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Praise for New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Brenda Jackson

“Brenda Jackson writes romance that sizzles and characters you fall in love with.”

—New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author Lori Foster

“Jackson’s trademark ability to weave multiple characters and side stories together makes shocking truths all the more exciting.”

—Publishers Weekly

“There is no getting away from the sex appeal and charm of Jackson’s Westmoreland family.”

—RT Book Reviews on Feeling the Heat

“Jackson’s characters are wonderful, strong, colorful and hot enough to burn the pages.”

—RT Book Reviews on Westmoreland’s Way

“The kind of sizzling, heart-tugging story Brenda Jackson is famous for.”

—RT Book Reviews on Spencer’s Forbidden Passion

“This is entertainment at its best.”

—RT Book Reviews on Star of His Heart

Dear Reader,

It is hard to believe that we are celebrating the tenth anniversary of the Westmorelands. It seemed like it was only yesterday when I introduced you to Delaney and her five brothers. I knew by the time I wrote Thorn’s story that I just had to tell you about their cousins. Now twenty-three books later, we are still going strong.

It has been an adventure and I appreciate sharing it with you. Thank you. I’ve gotten your emails and snail mails letting me know how much you adore those Westmoreland men and I appreciate hearing from you. Each Westmoreland—male or female—is unique and the way love takes control of their hearts is both heartwarming and breathtaking.

In this story, Riley Westmoreland is willing to take a chance on love with a woman who has a past she’d rather not deal with. But this Westmoreland man shows her that true love can conquer all.

I hope you enjoy this story about Riley Westmoreland and Alpha Blake.

Happy reading!

Brenda Jackson

About the Author

BRENDA JACKSON is a die “heart” romantic who married her childhood sweetheart and still proudly wears the “going steady” ring he gave her when she was fifteen. Because she believes in the power of love, Brenda’s stories always have happy endings. In her real-life love story, Brenda and her husband of forty years live in Jacksonville, Florida, and have two sons.

A New York Times bestselling author of more than seventy-five romance titles, Brenda is a recent retiree who now divides her time between family, writing and traveling with Gerald. You may write Brenda at PO Box 28267, Jacksonville, Florida 32226, USA, by email at writerbjackson@aol.com or visit her website at www.brendajackson.net.

One Winter’s Night
Brenda Jackson

www.millsandboon.co.uk

MILLS & BOON

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To the love of my life, Gerald Jackson, Sr.

Happy holidays to all my family, friends and dedicated readers.

A very special thank you to event planners extraordinaire—Shikara Linsy, Sandra Sutton, Tammy Griffin, and Tracy Hale.

My interview with you regarding the life of an event planner and your patience in answering all of my questions was most appreciated.

Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

—Proverbs, 16:24

One

A blistering cold day in early November

It had snowed overnight and a thick white blanket seemed to cover the land as far as the eye could see. The Denver weather report said the temperature would drop to ten below by midday and would stay that way through most of the night. It was the kind of cold you could feel deep in your bones, the kind where your breath practically froze upon exhale.

He loved it.

Riley Westmoreland opened the door to his truck and, before getting inside, paused to take in the land he owned. Riley’s Station was the name he’d given his one-hundred-acre spread seven years ago, on his twenty-fifth birthday. He had designed the ranch house himself and had helped in the building of it, proudly hammering the first nail into the lumber. He was mighty pleased with the massive two-story structure that sat smack in the center of his snow-covered land.

He was probably the only one in his family who welcomed the snowstorms each year. He thought the snow was what made Denver the perfect place to be in the winter and why his home had fireplaces in all five of the bedrooms, as well as in the living room and family room. There was nothing like curling up before a roaring fire or looking out the window to see the snowflakes fall from the sky, something he’d been fascinated with even as a child. He could recall being out in the thick snow with his brothers and cousins building snowmen. These days he enjoyed moving around the mountains on his snowmobile or going skiing in Aspen.

Riley got into the truck and after settling his body on the leather seat he snapped the seat belt in place. There really was no need for him to go into the office since he could work from home. But he had wanted to get out, breathe in the cold, fresh air and feel the chill in his bones. Besides, he did have an important appointment at noon.

Since his oldest brother, Dillon, had slowed down now that his wife, Pam, was close to her delivery date, a lot of the projects on Dillon’s plate at their family-owned business, Blue Ridge Land Management, fell on Riley’s shoulders since he was the next man in charge of the Fortune 500 company. The next thing on the agenda was the planning of the employees’ holiday party next month.

The event planner that had handled their social functions for the past ten years had retired and before Riley had taken over the project, Dillon had hired Imagine, a local event planning company that opened in town less than a year ago. The owner of Imagine, a woman by the name of Alpha Blake, had put together a charity event that Dillon’s wife, Pam, had attended over the summer. Pam had been so impressed with all the detailed work Imagine had done that she passed the woman’s name to Dillon. As far as Riley was concerned, you couldn’t come any more highly recommended than that. Dillon trusted his wife’s judgment in all things.

Riley was about to start the ignition when his cell phone buzzed. He pulled the phone off his side belt. “Yes?”

“Mr. Westmoreland?”

He lifted a brow, not recognizing the ultrarich, feminine voice but definitely liking how it sounded. He figured this had to be a business call since none of the women he dated would refer to him as “Mr. Westmoreland.”

