Blush Duo - Marriage Under the Mistletoe & The Christmas Inn (9 page)

“I’m not twenty anymore,” she said pointedly.

Scott continued to touch her. “I’d be very disappointed if you were.” His hand dipped lower, touching her intimately. “You have a lovely body.”

“Flawed,” she said, and thought how incredible his touch was as she gave him a very deliberate once over. “Unlike you.”

He grinned, probably with more modesty than he felt, and it made Evie smile. So, the man had a perfect body? Didn’t that simply make her the luckiest woman on the planet? She touched his chest and traced her fingertips downward toward his navel and the line of soft hair trailing down his faultlessly flat abdomen. When her hand came into contact with his very obvious erection, her libido did a wild leap. She wanted him again. And she knew he wanted her, too.

“Flawed?” His brows came together. “Are you kidding?” His hand moved across her thighs and then over her hips and belly. “This is beauty,” he said, kissing the sensitive spot near her hip. “And this,” he said, moving across, going lower, sliding his lips toward the juncture at her thighs.

And then neither of them said anything else for a long while.

* * *

Evie woke up alone. The clock on the bedside table flashed the time and she squinted to get a good look. Eight-forty? Impossible. She looked at light beaming through the crack in the curtains and shoved her face back into the pillow. She had to get up. There were guests to feed, things to be done. Guests who’d arrived yesterday and who would be wondering where she was, and if it wasn’t for Amelia’s and Flora’s advancing years she was certain they’d crack it up the stairs to find out what had kept her from attending to her usual morning routine.

What kept me from it is nowhere to be seen.

Evie doubted Scott had gone for his usual morning run. She couldn’t imagine he’d have the energy for anything after their night together. She certainly felt an aching lethargy in her limbs. Even her skin felt tired.

When the door opened about thirty seconds later and he walked into the room, she was appalled to see how chipper he looked, considering that she wanted to pull the sheet over her head and sleep for the remainder of the day. He was showered, dressed in cargos and a white polo shirt and looked completely recovered.

“Breakfast,” he said, and Evie noticed the tray he carried.

Food sounded good, but she had to set her priorities. “I can’t,” she told him. “I have guests to—”

“All done,” he said, and carried the tray to the bed. “Sit up a bit.”

Evie jackknifed up immediately and clutched the sheet against her breasts. “What do you mean it’s all done?”

“Well, I could hardly let your paying guests starve. And you were sleeping so soundly I didn’t have the heart to wake you.”

“You cooked breakfast?”

He shrugged and placed the small tray on the bedside table. “I made toast for Amelia and Flora,” he replied with a smile. “I’m very talented.”

She knew that. Her body had experienced firsthand his many talents. “What did you tell them?”

He held out a coffee mug. “That you were laid up in bed.”

Evie struggled to keep the sheet in place. “Oh, God, what must they—”

“I said you were laid up,” he said quickly, grinning. “Not getting laid.”

Evie took the coffee, and the sheet fell to her waist. Scott looked immediately at her exposed breasts, and a flash of desire sparked in his eyes.

“I should still start moving,” she said, took a sip of coffee and placed the mug on the tray before she shimmied off the bed.

He passed her one of his T-shirts to wear. “Let’s go Christmas shopping.”

Evie’s eyes widened. Shopping? She took the shirt and quickly covered herself. “I’m not sure I—”

“I need to buy gifts for Callie’s new family,” he explained, and watched as she grabbed her clothes. “You know them better than I do. And I need to get something for my mom.”

Christmas gift shopping? Why not? It didn’t mean they were together. It didn’t add to their one-night, no-strings agreement. And it would give her a chance to prove to herself that she was completely in control.

“Okay. Give me half an hour.”

Evie rushed to shower and change into jeans and tank-style T-shirt and sandals. She wrote a note for Trevor, saying she would be in town for a few hours and back before lunch, then headed downstairs. Evie avoided the Manning sisters—certain they’d ask what she’d been up to and where she was going. She swung her tote across one shoulder and walked outside.

Scott was leaning against her car. “All set?”

Evie nodded and tossed him the keys. The drive into Bellandale took fifteen minutes and she gave him instructions directly to the larger of the two shopping malls in town. They parked underneath and headed up the elevator. Within the air-conditioned comfort of the mall, it was easy to forget about the rising humidity outside. While the Northern Hemisphere enjoyed the traditional cold weather, turkey and rich puddings, an Australian Christmas usually meant blistering heat, cold ham, shrimp and salads and icy beer. But Evie still got wrapped up in the festive season. She loved decorating her tree and buying gifts and settling in front of the television to watch
Miracle on 34th Street
with her son every year
.
She knew Trevor only tolerated the old black-and-white movie for her benefit and it made her love her son just that little bit more.

