Undeniable Demands (8 page)

Wade thrust her coat into the closet and shut the door as forcefully as he could without audibly slamming it. He turned to her with venom in his dark eyes. “I told you my family is the most important thing in the world to me. It’s the reason I’m willing to pay you more than anyone in their right mind would pay for that land. To preserve my family. You can come here and have dinner. But you’d damn well better know that I won’t sit back and let you toy with any of them.”

“I’m not out to manipulate people like you are, Wade. I have no intention of doing anything to your family.”

“You’d better hope you’re right.”

“Or what?” Tori challenged.

Wade opened his mouth to answer, but his gaze moved over her shoulder to someone behind her. His defensive posture melted away, his expression softening.

Then Tori heard Heath’s amusement-laced voice behind her. “Hey, you guys are standing under the mistletoe.”

* * *

“Mistletoe?” Molly came running from the kitchen, a gleam of excitement in her eyes.

Wade and Tori both looked above their heads and back at each other with a touch of dismay. Dangling from the ceiling was a small sprig of green leaves tied with a festive red ribbon. What the hell was mistletoe doing in the house? Everyone here was related. If not by blood, by circumstance. His mother never hung mistletoe.…

Then it hit him. She’d invited Tori to dinner. She’d hung mistletoe. Molly was plotting. The woman had five children in their late twenties or early thirties and not the slightest forecast of weddings and grandbabies in her future. She must have gotten it in her head that Tori would be perfect for one of her boys. Maybe even him. What was she thinking?

By now, the entire family had piled back into the living room to watch.

“Mama,” Wade complained. “Why did you hang this stuff? It’s silly.”

“It’s tradition,” Molly countered. “This is the first year I’ve been able to hang it, so you bet your sweet bippy you’re going to play along and make me happy.”

Wade swallowed the lump in his throat and turned from his family to look at Tori. She looked even more anxious than he felt. She was stiff, her light blue eyes wide with shock from the unexpected declaration. Her cheeks were slightly flushed. He didn’t know if it was from their argument or the embarrassment of kissing him like this.

Two seconds earlier they’d been fighting, and now he had to kiss her in front of his entire family. Several times over the past few days he’d fantasized about doing just that. Running his hands through the silken fire of her hair. Halting the flow of poisonous words from her mouth by kissing her into silence.

But not now. Not like this. Not in front of everyone.

“If you don’t do it, I will,” Heath offered from the back. Julianne threw an irritated elbow into his ribs, doubling him over. “Ow, Jules!”

That made Wade frown. He sure as hell wouldn’t let Heath anywhere near Tori or the mistletoe. He’d punch his brother in the jaw for even thinking about kissing Tori.

He’d worry about what that meant later.

“Just hurry up and get it over with.”

Tori’s voice distracted him from his brother’s taunt. He frowned at the redhead. Even though the sensible thing to do would be to give her a quick peck and move on, he didn’t like her attitude. Never in his life had a woman asked him to “hurry up and get it over with.” It made him want to pull her into his arms and kiss her breathless. He wanted her to eat her words.

But doing that in front of his family was dangerous. Brody would worry that he’d let sex distract him from their goal. Molly would start knitting booties. He needed to just kiss her so they could have dinner and send Tori on her way.

“Kiss her!” someone shouted. He wasn’t sure who.

Wade took a step forward, Tori’s whole body tensing as he did. Leaning in to her, he didn’t hesitate to bring his lips to hers. He had every intention of giving her the kind of kiss appropriate for a stranger caught in this awkward ritual. But the moment his skin touched hers, it was just like before. The handshake in the gift shop had nearly thrown him for a loop. Touching her so innocently had sent his blood boiling, and he hadn’t been able to make himself pull away.

Just like now.

Tori’s mouth was soft and more welcoming than he’d expected. There was no tight-lipped resignation. Instead, she leaned in to him just slightly, tasting like the honey she’d put in his tea a few days earlier. The gesture was enough to coax him into closing his eyes and deepening the kiss. His right hand slipped up to caress her cheek.

The surge of desire that ran through his body urged him forward, keeping him from pulling back the way his brain knew he needed to. In the back of his mind he registered that Tori wasn’t pulling away, either. There was something stronger than both of them holding them in place. A tingle of electricity danced across the palm of his hand where he touched her. He wanted to wrap his arms around her. He wanted to forget about their circumstances and press his body against hers.

A loud wolf whistle from one of his brothers startled both of them out of it. As if receiving an unexpected slap, Wade jerked back. Tori did the same. He looked at her, a little startled by his reaction to her. The intensity had completely caught him off guard. Judging by the wide-eyed expression on Tori’s face, she was equally confused by what had just happened.

