Angelica set down her phone and swung her legs from under the covers. She was guessing Kayla expected her to simply roll over and tell Evan about the cancellation. Since she thought they were back together again, it made sense Kayla would expect them to be sleeping together.
She sighed and rose to her feet. The house was silent. Not surprising, since everyone would have an early morning and a busy day tomorrow. She didn’t know Deke’s plans, but she’d overheard Evan last night offering to help.
No wedding, she said to herself as she padded to her bedroom door. No wedding, she repeated, opening the door and slipping through, heading down the great staircase. Okay, so no wedding.
She made her way through the kitchen, back to the guest room where Evan was staying. She knew her way blindfolded, but light from the yard filtered through the big windows, making it easy to see her way. Pale light was visible under Evan’s door, meaning he was likely still awake.
She knocked lightly.
“Yes?” he called from within.
She cracked open the door. “It’s me.”
A small bedside lamp was on. “Angie? What’s wrong? Are you in pain?”
“I’m fine,” she assured him, opening the door wider and going inside.
“You sure?” He closed a book and set it on the night table.
She shut the door behind her and nodded as she crossed the room. The floor was cold under her bare feet, so she perched on the end of his bed, pulling her soles from the floor.
“What’s going on?” he asked.
“Kayla called.”
He waited.
“They saw footage of the flood. They’re coming back to Cheyenne.”
“I’m not surprised.”
“And they’re canceling the wedding.”
Evan drew back against the headboard. “Canceling it how?”
“They don’t want a posh party in Malibu while there are people in trouble in Cheyenne.”
“I guess I can understand that.”
Their gazes met and locked. Then his dropped to her left hand, and the engagement ring.
“So,” he ventured, “I guess our secret plan—”
“Was a very big waste—”
“Of time.”
“I was going to say effort.”
“That too.” He raked a hand over his short hair.
“Not to mention all the lies.” She reached for the ring, pulling it from her finger.
But he sat forward, his hand closing over hers, stopping the action. “Don’t.”
She looked up in confusion.
“Breaking it off now is going to seem very abrupt.”
“So what? It’s not like there’s going to be a better time.”
“People have enough to worry about already.”
“The two of us pretending to stay together is not going to help the flood reconstruction.”
“That’s true,” he agreed. But he didn’t remove his hand. “What about Lassiter Media?”
She felt her guard go up. “What about it?”
“You’ve already got trouble with Noah. You’re trying to build credibility and trust. How’s it going to look if you get reengaged for a few days and then change your mind?”
“Who says it’s me changing my mind? Maybe it was you who broke it off.”
“That’ll make them ask why.”
“Evan, for goodness’ sake.”
“If I break it off, you run the risk of people thinking I had a reason.”
“How is that fair?”
“Gossip’s never fair. And you’re more of a celebrity than me. Who do you think will be the target?”
She had to admit, he had a point. Not that she was agreeing with the idea. She rubbed her hands up and down her chilled arms. “We can’t just stay engaged.”
He shrugged. “We can for a while.”
“How long is a while? Or maybe we should just get married.” Her voice went higher as she spoke. “That would really throw them off. If we actually went through with the wedding, who would ever suspect the engagement was a sham?”
“There’s no need to be sarcastic.”
“Yes, there is. We have an honest-to-God problem here.”
“And we have an honest-to-God, if temporary, solution. I’m not saying forever, Angie. We can shut it down anytime we want. But not tonight. Not tomorrow. Let’s let a few of these other things work themselves out first. It’ll be easier that way.”
“You think this is easy?”
It sure wasn’t easy for her, spending time with Evan, talking to him, laughing with him, experiencing his little touches in front of Marlene and others to keep up the charade. Every minute of every day, she remembered more and more about their life together. She remembered why she’d fallen in love with him, and how badly it had hurt to lose him.
She shivered at the memory.
“Cold?” he asked.
She didn’t answer, but she was. Her shorts and tank top didn’t give much warmth.
He pulled back the covers. “Hop in.”
“Are you crazy?”
“You’re injured. You’re doped up. And you’re freezing. I think I can manage to be a gentleman for a few minutes.”
She hesitated, but the promise of warmth was too much to ignore. She scooted up to sit next to him, and he flipped the covers over her legs. They weren’t touching, but the warmth of his skin swirled out to her.
“Better?” he asked.
She nodded.
“We don’t say anything for a few days.”
“I don’t like it.”
“I know you don’t. I don’t blame you.”
“What about you?” she asked. “This can’t be any fun for you either.”
He angled his body to look at her. “I really don’t mind. It’s not like I have a girlfriend to worry about. And I like your family.”
“But you have to hang around with me. You have to pretend...”
“That I like you? I’ve always liked you, Angie. You might be kind of quirky and misguided.”
“Excuse me?”
“And you nearly got me killed today.”
“Okay, that part’s true.”
“But, all in all, you’re not that objectionable.”
She whacked him in the thigh, realizing too late she’d used her sore arm. She groaned in pain.
He was instantly concerned. “You okay?”
“No. I’m an idiot. Ouch.”
