“Jackson. It’s time to
go.”
The little boy whirled
to find the deep, familiar southern voice, leaving Anna to stare at his
tiny profile, unable to look at the man himself. He had been jubilantly
telling her about everything his dad had taught him in preparation for his
first big camping trip with the local scout troop this weekend. The
subject matter had been right up her alley and Jackson’s excitement, like
countless other kids she taught outdoor skills to, was absolutely
contagious.
“No wait, Dad. I haven’t
finished telling Ms. M my story.”
Dad?
The word had a sick
twisting effect deep in her stomach. As if to confirm her doubts she’d
heard correctly, she watched shocked as Brody attempted to lean down and
kiss his son’s head before the boy squirmed away.
His son?
Oh, dear Lord. Had she
slept with a married man?
“But I don’t see your
sleeping bag, Jackson. Run upstairs quick and fetch it before you miss the
bus.”
Anna was positive the
same panic splayed on the boy’s face was mirrored on her own. She had
expected Brody to be a cold, mechanical, almost ruthless man. A money
groping resort owner. But a family man, and a cheating one at that?
Immediately her gaze dropped to his ring finger.
“Promise you’ll make ’em
wait, Dad. I-I just have to go with them this weekend.”
Temporary relief washed
through her at the absence of a ring. Still her gut clenched. Perhaps it
was simply a hotel perception that kept him from wearing it. What if he
did have a wife upstairs? What if he visited the pool to get away from
family constraints?
Jackson, meanwhile, shot
off through the lobby to the elevator. Anna watched him go, delaying
looking at the man who hadn’t stopped wreaking havoc on her senses yet.
Finally, she shook her head to clear her thoughts, her gaze traveling over
his impeccable suit to the ruggedly handsome angles of his face.
“You have a son.”
He laughed. His deep
chuckle resonated through her only to unravel her further. She didn’t find
this amusing. She was a decent woman with morals. Perhaps last night she
had been quite adventurous, looking to put a smug man in his place by
getting satisfaction and walking away but it wasn’t supposed to bite her
in the ass like this.
“Jackson certainly is no
little girl.”
She wanted to stomp her
foot for some insane reason. Did she just come out and ask if he was
married? Or did she simply slap him with no explanation and walk away?
“But he’s yours.”
As if that would explain
it all, she thought grimly. It still seemed too difficult to grasp. How
did such a powerful, stern man end up with the most adorable of children?
She shook her head, confused.
“Is there something
wrong with that, Ms. Montgomery? Perhaps it doesn’t fit well with the
class of men you’ve stereotyped me with? Perhaps you’re realizing I’m not
what you first thought.”
Deft fingers reached out
towards her and gently tucked a strand of silky hair back behind her ear,
lingering a moment longer than necessary. The contact sizzled. She
silently began working her lower lip with her teeth. Doubt crept inside
her. He wouldn’t risk showing affection like that if he was married. The
help, the guests would all see.
And why was he being
kind and affectionate in the first place? He had been commanding last
night and boldly rude this morning. She struggled to re-erect barriers
around her.
“You stroke your ego in
haste, Mr. Aberdeen. What makes you believe I’d waste a moment classifying
you at all?”
She saw the fire rise up
in his dark eyes. It didn’t so much intimidate as it made her feel alive.
Despite all probabilities of a wife, she realized suddenly that taunting
Brody and being teased in return was an enlivening game of cat and mouse.
She was intrigued. Against her mind’s firm warning, her body craved more.
Slowly Brody touched her
again, this time tracing a path down her smooth, warm cheek. No, there
definitely couldn’t be a wife. His deep smile was revealed when she
shivered and immediately she pictured the outcome of this conversation
should they have been somewhere more private. It bothered her to realize
she wanted more from this dark, commanding man. She shouldn’t. And she
wouldn’t give in.
He stepped away and she
let her mind return to the scene.
“You disappoint me,
Anna. I thought I was a good pupil this morning during your lesson at
breakfast.”
Her smile faded, the
reminder of his parting comment like a sharp slap in the face.
“Considering you’re still around, I’d have to give you a failing grade.”
She watched him
straighten, his jaw tighten. “So tell me, Anna, do you hate all men who
work hard to make some decent money and a living, or is it just me?”
Taking a step forward,
perhaps to prove her point, but making her feel incredibly small beside
him, she forced her words through tight lips. “I have a considerable
dislike for men who act like money is all that matters. That money is a
status icon to distinguish themselves from others. But you, Brody
Aberdeen, are in a class of your own.”
His smile unnerved her.
“I knew you were still thinking about me. So tell me, when are we going to
celebrate my success of standing alone?”