"Why does that seem weird?"
"Because it is. It's also convenient in a house this size. It took some adjustment. At first, none of us remembered buttons were there, but now we use them all the time."
Ashe couldn't imagine living in a house this size—or having servants to buzz. Then again, until quite recently, he couldn't imagine needing room beyond his downtown loft. A wife. Children—someday. They changed a man's way of thinking.
"I am getting ahead of myself again," he muttered under his breath.
"Pardon?" Georgia sent him an inquiring smile. "Did you say something?"
"Nothing important." For now, anyway.
"Which friend is stopping by? I don't remember any names. I was too mature and sophisticated to pay attention to my little brother's boring buddies."
"Very alliterative. And they weren't boring." Ashe tossed his napkin at Georgia. It landed on her head, half covering her face. Sticking out her tongue, she flung it back. Ashe laughed. "Very sophisticated."
"Oh, shut up." Georgia sat straight, her face prim. The twitching lips ruined the effect. Under Ashe's unwavering stare, it took no time for her to break down and laugh. "Why can't I stay mad at you?"
"Because you were never mad in the first place. When you are truly angry, you hold on to it just fine."
"As my ever-patient husband can attest to." Georgia took a sip of tea. "Are you going to tell me who is coming or is it a secret?"
"Not a secret. A surprise. One for you and one for my nieces."
"I hope you didn't go overboard, Ashe. The girls love you. Gifts aren't necessary."
"That's what makes it so much fun to give them."
"Fine." Georgia perked up. "What did you get me?"
Ashe loved the look of anticipation on Georgia's face. It made him glad that Belle's visit wasn't the only surprise he had for her. "I thought gifts weren't necessary."
"Not necessary. Fun."
"Fair enough." Ashe couldn't argue with Georgia over that one.
"Excuse me, Miss Georgia." Hilda set a filled tray on the table. "There is a woman asking after Mr. Ashe."
"Anybody I know?" Georgia directed the question to Ashe, not the maid.
"I said it was a surprise." Ashe followed Hilda into the house.
"I should have known your friend would be a woman," his sister called after him.
Ashe had many friends. Men and women. However, Belle Richards was in a class all her own. She waited in the foyer, her face lighting up when he walked into the room. It sent his heart racing—he wouldn't be human if it didn't.
The last time he saw her, she was dressed for work, leaving the apartment looking every inch the high-powered business woman. The suit—fitted perfectly to her subtle curves—had him thinking of the zipper at the side of her waist and the sound it would make when he lowered it. Slowly. The image of the skirt pooling at Belle's feet and the tiny lace panties he knew she wore underneath, had stayed with him all day. A wonderful torment.
"You changed. I liked the suit you had on this morning."
"Shh!" Belle's eyes darted around the room. "You are not supposed to know how I was dressed this morning. Or any morning."
"Relax. Hilda veered off to the kitchen. We're alone." Ashe reached for Belle's hand, pulling back when he saw the ring on her left hand. "I hate that thing."
"Honestly?" Using her right hand, Belle threaded her fingers with his. "It feels like a weight on my soul." She shook her head. "That may be a little overly dramatic, but you get my drift."
Ashe expelled a resigned sigh. "I'm trying to understand, Belle. It isn't easy."
"Try living the lie." Gently, Belle took back her hand. "Eleven days and counting."
"Theo is a spineless ass."
"A spineless ass that I agreed to marry. What does that make me?"
"Family pressure." Ashe remembered well. "You made a mistake. Thank God you won't have to live with it much longer."
"Amen." When Ashe tried to lean in for a kiss, Belle quickly stepped out of reach. "None of that. I let you lure me here against my better judgment."
"Me?"
"Don't bother with the innocent look. I know better. It's my fault. I could have said no. However, I'm human. Seeing the look on those little girls' faces when they open their presents was too much of a temptation to resist."
Ashe took a step closer, the look in his eyes heated. "Why don't we slip into the linen closet? A little necking amongst the antique lace tablecloths? What do you say?"
"I say you are out of your mind," Belle laughed. "If you don't behave, I'm leaving. Understood?"
"Do you want me to beg?"
