The Christmas Proposition (3 page)

It had to be his smile. Derek Rossi loved life and it showed. Who wouldn’t be drawn to a guy like that?

Rachel skidded to a stop. She wasn’t attracted to Derek…was she? The woodsy scent of his cologne teased her nostrils and she realized not only did he look good, he smelled wonderful.

Not fair. Not fair at all.

Pressing her lips together, Rachel marched to the bed and threw his jacket on top of the other coats.

“He means nothing to me,” she muttered.

“Are you okay?”

Rachel whirled. “Derek, what are you doing here? I mean,
here,
in the bedroom.”

Even though her heart skipped rope in her chest, she relaxed her shoulders, determined to act casually. She only hoped the fire heating her cheeks didn’t show.

Thankfully, he didn’t appear to notice. He merely gestured to the bed with one hand. “I left my cell in my coat pocket.”

Reaching past her, he retrieved the tiny phone and dropped it into his pocket. When he turned back, he was. Right. There. The large room suddenly seemed much too small.

“You look lovely tonight,” he said.

A nervous chuckle slipped past Rachel’s lips.

“I’m serious.” His gaze darkened and the laughter died in her throat.

He was a mere heartbeat away and, without warning, Rachel found herself drowning in the deep blue of his eyes. She realized for the first time that there were tiny flecks of gold in the aquamarine depths. “You have beautiful eyes.”

“So do you,” he whispered.

Rachel wasn’t sure who made the first move, but a
second later she found herself ensconced in Derek’s arms…and she was kissing him.

The first few kisses were gentle ones, her mouth lightly brushing his. But that wasn’t enough. She slid her fingers through his hair, pulling his mouth more tightly against hers. Although she hadn’t kissed a man since Tom died, it felt so natural to be kissing Derek.

His tongue swept across her lips and she’d just opened her mouth to him when the door Derek had kicked shut flew open.

“The sloppy joes are—” Mary Karen stopped.

Rachel jerked out of Derek’s arms.

“Derek came to get his cell phone.” Her heart pounded and her breath came out in little puffs. “We got to talking and lost track of time.”

A smile tugged at the corners of Mary Karen’s lips. “I can have Lexi help me make the sloppy joes if you and Derek want to…
talk
some more.”

Rachel kept her eyes focused on Mary Karen, trying to ignore the testosterone coming off Derek in waves. “We’re done…talking.”

“Sure you wouldn’t rather stay here?” An impish smile lifted Mary Karen’s lips. “You didn’t look ready to conclude your
conversation.
”

In that moment Rachel could see why David Wahl had accused his sister of making his life a living hell when they were growing up.

“I should get back and see how the game is going.” Derek’s gaze lingered on Rachel for several heartbeats before he finally left.

Mary Karen showed great restraint in remaining silent until Derek was out of earshot before she squealed,
“Ohmigod, you were practically doing it with the sexiest man in the major leagues.”

“He’s no longer playing ball.” Rachel smoothed her hair with fingers that trembled slightly.

“And may I point out, we were merely kissing.”

“And may
I
point out that given a few minutes more, your clothes would have been on the floor.”

Never. Kissing another man was bad enough. Making love would be unforgivable. Rachel crossed her arms. “You’re wrong. I would never betray Tom like that.”

Mary Karen’s teasing smile faded. She placed a hand on Rachel’s arm. “Honey, Tom is gone. You’re still alive.”

Rachel blinked back tears, appalled that not only had she kissed Derek, but she’d also
liked
it.

Mary Karen moved close, her blue eyes serious. “You deserve some happiness and I think this man may just be the one to give it to you. Think of him…as an early Christmas present. Unwrap him. Play with him. But most of all enjoy him. Something tells me he could give you some very pleasant memories.”

Although Rachel had no doubt of that, she wasn’t even tempted. Okay, maybe just a little. But while she liked Derek, her heart belonged to Tom. That was why this was one present that was going to stay wrapped.

M
ickie leaned back against the overstuffed sofa with a contented sigh. If Rachel hadn’t agreed to take her in, she’d be spending the holidays in a group home. Instead she was here, surrounded by new friends.

