Diana
Diana silently crept down the long hallway in her double-sock-covered feet during Christmas Eve nap time. The whole house was on quiet hour, so those who had gone fishing could catch a wink and the babies could sleep without being interrupted. Something bothered her, and she couldn’t rest until she talked to Cliff about it.
She slowly stretched her leg over the creaky board and then continued on toward the stairs. She glanced both directions before riding the banister to the bottom.
Cliff’s room was across the billiard room and to the right. She tapped lightly on the door, leaning her ear against it to listen for an answer. When he didn’t respond, she twisted the handle and snuck inside, closing it quickly behind her. The woodsy delicious scent of men’s soap hit her first and made butterflies stand at attention.
Cliff was tucked under the blankets, one arm thrown above his head. He wore a white tee shirt, and his face was peaceful in slumber. He was so handsome lying there. Her hand went to her jaw, where his fingers had drawn a line that morning, making her shiver in the most scrumptious way.
That shiver was why she’d snuck into his room. “Cliff,” she whispered.
He murmured and adjusted but didn’t wake up.
She scowled. “Cliff.” She sat on the bed by his leg.
He blinked awake and then dropped his eyes shut. “What, woman?”
She couldn’t help but giggle. He was so funny when he was grumpy. “Uncle Tom got me thinking.”
“About the shallow end of your gene pool?” He rubbed his eyes and then his cheeks.
“No.” She smacked at his knee. “But now I am, so thanks for that.”
He chuckled, the sound deep and intimate when surrounded by blankets and pajamas. The urge to snuggle up to his warm body and lay her head on his chest—just to hear that sound—was overwhelming. But only because she was still freezing from being out on the ice, and not because she wanted to, you know, cuddle.
“Diana?” He lifted his head off the pillow, his lips slightly pursed with concern.
She extracted herself from the lovely daydream. If he read her thoughts, he’d think she was nuts. He’d made it perfectly clear that he was here as her friend, not her boyfriend. Heck, he might think she was nuts after she said what she’d come in here to say.
“Okay.” She tucked her feet up under her on the bed and put her hand between his ankles to lean on. He glanced down. She fully expected him to tell her to get off his bed and out the door—his gentlemanly instincts shining like armor. When he didn’t, she forged ahead. “We need to act like we’re dating.”
He dropped his head back to the pillow and stared up at the ceiling. “Well, we’re in bed together—how much more do you want to do?”
“Cliff!” Her hands flew to her mouth and her cheeks burned. “That’s not what I mean.”
He lifted one eyebrow and smirked—looking all bedroom eyes and sexy in his rumpled tee shirt.
She laughed. “Stop teasing me!” Or I’m going to have a heart attack. Her pulse was out of control. Who knew Cliff could play the bedroom eyes? She’d fan herself if she wasn’t so afraid of scaring him off.
He broke into an easy smile, tucking his hand behind his head. The result was just as hazardous to her heart. His bicep was huge. How had she not seen that before? But his muscles were not the thing that drew her. “I can’t remember ever seeing you smile before this weekend.”
“I guess I didn’t have much of a reason to.”
She gasped. “You mean my unicorn cupcakes weren’t enough? I’m so offended!”
He tickled her side, making her jump and giggle.
She clamped her hands over her mouth and glanced at the door. “Stop! Or they’ll find us.” He let her go, and she settled closer to his hips, feeling warmth through the blankets. “So what changed?”
“I guess being a part of your little scheme.”
“Scheming makes you smile? I’m starting to wonder about the type of man I’m fake engaged to.”
He tapped her knee. “You thought this up—I’m just an innocent bystander.”
“I think the word you’re looking for is accomplice.” She winked before she thought better of it. Being with Cliff had always been easy, but this side of him was intoxicating.
“Unwitting accomplice. And that’s what I’ll tell the judge.”