That seemed to bring Belle up short. "Of course not." She looked at him for a second, turning her head in a speculative manner. "Would you?"
Ashe teased, but Belle's question made him wonder, and it wasn't a good feeling. Would he beg if she asked? It was crazy. He wanted her. That part was simple. The need was strong. But it would take more than a sexual urge to bring him to his knees. It would take… Well, shit. Ashe laughed at himself. The answer stood before him. He knew the second her lips moved into a smile. So beautiful. So perfect. Only one thing—one person—could ever bring him to his knees.
"Belle?"
Ashe might have told Belle exactly what she did to him, right then and there, if Georgia hadn't chosen that moment to appear. He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. Was he sorry for his sister's interruption or relieved? As the women embraced, he decided, either way, he was in trouble. Down for the count. Going under for the third time. Pick a metaphor. It added up to the same thing. He was in love. There was no going back.
"Hey." Georgia shook his arm. "Earth to Ashe. I asked you a question."
Ashe frowned. "Sorry. What did you say?"
"Are you okay?" Georgia gave him a bemused smile. "You look a little green around the gills."
Really? Ashe swallowed, trying to dislodge the lump in his throat. He thought love was supposed to be a good thing. So why did he feel slightly nauseous?
"Too many cookies." Ashe picked the most likely excuse he could think of and ran with it.
"He was the same as a little boy," Georgia told Belle. "Sweets were his downfall."
"Fascinating." Belle looked like she enjoyed his discomfort. "I'll alert the tabloids."
"Careful," Georgia warned, her tone light. "Ashe has a phobia about publicity."
"Is that right?" Noting that Georgia's gaze was on Ashe, Belle sent him a wink. "I would think you would be used to it by now."
"Depends on the kind of publicity. Friends who leak information lose that status quickly."
"I'll keep that in mind."
"Honestly, Ashe." Georgia shook her head with a chuckle. "Stop trying to scare Belle. She might leave and never come back."
"Trust me." Ashe looked at Georgia, but his words were meant for Belle. "That's the last thing I would want to do."
"Good." Satisfied, Georgia smiled. "Now that I have your attention, you can answer my question. When did you and Belle meet?"
"You brought us together."
"Me?" Georgia looked genuinely confused.
"The ticket you gave me for the Hollywood Bowl concert?" Belle picked up the story. "By chance, I ran into a friend of Ashe's in the audience. She invited me backstage after I mentioned that our childhood homes were right next to each other."
"What are the chances?" Thank goodness Georgia seemed unaware of the current of awareness flowing between Ashe and Belle. "You didn't mention that you saw Ashe."
"Didn't I?" Belle frowned as if she truly couldn't remember. "I suppose it slipped my mind. We only spoke for a few minutes. Isn't that right, Ashe?"
"That sounds right." Ashe shrugged casually. However, his gaze was locked with Belle's. "Our conversation was brief."
Belle's eyes narrowed, warning him. But the flush on her cheeks told Ashe that she remembered the most important part of the evenin
g. The part after they stopped talking.
"I'm sorry, Belle. Where are our manners?" Georgia looped her arm through Belle's. "Let's take this outside on the patio."
Georgia poured more tea, offering cookies all around. Taking one, Belle thanked her. Before looking inquiringly at Ashe.
"Are you certain your stomach can take another one of those?"
Ashe popped the bite-sized treat into his mouth. "When I want something, I don't hesitate."
"What if it isn't good for you?"
There was no need to answer. Ashe simply raised an eyebrow, his look telling Belle what she needed to know. He couldn't resist. The cookies—or her. If they turned his stomach on its side now and then, he was more than willing to live with that.
"I called Belle to ask her a favor." Ashe decided it was time to move the subject back to neutral territory before Georgia did more than send him a puzzled frown. "When I told her I wanted to buy Nadia and Naomi a gift, she agreed to take care of it."
Georgia smiled, handing Belle a napkin. "How kind of you. I hope it wasn't any trouble."
"None at all," Belle assured her. "In fact, it gave me an excuse to wander through rows of toys for the first time since I was a girl. I plan on spending more time there now that my sister is expecting."
