Christmas Fantasy

12

IT WAS A COLD, cloudy, overcast Saturday afternoon, and neither McBride brother was home, much to Teddy’s disappointment. She hadn’t called beforehand, afraid that Austin might refuse to see her, and she didn’t want to discuss this private matter over the phone.

Sitting on the porch steps leading to the charming old Victorian house that Austin shared with his brother, she waited for over an hour for him to come home, knowing she’d sit there forever if that’s how long it took to convince Austin that he was the single-most important thing in her life.

Him, and his love and belief in her.

Coming to that conclusion had been a soul-searching event, but her realization had put so many things into perspective for her. After Louden’s attack, she’d spent a few days prioritizing her life, putting her own happiness first on that list, her love for Austin second, and her career third. She no longer felt the need to validate her self-worth to her family, or anyone else, by climbing the corporate ladder. No longer believed that sole independence was the means to ultimate happiness and emotional gratification. She’d put way too much stock in her ambitious goals, when the key to her contentment lay in her heart.

And Austin was in her heart and certainly a part of her soul. She hadn’t expected to fall in love with him, never believed a man could make her feel so whole, so emotionally complete. She’d never imagined that the thought of living without him would make her heart ache so unbearably.

Sighing to chase away the nerves fluttering in her stomach, she closed her eyes and leaned back against the stair railing, silently praying that her revelation hadn’t come too late.

Fifteen minutes later, his black Mustang turned the corner and drove up the street. Austin glanced out the driver’s window, saw her sitting in front of the house, and parked his car in the driveway. Neither brother exited the vehicle, and she could see Austin talking to Jordan, or rather, arguing, if the irritable look on Austin’s face was anything to go by.

Finally, Jordan got out of the Mustang, a wide, welcoming smile spreading across his handsome face. “Hi, Teddy,” he said, waving her way as he headed toward the front porch. “It’s great to see you again.”

Austin followed behind at a slower pace, unsmiling, his expression not at all as inviting as Jordan’s. Despite his cranky disposition, one that she was no doubt responsible for, he looked absolutely gorgeous in his well-worn jeans and leather jacket, his dark hair tousled so enticingly around his head.

Heart pounding with apprehension, Teddy stood and forced herself to return Jordan’s smile. “It’s nice to see you again, too, Jordan.”

He sauntered casually up the porch stairs, and hooked a finger over his shoulder to indicate Austin. “I’m seriously hoping that you’re here to give my brother a much-needed attitude adjustment.”

Austin scowled from behind Jordan, but the temperamental gesture was lost on the elder sibling who had way too much mischief glinting in his eyes. “I thought if I sprung for pizza and beer that it might improve his mood, but the man isn’t easily swayed by our favorite pastime.”

“Jordan,” Austin said, his voice vibrating with a low warning.

“Well, it’s true,” Jordan said as Austin slowly, reluctantly, climbed the stairs to join Jordan and Teddy. “You’ve been acting like the Grinch since Christmas morning.”

Austin’s dark green gaze flickered to Teddy, the depths of which were filled with a misery she was all too familiar with. “Maybe that’s because someone stole my Christmas.”

Teddy’s heart sank to her knees. What if Austin had decided that he no longer wanted a relationship with her? What if she’d hurt him so badly he no longer trusted her with his love? And what if she’d destroyed the one thing she needed the most from him-the way he believed in her, his unconditional acceptance of who and what she was. She had to make him realize that what she was offering this time wasn’t a convenient fling, or a part-time fantasy. It was the real thing.

Jordan leaned close, but didn’t bother lowering his voice when he spoke. “If my brother is stupid enough to let his pride get in the way of the best thing that’s ever happened to him, I’m always available.” He gave her a teasing wink, one she suspected was designed to rile his brother.

Jordan’s scheme worked. Austin visibly bristled and a possessive light sparked in his eyes. “Get lost, Jordan,” he growled fiercely.

A huge, unrepentant grin lifted the corners of Jordan’s mouth. “Hey, consider me gone.”

