainly because of the view. There was snow on the top of the mountains and already he felt the urge to go skiing. He had a trip planned to Aspen in January and wondered if Alpha could ski.

  He shook his head, chuckling at the foolish thought. She couldn’t stand cold weather so chances were she would never venture anyplace where snow was waist-deep and you could feel the cold all the way to the bones.

  But the most important thing he had to remember was that his affair with Alpha would be over by then.

  For some reason that thought bothered him.

  Nine

  Saturday night hadn’t come quickly enough, Alpha thought, standing in front of the full-length mirror to give herself a final once-over. She had appreciated the good weather yesterday since it had given her the chance to go shopping. This was her first official date with Riley and she wanted to wear everything new—from the inside out.

  This is when she missed Omega the most. As teens, and even while in college, they would go places and do things together, especially shopping. They’d shared some of the same taste in clothing and shoes, but when it came to undergarments, Omega was always more daring.

  Alpha looked down at her legs. It would get colder later so she’d decided to wear a pair of boots, a new black suede pair she had bought yesterday. She liked the way they fit her legs, but more importantly, she liked how they looked with the outfit she was wearing—a printed kimono top with an elastic belt that emphasized her small waistline and a black sateen pencil skirt that highlighted her boots.

  Her hair was styled slightly differently after her visit to a salon yesterday morning. She knew Riley liked seeing her hair around her shoulders, since he’d said as much that night at his place. So she had enhanced the look by making her hair appear fuller. She’d gotten it layered around her shoulders. A number of people had complimented the new style and said it was perfect for her face.

  Riley had suggested that they either spend the night at his place or here, and either one was fine with her. She was so looking forward to tonight and a part of her felt giddy. Omega had called earlier that day and suggested she have an overnight bag packed just in case.

  And because there was a chance this is where they would end the evening, her bedroom was ready. She had even bought silk sheets for her bed and scented candles had been placed all around. She liked the way her bedroom looked and although it wasn’t nearly as large as Riley’s, it would serve their purpose.

  As she moved away from the mirror, she recalled the tour Riley had given her of his home. Why one person would need that much space she didn’t know. But she had to admit there was something about every room that suited him.

  Even his entertainment room suited him. Or should she say rooms, since there were two. There was a state-of-the-art theater with power-operated reclining seats. His music room held a white oak entertainment system with a sophisticated stereo, and a beautiful white Steinway baby grand piano sat in the middle of the floor. According to Riley, his mother, who had been a music major in college, had taught each of her seven sons how to play the piano. After she’d died, Dillon had made sure the lessons continued by hiring a private music instructor.

  Alpha’s heart kicked up a notch when she heard the ringing of the doorbell. A quick glance at her watch indicated Riley was fifteen minutes early.

  She glanced around her bedroom one last time, liking what she saw. Her queen-size bed was covered in a beautiful blue comforter and she’d added additional shams and decorative pillows. She’d changed the wattage of the lightbulbs in the lamps on both sides of her bed to soften the lighting in the room. Her bedroom had been transformed into a romantic haven.

  She liked it. She liked it a lot. And she hoped that if Riley got the chance to see it, he would like it, as well.

  * * *

  “I hope I’m not too early, but I wasn’t sure how traffic would be coming this way,” Riley said, once he’d been able to regain control of his senses. He had almost lost them when Alpha opened the door. She looked absolutely stunning, from the new hairstyle she was sporting to the outfit she was wearing. Sexy enough to devour. She hadn’t called to say she wasn’t ready for the Pleasure Game later so he could only assume that she was.

  Raw need, mingled with potent lust, consumed him. His body hadn’t wasted time getting aroused. This was one time he was grateful for the long leather coat he was wearing. But his full concentration was on what she was wearing. Her outfit was designed to articulate every curve on her body and was doing a great job.

  “No, you’re not too early at all. It will only take a second to grab my coat,” she said, stepping aside so he could enter her home.

  “Take your time, Alpha.”

  “Thanks.”

  And then, with deep male appreciation, he watched her walk off, getting even more aroused by the sway of her hips with every step she took in that pencil skirt with the slit in the back. When she was no longer in sight, he drew in a deep breath, knowing it would be one of those kinds of nights. The only good thing about knowing it was being fully aware of how it would end.

  He would let her decide whose bed they would sleep in tonight. It didn’t matter to him since he didn’t intend for them to get much sleep. That was why he intended to feed her well because she would definitely need all her energy for later.

  “I’m ready, Riley.”

  That made two of them. He was ready, as well.

  “I guess now is the time to ask whether I’ll be coming back here tonight,” she said. He saw the flash of color that appeared in her cheeks and knew the topic of what they intended to do later made her blush. He smiled thinking that she would be doing a whole hell of a lot of blushing later, if she had any shy bones in her body.

  He shoved his hands into his coat pockets. “It’s your decision. It doesn’t matter to me where we make love.”

  His bluntness caused the color in her cheeks to deepen, but that did nothing for the heated look she gave him from beneath her silky long lashes. He knew it was unintentional, but nobody informed his erection, which was beginning to throb like hell. When she nervously licked her lips, he knew that if he didn’t get her out of there now he would be initiating a roll on the floor in the next few minutes.

  “I’d like to come back here,” she said softly, holding his gaze.

  “Then we shall. Ready?”

  She nodded and led him to the door for them to leave. As far as he was concerne
d, it wasn’t a moment too soon.

  * * *

  “Welcome tonight, Mr. Westmoreland. Your table is ready.”

  “Thanks, Pierre,” Riley said, handing his coat to the manager of the restaurant.

  While Riley assisted Alpha in removing her coat, she thanked the older man, who had a deep French accent, a Maurice Chevalier reincarnated. He gave her a brilliant smile, leaned in and lifted her hand to kiss the back of it. “Welcome to Les’ Amores, mademoiselle. You are most beautiful.”

  She smiled at the compliment. “Thank you.”

  He straightened and then grabbed a couple of menus from a nearby rack. “Please follow me.”

  Alpha glanced at her surroundings as they followed their host. She had been quite taken with the French restaurant the moment Riley had turned into the courtyard of fine shops and boutiques. Since moving to Denver she had heard about Les’ Amores but had never had the opportunity to dine at the plush brasserie.

  As Pierre led them through the main dining area, she took note of the adobe brick walls lined with ornamental racks filled with fine wine and crystal glasses. The tables were adorned with red silk tablecloths and candle lanterns. Authentic French artwork hung on the walls and a large fireplace with a roaring blaze was in the middle of the room.

  Instead of seating them at one of the vacant tables they passed, Pierre escorted them to a room in the back that had a table set for two. The room was quaint with wooden beam ceilings and a huge brick fireplace. Cozy and private.

  Riley moved to pull out her chair before Pierre had a chance to do so and leaned close to her ear to whisper, “I love your outfit, but I can’t wait to take it off you.” She couldn’t help the blush that crept into her features. She knew he was telling her that the seduction of Alpha Blake had begun.

  He took his chair and Pierre handed them menus and proceeded to offer his recommendations for that night. That done, he asked about wine and Riley named a brand she’d never heard of. When she looked at him, he turned sensual dark eyes on her and said, “It’s a magnificent blend. You’ll like it.”