“Yes, this is Riley Westmoreland. How can I help you?”

“This is Alpha Blake. We have a noon appointment at your office, but I have a flat tire and had to pull off to the side of the road. Unfortunately, I’m going to be late.”

He nodded. “Have you called for road service?”

“Yes, and they said they should be here in less than thirty minutes.”

Don’t count on it, he thought, knowing how slow road service could be this time of the year. “Where’s your location, Ms. Blake?”

“I’m on Winterberry Road, about a mile from the Edgewater intersection. There’s a market not far away, but it didn’t appear to be open when I drove past earlier.”

“And chances are it won’t be open today. Fred Martin owns that market and never opens the day after a bad snowstorm,” he said.

He knew her exact location now. “Look, you’re not far from where I am. I’ll call my personal road service company to change your tire. In the meantime, I’ll pick you up and we can do a lunch meeting at McKay’s instead of meeting at my office, since McKay’s is closer. And afterward, I can take you back to your car. The tire will be changed by then.”

“I—I don’t want to put you to any trouble.”

“You won’t. I know you and Dillon have gone over some ideas for the party, but since I’ll be handling things from here on out, I need to be briefed on what’s going on. Usually my administrative assistant handles such matters, but she’s out on maternity leave and this party is too important to hand off to anyone else.”

And what he didn’t bother to say because he was certain Dillon had done so already was that this would be the fortieth anniversary of the company his father and uncle had founded. This was not just a special event for the employees, but was important to everyone in the Westmoreland family.

“All right, if you’re sure it won’t be an inconvenience,” she said, breaking into his thoughts.

“It won’t be, and I’m on my way.”

Alpha Blake tightened her coat around her, feeling totally frustrated. What did a person who had been born in sunny Florida know about the blistering cold of Denver, especially when it had snowed all night and the roads and everything else were covered with white?

But she was so determined to keep her noon appointment with Riley Westmoreland that she’d made a mess of things. Not only would she be late for their appointment, but because of her flat tire they would have to change the location of the meeting and Mr. Westmoreland would be the one driving her there. This was totally embarrassing when she had been trying to make a good impression. Granted, she’d already been hired by Dillon Westmoreland, but when his secretary called last week to say that she would be working with the next man in charge at Blue Ridge, namely Dillon’s brother, Riley, she had felt the need to make a good impression on him, as well.

She turned up the heat in her car. Even with a steady stream of hot air coming in through the car vents, she still felt cold, too cold, and wondered if she would ever get used to the Denver weather. Of course it was too late to think about that now. It was her first winter here, and she didn’t have any choice but to grin and bear it. When she’d moved, she’d felt that getting as far away from Daytona Beach as she could was essential to her peace of mind, although her friends thought she needed to have her head examined. Who in her right mind would prefer blistering cold Denver to sunny Daytona Beach? Only a person wanting to start a new life and put a painful past behind her.

Her attention was snagged when an SUV pulled off the road to park in front of her. The door swung open and long, denim-clad, boot-wearing legs appeared before a man stepped out of the truck and glanced her way. She met his gaze through the windshield and couldn’t help the heart-piercing moment when she literally forgot to breathe. Walking toward her car was a man who was so dangerously masculine, so heart-stoppingly virile, that her brain went momentarily numb.

He was tall, and the Stetson on his head made him appear taller. But his height was secondary to the sharp handsomeness of the features beneath the brim of his hat. There was the coffee-and-cream color of his skin, his piercing dark brown eyes, a perfectly shaped nose, his full lips and a sculpted chin.

And she couldn’t bypass his shoulders, massive and powerful-looking. It was hard to believe, with the temperature being what it was, that he seemed comfortable braving the harsh elements with a cowhide jacket instead of a heavy coat. It was in the low teens, and he was walking around like it was in the high sixties.

Her gaze slid all over him as he moved his long limbs toward her vehicle in a walk that was so agile and self-assured, she almost envied the confidence he exuded with every step. Her breasts suddenly peaked, and she could actually feel blood rushing through her veins. She didn’t have to guess about what was happening to her, but still, she was surprised. This was the first time she’d reacted to a man since her breakup with Eddie.

The man made it to her car and tapped on the window. She all but held her breath as she pressed the button to roll it down. “Riley Westmoreland?” She really didn’t have to ask since he favored his brother, Dillon.

“Yes. Alpha Blake?” he responded, offering her his hand through the open window while looking at her with what she thought was cool and assessing interest.

“Yes.” She took his hand and even through her leather gloves, she thought it felt warm. “Glad to meet you, Mr. Westmoreland.”

“Riley,” he corrected, smiling, and she felt her insides melt. He had a gorgeous pair of eyes. Dark and alluring. “The pleasure is all mine,” he added. “I’ve only heard exceptional things about you and your work. Both Dillon and Pam speak highly of you, Alpha. I hope it’s okay for me to call you Alpha.”

“Thank you, and yes, that’s fine.”

“I’ve made all the arrangements with my road service. Keep your emergency lights on and leave your car keys under your seat,” he said, taking a step back so she could get out of the vehicle.

She nervously gnawed her bottom lip. “Will it be safe to do that?”

He chuckled. “Yes, days like this keep thieves inside.” He opened the car door for her. “Ready to get inside my truck?”

