He hugged her more tightly. “I haven’t set eyes on Daphne since we were in high school. She doesn’t matter.”
“I believe you, but I saw her, Sam. She’s your perfect woman. It was blindingly clear to me. Even if you don’t want her, there will be another Daphne.”
“And that’s why you came to my house today?”
“No.”
He waited, keeping the chains on his impatience. This was too important to screw up now. “Then why?”
A deep sigh made her chest lift and fall. Beneath his touch, her body was warm and pliant. She sat up, scrubbing the hair from her face. Her eyes were puffy and her nose was red. She was still the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
“Sam, I…”
“What, darlin’? You can tell me anything.”
She shrugged, her eyes suspiciously bright. “I love you. I think I always have. You thought I was too young to know my own mind, but I did.”
“You don’t sound too excited about it,” he said, trying to lighten the mood with humor. She looked tragic rather than happy. Perhaps because he had spouted off so much nonsense in the last week. All about his dreams and plans and never once taking into account that to love Annalise Wolff was to love the whole package, a package that didn’t fit his requirements and yet somehow was so much more.
He put his hand over her mouth. “Don’t say anything else. Not yet.” Brushing her cheek with his thumb, he felt his heart seize up in terror at the thought he might have lost her. “If this is about having children, forget it. I want you, my love. Nobody else. I don’t have to have two-point-five kids and a dog in the country to be happy. All I need is you.”
He kissed her softly, a fleeting brush of his lips on hers. “That’s why I’m still single at thirty-six. Turns out I wasn’t waiting for you to grow up, I was waiting for you to forgive me and offer me another chance.”
Tears welled in bright blue eyes, but didn’t fall. “I won’t let you give up your dream for me, Sam.” She cupped his face in her hands. “I want to give you babies. If I can. But you’ll have to help me, you’ll have to tell me if I do things wrong. If I’m too impatient, or if I’m neglectful of our child.”
“Where is this coming from?” She was drawing a scenario that was literally impossible.
Shaking, her face chalky white, she bit her lip. “My mother was a child abuser.”
Six words. Six horrible, dreadful words. The stark syllables fell from her lips like stones.
“Oh, my God.” This time she was stiff in his arms, too stiff. Fine tremors continued to shiver through her body.
Her whisper was almost inaudible. “She didn’t do anything to me. Or if she did, I don’t really recall,” she said brokenly. “I think Devlyn took the brunt of it. But I remember hiding with my brothers. That was before we went to the mountain, of course. She would drink and she would yell.”
“No one interceded?”
“I don’t think anyone knew.”
“Not even your dad?”
“Maybe. I don’t know. But don’t you see, it’s not just that I grew up without a mother. Even when she was still alive, she was poisoning my mind about what it means to be a loving parent. It’s possible that I have inherited her shortcomings.”
“That’s a load of crap,” he said, pushing her away and leaping up from the couch as anger coursed through his veins. The image of a toddler Annalise being knocked around, or even being to scared to come out of hiding, ate at him, curdling his stomach.
He bowed his head. “I know what you’re trying to tell me. And it’s okay, I swear. The only family I need is you. Not that I think you wouldn’t be an amazing mother, but I won’t put you through that. Holy hell, Annalise, you’ve been carrying this around for years. And yet you turned into a beautiful, caring, capable woman. I’m so proud of you, I don’t even know how to express it in words.”
“Then show me.” She stood and joined him. “Tell me that part about loving me again.”
He was sick with regret, furious with pain for this delicate and yet incredibly strong Wolff child. “I adore you,” he said, the words choked. He held her so tightly, she protested. Relaxing his grip only a bit, he laid his forehead on hers. “I want to marry you. And if we have babies or we don’t have babies, it will be a decision we make together. I love you, Annalise.”
She reached up to kiss him. The aching hunger that had built inside him since the moment he drove away, leaving her at the farm, coalesced into a white-hot desire that hardened his erection to the point of pain.
Kissing wasn’t enough. Feeling her body against his wasn’t enough. He had to be in her, on her, devouring her. He stripped her clothes with mad abandon. Annalise sobbed once, her hands ripping at his shirt. “I need you, Sam. So much.”
They were naked and tumbled onto the couch before he could speak. “I won’t ever let you walk away again. You’re mine, Annalise. I’ll spend the rest of my life protecting you.” He stroked her breasts one at a time, reverently, hungrily. “I know that sounds strange. Since you could probably kick my ass if you wanted to. But just because you’ve been taught to be tough doesn’t mean you can’t let down your guard with me. Everyone deserves a safe place…a shelter from the world. I want to be that for you.”
