Читать книгу Baby's First Christmas: The Christmas Twins / Santa Baby - Tina Leonard - Страница 10

Giving Jessie his truck was the fair, manly thing to do. After all, he was hiding her car. This way, he wasn’t exactly kidnapping her, as Duke had claimed, threatening to put him in the jail until Jessie left town if he didn’t behave. Zach was wisely keeping a bargaining chip. Something precious to her for which she would return. When she came back after the convention, perhaps there would be some light shed on the subject he was most worried about.

He looked at Jessie as she considered his offer, dismayed to realize he was envisioning her in a maternity dress. Liberty could whip Jessie up a beaut.

Shoving that thought from his mind, he shrugged. “The truck’s got a full tank of gas. Hit the pedal.”

“I don’t know,” Jessie said. “It seems unfair to take your truck after I hit your livelihood.”

“Call me a gentleman,” Zach said. “I don’t want you in trouble with your boss.”

Jessie glanced over at the truck. “My family owns the company. I’m the president of Jessie’s Girl Stuff.”

He couldn’t help smiling. “I sensed you might be a bit of a princess. Tell me more.”

“In case I’m the future mother of your child?”

“It’s an intriguing thought. I’m not as put off by it as I probably should be, under the circumstances.”

“And what are those?” Jessie asked.

“You’re a highly excitable female,” Zach said. “But I was looking for some excitement so I’m okay with that.”

“Funny,” she said, “you don’t seem like the type to like a high-maintenance woman.”

“True. There’s a difference between high-maintenance and excitement. I love independence in my women.”

“Excellent.” Jessie jangled his keys at him and headed toward his truck. “Thanks for the wheels.”

“No problem.” He headed after her, getting into the passenger seat. “My wheels are your wheels. It’s the least I could do for a lady who gave me an afternoon I’ll never forget.”

She barely glanced at him as she switched on the engine. “Wow. Listen to all that vroom.”

“Yep,” he said happily, putting his arms behind his head. “It’s a lot of horses.”

“And won’t I just look sophisticated when the valet parks my truck at the convention?” She glanced at him. “You can get out now. I’ve turned on the amazing vehicle without incident.”

“Oh, I’m not getting out.” Zach grinned at her. “My stuff’s all packed and in the truck bed. I like your style of traveling, so I tossed my change of clothes into a hefty bag.”

“This hefty bag of mine,” she said, holding up her carpetbag, “is a Merada Fine. It cost one thousand, nine hundred and fifty-four dollars. Please do not refer to it in the same breath with a plastic garbage sack, as convenient as one is at times.”

“That much money and it doesn’t even carry itself. Gosh, you’d think it could run by remote control or something. Or voice activation. ‘Purse open,’” he said. “‘Purse close.’”

“Very funny. My girlfriend makes these purses, so I’ll thank you not to make fun of them. I’m supporting her efforts.”

He touched her cheek. “Meradas are actually a respected breed line of horses in Texas. So it’s interesting that you’re carrying something that’s a little less urban than you’re used to.”

“Coincidence. Nothing more.”

He grinned at her stiffness. “We actually have the same sense of humor if you’d ever let yourself smile.”

“I smile. Just not around annoying men.”

He laughed. “I don’t annoy you that badly. Do I?”

“Need you ask?” She backed down the driveway. “I’ll take you with me, simply because you’re such an excitement freak. This is going to be the most boring thing you’ve ever done in your life.”

“Lots of women there, though.” Zach pulled his hat over his face, preparing to snooze while Jessie drove. “As long as my eyeballs are busy and excited, that pretty much takes care of my brain’s need for activity.”

“It’s nice of you to trust me to drive your truck.”

“No trust involved. I’m right here, overseeing the whole adventure.” Assuaging his conscience from the front seat of his truck was no difficult task, but she didn’t know that. Although he tried to drift off, Zach could smell Jessie’s fragrance, making it entirely too difficult to relax.

Possibly his senses were overstimulated because he’d been thinking of the upcoming holiday season, which Jessie had mentioned after their glorious afternoon together. He’d always loved winter holidays, most of all when he was a child.