The mall was busy and shoppers were milling around retailers and freestanding stalls. There was a long queue of children waiting for a snapshot with Santa, and the charity gift wrap bar was in full swing.

“So,” Scott said, and lightly grabbed her hand. “The kids?”

“Books,” she suggested, and moved in the direction of the bookstore. She stopped when it became clear Scott wasn’t about to follow her.

He frowned and shook his head. “No books.”

She realized he hadn’t released her hand. “Not cool enough for the new uncle?”

“Precisely.”

Evie took a few seconds, then rattled off a couple of other options. Once Scott agreed to one of her suggestions, they headed for the toy store. And the fact that he still held her hand felt ridiculously natural. They walked through the mall and Evie didn’t miss how other women blatantly checked him out. A trio of pretty and preened twentysomethings sashayed past and one said something outrageously flirtatious toward Scott. Another from the group looked Evie up and down and raised her brows. At that moment Evie felt about as old as Methuselah. She pulled her hand from his and crossed her arms.

“Something wrong?” Scott asked, seemingly oblivious of the attention he’d garnered as they walked into the toy store.

“Not a thing,” she lied, and wished a great big hole would open up and suck her in.

What am I thinking? I’m thirty-six years old... He’s twenty-seven. I’m sensible. I should know better than to think this means anything. I don’t want it to mean anything...right? It’s just sex. Sex without commitment that I said I could handle. No strings. No attachment.

And thinking that, Evie realized, had suddenly become her undoing.

* * *

Scott was neck deep in trouble. He’d been determined not to get involved with Evie. And now he felt
so
involved he could hardly think straight. Evie was like...she was like the skin growing over his bones, the air in his lungs. Like no other woman he’d ever met.

Maybe it’s just because last night I had the best sex I’ve had in my life.

Sex could do that, right? Especially incredible, mind-blowing sex. It could warp a man’s reality; it could make him think things,
feel
things, wish for things.

But wishes were for fools. He was leaving in two weeks. He knew better than to start something. Two weeks and he couldn’t keep his fly zipped. Scott wondered if she’d want to make love again. He wondered how he’d react if she did...or didn’t.

As he bought toys for the kids, she kept her distance. Even as they headed for the gift-wrapping booth, she remained quiet. The regret she clearly felt seemed like a force field over her skin. He followed her to the music store and agreed with her suggestion of a gift for Callie’s teenage step daughter, Lily. Once the kids were sorted, Scott headed for a jewelry store to purchase something for his mother.

“What about this?” he asked Evie, ignoring the pushy salesclerk who batted her eyelashes at him as he dangled a gold chain from his fingertips.

She shrugged and then nodded. “You know what your mother likes.”

“I’m asking if
you
like it.”

He got her attention back and she slid sideways, bumping her hip against the counter. “It’s pretty.”

Scott got a quick image in his head of Evie wearing the necklace around her beautiful neck and nothing else. He shook the thought off and looked briefly at the clerk. “Bracelets.”

Minutes later he’d made a selection and the item was wrapped and paid for and they headed from the store. She declined coffee, cake and everything else he suggested. He wasn’t sure what he wanted. Being around her messed with his concentration and determination to stay focused on getting through Christmas and the wedding before heading back to L.A. where his job was waiting. The job he was determined he could do without distraction. But
not
being around Evie didn’t appeal, either. So he was screwed either way.

There was an uneasy tension between them and he didn’t like it one bit.

Scott drove her home and she didn’t wait for the keys or for him to haul his shopping bags from the rear seat. Back in his room he could hear her moving around the house, heard the telephone ring, heard the sound of low voices downstairs and imagined her explaining her absence to the ever-curious and relentless Manning sisters. With a brisk shake he decided to stop hiding in his room. He took off immediately and headed downstairs. The sisters passed him in the hallway, all smiles, and made their way out the front door. He waited until they were out of sight and headed for the front living room.

Evie was near the huge Christmas tree, fiddling with ornaments. She still wore her jeans and the tight tank shirt that had been tantalizing him all morning. He’d barely touched her while they were out, only taking her hand once or twice. Casual, that’s what he’d thought. But looking at her shapely bottom, he didn’t feel at all casual. He was aroused just by the sight of her.

“Callie called,” she said, and didn’t turn around. He wondered how she’d sensed he was there. “She said to remind you about your mother arriving tomorrow.”

