One Winter's Night (8 page)

Eight

“W
ow, the invitations will be simply beautiful,” Lindsey Hopkins said. The twenty-something stay-at-home mom assisted Alpha on a part-time basis. As she looked at the computer screen over Alpha’s shoulder, she had a huge grin on her face. “And you’re the one designing them?”

Alpha smiled, too, pleased that Lindsey liked them. “Yes, after coming up with what I thought would work for our theme, One Winter’s Night, I thought the idea of a country house in a light snowstorm would be perfect.”

And she knew just the house she would use as a model. Riley’s home. It would be picture-perfect. She had mentioned using a picture of his home on the invitation when he brought her home the other night. He said he had no problem with it and had given her the green light to do it.

“Do you know whose house you’re going to use?” Lindsey asked her.

She turned her chair around and met Lindsey’s inquiring gaze. “Yes, it belongs to one of the Westmorelands. Riley Westmoreland.”

Lindsey’s face lit up. “He’s one of Bane’s older brothers. I met him once, and I bet the house is as gorgeous as he is.”

Alpha threw her head back and laughed. “Well, yes, I guess you could say that.”

“Trust me, I do. Every woman in town knows how good-looking those Westmoreland men are. Some of us are married, but we aren’t blind. Any woman can appreciate a good-looking man.”

Alpha grinned. “True.” She turned back to the computer. “So you think Riley’s house might work as a backdrop?”

“I’ve never seen it, but I don’t see why not. I’ve been to Westmoreland Country once or twice, years ago with my father when he did the landscaping for the main house. He took me and my brothers along to help. You know, free labor,” she said, laughing. “The main house was huge and majestic. I heard all the siblings have built their own homes now.”

Alpha switched her computer to another screen, one that showed an example of some of the decorations she contemplated using. “Yes, that’s what I heard.” None of Riley’s rules had governed publicizing their affair, but she didn’t feel comfortable broadcasting it to anyone.

An hour or so later, Lindsey had left to pick up her baby from her mom and Alpha was on her way to the kitchen to fix a sandwich—her favorite, peanut butter and jelly—when the doorbell rang. Wondering who could be calling on her, she crossed the living room to the door. A quick glance out of the peephole indicated a florist deliveryman.

Pursing her lips thoughtfully, she opened the door. Who would send her flowers? Perhaps the man was at the wrong house. “May I help you?”

The older man smiled. “Alpha Blake?”

“Yes.”

“These are for you,” he said, handing her the huge, beautiful ceramic vase of pink roses. A dozen of them.

“Thanks,” she said, accepting the flowers.

“And the tip has been taken care of.”

“Oh, thanks,” she said, stepping back and using her toe to close the door. The roses filled her house with a sweet-smelling scent. As soon as she set the vase down on the table, she pulled off the card, eager to see who’d sent them.

Two days left. Riley

She threw her head back and laughed. She had thought about everything he had suggested for Saturday night, especially the Pleasure Game, and felt she was ready. There was no need to put off the inevitable. Besides, she’d never played games with a man in the bedroom. Eddie hadn’t had an imaginative bone in his body. LeBron had been full of ideas but only with the pretense that his bed partner was Omega. Alpha shook her head at how he actually hadn’t seen anything wrong with wanting to make love to her while pretending she was her sister.

Moments later, Alpha was still standing in front of the table and gazing at the roses when her cell phone rang. She pulled it out of her pocket and saw it was her father. She and her parents talked at least once a week, but usually at night. She was surprised he was calling her in the middle of the day.

“Dad?”

“Yes, Al, how’s my girl?”

She couldn’t help but smile. “I’m fine. What about you?”

“Great. Look, I just had to call you and tell you I saw Eddie today when he brought Cleo into the office.”

She frowned. “Is Cleo okay?” she asked, inquiring about the beautiful Labrador retriever that Eddie owned. She had fallen in love with the dog and had begun considering Cleo as hers, too.

“Yes, Cleo’s fine. He brought her in for her annual visit.”

