Just like Bear warned, his mom hugged Winnie tight. “It’s nice to meet you too.”
His mom held her out. “Oh, that red hair. Bear told us, but I don’t think he could have accurately described it. It’s so beautiful.”
Winnie tucked a strand behind her ear. “Thank you.”
“I’m King West,” said Bear’s dad. “It’s good to meet you.”
After that, it was a flurry of introductions and names that Winnie hoped she could remember. Hunter was a younger version of Bear with hair just a little lighter. And their dad couldn’t deny parentage if he tried. The family genes ran strong.
“The rest of the family will show up over the next couple of days.” Bear held up Winnie’s luggage. “I’m going to take Winnie to her room. We’ll be back down after we get her settled.”
This time, Winnie followed Bear as he led her through the house and up the stairs. The more she saw of the house, the more she loved it. It was so warm and homey and inviting. It only made it feel more like she was in her nanny’s house.
When they reached the second-floor landing, Bear turned to her. “You get your pick. Each one has its own bathroom, so you don’t have to worry about that.”
“How about the middle on the left?”
He shot her a smile. “Lead the way.”
As they reached the room she’d be using, she marveled at how nice it was. “This is better than my apartment.”
“When I remodeled the home, I knew we’d be having family holidays together. The past few years, everyone has stayed from Thanksgiving to New Year’s. I suppose it’s tradition now, and I love it. Most of the year, I don’t use the rooms, but it’s nice to have them available. Sometimes, my mom and dad like to stay here, and the last couple of months, Carrie Anne and Israel have lived here while they work on their home in town.”
She turned to face him. “That’s kind of you.”
With a shrug, he said, “It’s what you do for family.” He passed by her, setting her luggage on the bed. “I’ll get out of your hair so you can put your things away or whatever else you might need to do.”
“I can start working on dinner if you’d like.”
He shook his head. “Not tonight. I didn’t want to say anything while Carrie Anne was around, but my family thought we’d want to have dinner alone tonight since it’s been a while since we’ve seen each other.”
Dinner alone with Bear. Her pulse jumped. It was dangerous. She liked him a lot. “Did you really want to drive back to town after coming all this way?”
“If you don’t mind, I put together a picnic. I thought we’d take one of the four-wheelers and drive west a little and eat as the sun sets.”
“Uh…”
It was slight, but she saw the little downturn of his lips at her reply. “I can tell them you’re tired after traveling. It’s okay.”
What was life without a little danger? She touched his arm. “Actually, I think that sounds incredible.”
“Are you sure? I don’t want you to think you have to do anything you don’t want.” He stuffed his hands in jeans pockets. “They’ll understand.”
“No, I do want to go, really. I bet a sunset here is gorgeous.”
The smile he gave her went to his eyes and made her stomach flutter. “All right. I’ll get things together while you settle in, and I’ll come get you in a little bit. You’re free to go anywhere you want, okay?”
“Okay.”
He crossed the room to the door, pausing at the doorframe. “I’m glad you’re here. See you in a bit.”
With the click of the door, she sagged. Holy smokes, she was in trouble. Bear was checking boxes she didn’t know she had, and now they were going to have a romantic picnic while watching the sunset.
Oh, what was she doing? He said his family thought they’d want time alone together, not him. The only reason he was doing it was to keep his family from being suspicious. This wasn’t a real date.
Besides, she had a restaurant she needed to open. In San Antonio. She couldn’t afford a distraction like Bear. Her head had things straight, but her heart was all sorts of twisted up. Did a man like Bear come along more than once? Maybe not, but her dream was within her grasp, and she wasn’t giving up on it. She’d just have to keep her wits when she was alone with him later. Easy peasy. No big deal.
The little voice in the back of her mind laughed. Trouble. That man was going to be buckets and buckets of trouble.
