“You’re a wicked influence, Aaron,”

she said mischievously, for the first time sounding as if she had let down her guard with him.

“Wicked is more fun, and you know you agree,” Aaron said softly, standing close in front of her. “I’ll show you tonight when we’re together.”

“Oh, no, you won’t. I don’t need you to show me one thing. We’ll have dinner, talk a little and say good night. That’s the agenda. Got it?”

“Oh, I have an agenda. I had it the moment I walked through the door and saw you sitting there with Cole. My agenda is to get you to take down your hair.”

“Amazing. One of my goals is to keep my hair pinned up, so one of us is going to fail completely,” she said, her blue eyes twinkling.

Eager to be with her for the whole evening, to flirt and dance and hopefully kiss, he leaned a bit closer. “If I placed my fingers on your throat, I’ll bet I’d feel your pulse racing. You want the same thing I do.”

* * *

Pregnant by the Texan is a Texas Cattleman’s Club: After the Storm novel—As a Texas town rebuilds, love heals all wounds …

Pregnant by the Texan

Sara Orwig

www.millsandboon.co.uk

SARA ORWIG lives in Oklahoma. She has a patient husband who will take her on research trips anywhere, from big cities to old forts. She is an avid collector of Western history books. With a master’s degree in English, Sara has written historical romance, mainstream fiction and contemporary romance. Books are beloved treasures that take Sara to magical worlds, and she loves both reading and writing them.

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With a big thank-you to Stacy Boyd, Harlequin Desire Senior Editor, and Charles Griemsman, Harlequin Desire Series Editorial.

Also, with love to my family.

Contents

Cover

Introduction

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Extract

Copyright

One

Early in December as the private jet came in for a landing, Aaron Nichols looked below. Even though the tornado had hit two months earlier, the west side of Royal, Texas, still looked unrecognizable.

No matter how many times he had gone back and forth between Dallas and Royal, he was shocked by the destruction when he returned to Royal. The cleanup had commenced shortly after the storm, but the devastation had been too massive to get the land cleared yet. Hopefully, he and his partner, Cole Richardson, could find additional ways for R&N Builders to help in the restoration. As he looked at the debris—the broken lumber, bits and pieces of wood and metal, a crumpled car with the front half torn away—he thought of the lives wrecked and changed forever. It was a reminder of his own loss over seven years ago that had hit as suddenly as a storm: a car accident, and then Paula and seventeen-month-old Blake were gone. With time the pain had dulled, but it never went away and in moments like this when he had a sharp reminder, the hurt and memories hit him with a force that sometimes made him afraid his knees would buckle.

Realizing his fists were doubled, his knuckles white, he tried to relax, to shift his thoughts elsewhere. He remembered the day in October when he had met Stella Daniels during the cleanup effort. He thought of their one night together and his desire became a steady flame.

He hoped he would see her on this trip, although since their encounter, he had followed her wishes and refrained from calling her to go out again. The agreement to avoid further contact hadn’t stopped him from thinking about her.

At the time he and Stella parted ways, he expected it to be easy. In the seven years since he lost his wife and baby son, women had come and gone in his life, but he had never been close to any of them. Stella had been different because he hadn’t been able to walk away and forget her.

He settled in the seat as the plane approached the small Royal airport. Royal was a West Texas town of very wealthy people—yet their wealth hadn’t been enough to help them escape the whirlwind.

Almost an hour later he walked into the dining room at the Cozy Inn, his gaze going over the quiet room that was almost empty because of the afternoon hour. He saw the familiar face of Cole Richardson, whose twin, Craig, was one of the storm’s fatalities. A woman was seated near Cole. Aaron’s heart missed a beat when he saw the brown hair pulled back severely into a bun. He could remember taking down that knot of hair and watching it fall across her bare shoulders, transforming her looks. Stella Daniels was with Cole. Aaron almost whispered “My lucky day” to himself.

Eagerness to see her again quickened his step even though it would get him nowhere with her. He suspected when she decided something, she stuck by her decision and no one could sway her until she was ready to change. Her outfit—white cotton blouse buttoned to her throat and khaki slacks with practical loafers—was as severe and plain as her hairdo. She wore almost no makeup. Few men would look twice at her and he wondered whether she really cared. Watching her, a woman who appeared straitlaced and plain, Aaron couldn’t help thinking that the passionate night they’d had almost seemed a figment of his imagination.

As Aaron approached them, Cole stood and Stella glanced over her shoulder. Her gaze met Aaron’s and her big blue eyes widened slightly, a look of surprise forming on her face, followed by a slight frown that was gone in a flash.

He reached Cole and held out his hand. “Hi, Cole. Have a seat.”

“Aaron, good to see you,” Cole said. Looking ready for construction work, he wore one of his T-shirts with the red, white and blue R&N Builders logo printed across the front. “You know Stella Daniels.”

Bright, luminous eyes gazed at him as he took her hand in his. Her hand was slender, warm, soft, instantly stirring memories of holding her in his arms.

“Oh, yes,” he answered. “Hi, Stella,” he said, his voice changing slightly. “We’ve met, but if we hadn’t, anyone who watches television news would recognize you. You’re still doing a great job for Royal,” he said, and she smiled.

One of the administrative assistants at town hall, Stella had stepped in, taking charge after the storm and trying to help wherever she could. It hadn’t taken long for reporters to notice her and start getting her on camera.

Aaron shed his leather jacket and sat across from Cole, aware of Stella to his left. He caught a whiff of the rose-scented perfume she wore, something old-fashioned, but it was uniquely Stella and made him remember holding her close, catching that same scent then.

“I’m glad to have you back in Royal,” Cole said. He looked thinner, more solemn, and Aaron was saddened by Cole’s loss as well as the losses of so many others in town. He knew from experience how badly it could hurt.

“I know help is needed here, so I’m glad to be back.”