She liked Mary Karen’s house. Everything about it felt like a home. From the skinny Christmas tree decorated with strings of popcorn and dried cranberries to the tiny toy cars and plastic soldiers on the floor. When Mickie had first walked through the door she’d been a little scared. But then Addie, Lexi’s daughter, had arrived with her family. They’d become instant friends.

“How long will you be staying with Rachel?” eight-year-old Addie asked.

“Until New Year’s Day.” Although she and Addie had lost interest in the movie after the first five minutes, the twins were still watching the DVD, so Mickie kept her voice low.

“That soon?” Addie’s face fell. “I wish you were staying longer.”

A familiar tightness gripped Mickie’s heart. “I wish I could, too. Rachel is super nice.”

In many ways the nurse reminded Mickie of her mother. Although she couldn’t recall her mother’s face, she remembered how she’d felt when her mom was alive. Safe. Loved. She felt that same way when she was with Rachel.

Addie twirled a strand of dark hair around her finger. “Maybe she could adopt you. Then you could stay.”

As much as Mickie wished and prayed that would happen, it didn’t seem likely. “Rachel said she’d like to keep me, but she works at the hospital and she’s always gone.”

“My mom works at the hospital,” Addie said, a puzzled look on her face. “Up until she married Nick she had two jobs.”

“Then it’s an excuse.” Tears pushed against the back of Mickie’s lids. “She probably doesn’t want me and is just saying she doesn’t have enough time.”

“Or maybe…” Addie’s amber eyes lit up like a Christmas tree “…she thinks you need both a mom and a dad.”

Mickie chewed on her lower lip. Rachel
had
told her more than once that she was sure there was a mommy and daddy out there for her somewhere. She hadn’t just said a mommy. She’d said a mommy
and
a daddy. “You may be right. But while I’d like a dad, I really want Rachel to be my mom.”

Addie’s brows furrowed. “We have to find her a hus
band, like Nick. Only she can’t have Nick because my mommy loves him. I love him, too.”

Mickie fought back a pang of envy. “Rachel doesn’t even have a boyfriend. And I’m leaving in three weeks.”

“That’s plenty of time,” Addie said with a sureness that buoyed Mickie’s spirits. “When my mommy met my stepdad, it only took a few days for them to be in love.”

“Really?” If it took Addie’s mother only a few days, surely Rachel could find someone in three weeks.

Addie’s eyes took on a determined gleam. “We have to find a man who doesn’t already have a wife. And he has to think Rachel is pretty. It won’t work otherwise.”

“Once we find this guy, how do we get them together?” Mickie felt silly asking a third-grader such grown-up stuff, but for being only eight, Addie knew an awful lot. Especially about moms and dads.

“You’ve got to get them to kiss.” Addie picked up her Barbie and Ken dolls and pressed their faces together. “Like this.”

“I saw Rachel kissing a guy in my mom’s bedroom tonight,” Connor said, not taking his eyes off the television screen.

Mickie was about to tell him he shouldn’t be listening to a private conversation when the words registered. “Who was she kissing?”

“Was it Travis?” Addie asked, eyes full of excitement.

“Naw,” Connor said, still not looking their way. “The new guy.”

“That has to be Mr. Rossi,” Mickie said. “He’s really nice. Rachel and I went out for pizza with him once.”

Addie dropped Barbie and Ken to the sofa, her eyes wide. “They’ve already been on a date?”

Mickie found Addie’s excitement contagious. “I guess they have. And if they’ve already kissed…”

“I saw them,” Connor said loudly.

“Connor sees everything,” Addie said and Mickie could hear the admiration in her tone. Oh, yeah, Addie knew a lot.

“So what’s the next step?” Mickie asked.

“They have to be together so they can do more kissing,” Addie said. “Being together is veeeery important.”

“That might be a problem.” Mickie’s heart sank. “Until tonight Rachel hasn’t seen Mr. Rossi since last Saturday.”

“You have to figure out a way,” Addie said. “Otherwise they’re not going to fall in love and you won’t be able to stay here.”

Mickie had tried being good and not asking for much because she’d wanted Rachel to like and hopefully keep her. That hadn’t worked. Rachel liked her, but she was still sending her back.

Addie was right. Finding a husband for her temporary foster mom was her only chance. Mickie had to make Mr. Rossi and Rachel fall in love and get married. And she had less than a month to make that happen.