“Yes.” She placed her key under the seat and then grabbed her purse and messenger bag. Tightening her coat around her, she walked quickly to the side of his truck. He was there to open the door and she appreciated finding the inside warm and cozy. It smelled like him, a scent that was masculine and sexy. She blushed, wondering why she was thinking such things, especially about a man she would be working for.

He closed the door just seconds before his cell phone rang, and she looked at the outside mirror as he spoke on the phone while moving around the front of the truck to get in the driver’s side.

Opening the door, he climbed inside and proceeded to adjust the seat to accommodate his long legs before snapping his seat belt in place. The call had ended. He put his phone away and glanced over at her with a smile. She thought she would melt right then and there. “Warm?” he asked in a voice that was throatier than anything she’d ever heard.

If only you knew, she fought back saying. Instead her response was a simple “Yes. Thanks for asking.”

“No problem.” He then glanced into the rearview mirror before easing the truck onto the road.

The ensuing silence gave Riley the impression the woman was shy. And with her wrapped in a bulky coat and standing no more than five foot three, he figured she was probably short and stocky. He preferred tall, slender and curvy, but she had a pretty face that was eye-catching. She was definitely a looker. That had been the first thing he’d noticed. He was a sucker for a pretty face each and every time.

Deciding he didn’t like the silence, he reached out and switched on the CD player. Immediately the soulful sound of Jill Scott filled the air. After a few moments, he concluded the music was not enough. To get a dialogue started, he asked conversationally, “I understand you’re from Florida. What brought you to Denver?”

She tilted her head to look at him, and the first thing he noticed was her eyes. They were a chocolate brown and oval in shape. Then he was drawn to her hair, a beautiful shade of brown. The thick strands touched her shoulders and curled at the end. The coloring, whether natural or from a bottle, was perfect for her smooth, cocoa-colored complexion. And then there was that cute dimple in her chin, which was there even when she bore a serious expression.

“I’ve never been the adventurous type, but when my godmother passed away and left me enough funds that I could make a career change without going broke, I took advantage of it.”

He nodded. “So what were you doing before you became an event planner?”

“I was a veterinarian.”

“Wow. That was some career change.”

She smiled. “Yes, it was.”

He looked ahead, thinking that if she thought she would not have to explain why someone would stop being a veterinarian to become an event planner, she could think again. “How does a person go from being a vet to becoming a party planner?”

She pushed a lock of hair from her face and said, “Becoming a vet was my parents’ idea, and I went along with it.”

“Why?” He couldn’t imagine going to college for anything other than what he wanted to do in life. He did, however, know how a person could get their dream career waylaid, as in the case of his cousin, Ramsey.

Ramsey had always wanted to be a sheep rancher, and he’d gone to school to study agricultural economics. The only reason Ramsey had taken a CEO position at Blue Ridge Management after school, instead of going into farming, was to work alongside Dillon to keep the company afloat when their parents had died in a plane crash. But once Ramsey and Dillon had made it into a million-dollar company, Ramsey had turned full management of Blue Ridge over to Dillon to become the sheep rancher he’d always wanted to be.

Riley’s truck came to a stop at the traffic light, which gave him the opportunity to glance back over at Alpha just in time to see her gnawing her lips again and fidgeting with a sterling silver Tiffany bracelet on her wrist. Umm, it seems “why” was another uncomfortable question, he thought.

“I became a vet mainly to satisfy my parents. They own a veterinary clinic and figured I would join them and make it a family affair. I did so for a year, but discovered my heart just wasn’t in it. They knew it, but still, they weren’t happy when I decided to switch careers. However, they accepted that being an event planner was my calling when I put together their thirtieth wedding anniversary celebration.”

“Did a good job of it, huh?” he asked.

She looked over at him and the smile that touched her lips extended from one corner of her mouth to the other and was simply breathtaking. “Yes, I did a bang-up job.”

He laughed. “Good for you.” He paused a second and asked, “Are you the only child?”

It seemed to take her longer than necessary to answer. “No. I have a sister.”

He didn’t say anything for a long moment and decided to change the subject. “So what do you have in mind for our employees’ holiday bash next month?”

He listened as she went into the details. Some he was able to follow and some he could not. He was a visual person and couldn’t use her words to produce mental images. He needed to see actual photographs to get the full effect.

She must have detected such from the expression on his face. “I had prepared a PowerPoint for today. But since we’re meeting at the restaurant instead of your office, I—”

“Can still show the presentation. I called ahead and asked for a private meeting room.”

“That’s great. I have everything I need in here,” she said, tapping lightly on the messenger case in her lap.

That caused him to glance down. She was wearing over-the-knee boots, a cute, dark brown leather pair. He glanced back up to her face and saw she was looking out the window, studying the scenery they were passing.

“I never come this way when going to McKay’s.”

He returned his gaze to the road. “It’s a shortcut.”

“Oh.”

She got quiet again, and this time he decided to let the silence rule. He figured whenever she had anything to say, she would say it. In the meantime, he was perfectly satisfied to sit back and listen to Jill sing her heart out.

Alpha couldn’t stop the fluttering in her stomach as she continued to look out the truck’s window, trying hard to ignore the man behind the steering wheel. She would have to deal with Riley Westmoreland soon enough when they got to McKay’s. She should have known he was drop-dead gorgeous, given Dillon wasn’t bad on the eyes. And he seemed to be full of questions. At least he’d already asked two that she wished she could have avoided answering. The reason she had left Daytona was still too painful to think about and after the heated conversation she’d had with her parents last night, she preferred not to think of them right now, either.