He watched her eyes close when he slid inside her body, the fit tight enough to make him catch his breath. “Princess… Tell me you love me. Tell me again.”
“I do,” she moaned, her legs wrapped about his waist. “Forever. Always.”
The sex was different this time, deeper, more powerful, forging a connection that would never be broken. He wouldn’t allow it. His climax bore down on him, impossible to resist. “Come for me, my love.” He kissed her hard, grinding his hips until he heard her cry out. After that, nothing mattered but Annalise, always Annalise….
* * *
When he could breathe again, he lifted her in his arms and carried her down the hall until he found her bedroom. It was bright and eye-catching and unconventional. Much like its owner.
The bed was not made, so he dropped her on the magenta sheet and sprawled beside her. “Can I spend the night?” he asked, yawning.
Annalise grinned. “Your house too full?”
“You could say that.”
“Poor Sam.”
He skated his fingers over her flat belly, headed south. “I noticed that you didn’t answer my marriage proposal.”
“You need to be sure, Sam. We’ve only had one weekend. That’s hardly a foundation for a future.”
“I’ve known you my entire life, honey. If things had played out differently, we might have hooked up a long time ago. I probably know more about you than any of the men you’ve dated. And as for our one naughty weekend, that just seals the deal. A sexual connection like that is rare, Princess. So I’ll ask you again. Will. You. Marry me.”
She curled onto her side, head propped on her hand. “One question first.”
His roving hand stilled, halting just beneath her ribs. The steady beat of her heart reassured him. “Ask me anything.”
“How did my cake taste?”
There it was again, that brutally dangerous, gaping hole at his feet. Taking a deep breath, reminding himself of all he knew about his wife-to-be, he grimaced. “It was awful.”
She burst into laughter, her vibrant face alight with happiness. “In that case, yes…I’ll marry you. Because such brave honesty is rare,” she teased. “And I’d be a fool to let you go.”
Epilogue
Eighteen months later
Annalise leaned over the counter, putting the finishes touches on a birthday cake for her dad. He’d been thrilled when she and Sam married, and happier still when they’d built Annalise’s dream house on Wolff Mountain.
In fact, today was the first official function in the new abode. She gazed around her, seeing Sam’s skill and caring in every detail. He’d been absolutely determined to give her everything she wanted.
“Come taste the icing,”
she called out. “I know the cake part is okay, because I made two just to be sure.”
Sam walked in, still buttoning his cuff links. They had decided to do a formal dinner for the entire Wolff clan. “Okay,” he said, his face doleful. “Guinea pig reporting for service.”
She pinched his arm. “Don’t be mean.” She scooped her finger through the icing left in the bowl. “Be honest. I’ve got a frozen cheesecake I can use as a backup.”
Her handsome husband took her hand, sucking two of her fingers into his mouth and licking them clean. “It’s perfect.” He paused, eyes alight with mischief. “I know how you hate wasting anything. I imagine we could put that leftover icing to good use.”
“Behave yourself, Sam.” Knees weak, she swallowed hard, reminding herself that their guests were on the way. But the temptation to take up Sam on his wicked offer was almost irresistible.
He released her long enough to dry his hand on a dish towel. “So what did you end up getting him for a present?”
“I didn’t.” Her mouth dry, she watched his face.
“Why not? I know the old man can buy anything he wants, but he always loves the gifts you pick out for him.”
“I thought I’d go nontraditional this year.” She pressed her hand to her stomach. “And you helped.”
Sam went white as incredulity, joy and fierce triumph raced across his face in quick succession. He scooped her up, whirling her around in a circle. “A baby? You’re sure?”
She ruffled his hair, smiling down at him, feeling a wellspring of happiness that never seemed to fade. “In about seven and a half months you’re going to be a daddy.”
His eyes glistened. “Thank you, Princess.” His voice was hoarse. He lowered her to her feet and kissed her with aching sweetness.
She laid her head on his shoulder, chuckling as her arms slid around his waist and squeezed. “In all fairness, you did most of the work.”
“I’m hoping for a girl,” he confessed softly, stroking her hair in a way that brought tears to Annalise’s eyes, tears of inexpressible wonder at the goodness of life.
“Can you handle two of us?” she teased.
“God, I hope so. “ He took her hand and lifted her fingers to his lips, kissing them tenderly. “Such news requires a very private celebration. Later. When I have you alone. But for now, my love, please know this. You’re my perfect woman. In every way.”
* * * * *
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 recall 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 comp
any 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.
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