Feeling confident and bold and more comfortable with Cliff than she had with any man, she touched his beard. It was surprisingly soft. “I’m going to tell the judge you seduced me with your deep green eyes and your sweet-talking abilities.” She batted her eyelashes.
“No one will believe you. I’m too rough around the edges to pass as a Romeo.” He leaned slightly into her touch, inviting more.
She buried her fingers in his beard and ran her nails lightly across his jaw. He sighed happily. “You’re a good man, Cliff.”
His hand cupped hers, and she stopped moving. The air buzzed with energy and attraction, as if someone had stopped the wheels of time and they yearned to spin again but couldn’t, because there was only this moment. A moment that could change the course of their lives.
“We should kiss,” she whispered, her eyes dropping to his lips. A yearning to know what his beard felt like against her cheek took over, and she leaned forward.
The next thing she knew, she had a face full of pillow and Cliff was up on his elbow. “What?”
She sat back up and blinked, mortified. She must have been the only one who felt the earth stutter to a stop and wait for them to notice they were meant to be together. “Never mind.” She pushed back to sit on the far corner of the bed.
Cliff grabbed her wrist. “Tell me what you said.” He leaned forward, intent.
“I said …” She swallowed, willing her brain to turn back on after it shut down in a haze of desire. “We should kiss,” she whispered again. As soon as the words were out, the old noggin chugged back to life and she quickly tagged on an explanation. “We haven’t been acting like we’re together. I mean, we don’t hold hands or kiss or anything. If we’re going to sell the idea that we’re—in love—then we need to be more physical.”
He rubbed his lips together, thinking.
She put her hands on his chest; it was warm, and his heart beat extra fast. “Only if you want to. I don’t want you to feel like I’m forcing you into anything. We could be one of those couples that don’t have a public display of affection. But I’ve seen other couples, and it’s like they’re always touching and leaning close and stuff.”
His face clouded over. “I remember.”
Shoot! “I wasn’t trying to bring up bad memories.” She hopped off the bed. “It was just a silly thought. Forget I ever brought it up. Lunch should be ready soon. It’s soup and breads.” She ran for the door and ducked out of the room before he could answer.
In the hallway, she smacked her palm against her head several times. She shouldn’t have said anything. Now she’d gone and made this whole weekend uncomfortable. The steps seemed taller and harder to climb with her heart dragging behind her like a kite without wind.
A big part of her had hoped he’d say yes to the kiss, to holding hands, to acting more like a couple, because—oh shoot, if she was honest—she wanted to be more than Cliff’s friend.
What she’d told him was true. He was a good man, and good men were hard to come by. But his ex-fiancée had done a number on his heart, and if he wasn’t ready to give it to Diana, she couldn’t pry it from his fingers.
Chapter 12
Cliff
Cliff slowly dressed for lunch. His head worked overtime to wrap around what had just happened with Diana, and he didn’t pay much attention to buttoning his shirt. He had to start over three times.
He could have sworn Diana had wanted to kiss him. But when he’d asked for clarification, she went off about pretending to like each other for the sake of their fake engagement. No—pretending to be in love.
There was a knock on his door, and he hurried
over, hoping she’d come back to pick up where they left off. “Di—” Her name died on his lips, and so did his smile at the sight of her sister standing there. “Hi,” he managed to recover.
Sadie rubbed her palms together. “Hey. We haven’t had a chance to talk.”
He leaned against the door, checking to make sure his shirt was buttoned correctly. He’d gotten it right this time. “Was there something specific you wanted to talk about?”
She nodded. “I’m here to threaten you.”
He jerked his chin back. “Threaten?”
She ran her hand through her hair. “I tried to get my husband to do it, but he said this was my territory, so …” She squared her shoulders and poked him in the chest. “You’d better treat Diana right or else.”
He wisely schooled the grin that threatened to surface. The family resemblance was strongest when the sisters tried to be tough. “I have no intention of hurting her.”
She dropped her arm. “They never do. But she’s so trusting and open, it just happens.”
