A Trap So Tender (14 page)

She swallowed. “So…you’re asking me to marry you?”

“Oh, no.” His swift answer made her stomach clench. “I already
did that. I don’t like to repeat myself. Especially when the results weren’t
impressive the first time.”

She blinked. He was toying with her. “You think I should decide
whether to follow through on my promises.”

He watched her coolly. “I think you already did, by coming
here.”

“I didn’t have much choice.” Her blood was pounding in her
head. Did she really have a chance to do this over?

“You always have a choice.”

Inscrutable as a pharaoh, he sat and watched her from across
the gleaming expanse of polished wood. She wanted to throw food at him, or run
and kiss him, or scream and run around. Anything but sit here as if she was in a
board meeting with a cold-eyed boss.

James Drummond wanted to marry her, even after all she’d done.
But there was no affection here, no promises of a happy life together. No
declarations of love.

“You don’t love me.” The words sounded plaintive, almost
pathetic, on her tongue. It wouldn’t hurt if only she hadn’t fallen so foolishly
in love with him.

“Dammit, Fiona!” He smashed his fist on the table, which made
her jump a foot in the air. His chair fell back as he rose to his feet. “I love
you so much I can barely breathe.” He strode around the table. “I love you so
much I can’t get out of bed in the morning without aching for the sight of you.”
He pulled her roughly up from her chair. “I love you so much I can’t bear the
thought of living without you.”

He held her hands tight, and for the first time she could read
the emotion in the stormy depth of his eyes. Every muscle in his body was tight,
a coiled spring ready to explode with unexpressed emotion. “I love you so much I
don’t know what the hell I’ll do if you don’t marry me.”

Her only response was a throaty sob that exploded from her
without permission. She jumped into his arms and hugged him. “I love you, too,
James.” Now her voice really sounded pathetic. “I’ve missed you every second. I
didn’t think I’d ever see you again, and it was killing me. I’ve never met
anyone like you, and it didn’t take me long to figure out that you and I are
almost ridiculously perfect for each other. It hurt so badly when I realized I’d
ruined everything.”

His arms around her felt so good. Emotion crashed through her
in waves, and she kept having to look into his eyes to make sure this was really
happening.

“I’ll take my share of the blame, too.” He spoke gruffly. “I
didn’t listen when you wanted to slow down. That didn’t fit my needs, and they
were all I worried about. I was an ass.”

“We were both asses.” She bit her lip. “I guess that’s why we
tycoons aren’t often popular.”

He laughed and hugged her close. “We’d drive anyone crazy,
except each other.”

“And maybe even each other, too. I do love you, James. I love
you very, very much.”

This time their kiss was soft and tender. And led to a night of
lovemaking that confirmed what they both already knew—they were meant to be
together.

Epilogue

“D
on't worry, it won't rain.” Katherine
Drummond beamed at the slate-gray skies over the sweeping lawn behind James's
castle. “Not now that we've found the cup.” Katherine had been at James
Drummond's magnificent estate for only one night, but already she felt more a
Drummond than ever. The entire estate was in celebration mode. Staff dashed
around making final preparations for the wedding, and guests had been arriving
all morning from far and wide.

“When are you going to put the cup together?” Annie asked.
Sinclair's wife had been there—as his ­housekeeper—when Katherine first
came up with the idea to find the pieces.

“When Jack arrives. Even though we have his piece with us, it
won't be the same unless he's here.” She glanced at her watch. Nearly 11:25 a.m.
and Fiona and James's wedding was at noon sharp. “I hope he hurries up. It would
be terrible if he missed the wedding. And I'm sure it would bring good luck to
have the cup reunited at the ceremony.”

“Sinclair and I have survived several months of marriage with
the cup in pieces.” Annie smiled. “So it's not a big deal if they have to
wait.”

Katherine smoothed the silky skirt of her dress. “I know. It's
just that we've waited so long already. I thought James would never bother to
find his piece. In fact, none of you were very helpful.” She poked her son in
the ribs. “Sinclair didn't seem to care at all about the cup. But you'll thank
me for it a few decades from now when you're still happily married.” She
instinctively glanced at her watch again: 11:26. “Where is Jack? Is he sailing
here from Florida on one of his boats?”

“Don't worry, Aunt Katherine.” James, tall and handsome as
ever, kissed her on the cheek. “I just got a text that he's minutes away. The
fate of the Drummonds is in good hands.”

“Where's your blushing bride?” she teased. Fiona did not seem
like the blushing type. In fact, she seemed steely enough to manage any
Drummond, even one with a large castle.

“I'm not allowed to see her in her wedding finery until she
comes down the aisle. You know how we feel about traditions here in
Scotland.”

“And you know how much I love that! I should have worn the
family tartan. How come you're not in a kilt, James?”

“Kilts are a trifling nineteenth-century fashion. We Drummonds
are a far more ancient race and prefer to keep our knees covered.”

“Quite understandable, though I'm sure you have a fine set of
knees.” She sighed. The Drummond men were so handsome it was no wonder they had
women falling all over them throughout the centuries. Once the cup was reunited,
they'd finally be able to enjoy the kind of happy marriage she'd hoped for when
she'd married her own dashing Drummond nearly forty years ago. She hadn't been
able to save him from his demons, but she'd be damned if she was going to see
the next generation succumb to some old curse.

