Harlequin American Romance November 2014 Box Set: The SEAL's Holiday Babies\The Texan's Christmas\Cowboy for Hire\The Cowboy's Christmas Gift (25 page)

He was probably underdressed in a dark blue henley, jeans and bare feet, but the shirt had been a birthday present from Julieta. She'd said the color brought out his eyes and that women would love it.

He ushered Nicole in and took her jacket, hanging it on the wrought iron rack he kept by the door. “Thanks for making the drive out here,” he said. “I know this place is a little off the beaten path.” He planned to make her trip worth it.

“It helps that you're not too far from the ranch,” she said. “Once I passed that, finding my way here wasn't bad. But I know the drive back to the city isn't short. I have an interview scheduled for tomorrow at eleven and am planning to take the first part of the morning off, in case I...don't get home until late.”

“If it's late, you can always crash here,” he said casually. “Go back in the morning.”

She gave him a lazy half smile. “I'll keep that option in mind.”

He filled a couple of wineglasses with chilled sparkling water and asked her how she preferred her steak cooked. He'd seasoned the rib eyes with homemade dry rub and had the meat ready to throw on the indoor grill. Herbed fingerling potatoes were roasting in the oven, and he planned to sauté some spinach with olive oil and shallots. For dessert, he'd stopped in at Savannah's store this afternoon and picked up a pie.

“You inspired me,” he told Nicole. “With your talk about how you like to have your Christmas lights on as much as possible so you can enjoy them?”

“Did you change your mind about getting a tree?”

“Nope. But I did put up lights.” He pointed upward to draw her attention to the little white twinkle lights he'd strung around the perimeter of the room. He plugged them in, then flipped the switch to kill the overhead light.

She gave him a delighted smile. “It's beautiful.”

His phone was docked on a speaker stand, and he pulled up his playlists, inviting her to look for music she liked. He was pleasantly surprised when she settled on an indie band out of Austin that few people had heard of; Daniel knew who they were only because they'd played a set at a regional rodeo over the summer.

“I love them,” she said, humming along to an upbeat acoustic song. “One of the guys in our San Antonio office is the drummer's cousin.”

“How is the home office surviving both you and Adele being here so long?”

She took a seat at the table and chatted happily about her job, then about her favorite parts of living in San Antonio. It turned out that she, like Daniel, had lived her entire life in Texas. She'd been born in Galveston.

“Texas is home,” she said simply. “The great part is that it's so big, home can mean almost anything. Hill country, the coast, forest and wetlands, the panhandle. I can't imagine leaving.”

Daniel set a plate in front of her. “I told Jacob today that I was thinking about going. I didn't get into specifics about the interview in Colorado—we didn't have long to talk.” Once they'd gone back in the house, there were too many witnesses to the conversation. “But at least now I've let him know it's a possibility.”

“Was he surprised?”

“Shocked.” He took his seat across from her. “He mentioned that if I moved away, I won't be around much for my nephew, Cody. I've never really thought of myself as role model material. Lizzie and Jacob and Mariana will have that covered. They're all much more organized and driven than I am.”

“There are different kinds of role models, Daniel. I didn't enjoy bouncing around foster care, but I did meet lots of interesting people. Some role models teach a kid discipline and perseverance, but it's equally important that someone demonstrates how to nurture your imagination. How to laugh at life when things don't go your way. How to respect nature. I'll bet you'd make a better role model than you give yourself credit for.”

He mulled over her words, reconsidering his thoughts today about his inherited temper and getting into trouble as a kid. Maybe instead of focusing on the negative part of his mistakes, he could someday teach his nieces and nephews how to control anger and not let it get the best of you.

“Are you still close to any of your foster families?” he asked.

“Not really. I keep up with some of them—Christmas card newsletters, Facebook, the occasional email. I think when I was younger, I was too hung up on wanting my mom to get clean and come back for me. I resented the people around me, like it was somehow their fault I wasn't where I should be. Eventually, I got old enough to realize how flawed my logic was.”

Remembering how sad she'd sounded the day before when discussing her mother's addiction, he changed the subject, asking how Adele had taken the news about Nicole having twins.

“She suspected me of playing a practical joke on her. I had to show her the two heartbeats on the ultrasound before she'd believe me. But in a few months, people might be able to tell just by looking at me. Carrying twins, I'll probably get as big as a house! Most of the pregnancy books say I'm still a couple of weeks away from showing, but I can see it when I look in the mirror. My body's already starting to change.”

He couldn't help the reflexive urge to study her body. She didn't look specifically pregnant, but there was a certain delectable fullness to her curves.

She frowned self-consciously. “You're staring.”

“I'm
appreciating,
” he corrected. “You make me glad to be a man.”

This time, she was the one who lowered her gaze in an admiring visual inspection. “You are that.” Her breathy tone played along his nerve endings like silk across his skin.

