From Playboy to Papa! / Tempting the Texas Tycoon: From Playboy to Papa! / Tempting the Texas Tycoon
- -
- 100%
- +
The rest of the week, Rafe must have arrived home after Nicole went to sleep and left before she rose. Although Nicole didn’t trust Rafe with Joel, she mentally gave him a black mark for not spending more time with Joel. If he was going to ignore his son, why should Joel move here?
The chauffeur drove Nicole and Joel to preschool and Nicole kissed him good-bye. The sight of him uncertainly entering his schoolroom tugged at her heartstrings. If only Rafe hadn’t reappeared, Joel would be safe and secure in his own comfort zone in Atlanta.
She swam several laps in the pool in hopes of reducing her frustration. In other circumstances, she would welcome this time as a long-delayed break, but the situation was far too complicated for her to relax.
Her cell phone rang and she noticed the incoming call was from Rafe. She felt a spurt of adrenaline. “Hello,” she said.
“Hi. How are you?”
“Fine, and you?” she asked, keeping her tone cool.
A brief silence followed. “You don’t sound fine. What’s wrong? Is the new assistant okay? What about Joel?”
“Everyone is fine. Joel is at school.”
“Oh, bored?”
Standing, she paced around the pool. “No, but I am used to working.”
“In that, you and I are the same. I’ve got a good distraction coming. I’m going to take you and Joel for a cruise on Friday evening. We won’t return until Saturday night.”
Surprise rushed through her. “Really? You’re so busy. I wouldn’t have thought you could make the time for this kind of trip?”
“I’m making the time. Just pack what the two of you will need. In the meantime, if you’re really bored, you could do some shopping to furnish the house.”
Nicole blinked. “Shopping. Why me?”
“I’m still making up from the time I spent in Atlanta. I hope to be caught up next week. It would be a huge favor to me if you would take care of it.”
“But I don’t know your taste,” she protested.
“I trust you,” he said, and she felt a stab of bitterness that she couldn’t trust him in return.
“I don’t know much about the shopping down here,” she said.
“No problem. Just give Maddie a call and she can fill you in. See you tomorrow night.”
Just before dusk, Rafe welcomed Joel and Nicole on to his yacht. He gave them the grand tour and enjoyed Joel’s enthusiasm. Joel was especially excited to see the engine room and the game room. The three of them were served dinner and watched the lights as they left the harbor.
Joel was so wound up that it took him a while to settle down.
“I’ll read the bedtime stories tonight,” he said to Nicole.
She hesitated then nodded. “Okay.”
Rafe had made the offer impulsively, but as soon as Joel sank down on the bed beside him with a book, he realized why he’d wanted the good-night time with his son. As he read the story about the big strawberry and the little mouse, he remembered piling into a bed with his brothers and listening to his father’s deep voice as he told stories. His father had made them up on his own, stories of adventure that had evoked his imagination. He and his brothers had competed for the positions on his father’s left and right side. Rafe couldn’t remember a time when he’d felt more safe and secure.
Now, with his son curled against him, Rafe felt a wave of emotion at the bond forming between them. He wanted that sense of safety and security for Joel. He never wanted his son to experience the uncertainty he had.
“Do you like strawberries?” he asked Joel.
Joel gave a big nod. “I like them as much as the little mouse does. Again,” he said. “Read it again.”
Rafe laughed. “The same book?”
Joel nodded again. “It’s the best book in the world,” he said solemnly.
“Hmm,” Rafe said, ruffling his fingers through Joel’s hair. “Then I guess it’s worth hearing again.”
He started at the beginning and Joel moved his lips, wordlessly repeating each word of the story. The fact that his son had clearly memorized the book brought him enormous pride. Rafe ended up reading it yet another time, then he turned to another book. With Joel fully relaxed against him, Rafe glanced down and saw that his son was asleep.
His heart twisted. Joel’s ability to let down his guard with him made something inside him swell with emotion. He wanted Joel to trust him. It was vital to him.
Gently, he tucked the covers over his son and slid out of bed, returning to the upper deck.
Nicole stood next to the side of the ship, looking into the distance.
