The Winner Takes It All (A Something New Novel) (17 page)

It was higher than she’d remembered. Scarier. Her rational, adult brain clicked through all the risks associated with jumping into unknown water.

She shook her head. No. She was doing this.

She didn’t know why it was important, but it was.

Heart pounding, she stopped thinking, and jumped.

The water was ice-cold as she plunged into the depths and came up screaming and gasping for air. She shivered, her whole body breaking out into goose bumps.

“What in the hell are you doing?” Shane’s voice had her whipping around.

Arms crossed over his broad chest, he stood there looking like a thundercloud meant to rain on her parade.

She treaded water and stated the obvious. “I jumped.”

“No shit,” he said, and pointed at the tree. “Do you know how dangerous that is? What if you broke your neck?”

“It’s fine.” Her skin numbed to the cold. “I did it all the time as a kid.”

“Twenty years ago!” he yelled. “Get out of that water, your lips are turning blue.”

“Don’t tell me what to do.” Tone refined, despite the kick of temper in her belly. “Go away.”

“No.”

They stared at each other for a long, long time and even when her teeth started to chatter she didn’t back down.

Finally, he dragged a hand through his hair. “Are you going to tell me the truth about this engagement of yours?”

She bit her lower lip and looked away. “No.”

“See, Cecilia, that’s the wrong answer.”

She frowned and risked a glance at him, her legs still churning in the water.

He shook his head. “A woman in love answers differently.”

Only then did she recognize how telling it was.

“Of course, most women in love don’t go to bed with other men on their engagement weekend.”

“We didn’t go to bed.” But the words rang false. A technicality.

Shane crossed his arms and stared at her with that green, piercing gaze, silent and waiting.

She wanted him to know. Wanted to tell him the truth.

It frightened her. It meant he mattered.

“You and I both know if they’d walked in five minutes later I’d already have been inside you.”

She flushed hot, despite the icy water.

He crooked his finger. “Get out of the water. You’re freezing.”

She shook her head. “I’m not dressed.”

“I watched you strip out of your clothes, and what I haven’t seen, I’ve sure as hell touched.”

“You pervert.” She swam to the river’s edge and took his warm hand as he helped pull her out of the water. “I see you didn’t bother yelling until I was almost naked.”

Skin like ice despite the sun on her back, she shivered.

His eyes darkened as his gaze slid over her body before he stripped off his T-shirt and pulled it over her head. “I didn’t expect you to jump.”

“You were wrong.” The cotton, warm from his body, slid deliciously over her skin before falling to midthigh. It smelled like him. Like soap and sex and man. She shivered again for an entirely different reason than cold.

“I always am when it comes to you.” He put his big palms on her arms and rubbed briskly. His movements were functional. Economical.

They shouldn’t be sexy.

Or erotic.

But her brain processed them as sex and her breath caught in her throat.

His hands slowed, became a sensual stroke. “You look right in my shirt.”

She blinked and peered up at him. Licked her dry lips.

His fingers curled around her jaw. “You’re going to tell me what’s going on, Cecilia.”

The desire to give in and tell him everything was so strong she needed all her years of willpower to resist. “You can’t save me, Shane.”

Again, it was the wrong thing to say.

Those green eyes flashed, and she recognized the challenge gleaming bright. “We’ll just see about that, won’t we?”

Chapter Twelve

Cecilia didn’t know how to handle dinner, but she didn’t have a good excuse to skip out and she wasn’t going to let Shane intimidate her.

He was just a man.

A man who confused her and made her question everything she knew about herself.

She stared in the mirror. She wore jeans, wanting to blend in with the rest of them. Her white V-neck top was simple enough. Her hair was pulled back into a low ponytail and her makeup was light.

But something was wrong.

She’d fussed and fussed with her hair and makeup, dressed carefully, but there was something different about her. As hard as she tried, she couldn’t seem to capture the remoteness that had been so easy a few days before.

She smoothed the cotton over her stomach—all the cupcakes, cookies, and cakes she’d eaten were taking their toll and her stomach was no longer concave. So-called experts said sugar and flour weren’t good for you, but they couldn’t prove it by her. Cheeks no longer gaunt, she looked healthier than she had in eons.