“Yeah, I know.”

She straightened her shoulders, still fiddling, still with her back to him. “You can put the gifts for the kids under the tree if you like. Unless...unless you’re still moving out.”

Moving out? That’s right. That’s what he’d said. That’s what he’d decided to do the day before. Move out and away from temptation. And complication.
Too little too late.

“Is that what you want?”

She shrugged and continued her attention on the already perfect tree. “It’s not up to me.”

Scott took a step toward her. “Evie?”

“I don’t know what I want,” she said, and turned. Her green eyes shone brightly. “I’m not completely naive—I know a situation like this is different for a man than it is for a woman. Turns out I’m a whole lot more emotional about having a physical relationship with someone than I thought. We agreed it would be just sex, but I’m not really made that way. So I think it would be better if we went back to how things used to be.”

Scott stared at her.
I’m off the hook.
Only, he wasn’t so sure he wanted to be.

She turned back to the tree. “I’m going to be in the studio for the next few hours. Please help yourself to anything you want.”

Just not me...

Scott got the message. He lingered in the living room for about three seconds before he turned on his heel and left.

Chapter Nine

W
hile she was having her fitting for her bridesmaid dress on Monday afternoon, Evie did her best to appear as much her usual self as possible. Her friend Fiona wasn’t fooled, though, and asked her straight-out what was going on with her. Evie shrugged off the question and avoided making eye contact with Callie.

But Fiona didn’t give up. “You’re distracted.”

Evie stood in the dressing cubicle and unzipped the pale gold satin gown and allowed the strapless bodice to hang on one hip. “I’m fine,” she replied.

In truth, she was so far from being
fine,
and her head hurt thinking about it.

“You know,” Fiona said with a laugh, “that new teacher at school asked about you again.”

The third time in as many months. Maybe she should go out with him. At least it might take her mind off Scott. “So set me up.”

Her friend’s eyes popped wide. “You want a date?”

Evie shrugged. “Don’t look so shocked.”

“I am shocked,” Fiona replied.

“Me, too,” Callie said, tapping on the door.

“Well, don’t be,” Evie said sharply, and pushed at the cubicle doors. “So, can you wrangle it?”

Fiona nodded. “For sure. I just can’t believe you’re actually going to go on a date with him.”

“Why not?”

“Because you don’t date,” Fiona replied. “Ever.”

She experienced a weird dip in her stomach. “Maybe I’m tired of being predictable.”

“Ha...not likely. Anyway, he’s nice enough. He’s a little...”

“A little what?” Callie prompted.

Fiona made a clucking sound. “Dull,” she said finally.

Well, what’s wrong with being dull? At least he’s my own age, lives in the same town and isn’t likely to go running into burning buildings any time soon.
“Dull suits me just fine. I like
dull.
”

Fiona snorted and Callie laughed and when Evie finally emerged from the dressing cubicle, both her friends were staring at her with lifted brows.

“You don’t actually believe that?” Callie asked, and took the dress from Evie’s hands.

“Sure I do,” she said, and stepped out to allow Fiona inside to try her gown on. “Dull isn’t as bad as it sounds. Dull is...”
Safe, reliable, not likely to break my heart.
“Besides, I’ve met him several times when I’ve dropped the twins to school and he seemed friendly and pleasant and—”

“Pleasant?”
Callie groaned. “Now I know you must be joking.”

Evie stood her ground. “Not everyone gets fireworks,” she said, holding her ground. “Or wants them.”

“What about plain old he-makes-me-weak-at-the-knees lust?” Fiona piped in from behind the door. “That’s gotta count.”

“Overrated,” Evie replied, and tried not to have a flashback about making love with Scott.

“I used to think so,” Callie said with a dreamy grin. “I don’t think I ever believed in all that romantic stuff before I met Noah—I was always practical and levelheaded when it came to romance. And then I met your brother and
whoosh
...all my practicalities went out the window.”

Evie made a face. “Have you been reading Fiona’s bodice ripper novels again?”

“You can scorn all you like,” Callie said. “But when it happens...watch out.”

“I believe in it,” Fiona said as she opened the door and stuck out her head and looked directly at Evie. “And however much you deny it, so do you.”

“Just ask him, will you?” she said flatly.

Neither woman said anything else.