“Oh. You didn’t have to call to tell me that, Dad.”

“I know, but I figured you’d want to know that he asked about you.”

Like she cared. “Did he?”

“Yes. He even asked if you’ve mentioned anything about moving back home.” There was a pause. Alpha knew she wouldn’t like what was coming next but decided to let her father have his say since he would do so anyway.

“Look, baby, I know Eddie was the one to call off the wedding and all, but understand it from a man’s point of view. He didn’t want your reputation tarnished.”

Alpha gritted her teeth. “He wanted me to disown Omega.”

“But your sister chose the life she wanted. None of us were happy with it. Even your mom and I haven’t been able to forgive her for embarrassing us that way.”

And to this day Alpha felt her parents were wrong. She’d told them so more times than she could count. Regardless, Omega was their child and her sister, and nothing should have slid a wedge between those relationships. But her parents had succumbed to their friends’ gossip and whispers. “I know, Dad, and you know how I felt about that. No matter what, she’s still your daughter and my sister.”

“Well, one day you’re going to face up to what she did to us, what she did to you. You had men looking at you funny, thinking you were her.”

“It was only one man, Dad.” She had heard all this before and wasn’t in the mood to rehash this with her father. “Besides, that was three years ago. Omega is now a happily married woman.”

“With a past.”

She rolled her eyes. “We all have one. Some a little naughtier than others.”

“Naughtier? What your sister did was a disgrace.”

“What Omega did has nothing to do with Eddie.”

“Had you and Eddie married, the two of you would have been one, so it did have something to do with him. And as far as I’m concerned, he’s a good man. All he wanted was to protect you.”

“No. He was trying to control me.”

There was a pause on the other end. “So you’re saying the chances of the two of you getting back together are slim to none?”

“I’m leaning heavily on none.”

There was another pause. “I hope you’re not making a mistake. What about the next man you meet who might find out what your sister used to do for a living?”

“Any man I become seriously involved with, Dad, is going to have to accept me as I am. Omega has nothing to do with it.”

“You’re wrong, Al. She’s a part of your past that you can’t get rid of.”

“No, Dad. She’s a part of my present, and I can’t imagine it being any other way.”

* * *

When he heard the brisk knock on his office door, Riley knew who it was without looking up. “Come in, Canyon.”

His brother entered, letting off steam. “Keisha Ashford is not the same woman I was involved with three years ago. Do you hear me, Ry? She is not the same woman.”

Riley leaned back in his chair. “Yes, I hear you. In fact, I’m sure everyone on this floor heard you. I take it the meeting didn’t go well?”

“Go well? That woman deliberately tried to make me look as if I didn’t know what the hell I was doing.”

A smile touched the corners of Riley’s lips. He seldom saw his brother hot under the collar and just to know a woman was responsible was somewhat amusing. Especially since the Canyon he knew would never let a woman get under his skin. “And did you?” he asked, watching his brother angrily pace back and forth in front of his desk.

Canyon stopped and glared. “Did I what?”

“Know what the hell you were doing?”

At first Canyon appeared to have been taken aback by the question. But then he lifted his shoulders in a defensive stance. “Hell, yes, I knew what I was doing, but she deliberately tried to make me look bad.”

Riley forced the smile off his face. “And why would she do something like that? Was it because she found out you were seeing another woman behind her back, when the two of you were supposed to be dating exclusively? Hmm?”

Canyon glared. “I was not seeing that other woman and you know it. Bonita Simpkins set me up, and Keisha fell for it.”

Riley opened his mouth to say something but the receptionist’s voice on the intercom stopped him. “Mr. Westmoreland, Ms. Alpha Blake is on line two for you.”

“Thanks.” He then glanced over at his brother. “I need to take this call.”

His brother shrugged. “Go ahead.”

When Canyon just stood there, apparently still fuming over his encounter with Keisha, Riley cleared his throat and said, “It’s a private call.”