Glancing behind her, he saw that his whole family stood with mixed expressions on their faces. A few were surprised, Brody was irritated, Heath was amused. Only his mother was grinning, a smug satisfaction in her eyes. Wade could tell she was picking out the perfect color of pastel yarn at that very moment.

“Well,” Ken said, breaking the awkward silence. “I think it’s time to carve this bird. Everyone finish up and make your drinks.”

The family scattered again, Molly reluctantly returning to her duties and leaving Wade and Tori alone. He looked back to her, and his chest suddenly felt tight and uncomfortable. The white collared shirt under his sweater was choking him. He was unpleasantly warm, despite being on the opposite side of the room from the fireplace.

Maybe it had nothing to do with his clothes. It was her. She looked more beautiful than she ever had. Her pale skin was flushed a rosy pink. Her lips were moist and slightly parted. The light blue of her eyes seemed darker around the edges than before. Maybe it was the dark blue of her scoop-neck sweater that drew out the color. It highlighted the long column of her neck and the delicate line of her collarbones. Between them, a small cameo hung on a gold chain. It was the ivory silhouette of a woman set against a blue background that reminded him of his mother’s Wedgwood.

Wade wanted to sweep the necklace aside and plant kisses in the hollow of her throat. He wanted to know how her skin would taste and smell. He sucked in a deep breath to draw in her scent. It was a smoky mix of sweet flowers, like honeysuckle, and the herbal undertone of burning incense. It was surprisingly seductive.

“What was that?” Tori’s voice was small and without the biting tone she normally hurled at him.

“Just a kiss,” he answered, dismissing the powerful feeling that had set fire running through his veins when they touched. He wasn’t ready to let her know how it had affected him. How she affected him. That would put him at a distinct disadvantage in their negotiations.

Her blue eyes searched his face for a moment before she sighed and looked away. There was a touch of disappointment in her expression as though she’d expected him to acknowledge it was more than that. She nodded softly and took a step away from him. “I’m going to wash my hands before dinner.”

Wade pointed out the small half bath beneath the stairs and watched her walk away. The sweater was enticing, but more so were the charcoal-gray skirt and knee-high leather boots she wore with it. There was a sway to her hips when she walked that was deliciously outlined by the fit of the skirt, and the slit in the back offered him a momentary flash of thigh with each step. It made him wish the bathroom were farther away so he could continue to watch her walk.

Brody stepped into the path of his view just as she pulled the door closed behind her. A frown lined his brother’s face as he thrust a mug of mulled cider into Wade’s hand. “Here. There’s no whiskey in it. I figured you were being dumb enough without alcohol.”

Wade scowled at his brother but accepted the drink. “You worry too much. It’s all part of my plan,” he lied, hoping it sounded like forethought on his part. “I’m softening her up. Then, when you dig up some good information on her I can use, she’ll be putty in my hands.”

Heath came past them to put his own coat into the closet. “Hey, Wade, I thought you were supposed to be buying Tori’s land, not checking her for tonsillitis.”

“Both of you just cool it. I know what I’m doing.”

Brody’s dark blue gaze narrowed at him. Wade often wondered if his brother’s personality would be different if he had been born into better circumstances. Would he be less serious? More open to life?

“Try not to scowl at her, Brody. Make her feel welcome, more at ease. It will help. You said you wanted to do something. Here’s your chance.”

Brody sighed. “I know. I just wasn’t prepared to see her walk in. I wish Mama had told me she was coming. She knows I don’t like those kinds of surprises.”

Wade nodded. “Neither do I.” He knew his brother didn’t like to meet new people. It was a painful ritual he had to repeat every time someone came face-to-face with him for the first time. “How did she do?”

“Better than most. She didn’t run screaming or anything. Although, I need to tell Julianne not to sit her across from me at the table. I’m sure it wouldn’t help her appetite to look at me the whole time.”

Wade sighed and took a sip of his cider. “Stop it. No self-flagellation during the holidays. Would you rather she sits across from me?”

“Hmm,” Brody said thoughtfully. “You two might end up playing footsie at this rate. Maybe across from Xander or Heath.”

“Dinner is ready,” Molly announced from the entryway to the kitchen. “Is everyone ready?”

The bathroom door opened and Tori came out much more composed than when she went in. Wade watched her paint a smile on her face and curl her hands into fists before she took a few steps toward the dining room. The kiss seemed to have thrown her for a loop. He was glad. Perhaps keeping her off balance was the best thing to do. Kill her with kindness. Use any information Brody came up with to charm her. Being nice might confuse her, make her like him and his family. Maybe then she could understand how important buying the land back was to him.

