A Steele for Christmas (11 page)

I
t’s only lust,
Eli tried telling himself later that day, while standing at the window in his office and staring at downtown Phoenix. Nothing was holding his attention—not the fact that it was a beautiful day and he could see beyond Phoenix’s tall buildings to the mountains, or the numerous women in the fitness center that was directly across the street. Come to think of it, he hadn’t checked out the fitness center in months. At least not since Stacey had opened her shop in his building.

Stacey.

He rubbed his hands down his face and felt his erection throb as it always did whenever he thought about her. That’s why he was sure it was only lust. Hell, what else could it be for him to be this obsessed over a woman where he would seek her out before nine in the morning for a quickie? Somehow his mind had convinced him the moment he’d walked into her shop that he needed a part of her to make his day complete. And by the time he’d walked out of her shop, he’d been consumed with a burst of energy he would not have gotten from a vitamin pill or one of those energy drinks. It had come from Stacey. Even now he was anxious to make love to her again. And he didn’t want anything quick about it. He wanted to go slow and savor each and every hard thrust.

The sound of the buzzer on his desk got his attention, and he crossed the room. “Yes, Ms. Larson?”

“Your brother is here to see you.”

Eli rolled his eyes. “Which one?”

“Galen.”

Eli frowned. “I don’t recall seeing his name in my appointment book. Did he have one?” He wondered why he was wasting his time asking when he knew the answer.

“No.”

“Then tell him I’m busy.”

There was a pause. “He said he doesn’t care and will wait.”

Eli’s frown deepened. “Send him in.”

It didn’t take long for Steele brother number one to walk in, all smiles. The last time Galen had walked into his office smiling and Eli had asked him what the hell he had to smile about, Galen had answered, “My wife.” His brother had gone on to say that getting married was the best thing to happen to him. Evidently, he was still feeling that way.

Eli hoped there was a valid reason Galen had dropped by and not just to waste his time with foolishness. Inwardly, Eli was proud of Galen, who’d made his first million while still in college when Galen and his two roommates created video games that became a hit on campus. The three formed a million dollar company for which Eli was the attorney. That was the good thing. The only bad thing was that millionaire or not, Galen had way too much free time on his hands and didn’t know the meaning of structure since he’d never worked a nine-to-five job.

The only saving grace was that being married was keeping Galen busy somewhat. When he wasn’t in his garage tinkering with the next video game he planned to put on the market, he was helping his wife out by doing odds and ends at the Phoenix office of Etiquette Matters, the nationally known company that Brittany owned.

“What do you want Galen? I’m busy,” Eli said shortly, sitting behind his huge desk.

Galen grinned. “Boy, aren’t we in a bad mood. When was the last time you got laid, Eli?”

Thoughts of Stacey spread out on her desk with him pumping into her flashed through his mind. He felt a deep stirring in his gut from the memory. “None of your damn business. Now, what do you want?”

“Just checking on you. You’ve been missing in action a lot lately,” Galen said, dropping down in the chair across from Eli.

“I’ve been out of town.”

“Yes, but you came back this weekend. Brittany invited everyone to breakfast Saturday morning and all Drew’s sons were present but you. Gannon claims you had a late night.”

“And if I did?”

“Nothing. In fact, I think it’s great that you’re back in the saddle. I was worried after what Liz Baker tried doing, that you were sidelined for life. It’s good to know that you’ve dusted yourself off and you’re back to riding again. No pun intended.”

Eli narrowed his gaze. It was on the tip of his tongue to tell his oldest brother to watch his mouth. When Galen or anyone referred to his sexual escapades, they seemed to be cheapening the times he made love with Stacey and in his book, there was nothing cheap and sleazy about it.

He leaned back in his chair and studied his brother and then tapped his fingers against his lips a few times. Before getting married, Galen’s sexual exploits were worse than any of them. In other words, of the six, Galen was considered the one who was really
bad
news. Once he’d almost gotten run out of Phoenix the same way Drew had gotten run out of Charlotte. In fact, for a portion of his sophomore year in high school, he had been in Charlotte. Drew had to send him to live with their cousins there for a while. That was after Tess Jones, the principal’s daughter, had been caught under the bleachers with Galen with her panties down. Mr. Jones hadn’t liked that one iota and had kicked Galen out of school for the rest of the year.

“I need to ask you something, Galen, and I need you to give me a straight answer. No bullshitting.”

Galen lifted a brow and then said. “Okay.”