Canyon lifted a brow. “With the company’s event planner? What could be so private about that?”

When Riley didn’t respond but continued to sit and stare at his brother, waiting for him to leave, something flickered in the dark depths of Canyon’s eyes. “Please don’t tell me you’ve got the hots for the event planner.”

“Okay, I won’t tell you. Close the door behind you on the way out.”

Canyon stood there and gaped at him. “I don’t believe it.”

Riley rolled his eyes. “What don’t you believe?”

“What happened to your policy about never mixing business with pleasure?”

“It’s still in place. I’m not mixing them. When we conduct business, we conduct business. And when we want pleasure, we’ll have pleasure. Solely separate entities that aren’t being mixed.”

Canyon threw his head back and laughed. “You sound like a damn politician who’s breaking the rule and then trying to find a way to make the situation work for you.”

“Goodbye, Canyon. If I were you, I would focus on a way to make peace with Keisha Ashford.”

The amusement on Canyon’s face immediately vanished to be replaced with a glare. “You take care of your business, and I’ll take care of mine.”

It was on the tip of Riley’s tongue to tell his brother that he was the one who sought him out and not the other way around. “Whatever.”

It was only after Canyon had left and closed the door behind him that Riley clicked on the second line. “Alpha? Sorry for the wait.”

“No problem. I’m just calling to thank you for the flowers. They are beautiful.”

So are you
. “I’m glad you like them.”

“I do. I truly do.”

He leaned back in his chair and did something he hadn’t done in a long time—propped his feet up on his desk. “So, what have you been doing with yourself since I last saw you?”
Which was only two days ago
.

“Designing the invitations, picking up items for decorating and finalizing the menu with the chef. However, I did take time out for my dance classes.”

He lifted a brow. “You’re taking dance classes?”

She chuckled. “Yes, twice a week at the high school at night.”

Why didn’t he know that? And just as quickly as he thought it, he was reminded that their connection was about sex without commitment. There was no need for him to know what she did every hour of the day. “Sounds like fun.”

“It is. Well, I don’t want to hold you up. I just wanted to call and thank you for the flowers and to let you know how beautiful they are.”

“You’re welcome and have a good night.” He paused a moment and then said in a low tone, “Think about me tonight.”

“I will. We have two more days.”

He drew in a long and deep breath, already feeling frustration settle within his bones. Two days was too long in his book. “Yes, we have two days.”

It was hard not to suggest they shorten that time. He could drop by later. But he would hold fast and not give in to temptation. He had offered this time before their date on Saturday because he wanted it to be special for her. However, he decided to say, “I can’t wait to see you again. I’ve thought of you often.”

“And I’ve thought of you often, as well.”

That was good to hear, but he doubted she had thought of him as much as he’d thought of her. It had been hard to concentrate on all the reports that had come across his desk and not on the memories of her and that night they’d dined together at his place. Whether it was the dinner they’d shared, the conversation between them or the horseback ride they’d taken, he had enjoyed his time with her, and there hadn’t been anything sexual about it. Just sitting across from her, admiring the soft and smooth skin of her face, the stunning bone structure that made her such a gorgeous woman, the pair of lips he could get addicted to if not careful...

“Goodbye, Riley.”

“Goodbye.”

He eased his legs off his desk to stand and walk over to the window. He and Canyon had tossed for this office, mainly because of the view. There was snow on the top of the mountains and already he felt the urge to go skiing. He had a trip planned to Aspen in January and wondered if Alpha could ski.

He shook his head, chuckling at the foolish thought. She couldn’t stand cold weather so chances were she would never venture anyplace where snow was waist-deep and you could feel the cold all the way to the bones.

But the most important thing he had to remember was that his affair with Alpha would be over by then.

For some reason that thought bothered him.

Nine

S
aturday night hadn’t come quickly enough, Alpha thought, standing in front of the full-length mirror to give herself a final once-over. She had appreciated the good weather yesterday since it had given her the chance to go shopping. This was her first official date with Riley and she wanted to wear everything new—from the inside out.