The throaty purr of an expensive engine made heads turn, and
she smiled when she saw the always elegant Vicki climb out from the passenger
side of a low-slung sports car. An old family friend, Vicki was the perfect
match for Jack Drummond, descendant of the piratical branch of the family.

“Darling.” Katherine kissed Vicki on both cheeks when she
approached the group. “Thank you for corralling your husband here. I'm sure it
wasn't easy.”

Jack managed to look rather wild and untamed even in a sleek
suit. “So you're going to set us all on the straight and narrow.” He hugged her.
“I'm not sure I'm ready for that, but I'll do my best.”

“Oh, I don't think it will be at all narrow. And probably not
too straight, either. But now that everyone's here we can finally put the cup
back together after three hundred years.”

“But we haven't even tested the pieces to see if they fit yet.”
Annie was definitely a worrier like herself. Which was good when you had a
Drummond at home, though Sinclair was hardly wild. It was wonderful to see them
so happy, and she was eagerly anticipating the new Drummond who'd soon be
running around their old Long Island house.

“They'll fit. We wise old ladies know these things.” She tried
to smile inscrutably.

“Old?” Vicki laughed. “You look younger than all of us. I want
your plastic surgeon's number.”

“I won't have anything to do with surgery. I rely entirely on
miracles. Speaking of which, let's gather the pieces of the cup and get
ready.”

* * *

Fiona's heart swelled with emotion as she walked down the
aisle, arm in arm with James, after their sweet and simple ceremony had joined
them together as husband and wife. The aisle was simply a broad strip of grass
between two phalanxes of chairs filled with glamorous wedding guests, including
James's mom, her own mom and stepdad, and—gasp!—her dad. James had invited him
to dine with them in Singapore, anxious to meet the man who'd inspired such
creative conspiring against him. He and her dad hit it off, and the meal had
ended with them brainstorming ways to bring her dad's business into the
twenty-first century. They'd since spent time together here in Scotland, and
their unconventional family was evolving beyond her expectations.

The three pieces of the cup lay on a tartan draped over a table
at the far end of the aisle. The three Drummond men, James, Jack and Sinclair,
would each take a piece and join them again, as their ancestors had intended
when the cup was last split three hundred years ago.

James took the base that had flung itself at him from the wall
of his own castle. Jack took the drinking vessel that he'd dredged up from under
the sea near his island in Florida, and Sinclair took the stem that had lain
quietly amid the accumulated clutter in the attic of his Long Island
mansion.

Fiona held her breath as James held the base steady, and
Sinclair pushed the stem down onto a raised point in the middle. It slid neatly
into place. Jack lifted the bowl and held it over the stem, then lowered it
slowly until the two pieces slid together to form an apparently seamless
chalice.

“Oh, my goodness,” Katherine said, clearly overwhelmed with
emotion. “Look, it fits! I always knew the legend was true. Where's the
champagne?”

The skies had brightened and tiny white clouds scudded across
pale blue. Birds darted around as a waiter filled the chalice with champagne and
the Drummonds and their new brides passed it around, drinking to the future
generations.

Annie only pretended to sip as she was several months pregnant
with their first baby. The expectant mother glowed with happiness. But
apparently that wasn't enough for Katherine. “So, who's going to produce the
next member of the new generation?”

“Don't look at me just yet.” Fiona hugged James. They'd decided
to launch a new business together in Singapore, and they would be busy flying
back and forth for at least the next year. Maybe then they'd settle in Scotland
and throw themselves into domesticity.

Jack elbowed his wife. The usually pale Vicki blushed an
uncharacteristic beetroot. “I'm in the market for designer maternity wear.
Apparently the next Drummond is a male and will be arriving in only six months'
time.”

Katherine gasped and looked as if she might faint, then burst
into hysterical laughter. “Perfect! I'm so happy I could cry. In fact, I think
it's a very strong possibility.”

“Congratulations, Vicki.” Fiona hugged her new cousin. “And
congratulations, Annie,” she added, kissing Annie's soft cheek. “I can't wait to
be the favorite aunt for the youngest Drummonds. You'll have to bring them here
often so they can get in touch with their Scottish heritage.”

“And learn to hunt,” chimed in James.

“It's obvious the Drummonds will never be entirely tamed, but I
suppose that's a good thing.” Katherine patted her eye makeup carefully with a
tissue. “Now, let's dance!”

* * * * *

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

I
t 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 company 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.

He was tall, and the Stetson on his head made him appear taller. But his height was secondary to the sharp handsomeness of the features beneath the brim of his hat. There was the coffee-and-cream color of his skin, his piercing dark brown eyes, a perfectly shaped nose, his full lips and a sculpted chin.

And she couldn't bypass his shoulders, massive and powerful-looking. It was hard to believe, with the temperature being what it was, that he seemed comfortable braving the harsh elements with a cowhide jacket instead of a heavy coat. It was in the low teens, and he was walking around like it was in the high sixties.