Eli paused a moment and then leaned forward to ask, “Have you ever met a woman who you were so attracted to you couldn’t think straight? You dreamed about her at night and then had naughty fantasies of her in the mornings? And you foolishly believed your day couldn’t start, you couldn’t function, until you had a piece of her? And that she could make you feel better than anything you thought possible in the bedroom? And you can’t wait to see her again? To be with her again?”

Galen held his gaze and nodded slowly. “Yes, I used to be involved with such a woman.”

Eli rushed out a relieved breath. Good, maybe he wasn’t losing his mind after all. “What happened? What did you do?”

A huge smile touched Galen’s lips. “I married her.”

It was a beautiful day and Stacey had decided to get out and walk during her lunch hour. She loved downtown Phoenix with its museums, performing art centers and historical sights. The sidewalks were crowded with a lot of people going to and fro. She noticed other shop owners had begun decorating for Christmas and the more she saw, the more she was put in a festive mood.

Now if only she could put into perspective her involvement with Eli Steele. Just thinking about what happened between them that morning sent luscious chills through her body. She had never considered herself a passionate woman until now. Thanks to the workings of Eli Steele she had morphed into someone she didn’t know at times.

The old Stacey Carlson would never have gotten physically involved with a man without the promise of everlasting love. But now that she knew such a thing didn’t exist, she had no qualms about having a good time with the likes of Eli. He had opened her to a world she hadn’t known existed until now.

And all without any emotional entanglements.

She was being introduced to pleasures and passion beyond her wildest dreams, and could only blush when she recalled what happened in her office this morning. He hadn’t dropped in a little before noon as usual, and she was glad since she needed the reprieve to think things through.

In all honesty, she didn’t see anything wrong with what they were doing. Eli was being Eli, the womanizer, and like she’d told him, what he did with his extra time was his business as long as it didn’t affect his health and hers. She was a grown woman and didn’t mind being his flavor for the hour since he was definitely hers. They had been up-front and honest with each other from the start so neither was operating on any false illusions. It was about sex and nothing more. She could deal with that. She wanted to deal with it because she was enjoying him so much.

And she didn’t have a problem being secretive about their affair. For one, Cohen wouldn’t understand and would be totally against her involvement with him. Fortunate for her in that aspect, Cohen would only be in the city less than a week. After the party she would be giving him on Saturday night, he would be leaving for Florida.

She had mailed out the invitations and Eli was on the guest list. Around each other they had the tendency to draw heat. She hoped no one else noticed that heat or how intense it was. And if they did…oh, well.

Stacey glanced down at her watch. It was time to head back to her shop. She was about to turn around when a holiday display in the window of an exclusive jewelry store caught her attention. There among the holiday decorations was a small Christmas tree adorned with sparkling gold ornaments and sitting on a blue tree skirt. Sitting beneath the decorated tree was a red box that was opened to showcase a beautiful diamond ring. Both the decorations and the ring nearly took her breath away.

She moved closer and all but pressed her nose to the glass to get a closer look at the diamond. She wasn’t surprised to see it was a Zion creation. Jewelry by Zion was the rave since Zion was the First Lady’s personal jeweler. Stacey bet the ring cost a pretty penny and could just imagine the woman who would wake up on Christmas morning to find such a rock underneath her tree. That would definitely be one lucky lady. Stacey wished it was her and laughed as she stepped back to move on. That was one wish she knew would never come true.

Eli signed off on the last document as he glanced up at the clock on the wall in his office. It was time to end his workday and he knew just where he was headed. He would go home, shower and then pay a visit to Stacey.

He smiled when he thought of her and then frowned when he recalled his conversation with Galen. Eli would never forget that day when Galen had announced to his five brothers that he had fallen in love with a woman they hadn’t met. A woman he had known less than a week. For a die-hard womanizer to make such a claim had been unthinkable.

But unthinkable as it might have seemed, Eli had been the one who had convinced Galen to tell Brittany how he felt before she could leave town and be lost to him forever. And he would be the first to say that Galen and Brittany made a beautiful couple and he knew without a doubt they were very much in love.

He sighed deeply as he thought about what Galen had said earlier that day and tried to force the conversation to the back of his mind. The last thing Eli had wanted to hear from his brother was that his love for Brittany had started from pure lust. And it was lust that had eventually transformed into love. He was happy for his brother but knew the same thing wouldn’t happen to him. He was smart enough not to get lust and love confused.

He stood and walked across the room to grab his jacket when the buzzer on his desk sounded. He frowned wondering what his secretary wanted. He went back to his desk to find out. “Yes, Ms. Larson?”

“Mr. Farmer is here to see you, Mr. Steele.”

