The Billionaire's Christmas Desire

She thought about the sharp tone in his voice when he had first spotted the Christmas decorations. Was he all bottled up over old hurts? When it came to interacting with other people, from what she had seen, Zach was warm and friendly. Were old hurts still keeping part of him locked away from sharing life with those closest to him?

After he hung the mistletoe, he turned to her as he stood beneath it. “Emma, come here a minute.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” she said, wanting to laugh, yet feeling her insides clinch over his invitation.

“Emma, come here,” he coaxed in a velvet tone.

“Zach,” she said, sauntering toward him while thinking about his past, “I’ll come there if you’ll go somewhere with me either this week or next.”

“Deal,” he said, clearly not giving that much thought.

With her pulse racing, she stopped inches away from him.

He took her wrist to draw her to him. “Now we’ll test this one,” he said, framing her face with his hands as he placed his mouth on hers to kiss her again.

He tasted of mint while his aftershave held that hint of woods. She slipped her arms around his waist and kissed him. His arm banded her, pulling her close against him while he leaned over her and his kiss deepened.

When they paused, she took deep breaths, trying to get back to normal.

“We have a deal,” she said. “Come home with me for the weekend and see what it’s like to be with a family who wants to be together.” She wanted him to see what a joy a loving family could be. Billionaire or not, she felt incredibly sorry for Zach, certain he was missing the best part of life and maybe with her family, he would see it. “When you see what you’re missing, you’ll want to start accepting your brothers’ invitations to join them.” Her last words tumbled out and she expected that curt tone and coolness he’d had earlier.

“You took advantage of me.”

“Oh, please,” she said in exasperation.

“Besides, I’m supposed to stay home to stay off my foot,” he said. “I shouldn’t be going anywhere for the weekend. That’s the whole point of being stuck on the ranch.” His voice held the husky rasp. His breathing was still ragged and his lips were red. His expression conveyed a blatant need that he made no effort to hide. Even though he argued, she suspected he was giving little thought to their deal.

“I’ll drive and you can put your foot up in the car. At my folks’ house, you can keep your foot elevated all the time you’re there. We’ll all wait on you. You’ll have a good time.”

“Emma, I don’t want to go to my brothers’ homes for holidays. Why would I go to your parents’ when I don’t know anyone except you?” he asked.

“Because you just agreed to do so.”

He stared at her and she could feel a clash of wills and imagine the debate raging in his mind. “If I go home with you, won’t your whole family think there’s something serious between you and me?”

She smiled at him. “No. We all bring friends home a lot. Growing up, I’d say we often had at least one person eating with us who wasn’t a family member.”

“So how many men have you brought home?”

“None until now,” she admitted. “It still doesn’t mean anything other than you’re my boss and I would like you to meet my family.”

“Who takes her boss home to meet the family?” he asked and she was sure she blushed with embarrassment, but she wasn’t giving up. Zach needed to see some real family life.

“As long as you’re coming this weekend, you might as well come for Thanksgiving.”

“Oh, hell, Emma, that’s an extra two days.”

“You said you would and you’ll enjoy yourself and you can sit off in a room alone whenever you want and prop your foot up all you want.”

“Dammit.” He stared at her again with his jaw clamped shut and she was certain he would refuse. She felt silly for trying to get him to come. Her world-traveler billionaire boss was light-years away from her ordinary family.

“All right. If I’m going home with you for Thanksgiving, I get more than that one kiss,” he said, pulling her back into his embrace and kissing her hard while he pulled her up against him. “A lot more,” he added.

Startled, she was frozen with surprise for a few seconds and then her arms wrapped around his neck and she kissed him in return. His hand slipped down her back over her bottom, a long, slow caress, scalding even through the thick denim of her jeans.

His fingers traveled up again, slipping beneath her shirt, cupping her breast lightly, a faint touch causing streaks of pleasure. He pushed away the lacy bra, his warm fingers on her bare skin.

She moaned in delight, spreading her fingers wide and slipping her hand beneath his T-shirt to stroke his smooth, muscled back. Pleasure and need escalated swiftly.