Chapter 9
Bear tapped his knuckles against Winnie’s bedroom door. After dropping her off earlier, he’d worked on their picnic. He’d taken the four-wheeler, scouted out a spot, and returned to the house to fix their basket. He’d packed plenty of warm blankets in case she got cold and a thermos of hot chocolate. It probably wasn’t as good as she could make it, but he hoped she’d like it. He’d also packed hot water in case she wanted tea instead.
The door swung open, and a smile greeted him. Boy howdy, was she something in a white sweater that hugged her curves and made her hair and eyes stand out even more. “Wow, you are…beautiful.”
“Oh, Bear, stop it.” She looked down as she fussed with her sweater. “All I did was change into something a little warmer.”
He took her chin in his fingers and tilted her head up. “Any man worth a second of your time will acknowledge your beauty every time he sees you. Don’t ever forget that.”
Her lips parted as she stared at him wide-eyed. “Most of the men I know don’t talk like you.”
“It’s a pity they can’t see what’s right in front of them.” Again, just like in the truck, the temptation to kiss her hit him square in the stomach, knocking the wind from him. Her perfect lips looked soft, and he pictured long hours spent memorizing them. His galloping heart was hard to ignore, but he couldn’t trust himself. He dropped his hand and stepped back. “You ready to watch the sunset?”
“I really am.”
She laced her fingers in his and stepped out of her room, using her free hand to shut the door. He knew she was only doing it because they were supposed to be a real couple, but it didn’t lessen how much he enjoyed it.
On the first-floor landing, they met his mom, Caroline. The way her face lit up now that she thought he was seeing someone made him feel guilty about lying. At the time, he’d figured it’d be no big deal. It had been a while since Angela, and he was simply testing the waters this time. They’d think it was natural when the relationship fizzled out.
“You packed plenty of blankets, right?” His mom directed the question to him.
“Yes, ma’am. I won’t let her freeze.”
She patted his cheek and then smiled at Winnie. “I’m so glad you came for the holidays.”
“Thank you for inviting me. I really love it.” Winnie looked from his mom to Bear. “I didn’t realize when he invited me just how wonderful it would be.”
“We’ll see you in a little while, Mom,” he said.
They continued through the house and onto the back porch where the four-wheeler sat not far from the steps. Taking a deep breath, he surveyed the open field in front of him. How had he ever lived anywhere else?
“I love this time of year. Taking a deep breath is like spring cleaning for your lungs,” Winnie said, inhaling deeply.
Bear brought his attention to her and studied her as she stood there with her eyes closed. The white turtleneck sweater she wore under her coat made her hair an even deeper red and her skin that much more porcelain. He could picture sitting on the deck, her in his lap, and living out his years with her next to him.
In the next breath, reality knocked. She lived in San Antonio, and she had a dream of opening a restaurant. That needed to be his mantra anytime he got any foolish notions about her. This wasn’t real, and it would never have a chance to be real. He loved his ranch, and she wanted her restaurant. Two things too far apart to ever be able to bridge.
“I feel the same way,” Bear replied.
She opened her eyes and locked ga
zes with him. “We have a lot in common.”
It sure seemed that way, but Angela had pretended to have things in common with him. She’d played him so well. How could he trust himself not to make the same mistake? “I’m ready for a picnic, are you?”
Nodding, she said, “Yeah. Very much so.”
Once they were seated on the four-wheeler, he took off for the spot he’d found about a mile northwest. The entire ride, he’d glance back and find her smiling. If she was faking it, she sure was good at it.
When they reached the area, he parked the four-wheeler and walked to the back, pulling off one of the blankets he’d packed on the back seat. With Winnie’s help, he spread it out and then grabbed the basket and the rest of the blankets.
He turned and caught her looking off into the distance with her hands on her hips. She faced him with a wide smile that reached her eyes, making them seem even greener.
“This is beautiful. I love it. So open and…I don’t even have words.” She took a deep breath, spread her arms out, and turned in circles. “This is what Julie Andrews must have felt like when she was singing about the hills being alive with the sound of music.”
