Brown Eyed Girl (40 page)

He barely noticed Melissa’s approach, barely acknowledged her greeting and somehow managed to return it with a feeble one of his own. He struggled to keep his gaze from Annie while simultaneously craving the sight of her.

With only Annie left to ‘meet’ he approached her slowly, wishing for a moment of privacy that would be impossible to achieve in this household at this moment. “And you must be Annie.” He held his hand out to her. “I’m Drake, and it’s nice to finally meet you.”

She stared silently at him for several seconds, surely as aware as he was of them being the center of attention. “Same here...Drake,” she said quietly, ignoring his hand.

Drake could see that her calm exterior was nothing more than a mask she’d perfected to hide her feelings. He smiled at her and for one brief moment the mask lifted, revealing a hurt she’d probably carried for years, long before he’d been in the picture. At least that’s what he’d surmised from their one and only meeting. Why else would she be so afraid of a commitment? The one thing he knew for sure was that he felt like a monumental ass for helping to pile on more hurt in her haunted eyes.

Red stepped forward, breaking the awkward silence. “Everyone! It’s time to eat, now that my brother in law has finally decided to grace us with his presence.”

“
I didn’t expect all of you to wait on me. It was plain old rotten luck that kept me from getting here early, like I planned to,” he said, glancing at Annie. He’d hoped to see something other than anger, and what he saw was complete indifference toward him. She’d completely tuned him out, continuing her conversation with everyone around her. He caught Red’s eye, and they exchanged grim expressions. At some point during the day he’d need to attempt some kind of damage control, wondering what he could possibly say that wouldn’t make her loathe him more than she did at this moment.

The room suddenly turned into a hive of activity as everyone prepared to set the table for Christmas dinner. Drake watched as Annie pulled Red down to her level to speak to him briefly, then spin away, leaving her brother sputtering for an explanation.

Drake sidled up to him. “What’d she say?”

“
Oh, she just thanked me for ruining her day.”

“
Damn, I feel bad for not doing something about this situation sooner, but I thought I’d have time. I’m sorry Red.”

“
Don’t feel sorry for me,” Red snorted. “If she’s that pissed at me, just wait till you see what she’s got in store for you.”

Drake cocked one eyebrow. “I’ll take a little abuse from her for today, but she’s just as much to blame for the rest of it.”

Red shook his head slowly. “I’m glad to see you so determined and unbendable on this, Drake, old boy,” he said, his tone rife with sarcasm. “You should have, at the very least, called to warn her before now.”

Drake shrugged. “I’ve brought down multi-million dollar companies before, I think I can handle little old Annie McAllister.” His entire body tensed as a throat cleared from somewhere just behind him. The smirk on Red’s face told him it was her, and that she’d heard his comment.

He aimed an accusing glare at Red, who wore an expression that screamed ‘Better you than me, pal’.

“
Excuse me, but
little
old
Annie
McAllister
needs to set the table.”

Drake took a slow, deep breath and strengthened his resolve before turning to face her. “Is there anything I can do to help you?”

“
You want to help?” she asked. “I’ve got an even better idea. Here!” she said, thrusting the stack of plates she was holding into his chest, forcing him to take hold of them. “A man like you—a man who brings down
multi-million dollar companies
, no doubt putting hundreds of people out of work—why, a man such as
you
should have no trouble setting this table all by yourself.” She turned and announced that Tiffany’s baby brother had graciously offered to set the table.

Drake smiled tightly at the round of applause her little act had garnered. After being virtually abandoned by Red, he circled the table, placing a plate before each chair at the huge table. Pleased with the completion of his assigned task, he walked into the kitchen to tell Annie he’d finished. She pointed to the storage unit, telling him that’s where he’d find the silverware and glassware for the place settings, before leaving him standing there like a gullible child. Rather than waste the given opportunity, he paused a few seconds to get a good look at her shapely, though retreating little butt.

Tiffany met her brother at the cabinet. “She’s upset right now. I wouldn’t try to start up a friendly conversation just yet. Here, we need these goblets and all of this silverware, just bring the tray in with you. Do you want me to do it for you?”

“
Oh, hell no! After that announcement, she’d love to see me back out of it.”

Tiffany chuckled. “She hates lawyers you know—she’s got this
aversion
to them.”

Drake sighed, letting his head drop back. “Why should I expect anything else at this point?” He got the glassware from the cabinet and brought it to the tables. After several trips, he figured he was finished and walked over to where Annie stood.

“
Would you like to inspect my work?” he asked.

Occupied with the napkin folding, she spoke without facing him. “There are at least two dozen other people in this house right now who
don’t
detest being in the same room as you. Why don’t you go ask one of them?”

He leaned in close, trying to keep his voice lowered. “Look, I tried like hell to get here earlier. I didn’t
want
you to find out like this.”

“
You
could have picked up a phone at any time. I’m assuming you figured out who I was as soon as you met my sisters that night. And let’s not forget that fifteen minute phone conversation we had this very morning,” she said, as her voice rose in anger.

“
Annie—”

“
Marcus!” she snapped.

“
Nicole!” he snapped right back. Her eyes widened, focusing on something behind him. He turned to discover every occupant in the room had stopped to tune in to their discussion.

“
Uh, we’ve met before—obviously. We just didn’t know at the time who we were…or rather…who the other was...or something like that,” he finished lamely.

“
I think I’m having a déjà vu flashback from Thanksgiving,” someone said.

“
It’s Red and Tiffany all over again,” followed by several giggles.