He might have a child one day to decorate the house for, bake for and share stories with. A longing burst inside him that he’d never before recognized. “I never thought I’d want children,” he said slowly, and Jessie nodded.

“You’ve alluded to that.”

“If I had kids, though, I’d have a reason to hang candy canes. I like to decorate at the ranch.” Zach frowned. “Duke tells me I’m being childish because I love Christmas.”

“Didn’t you say he’s just had a baby? He’ll probably beat you to the decorating this year.”

Zach grinned, enjoying the thought of the tables turning on his big brother. “I’ll be at his elbow every time he puts one raisin on a gingerbread man, every time he hangs an ornament, to tell him how childish he is.”

“Probably one reminder of a person’s mistakes is enough,” Jessie said. “I sure wouldn’t want anyone belaboring me over mine.”

He raised a brow. “Story time.”

“I’m busy driving.”

He sent an assessing look her way. “Try one on me. I know nothing at all about you, except that you have a strong sense of adventure.”

“Change has been my downfall. Really.”

“Not from my point of view,” Zach said sincerely, “unless you count T-bird sex as a pastime.”

“I don’t,” she said, and he grinned.

“Maybe I’m the catalyst for change in your life. I’d count that as being a positive influence.”

“Maybe just a pain in the ass,” she said, a trace of irritation in her voice.

“Hmm.” Zach thought about the sheets of plastic he’d dragged over her pretty T-bird to keep the chickens out of it and decided not to push his luck. No one ever knew what the future would bring. “So did you love him?”

“Who?”

“The ex-boyfriend who cheated on you.”

She turned her head to look at him briefly. She’d put on big black sunglasses with gold G’s in the corners that made her look like a reclusive movie star, and she had on way too much red lipstick for kissing, although it did look porn-star sexy on her. When they got to know each other better, he was going to tell her that all these girly enticements she was using to subconsciously lure him were not necessary. He liked his women plain and natural.

“I did not,” she said. “If I’d loved him, why would I be sitting in a Ford?”

He mulled that. “Perhaps you said Ford in a slightly disdainful tone.”

She laughed.

He noticed irritation slipping into his comfort zone. “Fords are the kings of the road, I’ll have you know.”

There was no response to his allegation. No argument, no comment, nada. He rolled his eyes. “If you’re going to have my baby, you’re going to have to understand a few things.”

“I am not having your child,” Jessie said. “As much as I wanted a baby, I would not want to make one with you.”

Rubbing his chin, he said, “So you’re not going to claim your pregnancy is a result of wanting to catch me?”

“I don’t think so. And who says I’m pregnant?”

She’d become so saucy. Snooty, even.

“I wouldn’t even be talking to you right now if you hadn’t stolen my car,” she said. “Never mind claiming you as the father.”

“Aha! You admit it! You wouldn’t have told me if I’d given you a baby.”

“I would have told you,” Jessie said, “but it wouldn’t have mattered to me. I wasn’t trying to catch any old guy just to get over my broken heart.”

“I thought you said you weren’t in love with him.”

“Oh.” She glanced at him, her lovely eyes hidden by the dark glasses. “My ego was bruised like any normal woman’s would be.”

“That’s code to mean you did love him.” Zach thought about that. “So you slept with me on the rebound. Revenge lust.”

“Oh, hell no,” Jessie said, laughing. “I just—”

He waited, watching the smile slip from her face.

“Well, it’s one or the other,” he said. “Either you slept with me to subconsciously avenge your boyfriend’s treatment of you, or you are, in fact, attracted to me.”

“Maybe I was just having a bad-girl moment?”

He rubbed a light finger down her arm. “I don’t think so, Jessie T. You’re possibly a case, but I also think you’re a damn sexy woman who just needs the right man to unlock all your secrets. And I have to warn you—I’m pretty darn good at knowing just how a woman likes her lock picked.”

SEVERAL HOURS later it was time to stop for gas. After Zach had bragged about his prowess with women, Jessie turned on the radio and lost herself in her thoughts. Much of what he’d said bothered her—though she would never admit that she’d simply slept with him to avenge herself on her ex. The thought had crossed her mind, of course, but she didn’t have to do that to make herself feel better. The simple act of walking away from him had washed away any need for salving her hurt feelings.