Austin stared after his brother with a frown, waiting until Jordan had unlocked the front door and stepped inside the house, leaving them well and truly alone. His unfathomable gaze traveled back to her, though he said nothing, letting the awkward silence stretch between them.

Since he didn’t seem inclined to start any conversation, she shifted anxiously on her feet and attempted a truce. “Hi,” she said, hating the quiver in her voice.

He didn’t offer a polite greeting in return, but cut right to the chase. “What are you doing here, Teddy?”

“Pleasing myself,” she said, the truthful declaration slipping from her prematurely.

His eyebrows rose, making her realize how selfish that had sounded, when she’d meant it to be a liberating statement-that she’d finally realized what was important to her.

“Excuse me?” he asked.

Deciding that starting from the beginning would be the most logical approach, she drew a calming breath and said more steadily, “I’m here because I wanted to talk to you.”

He leaned against the opposite railing, folded his arms over his chest and crossed his legs at his ankles. He offered no verbal encouragement; his seemingly casual pose the only indication that he was willing to listen to her.

“I, um, got the promotion,” she said, thinking they could start on neutral territory and work their way to more personal issues-if he softened up along the way.

“I’m happy for you. I had no doubt you’d get it.”

He sounded genuine, and beyond the reservation in his gaze she caught a glimpse of warmth and sincerity. Knowing that he still cared gave her hope for what lay ahead.

As much as she wanted to close the distance between them, she stayed where she was and forged on, knowing she had to tell him everything, even as unpleasant as some of the recollections were. “Louden was arrested for assault, and I was the one to press charges.”

His entire body tensed at that announcement, his expression turning fierce and intense. “What happened?”

She explained the confrontation with Louden in full detail, how he’d assaulted her, how Anna had witnessed the attack, and the fact that Louden spent the night in jail and was fired from Sharper Image. And during her spiel, she watched Austin’s body language shift, watched how protective and outraged he became on her behalf. Surprisingly, she found his possessive behavior endearing and chivalrous, not at all smothering.

“Since that incident, three other women in the company have stepped forward with claims of sexual harassment against Louden.”

“Good,” he said gruffly. “Hopefully, Louden will get his comeuppance.”

“Yeah,” she agreed. “It looks like he will.”

Austin scrubbed a hand along his jaw and released a heavy breath. “So, it sounds like you’ve got everything you want.”

No bitterness coated his words, no resentment, just a resignation that Teddy refused to accept. “Not quite everything,” she said quietly, curling her fingers around the top of the railing on either side of her hips. “I want you.”

His smile was a little sad. “With that promotion, I doubt you’ll have time for me in your life.”

She’d given him every reason to express that skepticism, to be leery of her claim. And then she realized that there was one thing left for her to prove after all…her love for Austin.

“You know, the incident with Louden was a real eye-opener,” she said, capturing his attention once again.

He frowned at her, though he appeared curious over her statement. “How so?”

“Because it took what happened with Louden to make me realize exactly where my priorities lay.” Her fingers gripped the railing tighter, keeping her grounded and focused. “I allowed my narrow-minded goals, and the need for this promotion, to totally consume my life.”

His gaze sharpened, turned cautious. “And it no longer matters to you?”

“Oh, it matters,” she admitted, knowing she owed him honesty. “But it’s not the most important thing in my life anymore. You see, I now have the career I always wanted, but I have no one to share it with.” Swallowing the huge knot forming in her chest, she risked everything she had. “And I’m in love with this man who is incredibly generous and understanding and would never do anything to stifle me, but I was too afraid to trust him.”

“And he was afraid that he wasn’t good enough for you,” he replied, his voice a tad rusty.

“What?” she whispered.

“Yeah, it’s true.” He met her gaze directly, revealing insecurities of his own. “We’re so different, you and I. How we were raised, and what we come from. I’m not a blue blood, just a down-to-earth man who doesn’t wear a suit unless I absolutely have to. I have no interest in politics, or money, or being an investor, and I own a landscaping business. Most often than not, I come home at night filthy. After meeting your parents, and getting a good idea of what they expect for you, I don’t think I would fit in.”