Forcing thoughts of Daytona from her mind she saw that they were pulling into the parking lot of McKay’s. It seemed the weather was not a deterrent for people wanting to dine at the popular restaurant. The parking lot was full, and Riley had to drive around back to find a spot.

She flexed her hands, liking how the gloves were keeping them warm, and tightened the coat around her as she prepared to get out of the vehicle and confront the cold again. She glanced over at Riley. He wasn’t wearing gloves and it seemed the jacket was all he had. She couldn’t help asking, “Aren’t you cold?”

He smiled over at her. She wished he wouldn’t do that because every time he did, he reminded her how long it had been since a man had smiled at her without her questioning his motives.

“Not really. Unlike most, I enjoy cold weather. For me, the colder the better.”

She sat there and simply stared at him. He had to be kidding. “Why?”

He shrugged his massive shoulders. “Not sure. I guess I’m too hot-blooded to be bothered.”

“Evidently,” she said under her breath. If he heard her, he didn’t let on. Instead, he opened the door to get out and she released her seat belt and opened her door to do the same. That’s when she went sliding and would have fallen flat on her face if Riley hadn’t acted quickly to catch her.

“I should have told you to be careful. The ice on the parking lot makes things slippery.”

Yes, he should have told her. But if he had, there would have been no reason for his arms to be wrapped around her or for her to be holding on to him for support, feeling the heat of a hot-blooded man so close to her. And that same male scent that had nearly driven her crazy on the ride over wouldn’t be doing a number on her.

“I think I can make it now,” she said, releasing her tight grip on him.

He kept a firm hand on her arm. “I’ll make sure of it.” He then swept her off her feet and right into his arms.

Two

Riley entered the restaurant carrying Alpha in his arms. The place was packed with a lunchtime crowd, and Alpha was certain she would die of embarrassment when a number of people watched them.

One man, who was on his way out the door, patted Riley on the back, chuckled and said, “You’re still sweeping them off their feet, I see, son.”

Riley grinned and replied, “Seems that way, Mr. Daniels.” Riley then glanced down at her. “You should be okay from here,” he said, putting her on her feet.

“Thanks.” She refused to look up at him, but out of the corner of her eye she saw him take a step back. He was probably wishing he was someplace else since she hadn’t cost him anything but trouble today.

“Welcome, Riley. The room you requested is ready,” the hostess said, smiling, in a way that was a little too friendly, Alpha thought.

“Thanks, I appreciate it, and make sure we aren’t disturbed, Paula.”

Alpha shouldn’t be surprised that the woman knew his name and that he knew hers.

“No problem,” Paula said, gesturing for them to follow her. “We gave you the best room in the house.” She looked over her shoulder, gave a dismissive glance to Alpha, then looked at Riley directly and said, “Because you deserve the best.”

Alpha tried not to frown, wondering if that had been a deliberate dig. Didn’t the woman know they were holding a business meeting? So why had she extended her claws?

Alpha felt a thrumming heat in the center of her back when Riley placed his hand there. Even through her coat and all the clothes she had put on to stay warm, she felt his touch and wondered if there would be a permanent handprint on her back.

She blinked when the door closed behind them, and it was then that she glanced around. The room was nice and spacious with a table for two in one corner. There was also a pull-down screen, a projector, speakers and everything else she would need to provide visuals of her plans for the party. And then there was the wall-to-wall window that provided a beautiful view of the mountains. How was anyone expected to work in here with such a gorgeous view?

“Do you want to do it first or eat?”

She swallowed deeply and drew in a deep breath, certain he hadn’t meant “it” the way it had sounded. “Whichever you prefer—it’s your call.”

“In that case, I’ll let Paula know we’ll eat first. I’m starving.”

She nodded, getting distracted watching him slide his jacket off his shoulders. Those massive shoulders were even more broad and powerful than she’d thought. At that moment, she saw firsthand how well his jeans fit his body, especially his tight, masculine thighs, and how they tapered down to his booted feet. He was definitely a hunk if ever there was one, a fine specimen of a man, hands down. He was a sample of pure masculinity, as raw as it could get.

Following his lead, she unbelted her heavy coat and shrugged it off. Then she peeled off her thick, wool sweater, unwrapped the scarf from around her neck and removed another bulky sweater. She had worn as much clothing as she could in order to stay warm.

Walking over to the coatrack to hang up everything she had taken off, she worked the kinks out of her neck and shoulders. Putting on so many garments had weighed her down and stiffened her muscles. She was flipping her hair back off her shoulders when she turned around to find Riley staring at her with an odd expression on his face.

She swallowed, feeling a bit uncomfortable at the way his penetrating dark eyes nearly swallowed her whole. She nervously licked her lips. “Is something wrong?”

Suddenly, a guarded look appeared in his gaze before he glanced out the window. When he switched his gaze back to her the look was gone. “No, nothing’s wrong,” he said in a brisk tone. “Excuse me for a minute while I let Paula know we’ll eat first.”

Alpha watched him leave while wondering what that had been all about.

Unnerved to the core, Riley closed the door behind him and leaned against it, releasing a deep breath. Every muscle in his body was thrumming with a need like he hadn’t felt in a long time. He was glad the room he’d been given extended off a corridor for privacy … because at that moment he needed it.