“Thanks,” Cole said. “I mean it when I say I appreciate that. When you can, drop by the Texas Cattleman’s Club. They’re rebuilding now and moving along. They’ll be glad to have you here, too.”

“Our club friends in Dallas said to tell you and the others hello.”

Cole nodded as he glanced at Stella. “Getting to the business at hand, Stella and I were talking about areas where more lumber is needed—all over the west side of town, it seems.”

“Each time I see Royal, I can’t believe the destruction. It still looks incredible. I’ve made arrangements to get another couple of our work crews here.”

“R&N Builders have helped tremendously,” Stella said.

“I’m sure everyone in town thanks you for doing such a great job right from the start, Stella—acquiring generators, getting help to people and directing some of the rescue efforts. When disaster happens unexpectedly like that, usually all hell breaks loose and it takes a calm head to help the recovery,” Aaron stated.

“Thanks. I just did what I could. So many people pitched in and we appreciate what R&N Builders, plus you and Cole individually, have donated and done to aid Royal.”

“We’re glad to. Everyone in the company wanted to help,” Cole replied. “So we’re adding two more work crews. Stella, you can help coordinate where they should go. I asked men to volunteer for the assignment. They’ll be paid by us the same as if they were working on a job at home, but R&N is donating their services to help Royal rebuild.”

“That would be a tremendous help,” Stella said. “Local companies are booked solid for the next few months. There’s so much to be done that it’s overwhelming.”

“Also, we might be able to get one of the wrecking companies we work with to come in here and pick up debris. I doubt you have enough help now when there’s so much to clean up,” Aaron said.

“We need that desperately. We have some companies from nearby towns, but we can use more help. There is an incredible amount of debris and it keeps growing as they get the downed trees cut up.”

Cole made a note on a legal pad in front of him.

“Right now I wonder if we’ll ever get all the debris cleared. It would be great to have more trucks here to help haul things away.”

Stella made notes as they discussed possibilities for the next hour. Even as he concentrated on the conversation, Aaron could not keep from having a sharp awareness of Stella so nearby. He wished she had not asked him to back off and forget their night of passion.

He’d done so, but now that he was back in her presence, he found it difficult to keep memories from surfacing and wished he could take her out again, dance with her and kiss her, because it had been an exciting, fun night.

Her long slender fingers thumbed through the notebook she held as she turned to a page of figures. He recalled her soft hands trailing across his bare chest, and looked up to meet her blue-eyed gaze.

She drew a deep breath and her cheeks flushed as she looked down and bent over her open binder. Startled, he realized she had memories, too. The idea that she had been recalling that night stirred him and ignited desire. He wondered how many men paid no attention to her because of her buttoned-up blouses and austere appearance. Her actions that night hadn’t been austere. Aware he should get his thinking elsewhere, he tried to focus on what Cole was saying.

At half past three Cole leaned back in his chair. “Sorry to have to break this up. You two can continue and, Aaron, you can fill me in later. I’m going out to a long-time friend Henry Markham’s ranch to stay five or six days. He invited me out. He also lost his brother in the storm and he’s had a lot of damage, so I’m going to help him. I’ll see you both next week and we can continue this.”

“Don’t forget,” Stella said, “I have to leave town for part of the day tomorrow. I’ll be back in the afternoon.” As Cole nodded, she looked at Aaron. “I’m flying to Austin where my sister lives.”

“If you need to stay longer, you should,” Cole said.

“I don’t think I’ll need to stay. Just a short time with her and then I’ll be back.”

Cole glanced at Aaron. “I’m glad you’re here, Aaron. We’ve got good people running the place in Dallas while we’re gone, so everything should be all right.”

“It’ll be fine. George Wandle is in charge. And if anything comes up he promised he would call one of us.”

“Good deal.” Cole stood, pulled on a black Western-cut jacket and picked up his broad-brimmed Resistol hat. “Thanks, Stella, for meeting with me.”

“All the thanks go to you and Aaron for the help you and your company are giving to Royal. You’ve been terrific.”

“We’re glad to help where we can. Aaron, if you need me for anything, I have my phone with me.”

“Sure, Cole.”

Aaron watched his partner walk through the restaurant and then he turned back to Stella. “It’s nice to see you again.”

“Thank you. It’s nice to see you, too. I really mean it. Your company has done so much to help.”

“There’s still so much more to do. How’s the mayor?”

A slight frown creased her brow as she shook her head at him. “Since the mayor was in the town hall when it sustained a direct hit, he was hurt badly. He was on the critical list a very long time. He’s hurt badly with broken bones, internal ruptures and complications after several surgeries. He was in the ICU for so long. With all the problems he’s had, he’s still a long way from healed.”

“That’s tough. Tough for him, for you, for all who work for him and for the town. The deputy mayor’s death complicated things even more. No one’s really in charge. You’ve sort of stepped into that void, Stella.”

“I’m just doing what I can. There are so many things—from destroyed buildings to lost records and displaced pets. Megan Maguire, the animal shelter director, has worked around the clock a lot of the time. It just takes everybody pulling together and it’s nice you’re back to help.”

He smiled at her. “Maybe, sometime, you need a night out to forget about Royal for a few minutes.”

“Frankly, that sounds like paradise, but I don’t have time right now. Someone texts or calls every other minute. This has been one of the quietest afternoons, but this morning was a stream of calls.”

“Royal could manage without you for a couple of hours.”

“Don’t tempt me, Aaron,” she said, smiling at him. “And I won’t be here tomorrow.”

“I have the feeling that you’re working late into the night, too.”

“You’re right, but every once in a while now, there’ll be a lull in the calls or appointments or hospital visits. Lately, I’ve had some nights to myself. While you’re here, let me show you which projects Cole has finished and where we need the work crews next.”

She spread a map on the table and he pulled his chair closer to her. Aware of her only inches away now, he once again inhaled a faint scent of her rose perfume. He helped her smooth the map out and leaned close, trying to focus on what she told him but finding it difficult to keep his attention from wandering to her so close beside him.