Eli raised a brow and a smile touched his lips. Evidently, Harry Farmer had finally come to his senses and realized he was the best man for the presidency and wanted Eli to know he was pulling his support from Nesbitt and was backing him instead.

Suddenly feeling good, downright ecstatic about the older man’s visit, Eli slid into his jacket and said, “By all means please send him in.”

A few moments later, Harry Farmer walked in with an air of arrogance that Eli had always admired. Harry had made his millions as a young man in the retail business and owned a slew of retail stores all over the United States, but the corporate office was in Phoenix. The man’s loyalty to the city could not be questioned, but what could be was his reluctance to accept change. Some of Farmer’s recent ideas for Phoenix’s growth did not embrace a city that could become even more of a mover and shaker than it already was. Farmer lacked the very thing Eli had. Vision.

No one had been happier than Eli last year when Farmer announced that he would not seek another term as president of the business council, ending a near twenty-year term. Farmer wanted to spend more time with his grandkids and Eli could appreciate that.

“Mr. Farmer, this is a pleasant surprise,” he said, smiling brightly when Ms. Larson escorted the man into his office.

“Eli, I know it’s late but I felt the two of us should talk.”

Eli nodded. “Good idea. Please have a seat.”

The man sat in the guest chair and Eli sat behind his desk. “I think I know the reason you’re here, Mr. Farmer.”

The man’s bushy brows lifted. “You do?”

“Yes, and I totally agree with your way of thinking.”

Surprise flirted across the man’s face. “You do?”

“Why, of course. I figured sooner or later you would reach the conclusion that I am the right man for the presidency. The only man.”

Harry Farmer stared at him for a minute and then shook his head. “Sorry, Eli. That’s not why I’m here.”

Now it was Eli who looked surprised. “It’s not?”

“No, and I regret you assumed that.”

Eli regretted it as well. As an attorney he should have known better than to assume anything. “Then I must ask the nature of your visit,” he said, trying to keep his tone void of the disappointment he felt. He’d jumped the gun. Evidently, Farmer had sought him out for legal advice and nothing more.

Harry Farmer leaned forward in his chair and pinned Eli with his direct stare. “I’m here to ask you to drop out of the race.”

E
li kept his mouth from dropping open as he stared at the man. “You want me to drop out of the race for president of the Phoenix Business Council?” he said in a stunned tone.

“Yes.”

“But why?” Eli asked, also leaning forward in his chair.

“For the betterment of the council. Don’t get me wrong, Eli. I think you’d make a fine president and you’d have Phoenix’s best interest at heart. But I don’t see you as someone who is ready to lead the council since you’re not focused.”

Eli frowned. “I’m not focused?”

“No. Although you may argue one has nothing to do with the other, I disagree. It seems you spend most of your time and efforts pursuing women and I really don’t know how dedicated and effective you’d be in the role of president.”

Eli drew in a deep breath and fought back the temptation to tell Farmer to go to hell and take his opinions with him. But he of all people knew the weight the man carried within the council. Just like he knew it would be a waste of time trying to convince Farmer just how wrong his opinions of him were. As far as Eli was concerned, when it came to multitasking he was at the top of his game. He could run the council and still pursue women even with his eyes closed.

His mind began spinning and he had to think quickly. The one position he’d always wanted within the community, the one that could eventually propel the political career he intended to have, was slowly slipping away from him. He refused to let that happen.

“Is your only reason for not backing me as president that you consider me a notorious playboy and not settled and focused?”

“Yes. Even with all my conservative views, I would admit your ideas for leading Phoenix forward are good, even better than Nesbitt’s. But, unfortunately, several of us can’t get beyond your dating history.”

Eli nodded. And unfortunately, because of the weight the man carried, Eli needed his support. Knowing he was about to tell a little white lie, one he hoped wouldn’t come back and bite him on the ass, Eli said smoothly, “I’m glad to hear you say that because other than my family, no one knows what I’m about to tell you and I hope you can keep a secret.”

The older man looked intrigued. “Of course I can keep a secret. What is it?”

Eli once again considered the benefits of the lie he was about to tell. It was hard to believe he was about to fix his lips to say such a thing, but he had to do something. Drastic times called for drastic measures and quick-witted planning. “Like I said, no one other than my family knows.”

He paused, tried to control the tumbling in the pit of his stomach when he then said, “I’m engaged to be married.”

The man looked shocked as he simply stared at Eli. Then Farmer narrowed his eyes in disbelief, sputtered and said, “Engaged? You? Impossible!”

Eli smiled. “Yes, sir. Me. Engaged. Why is that so hard to believe?”