Georgia clapped her hands together, her face lit with excitement. "How wonderful."
"Dinah found out this morning. After sharing the news with her husband, she stopped by the office. Dad is thrilled, as you can imagine. His first grandchild. I think he was starting to think that none of his children would reproduce."
Seeing the sparkle in Belle's eyes and the bloom of color in her cheeks as she spoke about her sister made Ashe wonder if the glow of a mother-to-be could rub off on the aunt. Belle looked so happy, it was an image he knew he wouldn't soon forget.
The sound of laughter and excited voices drifted through the screened French doors, drawing their attention.
"There are my little angels." Georgia rolled her eyes, grinning. "Tell Dinah if she needs advice to give me a call. After handling two at once, I'm an expert."
"Uncle Ashe." A pair of ponytailed dynamos barreled onto the patio heading straight for Ashe.
"Fickle. That's what they are. Since Ashe has been here, Mommy has become a second-class citizen."
After basking in a round of exuberant hugs and kisses, Ashe whispered something only the twins could hear. Whatever it was sent them rushing toward their mother, arms open wide.
"We love you, Mommy." The girls climbed on Georgia's lap, snuggling close.
Laughing, Georgia kissed the tops of their heads. "I love you, my little scalawags." The word, a gentle tickle to their ribs, sent Nadia and Naomi into a fit of giggles. "Did you have a good time at Monica's?"
Words, most unintelligible, poured out. The twins finished each other's sentences or spoke at the same time. Georgia seemed to understand every word, nodding as if it was the most important, interesting conversation she ever experienced. It was one more example of what a good mother she was. They might not understand right now, but one day they would. Nadia and Naomi were very lucky little girls.
While all eyes were on the girls, Ashe took the opportunity to slip away. He dashed up the main staircase, retrieving the bags from his bedroom closet and was back on the patio before the twins had wound up recounting their day.
"And Monica has a new puppy," Naomi said with a new level of excitement, the purple ribbon adorning her ponytail bouncing as she spoke.
"He's gold with white paws, and it tickles when he licks my face," Nadia chimed in.
"Uh, oh," Ashe muttered to Belle as he set the packages next to her chair. "I can't wait to see how Georgia handles this one."
An old hand at this kind of thing, Georgia did what mothers have done for generations. She used misdirection to change the subject.
"Look, girls. Uncle Ashe has a surprise for you."
There was a reason mothers used the method to get out of sticky, non-winnable situations. Because it worked. The puppy conversation would rear its ugly head at a later date, but for now, the girls were skillfully distracted.
"What is it?" Naomi slid to a halt in front of the box that was almost as tall as she was.
"Are they really for us?" Nadia breathed, her eyes big with wonder.
"Let's see." Ashe knelt, an arm around each girl. "One box is tied with pink ribbons. The other with purple. What do the cards say?" He turned the sparkly paper so the twins could see. "Nadia on this one. Naomi on the other. I guess they are for you."
Reaching with little hands, they stopped before touching, glancing at their mother for permission.
Georgia nodded. "Go on. But first, what do you say?"
"Thank you, Uncle Ashe." The words were sincerely spoken—in stereo—and accompanied by fierce hugs.
"You're welcome." Ashe ran a hand over their heads, ending with a light tug on each ponytail.
After that, it was every present for itself. Ribbon and wrapping paper flew in every direction. How such little creatures could create such contained chaos was a mystery, but Ashe enjoyed every second. Even better were the gasps when they first laid eyes on the twin dolls, followed by tears of happiness, squeals of joy, and another round of hugs and kisses for Uncle Ashe.
"That is officially the best money I have ever spent."
The girls sat on a blanket that their mother had wisely spread on the grass. Each doll went through a thorough examination. Oohs and awes exchanged as they shared each find.
"Thank you for inviting me." Belle hadn't stopped grinning since the girls first caught sight of the presents. "Having you tell me their reactions wouldn't have been the same."
"I know it's crazy." Georgia shook her head, looking a bit sheepish. "I want one."
"I know." Belle laughed, Georgia joining in. "I thought the same thing when I was in the store."