He stepped beside her. “You think he liked his first day on the yacht?”
She turned to glance at him. “It was obvious he loved it.”
“I’m glad he’s a good sailor. I worried a little about seasickness and had both the meds and the sea bands ready for him just in case.”
“That was thoughtful,” she said.
“You sound surprised.”
“You’re a new dad. I wouldn’t expect you to be prepared for everything.”
“What about you? Do you like it out here?”
She inhaled. “Who wouldn’t?”
“Someone who gets seasick.”
She gave a low reluctant laugh that made him want to bend his head down and feel the sound against his skin. “It’s so quiet and peaceful out here,” she said.
“Right now it is. I’ve been out in some pretty rough storms where it’s anything but peaceful.”
“When did you first develop your fondness for boats or the ocean?”
“My father took us out a couple of times. I was very young, but I still remember it like it was yesterday.” He thought of his father, his hair whipping in the wind as he called out instruction to him and his brothers. A wave of longing and nostalgia washed over him. “He was a good dad.”
“In what way?” she asked and he felt her searching his face.
“Don’t get me wrong. He could be tough as nails. With four sons and a wife who was—” He paused, feeling another twist of loss for his mother. “Fragile, he had to stay on top of everything. He taught us to work hard, taught us to swim and play poker. He even taught us all to cook.”
She smiled. “Really?”
He nodded. “I can make some pretty mean spaghetti. He made great lasagna, but none of us can quite remember how to pull that together the same way he did.”
She shook her head. “I’m not sure my mother or father know how to boil water.”
“Different planet,” he said.
“Not necessarily better,” she muttered and looked out to the horizon. She gave a shiver.
He pulled off his jacket to put it around her shoulders. She glanced at him in surprise.
“You looked like you got a chill. I’ve been doing all the talking. How did a wealthy girl like you learn how to cook?”
“In boarding school. It was an elective and I decided it would be a necessary skill since I knew I wouldn’t be living with my parents.”
“Independent even then,” he said.
“Yes,” she said, her face solemn. “I think I was nine at the time.”
“I get the impression your home life wasn’t all that happy,” he ventured.
“It wasn’t. My parents were unhappily married. My father had a terrible temper. That may be part of the reason I’m so determined for Joel to feel safe and happy.”
“You can’t protect him from every bump in the road,” Rafe said.
“No, but I can try to keep him out of the potholes,” she said.
“Ever think you’re overprotective?” he asked.
She shot him a look that reminded him of a mama bear ready to defend her cub. “Are you questioning my parenting skills?”
“Just curious,” he said.
“Because if you are,” she said. “You don’t have a lot of experience yourself.”
“I don’t have experience being a parent,” he agreed. “But I have experience being male.”
“Plenty of single mothers have successfully raised boys on their own.”
“But you won’t have to,” he said. “I’m Joel’s father and I’m here to stay.”
She lifted her shoulder. “We still don’t know how involved you really want to be in his life.”
Her cool response irritated him. “Very involved. You need to get used to the idea that Joel will be spending lots of time with me.”
“Like I said, that’s yet to be determined.”
“No, it isn’t,” he said, putting his hand on her arm to get her attention.
She turned her head and glanced meaningfully at his hand. He removed it. “I’m not going to be an absentee father. I’m rearranging my life so that he can be in it all the time.”
“It’s not that easy,” she said. “You can’t just take over.”
“I can and I am,” he said.
“What do you mean?”
“I want Joel with me. You need to get used to the idea. I don’t need your approval to get custody of my son.”
Her eyes widened. “Are you threatening me?” She bit her lip. “Tabitha said you were a bully. This just goes to show—”
“Tabitha,” he echoed in disgust. “The woman who laughed at me when I asked her to marry me.”
Nicole gasped. “You proposed?” she asked in disbelief.
“She said I was good enough for a good time, but not for anything long-term. Then she didn’t bother to tell me she was pregnant with my child. I could forgive her for that because she was so wild maybe she didn’t know who the father was.”
Nicole gasped again. “How dare you insult her when she’s not here to defend herself?”
“She lost that right when she neglected to tell me she’d given birth to my son.”
