His Secret Temptation

“Thank you.” What else could she say? The lies they’d told were Simon’s. He needed to be the one to confess the truth. “Are you convinced you and Francine can’t work things out?”

“Completely. That’s why I told her not to come for Christmas.”

“I thought her father was sick.”

“A slight exaggeration. The attack was pretty mild. Originally, she had planned to come down Christmas Eve. I told her to stay with her dad and that we would talk before New Year’s Eve. I’d like a fresh start to the new year.”

“Have you told your parents?” Even as she asked the question, Caroline was pretty sure she knew the answer.

“I didn’t want to upset Christmas. It’s my mom’s favorite time of year. I’ll tell them after the first.” Another brother shouldering burdens when what he needed to do was share. “I don’t mind if you tell Simon about this, but could you two keep it quiet until I can tell Mom and Dad?”

“Sure.” What was one more secret?

“Thanks. My brother sure is a lucky guy. I hope he appreciates you.” With that, Dane pushed up from his chair and walked out of the study with the leaden stride of a man who carried heavy burdens.

After confirming that she had indeed passed her classes, Caroline kicked off her shoes and curled up on Charles’s comfortable leather desk chair. She reran her conversation with Dane through her mind. Why had he confided in her? Because he needed someone to talk to and she was an outsider? She understood why he hadn’t wanted to tell Simon. Their competitiveness knew no bounds. Nor had he said anything to Hannah because she never would’ve been able to keep quiet about that bit of news.

Fighting a yawn, Caroline switched to the couch where Simon had spent their first night. Had she really been such a temptation that he’d been unable to sleep in the same bed with her? The notion was bittersweet. She’d never felt such an overpowering attraction to any man before Simon. And after getting to know his family and seeing both his strength and his gentleness, her desire for him had only increased.

Which was why she wrapped herself in the cotton throw draped over the back of the couch. Sleeping down here seemed like an excellent way to avoid further temptation. Caroline turned off the desk lamp, glad the sofa was as comfortable as it looked.

Despite fretting about her current predicament, she must have fallen asleep because the next thing she knew, there was light. She blinked, and it took a second for her eyes to focus. Simon squatted beside the couch, arms resting on his knees, gaze impassive on her face. Her heart turned over with an uncomfortable lurch.

“What are you doing down here?” he asked.

She yawned behind her hand before saying, “I was sleeping before you turned on the lights and woke me up.”

“Why are you sleeping down here?”

That was a little more difficult to explain, and she could see from the tight set of his lips that it had better be good. “I didn’t want to sleep upstairs.”

He rocked back on his heels. “What is this about? Is it because I didn’t tell you about Francine?”

“Yes and no.” She shut her eyes to escape him. It was easier to speak her mind when she couldn’t see his face. “I don’t regret anything that’s happened between us, but I can’t sleep with you again.”

“That’s all you had to say. I can keep my hands off you.” Despite the stony set to his jaw, his tone sounded wry and ironic.

“Is that why you spent the first night here on this very couch?” she asked, smiling slightly at his half shrug. “And this isn’t about you. It’s about me. I don’t know if I can share a bed with you and not want to be in your arms.”

It was a daring confession. He blew out his breath in a long sigh.

“You cannot spend the night on the couch in my father’s study. Come upstairs.”

“I’m very comfortable down here. You go upstairs.”

They stared at each other for a long minute.

“I’m not leaving you down here.”

“I’m not going upstairs with you.”

Without warning, Simon stood and scooped her into his arms. Off balance and startled to be seized so abruptly, she wrapped her arms around his neck. One look at his grim expression kept her from her protesting. She should have known better than to engage Simon in a battle of wills. He was a man who acted definitively when he believed his way was best.

As his strong arms held her tight against his hard body, Caroline bit her lip to keep longing at bay. Didn’t he understand how easily he reduced her willpower to mush? When he kissed her she was helpless to deny him anything.

In the bedroom, he set her down and she swayed as his arms fell away.

“The ladies in this house do not sleep on couches,” he told her firmly, catching her left hand and placing a searing kiss where the base of her ring finger met her palm. “Sweet dreams, Caroline.”