While she was in the bedroom getting dressed, Rowena heard a knock on the front door. If it was Rick, she hoped Tricia would blow him off for her. She really hated hurting people’s feelings. He wasn’t a bad guy. Just not the guy for her.
A minute later Tricia knocked on the bedroom door. “Someone here to see you.”
Or maybe she would make Rowena do it, after all. With a sigh, she opened the bedroom door, expecting to see Rick standing in the apartment doorway. Instead it was Colin. Dylan was wrapped around his legs, hugging him.
“Look, Mummy! Cowin here!”
“I see that,” she said, forcing a smile, and suddenly her heart was hammering so hard, it could have beaten out of her chest. She realized that she had been so convinced she would never see him again that she hadn’t bothered preparing what she would say to him if she ever did. But this didn’t mean anything. For all she knew, he could just be in town and stopping in to say a quick hello. Although she wasn’t quite sure how he knew where to find her.
“Come on, Dylan,” Tricia said, grabbing her backpack. “Let’s go to the park.”
“But I wanna see Cowin,” he said with a pout.
“You can see him later. Mommy needs to talk to him alone right now.”
“’Kay,” he said reluctantly. “See you wayter, Cowin.”
Colin smiled down at him. “You bet.”
When they were gone, Colin turned to her. He looked so yummy in faded jeans and a white button-up shirt, and very rough around the edges. His hair was longer than she’d ever seen it, and it looked as if he hadn’t shaved for days.
“How did you know where I was?”
“I was going to hire Hayden Black.”
“The private investigator?” Wow, he must have really wanted to find her.
“But he was out of state on the hacking case. So I asked your father. I told him the truth about everything.”
“Why? Why would you risk all the work you’ve done?”
“Because no treaty, no favor to my family, is worth losing the only woman that I’ve ever been in love with.”
Her breath caught in her throat. “Come again?”
“I love you, Rowena.”
“You do?”
“With my entire being. And believe me, I tried not to. I tried to tell myself that I would get over it, then I realized I didn’t want to get over it. When I was with you I was the happiest I’ve ever been. And I never knew it was possible to miss someone the way I missed you and Dylan.”
“You missed Dylan, too?”
“I don’t know the first thing about being a good father, or even a good husband, but I want to try. And I promise to keep trying, keep working at it until I get it right.”
It felt as if her mind was racing a million miles a minute. Was this really happening? Was the man she loved telling her that he loved her, too, or was it just a dream?
“Am I too late?” he said.
“No! Not at all. I love you, Colin. I’ve been miserable since you left.”
“You couldn’t have been half as miserable as I was.” He took her hand and pulled her to him, and her entire being sighed with relief.
He cradled her face in his hands and kissed her gently. “I’ve been so worried about you, wondering if you and Dylan were okay. If you needed anything.”
“To be honest, being on my own, being solely responsible for both myself and Dylan, scares the hell out of me. But I love it.
“I love that I have to drive to work, and that I’m paying my own bills and buying my own food. I love that when I take Dylan for a doctor’s appointment, I have to stop to pay the bill on the way out. That I can make decisions about his care without consulting my father first. I like getting stuck in traffic on my way home from work, and pumping my own gas, and a million other things that most people take for granted. It makes me feel…normal.”
“It sounds as if you’re happy.”
“I really truly am.”
“Is there any room left for me?”
“Yes.” She smiled up at him, touched his cheek. “Of course there is.”
“So marry me.”
“No.”
He blinked in surprise. “No?”
“Not no forever, just no right now. I need to be on my own for a while. Besides, where would we live? I’m just getting settled. I can’t leave California.”
“What if I said you wouldn’t have to? My friend I told you about is opening a West Coast office and he wants me to head it up.”
“Where on the West Coast?”
“San Diego.”
She sucked in a breath. “Seriously?”
“I already told him that I would take it. I start at the beginning of June, which should give me plenty of time to shore up the treaty.”
“That’s…perfect.”
“So, now will you marry me?”
She shook her head. “But I will date you. Since we haven’t actually tried that yet. Let’s take it slow, like a normal couple.”
“Would it be weird if our first official date were to pick out wedding rings?”
“A little, yes.”
“But you will marry me eventually?”
“I can’t see why I wouldn’t.”
“And I can adopt Dylan?”
She could feel tears building behind her eyes. “You’ll have to ask Dylan, but I’m sure he’ll say yes.”
“So when can we get this dating thing going? Are you free for lunch today? And every day for the rest of your life?”
She smiled. “Let’s start with today and go from there.”
Their first date was lunch. Their second a movie. Their third was a day trip to San Diego. Their fourth was a trip to Disneyland with Dylan.
It was date number five when they finally looked at wedding rings, and after finding the perfect one, she finally said yes. And when Colin asked to be Dylan’s daddy, he said yes, too.