“It’s the drugs. You’re a bit addled right now.”
“Is that why I’m agreeing to stay engaged to you?”
“No, that’s the smart part of your brain talking.”
The throbbing was subsiding in her shoulder. “What’s in it for you?”
“I’m still hoping to help with Noah.”
“I’m not going to let you. Besides, that would technically be for me. And why do you want to do it anyway?”
He gently wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “I was in love with you once, Angie. Very, very much in love with you. And feelings like that don’t just evaporate into thin air.”
She knew what he meant. She felt it too. She tried to frame it in words. “Ghost feelings.”
“That’s right. You’re haunting me.”
“You’re haunting me too,” she admitted.
He squeezed her ever so gently. “Maybe that’s why we made love.”
A flush warmed her body. It was the first time either of them had mentioned it.
“I guess,” she said.
His tone went low. “For a few minutes there, it was as if we’d never been apart.”
She was afraid to answer, because she agreed.
The air thickened between them.
He reached over to smooth back her hair. Then he brushed the pad of his index finger along her cheek. He looked deeply and intensely into her eyes. “No one would ever know.”
Arousal throbbed in the depths of her body, heating to life. She understood what he meant. If they did it again, no
one would ever know. And what could it change? They’d already given in once. It hadn’t made things better, but then it hadn’t made things a whole lot worse either. She was as confused and conflicted before making love to him as she had been after.
He kissed her oh so tenderly on the lips. “Tell me if I hurt you. Tell me if I hurt you, and I’ll stop.”
Nine
With an arm around her waist, Evan eased Angie down into his bed. Her tank top shimmied up, exposing her flat stomach, her smooth skin. She was everything he’d ever remembered and loved.
“You’re so beautiful,” he breathed.
“And you’re so strong.” Her palms skimmed his bare shoulders, moving along his biceps.
He was wearing boxers, but nothing else.
She frowned as she took in his torso. “You really got hurt out there.”
“Just scrapes and bruises. They’ll heal.”
“They look painful. I’m afraid to touch you.”
“Please don’t be afraid of that.” He settled his palm against her bare stomach. “Because I’m dying to touch you.”
He brought his lips to hers again, hoping to reassure her. The last thing he wanted was for her to have second thoughts. It had been months since she’d been in his bed. And now that she was here, he realized how desperately he wanted her this way.
She accepted his kiss. Then she kissed him back. Her arms wound around him, her small, soft hands coming up against his back.
Conscious of her shoulder, he hugged her around the waist, bringing them together, her softness against his tension. He deepened the kiss, and her tongue answered his, sending sweeps of passion through his body, pushing every other thought from his mind.
Angie. This was Angie in his bed again, finally.
He let his hand slide up and skim the side of her breast, which was bare beneath the tiny tank top. Then he moved on to her shorts, running his fingers over her hip, the curve of her rear, the smoothness of her bare thigh. She curled her body against him. The sensation was so familiar his throat went raw.
“I’ve missed you,” he moaned.
Her hand framed his chin, and she kissed him deeply. “This is so confusing.”
“It’s going to be okay. I promise.”
On some level, he realized his words made no sense. But he wanted it to be true. He desperately hoped he’d never have to hurt her again.
She slipped off her tank top, a little awkwardly around her sore shoulder. But she’d revealed her beautiful breasts, and that was all he cared about. He settled her skin against his, absorbing her warmth and softness.
She kissed her way along his bruised chest. “Am I hurting you?”
“You’re healing me.”
There was a smile in her voice as her lips brushed his skin. “I don’t think sex has any medicinal properties.”
“Let’s test that theory.”
Impatient to have her naked, he stripped off her little shorts and tossed them aside. Then he kicked out of his boxers. In seconds, they were full length, skin to skin. He rolled slowly onto his back, bringing her with him.
“Tell me if anything hurts,” he said.
“Nothing hurts.” She gave him a lingering kiss. “I can’t feel a thing.”
“That’s disappointing.” He slipped his hand between her thighs. “Can you feel that?”
She gave a low moan.
He caressed her more intimately. “That?”
“Oh, Evan.”
His breathing grew ragged as his arousal ramped up. “That?” he managed.
She hugged him more tightly, and buried her face in the crook of his neck. “Don’t stop. Don’t— Oh, my.”
Unable to wait a second longer, he guided himself inside. The moist warmth of her body closed around him, sending lasers of arousal sweeping through his brain.
He tried desperately to take it slow, but it wasn’t going to work.
It was impossible to talk. He guided her onto her back.
“It’s good,” she assured him as she sank back into the mattress. “So good.”
She arched her hips against him, and he braced himself on his forearms. He gazed at her beautiful, flushed face, as his body went on autopilot. Her eyes were closed, lashes thick against her creamy skin. Her hair was mussed and sexy. Her cheeks were pink, lips full, red and slightly parted. He could get aroused simply by looking at her.
A moan escaped from her lips, and her legs wrapped around him. She arched her hips further, ankles locking in the small of his back. He’d wanted to be gentle, promised himself he’d be careful, but his instincts had been hijacked by need, and his body pumped faster and faster.