Nicole stared at him, her eyes glinting with fear and anger. “Why do you want him?” she demanded. “Is it your way of paying back my sister? Or is it some kind of ego trip?”
Offended by her assessment of his character, he ground his teeth. “I’ll tell you when you have a more open mind. Now it’s shut tighter than a jail cell.”
“Don’t underestimate me. I will do anything to protect Joel.”
“Then you may want to be smart about it. You can waste your time fighting me, or you can officially move down here and work with me.”
Her jaw dropped. “You’ve got to be kidding. Give up my life so you can control it and Joel’s.”
He gave a chuckle that sounded harsh to his own ears. “If you and I both really want what’s best for Joel, why would I need to control you?”
She gnawed her lip for a moment then gave him his jacket. “Are you going to tell me that you’re not accustomed to getting your way?”
“Only because I’m right most of the time,” he said.
“That’s arrogant.”
“No, it’s true.” He ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. “When are you going to stop fighting me every inch of the way?”
“I agreed to come down here. I wasn’t fighting then.”
“I wouldn’t take no for an answer.”
“You don’t make it easy. You march into our lives and want everything changed this second. It doesn’t work that way. This is going to take time and trust.”
“The time to start is now. Joel is young enough that if we move forward decisively then he’ll feel secure in no time.” Rafe knew what he was talking about. He’d been several years older than Joel when he’d lost his family, and he’d never fully recovered. “This can’t be the worst offer you’ve received. Move to Miami and live in a nice house with a pool. You don’t even have to work.”
“I could have done that in Atlanta if I’d agreed to live with my father,” she said with a trace of bitterness. “You’re the same as he is. It all comes down to controlling other people to get your way.”
“This isn’t about control. This is about doing the right thing for Joel. You are the only mother Joel he has ever known. You’re the one who has rocked him to sleep, kept him fed and warm. You’re the one who has made him feel safe. Ideally, every child would have a caring father too. If you move down here, Joel would have the two most important people in his life together.”
Six
Rafe made a good argument, Nicole thought after she’d returned to her room. She pulled the covers over her in her bed while the gentle rocking of the ocean lulled her. It would be best for Joel if she and Rafe could get along and even better if they lived together. But that was a fairy-tale possibility.
If only she could be sure that he was who he seemed to be. Strong, good-looking, gentle, responsible. He appeared to be every woman’s dream come true. Even hers if she’d had the time to dream during the last four years.
But how could she possibly trust him? Especially after that report from the P.I. She would always feel like she needed to be on guard with him.
She wondered if he had truly been in love with her sister, or just infatuated. If he was who he seemed, how could Tabitha, even with her shallow nature, leave that kind of man behind? It didn’t make sense to her. Although Tabitha had always talked about marrying a man both wealthy and famous, perhaps even royalty, Nicole had assumed it wasn’t a serious plan.
After Tabitha had delivered Joel, she’d begun a strict exercise regimen to lose the baby weight, telling Nicole she had to get in shape for her prince. She’d partied frantically in New York, Los Angeles and Atlanta, refusing to slow down even when the doctor had insisted.
Nicole took a deep breath and sent up a silent wish of peace for her sister. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on the rhythmic rocking motion and allowed herself to drift to sleep.
Minutes later, he was in bed beside her. His wide shoulders blocked the bulk of the morning sun just beginning to rise. His rock-hard chest was inches from her. His dark, gold skin stretched over his well-developed muscles.
His physical strength fascinated her at the same time it frightened her. How could a man with such strength possess such gentleness?
His eyelids fluttered open and his dark gaze immediately latched on to her. “You’re supposed to be sleeping,” he said, sliding his hand under the covers to her bare hip. “I thought I took care of any nervous energy you had last night.”
He lifted his index finger to her lips.
“I guess you haven’t been kissed enough,” he said and pulled her flush against his body.
Heat rushed through her and she couldn’t stop a smile at the easy, sexy way he handled her. “I didn’t say that. I was just looking at you.”
“Why look when you can touch?” he asked and lifted one of her hands to his chest at the same time he lowered his mouth to hers.