He hoped the food tasted all right, because he honestly couldn't tell. His senses were wholly absorbed with Nicole.

She seemed to enjoy her dinner, though. She ate every bite on her plate. Closing her eyes, she leaned back in her chair with a contented smile. “The music and lighting and perfectly prepared steak... You know how to pamper a girl. I'm not used to anyone cooking for me. I mean, Adele fixes us the occasional waffles in the toaster and she made lasagna when Lizzie and the others came to dinner. But I got so accustomed to taking care of her when she was sick.”

“Well, enjoy this while you can,” he advised. “When the twins come, you'll be doing plenty of caretaking. Have you adjusted to the idea of having two yet?”

“Hell, no.” She grinned. “They'll probably be in kindergarten before it fully sinks in. But I'm doing better than yesterday. Jasmine texted me today about trying to schedule some time to talk. Thank you for that.”

“Hey, all I did was connect you to someone who can actually be useful. That's not the same as being helpful myself.”

She tilted her head, her smile fading. “Do you really not see how much you have to offer others?”

The question made him feel itchy and restless. “I don't suffer from low self-esteem,” he assured her. “You should hear me trash-talk other riders sometime. I'm downright cocky.”

That didn't seem to appease her. But after a moment, she sighed. “Never mind. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable.”

When he mentioned the pie he'd bought for dessert, she groaned ruefully. “I don't think I could eat anything else.” But she did accept his offer of gourmet minty hot chocolate. They carried two warm mugs onto the back porch, bypassing the small table and padded chairs. They went to the end of the deck for a better view. She hadn't bothered to put her jacket back on, and Daniel seized the excuse to stand close to her, sharing his warmth.

“God. That is amazing.” Her voice was a near whisper as she stared at the hundreds of stars twinkling overhead. “I can't believe someone who gets to come home to
this
every night is planning to move. Sorry.” She glanced back at him. “I wasn't being critical. At least, not on purpose.”

“I knew what you meant. I'm blessed that I get to see this on a regular basis. You should have been here a week ago. There was a meteor shower.”

She shot him a flirty smile. “Maybe you should have invited me a week ago.”

He took the mug of cocoa from her hand and set it on the railing next to his. “Well, I'm glad you're here now.” He slid his fingers through her thick, glossy curls, and she shivered when he brushed the nape of her neck.

“Me, too.” She cuddled closer against him, her lips parting in welcome as he captured her mouth in a kiss.

Whether the new year found him moving to Colorado or not, at this precise moment, there was only one place in the world he wanted to be.

Chapter Eight

Nicole was adrift in sensation, almost too much pleasure to process. The rasp of Daniel's fingers against her skin, the sweetness of his peppermint-tinged kisses, the heat of arousal blazing through her. He swept her hair aside, kissing his way down the slope of her neck. His free hand slid past the hollow of her throat, to the curve of her breast. She sucked in a breath, shocked by the intensity of the delicate contact. Her breasts were so excruciatingly, wonderfully sensitive.

At her small gasp, he stopped, pulling away to assess her expression. His gaze sought permission.

She twined her hands behind his neck, bringing him back to her. “When you first kissed me at the ranch, I hated having to walk away from you afterward. I'm not walking away this time.”

His mouth found hers again, and their kisses became frantic. He parted the V neckline of her dress with his fingers, sliding the material down her shoulders. The lace cups of her bra gleamed silver in the moonlight. He went still, drinking her in with his eyes as if trying to memorize her.

“So beautiful.” Then he palmed one full breast, and she almost whimpered. She felt ripe and feminine and a little bit primitive, here with him like this beneath the stars.

When he scraped his thumb over one tight nipple, she did cry out. But he absorbed the sound in another searing kiss as he unhooked her bra. She tugged impatiently at his shirt, gratified when they were both bare from the waist up, reveling in the friction of the crisp hair on his chest against her skin.

“Is it too cold for you out here?” he asked, nipping at her earlobe. “We can go inside.”

She shook her head, trying to find her voice. When she spoke, the words had a raw, breathless timbre. “You promised me a spectacular time on the back porch, remember?” She could feel his smile against her skin.

“So I did.”

Even when he helped her out of her dress, she wasn't chilly. How could she be, when his touch made her burn? He traced a hand down her spine, caressing the small of her back before sliding over the satiny fabric covering her butt. She was so glad they were doing this now and not in another couple of months when maternity panties might be a necessity. His fingers slid beneath the elastic band, driving her mad with his teasing touch.

Well, two could play that game. She reached for the zipper on his jeans, loving the way he gasped when she lightly ran her nails over him. The rest of their clothes didn't last long. By the time she straddled him in one of the deck chairs, she wore only her boots.

