by Zuri Day
“Each of these has a meaning, right?”
“Yes.”
Christian’s thumb brushed the inside of her wrist. An unasked question was immediately answered as Lauren’s nipples hardened and pressed against soft cotton. She wore no bra. Acutely aware of his gaze, Lauren eased her wrist from his grasp and crossed her arms over her chest.
He observed the move but made no comment. Was she sincerely embarrassed? Playing hard to get? What does it matter to you? It didn’t, Christian reminded himself. He’d had enough experience with women to know that even if she agreed to a casual affair, emotions could shift and life could get ugly. She could become a stalker or worse, somehow try to trap him. He knew that when it came to temporary liaisons, it was best to keep a safe distance between his lovers and his family and professional life. That wouldn’t be the case with Lauren. Their mothers were very good friends. Even more, Lauren was now his mother’s assistant. Which meant she was off-limits.
Life wasn’t fair.
“A heart, huh?”
“Yep.” Lauren fingered the silver trinket, her eyes on him as her headlights dimmed. She’d gotten her body under control, he saw, at least for the moment.
“So since you’re wearing it on your sleeve, so to speak, does that mean no one has it yet?”
“That was really bad, Christian.” She turned and walked into the living room, toward the couch. “Like something you would have asked my sister when you were sixteen.”
“Yeah, it was pretty lame.” He pointed to the couch. “May I?”
“Of course. I’m sorry, where are my manners? Would you like something to drink?”
“No, I’m fine.”
Lauren joined him on the brushed-suede sofa. He moved to lessen the distance between them. As one hand encircled her wrist, the other fingered another charm on the bracelet. “Does this signify your wild side?”
“If so, I’d be quite dangerous. Bears are strong. That’s the mascot of my alma mater’s football team.”
“Which is...?”
“Morgan State.”
“I see.”
“Are you into college sports?”
“Not too much, and not football. My games are golf, basketball and tennis. A little pro baseball every now and then. Are you a big sports fan?”
“I like football.”
“So if I decided to tackle you, it would be all right?”
“You could try, but I might rise up on hind legs and swipe you with my paw.” Christian chuckled as Lauren continued. “Leave a trail of fingernail scratches across your body. But then again, that probably wouldn’t be the first time.”
“Except for my brothers or teammates, being attacked would absolutely be a first. I’m not a violent man.”
“What about the women you date, like Chloe?”
“What makes you think I dated her? Mom told you?”
“You and your life were not a part of our conversation. Chloe’s reaction toward me said it all. If evil eyes were daggers, I wouldn’t have lasted the night.”
“Chloe doesn’t like to be outshone, and you were the brightest star in the room,” he murmured. “We’ve known each other for years, basically grew up together, and dated off and on in high school. What about you? What does your boyfriend think about you moving cross-country to take a job?”
“Is that your roundabout way of asking whether or not there’s a man in my life?”
“Is there?” he asked.
“No.”
Christian quirked a brow. “That doesn’t seem possible.”
“Perhaps, but it’s true. My last serious relationship was a while ago. After that I threw myself into work, networking and building up my client base.”
“And you left all you’d built to work with my mom?” he probed.
“Victoria knows I have ongoing clients and believes I can handle the work required for them and help her out, too.”
Christian studied Lauren as she talked, knowing she held back much more than she’d spoken. She hardly seemed the all-work-and-no-play sort of woman. Patience was one of the traits that made Christian such an astute businessman. Patience and intuition, knowing when to hold and when to fold. So he held his curiosity for why she’d leave a growing clientele to work for a nonprofit foundation with his mother. But still, he wondered. Was she running away from something? Was she part of his mother’s plan to turn him into a married man? Did she have plans of her own?
“How old are you?”
“Twenty-six. I’ll be twenty-seven in April.”
“You called me an old man last night but you’re not too far from thirty yourself.”
“Getting older is not the worst thing that can happen, you know.”
“But it seems to be harder for women than for men. Don’t you want to get married and raise a family?”
Christian had asked the questions casually, but he listened intently as she answered.
“At some point that might be nice, if I find the right man. Why?” She looked at him from beneath long, curly lashes, her smile reigniting the desire that had sprung up when she opened the door. “Are you applying for the job?”
“I already have a wife.” He laughed as shock registered in her eyes. “Her name is CANN.”
“Then—” Lauren leaned toward him “—a mistress, maybe?”
“Careful, beautiful lady. You’re about to start a fire.”
“You’re right. I shouldn’t tease.”
“No, you shouldn’t. Don’t poke the bear.”
Five
Lauren said she was teasing, but she wasn’t. She wanted to poke the bear and stroke the undeniable heat between them into a massive flame, and then spend a night or twelve putting it out. All the while knowing the very last thing she needed was a meaningless fling, a too-close-for-comfort friend with benefits.
But she’d been guarded for a very long time. And Christian was so damn sexy. Being in close proximity to him had caused the embers from her childhood crush to catch a spark. His smoldering gaze and gentle touch on the pulse of her wrist had turned that spark into crackling flames. Lauren’s body was on fire, and the man who owned the hose that could put it out was sitting right beside her.
