Reunited with the Lassiter Bride

by Barbara Dunlop

  It was good that Angie had come here. Despite their differences, he knew this was hard for her. He had to admit he was baffled by her attitude on the airplane. He couldn’t quite get past the shock that she’d agreed to wear her engagement ring. And, unsettlingly, he couldn’t quite shake the idea that she might have truly changed these past months.

  “Angie,” Marlene greeted her niece with open arms as the four trooped into the great room.

  Though Marlene was Angie’s aunt, she had been more of a mother figure, since Angie’s own mother had passed away when she was just a baby. The older woman enfolded Angie in a warm embrace.

  When Marlene pulled back, her attention turned to Evan. “It’s so wonderful to have you back,” she beamed, moving to give him a hug as well.

  “Wonderful to see you, Marlene.”

  Marlene then glanced curiously at Tiffany and Deke.

  Angie stepped in. “You remember my friend Tiffany? And this is Evan’s friend Deke. Tiffany is also going to be a bridesmaid at Kayla’s wedding.”

  “Welcome to Big Blue,” Marlene offered warmly, leading the way into the great room.

  She chatted with them there for a few minutes but soon apologized for being tired and retired to her own wing in the huge house.

  Angie offered everyone a snack then dispensed guest-room assignments, putting Deke and Tiffany on the second floor near her own bedroom, while relegating Evan to one of the first-floor bedrooms behind the kitchen. He supposed he should be grateful she hadn’t put him in the bunkhouse.

  He wasn’t tired, so when the others went upstairs he made his way outside to the huge, flagstone patio. The ranch stretched out around him for miles, a patchwork of groves and lush paddocks. It was peaceful now; the equipment was all shut down for the night and the animals were quiet. The big sky arched above him, scattered with bright stars and a crescent moon.

  He sat down on one of the padded deck chairs facing away from the house, drinking in the fresh air and absorbing the ambiance.

  “Not much like L.A.,” said Deke, as he approached from the house. “Or Chicago for that matter.”

  “I like it,” said Evan. “Oh, maybe not full-time like Chance does. But it’s a great place to come to get your head on straight.”

  “Your head’s not on straight?”

  “Getting more crooked by the minute,” Evan admitted.

  “I tried to talk you out of this,” Deke reminded him, swinging into the chair beside him.

  “You try to talk me out of a lot of things.”

  “Sometimes I’m right.”

  “You’re always right. I just don’t often care.”

  Deke chuckled. “If things work out well with the Sagittarius, maybe we should buy a dude ranch next. That way, you can work on your head on a regular basis.”

  “It’s usually not a problem. So, why aren’t you upstairs finding an excuse to bother Tiffany?”

  “She’s with Angelica right now. But the night is young.”

  “You really think you have a shot?”

  Deke shrugged. “I think she can see right through my usual charm.”

  “Has that ever happened before?”

  “Not in recent memory. But I’m up for the challenge. So, how come you’re not warning me off her anymore?”

  “Because I know she’s got your number.”

  Deke tapped his fingertips against the wooden arm of the chair. “Sad, but true. So, what’s up for tomorrow? Are we going to ride horses, wrangle cows? Maybe drive a tractor?”

  “Do you know how to ride a horse?”

  “I do not.”

  “Angie’s going into the office in Cheyenne.”

  “Are you going to follow her?”

  “I wish I could. She said she was in a disagreement with one of the executives. Noah Moore. I’d like to know what it’s about. Noah can be opinionated, but he knows his job. He’s got a lot to offer the company.”

  “You don’t work there anymore.”

  “I know that.”

  “Any chance I can talk you out of all this?”

  Evan shot him an arched look. “I haven’t decided to do anything yet.”

  “Sure you have. The woman’s got your ring back on her finger.”

  “It’s a ruse.”

  “Keep telling yourself that.” Deke brought his hands down on the chair arms and propelled himself to a standing position. “I’m going to check things out upstairs.”

  “Good luck,” Evan offered automatically.