This is when she missed Omega the most. As teens, and even while in college, they would go places and do things together, especially shopping. They’d shared some of the same taste in clothing and shoes, but when it came to undergarments, Omega was always more daring.

Alpha looked down at her legs. It would get colder later so she’d decided to wear a pair of boots, a new black suede pair she had bought yesterday. She liked the way they fit her legs, but more importantly, she liked how they looked with the outfit she was wearing—a printed kimono top with an elastic belt that emphasized her small waistline and a black sateen pencil skirt that highlighted her boots.

Her hair was styled slightly differently after her visit to a salon yesterday morning. She knew Riley liked seeing her hair around her shoulders, since he’d said as much that night at his place. So she had enhanced the look by making her hair appear fuller. She’d gotten it layered around her shoulders. A number of people had complimented the new style and said it was perfect for her face.

Riley had suggested that they either spend the night at his place or here, and either one was fine with her. She was so looking forward to tonight and a part of her felt giddy. Omega had called earlier that day and suggested she have an overnight bag packed just in case.

And because there was a chance this is where they would end the evening, her bedroom was ready. She had even bought silk sheets for her bed and scented candles had been placed all around. She liked the way her bedroom looked and although it wasn’t nearly as large as Riley’s, it would serve their purpose.

As she moved away from the mirror, she recalled the tour Riley had given her of his home. Why one person would need that much space she didn’t know. But she had to admit there was something about every room that suited him.

Even his entertainment room suited him. Or should she say
rooms,
since there were two. There was a state-of-the-art theater with power-operated reclining seats. His music room held a white oak entertainment system with a sophisticated stereo, and a beautiful white Steinway baby grand piano sat in the middle of the floor. According to Riley, his mother, who had been a music major in college, had taught each of her seven sons how to play the piano. After she’d died, Dillon had made sure the lessons continued by hiring a private music instructor.

Alpha’s heart kicked up a notch when she heard the ringing of the doorbell. A quick glance at her watch indicated Riley was fifteen minutes early.

She glanced around her bedroom one last time, liking what she saw. Her queen-size bed was covered in a beautiful blue comforter and she’d added additional shams and decorative pillows. She’d changed the wattage of the lightbulbs in the lamps on both sides of her bed to soften the lighting in the room. Her bedroom had been transformed into a romantic haven.

She liked it. She liked it a lot. And she hoped that if Riley got the chance to see it, he would like it, as well.

* * *

“I hope I’m not too early, but I wasn’t sure how traffic would be coming this way,” Riley said, once he’d been able to regain control of his senses. He had almost lost them when Alpha opened the door. She looked absolutely stunning, from the new hairstyle she was sporting to the outfit she was wearing. Sexy enough to devour. She hadn’t called to say she wasn’t ready for the Pleasure Game later so he could only assume that she was.

Raw need, mingled with potent lust, consumed him. His body hadn’t wasted time getting aroused. This was one time he was grateful for the long leather coat he was wearing. But his full concentration was on what
she
was wearing. Her outfit was designed to articulate every curve on her body and was doing a great job.

“No, you’re not too early at all. It will only take a second to grab my coat,” she said, stepping aside so he could enter her home.

“Take your time, Alpha.”

“Thanks.”

And then, with deep male appreciation, he watched her walk off, getting even more aroused by the sway of her hips with every step she took in that pencil skirt with the slit in the back. When she was no longer in sight, he drew in a deep breath, knowing it would be one of those kinds of nights. The only good thing about knowing it was being fully aware of how it would end.

He would let her decide whose bed they would sleep in tonight. It didn’t matter to him since he didn’t intend for them to get much sleep. That was why he intended to feed her well because she would definitely need all her energy for later.

“I’m ready, Riley.”

That made two of them. He was ready, as well.

“I guess now is the time to ask whether I’ll be coming back here tonight,” she said. He saw the flash of color that appeared in her cheeks and knew the topic of what they intended to do later made her blush. He smiled thinking that she would be doing a whole hell of a lot of blushing later, if she had any shy bones in her body.