Her gaze slid all over him as he moved his long limbs toward her vehicle in a walk that was so agile and self-assured, she almost envied the confidence he exuded with every step. Her breasts suddenly peaked, and she could actually feel blood rushing through her veins. She didn't have to guess about what was happening to her, but still, she was surprised. This was the first time she'd reacted to a man since her breakup with Eddie.

The man made it to her car and tapped on the window. She all but held her breath as she pressed the button to roll it down. “Riley Westmoreland?” She really didn't have to ask since he favored his brother, Dillon.

“Yes. Alpha Blake?” he responded, offering her his hand through the open window while looking at her with what she thought was cool and assessing interest.

“Yes.” She took his hand and even through her leather gloves, she thought it felt warm. “Glad to meet you, Mr. Westmoreland.”

“Riley,” he corrected, smiling, and she felt her insides melt. He had a gorgeous pair of eyes. Dark and alluring. “The pleasure is all mine,” he added. “I've only heard exceptional things about you and your work. Both Dillon and Pam speak highly of you, Alpha. I hope it's okay for me to call you Alpha.”

“Thank you, and yes, that's fine.”

“I've made all the arrangements with my road service. Keep your emergency lights on and leave your car keys under your seat,” he said, taking a step back so she could get out of the vehicle.

She nervously gnawed her bottom lip. “Will it be safe to do that?”

He chuckled. “Yes, days like this keep thieves inside.” He opened the car door for her. “Ready to get inside my truck?”

“Yes.” She placed her key under the seat and then grabbed her purse and messenger bag. Tightening her coat around her, she walked quickly to the side of his truck. He was there to open the door and she appreciated finding the inside warm and cozy. It smelled like him, a scent that was masculine and sexy. She blushed, wondering why she was thinking such things, especially about a man she would be working for.

He closed the door just seconds before his cell phone rang, and she looked at the outside mirror as he spoke on the phone while moving around the front of the truck to get in the driver's side.

Opening the door, he climbed inside and proceeded to adjust the seat to accommodate his long legs before snapping his seat belt in place. The call had ended. He put his phone away and glanced over at her with a smile. She thought she would melt right then and there. “Warm?” he asked in a voice that was throatier than anything she'd ever heard.

If only you knew,
she fought back saying. Instead her response was a simple “Yes. Thanks for asking.”

“No problem.” He then glanced into the rearview mirror before easing the truck onto the road.

* * *

The ensuing silence gave Riley the impression the woman was shy. And with her wrapped in a bulky coat and standing no more than five foot three, he figured she was probably short and stocky. He preferred tall, slender and curvy, but she had a pretty face that was eye-catching. She was definitely a looker. That had been the first thing he'd noticed. He was a sucker for a pretty face each and every time.

Deciding he didn't like the silence, he reached out and switched on the CD player. Immediately the soulful sound of Jill Scott filled the air. After a few moments, he concluded the music was not enough. To get a dialogue started, he asked conversationally, “I understand you're from Florida. What brought you to Denver?”

She tilted her head to look at him, and the first thing he noticed was her eyes. They were a chocolate brown and oval in shape. Then he was drawn to her hair, a beautiful shade of brown. The thick strands touched her shoulders and curled at the end. The coloring, whether natural or from a bottle, was perfect for her smooth, cocoa-colored complexion. And then there was that cute dimple in her chin, which was there even when she bore a serious expression.

“I've never been the adventurous type, but when my godmother passed away and left me enough funds that I could make a career change without going broke, I took advantage of it.”

He nodded. “So what were you doing before you became an event planner?”

“I was a veterinarian.”

“Wow. That was some career change.”

She smiled. “Yes, it was.”

He looked ahead, thinking that if she thought she would not have to explain why someone would stop being a veterinarian to become an event planner, she could think again. “How does a person go from being a vet to becoming a party planner?”

She pushed a lock of hair from her face and said, “Becoming a vet was my parents' idea, and I went along with it.”

“Why?” He couldn't imagine going to college for anything other than what he wanted to do in life. He did, however, know how a person could get their dream career waylaid, as in the case of his cousin, Ramsey.

Ramsey had always wanted to be a sheep rancher, and he'd gone to school to study agricultural economics. The only reason Ramsey had taken a CEO position at Blue Ridge Management after school, instead of going into farming, was to work alongside Dillon to keep the company afloat when their parents had died in a plane crash. But once Ramsey and Dillon had made it into a million-dollar company, Ramsey had turned full management of Blue Ridge over to Dillon to become the sheep rancher he'd always wanted to be.

Riley's truck came to a stop at the traffic light, which gave him the opportunity to glance back over at Alpha just in time to see her gnawing her lips again and fidgeting with a sterling silver Tiffany bracelet on her wrist.
Umm, it seems “why” was another uncomfortable question,
he thought.

“I became a vet mainly to satisfy my parents. They own a veterinary clinic and figured I would join them and make it a family affair. I did so for a year, but discovered my heart just wasn't in it. They knew it, but still, they weren't happy when I decided to switch careers. However, they accepted that being an event planner was my calling when I put together their thirtieth wedding anniversary celebration.”

“Did a good job of it, huh?” he asked.