One Christmas Night
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Jules Bennett
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20
One
This could not be happening. Of all the slaps of reality, this one hit the hardest.
Morgan Grandin gripped the edge of her vanity top in the bathroom of her boutique, the Rancher’s Daughter. Out of all the Grandin clan, she was the only one who never wanted to be part of that ranch life, so she’d paid homage by giving her boutique an appropriate name.
And if her family didn’t like the fact she wasn’t part of the family business, they certainly wouldn’t like this next chapter of her life.
Morgan stared down at two blue lines. This was certainly not the way she’d planned on starting her Monday morning...or her own family. She’d always been the odd woman out as far as the Grandins went, but this would definitely make her even more of a standout.
From the moment she saw those two lines, she wanted this baby. But she had to look forward and formulate a plan that would suit her and her child’s needs. What a mess she’d gotten herself into.
After washing her hands and drying them, Morgan glanced at herself in the gold-framed mirror. Well, she didn’t look any different. Shouldn’t she look...motherly?
She turned to the side, staring at her flat stomach. Both amazed and terrified, she imagined the little life growing inside of her.
How could she make this work being a business owner and a single mother? She wasn’t married. She was also unlike her siblings, who had all found love and were living their own happily-ever-afters.
No, Morgan had opted for a drunken fling with the one man who drove her absolutely crazy—both in bed and out.
On a groan, she smoothed her red hair over her shoulder. All of this information couldn’t be processed at once. She still had a store to maintain and customers to assist. This wasn’t just some hobby she had, this store was her dream. She’d have to keep her little secret until she could get a grasp on her new reality.
For now, she couldn’t even bring herself to tell her siblings...and she sure as hell couldn’t tell Ryan Carter until she gathered her composure and her thoughts.
One night. They had one night and now their entire lives were changed. The dynamics within her own family would change, too. Everything would be different from this moment forward.
While her siblings were falling in love, Morgan opted for a one-night stand with her enemy.
Before that night, she couldn’t even stand Ryan—how in the world could she raise a child with him? They’d never agree on anything from choosing the name to choosing a school.
How could they be so completely different, yet be so perfectly in sync in the bedroom? That night had been nothing short of magical and memorable. Every touch, every kiss, was all she had thought of for the past month.
Oh, they’d both agreed that night would never happen again and they weren’t to speak of it. She’d been on board with that because who would believe she hooked up with Ryan Carter? The entire town had seen them either bickering or snubbing each other.
And while part of her regretted that night, the other part ached for round two. Ryan had been the most attentive lover and the only man to ever make her want to sneak around for more.
At this point, though, she had to be smart about any decision she made. She wasn’t just thinking for herself anymore.
Morgan pulled in a deep breath and stepped from the bathroom of her boutique. She couldn’t hide in here forever. Reality wouldn’t change simply because she didn’t want to face it. She took pride in her shop and that wouldn’t stop or slow down now.
But who would run the place when she was off having a baby? Or if the baby got sick? She had a young college girl, Kylie, who worked here as she took online classes that one day would launch her career in fashion design. Morgan knew without a doubt that she could depend on her, but this store was everything to Morgan. While she could definitely afford to take time off, or even not work altogether, Morgan wanted to work. She loved being hands-on and socializing with the women of the town. She couldn’t just unload this place onto someone else.
Morgan made her way to the front of her store and forced the worries to the back of her mind.
One day at a time. That was all she could do right now.
She flicked the lock on the double doors and propped them open, letting in much-needed sunshine. She inhaled the crisp winter air as she set her sidewalk sign out in front of her shop. The cool rush actually felt good on her heated skin. She hadn’t realized just how worked up she’d gotten, but her nerves and emotions were all over the place.
Thankfully, though, she wasn’t sick...yet. Good grief, when would that happen? So far, her cycle was off and she was emotional for no reason and she was only a month into this pregnancy.
Morgan turned and hit something hard. No, not something...someone.
Firm hands gripped her arms in an attempt to steady her and she reached out, encountering a very solid chest. She knew that chest. No amount of alcohol during their heated night could make her forget exploring such excellent muscle tone.
“You okay?”
Ryan’s low voice caressed her, sending her nerve endings tingling. She could not, would not, be attracted to him. Their bickering had gone on for so long, that had to trump their one night of passion. The only time they seemed to get along was when their clothes came off and too much champagne was involved. Clearly neither of those things were happening again.
Vic always said how Ryan was a grumpy bastard who never said much, but he always had plenty to say when arguing with her.
“I’m fine. Just fine.” Morgan stepped back and dropped her hands. “Everything’s fine.”
Shut up.
“Good to hear.” Ryan smirked, his blue eyes shone bright with amusement. “You’ve been avoiding me.”
“Have I?” she asked with a shrug. “Don’t take it personal. I thought we agreed not to see each other again.”
And if there was no pregnancy, she could hold tight to that promise. The sexual tension between them had bubbled for too long. What she’d always thought of as annoyance had clearly been attraction.
The night of the Halloween Masquerade Ball at the Texas Cattleman’s Club and all the flowing champagne had been a powerful combination forcing them together—not to mention Morgan had overheard her brother discussing how Ryan was attracted to her.
The end result had been the most intense, memorable night of pleasure in her life.
But now she had to face the consequences. They would have to face the consequences. What label could they put on each other now? Enemies? That seemed a bit harsh, all things considering. As much as he deserved to know, now wasn’t the time.