He shoved his hands into his coat pockets. “It’s your decision. It doesn’t matter to me where we make love.”

His bluntness caused the color in her cheeks to deepen, but that did nothing for the heated look she gave him from beneath her silky long lashes. He knew it was unintentional, but nobody informed his erection, which was beginning to throb like hell. When she nervously licked her lips, he knew that if he didn’t get her out of there now he would be initiating a roll on the floor in the next few minutes.

“I’d like to come back here,” she said softly, holding his gaze.

“Then we shall. Ready?”

She nodded and led him to the door for them to leave. As far as he was concerned, it wasn’t a moment too soon.

* * *

“Welcome tonight, Mr. Westmoreland. Your table is ready.”

“Thanks, Pierre,” Riley said, handing his coat to the manager of the restaurant.

While Riley assisted Alpha in removing her coat, she thanked the older man, who had a deep French accent, a Maurice Chevalier reincarnated. He gave her a brilliant smile, leaned in and lifted her hand to kiss the back of it. “Welcome to
Les’ Amores,
mademoiselle.
You are most beautiful.”

She smiled at the compliment. “Thank you.”

He straightened and then grabbed a couple of menus from a nearby rack. “Please follow me.”

Alpha glanced at her surroundings as they followed their host. She had been quite taken with the French restaurant the moment Riley had turned into the courtyard of fine shops and boutiques. Since moving to Denver she had heard about
Les’ Amores
but had never had the opportunity to dine at the plush brasserie.

As Pierre led them through the main dining area, she took note of the adobe brick walls lined with ornamental racks filled with fine wine and crystal glasses. The tables were adorned with red silk tablecloths and candle lanterns. Authentic French artwork hung on the walls and a large fireplace with a roaring blaze was in the middle of the room.

Instead of seating them at one of the vacant tables they passed, Pierre escorted them to a room in the back that had a table set for two. The room was quaint with wooden beam ceilings and a huge brick fireplace. Cozy and private.

Riley moved to pull out her chair before Pierre had a chance to do so and leaned close to her ear to whisper, “I love your outfit, but I can’t wait to take it off you.” She couldn’t help the blush that crept into her features. She knew he was telling her that the seduction of Alpha Blake had begun.

He took his chair and Pierre handed them menus and proceeded to offer his recommendations for that night. That done, he asked about wine and Riley named a brand she’d never heard of. When she looked at him, he turned sensual dark eyes on her and said, “It’s a magnificent blend. You’ll like it.”

She nodded, swallowing deeply and wondering if she would need something stronger to get her through the evening. “I’m sure I will.”

Pierre left them and within minutes was back to pour their wine. “I’ll give you time to look at the menu,” he said, easing from the room and leaving them alone.

Alpha glanced down at the menu. “Everything looks good, Riley. What do you recommend?”

“About you or what’s on the menu?” he asked with a flirty wink at her.

She gave him an admonishing smile, wondering if this was how it would be for the rest of the night. “The menu, Riley.”

He smiled. “In that case I would recommend the...”

She listened while he rattled off a number of dishes, pronouncing each in a deep French accent that stirred her nerve endings. She gazed deep into the eyes staring back at her. In the depths of his dark gaze was a promise of what would come later. A hot, lusty night filled with pleasure. And heaven help her, she was looking forward to it.

“So what do you think, Alpha?”

She knew he was asking about the menu and the dishes he’d just told her about, but though she had heard, she hadn’t listened. “I’ll let you decide.”

He nodded and gave her a smile, one that told her he knew why she was taking the easy way out. Pierre returned with the wine and poured some into their glasses and then took their orders. When he left, Alpha glanced around.