She showed him where they had repaired houses and finished building a new house. Stella told him about different areas on the west side of town, which had taken the brunt of the storm, the problems, the shortages of supplies, the people in the hospital. The problems seemed staggering, yet she was quietly helping, as were so many others she told him about.

He wondered if she had suffered some deep loss herself and understood their pain. He wouldn’t ask, because she probably wouldn’t want to talk about it. He didn’t want anyone to ask him about his loss and he hadn’t reached a point where he could talk about it with others. He didn’t think he ever would. The hurt was deep and personal.

“Aaron?”

Startled, he looked at her. “Sorry, I was thinking about some of these people and their terrible losses. Some things you can’t ever get back.”

“No,” she answered, studying him with a solemn expression. “Houses can be rebuilt, but lives lost are gone. Even some material possessions that hold sentimental value or are antiques—there’s no replacing them. You can’t replace sixty-year-old or older trees—not until you’ve planted new ones and let them grow sixty or seventy years. It tears you up sometimes.” She smiled at him. “Anyway, I’m glad you’re here.”

“We’ll just help where we can. To have a bed and a roof over your head is good and we need to work toward that for everyone.”

“Very good. You and Cole are a godsend,” she said, smiling at him and patting his hand.

He placed his hand on hers. Her hand was soft, warm, smooth. He longed to draw her into his arms and his gaze lowered to her mouth as he remembered kissing her before.

She slipped her hand out from under his. “I think they’re beginning to set up the dining room for tonight. I wonder if they want us to leave,” she said. Her words were slightly breathless and her reaction to him reinforced his determination to spend time with her again.

“We’re not in anyone’s way and I doubt they want us to leave.”

“I didn’t realize how long we’ve talked,” she said.

“Have dinner with me. Then I’ll give you a ride home tonight.”

“I’m still staying here at the inn until the repairs are done on my town house,” she said.

“I’m staying here, too, so I’ll see you often,” he said. She had a faint smile, but he had the feeling that she had put up a barrier. Was she trying to avoid the attraction that had boiled between them the last time they were together? Whatever it was, he wanted to be with her tonight for a time. “Unless you have other plans, since we’re both staying here, then, by all means, have dinner with me.”

There was a slight hesitation before she nodded. “Thank you,” she replied. Even though she accepted his invitation, she had a touch of reluctance in her reply and he had the feeling she was not eager to eat with him.

“Is this headquarters for you?” he asked, his thoughts more on her actions than her words.

“Not at all. I’m not in charge—just another administrative assistant from town hall helping like the others.”

“Not quite just another administrative assistant,” he said, looking at her big blue eyes and remembering her passionate responses. For one night she had made him forget loss and loneliness. “Should your town house be on our list of places to help with reconstruction?” he asked her.

“Thank you, no. The damage wasn’t that extensive, but I was pretty far down on the priorities list. I finally have the work scheduled and some of it has already started. I’m supposed to be back in my place in about a week. Thank goodness. I want to be there before Christmas.”

“Good, although I’m glad you’re staying here in the hotel because that means we can see each other easily,” he said, deciding he would get his suite moved to whatever floor she was on. “They’re setting up for tonight and I need to wash up before dinner. Want to meet again in an hour?” he asked her.

“That’s a good idea. I’ve been busy since seven this morning and I’d welcome a chance to freshen up.”

As they walked out of the restaurant, he turned to her. “What floor are you on?”

“The sixth floor. I have a suite.”

“The same floor I’m on,” he said, smiling at her.

“That’s quite a coincidence,” she said in a skeptical voice.

“It will be when I get my suite moved to the sixth floor, after seeing you to your suite.”

She laughed. “I can find my own way to my suite. You go try to finagle a suite on the sixth floor. I don’t think you can. It’s hopeless. Every available space has been taken because of so many homeless folks having their houses repaired after the storm. People reserved every nook and cranny available in Royal and all the surrounding little towns. Some had to go to Midland, Amarillo and Lubbock. We’re packed, so I don’t think I’ll see you on my floor.”

“So you approve if I can get a suite,” he said.

“I figure it won’t happen,” she answered, looking at him intently.

“Not if you don’t approve,” he said.

“I don’t want more complications in my life and you’re a wicked influence, Aaron,” she said mischievously, for the first time sounding as if she had let down her guard with him.

“Wicked is more fun and you know you agree,” he said softly, standing close in front of her. “I’ll show you tonight when we’re together.”

“Oh, no, you won’t. I don’t need you to show me one thing. We’ll have dinner, talk a little and say good-night. That’s the agenda. Got it?”

“Oh, I have an agenda. I had it the moment I walked through the door and saw you sitting there with Cole. One of the goals on my agenda is to get you to take down your hair.”

“Amazing. One of my goals is to keep my hair pinned up, so one of us is going to fail completely,” she said, her blue eyes twinkling.

Eager to be with her for the whole evening, to flirt and dance and hopefully kiss, he leaned a bit closer. “If I placed my hand on your throat, I’ll bet I’d feel your pulse is racing. You want the same thing I do. I’m looking forward to dinner and spending the evening together.”

“I’m looking forward to the evening, too, so I can talk to you more about how you and your company can continue to help with the restoration of Royal. You’re doing a wonderful job so far, and it’s heartwarming to know you’re willing to continue to help.”

“We’ll help, but tonight is a time for you to relax and catch your breath. It’s a time for fun and friendship and maybe a kiss or two to take your mind off all the problems, so don’t bring them with you. C’mon, I’ll walk you to your door,” he said, taking her arm and heading to the elevators.

She laughed. “Well now, don’t you have a take-charge personality.”

“It gets things done,” he answered lightly as they entered the elevator and rode to the sixth floor. When they got off, she walked down the hall and put her key card in a slot. As she opened the door, she held the handle and turned to him.

