A Steele for Christmas

His parents had sons who’d appreciated the opposite sex from early childhood. They had grown up as womanizers, all six of them. And it amused them to no end that there was barely a year between their ages. That meant his mother had gotten pregnant every year for six years. Knowing his father, Eli wasn’t surprised.

He breathed out a deep sigh. As far as he was concerned, Eden needed to count her blessings for Brittany and be satisfied because if she was waiting for him, Tyson, Jonas, Mercury and Gannon to follow in Galen’s footsteps, then she had a long wait coming. A very long wait.

“You don’t think there’s a woman out there who’s good enough for the suave, debonair and charming Eli Steele, do you?” she asked in what he detected was an irritated tone.

He shrugged. “I didn’t say that, but since you brought it up…that possibility has crossed my mind a time or two.”

In truth, it hadn’t, but he liked getting a rise out of his mother every once in a while. She would go home and complain to the old man, but honestly, what could Drew say? Especially considering the skirt chaser he’d been before settling down and marrying Eden. Eli and his brothers had heard the story of their father’s past enough to know he made the rakish of rakes look like innocent choirboys.

“You know what I’m hoping for, Eli?”

He saw the gleam in his mother’s eyes and decided not to ask, but then he figured what the hell, she was going to tell him anyway. “No, Mom, what are you hoping for?”

“That some woman comes along who’ll knock you off that high horse you’re sitting on. And I hope when you tumble that you’ll fall head over heels in love with her.”

Eli frowned as he gazed into eyes that were identical in color to his and his five brothers’. Now his mother was being downright cruel. He forced a smile to his lips. “It won’t happen. I’m more like Dad than any of my brothers. Sorry.”

In a way, he was sorry, not for himself but for his mother who was hell-bent on marrying off all six of her sons. She had her work cut out for her. She might eventually break down Tyson, Jonas, Mercury and Gannon, but not him. He liked his freedom too much and could never bind himself to an exclusive relationship.

She crossed her arms over her chest. “And just what do you have against marriage, Eli? Haven’t your father and I set an example of how good a marriage can be?”

He smiled again. “Of course. I know you and Dad have a great marriage, are deeply in love even after thirty-plus years and are extremely dedicated to each other. But Drew Steele’s saving grace was you, Mom. You’re beautiful. There’s not another woman out there who can make a Steele want to give up his freedom.”

“So how do you explain Brittany?”

“Britt’s beautiful as well. I can definitely see why Galen fell in love with her.”

His mother leaned in closer. “Are you saying you don’t know any beautiful women?”

Eli’s chest tightened as the image of one particular woman flashed in his mind. He forced it back. “Of course I do. But she has to have more than just a pretty face. She has to have a degree of intelligence.” Stacey Carlson’s face forced its way back into his mind once again and he pushed it right back out.

His mother straightened in her seat. “Well, I’m glad that at least you’re not stuck on just a pretty face. There’s more to it than that. That might be what snarls a man in the beginning, but he needs to know the woman has other things going for her than just good looks. They need to be compatible in a number of other things as well. Your father and I have lasted this long because we’re also the best of friends.”

Eli knew that to be true. His parents were partners in all things. More than once while growing up, he and his brothers had tried pitting their parents against each other when they wanted something one parent refused to give them. They soon discovered Drew and Eden stuck together like glue.

“You do know they refer to you and your brothers as the ‘Bad News’ Steeles, don’t you?”

Yes, he knew but he wondered how she’d found out about it. “Who told you that?”

“Sandra Tompkins. Mercury dropped her niece like a hot potato after a couple of dates and she wasn’t too happy about it.”

Eli smiled. “If you ever saw her niece you’d know why.”

Eden’s eyes narrowed. “Then why did he become involved with the girl in the first place?”

Eli didn’t respond. He figured not responding would provide his mother with an answer. When she slowly raised an arched brow and gave him a disapproving glare, he knew she fully comprehended the reason.

“Is that all you and your brothers ever think about?” she asked in disgust.

He wondered what she expected. After all, they were Drew’s sons. They may have her eyes but the looks and genes were definitely from their father. They had the Steele charm and the high testosterone level that came with it. Shrugging massive shoulders, he said slowly, “I can only speak for myself, Mom, and I doubt my answer will make you happy, so I’ll plead the fifth.”