“It does?” He stood up straight, ready to pound some guy for messing with his fiancée—well, fake fiancée.
“Yeah. More than once. Just … be careful with her. Okay? We Dalagar women love with all our heart and have no sense of self-preservation.”
He tugged at his beard as her words sank into his soul in the way only pure truth could. “I got that impression.”
She nodded once, affirming her task had been accomplished. “And lunch is ready.” She smiled and headed across the billiard room, leaving him standing there to contemplate his next move.
Sadie painted a different picture of Diana than her mom and aunt did. They made her sound like a nerd who hid in the back of the auditorium with a book during pep rallies. Sadie made it sound like Diana’s heart had been trampled on and she was gun-shy. Add to that the pressure from her female relations to find a husband, and she was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Nobody could force a person to open their heart after they’d been injured by a relationship gone bad—and he should know.
If he helped sell the idea that they were in love, he’d give her some breathing room and possibly give her the chance to heal.
The more convincing he was, the longer she could nurse a “broken heart” after they “broke up.” He tugged on his beard again. The walk upstairs was a blur as he weighed the pros and cons of getting cozy with Diana. On the one hand, he’d just be playing a part. On the other, Diana had a direct line to his sensitive innards. He hadn’t wanted to get near a woman in over a year, and he’d really wanted to kiss her a few minutes ago.
The large dining room was packed with people. They seemed to multiply with each passing hour. There were faces he didn’t recognize and more children underfoot. There were also smiles and laughter and a huge sense that family was important. He tried to remember a Christmas quite like this one in his past and couldn’t come up with anything. Uncles and aunts sent cards. Grandma and Grandpa came every four years, rotating through their children. There was a draw to being a part of this family—even if they wouldn’t want him.
He found Diana sitting on the west side by the windows, a toddler in her lap. She handed over oyster crackers with patience as the girl stuffed them into her face full-fisted. The sight was enough to make him trip over his own two feet. He stumbled into the buffet table and knocked several rolls to the floor. “Sorry,” he mumbled as he picked them up.
“Nothing to worry about.” A woman in a red apron waved him off, taking the rolls from his hands. She patted his belly, letting him know she belonged here, though he had no idea how she fit into the family tree. “Be sure and try the beef stew—it’s a family recipe.”
“I will.” He hurried off to stand behind Diana. She didn’t notice him there, so he placed one hand on her shoulder, testing physical boundaries he’d so carefully put into place.
She turned to see who was there and her face lit up with interest, her eyes questioning his touch. Before he overthought things, he leaned over and kissed her forehead. His heart skipped a beat, and he was immediately angry with himself for having any type of reaction to her. She was acting. Really, really well, but acting nonetheless.
Feeling petulant, he decided to see how far he had to go to make her blush. “Hey, babe.” He slid into the seat next to her, making sure their hips and thighs were pressed together.
She leaned into him. “Hey there, handsome.”
Oh, she was good. He put his arm around the back of the chair.
“This is my second cousin Tucker, and his wife Layla, and their daughter Danielle.” She lifted Danielle’s little fist in a wave.
He exchanged greetings with the couple while lifting a strand of Diana’s hair to fiddle with. It was silky and slipped right through his fingers, giving him visions of more intimate moments they could share.
But they wouldn’t. Because they were only going to be affectionate in front of people.
Layla made a melty oh sound. “You guys are riding Mistletoe Mile tonight, aren’t you?”
Diana’s eyes widened in panic. “No. No. I don’t think so. No.”
“But you’re a couple, and so you have to come.” Layla reached for Danielle, who went to her mother with a happy bounce of her arms and legs. “Before all the romance gets sucked up in one of these.” She went cross-eyed and Layla giggled.
“What’s Mistletoe Mile?” Cliff asked, curious because of Diana’s insistence they not go. “If it’s a family tradition, we should do it.”