“Thanks, Aaron. I’ll meet you in the lobby.”

“How’s seven?” he asked, placing one hand on the door frame over her head and leaning close. “It’s good to see you again. I’m looking forward to the evening.”

Her eyes flickered and he saw the change as if she had mentally closed a door between them. “Since I’m leaving town tomorrow, let’s make it an early evening, because I have to get up at the crack of dawn. My life has changed since you first met me. I have responsibilities now that I didn’t have then.”

“Sure, whatever you want,” he said, wondering what bothered her. For a few minutes downstairs she had let down that guard. He intended to find out why she was now being distant with him. “See you at seven.”

“Bye, Aaron,” she said, and stepped inside her suite, closing the door.

As he rode down in the elevator, his thoughts were on her. He knew she had regretted their night of lovemaking. It was uncustomary for her and in the cool light of day, it upset her that she had allowed herself to succumb to passion. Was she still suffering guilt about that night?

He didn’t think that was what had brought on the cool demeanor at the door of her suite. Maybe partially, but it had to be more than that. But what else could it be? He intended to find out.

He took the elevator back down and crossed the lobby, determined to get a suite on the sixth floor even if he had to pay far more to do so.

It turned out to be easier than he had thought because someone had just moved out.

My lucky day.

Two

Stella Daniels walked through the living room of the suite in the Cozy Inn without seeing her surroundings. Visions came of Aaron when he had strolled to the table where she sat with Cole. Looking even better than she had remembered, Aaron exuded energy. His short dark blond hair in a neat cut added to his authoritative impression. The warmth in his light brown eyes had caused her heart to miss a beat.

She had a mixture of reactions to seeing him—excitement, desire, dread, regret. She hoped she’d managed to hide her tangled opposing emotions as she smiled and greeted him. Her first thought was how handsome he was. Her second was happiness to see him again, immediately followed by wishing he had stayed in Dallas where the company he shared with Cole was headquartered. His presence complicated her busy life more than he knew.

She’d offered her hand in a business handshake, but the moment his fingers had closed over hers, her heartbeat had jumped and awareness of the physical contact had set every nerve quivering. Memories taunted and tempted, memories that she had tried to forget since the one night she had spent with Aaron in October.

It had been a night she yielded to passion—which was so unlike her. Never before had she done such a thing or even been tempted to, but Aaron had swept her away. He had made her forget worries, principles, consequences, all her usual levelheaded caution, and she had rushed into a blissful night of love with him.

Now she was going to pay a price. As time passed after their encounter, she suspected she might have gotten pregnant. Finally she had purchased a pregnancy kit and the results confirmed her suspicions. The next step would be a doctor. Tomorrow she had an appointment in Austin. Her friends thought she was going there to visit her sister; Stella hadn’t actually said as much, but people had jumped to that conclusion and she had not corrected anyone. She did not want to see a doctor in Royal who would know her. She didn’t want to see one anywhere in the vicinity who would recognize her from her appearances on television since the storm. If a doctor confirmed her pregnancy, she wanted some time to make decisions and deal with the situation herself before everyone in Royal had the news, particularly Aaron.

Tomorrow she would have an expert opinion. Most of the time she still felt she wasn’t pregnant, that something else was going on. It had only been one night, and they’d used protection—pregnancy shouldn’t have resulted, regardless of test results or a missed period.

She studied herself in the mirror—her figure hadn’t changed. She hoped the pregnancy test was wrong, even though common sense said the test was accurate.

Given all that was going on, she should have turned Aaron down tonight, but she just couldn’t do it.

She looked at her hair and thought about what he had said. She would keep it up in a bun as a reminder to stop herself from another night of making love with him. In the meantime, she was going to have dinner with him, work with him and even have fun with him. Harmless fun that would allow them each to say goodbye without emotional ties—just two people who had a good time working together. What harm could there be in that?

Unless it turned out that she was pregnant. Then she couldn’t say goodbye.

She showered, took down her hair to redo it and selected a plain pale beige long-sleeved cotton blouse and a dark brown straight wool skirt with practical low-heeled shoes. She brushed, twisted and secured her hair into a bun at the back of her head. She didn’t wear makeup. Men usually didn’t notice her and she didn’t think makeup would make much difference. The times she had worn makeup in high school, boys still hadn’t noticed her or wanted to ask her out except when they were looking for help in some course they were taking.

An evening with Aaron. In spite of her promises to herself and her good intentions, the excitement tingled and added to her eagerness.

When it was time to go meet Aaron, she picked up a small purse that only held necessities, including her card key, wallet and a list of temporary numbers that people were using because of the storm. She wouldn’t need a coat because they wouldn’t be leaving the Cozy Inn.

When she stepped off the elevator, she saw him. She tried to ignore the faster thump of her heart. In an open-neck pale blue shirt and navy slacks, he looked handsome, neat and important. She thought he stood out in the crowd in the lobby with his dark blond hair, his broad shoulders and his air of authority.

Why did she have such an intense response to him? She had from the first moment she met him. He took her breath away and dazzled her without really doing anything except being himself.

He spotted her and her excitement jumped a notch. She felt locked into gazing into his eyes, eyes the color of caramel. She could barely get her breath; realizing how intensely she reacted to him, she made an effort to break the eye contact.

When she looked again, he was still watching her as he approached.

“You look great. No one would ever guess you’ve been working since before dawn this morning.”

“Thank you,” she answered, thinking he was just being polite. Nobody ever told her she looked great or gorgeous, or said things she heard guys say to women. She was accustomed to not catching men’s attention so she didn’t give it much thought.

“I have a table in the dining room,” he said, taking her arm. The room had been transformed since they’d left it. Lights had been turned low, the tables covered in white linen tablecloths. Tiny pots wrapped in red foil and tied with bright green satin bows held dwarf red poinsettias sprinkled with glitter, adding to the festive Christmas atmosphere.