His mouth sent fireworks through her. He seemed to devour her as if he couldn’t get enough of her. He skimmed his mouth down over her shoulder, sending ripples of sensation in his wake.
He touched the sides of her breasts, teasing her until she couldn’t remain still, pushing her nipples against his palm.
He swore under his breath, but it was a sound of pleasure. “I love the way you move.”
Sliding one of his hands between her legs, he found her wet and swollen. “Ready already?”
A twinge of self-consciousness rushed through her. Did he really not know that he kept her in a state of readiness for him all the time? “Is that bad?” she asked, her voice sounding breathless to her own ears.
“If it’s bad, then we’re both bad,” he said, and guided her hand over his erection.
She slid her hand over him, moving in long strokes.
He let out a hiss of breath, his eyes fixed on her. “I need you again.”
It amazed her how powerful he could make her feel even when she was in such a vulnerable position. Suddenly, touching and needing weren’t nearly enough. “I need you, too.”
He rolled on to his back, pulling her on top of him, sending her equilibrium spinning. “You set the pace. If I do, it will all be over in sixty seconds.”
She laughed despite her own mind-blowing arousal. Pushing herself up and propping her hands on either side of his head, she stared into his eyes as he wrapped his hands around her hips and guided her just over him.
“Take it slow,” he told her. “You do wicked things to my self-control.”
Sliding down him inch by delicious inch, she felt his groan vibrate inside her. She’d never imagined she could feel this free with a man, this desirable, this passionate, this…in love…
Nicole awakened so slowly she almost felt as if she were still dreaming. She heard the sound of laughter. Joel, she realized with a smile. She would know that sound anywhere. A second later, she heard a deeper, masculine chuckle. She blinked, immediately identifying Rafe’s voice.
Disoriented, she sat up in bed, trying to make sense of the hot visual she’d had. Had Rafe been in her bed? Her body felt odd, swollen with arousal. She ran her hands over her night clothes and embarrassment washed over her.
What was the matter with her? How could she be having erotic dreams about a man she didn’t trust? Or was it possible that her feelings for him were more complex than she’d realized? She shook her head, unable to believe it.
“Shhh. Don’t wake your mother,” Rafe said just outside her door.
“She likes me to wake her up,” Joel said. “She likes it when I jump on the bed. It makes her laugh. You can come, too.”
Still horrified by her dreams, Nicole gasped, scrambling out of bed and rushing to open the door. “I hear someone laughing,” she managed, focusing on Joel, who was still dressed in his dinosaur jammies.
“It was me and him,” he said, pointing at Rafe.
Dressed in shorts and a black T-shirt that stretched tight over his shoulders, Rafe stepped forward and leaned against the doorjamb in the hallway, stealing her attention and her breath.
“Somebody’s a pistol in the morning,” he said, giving her a swift, but thorough onceover before he met her gaze.
“He wakes up happy,” she said, feeling self-conscious. “Don’t you, Joel?”
He rushed into her arms and she hugged his sweet little body and gave him a good tickle. His belly laugh made her smile.
“If we could bottle that sound,” Rafe said.
She nodded in agreement and hugged him again.
“Mom, we’re gonna have pancakes. With strawberries and chocolate chips.”
“Not in the same pancakes,” Rafe corrected and rubbed his hand over Joel’s head. “Tell her what else we’re going to do.”
“Fish,” Joel said. “We’re gonna catch fish.”
His enthusiasm was contagious. “What are you going to do with them after you catch them?”
Joel looked at her then up at Rafe. “What do we do after we catch them?”
“We throw them back so someone else can take a turn catching them?”
Joel’s face crinkled in confusion. “Can’t I keep just one?”
“We’ll see,” Rafe said.
“That means no,” Joel said in a glum tone.
“Maybe I could get an aquarium,” Rafe ventured, lifting his thumb to his lip.
“An aquarium is a big commitment. Maybe we could just pick up one of those betta fish,” Nicole said.
“That’s okay. I’m in it for the long haul,” Rafe said, and picked up Joel.
Nicole was struck by the resemblance between the two. With the exception of Joel’s blue eyes, he could have been a miniature replica. It wasn’t the first time she’d noticed their similarities, but every time seemed to underline their bond more and more. She took a quick breath and focused on his comment. “I’m speaking of someone else’s interest. It wanes quickly.”