  “Right back at you, buddy.” Deke clapped him on the shoulder before he walked away.

  Evan settled back into the deep chair, letting his focus go soft on the stars that glowed on the horizon. Deke knew he was still attracted to Angie. No bombshell there. He’d be attracted to her until the day he died. But that didn’t mean there was anything more to the engagement ring than a convenient distraction for Conrad and the press.

  A ring in and of itself didn’t mean a damn thing. It was the emotion behind it that counted. It was love, honesty and respect between two people that made an engagement ring, a wedding dress, even a couple’s wedding vows have meaning. Without those things, the ring was just a piece of stone.

  “I didn’t see you there.” Angie’s voice interrupted his thought. “I’m sorry, I’ll just—”

  “Don’t be silly. It’s your house. I can move to somewhere—”

  “You don’t have to leave on my account.”

  “I’ll stay if you’ll stay,” he offered. “It’s not a bad idea, you know. For us to practice talking to each other.”

  “You think we need practice?”

  “I think we’re a little stilted right now.”

  “Fair enough.” She sat down in the chair vacated by Deke.

  He took note of her glass of wine. “Anaesthetizing yourself against the ring?” He was a little surprised she still had it on.

  She covered the diamond with her thumb. “I should have offered you something. Are you thirsty?”

  “I’m fine. You don’t have to treat me like a guest.” Then he realized the way that might sound. “Not to say I’m family. I meant that I know I’m an interloper. You can feel free to ignore me.”

  She took a contemplative sip of the wine. “You know, that’s not the dumbest thing you’ve ever said.”

  “Thank you.” He paused. “Just out of curiosity, what was the dumbest thing I ever said?”

  She thought about that for a moment. “It was at the Point Seven sailing regatta the day we met. On the dock next to J.D.’s yacht, Purshing’s Pride. You said: ‘Hello, Angelica. I’m Evan McCain. I work for your father.’”

  “You remember the moment we met?”

  “You don’t?”

  “You were wearing navy slacks and a white cotton blouse. It had dark blue buttons, and I could just barely see your lacy bra underneath.”

  “You were checking out my bra?”

  “I was checking out your breasts.”

  The light was dim on the patio, but he was pretty sure he’d made her blush.

  “A gentleman would be ashamed of himself,” she stated.

  “A gentleman might not have said it out loud, but he’d be doing exactly the same thing.”

  “You’re lucky my father never knew.”

  “Your father planned it all along.”

  “He did,” she agreed. “He might be shrewd, but he’s not subtle.” She went quiet. “Why do you think he did it?”

  “Which part?”

  “Us. You and me.”

  “You and me is a lot of real estate, Angie.”

  She nodded then took another sip. “We’ve never talked about it, you know. His will, the grand scheme, what it did to us.”

  “We’ve shouted about it,” said Evan.

  “I guess we have.” Her thumb was stroking over her engagement ring. She had beautiful hands, beautiful arms, beautiful shoulders.

  He watched the diamond wink in the starlight, his emotions moving to the surfa
ce even as he tried to ground himself in reality. “I’m not sure there’s anything more to say.”

  She lifted her gaze to his. “It would be nice if there was. It would be nice if there was a conversation that would get us from A to B in a way we’d understand and accept, so that we could move forward.”

  He gave in to temptation and took her left hand, holding it up so that he could gaze at the ring. “I’m only looking as far as the next two weeks.”

  “Understandable.” She rose.

  He stood with her. “Can you see past that?”

  “I have to see past that. The January replacements are already underway.”

  “Always business with you.”

  Her voice was a whisper, but the hurt was clear. “That’s not fair.”

  “Isn’t it?” He drank in her beauty.

  “I’m doing everything I can to help Kayla.”

  He couldn’t stop himself. He had to touch her. He ran his index finger along the curve of her chin.

  His voice was guttural. “While I’m doing everything I can to save myself.”

  She didn’t bolt, and he stroked his spread fingers into her hair. Then he leaned down to mesh his lips to hers, letting the power of his longing obliterate all good sense.

