“You’re not a bad sister, Rhonda,” he said softly. She was just out of her element raising a young boy while trying to maintain a career. “As I recall, you put that boy first as much as you could. Has he seen a therapist?”
She gestured with her free hand, putting up fingers. “Three of them. He doesn’t give an inch, won’t open up. That’s why I’m here, Sebastian. When we were together, he was the happiest I’ve seen him. He bonded with you.”
“Yes, but he was younger then. I’m no therapist, but...”
“He’ll listen to you. I know he will.”
He shook his head. “No, that boy doesn’t need a lecture.”
“But will you try to talk to him, Sebastian? Will you come over and see him?”
Sebastian had a lot going on in his life right now, but he couldn’t refuse helping a distressed young boy. Lonny just needed a chance—Sebastian knew that in his gut—and the way he’d let the boy down before still gnawed away at him. That was why he was so adamant about working things out with Gracie. He couldn’t stand to lose another relationship with a child, his child this time.
His baby.
“I’ll call you and set up a date. But it shouldn’t look like we planned it. That’ll turn Lonny off for sure.”
“You mean we should accidentally run into each other?”
He nodded. “Something like that.”
“Thank you,” she breathed. “I feel better already.” She put down her glass and rose. Sebastian took her elbow and walked her outside to where her car was parked. He opened the door for her, and before he knew what was happening, Rhonda kissed him, planting a grateful smack on his lips. Because he’d been with her for two years, he knew the difference between passion and gratitude. The kiss was purely innocent, but she’d landed it right out in the open. And a sudden pang of guilt hit him as Gracie’s image came to mind, but he shoved that aside. The two situations, the two women, were totally different.
He glanced at his watch. It was quarter to nine. Not too late to visit Gracie.
He hoped not, because he didn’t have it in him to stay away.
Five
Gracie rubbed her backside, easing the soreness that lingered there from the ride on Duchess today. And even though she was paying a small price, the ride and the man had been perfect. She sighed. Sebastian had been open and honest with her as they spoke of their lives while growing up. They’d shared more about themselves on the ride and she’d laughed at some of the stories he’d told about his antics with his twin.
It seemed that in their youth, Sutton and Sebastian had a history of fooling people into believing one was the other. Teachers and friends had all fallen victim to their identical looks. And more recently, Lauren had been unintentionally misled that Sebastian had been the man she’d met during the masquerade ball, when it had really been Sutton. Once all was sorted out, Lauren and Sutton had fallen madly in love with each other.
If only she and Sebastian...
Gracie was just about to take the stairs when a knock at the front door startled her. Then her security alert chimed, and she glanced at the live feed on her phone.
Quickly, she fussed with her hair, straightened out her clothes and then opened the door to Sebastian.
“Hi,” he said, charming her with a smile...and, well, his presence.
“Hi.” Her heart pumped hard.
“I hope it’s not too late to stop by. I wanted to give these to you,” he said, and that was when she noticed a lovely bouquet of winter flowers in his hand.
He transferred the flowers to her. “They’re beautiful,” she murmured, bringing them to her nose for a sniff. Pine and cinnamon mixed with the sweet scent of roses, reminding her of the holiday just past.
“They’re a thank-you for today. I had a good time.”
“Yes, it was a nice day. Did your meeting end early?”
He hesitated a second too long and a part of her wondered if he’d been lying to her, though why he’d find the need wasn’t quite clear. “It didn’t take as long as I thought.”
“Well, uh, would you like to come in?”
“It’s not too late?” he asked.
She doubted she’d get any sleep tonight if she sent him away. “No, it’s not too late.” She opened the door wider and allowed him entrance.
He stepped into the house and turned to her. She fingered a silky rose petal and smiled. “This way. I’ll put these in water.” She led him into the kitchen and set the bouquet down. As she reached up on tiptoes to get a vase from the cabinet, Sebastian was there behind her, lifting it off the shelf easily. He handed it to her. “Here you go.”
She stared into his green eyes, those same eyes that had melted her and made her do crazy things, like shedding her clothes and making love with him in an alcove at the Texas Cattleman’s Club. She nearly dropped the darn vase as that image revealed itself yet again. Could he tell what she was thinking? Were his eyes reflecting the same thoughts?
Sebastian took the vase from her and set it down, never once taking his gaze off her. He whispered, “Gracie,” and she trembled from deep down and acknowledged what was happening. What she wanted to happen. “I swear I only came here to say thank-you.”
“I know.” The pull between them was powerful, and despite his motives, he was here and she didn’t want him to leave. “I’m glad you did.”
Maybe her hormones were out of whack. Or maybe they weren’t. All she knew for sure was that she could no longer control herself around this man. She wanted to feel the same exquisite feelings she had before when Sebastian was simply a mystery to her. As she was to him. And maybe, just maybe, she liked the man she was getting to know, which, in turn, was adding even more fuel to their sizzling hot attraction. “Hearing you say that is music to my ears,” he growled, wrapping one arm around her waist and bringing her up against him. The soft material of her skinny jeans pressed against his rougher denim as their bodies collided. Sebastian shook his head as if he couldn’t help himself, as if not touching her was torture, and then brought his mouth to hers and kissed her until they both needed oxygen.
