Be Mine at Christmas(66)
Author: Brenda Novak

“Brent?” he hollered as he walked out.

By now his brother was halfway across the gym. “I thought you might be in the tub.”

“I was just getting out.” Putting a hand on Brent’s shoulder, he steered him back toward the kitchen. “What are you doing here? I didn’t expect you for a day or two.”

“I told Mom about Cierra. She wanted to send some clothes for her, insisted I bring them right away.”

“Clothes from where?”

“From the store. Where else? She spent the entire afternoon shopping and loved every minute of it.”

“But…how did Mom know Cierra’s size?”

“I told her she was small.”

Ken knew how small. If he closed his eyes, he could still feel her beneath his hands.

“If these don’t fit, we can take them back and get others,” Brent was saying. “Where is she?”

“She went to bed a while ago.” Which was true. Ken just didn’t mention that she’d slipped out.

“Good thing I didn’t knock on her door.” Brent pointed at the decorated tree. “She do all this?”

No way was Ken going to admit he’d helped. Brent would find it a little too amusing. “Yeah.”

“Looks nice. Where’d she get the stuff?”

“I brought it back when I went to town earlier.” “Really?”

Ken scowled. “What’s the big deal?”

“I didn’t think you’d decorate for Christmas, that’s all.”

“It’s not like I’m Scrooge.”

“No, not Scrooge. Just…I don’t know if I would’ve done it.”

“I thought Cierra could use the distraction.”

“Good idea.” He sounded impressed. “You locate the address you were looking for this morning?”

Figuring it was best to tell everyone the same story, Ken shook his head. “Nope. No luck.”

His brother clicked his tongue. “What are we going to do about her?”

If Brent hadn’t shown up so unexpectedly, Ken would be making love to her. He couldn’t seem to focus on anything except the feel and taste of her. “I don’t know. I guess I’ll hire her until we arrange something better, huh?”

Brent frowned at the floor. “You didn’t dry off very well. You’re getting water everywhere.”

“What? You’re Mom now?” He punched his brother in the arm. “I’m beat. See you in the morning.” He went to his room and stayed there until he heard the television go on and knew Brent was occupied with a movie. Then he crept back across the gym to get Cierra. Now that he’d had time to clear his head, he realized it’d been a mistake to touch her as intimately as he had. He couldn’t start dating again if he was sleeping with his housekeeper. What kind of a lecher would that make him?

As he opened the door to the Jacuzzi and smelled that first blast of chlorine, he was trying to decide how he was going to apologize and tell her about his change of heart.

But he didn’t have to say anything. Apparently, she’d already come to the same conclusion. When he got there, she was gone.

CHAPTER TEN

CIERRA BURROWED BENEATH the covers of her bed, seeking refuge and comfort. So much had changed in the past few months; she’d changed. She hardly recognized herself anymore. She’d come to America to get married. Instead, her fiancé had died and now she was staying in a remote cabin with the reincarnation of the handsome movie star she’d fantasized about for the past three months. But that didn’t mean she was suddenly going to live a fairy-tale life. She had to protect her heart, keep herself together and do whatever was necessary to survive. Her determination was all she had.

Her door opened slightly. “Cierra?” It was Ken, speaking in a low voice so Brent wouldn’t overhear.

Was it too soon to pretend she was asleep? She knew it was, and yet she didn’t want to discuss what had happened. She preferred to forget it, chalk it up to the general insanity and misfortune she’d encountered since her parents died. “Yes?”

“Are you okay?”

“Sí. I am fine.” Would he come in, expect to be welcomed into her bed, despite Brent’s presence?

She hoped not, and yet she had mixed feelings when he didn’t even try. “I’m sorry. I got carried away. It—it won’t happen again,” he said, and the door clicked shut.

A KNOCK AT THE FRONT door woke Cierra the next morning. She assumed Ken or Brent would get it but, when they didn’t, she began to wonder if, as their housekeeper, that was her job.

Climbing out of bed, she rubbed her eyes and checked the alarm clock on her nightstand. It was barely eight. Who would drive up to the cabin so early?

She put on her only pair of jeans, smoothed down Ken’s T-shirt, which she’d worn to bed, and ran her fingers through her hair to make herself as presentable as she could in ten seconds. Then she hurried to the living room. She was just reaching for the door handle when she heard Ken behind her.

“Who is it?” he asked with a yawn.

“I don’t know.” She stepped back in case he wanted to answer it, but he stayed in the hall and motioned for her to go ahead.

A second later, she was facing Tiffany Wheeler, who was doused in the same perfume she’d had on at the diner. Her hair, makeup and clothing were as perfect as ever, too.

“Hi.” Tiffany’s smile faltered when she saw that Cierra was, once again, wearing Ken’s clothes, especially when she spotted Ken and he wasn’t wearing a shirt.

Cierra knew that, at first glance, it looked as if they’d been in the same bed. But she shouldn’t have worried that Tiffany might suspect any such thing. A second later, Ken’s ex-girlfriend shrugged and broadened her smile as if this couldn’t possibly be what it looked like. Ken would never be interested in someone like Cierra. Cierra had nothing to compete with.

“You’re getting all settled in, huh?” She spoke to Ken as though Cierra wasn’t standing there and held up the plate she carried so he could see it. “I made you some homemade cinnamon rolls for breakfast.”

“Come on in. You caught me sleeping but I’ll grab a shirt.”

Cierra dutifully took the rolls and closed the door behind her.

“Place looks great,” Tiffany said while Ken was gone. “Did you do all this yourself?”

Cierra and Ken had done it together, but she didn’t think he’d want her to mention that. He hadn’t told Brent last night. She’d heard him say she’d done it all. “Sí.”