Texas Tycoon's Christmas Fiancée (16 page)

Megan entered the room and Eli motioned to her. “Megan, come hear the news. I'm going to have a new grandchild. I will be the grandfather of two.”

“How wonderful!” Megan exclaimed, hugging Grace lightly and smiling at Nick. “Congratulations! That is really great.”

“Let's drink a toast, if you don't mind lemonade or tea, Grace.”

“Not at all,” she said, thinking everyone's reaction had been joyous with the exception of the one person in the world she wanted to be thrilled over the news.

Eli raised his glass in a toast. “Here's to my grandchildren.” He touched her glass with his and then took a long drink before setting down his glass. She sipped hers. “Another grandchild. I am ecstatic. A grandchild is special beyond measure. A grandchild is unconditional love. Probably the
only relationship on earth like that. Even on a honeymoon, there's really no such thing as unconditional love. If I were younger, I would be dancing you around the room,” he said, and she laughed. He held up his hand. “Just a moment. This is a special occasion and calls for something special in return. I'll be right back,” he said on his way out of the room.

They chatted with Megan until Eli returned, crossing the room to Grace. “Grace, you've made my life happy and I love my grandson. Now I have the joy of looking forward to another grandchild. I want you to have this to remember this night and my gratitude. It was my grandmother's. It will go with your green eyes.”

Eli handed her a box that had a worn corner. She opened it and gasped. “Eli, this is beautiful,” she said, picking up a bracelet made of diamonds and emeralds.

“I want you to have it and I hope you like it. Thank you for Michael and for the next baby.”

Both Megan and Nick went to look at the bracelet and then Nick fastened it on her wrist.

“It's beautiful,” she said, looking at the glittering gems.

Eli returned to his chair. The rest of the evening, Grace noticed, he had a smile on his face.

 

Later, on the way home in the car, she looked at the bracelet on her wrist. “Nick, this bracelet is gorgeous and should stay in your family.”

“Grace, you are in my family now. You're my wife, mother of my child and mother of Bart's baby. You are part of the Rafford clan.”

“I felt funny accepting this in front of Megan.”

“No need to. Megan gets a princely sum for her salary. Besides, haven't you noticed—Megan is only fifteen years younger than my dad. They enjoy each other's company.
I suspect Megan has already received some fancy baubles herself.”

“I hadn't noticed. Well, I suppose I have noticed they get along and your dad enjoys her company.”

“I think Megan enjoys his, too.”

They turned into the garage of the condo and she forgot about Eli and Megan.

Michael had already fallen asleep and shortly he was tucked in his crib. When she returned to their bedroom, Nick drew her into his arms to kiss her and for the night, their problems diminished.

They made love through the night and Grace was passionate, feeling as if they might not have many more nights together.

 

The following week Grace packed her things and Michael's. Nick had been out of town and was due back in Dallas midafternoon. She expected him to go by the office and get home at five. She'd taken Michael to Clara's and now waited for Nick.

She had dressed conservatively, wearing a navy jacket and slacks with a short-sleeved navy sweater, her hair tied behind her head. As she put a suitcase in her car, Nick pulled into his parking spot and climbed out.

“Don't you do that,” he said, crossing the few yards to pick up her other suitcase and put it in the back of her car, which already held three suitcases.

“You're going somewhere?”

Her throat knotted. “Yes, I am.”

He glanced around. “Let's go inside,” he said, and she nodded, walking in silence beside him.

“Did you have a successful trip?”

“Yes. I acquired the land I wanted. Details will have to
be worked out by my staff, but I had a good trip. Where's Michael?”

“He's with Aunt Clara.”

They entered the condo and Nick glanced around. “Any staff here?”

She shook her head. “We're alone.”

“You look great,” he said. “Why the suitcases?”

“Nick, I think I should move out for a while. At least, I want to separate for a time to think things over and decide about the future.”

He frowned. “Why? And not while you're pregnant. You should stay until after the baby is born.”

“I don't think so. I might come back, but I want out for now,” she said, afraid the control she had over her emotions would give way and she would cry. “My move won't jeopardize your seeing Michael if you want to, or Eli seeing Michael.”