Although Addie’s mom and stepdad had fallen in love in days, Mickie wasn’t leaving anything to chance. She’d start right away. She had a lot riding on this and she couldn’t afford to waste a single minute.

After the game ended at ten-thirty, Derek and the other guys left the big screen behind and wandered into the kitchen.

During the commercial breaks, Derek had learned a little bit about each of the men. David Wahl, an emergency room physician and Travis’s longtime friend, was also Mary Karen’s brother. Like Travis, David worked with Rachel at the local hospital. Nick Delacorte, Lexi’s husband, was a partner at a law firm in Dallas. He and his family lived part of the year in Texas and the rest in Jackson Hole. And Travis, well, Derek had been shocked to learn that the young doctor had helped raise seven younger siblings. No wonder he was in no hurry to settle down.

He’d enjoyed watching the game with them. The beer had been cold, the appetizers unending and the high-def television had surround sound so he could hear every hit. The only downside to the evening had been the incident with Rachel. Although he knew she’d deny it, he’d taken advantage of her. Just because she’d kissed him first didn’t mean he had to respond so enthusiastically.

She’d barely spoken to him since. Even when she’d put the sloppy joe on his plate, she’d only said a few words to him.

Despite her attempt at a freeze-out, when he entered the kitchen he looked for her. He found her at the counter, back to him, adding ground beans to the coffeemaker.

“Would you like a brownie with ice cream?” Lexi gestured to the plate of chocolate squares on the counter in front of her.

Derek hesitated. They looked delicious, but he’d eaten two sloppy joes and way too many appetizers while watching the game. Still, he did like chocolate….

“Don’t worry,” a small voice said. “My mommy made them herself. They’re super good.”

Even though there seemed to be a gazillion kids running around the house tonight, he immediately made the connection. It wasn’t difficult. The child was the spitting image of her mother. “You must be Lexi’s daughter.”

“That’s right. I’m Addie.” The child slanted a sideways glance at Mickie, who’d just walked up. “He’s smart. I like him.”

Mickie’s cheeks turned a bright red. “How did you like the football game?”

“It was okay.” Derek elbowed Travis in the side. “Though the company left a lot to be desired.”

“Hey, any more talk like that and we won’t invite you back,” Travis shot back.

“I think I may have something to say about that.” Mary Karen chuckled. “This is my house after all.”

Mickie stiffened and exchanged a worried glance with Addie.

“It’s okay.” Derek placed a reassuring hand on Mickie’s shoulder. “We’re just joking.”

“Why don’t you girls grab some dessert and take it over there.” Mary Karen gestured with her head to a card table in the corner of the kitchen. The boys had been put to bed, but Addie and Mickie had been allowed to stay up.

Carefully balancing her dessert, Addie made her way to the table, but Mickie stayed put, her gaze firmly fixed on Derek. “I have something to ask you.”

Mickie looked so serious, the teasing words he’d been about to say died on his tongue. “What is it?”

She took a deep breath. “You’re giving private pitching lessons this Saturday, right?”

“I am.” He wondered how she knew, then remembered the topic coming up when everyone was getting their food earlier.

“Will you give me a lesson?”

She looked so earnest, he hated to turn her down, but he didn’t have a choice. “I’d love to, sweetheart,” he said. “But I’m afraid all the slots are filled.”

A stricken look crossed the child’s face. “Please. You said I had a good arm.” She clasped her hands together and lifted them as if praying. “I’m not good at anything, but I’d like to be. Can’t you please help me? Pretty please.”

“Mickie, Mr. Rossi said no,” Rachel said from across the room, her voice firm but gentle.

The girl’s shoulders dropped. Her bottom lip trembled. The look on her face said he’d dashed a lifelong dream by not giving her a private lesson. He thought for a moment, considering the options. “Come around noon. All the appointments will be over by then.”

“Derek, you don’t have to do that,” Rachel said.

He smiled, feeling his spirits lift. At least Rachel was talking to him now. He placed a hand on Mickie’s shoulder. “I like helping aspiring ballplayers.”

“Afterward you can come to Rachel’s house and have lunch with us.” The words tumbled from Mickie’s lips, one word chasing the other. “You can meet Fred, Rachel’s bloodhound. He’s super sweet. He—”

“Mickie,” Rachel interrupted. “I’m sure Mr. Rossi has better things to do.”