“You’re a Steele and from what I hear, you’re the worst one in the pack when it comes to commitment.”

Eli chuckled, refusing to acknowledge what Farmer had said was probably true. “People said the same thing about Galen. And as you recall it was hard for everyone to believe he got married, but you saw it with your own eyes since you attended the wedding.”

Farmer nodded.

Thinking he was on a roll and might as well be convincing as possible, Eli leaned back in his chair and added, “All it takes is the right woman to come along to change a man’s mind.”

A huge smile then touched the man’s features. “You’re right about that. Me and my Claudia have been married for almost fifty years. And she’s still the apple of my eye.”

The man then relaxed back in his chair, definitely a little more jovial. “Your announcement changes everything, Eli. I’m glad you’ve come to your senses and given up the endless parade of women. With a focused mind you’d make a great president of the council.”

Eli smiled. Had he known it would have been this easy, he would have told the little white lie long ago. “Does that mean you’ll consider supporting me in my bid for president?”

“Yes, once I see your engagement is legit and that you’re not pulling my leg. Has a date been set? And just who is this woman you’re marrying?”

Eli swallowed. He hadn’t expected Farmer not to believe him or go further and question him about a name. “No, a date hasn’t been set and I doubt that you know her.”

The man waved off his words. “That very well might be the case but I expect to meet her sometime. My Claudia will probably want to have her over for tea or something and introduce her to the other wives. I don’t know why the two of you are keeping your engagement a secret, however, to get my support you’d have to come out in the open about it. I want to meet her and I think the council’s Thanksgiving party will be the perfect time and place to introduce her to everyone. And I don’t like rushing things but since the elections are in January, I think a Christmas wedding would be nice. You can start off the year right with a wife.”

Eli felt a tightening in his throat. He hadn’t counted on the man suggesting something like that. “A Christmas wedding?”

“Yes. It’s a wonderful time to marry. So tell me, what’s her name? Who is the woman who has captured the heart of the elusive Eli Steele?”

It was on the tip of his tongue to say such a woman didn’t exist, but Eli knew saying such a thing would catch him as a bald-face liar. So he said the name of the only woman who’d been in his thoughts lately. Not only was she in them but she was dominating them.

“Stacey. Stacey Carlson.”

And after saying the name, Eli knew he was now in one hot mess.

Stacey stood at her stove stirring the pot of stew she’d made. She’d cooked more than enough and would drop a container over at Cohen’s tomorrow. The movers would be arriving soon to begin packing him up. He had made plans to move in with Tyson a few days after the party since her place was so small and Tyson lived close to the hospital.

And since Tyson had such a huge condo with a breathtaking view of the mountains, he had suggested that she have Cohen’s going away party at his place. She had everything ordered for the party and now all the invitees had to do was show up on Saturday night, and there was no doubt in her mind that they would. Even Dee would be flying in Saturday morning to help her with any last-minute planning.

She couldn’t help but smile when she thought about the number of customers who’d complimented her shop’s holiday decorations. And sales had been extremely good today. In fact, she’d had to order more of the dancing Santa, which seemed to be a favorite, as well as the dancing Rudolph who wagged his short tail and blinked his red nose.

Turning the knob for the stew to continue to simmer, she grabbed the book she had begun reading off the table. It was an adventure thriller written by Rock Mason, one of her favorite authors, and just the type of book she needed to get her mind off Eli.

He hadn’t dropped back in her shop that day and when she’d left for home she had noted his car was still in the parking lot. She shrugged, figuring he’d show back up when the time suited him, and the thought of him doing so didn’t bother her in the least. She didn’t have to remind herself that she and Eli were not in a committed relationship. She knew what side the bread was buttered on and didn’t want things any other way. In fact, she looked forward to seeing him again in the morning. After the hot quickie they’d shared in her office, there was no doubt in her mind that he would be back.

An hour or so later she was stretched on the sofa reading her book when she heard the doorbell. A glance out the window indicated night had descended while she’d been engulfed in her novel. She shifted her gaze to the door when the doorbell sounded again and a rush of excitement moved up her spine.

She knew who had come visiting. She placed her book on the table, eased off the sofa and crossed the room to the door. A quick look out the peephole confirmed the sensations flowing through her body. It was Eli. Her heart began hammering in her chest and fire seemed to flare through her blood. What was there about him that could make her react this way? Make her a passionate being, one she didn’t know existed but wanted to explore?