Unfortunately, it seemed to be affecting her ability to perform her ice queen act.

She sighed, blowing out a hard breath. If she procrastinated any longer she’d be the last to arrive, and that would require her to make an entrance she certainly didn’t want.

She put down her brush, swiped a pale pink lip balm over her lips, and went downstairs.

She was too late.

Everyone turned to look at her, including Shane.

Their eyes locked.

She froze on the threshold and the whole world stilled.

Green eyes flashed with some unnamed emotion, then shuttered closed. He turned back to his plate and the world sped up again.

With her customary dignity, Cecilia greeted everyone and slid gracefully into the chair, appreciating all those years she’d spent studying ballet to work on her poise.

Maddie was the first to speak, smiling broadly. “Gracie tells me you’ve been a godsend.”

Cecilia thought about all the voice mails and e-mails she’d accumulated while she had ignored her life and helped Gracie in her lemon cupcake kitchen. “It’s been a pleasure.”

“She tells me you have a real knack for making pound cake,” Maddie continued, looking at her with interest.

Cecilia laughed and across the table Shane’s expression darkened, but she ignored it. “She’s being kind. I think that’s the only thing safe to give me. Although we did make chocolate chip cookies today.”

Mitch cocked his head to the side. “You two used to be inseparable when we were growing up.”

Next to her, James passed her a plate with hamburgers the size of her head. Daunted, she stared at them for a moment, then put one on her plate. She was on vacation. “It’s been wonderful reconnecting with her.”

“I hear congratulations are in order,” Mitch said, his tone as though he addressed a witness on the stand.

While Shane glowered at her, Charlotte frowned, looking as though she might cry.

She shrugged. Wedding plans were the last thing on earth she wanted to discuss.

Mitch studied her, and for the first time Cecilia felt like he was really looking at her. It made her uncomfortable. Made her want to fidget, but she resisted.

“You look better than when you first got here,” Mitch said.

All eyes turned to her.

With as much elegance as she could muster, she picked up a napkin and put it on her lap. “I’d been low on sleep.”

“Have you been working too much?” Mitch asked.

Why did she feel like he was probing, searching for something? Her back straightened. “Not particularly.”

“Have you talked to our father?”

“Mitchell,” Charlotte said, her hands clenching tight. “Don’t.”

“What?” Mitch’s voice turned hard. “I can’t ask her simple questions?”

Awkwardness rolled over the table like a thick layer of fog.

Cecilia bit the inside of her cheek. Across the table, she sensed Shane’s attention, heavy on her. It was a compulsion, the desire to look at him, and she didn’t ignore it for long.

Expression guarded, he watched her far too intently to convey indifference.

Heat shot through her and her thighs clenched.

His gaze dropped to her mouth, lingered, then rose.

She tilted her chin and didn’t look away. “As a matter of fact, no, I haven’t talked to him.”

“Why’s that?” Mitch asked.

She broke the hypnotic contact and turned her attention to her brother. She was tired of playing it cool and gave up the ghost. “Because I’m ignoring his calls.”

Mitch’s expression widened in surprise, then he broke out into a grin. “I see. Welcome to the club.”

Some of the heavy weight she’d been carrying around lifted from her chest. She raised a glass to her brother. “Cheers.”

“I don’t think this is a joking matter,” Charlotte said, her tone stern.

“Mom,” Cecilia said quickly, “we weren’t joking. He asked, and I told him the truth.”

“You didn’t tell me you weren’t talking to your father,” her mother said, sounding hurt.

Cecilia waved her hand, thought briefly about the folly of discussing family business, then discarded it. “It’s nothing official like with you and Mitch. I’m merely ignoring him.”

Next to her, James chuckled but covered it up with a cough when Maddie shot him a glare. Cecilia smiled at him appreciatively and to her shock, he winked at her.

Mitch swallowed a bite of hamburger, then slanted a glance at Charlotte. “I’d think you’d be happy Cecilia and I are bonding.”

Was that what they were doing? Bonding?

Charlotte frowned. “Over your father.”

“Well, something good should come from all his fuck-ups,” she said without thinking.

