His Holiday Bride

He stepped aside to allow her inside. Amber entered looking around at the bare walls and the staircase leading to the second level. The only light was the foyer table lamp, so she couldn’t see much.

“So? Where do I sleep?”

“The second bedroom at the top of the stairs.”

Without another word she turned and, weaving back and forth, finally made her way to the top of the stairs. Paul just shook his head, realizing the only thing keeping her exhausted body upright was pure determination. From where he stood at the bottom, he could just see her shadow as she entered the room and closed the door.

He was sitting at the kitchen table fifteen minutes later when Rosalie came back down. “Okay, his bottom is dry and his belly is full.” She smiled. “He should sleep until around seven now. There are several bottles already prepared on the refrigerator door and the directions for mixing his formula are on the tack board over there.” She made a gesture over her left shoulder.

After watching her drive away, Paul quickly locked the door and set the alarm. Happiness began to grow as he came closer and closer to the master bedroom. He threw open the double doors and without even undressing just stretched out across his large four-poster bed. He sighed heavily, yawned once and quickly faded away.

Ten minutes later, a baby’s angry howl brought him back to his feet once more.

Chapter 4

Amber glanced at the clock on the side of the bed and decided she couldn’t wait any longer. She had to go in search of a bathroom. She cracked the door open and crept out into the hall. Even with just two hours of sleep she was feeling much better and could see things much clearer. She realized the house was even bigger than she’d originally thought. The entire second level was almost circular in design. In the center of the opening there hung a large chandelier.

It was a beautiful house, Amber realized, despite the boring white walls and lack of decorative creativity. Paul had said he was house-sitting for a friend of his and Amber knew immediately the friend was a man. The house had that kind of sterile “place of residence” feel to it that men seemed to favor instead of the hominess that women tended to create in even the smallest of places.

Her body reminded her of why she’d come out of her room and she continued the search for the bathroom. She found it down the hall.

When she came out a few minutes later, she stood completely still, hearing what sounded like voices coming from downstairs. Telling herself that she needed to know as much as possible about this man who’d basically kidnapped her, she decided to investigate.

At the bottom of the stairs she leaned around the corner and saw a light coming from the living room. Stealthily, she moved along the wall until she was almost standing outside the entryway. Her lips twisted in disappointment when she recognized the voices of Roseanne Barr and John Goodman, and realized the voices were coming from the television.

Looking around the corner, she could see someone on the couch. Edging away from the wall, Amber tiptoed across the floor until she was standing just behind the end of it.

Paul’s head was resting against the back of the couch and his mouth was wide open. He was sound asleep.

Perfect. She leaned against the end of the couch and did what she’d wanted to do since the moment the hotel elevator doors opened. She looked at him. Really, really looked at him, soaking up that gorgeous face and slightly muscular body. She decided her initial assessment had been correct; it wasn’t just a trick of the light. He was beautiful.

His perfectly chiseled features defined every inch of his flawless olive skin. At first glance she’d thought he was maybe mulatto, but now she could clearly see he was of Hispanic decent. His soft brown, almond-shaped eyes were now shielded by long, thick lashes. As she visually outlined his full, pink lips, she subconsciously licked her own. Feeling bold, she stood and edged around in front of the couch to see if the muscles she remembered from earlier were real or imagined. She tiptoed closer and closer and stopped suddenly, seeing the small bundle that was cradled tightly against his chest.

All she could see above the blanket was a crop of dark curls, but there was no mistaking he was holding a baby. Her mouth fell open and she stood there in stunned silence for several minutes just…staring.

Not knowing what to think, she quietly returned to her bedroom and crawled back between the cool covers. She lay there for a long while before beginning to feel sleepy again. She had had enough surprises in this one night to last a lifetime.

Amber had always considered herself the more adventurous and daring member of her family, a title which up until now she’d worn proudly. She knew that after this night she would definitely have to reconsider her opinions on the matter.