Her ears turned pink and her lashes lowered. She put her hand on his knee and squeezed, warning him away from the topic. How he knew that was what that meant, he wasn’t sure.
Tucker dug through the diaper bag and came up with a package of wipes. He passed it to Layla. “Basically, it’s a sleigh ride around the lake and an excuse to make out.”
Layla elbowed him in the gut. “You make it sound like a frat party or something. It started out as a way to remember Great-Grandpa’s proposal to Great-Grandma. There’s soft Christmas music playing and a plaid woolen blanket to snuggle under. The stars are out, and the way is lit by old-fashioned lanterns. It’s totally romantic.”
Diana cut him a look. “I usually stay back and help babysit.”
“That’s silly!” Layla scowled. “There’s plenty of older siblings to keep the peace for an hour or so.”
It sounded like this was one of those things they should be doing if they were in love. “I can’t wait.” He tugged her to his side and kissed her hair.
She giggled. “You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into.”
He turned to Tucker. “That’s what she said the first time I asked her out.”
They all laughed. He patted himself on the back. He was doing great, and Diana was happy.
She bumped him with her shoulder, and they shared a look, a couple-like look—the kind of look that was intimate and said, I want to laugh with you all day. He brought her fingers to his lips and kissed them. This scheme might be fake on her part, but he definitely felt something for her. If he wasn’t careful, the lines would blur and he’d forget that he had an empty apartment waiting for him, along with a firm spot in Diana’s friend zone.
After lunch, Cliff excused himself and rushed to the basement. Marie was right: the beef stew was really good. It wasn’t eating too much that had him running away; it was the racing of his heart every time he touched Diana. As big as the mansion cabin was, the walls were closing in. He grabbed his coat off the hook and took off on foot down the driveway.
Snow crunched under his boots and birds chirped in the trees. The sun bounced off the snow with a vengeance, and he pulled his sunglasses out of his pocket and slipped them on. When he’d put enough distance between him and the house that he could breathe without smelling Diana’s coconut/vanilla scent, he dialed his brother.
“I have four minutes,” said Asher by way of answering the phone. He was a busy doctor, but he always answered when Cliff called.
He was a more loyal brother than Cliff had been over the last year.
There was a huge apology in there somewhere, but he didn’t have time to spend groveling. He needed advice. As quickly as he could, he summed up the situation.
Asher hooted. “I can’t believe she got to you.”
“Yeah, well, it’s the same old pattern. I seem to like the women who aren’t available. What am I going to do? The more time I spend with her, the more I like her.”
“Like? I thought you liked her the first time she brought you cupcakes.”
“Why’d you think that?” He stopped walking, needing to hear the answer. The snow was crunchy and loud.
“Because you ate them. I seriously thought you were going to dump them in the trash, but you not only ate them; you hoarded them.”
“I like cupcakes,” he mumbled, not ready to admit to more than enjoying baked goods.
“Not that much.”
Cliff rubbed his cold lips together as he thought back to that day. Diana had just moved in and her heater wouldn’t turn on. She’d run to her car, blowing on her hands to keep them warm. He’d overheard her call the super, who’d said he couldn’t get there until the next day. He debated for a half hour before offering his help. He couldn’t let her freeze for a night. That was inhumane. But she was beautiful. Even then, he’d noticed the way she lit up his world. The next day, she showed up with these cupcakes that sparkled like snow and tasted like someone cared, and he knew she was trouble.
Asher continued. “So if you liked her back then and your feelings are stronger now … what does that mean you’re leaning toward?”
He clamped a fist over the thoughts growing in his head. “Do not say the L-word.”
“I wasn’t going to say it.”
Cliff pictured Asher with both his hands up in the air, feigning innocence.
“Can I give you my clinical advice?”
Clinical was good. Clinical meant no feelings involved. He needed to get his feelings out of this whole situation, because it was his feelings that muddied the waters. “Maybe? It depends on how good it is.”
Her Totally Hot Forbidden Fake Fiance Page 6