Now that she said it, Bear had to agree. While it was vast and open, animals could be heard while a breeze rustled nearby mesquite trees. “Maybe she did.”
Winnie stumbled, and Bear dropped everything, catching her just before she hit the ground. “Whoa. You all right?”
She blinked as she looked up at him. “My boots aren’t meant for twirling, apparently.”
He chuckled. “That’s all right. I didn’t mind catching you.” The words had slid off his tongue without a second thought. They were true, though. He liked how she felt in his arms.
“Thank you,” she said and gasped. “Oh, I made you drop the basket.” She pulled away and walked to the partially spilled contents. “I shouldn’t have done my Sound of Music impression.”
“It’s just a basket.” He closed the little bit of distance and squatted next to her. “Doesn’t look like anything spilled.”
Picking up a labeled container, she gasped. “Cinnamon hazelnut scones?”
Bear nodded. “Didn’t you say you like those?”
“I love them, but I didn’t think you’d remember that.” She hugged the container to her chest. “I absolutely love them.”
“Whew,” he said with a smile. “For a minute there, I thought I’d remembered wrong.”
Shaking her head, she cast her gaze to the ground. “No, no you didn’t.” Her voice was so soft that if he hadn’t been right next to her, he’d have missed it. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” For the first time in a while, he actually trusted his gut. She wasn’t faking this. Winnie was genuinely grateful he’d listened to her.
It made him wish he hadn’t been so quick to shut down topics that had delved a little deeper when they’d talked. At the same time, the idea that he could be used and thrown away made him sick to his stomach. He couldn’t handle that again. It had been a few years, and he could still feel the deep ache that Angela left in her wake.
As nice as it was to have things in common with Winnie, it didn’t mean he could let his guard down. There was still the possibility that she knew about his wealth and she was just good at hiding it.
He needed to stick to the plan. The one that meant putting her on a plane back to San Antonio. The one that kept him safe. Maybe by next year, he’d be ready to give real dating another shot.
Chapter 10
Once the contents of the basket were picked up, Winnie and Bear got comfortable on the blanket he’d spread out. When he’d said he planned a picnic, she hadn’t expected a drive on a four-wheeler, the beautiful setting, or the contentment she felt.
Even more, she never expected him to remember a random comment in a conversation from weeks ago. But he had. He’d thought enough of her to get cinnamon scones.
This was fake dating. What exactly would it be like to actually date Bear West? How would any man ever measure up to this standard from this point on?
Pulling open the container, she broke a piece of a scone off and popped it in her mouth. It was buttery, soft, and had just the right amount of sweetness. “These are so good.”
“My sister-in-law made them for me.” He smiled. “Wait until you have one of her pecan pies. You’ll never eat anyone else’s.”
“I still can’t get over that you remembered.”
Shrugging, he pulled out a sandwich and unwrapped it. “My family knows me. They know what I’d do if I were dating you.”
Were dating. Her heart hit the dirt. Inwardly, she groaned. There was no reason to get upset. They weren’t dating. “I think we need to revisit the reason you needed to hire a girlfriend.”
A small chuckle poured from him. “Aw, I live in the middle of nowhere. I’m simple, laid-back, and I’m not a woman’s idea of fun.”
“Stupid women,” she mumbled to herself.
“What?”
With a cough, she covered the comment. “Oh, nothing, just a bit of scone went down the wrong way.” She smiled and took a bigger bite this time.
“Oh, well, here,” he said, setting his sandwich down and pulling out two thermoses. “One has hot chocolate, and the other has hot water if you’d like some tea. You named a few that you liked, and I brought them.”
If she wasn’t sitting down, her butt would have a bruise from falling on it. He’d even remembered what teas she liked? She uncrossed her legs and lifted up on her knees, looking in the basket. White winter tea, Jasmine Select, Raspberry Darjeeling, and Lemon Mint Reserve. All teas she loved but hadn’t purchased in a year because she was saving every penny and putting it into the restaurant.