And before she could respond to what he’d said, he quickly asked, “So, where’s your next stop?”

She glanced at her watch and then back at him. The glare was still in her eyes. “I think I’ll pay Mercury a visit.”

A slow smile touched Eli’s lips. He didn’t envy his brother one bit.

Chapter 3

S tacey glanced at her watch. It was seven o’clock already. How had time gotten away from her so fast? When she had reopened her shop after having lunch with Cohen, things had gotten busy, which helped keep her mind off the fact that her brother would be moving away to Florida.

Their father had gotten killed in a work-related accident a week before her tenth birthday and her mother never remarried. The insurance policy due to the accident had helped financially, although it hadn’t replaced James Carlson in their lives. She’d loved her father but his death had affected Cohen the most since the two had been so close.

Her mother had tried being both the father and mother they needed and both she and Cohen appreciated that. They had started getting their lives back together when two years later, their mother was diagnosed with lung cancer. Five years after that, she was gone. By then Cohen had left for college and she was sent to live with an aunt in Memphis. Aunt Maggie had forbidden Cohen from dropping out of college to help take care of Stacey. Instead, she’d convinced him to go on and become the doctor his parents always wanted him to be.

And he had.

Stacey sighed deeply thinking of her aunt Maggie who’d died two years ago. Stacey had tried staying in Memphis after her aunt’s death and had been content until Wallace had messed things up for her. When it seemed she would run into him and Gail just about everywhere she went, she’d known putting distance between her and Memphis was the best thing.

Refusing to think about her heartbreak in Memphis, she glanced down at the boxes that had been delivered a few hours ago. Excitement raced up her spine knowing her Christmas merchandise had arrived. She looked forward to putting the items up on display next week.

“You’re still open?”

Stacey swirled around and threw her hand to her chest. She thought she’d locked the door when she’d closed up at five. Evidently not since Eli Steele was standing in the middle of her shop and looking good enough to eat.

Keep those lusty thoughts out of your head, Stacey Carlson.

Only God and she had to know how she usually failed to do that whenever she saw him. Eli Steele wasn’t the friendliest of people and was nothing like Tyson, the first Steele she’d gotten to know since he was Cohen’s best friend. And all the other brothers seemed pretty friendly as well. Why did this one have to be so uptight and unfriendly?

“I closed a couple of hours ago. I just forgot to put out the sign and lock the door. Was there something you wanted?” she asked.

She suddenly began nibbling on her bottom lip wondering why on earth she’d asked that. But then why shouldn’t she when he was in her shop? She’d merely asked if he wanted to purchase something and was not inquiring about anything else. Then why did his eyes darken? It had to be a figment of her imagination. Of all the women in Phoenix, she would be the last one he’d want.

He proved her right when he said, “No, I just noticed the open sign still up when I know you’re usually closed by the time I leave each day.”

She knew exactly when he left each day since she would watch him pass by her shop. Usually he didn’t as much as glance her way. He’d look straight ahead with that masculine “turn-a-girl-on” strut of his. She’d overheard a conversation between Tyson and her brother once, and Tyson joked about how Eli spent a lot of time in his office eyeing the penthouse fitness center across the street. He’d pick out the woman who could kick her legs up the farthest and she would be the one he hit on for the week.

“I got kind of excited about the delivery that came a while ago. It’s my Christmas merchandise,” she said as a way of explanation.

When he didn’t say anything or acknowledge her in any way, she smiled and added, “I guess you’re thinking that it doesn’t take much to get me excited.”

If she wasn’t sure about the darkening of his gaze before, she was definitely certain about it now. She could kick herself. Why did she say such outrageous things around him? Words that could easily be taken out of context?

And then when she saw his lips quirk into a smile, she almost lost her balance. The man was actually smiling. Gracious. This was the first time she’d ever seen him do so and thought he should do it more often.

Then she quickly decided that no, he should not. A stern-faced Eli Steele was sexy enough. A smiling one was too hot to handle.

He surprised her even more when a low, husky rumble that she figured to be a chuckle eased from his lungs. She felt her stomach quivering when he said, “I’m sure there are other things that could get you a lot more excited, Stacey.”