"I love watching them. Happy, sad, angry. My girls are such a joy. Naturally, happy is the best. Thank you for making a memory none of us will ever forget."
Ashe returned Georgia's hug. He had to remember to tell Zoe what a big hit her suggestion of the dolls turned out to be.
"Speaking of presents." Belle took a small box from her purse, giving it to Ashe. "If you don't mind, I think I'll join the girls. I can't resist a closer look."
"What is this?" Georgia asked Ashe when they were alone.
Ashe turned Georgia's hand over, placing the package in her palm, the shiny silver wrapping paper shining in the sunlight.
"A thank you. For staying in touch over the years."
"You mean the very least I could do?"
"I mean," Ashe caught and held Georgia's gaze, "that I would have been too stubborn to make the first move. You kept me tethered to this family—no matter how loose the ties."
"You're my brother. I don't need a thank you for loving you."
"Yes, you do." Ashe made a very good living using words. However, writing a song was easier than telling his sister how he felt. "I love you. Take the gift. Okay?"
"Okay." Georgia laughed, her expression as she tore off the wrapping paper mirroring that of her daughters as they opened their presents. "Oh, Ashe."
Belle had picked up the package from the jeweler because it was near her office. But Ashe had chosen the gift. Over the phone, he described what he wanted. The platinum bracelet was perfect. Three charms hung from the delicate loops. Two pink pearls represent Nadia and Naomi. Birthstones for June, the month they were born. The third—an emerald—was for May, Georgia's birth month.
"It's perfect."
"Funny," Ashe grinned, accepting Georgia's hug, "I thought the same thing."
Georgia held out the bracelet for Ashe to put on her wrist.
"Thank you," she said, admiring the way it looked. "You made me and my babies so happy, I almost regret what I'm about to say."
"Almost?" he teased. "What did I do?"
A burst of laug
hter shifted his attention over Georgia's shoulder, watching with a smile as the twins vied for Belle's attention.
"That." Georgia pointed to where Ashe's gaze had drifted. "You can't keep your eyes off Belle."
"She's a friend. And beautiful. Why wouldn't I look?" Ashe didn't doubt Georgia's observation. He couldn't help watching Belle. A lot. However, now was not the time to admit his weakness. "I'm sure you're exaggerating."
"What about the blatant flirting?"
So Georgia had picked up on that. Belle would not be pleased. "I flirt. It comes naturally. I didn't realize what I was doing."
"Only yesterday I bragged you up to my book club. Ashe is such a gentleman, I told them. Gentlemen do not seduce engaged women."
"First I'm watching and flirting. Now I'm seducing? That's quite a jump." Ashe hadn't seduced Belle. What happened had been—and still was—consensual on both sides. "If it will put your mind at ease, I can assure you that I do not now, nor have I ever, made a play for a woman if I knew she was in a committed relationship."
"Honestly?" Georgia watched Ashe, looking for any sign he lied.
"Absolutely."
Ashe knew there were a ton of loopholes that conveniently let him off the hook. Belle's situation was the perfect example. To the outside world, she was a happily engaged woman with a wedding on the near horizon. Ashe knew better. He couldn't explain. Even if he could, he didn't know what his sister's reaction would be. In this case, silence truly was golden. What Georgia didn't know wouldn't hurt either of them.
"I can't tell you how relieved I am. If you had your sights set on Belle, tomorrow night might turn awkward."
"Dad's party?" Ashe frowned at Georgia's nod. "What does one have to do with the other?"
"Theo and his family are invited. They R.S.V.P.'d some time ago. I have to assume Belle will come with them."
It was a natural assumption, Ashe thought, emptying his glass of tea. Why then, hadn't Belle mentioned it?
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
"BECAUSE THEO DIDN'T mention it to me."
Ashe had just arrived at Belle's apartment. There had been no opportunity for him to ask before she left his parents' house. Why the question scratched at his brain—a minor irritant in an otherwise great day—he couldn't say. Everything about Theo and the fake engagement annoyed Ashe. This wasn't any different. Except for one thing. Knowing the wedding wasn't going to take place was one thing. Having to spend an evening in the same room with the make-believe couple was another. A man could only be expected to take so much.
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