“Wade, I’ve put you here,” Julianne said, indicating a chair on the far side of the table.

He nodded and made his way over. His sister smiled wickedly at him as she seated Tori next to him and Brody to her left, his good side facing the guest. The rest of the family took their places.

The table was laid with a red-and-gold tablecloth that was barely visible beneath the edge-to-edge casserole dishes, platters and bowls. In the center were thick red pillar candles, poinsettias and golden ribbons that sparkled in the light. As always, Molly had outdone herself.

As tradition dictated, they stood at the table and held hands. Wade reached out and took Tori’s hand, trying hard to focus on his father’s words instead of how her touch affected him.

“I’m thankful that all of us are back together again. It’s been a tough year for everyone,” Ken began. “But certainly not the worst we’ve ever had. We’re fighters. We have each been blessed with perseverance and drive and have been brought together for a reason. May we each have a glorious and prosperous New Year and may we each find ourselves back here again next year, blessed in life, love and happiness.”

Wade felt Tori gently squeeze his hand. A lump formed in his throat. She understood. At least, she understood his family. She could never truly understand what he was dealing with. He doubted she had such dark secrets buried in her past. Few people did.

Ken smiled. “Merry Christmas, everyone. Let’s eat.”

Five

T
ori was glad she hadn’t chickened out after that kiss. She had stood in the bathroom for longer than necessary and toyed with the idea of trying to climb out the tiny window. Reason and hunger trumped her flight reflex, and for that she was grateful. She was stuffed almost as full as the turkey had been before the feasting started. She’d had no idea what a real Christmas dinner was like—one cooked without chafing fuel or charcoal briquettes—until now. There had been mashed potatoes and chestnut-oyster bread stuffing covered in gravy. Maple-glazed carrots. Hot yeast rolls. Then dessert. Good Lord. She’d never known pumpkin pie could melt on your tongue like that.

Everyone had been very friendly, engaging her in their conversations, including Wade. There was a lot of family banter, laughter and tall tales. Tori supposed this was what it was like to have a large family. Growing up as an only child, she’d always longed for a home with a family like this. She’d imagined holidays with merriment and shared stories from childhood.

Tori had sometimes thought that when she married and built her home she’d want to have a lot of children. Four. Maybe five, like the Edens. When things fell apart with Ryan after two years, she’d decided to go ahead and build her dream house anyway. Hopefully love and children would follow. But at the rate she was going, the dreams of that large family were dwindling away. She might end up living in that big house alone.

Perhaps that was why every attempt to start drawing up an architectural design had failed. Even her pen knew there was no point in a home without lively discussion or shared memories to be made there.

Tori turned to listen to Heath as he very animatedly talked about one of his obnoxious advertising clients. They were all such great storytellers. After hearing Ken talk, she knew where the children had learned their skills.

It was a welcome distraction from the night’s wildly swirling undercurrents. Having Wade only a few inches away all night had been its own form of torture. She couldn’t help but be hyperaware of him. For one thing, he was like a radiator. She could feel the heat of his body penetrating her sweater. Tori tended to run cold, and it took everything she had not to curl against his side and lean into his warmth.

They also kept touching one another. First, holding hands during the blessing before dinner. Then passing food around the table. Without fail their fingers would brush or their shoulders would bump. Innocent, meaningless touches that sent a jolt through her body each time. And the kiss certainly hadn’t helped. Whenever her mind drifted away from dinner, it would go back to the moment under the mistletoe.

She hadn’t expected anything like that. Wade had had a look on his face as though he were being marched to the guillotine. Clenched jaw, blank eyes. He hadn’t wanted to kiss her. And yet, once he did…everything changed. And it really did feel as if everything was different. In less than a minute the way she thought about Wade, the way she looked at him, the way she perceived him shifted on its axis.

Tori dragged her fork through the streaks of whipped cream left on her dessert plate and pondered the kiss. There was a tenderness in his touch that surprised her. A need thrummed through the glide of his fingertips across her skin. It made her want to wrap her arms around his neck and pull him close. Wade! Of all the people to make her react like that… A part of her wished she had found herself under the mistletoe with any of the other brothers. They were all handsome and successful. She could do worse, even considering scowling Brody.

But it had to be Wade, the one she was determined to keep her defenses up against. He was out to push her aside and get what he wanted at any price. She had to remember that.