The truth was, attraction had surged inside her fast and hot the second she realized Zach had every intention of seducing her. Her answer had been yes, yes, yes. The focus of her body had been entirely in the here-now-more with Zach.

Her desire for a baby with her ex had been a misplaced sense of emptiness she’d been trying to fill. She knew that and more about herself now. Thanks to the cowboy, she could move past all those feelings of confusion and concentrate on growing as a person and as a woman.

“I don’t need change as much as I used to now,” she said. “I don’t have to beautify everything.”

“Yeah, you do,” Zach replied, his voice muffled by his hat.

“I was always afraid of letting people down, so I learned to fake everything. I’m never faking again.”

“I have to worry about a woman who admits to being a fake. I’d almost worry about our sex life except I know for damn sure you weren’t faking anything then.”

He didn’t have to sound so proud. “You never know. A woman who’s had as much practice as I have at faking might be very good at it. Super-convincing.”

Grunting, he shoved his hat off his face. “Want me to drive? You’ve been driving for four hours solid.”

“I like driving this beat-up Chevy,” Jessie replied, happy to tweak him.

“Jessie, there are certain things I would never do in my life,” he began, his voice full of that pompous confidence she had begun to recognize and maybe even admire. “Drive a Chevy is one.”

“Really?” she asked, as if she hadn’t known he was going to get crazy over her remark.

“Second, I would never let a woman annoy me.” Zach took her black sunglasses from her face. “I’m damn tired of not being able to see your big baby blues.”

“Give me those.”

“Nope,” Zach said happily, sticking them inside her carpetbag. “Take you a week to find those now that they’re safe inside the loch.”

“The loch?”

“A deep, mysterious lake. This purse is symbolic of the loch in your life. You could hide a baby inside this bag, actually,” he said, holding it up with wonder, “and lots of other secrets, which is how you operate your life, I’m betting. You know what, I’ve had saddlebags smaller than this handbag.”

“You’re obsessed with my purse.”

“But the question is, is it a purse or a suitcase? For the woman who’s always prepared to run from the first sight of danger?”

She pursed her lips, fully aware he was probing her for information. “Zach, I’m a simple girl. You’re making this too hard.”

“How old are you?”

“Twenty-eight.”

“Just a baby.”

She conducted a mental eye roll or two to allow herself to stay calm. “How old are you, grandpa?”

“Twenty-eight.”

She laughed. “And Duke?”

“Thirty. Pepper’s twenty-seven. She’s the pistol of the family.”

“I liked meeting her. She seems very level-headed. And somehow sad.”

“Sad? Pepper’s not sad. Pepper’s the smartest one of the family.”

She had definitely picked up on some wistfulness in Pepper’s personality. “Zach, while we’re at the convention in Los Rios—”

“Which I’m looking forward to, by the way.”

“Maybe you could find something to do locally.”

“Nah. I know one of the convention speakers and I’m hoping for a front-row seat.”

She didn’t think that was such a good idea. “There aren’t as many women at the conventions as you think there are.”

“Oh.” He touched her hair. “I had a horse once with hair the color of yours. Very shiny.”

“I suppose that’s a compliment.”

“But you’ve got all this stiff stuff in your hair today, and your lashes suddenly look like spider legs,” he said, drawing near to inspect her. “And there’s a lot of red gloss on your lips.”

She frowned. “So?”

“So it bugs me. You look like you’re hiding the real you. Like you’re in costume or something. So is this convention for the grand poobahs of fakers? Because I thought you were giving up on that stuff.”

He was in for a big surprise. “Zach, you should call and check on my car.”

“I’ll do that when we get to the convention. I’m sure I’ll have time between seminars.”

She shook her head. “You’re not going to any seminars.”

“I’m not?”

“No,” she said, knowing she didn’t want Zach that much in her life. There needed to be a fine line between what she did and who she knew. Not every family was homespun like his, not every community was apple-pie sweet. “Here’s where you and I part ways.” She parked the truck outside the hotel, handed him the key and grabbed her carpetbag. “Happy trails, Zach.”