  * * *

  Angelica knew that the last thing in the world she should be doing right now was kissing Evan. But she didn’t stop. She couldn’t stop.

  His lips were tender, firm, hot against her own. He knew just when to apply pressure and when to back off. His tongue flicked out, setting off a spiral of sensation through her body, drawing a moan from deep in her chest. She stepped in, pressing full length against him, blindly setting her wineglass on a side table.

  His free arm went around her waist and he pulled her close, kissing her deeply. Then he moved to the corners of her mouth, across her cheek, down her neck, easing open the collar of her shirt.

  “We can’t do this,” she murmured, more to herself than to him.

  “We won’t,” he breathed. “We never do.”

  His words didn’t make sense. “We don’t?”

  He popped a button on her shirt. “I always wake up far too soon.”

  “Oh. Okay.” She’d dreamed about him too. She didn’t always wake up too soon, but she wasn’t about to admit that he’d satisfied her many times in her sleep.

  He popped another button. His lips were warm, the autumn breeze cool on her skin.

  She ran her fingers through his short hair, inhaled his familiar scent, closed her eyes and let herself revel in the cocoon of Evan. Her free hand went to his shoulder, sliding over his bicep, and she was reminded of his strength. She kissed his chest through his T-shirt, fighting an urge to tear it off. She wanted to taste his skin.

  Before she knew it, her shirt was open. He slipped his hands beneath, moving them to her bare back. She felt her nipples tighten against her bra, and she pressed her breasts to his warm, broad chest.

  His voice was strained. “This feels so damn right.”

  “I know.” Her hands had moved to the waist of his jeans. She was pulling his T-shirt free, reaching beneath it to stroke his bare skin.

  He swore under his breath. Then his hand fisted around the hem of her blouse. He took a step backward, tugging her along. She stepped forward. Then she took another step, knowing where they were going. They’d been there before, made love there before, in a secluded alcove at the edge of the patio, screened by a rose-covered trellis.

  She dared to look into his eyes. They were dark and intense, smoldering coffee. She knew she should tell him no. One of them had to put a stop to this, and Evan looked like he was past the point of reason.

  But her vocal cords weren’t working. His intense gaze trapped her own, and she felt her pulse rate jump. Her skin was flushed with arousal, itching against her tailored blouse and straight skirt.

  The light dimmed around them. As he backed up against the log wall, the momentum propelled her forward, and she braced her hands on his shoulders, coming flush against his body. He instantly kissed her. His lips were hotter than before, more intense, his tongue probing deeper.

  This was such a terribly bad idea.

  But his hands were on the clasp of her bra. And then it was free, and he pushed the shirt and bra from her shoulders. His hand closed over her breast, and she moaned against his lips. He stroked her nipple with his thumb, making her knees go weak.

  “I’ve missed you,” he rasped, even as his hand stroked over her rear, coming to the hem of her skirt before reversing to slide upward.

  “Evan,” she managed.

  She didn’t know what else to say. She could stop him with a word, but she’d missed him so much. She’d missed his kiss, his touch, his voice and his scent.

  His fingertips grazed her panties, and passion surged within her. She couldn’t wait another second.

  “Now,” she whimpered. “Oh, please, now.”

  He’d heard the words before, and he jerked to action. He stripped off her panties, still kissing her deeply. He loosened his jeans. Then he lifted her, turning to brace her against the wall.

  He was inside her in seconds, and she nearly wept with relief. The sensation was so familiar, so satisfying and so intensely arousing. He moved, and she pressed her face to the crook of his neck. Her hands clasped his back, fisting into the fabric of his T-shirt.

  His breathing was heavy. He’d broken out in a sweat. He knew just when to slow down and just when to speed up. His fingertips teased, while his lips left moist circles on her neck and shoulders.

  All she could do was hang on tight, while her world tilted over the horizon, and color and sound hazed her brain.

  “Evan,” she cried, and his hand closed over her mouth.

