The Reluctant Beauty (4 page)

“Your friend won’t mind, will he?” Austin asked, sitting on a chair and tugging off his heavy boots.

“Rico? Nah! The more the better. He loves a good sleepover.”

Austin seemed to sag. Peg noted how tired he looked.

“You look beat. Hanging out at bars wears you out?”

He chuckled. “Flying, months of working without a day off, now that does wear me out.”

She frowned. “So what do you do anyway?” Putting out her hand, he took it, and she tugged him to his feet. She liked touching him.
Too much
. He was close. Now she saw the sleepy eyes and sliver of a smile. Peg gulped hard. That smile…

“Travel a lot. For business.”

He couldn’t even form complete sentences. She nudged him toward the lone bathroom. “You take the rights first; you need it more than me right now.”

Mumbling something, he snatched some things from his duffel bag and went to the barely there room in the loft.

Curious, Peg craned her neck to see if she could find out what else was in that black bag he carried around. Nope. Nothing but clothes on top.

Marching away from it, because that was the right thing to do and she was fighting herself with peeking, Peg turned to the tiny kitchen and heated up a couple of cans of soup for them. After all, he must be cold, tired, and hungry by the looks of him.

She heard movements in the other room, and called out to him. “Be there in a jiffy. I’m getting some grub for us.”

 He didn’t answer.

“Strange.”

Silence from the other room made her nervous. Picking up the pan from the stove and still stirring it with a wooden spoon, she padded into the living room and stopped short. He was stretched out on his makeshift bed. Fast asleep. Shirtless. Nothing but black boxer briefs on.

“French fries and fiddlesticks! He’s gorgeous. Those pecs, Those abs. You could bounce a coin off of him.”

The key in the door sounded. A second later, Rico entered. He halted in his tracks as he took in Peg and then followed her gaze to the half-naked man on the floor. “Well, Peg, if that’s hot wax and you two are in the middle of playing, I get to watch.”

“What do you do with hot wax? Hair removal?”

He rolled his eyes. “The things you don’t know.”

***

“Rico, look at him. He’s to die for, isn’t he?” She whispered as she knelt over Austin’s prone body, having set the hot soup pan back on the stove. The man wasn’t kidding when he said he was tried. He lay dead to the world.

“Who did his hair?” Rico reached out and rubbed his hand over the top. “Too short for my taste. But not bad.”

“Let me feel.” It was soft, yet spiky in places. She giggled.

Austin stirred.

She pulled her hand back guiltily, curling her fingers to hold in that warm, tingly feeling whenever she touched him. He stilled. His perfect face looked even better this close. Sticking out a finger, she traced his jaw, liking the slight prickly sensation his scruffy beard caused.

“Lower, Peg, much lower.” Rico poked at the guy’s bare chest.

Peg swatted his hand away. “Hands off, bub. He’s my date.”

“Shut up! O-M-G! Him?! How did you score that one?”he nearly shrieked.

Peg gave him a nasty glare. “I do have some powers of persuasion.”

Rico looked her up and down. “You? Where?”

“Huh?” Austin mumbled.

“See? You’re waking him up. Stop.” Peg tried to nudge Rico aside and away, but it was too late.

***

Voices woke him. Austin blinked. He was on his back. And two people were crouched over him. Had he passed out on stage?

Trying to will his mind to clear, he realized he’d been off tour for less than forty-eight hours, so it wasn’t that. But what?

Slowly, the events of the long day and even longer night clicked into place as he focused on the woman hanging over him. Those big, brown eyes were trained on him, that smirk playing around her sexy lips, and he was certain she wasn’t wearing a bra under that thin pajama top. Now this he could get used to.

But the guy? He’d recalled him from the restaurant when he left her there on her own. Her friend looked Austin over like a piece of filet mignon.

“Peg?”

“Hey, you remember. You know the morning after and all?” His blank look must have prompted her; she said, “Just kidding. You gotta catch on to my jokes or we’re toast with my folks.”

The guy leaning over him giggled. “That rhymed. How funny.” He couldn’t stop laughing.

Peg joined in. “Rico, how much booze did you drink on your date tonight, anyway?”