A piano player played softly at one end of the room in front of a tiny dance floor where three couples danced to a familiar Christmas song. Near the piano was a fully decorated Christmas tree with twinkling lights.

Aaron held her chair and then sat across from her, moving the poinsettia to one side even though they could both see over it.

“I haven’t seen many Christmas trees this season,” she said. “It’s easy to even forget the holiday season is here when so many are hurting and so much is damaged.”

“Will you be with your family for Christmas?”

“No. My parents don’t pay any attention to Christmas. They’re divorced and Christmas was never a fun time at our house because of the anger between them. It was a relief when they finally ended their marriage.”

“Sorry. I know we talked about families before. Earlier today you said you are going to see your sister in Austin tomorrow. Do you see her at Christmas?”

“Some years I spend Christmas at her house. Some years I go back and forth between my parents and my sister. Mom has moved to Fort Worth. She’s a high school principal there. After the divorce my dad moved his insurance business to Dallas because he had so many customers in the area. I see him some, but not as much as my mom. My grandmother lives with her and my grandfather is deceased.”

“So this year what will you do at Christmastime?”

“I plan to stay here and keep trying to help where I can until the afternoon of Christmas Eve. Then I’ll fly to Austin to be at my sister’s. I have a feeling the holidays will be extremely difficult here for some people. I’m coming back Christmas afternoon and I’ve asked people here who are alone to come over that evening—just a casual dinner. So far there are about five people coming.”

“That’s nice, Stella,” Aaron said, sounding sincere with a warmth in his gaze that wrapped her in its glow.

“What about you, Aaron? Where will you spend Christmas? You know more about my family than I do about yours.”

For an instant he had a shuttered look that made her feel as if she had intruded with her question. Then he shrugged and looked at her. “My parents moved to Paris and I usually go see them during the holidays. My brother is in Dallas and I’ll be with him part of the time, although he’s going to Paris this year. I like to ski, and some years I ski. This year I’ll see if I can help out around here. You’re right. A holiday can hurt badly if someone has lost his home or a loved one. After losing his brother, Cole will need my support. So I’m going to spend the holidays in Royal.”

As he spoke quietly, there was a glacial look in his eyes that made her feel shut out. She wondered about his past. More and more she realized how little she knew about him.

Their waiter appeared to take their drink order, and Aaron looked at her, his brown eyes warm and friendly again. “The last time we were together you preferred a glass of red wine. Is that what you’d like now?”

She shook her head. “No, thank you. I would prefer a glass of ice water. Maybe later I’ll have something else,” she said, surprised that he remembered what she had ordered before. She didn’t want to drink anything alcoholic and she also didn’t care to do anything to cause him to talk about the last time they were together.

“Very well. Water for the lady, please, and I’ll have a beer,” he said to the waiter.

As soon as they were alone, Aaron turned to her. “Let’s dance at least one time and then we’ll come back to place our order. Do you already know what you want? I remember last time it was grilled trout, which is also on this menu here.”

“I don’t know what I want and I need to read the menu. I’ll select something and then we’ll dance,” she said, trying to postpone being in his arms. If she could gracefully skip dancing, she would, but he knew from the last time that she loved to dance. He was remembering that last time together with surprising clarity. She figured he had other women in his life and had forgotten all about her.

“Let’s see what we want. When he brings drinks, we can order dinner. I remember how much you like to dance.”

“You have a good memory.”

“For what interests me,” he said, studying her.

“What?” she asked, curious about the intent way he looked at her.

“You’re different from last time. Far more serious.”

Her breath caught in her throat. “You notice too much, Aaron. It’s the storm and all the problems. There are so many things to do. How can I look or feel or even be the same person after the event that has touched each person who lives here,” she said, realizing she needed to lighten the situation a bit so he would stop studying her and trying to guess what had changed and what was wrong.

“C’mon. One dance. You need to get your mind off Royal for just a few minutes at least. We can order dinner after a dance. You’re not going to faint on the dance floor from hunger. Let it go for a minute, Stella. You’ve got the burden of the world on your shoulders.”

She laughed and shook her head. “I don’t think it’s that bad. Very well, you win,” she said. By trying to stay remote and all-business, she was drawing more attention instead of less, which wasn’t what she wanted.

“That’s more like it,” he said, smiling. “What time do you leave in the morning?” he asked.

“I’ll fly the eight-o’clock commuter plane from here to Dallas and change planes for Austin.”

They reached the dance floor as the music changed to an old-time fast beat. She was caught in Aaron’s direct look as they danced, and his brown eyes had darkened slightly. Desire was evident in his expression. Her insides clenched while memories of making love with him bombarded her.

His hot gaze raked over her and she could barely get her breath. How could she resist him? He was going to interfere in her work in Royal, interfere in her life, stir up trouble and make her want him. The last part scared her. She didn’t want Aaron involved too soon because he was a man who was accustomed to taking charge and to having things his way.

Watching him, she gave herself to dancing around the floor with him, to looking into brown eyes that held desire and a promise of kisses, to doing what he said—having fun and forgetting the problems for just a few minutes. The problems wouldn’t go away, but she could close her mind to them long enough to dance with Aaron and have a relaxing evening.

As they danced the beat quickened. Smiling, she shut her mind to everything except dancing and music and a drumming beat that seemed to match her heartbeat. The problems would be waiting, but for a few minutes, she pushed them aside.

Her gaze lowered to Aaron’s mouth and her own lips parted. Having him close at hand stirred up memories she had been trying to forget. If only she could go back and undo that night with him, to stop short at kissing him.

The dance ended and when a ballad began he held her hand to draw her closer.

“Aaron, I thought we were going to have one dance and then go order dinner,” she said, catching her breath.

“I can’t resist this. I’ve been wanting to dance with you and hold you close.”