Taking his wrist to hold his hand, she looked up. “Zach, we have to stop this for now. I can’t—”

“Yes, you can” he said, showering kisses on her temple, her cheek, her throat. Protests faded into oblivion. She kissed and caressed him until he carried her to a bedroom where they made love for the next hour.

During the night she eased off the bed and slipped away from him, gathering her clothes as she went. She returned to her room, thankful for the space and the haven where she could be alone to think. In her own room, she fell into bed, her mind on Zach. Their lovemaking was binding her heart to him with chains that would hurt to break. Zach was becoming more important, more appealing and exciting. Was she tumbling headfirst, falling in love with him? A love that would never be returned. This past weekend, Zach had just become a bigger danger to her well-being and her heart. A weekend of love, three nights of passion, now another night. How long would it take her to get over what she already felt for him?

She fell asleep to dream about Zach and awoke early the next morning. Longing to go find him, kiss him awake and love again was strong. She slipped out of bed and looked at the clock, knowing she would follow a sensible course and get ready for a workday.

They both needed to step back and get things under control again. Just thinking about Zach, she wanted to be in his arms. Surprise lingered that she had asked him to go home with her and that he had accepted.

What had seemed a good idea at first, began to look like complication after complication. She had to let her family know. She thought about the family letters she had read and how little Zach cared and decided to hold him to his acceptance. She wanted him to see a family who relished being together and made the most of their moments. Maybe he would join his brothers more on holidays and participate with his own family.

Touching her lips lightly with her fingertips, she remembered his kisses. After Christmas she would return to her job in Dallas, and Zach would disappear from her life. She would be with him less than a month more. Despite her earlier worry, she could keep from falling in love with him because they had nothing between them except physical attraction. She didn’t like his lifestyle, his attitude toward family, his disregard for all the things she loved so much. Maybe her heart was safe in spite of the attraction that was pure lust. She pulled out her phone to text her mother that company was coming. Company with an injured foot.

By Thanksgiving afternoon Zach wondered how he had gotten himself into this. Since he was twelve years old, he had been able to say no or get out of most things he didn’t want to do unless it involved his father. Even with his father, by age twenty-one, he had become adept at escaping his father’s plans for him.

He was in the center of a whirlwind. He had met four generations of Hillmans. They encompassed ages two to ninety-something. Brody, Emma’s father, had made him feel welcome, as well as her mother, Camilla.

Zach tried to keep the names straight, learning her parents and siblings quickly. Connor, the married older brother, his wife, Lynne, Sierra, Emma’s oldest sister, and Mary Kate, the youngest, both sisters married, Bobby, the younger brother. Zach mentally ran over the names of people seated around him while they ate the Thanksgiving turkey. He received curious glances from Connor and could feel Connor being the protective big brother even though they were far across the long table from each other.

The dining room table seated eighteen and other tables held more of the family with grandparents, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews gathering together today.

Until the subject came up during the Thanksgiving feast, Emma had neglected to warn him that it was family tradition to decorate for Christmas after Thanksgiving dinner, which was eaten early in the afternoon. After dinner everybody under eighty years of age changed to jeans and T-shirts or sweatshirts. Also, the decorations didn’t come out until the men had set up the Christmas trees in various rooms in the house, which they did while others cleared the tables.

Once trees and lights were up with an angel or a star at the top of each tree, the women and children took over with the decorations while the men decorated the porch.

As soon as Zach started to join the men, Emma took his arm to lightly tug him toward the living room. “You sit and elevate your foot. You can help the kids with the decorations. The little kids can’t put the hooks on the balls and that sort of thing.”

“Emma, I can do a few things outside.”

“We need you in here and you know you should stay off your foot. The more you don’t walk on it, the sooner you’ll heal,” she lectured, looking up at him with wide green eyes. His gaze lowered to her mouth and he longed to be alone with her and saw absolutely no hope until they left Dallas.