Where in the hell had that curvy figure come from? He’d heard of a woman having an hourglass shape, but in all actuality, he’d never truly seen one. Until today.

He couldn’t believe what Alpha Blake had been hiding underneath all those clothes. He’d almost dropped his chin to the floor when she started taking off that coat and those sweaters and then stood there in a pink, formfitting sweater dress belted at the waist, with over-the-knee boots. She looked so damn feminine that he’d been jolted with a degree of lust he’d never felt before.

Not only was she a looker, the woman had a body with luscious curves that could make a grown man weep. Lust, as sharp and keen as it could get, was taking over his senses, and the thoughts running through his mind were totally inappropriate, undeniably unacceptable and definitely X-rated.

Her waist was so small that if he blinked he might miss it. And her chest was a perfect size with nice perky breasts. The way the top portion of her dress pressed against those breasts had almost made his eyes pop out of their sockets. And then there was the way her hips flared from her small waist. They were smooth and shapely.

When she had walked over to the coatrack, he had taken it all in. He heard the heel of her boots clicking on the wooden floor and watched with deep male interest how her hips swayed with each step. He was convinced he’d never witnessed anything so sensual. And the shape of her backside filled his mind with all sorts of ideas.

Then she’d turned around and caught him staring. The look in her eyes had been unsettled, and he was sure the look in his had been cautious. That’s usually the way it was with him when he’d been caught off guard and had to rebound. He was a man who, under no circumstances, mixed business with pleasure. But he’d wanted that rule to go rolling out the window the moment she’d taken off the coat and those sweaters. Okay, he would admit that it was a physical thing for him, but he couldn’t help it. Westmoreland males enjoyed the physical.

“Need help with anything, Riley?”

Paula’s question immediately snatched his thoughts back to the present. His gaze roamed up and down the short black hostess outfit she was wearing. Paula Wilmot had a nice body, but even hers couldn’t hold a light to Alpha Blake’s.

He and Paula had dated a couple of years ago. When it was time for him to move on, she somehow thought some injustice was being done. He had explained up front—as he did with all women he became involved with—that he didn’t do long-term flings. Sex with no commitment. One month, six weeks at the most, was all the time he would put into an affair. Not enough time to get sentimental and clingy. That’s the way he operated. He called it Riley’s rule. Women knew up front what to expect—or not to expect—from him, and he liked it that way.

And the one thing he wouldn’t tolerate was someone who agreed to his terms and then decided somewhere along the way to make getting a ring on her finger her number-one goal. All it had taken was a month with Paula to see what her intentions were. For some reason, she’d assumed she would be the woman capable of changing him. It wasn’t happening. He’d wasted no time ending things and placing her on his Never Date Again list.

“Yes, please tell our server that my lunch guest and I have decided to eat before getting down to business.”

Paula tipped her head to the side as a frown creased her brow. “And I can just imagine what kind of business you intend to get down to, Riley,” she said curtly.

His gaze held hers intently. “Can you?”

“Yes. Do I need to remind you that I’ve been there with you and know just how you operate? So tell me. What does Ms. Frumpy have going for her? Good grief, Riley, I’m sure you can do better.”

Frumpy! A vision of the ultrafine body of the woman he’d left in the room floated through his mind. He doubted he could do better. “First of all, this is a business meeting, Paula. Blue Ridge has hired Alpha to handle our holiday party. Secondly, none of my affairs, business or otherwise, are any of your concern.” The only reason he’d told her the former was because he knew better than anyone about that vindictive tongue of hers. He refused to have her tarnish Alpha’s reputation in any way.

Paula placed her hands on her hips. “One day a woman is going to come along and break your heart. I hope I’m around to see it.”

Riley rubbed his hand down his face. Where was all this drama coming from? And why today? Hadn’t he woken up in a good mood? “Fine, you’ve put a curse on me. I guess that means I won’t sleep most nights worrying about it,” he said, reaching out to open the door.

She quickly reached out and grabbed his hand. “Sorry, Riley, I shouldn’t have said that, but you never returned my calls,” she said in a frustrated tone.

He stared at her. “No, I haven’t, and it’s been almost two years, right?”

“Yes.”

He nodded slowly, lifting a brow before turning to open the door, hoping she got it that time.

Alpha looked up from her laptop when she heard Riley returning. He glanced around and saw that she had set up the room for the presentation. “I thought we were going to eat first,” he said.

“We are. I thought it would save time if I had everything ready so I can move right into my presentation.”

He nodded as he sat down at the table. She was about to ask if he could see the huge screen from where he sat when the door opened and a waiter entered, carrying a pitcher of water and menus. Deciding she had wasted Riley’s time enough for one day, she moved toward the table when the waiter began filling their glasses with water.

She took the seat across from him and was glad when the waiter handed her a menu. She needed something else, anything else, other than Riley to occupy her attention. She might be wrong, but he seemed upset about something. Was he upset with her?

She placed her menu down. “I’m sorry, Riley.”

He glanced up from his own menu and arched a brow. “For what?”

“For getting off to such a bad start with you—having a flat tire, taking you out of your way to come get me, and then having our meeting place changed to accommodate me.”