He cupped her head and kissed her again and again, each kiss stirring her up, making her hormones dance. Soon, her blouse was off, then his shirt. Their hands found skin, warm, inviting, the touching as fevered as their kisses. Sebastian’s caresses destroyed her and she hungered for more...
He reached under her and she was lifted in his arms, his strength, the way he held her so effortlessly, the ultimate turn-on. She didn’t mind this caveman act; she was like putty already and doubted she could walk. “Which way?” he rasped, between kisses.
“Up the stairs, to the right,” she said breathlessly. “Hurry.”
* * *
Sebastian groaned as he kissed her again, making his way up the staircase. Her big bed loomed large in the room. He lowered her down upon it and she lay there quietly as he removed her clothes. “Hot,” he remarked about her cherry-red underwear, taking precious care with her bra and then sliding the panties down her thighs slowly, savoring every second. She was naked and so damn sexy he could barely breathe.
“I never saw you like this, Gracie. You are so beautiful.” The last time, it’d been too dark to see much, and they’d only gone by feel. But tonight was very different.
“My turn,” she said softly, rising up from the bed with a smile. She pulled the zipper of his pants down and helped him kick them off. Next came his boxers and then he was bared to her. She laid her hand on his shaft, stroked him and then put her mouth on him. His knees nearly buckled under him. He loved Gracie’s confidence, her unbelievable boldness, but it was almost too much. Almost.
And when she was through, he offered her the same, grazing the apex of her thighs with his tongue, his hand. Mattress sounds didn’t rival Gracie’s moans of pleasure as he brought her to utter completion. He loved that she didn’t hold b
ack, didn’t hide her enthusiasm. Her whimpers in the aftermath bolstered his ego. When her breathing slowed, he pulled her into his arms. “We haven’t even gotten to the good part yet,” he whispered wickedly in her ear.
She chuckled and folded her body closer into his, her long, thick hair teasing his sensitized skin. It hadn’t been a fluke the last time. It hadn’t been just the thrill of the unknown. Gracie was the best lover he’d ever had. And he wondered about other men in her life. How many? Who? Had it been this great with them? He didn’t want to think about Gracie with other guys. Twinges of jealousy surfaced. He’d never felt this way before. Not with Rhonda or any other woman.
But those thoughts were short-lived. Their night was not over yet. And when he made a move toward Gracie, she shook her head. He had a moment of panic at her refusal, until she climbed atop and straddled him. Staring up at her, with her olive skin glistening in the moonlight and her lustrous hair falling gloriously past her shoulders, he felt completely spellbound by this woman. Man, oh, man, how had he managed to keep away from her all these years?
“Sebastian,” she said softly as she came down onto him, squeezing her eyes closed, giving him an unforgettable image of her naked beauty making love to him. He gritted his teeth as she moved slowly up and down, setting a sensual pace and rocking him to his very core. When it became too much to take, he grabbed her hips and their eyes met as he sped up his thrusts. She followed his beat, his rhythm, the bounce of her body exquisite to watch. Then her mouth gaped open, her breathing hitched and her eyes shuttered as her release washed over him. The beauty of that moment shattered him completely, and he couldn’t hold back another second. He experienced the best damn orgasm of his life.
Afterward, they lay quietly in bed for a while, both staring up at the ceiling. “Was it—”
“Yes,” she said. “Now we don’t have to wonder anymore.”
“You wondered, too?”
“Of course, I did,” she admitted. “I’ve never made love with a stranger before. I’m not usually that...wild.”
“I like wild. But you’re not?”
“No. Not even close.”
“So it must mean something.”
“It means we have great sex,” she whispered.
“Right.” They did. So why was he disappointed in her answer? Why was she still wary of him? Still unwilling to admit they had more than great sex.
He stared at her abdomen, the place where his baby was growing and thriving. He wanted so much for that child. But he didn’t want to press his luck with Gracie, either. He took hold of her hand, entwining their fingers. “Be my date for Cam and Beth’s wedding.”
He was going to be the man in Gracie’s life. And it wasn’t all about the baby. It was her and the way he was beginning to feel about her. He waited for her answer, and finally, after she was quiet for several seconds, he asked, “Is that a problem?”
She rolled over to face him. “It’s just that people will think...”
“That I’m the baby’s father?”
“No... Yes.”
It stung that she didn’t want people to know the truth about the baby. Sebastian was ready to let the world know. He didn’t like lying to his family this way, or at the very least, omitting the truth from them. He wanted Gracie, but she was still gun-shy.
“It’s just that...I’m not ready. I don’t know where this is heading and I don’t want to explain the situation to everyone, when I don’t, uh, we don’t, have answers.”
He had answers, but she didn’t want to hear them right now. “You’re going as my date. It’s as simple as that,” he said. “No one’s going to presume anything, or even if they did, I doubt they’d ask you.”