“Ah,” Rafe said. “Point taken. Betta fish on the way home. Are you joining us?”
“After I get dressed.”
“No need,” he said, his gaze skimming over her again. “We’re casual.”
“I’ll be out soon,” she said and closed her door. Her heart was racing. She frowned at herself, still disturbed by her hot dream. “Get a grip,” she whispered.
Joel didn’t stop bouncing with excitement for most of the day. His son even reached for his hand several times. The gesture tugged at his heart and he was relieved at the small sign of Joel’s trust. Joel would adjust. His son would grow to trust him more each day, to rely on him, maybe even to love him. It would happen faster if he had Nicole’s support and Rafe sensed he was getting to her.
She laughed and he felt her gaze on him several times throughout the day. He sensed both curiosity and skepticism. The latter made him impatient.
That night, after they returned to the house, Joel hit the sack early and Rafe took advantage of the time by inviting Nicole to join him for dinner on the patio.
“Have you ever gotten into a physical altercation as an adult?” Nicole asked him after dinner.
It was approximately the twentieth question she’d asked him regarding physical fights.
“Yes, I have. I was a bouncer for a couple of clubs in Miami. A few times I had to resort to brute strength, but not since. Why do you ask?” He met her gaze directly.
She bit her lip. “I just wanted to know what your approach to life was. If you thought physical intimidation was necessary.”
“In rare circumstances. If someone came at you or Joel, I would defend you,” he said. “I wouldn’t be a man if I didn’t.”
“What do you mean—not a man?” she asked.
“I mean I wouldn’t stand for anyone attacking you.” He shrugged. “I would protect my son. My son’s mother.”
She stared at him for a long moment. “And what about your son? Would you physically punish him? Would you—” She broke off as if she could barely complete her sentence. “Would you punish a woman?”
Rafe scowled in distaste. “A real man never uses his strength against a child or a woman.”
She bit her lip again. “You really believe that,” she said in an unsteady voice.
“Of course I do. Only cowards prey on those who are weaker.” He wondered where her questions originated. “Where is all of this coming from?”
She glanced away. “It was a philosophical question,” she said.
“It sounded like more,” he said.
She lifted her shoulders. “If you are going to be a partner in Joel’s care, then I need to know what to expect. People have different philosophies about physical punishment.”
He studied her for a long moment. “So you’re afraid I’ll beat him?”
Her heart skipped and her stomach knotted. She swallowed over the knot of emotion in the back of her throat. “I need to make sure I understand what you believe.”
“We’ve talked about this before. I was spanked as a child, but I don’t think it hurt me. I think there are better ways of disciplining children. My primary goal is protecting my child.”
He spoke as if he were a modern-day warrior. Nicole tried to compute his words, but struggled to separate them from her father’s actions.
“There’s something you’re not telling me,” he said, his eyes narrowed.
She looked away. “Your appearance in Joel’s life has been so sudden.”
“That wasn’t by my choice,” he said.
“I know. But you’re not the only one who feels protective of Joel.” She pushed her hair behind one ear and appeared as if she were debating something. “I’m not sure of what your values are, what you’ve been taught.”
Rafe felt a familiar twist in his gut. “What you mean is that I wasn’t raised in civilized society and in the cocoon of extreme wealth. You’re starting to sound like your sister. I’m a little too rough around the edges. I’m not quite good enough for prime time. Right?”
Nicole’s lips parted in a soft gasp. “No. I didn’t mean that at—”
He lifted his hand. “Save it. I’ve heard it before more than once. My family was poor, but my father loved us. My mother just wasn’t strong enough to keep it all together after my dad and Leo died. So, yes, I was shuffled off to a foster family, who wanted me partly because I brought in extra income. Didn’t catch up with my brothers until the last few years. Sometimes it feels like my first nine years were just a dream.” He paused a half beat and shook his head. “I pretended I belonged, but I never did. I don’t even have pictures of my family,” he muttered, then looked at her. “Your parents probably commissioned oil paintings of you and Tabitha every year of your life.”