She watched Christian deftly adjust his pants as he shifted his body away from her. It was good to know she wasn’t the only one being physically affected in this moment. He checked his watch. The movement brought her attention to his long, masculine fingers and neatly manicured nails. Imagining the goose bumps that would arise if he ran them lightly across her body, she reached for his hand for a closer examination. He pulled it away.
“Really, Christian? If I didn’t know better I’d say there was a hint of fear in your eyes. Are you afraid that I might be too much to handle?”
“I can’t remember the last time I’ve been afraid of anything,” Christian answered, a comment that sounded arrogant except Lauren had a feeling it was probably true. “There’s definitely never been a woman to make me show fear.”
“Then what was that? You aren’t in a relationship. You admit you find me attractive. You say you like sex. Wait. Are you experiencing erectile dysfunction?” They both laughed. “Do we need to get you a little blue pill?”
Christian chuckled. “There are no physical problems when it comes to my ability to function sexually. I am the epitome of a virile male.”
“Is that so?” He nodded. “Prove it.”
Christian’s gaze changed, intensified. His irises darkened, dropped to her lips. She licked them, waited, watched the muscles in his arm ripple with tension, like a feral black panther ready to pounce. But he didn’t. He stood and reached for her hand.
“Walk me to the door, pretty lady.”
Lauren steeled herself. She already knew that electricity flowed when their skin touched, so she braced herself for the shock.
What she wasn’t prepared for, however, was that after standing she’d be pulled into Christian’s arms and seared with a kiss that made her gasp. Or that he’d take that opportunity to deepen the exchange. Skilled and demanding, his tongue was like a sword in the hands of a master—cutting away at her defenses, carving a place for himself in her world.
Lauren wanted more and took a step closer. She slid her hands up and over strong, broad shoulders, heard him groan and felt his hand moving toward her butt. When her hand began a similar journey, she felt him stiffen beneath her touch. He stepped back. The apology forming on her lips was interrupted by his ringing cell phone.
“Still popular, I see.”
“Comes with the territory,” he said with a shrug. He straightened to a height at least six inches taller than her five-foot-eight frame, tweaked her nose. “Are you coming to the house tomorrow?”
“I don’t know. The past few days have been a whirlwind and my job officially starts on Monday, so... I might take the time to get settled, maybe check out the town a bit.”
“All right, then. Go easy on these Vegas cowboys. Somebody like you will be hard for them to handle.”
“Thanks for the advice, partna,” Lauren drawled.
Christian laughed as he opened the door and stepped out. His dimple offered a flirty wink while his taut butt and long, muscular legs gave a final adios. And what a goodbye stroll!
Lauren closed the door and leaned against it. She took a deep breath to calm the flutters in her stomach...and elsewhere. Amazing how unwanted events completely out of her control had landed her in Nevada, the Wild West, in very close proximity to the first man she’d ever desired.
Christian had no need to worry about any other of the town’s broncos. He was the only stallion she wanted to ride.
* * *
The next morning Lauren’s cell phone rang at six o’clock, but it didn’t wake her. A restless night had given way to morning. Thoughts of Christian warred with the nightmare of a situation that her dad had created. Bad business choices, the partnership he desired. And the piece of the puzzle she hadn’t shared with Victoria—his ultimatum about marrying Ed. When she picked up her cell phone and saw her mom’s picture, Lauren felt unexpected tears threatening to erupt. She forced down the emotion and took a breath before sitting up and hitting the speaker button.
“Good morning, Mom.”
“It’s morning but there’s very little that’s good about it.”
“Why? What’s the matter?” she asked anxiously.
“Your dad was under the impression that you were on a weekend getaway. He’s furious to learn that you’ll be gone for months.”
“Which is why I asked you to let me handle telling him.”
“I know, but when he asked what time you’d be returning today, I couldn’t lie.”
“I’m sorry for putting you in the middle of this. But when it comes to marrying Ed, Dad’s encouragement has turned to insistence.” She sighed. “Telling him about taking the job with Victoria would have made it much harder to leave. Besides, I told you that I would call him later and explain everything.”
“I know, but we’ve been married for more than three decades. He knew something was going on.”
“What did you tell him?” Lauren demanded.
“That you were working with Vickie and—”
“Mom! You told him I was here, in Vegas? The next thing you know he’ll be showing up on the Strip!”
Or even worse, Ed will.
“Better that I told him rather than he find out on his own,” her mother reminded her. “Now everything’s aboveboard and it doesn’t look like you’re running away.”
She huffed out a breath. “But that’s exactly what I’m doing!”
“You can’t run forever, Lauren.”
“I can’t marry Ed, either, and I’m sick of being pressured about it.”
Her mother released an audible sigh. “Hopefully whatever business deal he and Ed are working on can proceed without you being in the middle.”
“Business deal? What are you talking about?”