But somehow that kiss had put a dent in her armor. Sitting so close to him during dinner, Tori couldn’t help but wonder if he knew it. He’d made it clear that first night that he would do whatever it took to change her mind, including seducing her. But the mistletoe kiss wasn’t planned. And she got the feeling from his reaction that it wasn’t just a scheme.

So what was that kiss all about? He’d blown off her question when she asked. She didn’t know why. It was more than just a kiss. More than his ruthless drive. At least, it felt that way to her. Maybe it was just her old attraction to him coloring her impressions.

Tori glanced at Wade beside her. He was watching her. He was facing Heath as his brother talked, but his gaze had strayed to her. There was no anger or animosity in his green eyes. Only desire swirling with the flicker of candlelight. His eyes invited her closer. Dared her to stand under the mistletoe with him again.

No, she had been right. It had been more than just a simple kiss.

Taking a deep breath, Tori turned away and found herself facing Brody. He stiffened when he noticed her move toward him. She could tell he was extremely uncomfortable with her there. While almost everyone else at the table was relaxed and chatting, Brody was board straight in his seat and quiet. He wouldn’t look at her, but every now and again his gaze would stray to her, then nervously back to the others at the table.

She hoped she wasn’t the cause of his discomfort. Tori would hate it if his holiday was ruined because of her surprise arrival. Why had they seated him beside her if he would be miserable? She didn’t know what she could do to make it better. Speaking to him made it worse. So she shifted back toward Wade and felt Brody subtly relax into his chair.

“Can we open a present tonight?” Julianne asked as she got up from the table with a stack of dessert plates she had collected.

“You know the rules,” Molly chided. “Only Tori gets her present tonight.”

Tori was in the process of standing with her own dish when she paused, hearing her name. “What?”

“Why does Tori get to open her gift?” Heath asked. “Not once in eighteen years have you ever let one of us open a gift early.”

“Stop whining, Heath,” Ken said. “Tori is getting her present tonight because she won’t be here in the morning when we do gifts.”

Tori frowned and pushed in her chair. “No more, please. Having me over for dinner was kind enough, really.”

Molly shook her head. “It’s too late. If you don’t take it, it will be a waste.” She turned on her heel and headed into the kitchen, ending the argument.

The next few minutes were a blur of activity. Tori was shooed from the kitchen but watched the activity with interest for a while. Everyone took on a task. Not just the women as she had expected. Wade and Brody pushed up their sleeves and started washing and drying pans. Ken brought in dishes from the dining room. Julianne loaded the dishwasher. Xander loaded plastic containers with extra food. Heath bagged the trash and carried it outside. Molly watched over the process like a tiny drill sergeant.

Feeling useless, Tori went to sit in front of the fireplace. Brody and Heath’s fire was quite excellent, and it warmed her back. The old house was beautiful, but a touch drafty, and being near the blaze was a prime spot.

Looking around, she found the same decorating enthusiasm from the gift shop carried over into the house. The fireplace and railing up the stairs were draped in garland. There were candles and poinsettias and other sparkly things everywhere. The tree was the grand centerpiece of the living room. She had expected a tree decorated with coordinating ribbons and glass globes, but this was a family tree. There was a mishmash of ornaments and pieces made with felt, clothespins and glitter glue. Crafts from the children’s younger days. Multicolored lights. A shiny gold star on the top. It was perfect.

The rest of the room was equally interesting. There were built-in bookcases filled with leather-bound books, knickknacks and a million picture frames. It was a fascinating thing to Tori. Her family was minimalist out of necessity. They had a strict policy that if they didn’t use something for six months, it was gone. And if it didn’t serve more than one function, there was no sense in getting it at all.

Tori was distracted by footsteps on the dark hardwood floor. What should’ve taken at least an hour in the kitchen was done in less than ten minutes. The family poured back into the living room far earlier than Tori had expected.

They all held mugs of cider. Wade had two, one of which he handed to her as he sat down on the stone hearth beside her. She took it with a touch of hesitation. “Did you put something in this?” she asked quietly enough for only him to hear.

He smiled widely, his dangerous charm making it obvious that he could have if he wanted to. “No. Just cider.”

With no real choice but to believe him, she sipped the drink. It was warm with cinnamon and caramel undertones. It tasted just the way Christmas should. Not the slightest hint of any chemicals.

“Ken,” Molly urged, “go get Tori’s gift from the shop, would you, please?”

“I’ll get it, Dad.” Wade leaped up and beat his father out the door.