He gave his head a little shake. “No apology necessary. You haven’t gotten off to a bad start with me, Alpha. I’m fully aware there are days that don’t go quite as well as you’d like. You didn’t ask for that flat tire, did you?”

“Goodness, no.”

“Then don’t worry about it. I’m just glad I was able to help. And as far as having to change our meeting place, McKay’s is a favorite of mine, and I’ll think of any excuse to get some of their chicken noodle soup. Have you had any?”

She shook her head. “No, I’ve only eaten their burgers and fries.”

He smiled. “Then you don’t know what you’re missing. You need to try it, if for nothing more than a cup as an appetizer.”

He had her curious. “Okay, thanks. I think I will.”

She picked up her glass of water to take a sip and then she said, “So you come here often?”

“Yes. Tony McKay and I were good friends all through high school. We went to different colleges and he ended up taking a job in Phoenix. When his father died, he returned to Denver to help his mother close down the restaurant, but decided to stay and run it instead. He wasn’t crazy about the job he’d landed after college and his management degree gave him plenty of ideas on how to take this place to a whole new level.”

He paused to take another sip of his water. “Old man McKay would not have approved of the changes Tony made, especially with the expansion and keeping the place open until midnight. He didn’t believe in change and fought it tooth and nail. Tony and I tried to convince him for years that the only constant was change, and so he might as well get used to it. We told him to embrace it like everyone else so he could stay competitive.”

He chuckled. “Tony not only embraces change, but he’s implemented a few precedents. Such as convincing our school board to add a culinary class to their high school curriculum and then giving students jobs to gain firsthand experiences while getting class credits.”

“Smart move.”

Riley smiled. “We thought so.”

She glanced back at her menu. “So what else would you suggest other than my usual burger and fries?”

“Umm, you can’t go wrong with their chicken. It’s covered with the best gravy you can eat and comes with mouthwatering scalloped potatoes and hot buttered yeast rolls.”

She couldn’t help frowning. “That sounds like a lot of food.”

“It is, but if the forecasters are right, you might be snowed in for the next day or two and leftovers would come in handy.”

Was that excitement she heard in his voice? “You really do like it, don’t you?”

“Like what?”

He glanced over at her, and the moment he did so she felt a zing in the pit of her stomach. Why was her body reacting so much to him? She was twenty-seven and knew all about chemistry between a man and a woman, but she’d never in her life experienced anything so potent. “The cold weather. I thought you were teasing about liking it, but apparently you weren’t. Here I was, all bundled up like I was living at the North Pole, and you were wearing a lightweight jacket as if you could barely feel the cold.”

He shrugged, and she couldn’t help but admire the undulating movement of his shoulders beneath his shirt. “I guess I’m immune. I’ve been here all my life and was told I was born during one of Denver’s worst snowstorms. I’ve always enjoyed playing in the snow.”

He chuckled and the sound floated around the room with such a rich octave it made Alpha draw in a charged breath. “February is my favorite month because that’s usually when Denver is the coldest.”

Riley leaned back in his chair and her gaze was drawn to his hands. For a quick second, she recalled how those hands had felt when he’d picked her up and carried her into the restaurant. She had felt the warmth of them through the thickness of her clothes.

“Today is nothing compared to how things will get later on,” he said, breaking into her thoughts. “Surely you understood what you were doing when you traded sunny Florida for Denver?”

Alpha drew in a deep breath. No, she hadn’t fully understood. The only thing she’d known was that she needed to put as much distance between her, Eddie and her parents as she could. “I didn’t expect it to be this cold so soon. I figured I would prepare myself for January and February, but it’s still November.”

“Yes, and Thanksgiving is right around the corner. Are you going back south for turkey and dressing?”

Not on her life. “No. I plan on spending Thanksgiving here since I have a couple of projects during that time.” And they were projects she could have gotten out of doing had she wanted to, but she hadn’t.

The waiter returned to take their orders, and she was glad for the interruption. She was getting too comfortable with Riley and had to admit that he made such a thing easy. He came across as a nice guy. Down-to-earth. A real gentleman, respectful. It was nice to know that for some men, sex wasn’t the only thing on their minds.

Three

Riley shifted in his seat, thinking that if Alpha knew all the things that were going through his mind, she would think he was as low as low could go. He had met her less than two hours ago and all he could think about was jumping her bones. No, jumping her bones was too quick and raunchy. He would love easing between those legs and then …

When he heard the sound of her lightly clearing her throat, he realized the waiter standing beside him had poured cups of coffee and was waiting to take his order. He glanced up at the waiter. George. The seventy-something man had worked at McKay’s for ages and had waited on him plenty of times before with many of his other dates. Was that a smirk on George’s face because the old man had finally caught him being taken with a woman?

“And what can I get for you, Mr. Westmoreland?”

“The usual, George.”

“All right,” George said, taking the menu from Riley.

Riley glanced over at Alpha and saw she was absorbed in the beauty of the mountains that could be seen through the windows. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” he asked, studying her more so than the mountains he’d seen all his life.

“Yes.”

Sitting this close to her, he could see just how beautiful, how stunning, she was. That wasn’t a good thing. How was he supposed to concentrate on whatever presentation she was giving when he wanted to concentrate on her?

She broke eye contact while reaching for her coffee to take a sip and he did likewise. “So, other than the cold weather, how do you enjoy living in Denver so far?” he asked her.