Eventually, everyone would find out the truth. He was going to play a role in the baby’s life, that was a given. Gracie couldn’t keep his paternity secret much longer—he had rights, too, and he wasn’t going to back off. That said, he was trying to give her some latitude here, by not putting undue pressure on her. But he did want to bring her to the wedding.
To stake your claim, said the little bug in his ear. Having her on his arm would be a step in the right direction. “I’d love to take you,” he said, stroking her arm up and down.
She laid her head on his chest. “Okay, then, yes,” she whispered.
“You’ll go with me?”
“Yes, I’ll go to the wedding with you.”
He nodded. Finally, he’d have a chance to get to know Gracie a little better. To find out if what they had that night was real. He wanted her, but he also wanted to discover what made her tick.
* * *
Gracie woke to the sound of Sebastian’s light breathing. It was dawn or a short time after, she couldn’t tell. She was still in a daze about what had happened between them last night. She glanced at him sleeping next to her in bed, his broad muscled body that had worked magic on her now relaxed in sleep. Making love with Sebastian was unequaled, she didn’t doubt that. But she could easily let him into her heart, and that was what scared her. She wanted to, so badly, but her instincts told her not to go all in with him. Life wasn’t so neat and tidy that she’d have all of her fantasies come true. A man she’d always wanted, a baby she already loved and riches beyond her belief. At some point, this merry-go-round would stop to let her off.
She still had doubts in her mind about Sebastian. Even after last night. Physically, they were in tune, but what about everything else?
The bed creaked as she tossed off the covers and rose, stretching out her arms. She walked into the bathroom quietly and turned on the shower. Stepping inside, she shivered from the chill in the January air, until the hot spray rained down, spreading a delicious warmth. She’d had a workout last night, too, and she welcomed the heat that soothed her muscles.
When the glass door opened with a click, she spun around. Sebastian stood naked behind the door, a devilishly charming smile on his face. “Mind if I join you?”
Another fantasy coming true. Was she dreaming, or was this as real as it got? “Come in, the water’s perfect.”
He stepped inside. “You’re the one that’s perfect.” He laid a hand on her tummy. Was there a little bump emerging? “So is this little one.”
He kissed her then, under the hot spray of water. And then his hands were on her, soaping her up, touching her in private places, sliding seductively over her swollen breasts. She trusted him with her body, and so far, she hadn’t been disappointed.
She kissed him back, using the bar of soap to lather him up good. And when she was just about done, and the lather was washed off, his large hands came around to her rear end and he lifted her slightly onto him. She tucked her legs around his waist, fully secure in his grip. There was no doubt this was going to happen again. She’d known it the second the shower door clicked open, but the intensity of their lovemaking always surprised her. Her heart beat fast, her body heated up, the water lapping over them giving her a thrill. He held her tight, moving deeper inside, taking the burden of the thrusts upon himself. It was too passionate, too torrid, and she couldn’t hold on another second. She gripped his neck and spun out of control, her release mind-blowing.
Their lovemaking was raw and beautiful, just like the two times before. With no worries about the actual act, since she was already pregnant and they’d both confessed to not having any prior physical relationships for a long while, she harbored no regrets. Sebastian kissed her again and then shut off the water. They held each other for long moments, regaining normal breaths and coming back down to earth.
“Do you like bacon and eggs?” she asked him.
He chuckled. “That’s the last thing I thought you’d say right now.”
“The baby needs to eat. And it’ll be egg whites and turkey bacon, but I make a mean omelet if you’re hungry.”
“I accept.” He kissed her nose, and it was the simple things like that th
at captivated her. “Only if you let me help.”
“Can you make coffee?”
“Of course,” he answered.
And twenty minutes later, they were dressed and working in the kitchen, the flowers he’d given her last night adorning the center of the kitchen table. It was a cozy scene, a fact that didn’t escape her as they went about making breakfast together.
Another one of her youthful imaginings coming to life.
But that was fantasy and this was real.
She didn’t for a minute know how long it would last.
* * *
Gracie walked into The Eatery later that morning and greeted Lauren in the kitchen. Her business partner was hard at work, developing her special of the day, basil herb chicken with roasted vegetables. “Smells good in here.”
“As it should,” Lauren said, putting the finishing touch on the dish with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. She looked the part in her uniform jacket and toque blanche, as she called her chef hat, a historical name from years gone by.
“Looks like word is spreading. We’ve got a decent lunch crowd.”
“Yep, some of my regulars from Street Eats are coming in and helping spread the word,” Lauren replied. “We’re busy, which makes me extremely happy.”
“Oh, I thought Sutton was the only one who could do that.”
“Very funny! Good food and a good man rank up there on my happy scale. And you should talk... Sutton tells me Sebastian didn’t come home last night. Which may very well explain the healthy glow on your face.”
Was it that obvious? “It’s amazing what prenatal vitamins can do.”
“They can only do so much, Gracie.”
“And how would Sutton know about Sebastian’s comings and goings? I thought he spent his nights with you.”
“He goes home every once in a while, to water the plants.” She winked.
One Night in Texas Page 8