“Evan!” she finally cried out, head tipping back into the pillow.
He felt her shudder and convulse. He was instantly over the edge, ecstasy pairing with oblivion in huge waves that rocked his body to the core.
It took a long time to recover, before he could move, before he had the presence of mind to turn them over so that he didn’t give in and crush her to the bed.
He lay back and dragged a quilt overtop of them. Her long hair tickled his neck as she rested her head on his chest. Her soft curves settled perfectly around the planes and angles of his body. Nothing hurt anymore, not in the slightest; he felt as though he was drifting on a plane of heaven.
He stroked her messy hair. “You’re amazing.” He wanted to say more. He wanted to marvel at how good they were together. Making love with Angie was like nothing else in the world. But that conversation would take them somewhere they couldn’t afford to go. For now, it was enough that she was here in his arms.
Her fingertips traced a pattern on his chest. “I can’t believe it was all for nothing.”
“What’s that?” He wondered if she meant the sandbags.
“Me, you, Conrad, the tabloids, my brothers, Marlene.”
“Oh, that. Yeah, well, who could have predicted the flood of the century?”
“If we hadn’t made up the story, hadn’t lied to a single person, everything would have turned out exactly the same.”
He disagreed. “If we hadn’t lied, I never would have followed you to Cheyenne, and you might have been swept away by the flood.”
“So our lies saved my life?”
“I’m going with that one.”
She seemed to ponder for a moment. “If we hadn’t lied, I wouldn’t have talked to Conrad, and I wouldn’t have come up with the idea of remaking the affiliate’s hit shows. Then Noah and I wouldn’t have disagreed, and I never would have been in Cheyenne yesterday.”
“But it’s a good idea,” Evan countered. “If you don’t do it, Lassiter Media could start losing market share. If you’d never come up with it, the company might have spiraled downward, eventually going bankrupt and taking the entire Lassiter empire with it.”
He felt laughter rumble through her chest. It was another sensation that was achingly familiar.
“We’ve just saved the Lassiter empire by lying to my family and the entire world?”
“We never lied to Deke and Tiffany. But yeah.”
Sleep was creeping into her voice. “You really do need to get yourself a white charger, Evan McCain.”
“Your horse Delling is a dapple gray. That’s pretty close.”
Her voice got softer. “Too bad you didn’t marry me. He’d have been half yours.”
As she relaxed into sleep, the words bounced around inside Evan’s brain. Too bad you didn’t marry me.
If he could go back in time, he honestly might have dragged her to the altar.
* * *
Angelica crept back up to her bedroom at 6:00 a.m. Evan had roused her from a sound sleep to give her the choice—staying with him a while longer or going back to her own room before the family got up. For a split second, she’d been tempted to stay. But she knew it was a ridiculous impulse. They weren’t a couple any longer.
She silently twisted her bedroom door handle, pushing the door inward on smooth hinges. Then she startled,
sucking in a breath when she saw Tiffany sitting on her bed.
“You’ve been downstairs?” Tiffany asked, a suspicious expression in her eyes.
“Kayla called.” Angelica silently closed the door behind her, leaning back against it. “I had to talk to Evan. They’ve canceled the wedding.”
Tiffany rolled to her feet. “And how long did that take?”
Angelica thought about lying, but this was Tiffany. “About six hours.”
Tiffany’s expression softened. “You want to talk?”
“I don’t know.” Angelica honestly didn’t. She crossed the room to her dresser, sliding open a drawer, realizing the logical thing to do was get dressed and go on with the day.
“If you did want to talk,” Tiffany continued, moving toward her, “what would you want to say?”
Angelica gripped the half-open drawer, giving up on holding her emotions at bay. “That Evan is the best lover in the entire universe.”
There was a split second pause. “Okay. Well. That’s...uh...hmmm.”
Angelica turned. “I couldn’t agree with you more.”
“What are you going to do?”
Excellent question. “First, I’m getting dressed.” Angelica retrieved a pair of blue jeans and a hunter-green shirt from her drawer.
She stared at the clothing that she only used on visits to Big Blue. It suddenly felt like her past, and she tossed it onto the bed, not sure if she should wear it.
“No,” she decided. “First, I’m going to brush my teeth.”
“Okay. But what about the big question?”
“There is no big question. He didn’t ask, and I didn’t ask. Nothing’s changed, Tiff. We just couldn’t quite keep our hands off each other a couple of times.”
Tiffany was silent for a moment. “I meant with Kayla and Matt. But please do continue talking about your sex life.”
Angelica rolled her eyes, then pivoted and headed into the bathroom.
“They’re coming to Cheyenne to help out,” she called back. “They don’t want to host a splashy wedding party while people are recovering.”
“That makes sense,” said Tiffany. “When you think about it, what else would people like Kayla and Matt do?”
“I know.” Angelica nodded as she squeezed toothpaste onto her brush.
“Wait a minute.” Tiffany appeared in the doorway. “That means you and Evan don’t need to fake it any longer.”
Reunited with the Lassiter Bride Page 14