The words thrilled her, scared her and tormented her. They danced together and she was aware of pressing lightly against him and moving in step with him. Memories of being in his arms became more vivid. His aftershave was faint but she recalled it from before. Too many things about him were etched clearly in her memory, which hadn’t faded any in spite of her efforts to try to avoid thinking about him.

The minute the song ended, she stepped away and smiled. “Now, we’ve danced. Let’s go order so we get dinner tonight.”

“There, that’s good to see you relax a little and laugh and smile. That’s more the way I remember you.”

“I think you just wanted to get your way.”

“No. If I just wanted to get my way, we wouldn’t be here right now. We’d be upstairs in my room.”

She laughed and shook her head, trying to make light of his flirting and pay no attention to it.

At their table she looked over the menu. She selected grilled salmon this time and sipped her cold water while Aaron drank a beer.

“See, it’s good to let go of the problems for at least a brief time. You’ll be more help to others if you can view things with a fresh perspective.”

“I haven’t done much of this. The calls for help have been steady although it’s not like it was at first. We’ve had some really good moments when families found each other. That’s a triumph and joy everyone can celebrate. And it’s touching when pets and owners are reunited. Those are the good moments. Frankly, I’ll be ready to have my peace and quiet back.”

Her phone dinged and she took it out. “Excuse me,” she said as she read the text message and answered it.

Their dinner came and they talked about the houses that were being rebuilt by his company and the families who would eventually occupy them. With Aaron she had a bubbling excitement that took away her appetite. She didn’t want him to notice, so she kept eating small bites slowly. Before she was half-through, she got a call on her phone.

“Aaron—” She shrugged.

“Take the call. I don’t mind.”

She talked briefly and then ended the call. “That’s Mildred Payne. She’s elderly and lives alone. Her family lives in Waco. Her best friend was one of the casualties of the storm. She just called me because her little dog got out and is lost. Mildred’s crying and phoned me because I’ve helped her before. I’m sorry, Aaron, but I have to go help her find her dog.”

He smiled. “Come on. I’ll get the waiter and then I’ll take you and we’ll find the dog.”

“You don’t have to.”

“I know I don’t have to. I want to be with you and maybe I can help.”

“I need to run to my suite and get my coat.”

“I’ll meet you in the lobby near the front door in five minutes.”

“Thanks.”

“Wouldn’t miss a dog hunt with you for anything,” he said as they parted.

She laughed and rushed to get her coat. When she came back to the lobby, Aaron was standing by the door. He had on a black leather bomber jacket and once again just the sight of him made her breathless.

His car was waiting outside and a doorman held the door for her as Aaron went around to slide behind the wheel. She told him the address and gave him directions. “You’re turning out to be a reliable guy,” she said. “I appreciate this.”

“You don’t know the half about me,” he said in an exaggerated drawl, and she smiled.

“To be truthful, I’m glad I don’t have to hunt for the dog by myself. I do know the dog. It’s a Jack Russell terrier named Dobbin. If you’ll stop at a grocery I’ll run in and get a bag of treats because he’ll come for a doggie treat.”

“I’ll stop, but if we were home and I was in my own car, we wouldn’t have to. My brother has a dog and I keep a bag of treats in the trunk of my car. That dog loves me.”

“Well, so do I,” she said playfully. “You’re willing to hunt for Dobbin.”

“When we find Dobbin, we’ll go back to the Cozy Inn and I’ll show you treats for someone with big blue eyes and long brown hair—”

“Whoa. You just find Dobbin and we’ll all be happy,” she said, laughing. “Seriously, Aaron, I appreciate you volunteering to help. It’s cold and it’s dark out. I don’t relish hunting for a dog, and Dobbin is playful.”

“So am I if you’ll give me half a chance,” he said. She shook her head.

“I’m not giving you a chance at all. Just concentrate on Dobbin.”

“I’ll only be a minute,” he said, pulling into the brightly lit parking lot of a convenience store. He left the engine running with the heater on while he hurried inside. She watched him come out with a bag of treats.

“Thanks again,” she said.

“Hopefully, Dobbin will be back home before we get there. You must get calls for all kinds of problems.”

“I’m glad to help when I can. I’m lucky that my house didn’t have a lot of damage and I wasn’t hurt. Mildred had damage to her house. She’s already had a new roof put on and windows replaced. She has a back room that has to be rebuilt, but she was one of the fortunate ones who got help from her insurance company and had a construction company she’d worked with on other jobs, so she called them right after the storm.”

“That’s the best way. Make the insurance call as soon as possible.”

“It worked for Mildred.” They drove into a neighborhood that had damage but not the massive destruction that had occurred in the western part of Royal. Houses were older, smaller, set back on tree-filled lots. Stella saw the bright beacon of a porch light. “There’s her house where the porch light is on. Mildred is in a block where power got restored within days after the storm. Another help. There she is, waiting for us and probably calling Dobbin.”

“He could be miles away. It’s a cold night and she’s elderly. Get her in where it’s warm and I’ll drive around looking for Dobbin. Hopefully, he loves treats.”

When they reached the house, Aaron turned up the narrow drive. A tall, thin woman with a winter coat pulled around her stood on the porch. She held a sack of dog treats in her hand.

“Thanks again, Aaron. You didn’t know what you were in for when you asked me to eat dinner with you. I’ll get her settled inside and then I’ll probably walk around the block and look. She said he hadn’t been gone long when she called.”

“That’s good because a dog can cover a lot of ground. I have my phone with me. My number is 555-4378.”

“And mine—”

“Is 555-6294,” he said, startling her. “I started to call you a couple of times, but you said you wanted to say goodbye, so I didn’t call,” he said.

That gave her a bigger surprise. She figured he had all but forgotten the night they were together. It was amazing to learn that not only had he thought about calling her, he even knew her phone number from memory. He had wanted to see her again. The discovery made her heart beat faster.

“Stella—”

Startled, she looked around. He had parked and was letting the motor idle. She was so lost in her thoughts, for a moment she had forgotten her surroundings or why they were there. “I’ll see about Mildred,” she said, stepping out and hurrying to the porch as Aaron backed out of the drive.