She laughed, not because she found his concerns amusing, but because none of those things mattered to her. And judging by the few conversations she’d had with her mother the past two weeks, her parents had warmed to him, too.

“Oh, Austin,” she said with a bright smile, one as warm and glowing as their future together. “First of all, I don’t give a damn what my parents, or anyone else, thinks about you. I love you, just the way you are. But I don’t think you have to worry about impressing my mother and father. I get the feeling that they like you. My mother has asked me twice now when I plan to bring you over for dinner again.”

“You love me?” he asked, his voice ragged, his gaze filled with pleasure and excitement, and just a hint of disbelief.

“Yeah, I do.” Finally closing the distance between them, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body to his, craving his heat. “And just for the record, Austin, I’ve never told another man that I loved him,” she said, repeating the same words he’d told her Christmas morning. Her feelings for Bart had never extended beyond caring. “You’re the first, and I don’t make the declaration lightly.”

A full-fledged, sexy grin claimed his mouth, and his hands found their way inside her lambskin coat, sliding around to stroke over her jean-clad bottom. “Damn, but you’re bossy.”

“Yeah, I am, so you’d better get used to it,” she said with an impudent smile. Twining her fingers through his thick, soft hair, she brazenly pulled his mouth down to meet hers. “Now shut up and kiss me, because I’ve missed you so much.”

His reply was a deep, thrilling groan that vibrated against her lips. Their time apart dissolved beneath the onslaught of a hot, needy, tongue-tangling kiss. They made magic. They affirmed their love. They both moaned in frustration when the melding of their lips was no longer enough to quench the burning, out-of-control desire that had ignited between them.

“Too many clothes,” she complained breathlessly as she stole another deep kiss to assuage her hunger for the taste of him, then slipped her cool hands inside his jacket and beneath his shirt so she could touch his heated flesh. She lost all sense of time and place-she could only think of this man and how he made her feel.

Her entire body tingled, causing her thoughts to shift to more urgent matters. Breaking their kiss, she said huskily, “I want you naked.”

His low rumbling laughter tickled her skin as his mouth found the soft hollow under her ear. He nuzzled the sensitive flesh, and she shivered. “I don’t think the neighbors would appreciate the public display.”

She bit her bottom lip, imagining that sensual mouth on her breasts. Knowing too well the delicious, exquisite sensation of her nipple being finessed by his tongue, she melted a little more. “Should we go back to my place?” she whispered.

He lifted his head, shaking it, his eyes feverish and impatient. “I can’t wait that long.”

The unmistakable erection pressing against her belly attested to his barely suppressed restraint. Excitement and awareness seized her. “Me neither.”

They stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity to Teddy, both of them uncertain as to what to do about this awesome need they had for each other, and how to satisfy it. Then a reckless grin slashed across his features, and she sensed trouble was about to begin. He bent his knees, and in one fluid motion hefted her over his shoulder caveman-style.

A surprised shriek escaped her. By the time she’d dragged in a breath and could talk again, they were inside the house, and he was carrying her across the foyer toward a set of stairs that led to the second landing. Blood rushed to her head, making her dizzy. “Austin!” she said, choking back laughter, and managing to prop herself up by bracing her hands on his backside. “Put me down!”

He gave her thigh a loving, intimate squeeze. “In a minute.”

Jordan rounded the corner from the living room into the foyer at that moment, a comical expression on his face when he saw the two of them. Teddy blushed to the roots of her hair.

Austin didn’t stop his stride. “Don’t mind us, Jordan,” he said, then loped up the stairs, two at a time, giving Teddy a jarring ride. “We’ve got an itch that can’t wait to be scratched.”

A grin quirked Jordan’s mouth, and he reached for the set of keys on the small table by the front door. “Gotcha. I’ll take this as my cue to ‘get lost’ again, this time for a few hours.”

“At least,” Austin agreed wholeheartedly, shamelessly. Entering a room, he kicked the door shut behind them, then lowered her back to her feet.