“I like it. I’m grateful that the people here have been so kind. I didn’t expect my business to take off like it has.”

“I understand your work speaks for itself. My sister-in-law was definitely impressed.”

She smiled. “Pam is super nice.”

Their conversation was interrupted when George returned with their appetizers, still wearing that smirk on his face.

Alpha drew in a deep breath. She had done presentations quite a few times and knew there wasn’t a shy bone in her body, but standing in front of Riley had butterflies floating around in her stomach.

She looked over at him to find him looking back at her. She forced a smile. “I promise to have you out in fifteen minutes.”

“Take your time.”

He would say that, she thought. Their waiter had cleared the table and filled their cups.

“The first thing we need to decide on is a theme for that night. These are the ones I came up with while trying to stay away from holiday themes. Because of diversity in the workplace, the last thing you want to do is offend anyone.”

“So what do you suggest?” he asked her.

“A winter theme always works. These are a few that I’ve come up with,” she said, clicking the remote in her hand to bring the screen alive. “As you can see, I have Winter Wonderland, Winter Delight, One Winter’s Night and Winter Around the World.”

She watched him study each suggestion. He shifted his eyes back to her, and she felt her stomach stir from the intensity of his gaze. “What’s your favorite?”

“It’s really your decision.”

He nodded. “I know, but which one do you like the best?”

She glanced up at the screen. “Based on the fact that this year there will be a nighttime party in the ballroom of the Pavilion Hotel, instead of the daytime party you usually hold at the office, I like One Winter’s Night. There’s a sort of magical ring. I like it.”

A smile curved his lips. “So do I. Let’s go with it.”

Alpha nodded, excited that he’d liked the same theme that she did. “All right. And as far as the ballroom at the Pavilion Hotel, I took a tour a few days ago. It will hold up to two thousand people,” she said, showing an aerial view of the huge hotel, which was located midway between downtown and the airport.

“And it’s a definite we have it for that night?”

“Yes,” she said, smiling. “They were happy to accommodate us. The Westmoreland name carries a lot of weight.”

Deciding to move on to the next point, she said, “I thought it would be nice to set the mood by having it be a dressy affair.”

He lifted a brow. “How dressy?”

“Black tie.” At the grimace on his face, she smiled and quickly said, “Not as bad as all that, Riley. I think your employees will appreciate it. It will make them feel special. Other than your family’s annual charity ball, your employees probably never have anyplace to go where they can dress up and feel as if they’re stepping out on the town.”

He nodded slowly, and she knew he was thinking about the idea. She just wished she didn’t feel that sexual chemistry between them even while discussing business. “Let’s table that for at least a week,” he suggested.

“All right,” she said. “But I’ll need a decision on the attire in order to determine what sort of decorations will be appropriate.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Last but not least,” she said, switching off the screen, “is the discussion of the budget. That handout I’ve given you breaks everything down. I inflated the expenses to allow for decorations. I’d rather operate on the high end versus a low one.”

She paused a moment and then said, “Those are all of my ideas and suggestions. Is there anything you want to add or change?”

He shook his head. “No, I think you did a thorough job explaining things.”

“Thank you,” she said, crossing the room to place the remote near the television screen. That’s when she dropped her ink pen and leaned down to pick it up.

For the second time that day Riley was slapped with a case of lust so thick he wondered how in the hell he was going to stand without giving away his body’s reaction. She had leaned down to pick up her pen, and the way the material of her dress stretched snug across that gorgeous backside, he’d almost swallowed his tongue. Drawing in a deep breath, he used his hand to wipe away the perspiration forming on his forehead.

“Need help with anything?”

“No, thanks,” she said, flicking a quick glance in his direction before returning to what she was doing. He continued to sit there, almost willing her to glance back at him, hold his gaze, feel his heat and not deny the potent chemistry flowing between them.

At that moment, he made a decision. “We’ll need to meet again next week, after I’ve reached a decision about the attire for the event.”

He knew she was probably wondering why they needed to meet to discuss that when it was something they could cover over the phone. Instead of questioning him about anything, though, she simply said, “That’s fine. Do you know when and where?”

“I’ll call you.”

She met his gaze and held it. He knew at that moment that if she hadn’t felt the strong undercurrents flowing between them before, she did now. “All right.”

Now that was where he disagreed with her. It wasn’t all right, but he didn’t know a way to change the path he seemed determined to take where she was concerned.

He watched as she re-dressed in her two heavy sweaters, scarf, huge overcoat and gloves. Was all that necessary? Evidently to her they were. If she wanted to stay warm the best thing she needed was body heat. Namely, his.

“I’m ready to go.”

Glad he had gotten his body under control and that there was no sign of the lust that had overtaken it earlier, he stood. “Do I need to carry you out?” he teased.

Her eyes rounded and it amused him that she’d assumed he was serious. “No, and I’m sorry you felt the need to do so before. I’m usually not clumsy,” she said apologetically.

“You weren’t clumsy, Alpha. You aren’t used to walking on icy, slippery surfaces and that’s understandable. Will you do me a favor?”

She tilted up her head to look at him. “What?”

“Stop apologizing. You haven’t done anything wrong.”

“Thanks.”

“Doing that must drive your boyfriend crazy,” he said, deliberately fishing for information.

“I don’t have a boyfriend.”