Suddenly feeling naughty, she ran her hand through the curls on her head, tossed her head back as a rueful grin touched her lips. Eli was here for one reason only, and she didn’t have a problem with that reason. In fact, since she’d dropped the element of love from the mix of things for her, she felt better. She no longer had to worry about the possibility of her heart getting broken. There would be no more pain for her, and no sense of betrayal. She was determined to never have to worry about deception from another single male. From now on she would savor life, but not get bogged down in it.

Heaving a sensual sigh, she turned the knob to open the door.

When Stacey opened the door, Eli could only stand there a second and get his bearings. There was something about seeing her that was having some sort of effect on him. Yes, it was an arousing effect, but there was something else as well. Something he couldn’t put a name to. Something that seemed to be going over his head—the one attached to his neck—and landing straight into another.

He shifted his stance and studied the smile on her lips. It was a warm smile. Inviting. Seductive. Instead of thinking he’d probably caught her at a bad time, for some reason he had a feeling he’d caught her at a good one.

He held her gaze. Felt the heat. Inhaled her scent. And the depth of his desire and need for her was sending blood rushing into every part of his body.

“Would you like to come in, Eli?”

He blinked, realizing he hadn’t even said anything. Not even a greeting. The last time they’d seen each other had been that morning when he had made love to her in her office. “Yes, I’d like to come in.”

She moved aside and he walked past her, fighting the urge to pull her into his arms, taste her lips and devour her mouth. He turned when he heard her close the door behind him. She was leaning against it wearing one of those short things again. A caftan was what they called it but it looked like pure seduction on her since it showed off her legs. Legs he loved to look at. Legs he loved having wrapped around him while they made love.

“Umm, I guess you just happened to be in the neighborhood, right?” she asked.

He eased his hands into the pockets of his jeans. That used to be the line he would give the women when he would show up unexpectedly for one of his famous booty calls. Did she assume that was what this was? When you think of it, she had no reason not to. And why did it suddenly bother him that she was so receptive to it, like the thought that he only wanted her for sex didn’t irk her one iota.

“No, I didn’t just happen to be in the neighborhood. When I left home I knew this was my destination,” he said, being honest and wanting a reason to set the record straight.

She shrugged her shoulders. “The main thing is that you’re here.”

His gaze had shifted from her eyes to her lips and had watched them move. Her lips in action sent a sensuous shiver through his body and he felt himself get hard when he thought about several things he liked about her lips.

“Can I get you something?”

It wasn’t what she asked but rather how she’d asked it that sent his heart pounding and his erection throbbing. He knew she had to see it since it was quite obvious he was hard for her. There was no way he could hide it now. “I’ll take a beer if you have it. A cold one,” he heard himself say. He needed a cold liquid to quell the heat flowing through his body.

“Sure, one beer coming up.”

She walked by him. Deliberately brushed against him. Intentionally ignited his already hot and aroused body. Instantly it burst into flames. Without thinking, purely acting on instinct and need, he reached out for her and the moment her body was plastered to his, testosterone he couldn’t control took over. Drove him over the edge.

On a masculine growl he pushed her down on the sofa and came down on top of her as a yearning and hunger so intense it had his teeth rattling, took over. He captured her mouth in his while his hands stripped her of her clothes in a need to touch her body, every single inch of her skin. And he wanted to taste it as well. She had the flavor of peaches and crème, he decided as his lips moved over her, savoring her with a hunger he felt in every muscle of his body.

When she was a hot, writhing mass of fire beneath him, he stood just long enough to strip off his own clothes and returned to her, easing between her legs and then entering her while her flames spread to engulf him. The moment he felt those familiar inner muscles clamp down on him, he exploded and screamed an orgasm. It was a full body climax and they were consumed by it. It was simply amazing. Hearing her scream his name made his heart clamor with pride.

Moments later, he tried breathing again as he eased off her and slumped down off the sofa to the floor and stared up at the ceiling. If this kept up, Stacey was going to be the death of him. Making such a claim about a woman was simply unheard of for Eli.

“Was it worth you stopping by, Eli?”

He snapped his head up to where she lay on the sofa naked, and in a position that invited a repeat performance of what they’d just done. He fought the urge. “This is not why I’m here, Stacey. I didn’t come for this.”

He’d said the words with more force than he’d intended and he watched her brow furrow, obviously confused by what he’d said. Easing to the edge of the sofa she propped herself up on her elbow to stare down at him.

“If you didn’t come for this, then what did you come for, Eli?” she questioned in a surprised voice.

It was a voice that apprised him of what she assumed his expectations were of her, her role in his life, which was basically the same function as with any other woman he associated with. She was about to find out just how wrong that assumption was.

He pulled up his body while holding her gaze. When he got to within a breath of her lips, he spoke in a clear, distinct and serious voice.