In that slow, thorough way of his, he kissed her breasts, making her writhe as need began to outstrip pleasure. She was already on the verge of orgasm when he thrust into her. She rocked against him, almost there,
so close.
Then she threw her head back with a hoarse cry as her climax rippled through her with the force of seismic tremors.

For a moment, their gazes locked, and the expression in his eyes was as hot as the release he'd just given her. Flexing his hips, he moved inside her, hurtling her toward another precipice. And it was spectacular.

* * *

A
THIN
RIBBON
of sunlight snuck through the crack between the long curtain panels. Nicole cracked one eye open, taking in the masculine color scheme. The navy curtains, the navy-and-tan-checked comforter. Last night hadn't been a dream. She was really here in Daniel Baron's bedroom, wearing nothing but one of his soft cotton T-shirts.

He was snuggled against her, one hand loosely wound in her hair, the other resting atop her hip. She experienced pure, perfect, bone-deep contentment. Until she tried to move.

The nausea broadsided her like a tsunami, slamming into her so hard that she had an illogical fear of being knocked from the bed. And, since this wasn't her bed, she didn't have any of her usual standbys—the crackers on the nightstand, the acupressure wristbands the doctor had recommended, the trusty bucket she kept on the floor. Just in case.

She groaned as the queasiness roiled through her, praying that if she just stayed perfectly still it would dissipate.

“Nicole?” Daniel mumbled drowsily. If she weren't focused on not moving a single muscle, she would have smiled at his sleepy tone. The man had expended some serious energy over the past twelve hours. “Did you say something?”

When she didn't answer, he sat bolt upright, inadvertently jostling the bed. She pressed one hand to her stomach and the other to her mouth.

“Nicole, did I hurt you last night?” His voice was urgent now, laced with guilt. “Are you—”

“Morning. Sick.” The words took effort, but she couldn't stand the thought of him blaming himself for her misery. He hadn't done anything to her except cause total bliss.

“Oh.” The panic in his tone downgraded to sympathetic concern. “What can I do to help?”

Let me die in peace.
If she hadn't witnessed what Adele went through with chemo, she might have said the glib words. But she knew that no matter how gut-churningly bad she felt right now, it could be worse.

“Cold washcloth?” she managed. She swallowed hard, closing her eyes against a wave of accompanying dizziness. “M-maybe crackers. And water.”

“Washcloth, water, check. I'm not sure I have crackers, though.”

“Toast?” she asked weakly, too mortified to reopen her eyes. Last night, she'd been full of heady female power. She'd never felt sexier. But this? This was not sexy. The poor man didn't deserve to wake up next to a moaning, nauseated lump.

“Toast, I can do.” He brushed a light kiss to her head, more intention than contact, then stood in slow motion. He must have realized that, to her, his every casual movement was like a hurricane tossing a rowboat about the ocean. “Be right back.”

Aware she was fighting a losing battle, she stumble-dashed for the bathroom as soon as he was out of sight. Within a few minutes, the worst of it had ebbed. She pulled a travel toothbrush out of her purse and splashed cold water on her face, hoping to feel human again. But even the return trip to the bed sapped her energy.

On the bright side, it wasn't even eight o'clock. She had plenty of time before she was scheduled to interview a prospective employee at eleven.
Dear Lord, please let me feel better before then.
She wondered if women pregnant with twins got twice as sick as other expectant mothers.

It's okay, guys.
She cradled her tummy with her hands.
You're worth it.

“Wow, there's something I didn't expect to see,” Daniel observed from the doorway. “You're smiling.”

“I was just talking to the babies.” Did the admission sound foolish to him? Oh, well. She'd already blown any chance at a flirtatious, urbane morning after.

“Here.” Daniel unrolled a cool, wet cloth across her forehead.

“Thank you. I'm so sorry about this.”

“Don't be. It's the circle of life. Or karma, or something. Jacob had to nurse me through my first-ever hangover, which went a lot like this. But, in my case, there was tequila involved.”

She shook her head in disbelief. He made her laugh, he cooked, he nursed the ill and he was the best lover she'd ever had. Pretty much the perfect man. Except of course for the pesky drawback of him not wanting kids or a family—the two things she'd desperately wanted since she was a kid herself.

* * *

W
HEN
A
4
X
4
with tall off-road tires cut into his lane, as if being a bigger truck was synonymous with right-of-way, Daniel let loose a stream of expletives. But he could have just as easily been aiming the words at himself as the other driver. The profanities had been on the tip of his tongue since before Nicole left his place with a hasty goodbye. After she'd taken a few bites of toast earlier, she'd drifted back to sleep, clearly exhausted. He'd wanted to kick himself for the slight shadows beneath her eyes. He should have handled her more gently, maybe stopped after the first—or even second—time they'd made love.

What the hell had he been thinking?
About losing yourself in the most gloriously sexy woman you've ever taken to bed.