In minutes he began to help the little kids with ornaments while he sat with his foot resting on a footstool. Boxes of shiny trimmings were spread around him and on the table in front of him. Emma and her mother had a table over his propped-up foot to keep the kids from bumping his injury. The living room held what Emma had called the real Christmas tree. It was a huge live balsam pine that touched the ceiling. Spread around him were boxes of a family history of decorations with shiny ornaments mixed with clay and paper trimmings made by kids. Once Emma stopped beside him. “How are you doing?”

“You owe me,” he said. “I intend to collect.”

Her cheeks turned pink and he wondered what she was thinking. He remembered their lovemaking and wished with all his being he could be back at his ranch and alone with her. Instead, what seemed like a hundred people and kids were buzzing around him like busy bees. He had to admit she had a fun family and he’d had a good time through dinner. What he knew he would remember most, was when she had come down for Thanksgiving dinner. The whole family dressed for the occasion, which she had warned him about just before they had left the ranch.

He had been standing in the front hall and looked up as she came down the stairs. She wore an emerald green dress that came only to her knees and her red hair was caught up in a clip with locks falling free in the back. She looked stunning. The sight of her had taken his breath and he longed to be able to hold her and kiss her.

After a time Emma took away the table that sheltered his injured foot. “You’re excused now to go watch football. They’ve finished decorating the porch and the guys turned on a game. We’ll help the kids decorate and then clean up the Christmas tree mess. I’ll take over your job.”

“I don’t mind doing this.”

“Go watch football with the guys in the family room.”

“You won’t have to tell me again,” he said, smiling at her and still wanting to kiss her. He stood and she slipped into his chair while he limped away.

During the second half of the game, his cell rang and he excused himself to answer Will’s call.

“Happy Thanksgiving, Zach.”

“Happy Thanksgiving to you and Ava and Caroline. Let me talk to Caroline,” Zach said as he stepped farther into the hall so his conversation wouldn’t interfere with everyone listening and watching football. He talked briefly to his niece and then Will came back on the line.

A touchdown was scored and the family members watching the game cheered and applauded.

“Where are you?” Will asked. “You sound as if you’re at a game.”

“I’m at Emma’s house in Dallas,” Zach admitted, certain there was too much background noise for him to convince Will he was home alone at the ranch. He braced for what he knew was coming.

“You’re where?” Will asked.

“You heard me. I sort of got finagled into this,” he tried to say quietly.

“I can’t hear you. You’re at your secretary’s house with her family?”

“That’s right, Will. And I need to go. Happy Thanksgiving to you.” As he ended the call, he was certain he had not heard the last from Will. Returning to his seat, he looked at the room filled with Hillman men and the older boys. This room held a huge white Christmas tree. Their attic had been filled to the brim with all the decorations that now covered the various trees in the house. With a deep sigh he settled to watch the game. The evening promised to be incredibly long, but he had to admit, the Hillmans had fun and obviously loved being together. To his surprise, he’d had a good time with them. They were nice people and her brothers were great to be around, actually making him miss seeing his own, which gave him a shock when he realized he was thinking about calling both of them, even though he’d just spoken to Will. He had to admit, Emma had been right about the weekend with her family versus his staying at the ranch by himself. He looked at her laughing at something her sister said to her. His insides knotted and he wanted badly to be alone with her and to hold her in his arms.

It took several hours to get the decorations up and the empty boxes put away. A sweeper was run. Finally the entire bunch of people settled in the family room, sitting on the floor, chairs, sofas. When the football game ended, Emma’s sister, Mary Kate, sat at the piano to play Christmas carols and they all joined in singing. Emma came to sit beside him and to his amazement, the kids found him interesting, so they had squeezed onto the sofa beside Emma and him. Being crowded together suited him because he could put his arm around Emma’s shoulders without it seeming a personal gesture. He had an arm around two of the little kids on the other side of him, but he enjoyed having Emma pressed against him.

To his surprise, he remembered the old songs he hadn’t sung in years. Finally when they stopped singing, they began to pull coats out of closets.