Light-headed, she swayed slightly, and he grabbed her hand to steady her. As she gained her balance, Teddy glanced around, registering the warm, masculine tones of Austin’s room, and the big four-poster antique bed dominating the middle. Her pulse quickened, and she brought her gaze back to Austin, who was looking at her very intently, their earlier play replaced by something serious and intimate.

“Will you marry me, Teddy?” he asked, his voice strong, and clear, and infinitely tender. “If you need time, I’ll give it to you, but I need a commitment.”

“You’ve got it,” she assured him, smiling. “I don’t need any more time to know that you’re the perfect man for me. Yes, I’ll marry you.”

Relief touched his expression. Framing her face between his palms, he brought her mouth up to his for a kiss that started out gentle and sweet, but quickly escalated into a full-blown seduction. Eager again, she slipped her hands into his jacket and shoved the heavy material off his shoulders and down his arms, letting it fall to the floor. He groaned, and rid her of her coat, too, then lifted her sweater over her head and tossed it aside. Less than five seconds later her bra followed, and he filled his hands with the warm, resilient flesh, rubbed his thumbs over the beaded nipples until her breath caught in her throat.

“Do you mind living here?” he asked, raising his arms so she could peel his shirt off while he toed his loafers off his feet.

She couldn’t imagine them living in her small condo when they had such a lovely place to call home. “I’d love to live in your house…and I’d love to have your babies.”

That stalled him for a moment, just as he’d unsnapped her jeans and started to unzip them. His gaze jerked to hers, hopeful and searching. “What about your career?”

Giving him a provocative smile, she went to work on his belt buckle. “Weren’t you the one who told me I could have it all?” Done with that first task, she took care easing his zipper over the full erection straining the fly of his jeans.

“Yeah, and I’m glad you believe it.” He released a tight hiss of breath when her hands slid into his briefs and she took all that hot, hard masculinity into her hands.

Grasping her wrists, he pulled them away from his body and walked her back toward the bed-until the mattress connected with her knees and she was forced to sit. Then he knelt before her and pulled off her leather boots and socks.

“You’ll make a great mom,” he said knowingly.

She believed that, too, especially when she had him by her side, supporting her, loving her. He hooked his fingers into the waistband of her jeans, and she lifted her hips so he could pull them off. Then he slowly removed her panties, trailing hot, damp kisses along her belly, her hip, her feminine mound, her quivering thighs…all the way down to her feet.

Dewy and restlessly inflamed, she struggled to keep her mind focused on important issues for just a few minutes longer. “How do you feel about eloping?”

The smoky gaze traveling leisurely, hungrily, up her long legs jumped immediately to her face. “Are you serious? You don’t want a big wedding?”

She exaggerated a shudder. “No.” She’d been that route before, and didn’t need all that pomp and circumstance to pledge her eternal love to Austin.

He raised an eyebrow, and with a tantalizing, calculated roll of his hips that was all for her pleasure, he shimmied out of his own pants. A smile curved her mouth. She planned to extract many more private performances in the future.

“I thought all women wanted a big, fancy wedding,” he said, curious and confused.

Anticipation and desire quickened her pulse as she took in his magnificent body. She wriggled back on the bed, until she lay in the center. “I’d strangle my mother before we made it to the ceremony,” she said jokingly. “Besides, I want to marry you soon. I don’t think I could wait months and months to live with you, and wake up to you every day…”

Grinning in obvious agreement, he moved up onto the bed, and over her, settling his hips between her welcoming thighs, teasing her with the tip of his shaft. “Is three weeks enough time to make arrangements, and schedule yourself a nice, lengthy vacation?”

“That would be perfect,” she murmured, wrapping her legs around his thighs to urge him closer, and drawing his head down so she could kiss him. “But I don’t think I can wait another minute for you to make love to me.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he drawled with a sinful grin, and obliged her, taking her breath away in one smooth, silky thrust of his hips against hers. He touched her heart with his love, filled her soul with that unconditional faith of his, and in the process redefined the word perfect.