* * *

When she arrived home, Trevor was in the upstairs kitchen making a snack. Evie plonked her bag on the table and took the half ham-and-cheese sandwich he offered. The school term was over, and once the wedding and Christmas were done, her son would be taking his annual trip north to spend a few weeks with Gordon’s parents. She always missed him terribly but knew how much her in-laws loved seeing their only grandson. They still invited Evie every year. In the early years after Gordon’s death, she’d made the trip several times. But the Dunns’ grief was still inconsolable and each year it became harder to face. So she took the coward’s way and used the B and B as an excuse to stay behind. She knew they adored having Trevor for those few weeks and wanted her son to have a strong relationship with both sets of grandparents.

“How’s the hoop shooting going?” she asked, and took a bite of sandwich.

“Scott reckons I’m a natural,” he boasted with a broad grin. “Tryouts are on soon.”

“You guys seem to be getting along okay.”

Trevor shrugged. “Sure. He’s really cool. He knows about computers, too. And mechanics.”

The hero worship in her son’s voice was glaringly obvious. And she couldn’t blame Trevor for feeling like that. Other than her own father and Noah, her son had spent years without having a man’s regular influence in his life. “I’m glad you get along.”

“Yeah...it’s too bad he’s leaving soon.”

Too bad.
Evie couldn’t stop her heart tightening up. “Well, Callie lives here now, so the chances are he’ll come back to visit his sister.”

Even as she said it Evie didn’t believe it. Maybe she didn’t want to believe it. She’d put the stops on their relationship. She was the one who couldn’t do casual. Now the idea of Scott returning to Crystal Point in the future wasn’t something she wanted to face. Especially if he didn’t come alone. That would be the inevitable future, right? He’d go home, meet someone suitable, eventually fall in love and discard all his protestations about the job and relationships not working for him.

And I’ll still be alone.

“I hope so,” Trevor said cheerfully.

Evie took a deep breath. “So, how about helping me wrap some gifts?” she suggested, eager to do anything to dislodge the heavy pain inside. “I picked up a few things before my dress fitting today. I could use a hand getting them done.”

“Sure,” her son said. “But I’m heading to Cody’s tonight if that’s okay. His dad got him this new computer game for Christmas.”

Cody’s father was a soldier on tour in Afghanistan. She knew her son’s best friend would rather have had his dad home for Christmas than a game for his computer, and was glad her son could be there for his friend.

Evie didn’t see Scott that evening. By the time she heard his motorcycle in the driveway, it was well past ten o’clock. She knew he’d been at Callie and Noah’s. His mother had arrived from L.A. and it wasn’t hard to figure they would want to spend some time together as a family. Evie knew her parents were there, too, which didn’t help the tiny stab of exclusion she experienced every time she thought about it.

As it got closer to Christmas Eve she had her routine down. She saw Scott briefly each morning, though they rarely met for breakfast. He spent some time with Trevor and disappeared most days and evenings. So she got exactly what she wanted. They spent a week barely exchanging words, passing each other in the stairway or kitchen. And Evie had also spent the week pulling mistletoe down from around the house. The Manning sisters were clearly the culprits. Evie tossed the stuff in the garbage every time she got her hands on it, much to Flora’s and Amelia’s amusement.

She had a last-minute panicked phone call from the wedding caterers, but everything else associated with her brother’s Christmas Eve wedding went to plan and Evie was convinced that the ceremony would go off without a hitch. Until the day before the wedding. And it wasn’t exactly a
hitch
...just a minor catastrophe. One of the groomsmen broke his foot in a boating accident and Callie insisted Scott fill in the role, as well as giving the bride away. Which meant
she
would be partnered with him all evening...at the ceremony, at the reception...and on the dance floor.

The bride and maids were all dressing at Dunn Inn, and the ceremony and reception were being held at the local country club under a huge white silk marquee. Beneath the marquee were hundreds of tiny lights, tables, chairs, a dance floor and a team of smartly attired wait staff.

At the house, Grace was on hand, helping the attendants with hair and makeup. Evie’s dress fit like a glove and as Grace fussed with her hair Evie stood compliant and silent. But her sister wasn’t fooled.

“Why do you look like you want to be somewhere else?” Grace remarked in a soft voice close to her ear. “Trouble in paradise?”

With Callie on the other side of the room, looking perfectly beautiful in her pale ivory organza gown, Evie knew it wasn’t the time for a heart-to-heart with her sister. Fiona and Lily were fiddling with Callie’s veil, and Noah’s youngest daughter, Hayley, stood by the armoire in the corner twirling on her gold slippers.

There was a short rap on the door, and Grace invited whoever it was to open up. The door swung back and Scott stood beneath the threshold. Evie’s skin warmed instantly. He looked incredible in the dark suit, shirt and pale gold tie, and his gaze traveled over her in that way she’d become accustomed to. It had been days since they’d shared such a look, and the silence that overtook the room was suddenly deafening. Everyone noticed.
How could they not?