Amber awoke to the wonderful smell of bacon the next morning. She turned over in the comfortable bed, surprised by how well she’d slept in it. Normally, she did not fare well in strange beds.

She lay staring at the white ceiling overhead, trying to get her bearing on her surroundings. Slowly, she sat up in the bed, holding the covers close to her chest.

Because she had torn out of Dashuan’s penthouse so quickly, she’d left her luggage in one of the guest bedrooms. All she had to sleep in was the negligee she bought during her shopping spree for their special night.

She huffed to herself, deciding that the three hundred dollars she’d spent on it had been a big, fat waste of money.

“Could’ve spent that on the cost of a ticket home,” she muttered, turning to put her feet on the floor.

She stretched and yawned as her feet sunk into the plush carpeting. She heard a low voice talking, and the image of Paul Gutierrez instantly came to mind. Luther’s friend, and now her personal hero.

She remembered what she’d seen last night, and the desire to solve that mystery brought her to her feet. She quickly slipped back into the slacks and blouse of the previous day. She pulled her hair back and finger-brushed it, finishing it up with a loose, french braid that fell midway down her back.

She started to leave the room and paused when she noticed a partially opened door on the other side of the room. Her head tilted in confusion, she crossed the room and pushed the door open.

“I’ll be damned.” She frowned, and then chuckled at her own foolishness. She’d stumbled around the large house looking for a bathroom, when there was one in the bedroom all along.

She shook her head, and started to turn away before catching her own image in the mirror. Although she was undoubtedly thrown together, she was still lovely. If Paul Gutierrez was like any other man, he would find no fault in her haphazard appearance. Well, any man except Dashuan Kennedy, she thought, and felt her confidence fading.

She headed toward the bedroom door and stopped again with a frown when she remembered that all of her personal hygiene items were in her suitcase in Dashuan’s suite. She briefly considered not going downstairs, until the wonderful smell of bacon once again filled the air.

When she reached the large kitchen, the image that greeted her was that of Paul’s broad shoulders as he leaned against the island counter in the middle of the room. He was on the phone, but speaking low. Amber paused in the doorway when she realized the conversation was about her.

“Yeah, Luther, she’s okay, just worn out, but given everything she’s been through that’s understandable.”

Amber’s mouth fell open and her heart accelerated as she imagined her worst fear. He’s telling Luther about Dashuan and Kelvin!

She came into the room, intentionally bumping into a chair at the round dining table, hoping to halt the conversation. As expected Paul turned at the sound, and their eyes locked.

Amber was surprised to see her memory had failed her. She’d remembered him as being good-looking, when he was in fact exquisite.

She smiled, but it felt strained and artificial on her face. She needed to get him off that phone, on the off chance that he had not said anything yet.

“Here’s the lady of the hour now.” Paul never took his eyes off her. “Hang on.” He extended the cordless phone receiver to her. “It’s Luther. Want to talk to him?”

Amber quickly crossed the room and took the cordless phone, covering the receiver with her hand. “Um, did you…tell him about, um…”

Paul shook his head slowly. “Just told him about what happened in the lobby, and that I brought you back here.”

Amber felt relief course through every vein in her body. She wanted to wrap her arms around Paul and thank him, but that would be pathetic.

Instead, she just nodded in acknowledgement, and took a deep breath before speaking into the phone. “Hi, Luther.”

“Amber! What the hell were you thinking running off with someone like Dashuan Kennedy? Your sisters went crazy wondering if you were okay.”

“I’m sorry. I never meant to worry anyone. Tell them I’m okay.”

Luther paused. “Are you okay?”

Amber smiled at the subdued tone. She and Luther usually went head to head, and she knew her easy surrender had caught him off guard.

“Yes.” She smiled at Paul standing nearby. “Thanks to your friend here.”

“Paul’s a good guy. I told your sisters that you were safe and sound with him. But of course, they want to hear from you themselves.”

“I know.” She turned her back to Paul just slightly, feeling tears forming in her eyes and not certain why. “I will, just…I’ll call them later.”

“When are you coming home?”