Page 21 of One Texas Night...
“Thank you,” she said, following him along a wide hallway that held a rectangular reflecting pool with a splashing fountain, marble floors, potted palms and oil paintings along the walls. A curving staircase led to the second floor, and she followed Stan into the living area of a suite of rooms.
“I’ll bring your things up, and if you need anything, just let me know.”
“Thank you, Stan,” she replied, looking at sunlight spilling through wide windows, highlighting a fruitwood sofa upholstered in bright red poppies with two red wingback chairs and a fruitwood rocker. Shelves of books lined one wall of the room, while art hung on the others. She walked through to the large bedroom, her gaze on an imposing four-poster bed that stopped her in her tracks. She couldn’t help but picture herself in it with Jared, his arms wrapped around her, the sheets a tangled mass.
Trying to erase the torrid image, she shook her head. But it persisted.
Jared was even more appealing than he had been when she had been eighteen. And far more dangerous to her heart now. They were getting to know each other, and the more time they spent together, the more she wanted to be with him.
Tonight, would she be able to resist his kisses? Did she even want to? Despite his opinion, they could never be called harmless. Not at all. They were the beginnings of a powerful seduction.
Five
Jared entered the restaurant and headed through the main lobby for the room reserved for their business breakfast club. He passed a splashing fountain and pots of ficus trees, his footsteps cushioned by the thick, deep blue carpet.
The club had two dozen members. Each one had achieved millionaire status or more, and Jared had known eight of them since high school or earlier, including Sloan, his closest friend.
Jared entered the private room where long, linen-covered tables formed a U shape in front of mahogany-paneled walls. Paintings of hunting scenes with hounds and men on horses hung on the walls, each picture in an oversize dark wood frame. Near the tables, members stood in clusters, some with morning drinks of orange juice or Bloody Marys in their hands.
Across the room, Sloan stood in a circle of men and waved, motioning Jared over. As Jared greeted other members and walked around the room toward his friend, he thought of Allison’s silky blond hair. Sloan had no such inheritance. His straight light brown hair was combed neatly away from his face. He did not have Allison’s indigo eyes, but a far lighter shade of blue. There was a faint facial resemblance in their bone structure, but no one would pick them out of the crowd as brother and sister.
Tall, broad shouldered, Sloan was a great friend, except where his sister was concerned. When it came to Allison, Sloan lost his calm balance and became far more the mother bear than a mother hen.
Wearing a pin-striped tailor-made suit, Sloan looked the successful businessman he was, but Jared still saw the gangly friend who was competitive in sports, ready for fun on the weekends and a class-A worrier, who throughout college always saw to it that they had a designated driver from parties and bars.
“I thought maybe you would be in Houston,” Sloan said, shaking hands in greeting with Jared, looking intently at his friend.
“No, I’m right here at home. Your sister is taking inventory, and she said your dad will do the research. She sends the info and pictures back to him on her laptop.” He had no plan to let Sloan in on the secret that Allison was in Dallas.
“She’s been a tremendous help to him, and she enables him to keep the business, which is good. We’re all happy about that. I figured you’d go rushing down there to see what she’s doing.”
“I hired her to deal with the house.” He clapped his friend on the shoulder. “So how are the little Tylers?” Jared asked, knowing Sloan would stop thinking about Allison if the subject of his children came up.
“Virginia and Megan still treat Jake like their doll. He loves the attention, so they’re all happy. I expect this to last until he’s old enough to get into their things.” Sloan pulled out his phone and touched it, holding it for Jared to look. “This picture was taken last night.”
Jared looked at Sloan’s wife, Leah, her mop of curly brown hair framing her face. She held all three children, with the baby in the middle and both little girls on each side. Virginia had Leah’s thick curls while Megan had silky blond hair and big eyes, making Jared think of Allison.
“Good-looking family, Sloan. That’s great.”
“It’s super great,” he said, putting away the phone. “Having a five-year-old, a three-year-old and a one-year-old keeps Leah hopping.”
“Keeps you busy, too.”
He nodded. “But never too busy.” He leaned in toward Jared and said in a conspiratorial tone, “I’ve got some property that will go on the market in a few months that’s right by your office. You might want to look at it sometime.”
“Sure, I do. Where is it—the old building to the north?” Jared asked, thankful they had moved on to other topics.
“Here come the Delaneys,” Sloan said, giving a slight wave, and Jared turned to see Will, Zach, Ryan and his brother-in-law, Garrett Cantrell, with them. They were all tall men. Zach bore little resemblance to his brothers that Jared could see with his curly brown hair and blue eyes. It still was difficult to believe the demolition man had stopped traveling to jobs all over the world and settled into married life without a grumble.
As they greeted each other, Sloan smiled. “It’s good to see all of you. Seems like at least one of you has missed the past few breakfasts. How’s the family, Will? How’s little Caroline and the baby?”
“They’re great. Ava said Caroline is a big help to her, so that’s good. Caroline loves little Adam.”
“It’s nice you named your baby for your older brother, Caroline’s daddy,” Jared said. “You’ve been a super uncle to her after Adam’s death, and now you’re really a dad to her. You’re doing a great job.”
“Thanks, Jared. Caroline loves having her little brother named for Adam. To her, he’s not a half brother, he’s just her brother. All of us like having another Adam in the family.”
“That’s great. We’ll have to get together,” Jared said. “I haven’t seen the Delaney families for a while. We’ll have a shindig soon.” He glanced around. “It looks as if the breakfast buffet is set up. Everyone ready?”