Faye’s voice lowered. “We’ll talk more later. I’ve got to go. Call your father.”
Her mother’s calling had roused Lauren from sleep, but any chance of reclaiming her snooze fled with Faye’s unintended announcement. What kind of deal could Ed have that would involve Dad?
Lauren rolled out of bed. After a quick turn in the bathroom, she pulled on a pair of baggy shorts, a white tee over a striped sports bra, and a pair of tennis shoes. After placing a pair of earbuds into her cell phone’s jack, she slipped the phone into an armband, grabbed an apple from the bowl of fruit on her bar counter and headed out the door.
The sun had risen but the sky was hazy, providing a cool breeze for the beginning of her run. She looked in the direction of the mansion and pointedly ran the opposite way. With what her mother had shared fresh in her mind, she wanted to avoid seeing any of the Breedloves—especially Christian.
Mortification swept through her. What had she been thinking yesterday coming on to him like that? Their families had known each other for years, but what did that matter? They’d known the Millers a long time too. She’d thought she knew Ed. He was good-looking, with a brooding disposition that she’d at first considered sexy but now knew hid a jerky personality. Who was to say that Christian wasn’t an ass, too? That a phone call had interrupted her attempt at seduction was probably the best thing that could have happened. It might have helped her dodge a bullet headed straight for her heart.
Lauren stilled her mind and focused on running, her steps rhythmic, measured, her breath paced as evenly as her steps. The surroundings were beautiful, vast stretches of green grass that had to have been specially planted, a stark contrast to the browns, blues and grays of the mountain range and brightening sky. She followed the road, kept time with the beat and let herself get lost in the rhythm of the world around her. Time fell away. So did her problems, as she chose not to focus on the conversation with her mom, or why she’d left Maryland.
She took in the mountains and the pines and...cows? Lauren slowed her pace. The farther she went the more cows she saw. Dozens? Hundreds? And then she saw him. A ranch hand? A cowboy? Indeed, and galloping straight toward her.
Lauren slowed to a walk, then stopped and watched the rider approach, noting the darkly tanned forearms tightly holding the reins. Christian? Certain body muscles clenched at the mere possibility. So she changed focus and looked at the horse instead. A Thoroughbred from the looks of it, black and majestic. Like Christian. It had been years since she’d gone riding, but her love of horses came back with the magnificent creature’s every stride.
Rider and horse reached a fence that was jumped and cleared by at least two feet. He pulled on the reins and the Thoroughbred slowed. Finally, the rider took off a worn cowboy hat.
“Good morning, gorgeous.”
“Adam, good morning! I wondered who was hiding under the hat.”
“I see you’re an early riser. A runner, too.”
“Guilty on both counts,” she confessed. “That’s a beautiful horse.”
“Do you ride?”
“It’s been a while.”
“Would you like to? You’ll want to change into jeans or long pants first, then I can put you on a filly. They’re tamer than the stallions all day long.”
“So it’s a stallion, huh?” Lauren took cautious steps forward, her tone soothing as the horse watched her with apprehensive eyes. “What’s his name?”
“Thunder.”
“Of course. It suits him. Hello, Thunder.” She slowly moved her hand toward his mane. He bobbed his head but didn’t back away. “There you go, beautiful fella. No need to be afraid.”
Lauren continued talking, her tone soothing. She remembered the apple in her pocket and pulled it out. She looked at Adam.
“May I?”
“No, thanks, I’ve had breakfast.”
Laughter burst forth at the unexpected comment. “Not you, silly, the horse.”
“Oh, sure.”
She noted Adam’s eyes had the same twinkle as Christian’s. One thing about those Breedlove men, they were a roguishly handsome bunch.
Lauren waved the apple under Thunder’s nose. “Would you like a bite?”
Thunder nodded, opened his mouth and took the apple from her.
“Okay, you’ve paid the price of entry and made a friend. Ready to ride?”
“Sure, why not? I am in the Wild West, after all.”
“Here, take my hand.”
Lauren mounted the horse in one smooth motion and settled in behind Adam. As he steered the horse toward the guesthouse where she could change clothes, his phone rang.
“Chris!”
A familiar voice came through Adam’s cell phone speakers. “What’s up, bro?”
He guided Thunder into a soft trot. “Out riding, like I do most mornings. What are you doing?”
Lauren held on to Adam’s shoulders. Hearing Christian’s voice increased her heartbeat. If she was unable to quell these physical reactions at the mere sound of his voice, she decided, then working for Victoria was going to be challenge.
“Golf? Right now? Sounds boring, buddy. I’m heading to the mountains, going to show Lauren the view from Breedlove Peak. Yeah, she’s with me now.” He paused for a moment. “She was out running so I invited her for a ride. Listen, let me holler at you later. We’re headed to Lauren’s house so she can change clothes and then to the stables to get her saddled up. Thunder is getting restless and wants to run. All right, cool. Talk to you later.”
“That was Chris,” Adam said as Thunder ate up the distance with his smooth, increased gait. “He said to tell you hello.”