*
Keep reading for an excerpt from One Winter’s Night by Brenda Jackson
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One
A blistering cold day in early November
It had snowed overnight and a thick white blanket seemed to cover the land as far as the eye could see. The Denver weather report said the temperature would drop to ten below by midday and would stay that way through most of the night. It was the kind of cold you could feel deep in your bones, the kind where your breath practically froze upon exhale.
He loved it.
Riley Westmoreland opened the door to his truck and, before getting inside, paused to take in the land he owned. Riley’s Station was the name he’d given his one-hundred-acre spread seven years ago, on his twenty-fifth birthday. He had designed the ranch house himself and had helped in the building of it, proudly hammering the first nail into the lumber. He was mighty pleased with the massive two-story structure that sat smack in the center of his snow-covered land.
He was probably the only one in his family who welcomed the snowstorms each year. He thought the snow was what made Denver the perfect place to be in the winter and why his home had fireplaces in all five of the bedrooms, as well as in the living room and family room. There was nothing like curling up before a roaring fire or looking out the window to see the snowflakes fall from the sky, something he’d been fascinated with even as a child. He could rec
all being out in the thick snow with his brothers and cousins building snowmen. These days he enjoyed moving around the mountains on his snowmobile or going skiing in Aspen.
Riley got into the truck and after settling his body on the leather seat he snapped the seat belt in place. There really was no need for him to go into the office since he could work from home. But he had wanted to get out, breathe in the cold, fresh air and feel the chill in his bones. Besides, he did have an important appointment at noon.
Since his oldest brother, Dillon, had slowed down now that his wife, Pam, was close to her delivery date, a lot of the projects on Dillon’s plate at their family-owned business, Blue Ridge Land Management, fell on Riley’s shoulders since he was the next man in charge of the Fortune 500 company. The next thing on the agenda was the planning of the employees’ holiday party next month.
The event planner that had handled their social functions for the past ten years had retired and before Riley had taken over the project, Dillon had hired Imagine, a local event planning company that opened in town less than a year ago. The owner of Imagine, a woman by the name of Alpha Blake, had put together a charity event that Dillon’s wife, Pam, had attended over the summer. Pam had been so impressed with all the detailed work Imagine had done that she passed the woman’s name to Dillon. As far as Riley was concerned, you couldn’t come any more highly recommended than that. Dillon trusted his wife’s judgment in all things.
Riley was about to start the ignition when his cell phone buzzed. He pulled the phone off his side belt. “Yes?”
“Mr. Westmoreland?”
He lifted a brow, not recognizing the ultrarich, feminine voice but definitely liking how it sounded. He figured this had to be a business call since none of the women he dated would refer to him as “Mr. Westmoreland.”
“Yes, this is Riley Westmoreland. How can I help you?”
“This is Alpha Blake. We have a noon appointment at your office, but I have a flat tire and had to pull off to the side of the road. Unfortunately, I’m going to be late.”
He nodded. “Have you called for road service?”
“Yes, and they said they should be here in less than thirty minutes.”
Don’t count on it, he thought, knowing how slow road service could be this time of the year. “Where’s your location, Ms. Blake?”
“I’m on Winterberry Road, about a mile from the Edgewater intersection. There’s a market not far away, but it didn’t appear to be open when I drove past earlier.”
“And chances are it won’t be open today. Fred Martin owns that market and never opens the day after a bad snowstorm,” he said.
He knew her exact location now. “Look, you’re not far from where I am. I’ll call my personal road service company to change your tire. In the meantime, I’ll pick you up and we can do a lunch meeting at McKay’s instead of meeting at my office, since McKay’s is closer. And afterward, I can take you back to your car. The tire will be changed by then.”
“I—I don’t want to put you to any trouble.”
“You won’t. I know you and Dillon have gone over some ideas for the party, but since I’ll be handling things from here on out, I need to be briefed on what’s going on. Usually my administrative assistant handles such matters, but she’s out on maternity leave and this party is too important to hand off to anyone else.”
And what he didn’t bother to say because he was certain Dillon had done so already was that this would be the fortieth anniversary of the company his father and uncle had founded. This was not just a special event for the employees, but was important to everyone in the Westmoreland family.
“All right, if you’re sure it won’t be an inconvenience,” she said, breaking into his thoughts.
“It won’t be, and I’m on my way.”
*
Alpha Blake tightened her coat around her, feeling totally frustrated. What did a person who had been born in sunny Florida know about the blistering cold of Denver, especially when it had snowed all night and the roads and everything else were covered with white?
But she was so determined to keep her noon appointment with Riley Westmoreland that she’d made a mess of things. Not only would she be late for their appointment, but because of her flat tire they would have to change the location of the meeting and Mr. Westmoreland would be the one driving her there. This was totally embarrassing when she had been trying to make a good impression. Granted, she’d already been hired by Dillon Westmoreland, but when his secretary called last week to say that she would be working with the next man in charge at Blue Ridge, namely Dillon’s brother, Riley, she had felt the need to make a good impression on him, as well.