“'You know I'm good for Michael.”

“You can see Michael whenever you want.”

“I don't understand why you're doing this. Is this because I was shocked over the news we're having a baby?” Nick asked.

“Not your shock. I was shocked, too. I don't think you want to be a dad to two. Actually, I can't do this relationship without a commitment from you.”

“We're married, Grace. That's legally binding.”

“We're wed, but it isn't a real obligation. You've told me that over and over.” She gave him a direct look. “I want it all. I've fallen in love with you,” she admitted, barely able to get her voice. “I want your love in return. Otherwise, I don't want to stay.”

Silence fell while they looked at each other and for just a moment her heart drummed with hope and anticipation that he would again ask her to stay or make some kind of declaration.
Instead, he stared at her in silence until he finally tilted his head to one side.

“Grace, I can't give you the declaration you want. Or the full marriage. I'm just not ready for that. This baby wasn't planned. I can't automatically fall in love. I'm leery of a real commitment after watching all the shallow relationships my dad has had.”

They gazed at each other in silence and she could feel the clash of wills and see the wrath in Nick's dark eyes.

“Damn it,” he whispered, and pulled her close to kiss her.

Angry and hurt, trying to resist him, Grace stood stiffly while he kissed her. Then his tongue stroking hers rekindled fires. She wrapped her arm around his neck and kissed him in return and was hopelessly carried away by passion. Finally, she ended the kiss and stepped away from him. “You know my cell number. I can afford what I want. I have a condo not far from Aunt Clara. She asked me to stay with her, but I wanted my own place. I need time and space to think about the future,” she said.

She left and he didn't stop her. By the time she reached her car, she was blinded by tears and hoped she wasn't making a huge mistake. Crying, she drove to her condo in a gated area filled with tall oaks. Once inside her place, she sat crying, hating the loneliness and the silence, but she had to get a grip on her emotions if she wanted to go visit her aunt. She thought about Nick, standing in his back entrance, his charcoal jacket unbuttoned and his tie loosened. He had looked angry, hurt, yet incomparably appealing. She was going to miss him dreadfully and if she wanted to go back, she should return soon because it wouldn't take Nick long to move on with his life.

Each time she considered stepping back into a loveless marriage, hot sex or not, she didn't want to do it. She wanted
Nick's love and his heart was locked away behind impossible barriers that she hadn't managed to overcome.

“I love you, Nick,” she whispered, crying softly and already missing him terribly.

 

Nick stood in the empty entry hall, staring after Grace. He was hurt and he was angry over her leaving. She was being unreasonable, ridiculous. If she wanted his love, why didn't she stay and give their marriage a chance?

He knew the answer to his own question. Because she wanted his love. He'd told her from the first that he wasn't into a lasting commitment. “Damn it,” he swore. He hated her leaving, particularly at this time. She was pregnant and she ought to stay until after the baby was born and let him help with Michael and then with both babies. Michael was only eight months old now. The babies would be close in age and she would need help.

He reassured himself that Grace had enough money to hire a nanny and a cook and whoever else she wanted. He left, heading back to the club and not wanting to stay home alone.

 

Two weeks later he lay in the darkness staring into space. He hadn't slept peacefully since the night Grace walked out. He didn't know how many times he had picked up his phone to call her, thought about it and put away the phone. It was pointless. Neither of them would change.

He turned to look at the empty bed beside him, seeing Grace, remembering her smiling at him, kissing him, recalling the touch and feel of her body. He groaned and sat up. He'd tried working out for hours and pouring himself into business, but he couldn't keep his mind on his work. Anything to forget her, but he couldn't. His dad asked about her constantly and mentioned her and Michael's visits.

Nick had seen her when she had dropped Michael off three or four times and they had spoken coolly. She was coming tomorrow to bring Michael. Each time he saw her, Nick's heart had lurched violently. She looked gorgeous and still had her figure. There was no way yet by looking to tell she was pregnant.

Groaning again, he raked his fingers through his hair. He missed her. He admitted it to himself. He missed Michael. Seeing Michael once a week was different from living in the house with him and seeing him daily except when he traveled. He missed both of them badly.