“Royal isn’t that big of a town,” Ryan told her, oblivious to her inner turmoil. “I always saw you around, but over the last month, you’ve been scarce.”
She pointed toward the open doors of her shop. “I’ve been right here, so you weren’t looking too hard.”
Ryan’s piercing stare sent a shiver through her. That stare had hit her so many times over the years. More often than not, she’d been irritated by those bright eyes beneath his Stetson, yet other instances she’d had a stirring of something she couldn’t describe...or maybe she just didn’t want to. She’d pushed aside any unwanted attraction because Ryan Carter could not be the man for her. The idea was simply absurd.
Yet she’d overheard her brother Vic and his best friend, Jayden, discussing Ryan at the party. In fact, they’d specifically mentioned Ryan’s attraction to her, which had taken her off guard. He’d never shown her that attraction, unless his grumblings counted as flirting.
Morgan certainly wouldn’t deny Ryan’s sex appeal, but he drove her crazy. All of that arrogance and how he was so damn opinionated really grated on her nerves. They argued about everything from how they ordered their coffee to life on the ranch. She could almost guarantee whatever her viewpoint was, his would be the opposite.
But the man knew when to shut up and exactly what to do in the bedroom...which nearly overrode his negative qualities.
She never would have made a move if her brother hadn’t planted that proverbial bug in her ear. She should never listen to gossip or eavesdrop. Look where that got her.
Ryan tipped his black hat and looped his thumbs through his belt loops. That was another thing about him. The man was consistently boring with his wardrobe. Jeans, black T-shirt, cowboy boots, hat. Simple and plain. No suits for this cowboy and he made no apologies that he didn’t do fussy. He might own a twelve-thousand-acre ranch, but you’d never know by looking at him that he had so much wealth and power.
The yawn of silence agitated her, as did those piercing blue eyes.
“Why are you staring at me?” she asked. “Don’t you have somewhere to be?”
“What if I came here to see you?”
A knot formed in her belly. “Did you?”
He shook his head. “I was actually meeting someone at the coffee shop, but had to park down the street.”
Royal did have a bustling downtown area and she was lucky enough to have the Rancher’s Daughter boutique right in the heart of it all. Of course, that also meant running into everyone whether she wanted to see them or not. And right now, she wasn’t ready to deal with Ryan or her hormones.
Aside from the fact she now carried his child, Morgan hadn’t mentally recovered from their night together. Every delicious moment seemed to be on repeat in her mind. Even when Ryan hadn’t been with her, he’d never been far.
And now, she would be bound to him forever.
Ryan couldn’t figure out why Morgan seemed so standoffish. She’d jerked away from him immediately when she’d seen who had caught her before she fell.
And now she would not look him in the eye. Interesting.
Maybe that spark between them hadn’t diminished, even though they’d agreed on only the one night.
Had she thought of him since the Masquerade Ball? He hadn’t seen her at the Texas Cattleman’s Club since then and had started to wonder if he should text or call. He’d never been a clingy guy and never, ever begged for a woman’s attention...but damn if he couldn’t get that night out of his head.
Shouldn’t he have gone back to being irritated at her by now? They were at odds every single day before their intimate encounter and he had no idea why he couldn’t slide back into that mindset. He loved going toe-to-toe on any subject just to see how feisty her temper could get when he won the argument.
But he’d been exposed to a completely different side of Morgan and now he couldn’t get that vulnerable, sexy woman out of his mind.
They’d not only agreed to the one night, afterward they’d both agreed it was a mistake. They weren’t right for each other and neither of them was looking to get into a relationship. Life on his ranch was busy and that was where he devoted his time. It was the only commitment he wanted at this point in his life. Besides, one drunken night didn’t lead to a permanent commitment.
Still, he wouldn’t mind a little fling with the sexy shop owner, but she looked like she’d rather be anywhere else than chatting with him right now.
Was she having that much regret over what they did? Granted, the night hadn’t been planned and a little too much champagne had been involved, but considering they’d been together a month ago and he still thought about it every single day...that was simply too much to ignore.
Yet, getting caught up in that short period of time would only prove to be a disaster. He had to get his head on straight and forget how perfectly they went together...because this was reality.
“I need to go back inside.”
She pulled her green cardigan tighter around her body and scurried away, leaving Ryan more confused than ever. Morgan wasn’t a shy or timid woman, she didn’t play games, and she most certainly never ran away. What the hell was up? She hadn’t argued with him or used that quick wit and sharp tongue like her typical go-to...which baffled the hell out of him. Who was this version of Morgan?
Ryan glanced inside the open doors and watched for a second as she took a few accessories from one display and put them on another. She seemed focused on work and going about her life, which is precisely what he should be doing instead of acting like great sex had changed his entire world.
Ryan checked his watch and pulled in a deep breath as he started on down the sidewalk toward the coffee shop. He didn’t have the time to devote to something that happened weeks ago and he needed to clear his head space and concentrate on his ranch. With everything going on in this town from the weddings to the babies to the secrets, Ryan would do well to remember that he could get wrapped up in any of those disasters if he wasn’t careful. That was why he avoided town as often as he could.
While he wanted to ultimately have a family of his own to leave his legacy to, he certainly was in no hurry. When the right woman came along, he’d know.
So for now, he’d best keep his head down and his attention on the ranch. Nothing else mattered.