“We’re going outside because Dad turns on the Christmas lights, a tradition that means the Christmas season is officially kicking off at the Hillman house.”

Zach laughed. “I don’t know how I let you get me into this.”

“I know exactly how,” she said, giving him a sultry look, and his smile disappeared.

“Emma—” Smiling, she walked away and he watched her hips covered in tight jeans as she walked away from him to get her jacket.

The entire family and dogs gathered on the front lawn and waited for the light ceremony. In minutes the lights came on and it was bright as noontime. Zach stood next to Emma and applauded with the others when the lights sparked to life. “Emma, I’ve fallen into Christmas Vacation. This is the Griswold house,” he said softly.

She laughed. “Except the lights all came on at the first try. Dad loves Christmas. Actually, we all do. It’s wonderful.”

The family stayed up talking until one when they began to say good-night. By the time Emma and her younger brother, Bobby, turned in, they had to lock up and switch off lights.

She had an apartment nearby, but she had told him she would stay at her parents’ house. He hadn’t known they wouldn’t sleep at her place until they were almost to Dallas. A huge disappointment to him.

At her door, Zach placed his hand on the jamb to block her way. He tugged on a lock of her hair to draw her closer and leaned forward to brush her lips with a light kiss. The instant his mouth touched her soft lips, his body reacted. He ached with wanting her. His arm tightened around her waist while he kissed her long and fervently. “I want you, Emma,” he whispered.

The look in her eyes made his pulse pound. He inhaled deeply, fighting the urge to reach for her again. This wasn’t the time or the place, so he told her good-night before going to the room given to him for his weekend visit.

He wanted to be alone with Emma now and couldn’t wait to get back to the ranch, but the holiday had been a pleasant surprise.

By Saturday, the weather had warmed. The family sat at a long picnic table, made from five tables pushed together with Zach at one end, his foot propped on a wooden box. Emma’s mother was to his right and Emma sat on his left. Her father was at the far end while various relatives lined both sides of the table. They sat in a sunny spot in a wooded park not far from Emma’s parents’ home.

It was easy to see where Emma got her looks. Her auburn-haired mother, Camilla, was a good-looking woman and appeared far younger than she had to be since she was the mother of Emma’s older brother and older sisters. Brody Hillman, Emma’s dad, had welcomed him, but Zach could feel the unspoken questions and saw the speculation in Brody’s expression. Even more open about his curiosity was Emma’s older brother, Connor. Connor studied Zach and Zach could feel disapproval simmering just beneath the surface. Connor had been friendly, but only in a perfunctory manner and Zach thought it was just a matter of time before Connor quizzed him about his relationship with Emma.

There had been enough curious looks from all of them to remind him that Emma did not bring men home with her for the weekend. He had wished a hundred times over that he had not accepted her invitation, He would have to last until tomorrow afternoon when they would leave for his ranch.

“Zach,” Emma said, “my nieces are so impressed with you. I told them you are a world traveler. They want to know the scariest trip you’ve had or scariest place you’ve been.”

He smiled at a row of little girls staring at him expectantly and told about waking up with a huge snake in his tent, but that was not as scary as swimming and discovering a shark approaching him. By the time he got to that part, the boys had gathered around to listen. The girls sat quietly, their eyes opening wider, and he didn’t want to scare them. “Those were scary moments. Then there was a time I was camped far from a town. My things kept disappearing. I thought someone who worked for me was taking them until I discovered it was a very sly monkey. We found the stash and I got back my things, except my golf cap. I left that for him and hoped I’d see him wearing it, but I never did.”

As the girls laughed, he glanced at Emma to see her smiling while she watched her nieces.

He got out his phone. “I have pictures,” he said, opening it and quickly finding his electronic scrapbook. He held out the phone and Emma had to join the kids to look. She gasped, maybe only slightly less than the little girls. She bent closer, looking at a massive snake that was held by four men.

“Zach, is it alive?” she asked.

“Yes, but it had been fed, so it wasn’t moving much and everyone was safe.”