He thought about the dinner he'd had with Tony recently. Tony had squinted his eyes and studied Nick.

“You look like hell, Nick. Why don't you try to get Grace back?”

“She doesn't want to come back. She wants it all, a real marriage. I'm not into love and real commitment.”

“You look like a man in love to me.”

“How would you know?” Nick snapped.

“Hey, don't take my head off. You're in love with your wife. Go get her and tell her.”

Nick had glared at Tony and changed the subject, but now he mulled over the conversation.
“…you look like a man in love…you're in love with your wife…go…tell her…”
Was Tony right? Nick stared into space. Had he fallen in love with Grace? Real love? He didn't think that would ever happen to him in his entire life. It was a pitfall that he expected to avoid because it led to huge heartaches, but that's what he was suffering now. Was he actually in love with his wife? He'd never expected to fall in love, but had that made him too blind to see it?

He blinked and stared into the dark bedroom, pondering his question. It would be so simple to get her back. Tell her he loved her. Which was worse? A real commitment or this empty hell of missing her?

He had feared commitment since he was a kid and had continual upheaval in his life because of his father's failures, but he didn't have to repeat his father's mistakes. Had he cut himself off from the best relationship he could find in his lifetime?

Nick looked at his watch. It was four in the morning. He scrambled around looking for her address. He didn't want to wait—Michael never hesitated to wake her. And he wasn't declaring his love on the phone.

He paused. He was taking a giant step. This would make his marriage real and “convenience” would go out the window. He wanted Grace back in his life, so if that was love, he had to admit he had fallen in love with his wife.

The notion was startling, yet it made him feel better to think about loving her and getting her back.

He shaved and dressed, pulling on jeans and a navy sweater. The streets were empty as he followed the directions on the GPS.

At the gate, he fished out the code she had given him when he'd had to pick up Michael once. He drove in, pulled out his cell phone and called his wife.

G
race woke to the ring of her cell phone. Instantly, thinking of Michael and Aunt Clara, she sat up in bed and grabbed her phone, becoming fully awake. The minute she answered, a deep male voice startled her.

“Grace, it's Nick.”

“Nick?” she asked, puzzled, picking up her watch to look at the time. “Are you all right?” Why on earth would Nick call during the night? Had he had a car wreck? Did he need help?

“No, I'm not all right. I'm here at your door. I need to see you.”

“Nick, are you sober?” she asked. She had never known him to drink to excess, but what would cause him to want to talk to her at this hour?

“Cold sober. Come to the door and let me in before a neighbor calls the police.”

“I'm coming,” she said, scrambling out of bed and grabbing
her red velvet Christmas robe. She glanced in the mirror at herself. Her hair was tangled and in disarray and she looked sleepy. As she hurried to the front door, she tried to comb her hair slightly with her fingers, gave it up and finally unlocked and opened the front door.

Nick stepped in. He wore a leather jacket and he looked handsome enough to make her weak in the knees.

“What is it, Nick?” she asked. “What's happened?”

He stepped in, closed the door, then reached for her, pulling her to him to kiss her hard and passionately.

Her heart slammed against her ribs and she couldn't catch her breath. She had one startled moment and then she was on fire. Desire blazed, a hungry need that tore through her like a raging wildfire. She embraced him, arching her hips against him, kissing him back while her pulse pounded.

In minutes they had peeled away each other's clothes, trying to get rid of all barriers and finally made love in her entryway with urgency tearing at them as Nick picked her up and she locked her long legs around him.

Later, he let her slide to stand. “Where's a bed?” he asked.

Picking up her robe to hold it in front of her, she squinted her eyes. “Nick, why are you here?”

He looked down at her and a muscle worked in his jaw. “I want you back. I want you to come home. I love you, Grace.”

Her heart thudded and she wondered if she had heard correctly. “Nick, if you are just saying the words to get me back—”

“I love you. I mean it. I want you in my life. I'm making a commitment right now. Come home.”

She felt as if a crushing burden had been lifted off her heart. “Nick, I love you,” she cried, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him hard.