The room was small and intimate. They had been given a table with a view of Pikes Peak, and it was breathtaking. Music was flowing into the room through hidden speakers, and the tunes were romantic. She hadn’t realized how secluded the room was until she recalled walking through the restaurant to get to it. Not only did the fire blazing in the fireplace provide warmth, but it also set an intimate tone. On the drive over, she’d tried bringing him up to date on the party plans, but Riley had reached out, touched her hand and said tonight was not about the party but about them.

“This is a nice room,” she said.

“I’m glad you like it. So tell me, Alpha. Do you ski?”

* * *

Why was he asking her that? Riley immediately wondered. It had to be for the purpose of conversation, nothing more. The inquiry certainly couldn’t have anything to do with his ski trip to Aspen in January since their affair would have ended by then.

“No, I don’t ski.”

He wasn’t surprised. “Would you like to learn how?”

She shook her head. “That would mean being out in not just cold weather but super cold weather, so I’ll pass.”

He should let it go, but couldn’t. “What if I promised to keep you warm?”

She chuckled. “I don’t think you can keep me
that
warm, Riley.”

“But if I could?” he inquired further, taking a sip of his wine.

“You can’t.”

He didn’t say anything but, deep down, he saw it as a challenge. He held her gaze. “We’ll see.”

She tilted her head and looked at him. “Tell me. What do you get out of skiing? I heard it’s not really a form of exercise.”

He watched her take a sip of her wine. The way she closed her lips around the mouth of the glass sent flutters off in his stomach. “Not true. Any time you use muscles you don’t normally use, you’re exercising.”

He took a sip of his wine as he told her about the first time he’d put on a pair of skis. “I was all but seven and my father and uncle took their sons on a ski trip for the sole purpose of providing us with professional ski lessons.”

He chuckled. “I guess they knew their sons and figured if they didn’t make sure we were taught by a professional then we would learn the wrong way and risk our lives. Being on the slopes with my family was special to me and I consider those memories some of the best ones of my childhood. Maybe that’s why I enjoy skiing so much.”

He saw the wistful look that shone in her eyes, so he added, “I’m sure you and your sister did things with your family that you hold as special memories, too.”

She shifted her gaze from his to pick up her glass of wine. “Yes, of course.”

Not for the first time, he thought she was deliberately not sharing information about her family. It shouldn’t bother him, but it did, mainly because he didn’t have any problem telling her about his family. The only thing he knew about her parents was that they had wanted her to go into veterinary medicine but had accepted her decision to change careers. She seldom mentioned anything about her sister, and he could only assume the two were not close. And he was still curious about the ring that used to be on her finger. He was about to question her on the topic when Pierre returned with their appetizers.

Pierre, efficient as ever, was in and out in no time, leaving them alone once again with a basket of hot buttered rolls, a platter of imported French escargots sautéed in a creamy, garlic butter sauce and steamed artichoke. He’d even taken the time to refill their wineglasses before breezing out.

Riley glanced over at Alpha. He should have used the time during Pierre’s interruption to rethink pursuing his interest in the man who’d put a ring on her finger, as well as the reason she didn’t talk much about her family, but he didn’t. For some reason, he felt the need to address it. “Can I ask you something?”

She was reaching for an escargot and glanced over at him with a smile. “Just as long as what you want to ask has nothing to do with these. They look delicious.”

He chuckled. “Not at all, please help yourself,” he said, glad she was enjoying his choice in foods.

“Okay, then, ask away.”

“I have two questions, really. I noticed you used to wear a ring. Were you married before?”

Her hands stilled. “Does it matter?”

He held her gaze and shook his head. “No. I’m just curious.”

“No, I’ve never been married, but up until a year ago I was engaged.”

“What happened?” he asked, as if he had every right to know.

She didn’t say anything for a minute and then, “It was decided that marriage wasn’t the right move for us after all.”

She was being somewhat evasive so he couldn’t help wondering who had made that decision. The guy? Her? Had it been mutual? Why did he care? It didn’t matter, and he only cared if she’d gotten hurt by the decision. But, in a way, he was glad the marriage didn’t take place because if it had she wouldn’t be here with him tonight.