“Hi, Mildred. I came as quickly as I could.”

“Thank you, Stella. I just knew you would be willing to help.”

“I’m with Aaron Nichols, who is Cole Richardson’s partner. They own one of the companies that has helped so much in rebuilding Royal. Aaron will drive around to search for Dobbin.”

“I appreciate this. He’s little and not accustomed to being out at night.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll find him,” Stella said, trying to sound positive and cheerful and hoping they could live up to what she promised. “Let’s go inside where it’s warm and I’ll go look, too. You should get in out of the cold.”

“You’re such a help to everyone and I didn’t know who else to turn to. There was George, my neighbor, but their house is gone now and he and his family are living with his sister.”

They went inside a warm living room with lights turned on.

“You get comfortable and let us look for Dobbin. Just stay in where it’s warm. May I take the bag of treats with me?”

“Of course. Here it is.” Mildred wiped her eyes. “It’s cold for him to be out.” Gray hair framed her long face. She hung her coat in the hall closet and stepped back into the living room.

“I’m going to walk around the block and see if I can find him. Aaron is looking now. We’ll be back in a little while.”

Mildred nodded and followed Stella to the door.

“This is nice of you, Stella. Dobbin is such company for me. I don’t want to lose him.”

“Don’t worry.” She left, closing the door and hurrying down the porch steps. “Dobbin. Here, Dobbin,” she called, rattling the treat sack and feeling silly, thinking Dobbin could be out of Royal by now. She prayed he was close and would come home. No one in Royal needed another loss at a time like this.

“Dobbin?” she called, and whistled, walking past Mildred’s and the lot next door where a damaged house stood dark and empty. The roof was half-gone and a large elm had fallen on the front porch. Away from the lights the area was grim and cold. She made a mental note to check tomorrow about Mildred’s block because she thought this section of town had already had the fallen trees cleared away.

“Dobbin,” she called again, her voice sounding eerie in the silent darkness.

A car came around the corner, headlights bright as it drove toward her. The car slowed when it pulled alongside her and she recognized Aaron’s rental car. He held up a terrier. Thrilled, she ran toward the car. “You have Dobbin?”

“Dobbin is my buddy now. He’s waiting for another treat.”

“Hi, Dobbin,” she said, petting the dog. “Aaron, you’re a miracle man. I’ll meet you on Mildred’s porch.”

“Get in and ride up the drive with me. I’ll hold Dobbin so he doesn’t escape.”

She laughed, thinking it was becoming more and more difficult to try to keep a wall up between them. All afternoon and this evening he had done things to make her appreciate and like him more.

She climbed into the warm car. “I’ll hold Dobbin,” she said. When Aaron released the terrier, he jumped into her lap. Aaron drove up the drive and parked.

“Come in and meet Mildred because she’ll want to thank you.”

“Here, you might as well give Mildred the bag of treats. I’ll carry Dobbin until we get to the door,” Aaron said, taking the dog from her.

On the porch Aaron rang the bell. In seconds the door opened and Mildred smiled. “You found him. Thank you, thank you.” She took the dog from Aaron and the bags of treats from Stella. “Please come in. I’m going to put him in my room and I’ll be right back. Please have a seat.”

When she came back, Stella introduced everyone. “Mildred, this is Aaron Nichols. Aaron, meet Mildred Payne.”

“Nice to meet you, ma’am. Dobbin was in the next block, sitting on a porch of a darkened, vacant home as if waiting for a ride home. I had a bag of treats, so he came right to me.”

“Good. He doesn’t like everybody.”

“Mildred, we’re going back. It’s been a long day and I still have some things to do.”

“I wish you could stay. I have cookies and milk.”

“Thanks, but we should go,” Stella said. Mildred followed them onto the porch, thanking them as they left and still thanking them when they got into the car.

“Now you’ve done your good deed for today,” Stella said when he backed down the drive. “It was appreciated.”

“It was easy. I think you’ve become essential to this town.”

“No. I’m just happy to help where help is needed. And I’m just one of many helping out. The Texas Cattleman’s Club has been particularly helpful, and you and Cole have certainly done more than your fair share.”

“Your life may have changed forever because of the storm. I’m surprised you haven’t had job offers from people who saw you on television.”

“Actually, I have from two places. The attorney general’s office in San Angelo has an opening for an administrative assistant and another was a mayor’s office in Tyler that has a position that would have the title of office manager.”

“Are you interested in either one?”

“No, I thanked them and turned them down. My friends are in Royal and I’ve grown up here so I want to stay. Besides, they need me here now.”

“Amen to that. I’m glad you’re staying here because we’ll be working together and maybe seeing each other a little more since we’re both at the Cozy Inn.”

“Did you get your suite changed to the sixth floor?”

“Indeed, I did,” he said. “I’ll show you.”

“I’ll take a rain check.”

“Oh, well, it’s still early. Let’s go have a drink and a dance or two.”

She hesitated for just a moment, torn between what she should do and what she wanted to do.

“You’re having some kind of internal debate, so I’ll solve it. You’ll come with me and we’ll have a drink. There—problem solved. You think you’ll be back in Royal tomorrow night?”

“Yes,” she said, smiling at him.

When they got back to the hotel, Aaron headed for a booth in the bar. The room was darker and cozier than the dining room. There was a small band playing and a smattering of dancers.

Over a chocolate milk shake, she talked to Aaron. They became enveloped in conversation, first about the town and the storm and then a variety of topics. When he asked her to dance, she put him off until later, relieved that it did not come up again.

“Our Texas Cattleman’s Club friends want an update on the progress here. Cole is good about keeping in touch with both groups.”

“I think you’ll be surprised by how much they have rebuilt and repaired,” she replied.

“Good. I’m anxious to see for myself what’s been done.”

“You’ll be surprised by changes all over town.”