“Not enough to make him disappear.” Another round of laughter gripped him. He tilted to the side and fell on the floor. “Oh no, my head is dizzy.”

“So what’s new about that?”

He laughed even harder.

Beside him, Peg laid down, chuckling, her head just inches from Austin’s. And Rico did the same on the other side.

Austin sighed, thinking this wasn’t much different than his touring days.

***

Peg hustled to keep up with her boss, her clipboard in hand. “You gotta walk so darn fast this morning?” she mumbled.

Griffin James stopped in his tracks. “What’s wrong?”

“Huh?”

“You were late this morning. You’re never late. Now you can’t keep up.”

“Sleepover. At Rico’s.”

He held up his hand. “Enough said. Rico has his reputation to live up to.”

“Or down to,” she muttered.

They both chuckled.

At a slower pace, Griff moved ahead. “What’s next on the agenda? The men’s department remodel? It’s on schedule.”

He was talking, but she barely listened. She did have something else on her mind. A man she’d left asleep with a note and a key by his side. Peg wondered if he’d follow through and go to her place, settle in, and then she’d see him later tonight.

No wonder she’d never wanted a permanent relationship with anyone. He mind turned to mush at work.

Griff had stopped again. Quiet now.

“Ah, it’s my turn isn’t it, Boss?”

“Peg, did you call the contractors? We’re all set for next weekend, right?”

She nodded numbly. “Whattda think? Call’s made. Day’s set. We’re good.” Her usually razor-sharp mind took slightly longer to process the request and come up with the answer.

“Good.” He rested his hands on his hips. “Now, first on the agenda is the charity event. The planners are putting the finishing touches on it as we speak. But, I need you here and focused. So, if you got something going on, you need to fix it and fast. Take the afternoon off. I’ll see you here bright and early tomorrow morning.”

He walked away.

She gulped hard. “Dismissed? For the day?” No one had ever done that to her before. But she couldn’t blame him. He’d had to repeat himself several times already. And she’d normally be five steps ahead of him.

“Thanks, Boss,” she called out, racing back upstairs to her office. She’d get her things, lock up her desk, and skedaddle outta here and back to her apartment to check on Austin.

Less than twenty minutes later, she was on the first floor of King’s Department Store again when she realized she’d better tell Rico she couldn’t meet up with him for lunch.

There were a few people standing near the Charmings Wedding Boutique. She spotted Rico and his assistant, Evelyn, with a few other people. “Yoo hoo, gang! How’s the wedding biz today?” The figures on sales and weddings jumped higher than ever now that Kings, more specifically, the owner Charolotte King Royale, designed one-of-a-kind wedding dresses for the store, so they were adding more employees to help out. That must be it. They must be newbies.

“Oh, honey, that color is all you,” Rico called out, referring to her bronze silk blouse and brown skirt. They match the caramel highlights I added to your hair.”

“Geez, Louise, Rico, it’s only ‘cause you picked it out for me…” Her voice trailed off as she came upon the circle of people. “Ma? Pop? What are you doing here? You weren’t due until next week,” she squeaked out.

Her brother’s wide grin and cheeky smile made her groan. “Hey, sis. Doc told Buffy the baby is coming two weeks early, so we decided to come now instead of cancel altogether.” He put his arm around his beaming wife. “So here we are.”

But it was the man slightly behind her brother who caught her attention and held it. He was wearing a brand new black baseball cap, low over his eyes, but still she knew him, would know him anywhere. She gulped hard.

Rico grabbed her elbow and tugged her closer. “You know Evelyn’s brother, don’t you?” His tone was too sweet.

Evelyn grinned, reached back and pulled her brother to her side. “This is my big brother, Austin.”

“We’ve met,” Austin said.

“Brother?”
What was this going to do to her plan?

“Half,” both brother and sister inserted, but smiled, clearly fond of each other.

“Holy crap, Batman and Robin,” Peg whispered, but it carried. Austin chuckled.

Peg’s brother, Chip, turned to look at him. “You look familiar.”

His wife clutched his arm. “Oh my God. It’s Austin Rhoades! He’s the founder and lead singer for the Rhoadies!” she nearly shrieked and gushed as she stared at Austin.

Looking from her sister-in-law to Austin and his slight nod of agreement, Peg felt the blood drain from her face. What in the flying fig had she gotten herself into? She’d never pull this off now!