She turned up the heat in her car. Even with a steady stream of hot air coming in through the car vents, she still felt cold, too cold, and wondered if she would ever get used to the Denver weather. Of course it was too late to think about that now. It was her first winter here, and she didn’t have any choice but to grin and bear it. When she’d moved, she’d felt that getting as far away from Daytona Beach as she could was essential to her peace of mind, although her friends thought she needed to have her head examined. Who in her right mind would prefer blistering cold Denver to sunny Daytona Beach? Only a person wanting to start a new life and put a painful past behind her.
Her attention was snagged when an SUV pulled off the road to park in front of her. The door swung open and long, denim-clad, boot-wearing legs appeared before a man stepped out of the truck and glanced her way. She met his gaze through the windshield and couldn’t help the heart-piercing moment when she literally forgot to breathe. Walking toward her car was a man who was so dangerously masculine, so heart-stoppingly virile, that her brain went momentarily numb.
He was tall, and the Stetson on his head made him appear taller. But his height was secondary to the sharp handsomeness of the features beneath the brim of his hat. There was the coffee-and-cream color of his skin, his piercing dark brown eyes, a perfectly shaped nose, his full lips and a sculpted chin.
And she couldn’t bypass his shoulders, massive and powerful-looking. It was hard to believe, with the temperature being what it was, that he seemed comfortable braving the harsh elements with a cowhide jacket instead of a heavy coat. It was in the low teens, and he was walking around like it was in the high sixties.
Her gaze slid all over him as he moved his long limbs toward her vehicle in a walk that was so agile and self-assured, she almost envied the confidence he exuded with every step. Her breasts suddenly peaked, and she could actually feel blood rushing through her veins. She didn’t have to guess about what was happening to her, but still, she was surprised. This was the first time she’d reacted to a man since her breakup with Eddie.
The man made it to her car and tapped on the window. She all but held her breath as she pressed the button to roll it down. “Riley Westmoreland?” She really didn’t have to ask since he favored his brother, Dillon.
“Yes. Alpha Blake?” he responded, offering her his hand through the open window while looking at her with what she thought was cool and assessing interest.
“Yes.” She took his hand and even through her leather gloves, she thought it felt warm. “Glad to meet you, Mr. Westmoreland.”
“Riley,” he corrected, smiling, and she felt her insides melt. He had a gorgeous pair of eyes. Dark and alluring. “The pleasure is all mine,” he added. “I’ve only heard exceptional things about you and your work. Both Dillon and Pam speak highly of you, Alpha. I hope it’s okay for me to call you Alpha.”
“Thank you, and yes, that’s fine.”
“I’ve made all the arrangements with my road service. Keep your emergency lights on and leave your car keys under your seat,” he said, taking a step back so she could get out of the vehicle.
She nervously gnawed her bottom lip. “Will it be safe to do that?”
He chuckled. “Yes, days like this keep thieves inside.” He opened the car door for her. “Ready to get inside my truck?”
<
br /> “Yes.” She placed her key under the seat and then grabbed her purse and messenger bag. Tightening her coat around her, she walked quickly to the side of his truck. He was there to open the door and she appreciated finding the inside warm and cozy. It smelled like him, a scent that was masculine and sexy. She blushed, wondering why she was thinking such things, especially about a man she would be working for.
He closed the door just seconds before his cell phone rang, and she looked at the outside mirror as he spoke on the phone while moving around the front of the truck to get in the driver’s side.
Opening the door, he climbed inside and proceeded to adjust the seat to accommodate his long legs before snapping his seat belt in place. The call had ended. He put his phone away and glanced over at her with a smile. She thought she would melt right then and there. “Warm?” he asked in a voice that was throatier than anything she’d ever heard.
If only you knew, she fought back saying. Instead her response was a simple “Yes. Thanks for asking.”
“No problem.” He then glanced into the rearview mirror before easing the truck onto the road.
*
The ensuing silence gave Riley the impression the woman was shy. And with her wrapped in a bulky coat and standing no more than five foot three, he figured she was probably short and stocky. He preferred tall, slender and curvy, but she had a pretty face that was eye-catching. She was definitely a looker. That had been the first thing he’d noticed. He was a sucker for a pretty face each and every time.
Deciding he didn’t like the silence, he reached out and switched on the CD player. Immediately the soulful sound of Jill Scott filled the air. After a few moments, he concluded the music was not enough. To get a dialogue started, he asked conversationally, “I understand you’re from Florida. What brought you to Denver?”
She tilted her head to look at him, and the first thing he noticed was her eyes. They were a chocolate brown and oval in shape. Then he was drawn to her hair, a beautiful shade of brown. The thick strands touched her shoulders and curled at the end. The coloring, whether natural or from a bottle, was perfect for her smooth, cocoa-colored complexion. And then there was that cute dimple in her chin, which was there even when she bore a serious expression.
Bedroom Diplomacy Page 16