Later, she glanced at her watch and saw it was almost one, she picked up her purse. “Aaron, I have to fly out early in the morning. I didn’t know it was so late. I never intended to stay this late.”

“But you were having such a good time you just couldn’t tear yourself away,” he teased, and she smiled at him.

“Actually, it has been a good time and the first evening in a while that has had nothing to do with the storm.”

They headed out to the elevator and rode to the sixth floor. The hallway was empty and quiet as Aaron walked her to her door.

“Let me take you to the airport in the morning and we can get breakfast there.”

“No, thank you. It’s way too early.”

“I’ll be up early. It’ll save you trouble and we can talk some more. All good reasons—okay?”

She stopped at her door, getting her card from her purse. “I know you’ll get your way in this conversation, too, Aaron. See you in the lobby at six o’clock. Thanks for dinner tonight and a million thanks for finding Dobbin. That made Mildred happy.”

“It was fun. Mostly it was fun to be with you and see you again. Before we say good-night, there’s something I’ve been wanting to do since the last time we were together.”

“Do I dare ask—what have you been wanting to do?”

“Actually, maybe two or three things,” he said softly. “First, I want to kiss you again,” he said, moving close and slipping his arm around her waist. Her heart thudded as she looked up at him. She should step back, say no, stop him now, but what harm was there in a kiss? She gazed into his light brown eyes and there was no way to stop. Her heartbeat raced and her lips tingled. She leaned closer and then his mouth covered hers. His arms tightened around her and he pulled her against him.

She wrapped her arms around him to return his kiss, wanting more than kisses. She felt on fire, memories of being in his arms and making love tugging at her.

He leaned over her while he kissed her, his tongue going deep, touching, stroking, building desire. She barely felt his fingers in her hair, but in minutes her hair fell over her shoulders.

She had to stop, to say no. She couldn’t have another night like the last one with him.

“Aaron, wait,” she whispered.

He looked down at her. His brown eyes had darkened with passion. “I’ve dreamed of you in my arms, Stella,” he whispered. “I want to kiss you and make love.”

“Aaron, that night was so unlike me.”

“That night was fantastic.” He held long strands of her hair in his fingers. “Your hair is pretty.”

She shook her head. “I have to go in,” she whispered. “Thank you for dinner, and especially for finding the dog.”

She opened her door with her card.

“Stella,” he said. His voice was hoarse. She paused to look at him.

“I’ll meet you in the lobby at six in the morning. I’ll take you to the airport.”

She nodded. “Thanks,” she said, and stepped into her entryway and closed the door. The lock clicked in place. She rested her forehead against the door and took a deep breath. She didn’t intend to get entangled with him at this point in time. Not until she had a definite answer about whether she was pregnant.

* * *

At six the next morning Aaron stood waiting. He saw her step off the elevator. She wore a gray coat and a knitted gray scarf around her neck. Her hair was back in a bun. She was plain—men didn’t turn to look at her as she walked past, yet she stirred desire in him. She was responsive, quick-witted, kind, helpful, reliable. She was bright and capable and—he knew from firsthand experience—sexy.

He drew a deep breath and tried to focus on other things. But he was already thinking about how long she would be gone and when he would see her again. He hoped that would happen as soon as she returned to Royal. Maybe she would let him pick her up at the airport.

He needed to step back and get a grip. If anyone would be serious in a relationship, it would be Stella. She would want wedding bells, which was reason enough that he should leave her alone. He didn’t want a long-term relationship. But she might be one of those women who couldn’t deal with a casual affair.

“Good morning,” he said as she walked up.

“I’m ready to catch a plane,” she said, smiling at him and looking fresh. Beneath the coat he saw a white tailored blouse, tan slacks and brown loafers. Always practical and neat, so what was it about her that made his pulse jump when he saw her?

“You look as if you don’t have a care in the world and as if you had a good night’s sleep.”

“Well, I’m glad I look that way. By the end of some of the days I’ve spent dealing with all the storm problems, I feel bedraggled.”

“I think we can do something about that,” he said, flirting with her and wanting to touch her if only just to hold her hand.

“I pass on hearing your suggestions. Let’s concentrate on getting to the plane.”

“The car is waiting.”

As soon as they were headed to the Royal airport, Aaron settled back to drive. “Cole left a list of what we’re working on and I have the list we made yesterday of more places where we can help. I’ll spend the day visiting the sites, including the Cattleman’s Club. When Cole gets back, I want to be able to talk to him about what I can do to help.”

“If you have any questions, I’ll have my phone, although some of the time it may be turned off.”

“I’ll manage,” he said.

She chuckled. “I’m sure you will.”

“You should be able to get away a day without a barrage of phone calls from Royal. Maybe we should think about a weekend away and really give you a break.”

She laughed again. “No weekend getaways, Aaron. For more than one reason. You can forget that one. I’ll manage without a weekend break.”

“Can’t blame me for trying,” he said, giving her a quick grin. “I’ll miss you today,” he said.

“No, you won’t. You’ll be busy. Once people find out who you are and that you’re here in Royal, you’ll be busy all day long with questions and requests and just listening to problems. I can promise you—get ready to be in high demand.”

“Is that the way it’s been for Cole? If it has, it probably is good for him because it takes his mind off his loss.”

“I’m sure it’s what he deals with constantly. We’ve come a long way, but we still have so far to go to ever recover from all the devastation.”

He turned into the small airport and let her out, then parked and came back to join her for breakfast. All too soon she was called to board. He stood watching until she disappeared from sight and then he headed back to town. At least she had agreed to let him pick her up when she returned later today. He was already looking forward to being with her again, something that surprised him. Since losing Paula and Blake, he hadn’t been this excited about any woman. Far from it. He felt better staying home by himself than trying to go out with someone and fake having a good time.

That had all changed with Stella—which surprised and puzzled him, because she was so unlike anyone who had ever attracted him before.

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