Back to square one with the date thingy. Damn, if only they hadn’t figured it out about Rico; she could have tried to pass him off as her one and only.

Not gonna happen
.

Austin watched Peg, her slack jaw, pale face, and wide questioning eyes. His heart tugged. The jig was up before it had even started. How in the world did he think he could pull this off? How could he have thought he could hide in plain sight?

His plans on being incognito while in Dallas dissolved right before his very eyes.

The end of the charade.

He could see the disappointment in Peg’s face, the various emotions coming and going. There, he saw the flash of betrayal. That hit, hard and swift.

Somehow she conveyed her feelings, silently letting him off the hook.

So he shouldn’t be feeling guilty about a damn thing, right?
Wrong!

Could he leave her hanging like that? She’d let him sleep over, gave him a key to her place, and had gone along with his wishes thus far. He’d done nothing for her at all.

He’d overheard her family’s concerns to Rico right before Peg had arrived.

They felt sorry for her. Tall, gawky only daughter never fit in with them. They’d tried, but, she was so obviously different in appearance alone. They loved her and only wanted the best for her.

Underneath it all, Austin heard the well of regret, the fear of her never quite having a decent home life. The lonely existence they painted for her did seem sad. All work. Consumed with King’s Department Store. They just wanted the best for her. Work wasn’t everything. Huge sigh, but, for Peg, it might just end up that way; her mother had sniffed back tears.

Shouldn’t he do something?

He still needed a low-key place to crash; when the press got a hold of the fact he was staying in town, they’d camp out at every high-end hotel to catch him coming and going. He’d never have any peace.

Those eyes, big and brown, captured him.

His heart tugged.

They’d both benefit from this. At least that’s what he argued with himself about right before he said, “Peg and I know each other already.”

Voices screeched to a halt. Their eyes searched out each other’s, exchanging looks with questions lurking.
Trust me on this one
, he tried to convey.

“Ev.” He turned to his sister. “I’ll explain everything later,” he said under his breath. “Peg and I are…dating. Isn’t that right, babe?”

She actually blushed, pink stealing into her cheeks. “Sure, yeah, that’s what we’re doing.”

The way she looked, guilty as sin, sealed her fate.

“Peg, you?!” Her sister-in-law hugged her. “I’m so happy for you. Is he as hot in person, you know, without the shirt, as he is on stage?”

“Yep. Oh, yes indeedee.” Peg tried to avoid looking at him, but she failed.

He grinned.

“Well, now,” her father babbled, “I-I’m—”

“Shocked, Pop? Me, too. Ain’t every day you’re little giraffe gets a date.”

“Don’t you mean boyfriend?” Austin corrected.

Another round of awkward silence dropped.

“Well, shut me up and call me happy,” Rico said, throwing his arms around Austin. “Welcome to the family, handsome.” He pulled back and looked him over. “I’m next in line for getting a hottie, Peg. It’s the least you can do for me after all I’ve done for you.”

There were congratulations, hugs, and handshakes all around, yet there were underlying looks, too. They didn’t buy it.
Not entirely.
Not for Peg.

His sister hissed, “Don’t you hurt her, brother.”

Austin murmured, “No way. I wouldn’t do that. You know me.”

“Yeah. And I know her, too.”

That got to him. But he looked at Peg and for some reason didn’t want to let her down either. “You left this morning before I woke up.”

She gulped.

Her mother said, “I hope you wore something, you know, to protect things.”

“Mother!”

Austin laughed and moved closer. He gazed into her eyes, lost for a moment. He shoved back his cap and then cupped her face in his palms. Her skin was soft and warm. “Peg,” he whispered, “not Margaret, just Peg. It’s such a pleasure to kiss you.” He settled his lips on hers, thinking he’d only emphasize their pretend relationship in front of her family. But he stayed. Longer.

He couldn’t help himself. When his lips touched hers, electricity ensued. This time he lingered, savoring the sweetness. She gasped and he captured that sound. He groaned, low and deep.

“Addictive,” he mumbled against her mouth and continued tasting her.

Breathing hard, she was the one who pulled away first. “Holy moly, me, you’re a great kisser.”