Grace said something and Evie quickly scrambled her wits together. “Yes...we’re all ready,” she said, and ushered Hayley from the corner.

Callie came forward and took his arm. “You look amazing,” Scott said to his sister as he kissed her cheek.
“Noah’s a lucky man.”

Eve’s throat tightened. She knew how much Noah and Callie loved each other. She’d watched their relationship blossom barely months ago and couldn’t be happier for her brother and soon-to-be bride.

And that thought only made her yearn, suddenly, for happiness of her own.

* * *

Watching his sister get married, Scott experienced varying degrees of emotion. As he gave the bride away and stepped aside to stand next to Evie, tightness uncurled in his chest. They were close and he couldn’t push away the need to touch her. So he rested the back of his hand against her arm and traced a little path up and down. She shivered but didn’t move, didn’t do anything that might distract from the bride and groom exchanging their vows.

Once the vows were over, the bridal party disappeared for an hour with the photographer. They were ferried away in golf carts to a spot in the grounds of the country club where they could get the best shots. When they returned to the marquee, most of the guests were already seated.

After dinner there were speeches, the traditional cutting of the cake and then dancing. His sister and new husband took to the floor before the rest of the bridal party followed. To have Evie in his arms felt good.

“I have two left feet,” Evie warned, moving to the dance floor with him.

Scott grinned when she began to move in an awkward way. Okay, so Evie couldn’t dance. She had other talents. She could cook. And paint. And she was a great kisser.

“You’re smiling,” she said, and tightened her grip on his shoulder. “Am I that bad?”

“Yep.” He chuckled. “Follow my lead and no one will notice. Besides, the bride and groom get all the attention.”

She looked across the dance floor to where Noah and Callie swayed together. “Yes, I suppose they do.”

He heard a break in her voice. “Evie,” he said softly. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine. Just tired, I guess.”

He wondered if she was thinking about her own wedding. That was normal, right? She looked lost and a little sad. She was probably thinking about her husband. The one man she’d loved. The urge to make it better for her drummed through Scott’s blood. Not that he knew how. He didn’t know much of anything when it came to Evie. The last week had been hell. Living with her but barely speaking, walking into rooms that held the lingering scent of her fragrance, working out ways to avoid being alone with her...the whole damn thing had become exhausting.

The truth was he missed her.

And hadn’t a clue what to do about it. Another week and he’d be gone. Back to his life and his job and he could forget all about Evie Dunn. He could forget how she felt in his arms and the taste of her kiss. Every ounce of good sense he possessed warned him away from Evie. But the pull back toward her was intense and impossible to ignore.

They danced for a while longer, not speaking, only moving together. At one point he switched partners with Cameron, the best man, and ended up dancing with a bubbly redhead whose name he didn’t quite recall. Later he tried to get Evie alone again. Instead, his sister cornered him by the drinks table.

“Is something going on you’re not telling me?” she asked suspiciously.

Scott shrugged and took an imported beer from the bar attendant. “Not a thing.”

“You always were a terrible liar.”

“Nothing to tell,” he assured his sister. “Wanna dance?”

Callie gripped his arm. “I just don’t want to see anyone get hurt.”

Neither do I.
“No one’s getting hurt,” he said, and took Callie’s arm. “Promise.”

But as he took his sister to the dance floor, the word felt flat and empty. Because people
were
getting hurt. He was hurting Evie simply by being himself. She’d let him off the hook and he was glad for it...right? He didn’t want commitment or anything resembling a relationship.

Only...watching Evie beneath the marquee, shimmering so beautifully in her gold dress, with her magnificent hair curling around her shoulders, it sure as hell felt as though he did.

* * *

Because it was Christmas Eve, the wedding was over by nine o’clock. Callie and Noah had planned to spend the next few days at home and were flying out to Hawaii for their honeymoon after New Year’s. While they were gone, Mary-Jayne and Callie’s mother, Eleanor, would be staying at their place to look after the children.

Evie arrived home at nine-thirty, achingly aware of Scott’s presence beside her as he drove her car, and with Trevor in tow, complaining about the penguin suit he’d been forced to wear all afternoon. The Manning sisters were still awake, eager to know all about the wedding, and she remained downstairs for a while to chat with them. Scott and Trevor headed upstairs, presumably to ditch the suits in favor of something less formal. But Evie was reluctant to take off the pale gold satin dress she knew was a flattering fit and color. And the pumps on her feet gave her an extra three inches of height.