“Oh.” He placed his hand in the center of her back as he led her out of the room. So she didn’t have a boyfriend. Hmm.

An hour or so later Alpha entered her home and immediately shrugged off her heavy coat and began peeling off her sweaters and gloves. It was then that she missed her scarf and figured she must have left it in Riley’s truck.

During their ride back to her car she’d noticed he no longer seemed to be on guard with her, the way he had been at the restaurant earlier, and she took advantage by keeping the conversation going about the holiday party—One Winter’s Night. The more she talked about it the more excited she got.

Once they reached her car, she saw her tire was fixed and her car keys were back where she’d left them. He wouldn’t accept any money for having her tire taken care of, so she thanked him for lunch. After assuring him she would follow up with him in a week to discuss the attire for the party, she hurried off to her car. He had sat in his truck, watching her drive off.

Now she was home, inside the house she’d fallen in love with the first time she’d seen it. The last house in the cul-de-sac of a street where all the backyards faced the mountains, it was smaller than her place in Daytona but she’d always thought her condo on the beach had been too large for her anyway. Now she didn’t have any wasted space, and the windows facing her backyard provided a gorgeous view of the mountains. However, there were days she missed the beach, until she remembered she had given up the beach for a reason.

Sitting down on the sofa, she began removing her boots. The first thing she’d done after buying the house was carpet the majority of the tile floors. The thought of getting out of bed and letting her feet touch cold tile had sent chills up her body. Other than that she hadn’t changed a thing. Definitely not the extensive woodwork trim or the custom cabinets.

Moments later, taking her shoes in her hand, she walked in bare feet to her bedroom while thinking about what had driven her here to Denver.

Eddie Swisher.

At one time, she had thought he was everything she had wanted in a man. In the end, she’d discovered he was nothing more than a puppet with his parents pulling the strings. She would never forget the day, a mere week before her wedding, when he had shown up at her place and dropped the bomb. A family meeting had been called and his family had voted. It had been decided that he couldn’t marry her unless she vowed to disown Omega, her twin sister—the former porn star. After all, he had pointed out, her own parents had turned their backs on Omega. He couldn’t understand why she wouldn’t do the same. It had meant nothing to him that Omega was no longer in the business or that she had met a man who’d adored her regardless of her past. It was a past her parents and Eddie just couldn’t get beyond.

At least he hadn’t stooped to the same level as LeBron Roberts, the guy she’d dated before Eddie. When LeBron had learned of her twin’s occupation, he’d assumed Alpha would miraculously transform into Omega in the bedroom. When she had dashed those hopes, he hadn’t wasted any time in dropping her.

Her thoughts shifted back to Riley. He was a fine specimen of a man, definitely a threat to the peace she was trying to find. It didn’t take much for her to remember those beautiful dark eyes, long lashes and the way his jaw curved whenever he smiled. She’d never been drawn to any male with such intensity. He took the word sexy to all new heights. She had been attracted to LeBron and Eddie but not to the same degree. It was something about his voice, the way he looked at her, his entire presence that made her think of long winter nights—with him.

She tossed the hair from her face, thinking she had truly gotten her drool-on today, whether he knew it or not. And it was best that he didn’t know since it couldn’t lead anywhere. She had definitely learned her lesson. When her relationship with Eddie ended she had vowed not to get seriously involved with another man. It wasn’t worth the pain and hassle.

She dropped her boots in the closet and, leaving her bedroom, moved on to her family room. It was small and cozy. At the moment, she wanted cozy. She would curl up on her sofa and find something interesting on television. Or better yet, she could just relive her time with Riley. For just a little while, she would wallow in fantasies and then, later, she would get up and try getting some work done.

Riley sat on the sofa in his living room in front of his fireplace, drinking a cold beer while replaying in his mind his encounter with Alpha. Now that he had satisfied his curiosity about her, knew she was competent and could handle what Dillon had hired her to do, he could easily delegate any one of his supervisors to work with her. But he didn’t want to do that, and for the life of him he couldn’t understand why, especially when it was obvious the woman posed a lot of problems for him.

He knew that she had the ability to drive any man to distraction, which was the last thing he needed. No other woman had been capable of doing such a thing to him, but after meeting her today, he believed that she could, physically and mentally. The thought that he was even considering mixing business with pleasure was the first sign that he had messed up somewhere. He’d allowed her to get under his skin. But with single-minded determination, he intended to get her out.

He had learned his lesson by watching how obsessed his youngest brother, Bane, had been with Crystal Newsome and the heartbreak Bane had suffered when the teenage lovers had been forced apart.

Riley released a deep sigh. Bane had been the last child born to his parents, and everyone had assumed Bane would be a girl, the daughter their parents didn’t have. Things didn’t turn out that way. They’d gotten Bane. Personally, Riley had been happy about it. Who wanted a sister anyway? He had his girl cousins, Megan and Gemma, and as far as he was concerned, they were enough. So he’d become Bane’s protector while growing up, or at least he’d tried. But he hadn’t been able to foresee the pain Bane would suffer when, at eighteen, he fell in love with sixteen-year-old Crystal. Her parents had been against the match from the start and had separated the teens by sending Crystal away to parts unknown.

Riley would never forget that day for as long as he lived. A heartbroken Bane had ridden his horse out alone. When he hadn’t returned at a reasonable hour, Dillon had gotten worried and sent Riley looking for him.