“Cecilia! Language!” her mother admonished.

Spine straight as an arrow, Cecilia sat primly. “I’m sorry, but how would you like me to say it? There’s no spin I can put on it to make us family of the year.”

Mitch laughed, shaking his head. “I might like you after all.”

Maddie patted Charlotte’s hand and nodded. “Don’t worry, I’m sure this is healthy.”

“It’s unnecessary to be so caustic,” Charlotte said, but the tension in her face relaxed, and Cecilia tried to ignore the stab of envy. It wasn’t Maddie’s fault she was such a lovely person.

With his knife, Mitch pointed back and forth between Cecilia and him. “Have you met us?”

Look at that, finally something in common with her brother.

Maddie cleared her throat and shifted in her chair. “Let’s talk about something else.”

An impulse took hold of Cecilia, surprising her. She wanted to know her future sister-in-law better. Wanted to see who she really was instead of the perky, cute-girl role Cecilia had placed her in. “Maddie, do you need any help with your wedding plans?”

Maddie’s whole face lit up, transforming her from pretty to breathtakingly radiant. “I’d love that.”

“Great,” Cecilia said, picking up a bowl of corn on the table and scooping a heap onto her plate. “My only commitment is Friday. I have to go back to Chicago to go to a benefit, but I’ll be back Saturday.”

Maddie blinked. “The Children’s Hospital benefit?”

“Yes,” Cecilia said, her good mood evaporating. While she donated to the hospital every year and helped organize several of their events, this wasn’t something she looked forward to. She’d committed to attend with Miles as part of her engagement duties.

It’s all for the campaign, she reminded herself.

She frowned. A campaign she hadn’t even thought about. She remembered her mother’s question on the day she arrived. Why
did
she want to run for office? She was on vacation. She was simply taking some much needed relaxation before she started the heavy lifting of the upcoming months.

At least that’s the spin she sold herself today.

“Shane,” Maddie said, ripping Cecilia away from her pondering. “Isn’t that the benefit you’re going to?”

Her attention snapped to him in time to see a muscle jump in his jaw. “Yes.”

An entirely inappropriate jolt of excitement shot through her. Which was very wrong. Horrible. She was going with Miles. She put on her calmest expression. “Why are you going?”

His eyes narrowed. “I’m giving a speech.”

How had she missed this? “I see.”

“Why are
you
going?”

She couldn’t very well blurt out the real reason, so she gave an answer that was 75 percent truth. “I’ve done work for the board. I go almost every year.”

Maddie beamed, shifting back and forth in her chair like she had ants in her pants. “How convenient. You guys can drive together.”

Cecilia had to stop herself from gasping. “Oh no, I’m sure that’s not necessary.”

Shane said nothing. Just watched her with those jungle-green eyes of his.

“Don’t be silly,” Maddie said. “Why should you take two cars when you’re going to the same place and plan to be back at the same time?”

Because she didn’t think she could be alone with him without wanting to jump him. But, of course, she couldn’t say that.

Shane remained silent.

Cecilia’s brows furrowed and she thought frantically, finally hitting on a good reason. “I need my car to get around the city.”

Maddie waved her hand. “Take your car; Shane has extras.”

Mitch grinned, wearing that amused, fond expression he reserved for his soon-to-be wife.

Cecilia glared at Shane. Why was he so silent? He’d barely said two words. She narrowed her eyes and tilted her head toward Maddie, hoping he’d get the hint and help her out.

Instead, he shrugged. “Makes sense to me.”

Maddie looked like she was about to burst with some unknown delight Cecilia couldn’t understand. “It’s settled then. You’ll drive together.”

Damn it. There was that excitement again.

She looked at him with his perfect face, that blond disheveled hair and killer body. A regular female fantasy come to life. She couldn’t be alone with him. Trapped in a car for three hours.

She’d talk him out of it. Later.

The phone rang and Maddie jumped up. “I’ll get it.”

James smiled innocently. “It’s kind of you to take one for the team. It saves gas and the environment.”

“Go green,” Cecilia said drily. This middle Donovan brother was quite an enigma, with his reserve and dry comments.

Maddie came back into the room.

“Who was that?” Mitch asked.