“
Not so funny now, huh, Sis?” someone else volunteered.

“
Welcome to the McAllister family or as we like to call it, life in the fishbowl.” A chorus of chuckles broke out.

He heard Annie swear mildly under her breath and turned in time to see her escape out to the patio, slamming the door behind her. “Don’t hold dinner for us, this could take a while,” he said, heading for the same doorway.

“
You may want to let her cool off awhile,” someone from the back of the room suggested.

Drake paused at the door. “Thanks, but I’d better do this now while my litigation skills are still sharp.” He couldn’t help but grin at the chuckles, snorts, and a couple of ‘Good luck with that, buddy!’ comments from the crowd.

A quick perusal of the patio and back yard got no results. Thinking the pool house he’d heard so much about would be an acceptable escape, he entered quietly through the door. He walked toward the center of the room and whistled under his breath at the huge indoor pool. Continuing around to the other side of the large double lounge chair, he found Annie sitting with her feet tucked under her, trying to look invisible, but failing miserably.

“
Can I sit here?” he asked, pointing to the spot beside her.

“
Sure you can,” she said in a tight voice as she rose from the chair. “I’ll go back inside.”

“
Please stay, Annie.” He grabbed her arm gently.

“
I don’t think so, Mar—Drake. I told you in the parking lot of Red’s club, I’m not interested in anything you have to say or offer.”

He leaned in, wanting to get his fill of her delicate scent. “Aren’t you even curious? I mean, I’ve never come across anyone who’s had that kind of effect on me before. Doesn’t it make you wonder?”

She looked straight past him. “No it doesn’t.”

“
Really? I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since that happened between us.”

“
Nothing happened between us.” She tried to pry his hand off of her arm.

“
Bullshit,” he said, barely above a whisper. “I’ve thought about you every day—and, God help me, every damned night, too.”

“
I didn’t.” She tried, again, to extricate her arm from his strong hand.

“
Stop fidgeting, Annie.
Look
at me and tell me that.”

She did then, and Drake was mesmerized by the large, crystal blue eyes staring up at him. He pulled her closer until she was near enough so that he could see her hair stir with every breath he took. Her perfume, a warm, spicy, floral combination, blended with her own soft scent to leave him in a state of heady intoxication. His eyes drifted shut of their own accord as he inhaled, attempting to permanently install this moment in his memory bank for future reference. He opened his eyes—saw her watching him with eyes widened and filled with the desire she so strongly denied. He leaned in closer, wanting…
needing
to taste her again, to feel her sweet lips on his.

Annie pulled out of his hold and backed away from him. “I believe I’ve already said I don’t want this. Or are you one of
those
guys?”

“
Don’t go there, Annie. You know we both felt something extraordinary that night.”

“
Maybe
you
did. Maybe it wasn’t so extraordinary for me.”

“
I don’t believe that. What if it’s good between us? What if we miss out on the chance of a lifetime?”

“
It’s not.”

“
How do you know? I told you I’m not usually this attracted to someone and I don’t think you are either. Maybe it’s a sign.”

Annie placed a finger to her temple. “Let’s see, what is it you do for a living again? Oh yes, now I remember, you’re a lawyer
—
a corporate lawyer. Maybe
that’s
a sign too, you know, since I hate lawyers and all.”

He gave her a crooked grin. “Ah, but I’m quitting my dad’s firm, and opening up my own family law practice.”

“
Good for you. I’m sure those Houston socialites can always use one more high profile divorce lawyer,” she sneered, heading for the door.

“
Not in Houston, here in Lake Coburn.”

She spun around to face him. “What? Why here?”

He gave her a casual shrug. “I miss my sister.”

“
If your relocation has anything at all to do with me, you’d be making such a colossal mistake.”

“
It’s something I’d been pondering for awhile, but I’ll admit that our first—meeting—well, let’s just say it definitely pushed me over the edge.” Her subtle lift of brow, the hitch in her breathing, and the slight widening of her eyes told him everything he wanted to know. He wasn’t the only one kept up at night thinking about that night. He’d woken up tangled in sheets more times than he’d care to admit, especially to her.

“
B…but, your parents are there,” she stammered.

“
I’m not close to my mother at all. Dad and I are okay, but it’s Tiff I really miss. Besides I have a feeling when she and Red start rolling out babies, Dad and Leah will want to be closer to them and move here, also.”

“
Maybe Red and Tiffany will want to move to Houston,” she said not looking convinced.

“
No way,” he snorted. “Tiff loves it here. It’s her home, and Louisiana will be my home as well. Deal with it, Annie. I’m family now.”

“
Tiffany is family. You’re nothing but an unfortunate by-product,” she insisted.

He took a few steps closer. “It’s the same thing, hon—”

“
I despise pet names.”

“
Every birthday, holiday, anniversary, or grand opening in the family, I’ll be there. I plan on becoming a permanent fixture in your life—
hon
.”

“
I doubt that.”

“
But we have time for all that. Why don’t we just agree to be friends for now?”

“
Oh, let’s not.”

He sighed then smiled seductively at her. “You’re only prolonging the inevitable.”

She shook her head and opened the door. “Arrogance is such a turn off, and you positively reek of it.”

“
You weren’t turned off in the club the other night,” he said.

She cast him a sidelong glance. “You weren’t arrogant that night. If you had been, I wouldn’t have wasted a dance on you.”

“
You wasted a lot more than a dance, as you well remember, and there’s a difference between arrogance and knowing what you want, Annie,” he drawled as she made her escape.