  She cried out again, but the sound was muffled.

  “Angie,” he whispered in her ear. “Angie, Angie, Angie.”

  Her body contracted, and her arms convulsed. Evan groaned, holding her tight, kissing her hard, his body shuddering and then going still.

  After long minutes, she blinked her eyes open to see the stars, the black outline of the barn, the glow of the deck lights filtering through the rose bush. It was the intensely familiar sight of Big Blue. Reality was all around her, and she was practically naked in Evan’s arms.

  “Uh oh,” she muttered.

  “I know we shouldn’t have done that.”

  She drew back to look at him, her body still joined with his. “Can you think of a single dignified move I can make here?”

  “I can’t,” he admitted.

  “This is mortifying.”

  “Yeah. Okay. Well, maybe in a minute I’ll work my way up to mortified. Right now I’m still feeling pretty satisfied.”

  She bopped him in the shoulder. “Well, stop.”

  “I’ll try.”

  “Evan, we just had sex.”

  “No kidding.”

  “We can’t do that.”

  “Turns out, we can.”

  “Will you please be serious?”

  “I am being serious. I’ll be appalled in a minute. But right now, well...” He glanced at her bare breasts. “I want to memorize the moment.”

  “You have to forget all about this moment.” She was going to find a way to do exactly that.

  “Okay,” he agreed.

  “I mean it, Evan. We have to forget this ever happened.”

  “I will.”

  But then he kissed her, and she automatically kissed him back. It was tender and sweet, and it felt like goodbye.

  “I’m sorry, Angie,” he whispered as he eased them apart.

  He set her gently on the ground, smoothing her skirt and adjusting his jeans. Then he stepped away to pick up her blouse and bra.

  In the few seconds it took him, she struggled to regroup. It had been a slipup, for sure. But now that they’d done it, now that the urge was out of her system, perhaps things would get easier.

  “You’re going to the office in the morning?” he asked handing h
er the clothes.

  “Yes.” She shrugged into the lacy white bra, trying to forget that he was watching.

  “You want some help?”

  She felt a flash of annoyance. “I don’t need your help.”

  “I got to know Noah pretty well over the past few months.”

  Having her shirt back on gave her confidence. “I can handle Noah.”

  “I’m not saying you can’t. They’re going to see your ring.”

  She reflexively glanced at her left hand, fighting a surge of emotion that came along with the sight of the diamond.

  “They’ll think I’m back in the game,” Evan continued. “It wouldn’t be so strange for me to show up with you.”

  “I’ll tell them you’re not working for Lassiter Media. We’re not pretending that,” she warned. “Not even temporarily.”

  “I agree.”

  “That’s a first.”

  He took a step closer. “Hey, I agreed we shouldn’t make love.”

  “Fat lot of good that did me.”

  He flexed a grin. “What is it you and Noah disagree on?”

  “None of your business.”

  “I’m trying to help.”

  “Don’t.”

  “Seriously, Angie. Is there some kind of trouble?”

  “No trouble, Evan. None at all.” Well, except for the fact that she’d just had sex with her ex-fiancé. That was definitely trouble.

  She refastened the last button then met his eyes. She didn’t have the faintest idea what to say in this situation. Simple seemed best.

  “Goodnight, Evan.”

  “Goodnight, Angie.”

  She moved past him.

  “Sleep well,” he called from behind.

  She didn’t acknowledge his words. Instead, she retrieved her wineglass on the way across the patio and headed for the staircase to her bedroom. She would sleep well, she told herself. For a few hours at least, she was going to forget about everything complicated in her life.

  Tomorrow would come soon enough. Tomorrow, she’d compound her lies by wearing Evan’s ring in public.

  * * *

  Evan left Deke and Tiffany to a morning horseback ride under the capable care of a Big Blue ranch hand, while he headed into town. Angie’s decision to fly to the Cheyenne office had been unexpected and abrupt. Evan wasn’t a fool. If something wasn’t seriously wrong, she would have waited until after the wedding.