Well, yes. That.

But Nicole wasn't only a sexy woman. She was the pregnant mother of two. He needed to keep that in mind. Unfortunately, when he dwelled on that, anxiety bubbled up within him. She'd chided him for not recognizing what he had to offer, but the truth was, he had nothing concrete or permanent to offer her. He was a temporary distraction, but maybe he'd filled that role too exuberantly.

After she'd fallen back asleep, he'd let her rest as long as he thought he could without screwing up either of their schedules. She had that interview to conduct, and he was supposed to be working with a client in Fort Worth. Daniel had trained an Arabian mare for the man, but he occasionally supervised his client's sessions with the horse to make sure progress was consistent. Also, the client had asked him to be present for today's veterinarian visit.

It was good Daniel had a full afternoon ahead of him. Stewing in guilt and replaying erotic scenes from last night was not a productive way to spend the day. Staying busy would help him forget about Nicole for a little while. Theoretically.

Who are you kidding?
The image of her wearing nothing but lace-trimmed lingerie and leather boots in the moonlight? There wasn't enough busy in the world to erase that.

* * *

T
HE
INTERVIEW
WAS
the best Nicole had conducted in weeks.
Because the candidate was truly that wonderful?
she asked herself afterward.
Or are you just in a
really
good mood today?

Possibly both, she admitted as she unwrapped a turkey sandwich at her desk. Sure, her day had begun rather inauspiciously, but once her nausea had evaporated, like a dense early morning fog lifting to reveal beautiful sunshine, she'd felt amazing.

She returned a bunch of calls, set up another newspaper interview publicizing the wind farm project and made a respectable dent in her email inbox. One of the emails from a colleague in San Antonio ended with her coworker counting down the hours until tomorrow's opening of a new action movie that starred a mutual favorite actor.

I wonder if Daniel would be interested in seeing it with me.
It was hardly the first time today she'd found herself thinking of him, but up until now, she'd avoided wondering when she might see him again. This was uncharted territory for her. She'd never indulged in an affair that she knew had no future. She'd been goal-oriented from a young age, and she didn't like wasting time on anything pointless.

But this didn't feel pointless. It felt more like...a vacation, something exotic and wonderful that you accept from the start is fleeting. Before her reality shifted to midnight feedings and more diapers than she could count, she had these couple of weeks in Dallas with Daniel. He was key to the equation; she didn't know any other man who could have inspired her to behave in such an out-of-character fashion.

So, now what?
After assuring him she was an adult who wouldn't get starry-eyed and mistake their time together for a burgeoning relationship, she didn't want to call too soon and seem clingy. Yet, since they were limited to only these couple of weeks, she didn't see the point in playing coy and throwing away time they could have enjoyed together either. It was a relief when her phone rang, reminding her that she was supposed to be a confident executive, not a nervous sophomore fretting over whether or not to ask a boy to the Sadie Hawkins Dance.

“Nicole Bennett speaking.”

“Hey. It's Daniel.”

Beneath the desk, where she'd kicked off her red patent pumps, her toes curled. “I was just thinking about calling you,” she admitted. “You were so great this morning. I wanted to say thanks.”

“Are you feeling better now?”

“Completely. It can be intense while it lasts, but once it's over, it's like it never happened.” An appropriate metaphor for her affair with Daniel? She tried to ignore that depressing thought.

“How'd the interview go?”

“It was really promising. I have to talk to Adele before I make an offer, but I have a good feeling about the candidate. Finally! I was beginning to despair of ever finding someone who was the right fit. This may call for a celebratory piece of chocolate pie at that bakery Lizzie introduced me to. You're welcome to join me if you're in the area.” There, that sounded casual. Message:
I'd be interested in seeing you again, but no pressure.

“Actually, I have plans tonight. Jacob and I are taking his son Christmas shopping. But
you
could join
me,
” he blurted.

For a family outing? She was more confused than ever about the boundaries of this holiday fling.

“It's weird that I invited you, isn't it?” he said, sounding as if he second-guessed himself. “It was a wild impulse. But Jacob and I have three stepsisters to shop for, plus Julieta. A female's opinion could be really helpful, and given your love for Christmas, I thought... I completely understand if you're not up for crowds and a couple of hours on your feet. You, uh, didn't get much sleep last night.”

She smiled at the reminder. “Neither did you.”

“Totally worth it—even if I was so sleep-deprived that I kept mixing up the horse's name and the client's. I don't think Tony appreciated my calling him Sugarhoof.”

“You did not!”

“Okay, I may have exaggerated that part. But I did call the mare Tony.”

“Is Sugarhoof really her name?” she asked skeptically.

“You obviously don't attend many rodeos or watch televised races like the Kentucky Derby. Next to some of the more bizarre names out there, Sugarhoof is the nondescript John Smith of the equine world.”