Winnie was beside herself. She shoved the basket from between them and threw her arms around his neck. “I don’t know how to thank you.”
Bear wrapped his arms around her. “It’s just tea.”
“Tea I haven’t been able to buy.” She sniffled and leaned back. “Bear, this is…the kindest thing anyone has ever done for me.”
He ran his thumb under her eye, wiping away a tear. “You’re welcome.” He tilted his head. “Just what kind of men have you dated that tea is the nicest thing anyone has ever done for you?”
She cast her gaze down to his chest, playing with the button on his coat. “I really haven’t dated much. Between law school, taking culinary courses, and working, I didn’t have time.”
“I haven’t either. A little in high school, some while I was working for the cotton gin, and then…” The sentence trailed off, and it was as if he was fighting with himself for the rest of it. “I just didn’t date a whole lot.”
As she lifted her gaze to his, their eyes locked, and the desire to kiss him grew to the point that it hurt not to act on it. If she had her wedding scrapbook, she’d take his picture and paste it in the groom’s spot. He was as close to perfect as she could get.
He was also not in her current plans. If she didn’t open her restaurant, her dad would never let her live it down. She’d spent years listening to him tell her she’d never be able to do it. Every time she’d tried to make him understand, he’d talk over her. Her dad was deaf to her dreams because he believed she was meant to be a lawyer and follow in his footsteps. The only way to prove him wrong was to succeed.
That was her dream, wasn’t it? To be a chef? To own her own restaurant? Would she be holding on as tightly if she wasn’t determined to make her dad eat his words?
“I just…thank you so much for thinking of me.” Slowly, she pulled away before her reasons took a hike and her lips did something she’d be unable to take back.
“Sure.” He picked his sandwich up and began eating again, sounding almost as disappointed as she felt for not kissing him.
It was better this way. Getting hurt would be inevitable if she got attached. Her home, her life, her plans were in San Antonio, not in the middle of the West Texas Plains. Who would eat her food here?
Plus, she didn’t want to hurt him either. He’d been kind to her. She’d hate to make him think there was a chance when there wasn’t. If he even thought that. What was she even thinking? He was the one who wanted a fake girlfriend. If he’d wanted a real one, he wouldn’t be paying Winnie.
Once the sun set, they packed up their picnic and headed back to the house. She’d thought he’d just go to his room, but he was a gentleman all the way to his core. After talking to his family a moment, he walked her to her bedroom door. His family had been kind enough to invite her to join their card game, but she was exhausted.
Standing just inside the room, she turned to him and smiled. “Thank you for the date, the cinnamon scones, and the tea. I had a wonderful time.” Without thinking, she touched her lips to his cheek and froze. He’d kissed her temple and her head. Weren’t cheeks fair game?
Just when she thought he’d pull away, he wrapped an arm around her waist, drew her closer, and pressed his lips to hers, holding them there for a moment.
When his lips began to move against hers, she was certain her bones were melting. This light touch was the gentlest kiss she’d ever shared with a man. No rush. No hurry. Just him and her. It was fireworks and grenades and every other flamey thing she could think of. If she was holding a sparkler, this would be the point when she threw it down because it was burning her fingers.
Circling her arms around his neck, whatever space there was between them, she erased it. Time spent working on the ranch made his body a solid wall of muscle, and she loved the way he felt against her.
Just as he deepened the kiss, footsteps on the stairs shattered the moment, and he pulled away. It was the worst timing ever. Or maybe the best. One more minute, and she was positive her hair would have caught on fire. That was a kiss that future kisses would be measured against. It was a kiss that girls wrote about in their diary, and it had been way too brief.
A woman stopped on the landing and smiled. “Oh, you must be Winnie,” she said, approaching with her hand out. “I’m Stephanie Fredericks.”
The Fake Girlfriend's Billionaire Match (Caprock Canyon Romance Book 4) Page 4