“Actually, I don’t.” Even if he had, Derek would have changed them. The pleading look in the girl’s eyes tugged at his heartstrings. He shifted his gaze to Rachel. “Unless you have other plans?”

For the first time he was aware of other eyes on them.
Let them stare,
he thought. There was only one person’s response he cared about.

“No.” Rachel reached behind her and pushed the start on the coffeemaker, her cheeks a becoming pink. “No plans.”

“Great.” He exhaled the breath he didn’t know he’d been holding. “I’ll see you both at noon on Saturday.”

“Thank you so much.” Mickie wrapped her arms around his waist in a quick hug, then headed to the card table until Lexi called her back for her brownie.

When Lexi handed him a plate filled with ice cream and a large brownie square, Derek didn’t have the heart to refuse.

“You made Mickie’s night.” Rachel took the plate of dessert that her friend pushed into her hands, then slipped past Derek to take a seat at the dining-room table.

“It seemed to mean a lot to her.” Derek commandeered the seat next to her, placing his plate on the table.

“Until tonight I had no idea Mickie was so interested in sports,” Rachel mused, picking up her fork.

“It takes time to get to know someone.” Derek couldn’t help thinking of Niki and how long it had taken before he’d seen her true colors. “Perhaps she’s just now
feeling comfortable enough to share more about herself with you.”

Rachel forked off a piece of brownie. “Perhaps.”

“I didn’t know you had a bloodhound,” he said, wanting the conversation to continue. “I grew up with one. We called him Gus.”

“Cute name,” Rachel said.

Derek wasn’t sure about the name being “cute,” but it had fit the dog.

“A lot of people think it’s crazy for me to have an animal that big when I live in a condo,” she continued. “But once I saw him, I couldn’t imagine getting a different breed.”

“I can’t wait to meet him.” Okay, so they were talking about a dog. At least they were talking.

“He’ll be excited to see you,” Rachel said.

Will
you
be excited to see me?
Instead of asking, Derek took a bite of brownie and reminded himself that Saturday wasn’t about him and Rachel; it was about Mickie. He needed to keep that in mind before he did something he’d regret.

Something like forgetting he was supposed to be girlfriend-free for the next six months.

“I’m ready to go.” Mickie twirled around in Rachel’s small living room, while Fred sat in the doorway watching her.

Rachel smiled. Addie loved to twirl and had shown Mickie how it was done when they’d been at Mary Karen’s house.

“Honey, it’s only eleven.” Rachel glanced down at her watch just to be sure. “Eleven-oh-six to be exact. It
takes less than ten minutes to get there. Besides, I still have some picking up to do.”

Although Rachel normally kept her apartment spic and span, this week she and Mickie had done more socializing than cleaning.

“I understand.” Mickie stopped twirling long enough to kiss the top of Fred’s head. “You don’t want Mr. Rossi to think you live in a pigsty.”

Rachel chuckled. “Do you even know what a pigsty is?”

“A messy house,” Mickie said promptly. “That’s what the social workers always called my aunt and uncle’s home. But their place was a zillion times worse.”

“Thanks.” Rachel scooped up a newspaper she’d left on the sofa. “I guess.”

She couldn’t believe Derek was coming over for lunch. If Mickie hadn’t arranged the lesson, Rachel doubted she’d have seen him again.

Her lips quirked up in a wry smile. Of course, given her luck, their paths would have crossed again.

“Do you like Mr. Rossi?” Mickie called out, mid-twirl.

Rachel paused, dust cloth in hand. “He seems like a good guy. Why do you ask?”

“When we were at the sports facility, you were nice to him.” Mickie stopped twirling. “But not at Mrs. Vaughn’s home.”

Rachel pulled her brows together. Surely that wasn’t true. She’d been embarrassed by her behavior in the bedroom, but that whole incident had been her fault, not his.

“You acted like you hated him,” Mickie continued. “I could tell it made him feel bad.”

Rachel’s heart dropped. “You think so?”

Mickie nodded with such decisiveness that Rachel’s heart dropped even lower. “Maybe if you’re extra nice to him today he’ll know you don’t hate him.”

“That’s a good idea.”

The child smiled and once again began to twirl.