Tori sat anxiously awaiting what he was bringing her. He returned a few minutes later with a tiny potted Christmas tree. It was about two feet tall, and it was decorated with tiny balls of birdseed that looked like ornaments, and strands of cranberries and popcorn threaded around it like garland. It was adorably festive and just the right size for her Airstream.

“Is that really for me?” she asked, wishing she had brought something else with the poinsettia. It didn’t seem like enough for all their kindness.

“Absolutely,” Molly said, beaming with the excitement of gift-giving. “Anyone else would’ve gotten a larger tree.”

Wade approached her with the tree in his arms. “When Mama mentioned you’d never had a Christmas tree, the entire family was rightfully appalled. Everyone needs a Christmas tree, as far as the Edens are concerned.” Wade set the tree on the small end table beside her. “This balsam fir is alive and well-potted, so when it’s warmer you can plant it somewhere. The decorations are for the birds, quite literally. You can set the tree outside after Christmas, and they’ll happily eat up all the decorations so you don’t have to find a place to store them.”

Tori couldn’t help the look of surprise on her face. The gift itself was thoughtful enough, but there was also an attention to detail that she appreciated. These people knew nothing about her, and yet they’d chosen the most perfect present. She didn’t know what to say, so she just reached out to touch the ornaments and admire her tree instead of the man who brought it to her.

“It’s beautiful,” she finally got out. “Thank you for the tree. And for having me to dinner. You may have single-handedly salvaged my holiday.”

Wade smiled, and Tori’s breath caught in her throat. He’d never smiled at her that way. There was always a challenge, a hard edge of negotiation in his expression, even when he was trying to charm her. Tonight, for the holiday, he seemed to have put that aside. Now his smile was just pure joy. It lit up his face, making him more breathtakingly handsome than he’d ever been.

She swallowed hard and took a sip of her cider to distract herself. Wade sat down beside her again and took up his own mug. Tori held her breath, just knowing that the rapid pound of her heartbeat was loud enough for him to hear sitting so close.

Fortunately, someone suggested Julianne play some carols on the ancient-looking upright piano in the corner. That would be loud enough to muffle the sound. Heath goaded his sister until she took her place at the bench and started playing. She began with “The First Noel,” and everyone sat quietly listening to her play.

Tori was relieved to have some time without having to maintain a conversation with someone. She wasn’t an introvert, per se, but she did spend a lot of time alone. She’d gotten a little rusty at basic small talk. Eating dinner had taken up a lot of that time until now. Lifting her mug, she happily sipped her mulled cider and listened to the music.

“You may want to leave before too long,” Wade suggested.

Tori turned to him with a frown curling her mouth down. Just when she thought they’d called a truce. “Are you ready to be rid of me already?”

“No,” he said, turning to the piano and leaning toward her. “But you should know we’re hard-core on tradition around here. Once Julianne plays a couple songs, a group of grown men is going to watch
How the Grinch Stole Christmas
on an old VHS tape. Then Dad will read ‘A Visit from Saint Nicholas’ to all of us before bed.”

Tori smiled. She could hardly imagine a room of powerful CEOs watching cartoons. “It sounds sweet. Are there footie pajamas involved?”

“No, thankfully they don’t make them in my size. When we were kids, yeah, it was cute. Now it’s just getting old and sad, but we haven’t provided the requisite grandchildren to pass on the tradition.”

“Mmm…” she murmured, taking the last sip of her cider as the final notes of Julianne’s song rang out. “I’d better go, then.”

“I’ll walk you out. My mom is loading you down with leftovers, so I’ll carry your tree.”

Tori arched an eyebrow at Wade but didn’t argue. As she rose, Molly got up as well, and the two women headed into the kitchen where Tori disposed of her mug in the sink. Wade was right: Molly had packed a bag full of containers to feed her for a few days. Molly gave Tori a big hug, thanked her for coming and walked her to the door.

Tori was careful to avoid the mistletoe this time as she grabbed her coat and flung it over her arm. She waved good-night to everyone, then headed out the door with Wade behind her.

They crunched through the snow to where she’d parked her truck without saying a word. She unlocked the passenger door and set the leftovers on the floorboard. Wade put the tree on the bench, and Tori fastened it into place with the seat belt. “That should hold it steady,” she said, tossing her bulky jacket inside and slamming the heavy door closed.

Wade was standing beside her, leaning casually against the truck. She expected him to go back into the house—he didn’t even have his coat on—but he stayed firmly in place. His green eyes were black in the dark night, fixed on her face. The intensity of his gaze made her skin flush and a tingle run down the length of her spine.

“That wasn’t so bad, was it?” she teased, unsure what else to say with him watching her so closely.