The Jarrods: Temptation: Claiming Her Billion-Dollar Birthright / Falling For His Proper Mistress / Expecting the Rancher's Heir

She spared him a quick smile, but it was gone too soon in Christian’s opinion. What was it about this woman that grabbed at him? Why was he having so much trouble reminding himself that as an employee of Jarrod Ridge, the Jarrod family was off-limits to him?

Trevor came lazily to his feet and Gavin turned to face their younger sister.

“I didn’t mean to interrupt,” she was saying as she walked into the room, with her chin tilted defiantly. “But I couldn’t help overhearing. Since I was the topic of conversation anyway, I thought it was as good a time as any to introduce myself.”

Christian spared brief glances at both of the Jarrod men and he saw Gavin trying to think back and figure out if he’d said anything he should apologize for. While, at the same time, Trevor’s mouth was quirked in an approving smile.

“Erica,” Christian said, coming around his desk to align himself at her side—both physically and figuratively. “These are your brothers, Gavin and Trevor.”

She returned Trevor’s smile, then looked at Gavin. They stared at each other for a long minute and Christian could actually feel the tension building in the room. And then suddenly, it was gone as Gavin stepped forward, held out his hand to her and said, “Welcome, Erica.”

She only hesitated an instant before shaking his hand. “Thank you. I heard you say this was difficult and you’re not wrong. This whole situation has been just as hard on me as it has been on all of you.”

“You’re right,” Trevor said as he came up to join them. “And whatever you heard before you came in, pay no attention. Everybody’s a little on edge, being back at the Ridge, and that’s bleeding over into everything else.”

“I appreciate that,” she told him.

Christian felt that stir of admiration for her again for how well she stood up to brothers who clearly weren’t eager to have her in the family. Whether she was wanted to be here or not, she had a place at the Ridge. Through birth. Through blood. Because Don Jarrod had wanted to bring all of his children home.

“Once you’re settled in, come and see me,” Trevor was saying. “We’ve got the food and wine gala right around the corner now. Most of the marketing and publicity is already lined up and in play. But there are a few things we can still do to give it that final push.”

Erica nodded. “I’ve heard about the gala for years, though I’ve never attended. I’m looking forward to being a part of it this year. Last night, Melissa showed me some of what you’d been doing and it’s really fabulous.”

He grinned, apparently satisfied.

“But,” she added, “I’ve got a few ideas we might want to try.”

His eyes narrowed on her thoughtfully, then after a moment, he gave her a grin. “I like confidence, so yeah, I’d like to hear your ideas. Tomorrow work for you?”

“Tomorrow’s great.”

Gavin interrupted them. “I know this isn’t easy on you, being here. Being thrown into the middle of something you didn’t even know existed a week ago.”

“No,” she said, “it’s not.”

He nodded. “I came in here prepared to not like you,” he admitted and smiled when she stiffened. “But I’ve got a lot of respect for anybody who’s not afraid to stand up for him—or herself.”

“And I respect anyone who’s trying to protect his family,” Erica told him. “As for standing up for myself, I’ve been doing that my whole life.”

“I’m getting that,” Gavin said with an approving nod. “I think you just might make a place for yourself here … little sister.”

Erica gave him a careful smile, pleased but clearly not willing to relax her guard just yet. Then the moment was over and the Jarrod brothers were excusing themselves.

Christian couldn’t take his eyes off of her. He hardly noticed when his friends left. All he saw were two amber-colored eyes watching him with a mixture of nervousness and satisfaction shining in their depths. She was pleased with the way she’d handled herself and damned if he wasn’t, as well.

He’d set this meeting up specifically so that he would be there when she met her brothers. So that she wouldn’t be alone. Not that he didn’t believe the Jarrod siblings, even if they were angry about the situation, would be anything but polite. It was only that Christian had wanted her to have his support and know that she had it. He didn’t ask himself why that was important to him, he only accepted that it was.

She was still nervous, but the others wouldn’t have been able to tell. Funny, but he’d once thought her features easy to read. Now he knew the truth. Though she might be quaking in her shoes, she’d never let anyone know it.

Their first meeting had been different. She’d been taken off guard and her shock and stunned surprise had been impossible to hide. But he’d learned since that the only real hint to what Erica Prentice was feeling lay in her eyes. There, her emotions shone out loud and clear.

Despite her lifted chin and firm voice, those eyes of hers showed him that she was silently battling her own fears. Yet despite everything, every time she went into battle, she came out victorious. He admired the hell out of that. Almost as much as he wanted her.

Desire was now a constant companion. Haunting him through his sleep, torturing him during the day. Thoughts of her were never far away and his body was in a constant state of arousal. He’d never before felt such a powerful pull toward any woman. And every moment he spent with her only intensified those feelings.

“Gee, that went well,” she said after a moment or two of silence that practically throbbed with unresolved tension.

“Believe it or not, it did,” Christian answered. “I think you impressed both of them.”

Her gaze fixed on his. “I wasn’t trying to impress.”

“Maybe that’s why you did. Just by being yourself. They respect strength.”

She smiled ruefully. “Good thing they couldn’t hear my knees knocking then, isn’t it?” She walked across his office and looked out the window behind his desk at the sweep of lawn that seemed to stretch all the way to the mountains. “You arranged that meeting specifically so I wouldn’t stumble across my … brothers on my own, didn’t you?”

“Yeah,” he admitted. “I thought it would be easier if I were around.”

She turned her head to look directly at him. Her gaze slammed into his. “It was. Thank you.”

He stared into her eyes and it was all he could do to keep from going to her, sweeping her into his arms and kissing her until neither of them could breathe. But somehow he managed. “You’re welcome. You’ve still got Blake to meet and deal with, but he should be back in a couple of days.”

“From what everyone says, I’m not looking forward to meeting him.”

“Blake’s all right,” Christian told her, not wanting her to be anxious over the last Jarrod hurdle she had to face. “He’s not really happy with the situation, but he knows none of this is your fault.”

She blew out a breath. “What do you think, Christian? You’re the objective observer in all this. Do you think this is going to work out?”

“You being here, you mean?” When she nodded, he walked closer to her. “Yes, I do. You’re already making a place for yourself here. Your sister likes you. Your brothers will come around.”

Erica shook her head and her light brown hair lifted from her shoulders, then fell back again in soft waves. Christian curled his hands into fists to keep from reaching for it. To keep from threading his fingers through that mass and turning her head toward his—

“Why are you on my side in this?” Erica asked. “Melissa says you’ve known the family since you were a kid. And you were Don’s personal attorney. I’d think that would make you more prejudiced in their favor rather than mine.”

He backed up a step, leaned against the corner of his desk and said, “Don Jarrod was a hard man to know. He helped me when I was a teenager. Offered me a job here when I got out of law school. But,” he added, “that said, I don’t owe him or his memory my soul. Just the best job I can do. My allegiances are my own.”

She tipped her head to one side and looked up at him. “And you’ve decided to be my ally.”

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

“Do you really have to ask?”

“Shouldn’t I?”

He shrugged, though it cost him. He wanted her to trust him, but couldn’t say that he trusted himself around her. He wanted more than friendship or an alliance with her. But if he took more, he’d risk everything he’d already built.

“Let’s just say that whatever I owe the Jarrods, I owe myself more. So I’m on your side because I’ve had a hand in throwing your life off kilter.”