She glanced at Zach, and he suspected he had just dropped a notch in her estimation of his lifestyle. He suspected she liked homebody types who spent their weekends playing with the kids versus someone who traveled and encountered wild snakes and ran some big risks.

After lunch, they cleaned up and when everything was put away, a tag football game was planned with everyone participating.

“You can be scorekeeper, Zach. We always have two or three scorekeepers, so no one person has to keep up with all of us,” Brody said. “There’s a lot of give and take to scorekeeping for one of our family games. Usually we end up with about as many different scores as scorekeepers, so don’t take any of this too seriously. You’ll see.”

Zach agreed to the task, sitting on the sidelines with his foot resting on a cooler. Brody’s sister, Beth, joined him as scorekeeper along with Brody’s mom, Grandma Kate. Emma’s maternal grandmother, Grandma Nan, was on the field to play; she looked too young to be a grandmother. The oldest of the nieces and nephews was only six, so everyone played around the kids. As three-year-old Willie grabbed the ball and tried to run with it while the family cheered, Zach joined in, laughing at the child clutching the football as if it were a lifeline.

Zach glanced at Emma on the playing field. She had leaves in her hair. She had shed the bulky sweatshirt and wore a bright pink T-shirt with her jeans. She was watching him, laughing with him over the kids, and desire stabbed him. That electrifying tension flared to life, as unwanted and unexpected as it had been the first time she had walked into his home. He wished they were alone. Someone stepped between them and the tension eased, but it did not vanish.

The kids provided constant laughs with their antics and he saw why she liked to come home for the weekend. They were all happy with each other, having great fun. He had known fun with his brothers, but life had been tense if both his parents were present unless they were entertaining a house filled with their friends. Even then, it had never held this relaxed closeness. He realized he was enjoying a whole family of people who loved each other and exhibited a joy in being together. He had this now with his brothers, but they seldom were all together and until Caroline, there had been no small children around.

He could see why Emma thought he was missing something and why she had hated to leave him alone. He looked at her parents, thinking how different they were from his own. The love they shared showed constantly even though they were across the field from each other, or at opposite ends of the long table earlier. He realized he had never seen that kind of warmth between his parents. He looked at Emma, laughing with a small niece. Maybe Emma was the wealthy one after all.

Breaking into his thoughts, he looked down into big brown eyes as a little boy walked up to him. “Did you give my team a point?”

He wasn’t certain which child stood before him, guessing it was Jake. “Yes, I did give your team a very big point,” he answered, amused that the little kid was checking on him.

The child nodded. “Thank you.” He turned to his great-grandmother. “Did you give my team a point, Gran-Gran?”

“Yes, I did,” she said, leaning forward to hug him. “You’re playing a good game,” she said.

“Thank you.” Smiling broadly, he ran off, half skipped to his dad, who asked him a question, glancing over his head at Zach. The child told his dad something and his dad smiled at Zach and turned back to play.

Zach was unaccustomed to sitting out anything active. During the time-out, he motioned Emma over.

“I hate sitting on the sidelines. If three-year-old Willie can play, so can I.”

“Zach, you have to stay off your foot.”

“This shoe protects my foot. I am not accustomed to being a spectator. I’ll stop if my foot hurts. It’s only tag football.”

“You’ll be on my team then, so I can keep up with you.”

“Don’t hover. Your family will really think we have something going.”

Zach got into the game, enjoying himself even though he knew he was being foolish and risking more injury, but he hated doing nothing except keeping score. He had never been one to sit on the sidelines and he didn’t want to miss out now. He hobbled around and it was easy to keep up when they had geared down to a three-year-old level.

Before dinner they gathered wood to build a fire in a stone fireplace. When Zach started to help, Emma stopped him.

“This isn’t a chore you have to do. Go sit and we’ll get the wood.”

“I’m not doing much,” he said, brushing past her. Minutes later as he picked up a dead branch and turned, Connor blocked his way.

“Thought you were supposed to stay off your foot.”