Authors: Angie Daniels
“It’s so good to see you, Mr. Brown. How have you been?”
she asked once he released her.
“Fine, just fine.”
Gazing over at him, Bianca noticed a sprinkling of silver in his close-cropped gray hair. He had never been a small man and since she’d last seen him he had added several inches around his middle, giving him the look of a cuddly teddy bear.
“You look different from the last time I saw you,” he said, patting her arm. When she blushed, he winked. “All grown up and lovelier than ever. I might have to steal you for myself.” He laughed, then leaned in and kissed her on the cheek.
“Easy, Dad,” London said, coming over and draping a possessive arm around Bianca’s waist. “This one is taken.” Someone sitting in the living room laughed.
“That’s too bad!” his father joked and gave Bianca a playful wink. “Don’t pay me no mind. I’m just glad to have you here.
It’s been a long time since this one brought a woman home.”
“Thanks for having me and please call me Bianca,” she said, adoring everything about the kind old man. London’s arm tightened around her and she turned and looked up at him. His
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expression was unreadable. She wondered what he was thinking.
“You two can stare at each other later,” his father said beaming.
“Come on in. Everyone has been waiting for you to arrive.”
She could hear voices coming from the living room and took another look at London. He gave her a reassuring smile, then draped his arm lightly across her shoulders and led her into the living room, where a handful of people had gathered and were sharing photo albums. All eyes were on them when they stepped into the room. Everyone started saying hello at the same time.
“This is my sister, Denise,” London said, referring to a petite feminine version of himself. “And those funny-looking girls over on the couch there are my big-headed twin sisters, Camille and Carmen.”
The beautiful women with smooth, cinnamon complexions were far from funny-looking. The taller one gave Bianca a hug, then narrowed her eyes in the direction of her brother. “Welcome, Bianca. I’m Carmen. If my brother keeps this up, I’m going to be making you a widow before your wedding day.”
“That’s for sure,” Camille added as she gave Bianca a warm hug, as well.
Bianca giggled. Anyone could tell they loved their brother, who probably spent his entire life picking on them. There were both pretty. Identical twins. Round faces, dark, slanted eyes and long dark brown curls. Carmen wore hers in a cute ponytail, while Camille allowed hers to hang loose around her shoulders.
After they exchanged a few words, London led them inside the family room. Bianca was in awe. The room had been decorated with balloons and a large streamer congratulating the happy couple. There was food and a large sheet cake. She didn’t have a chance to take it all in when London started introducing her to the clan. There were so many Browns there that one would have thought they were having a family reunion.
There were his four beautiful sisters, his cousins, aunts and uncles and a few close family friends. Bianca had never seen so many people in one room. Everybody was friendly and welcomed her to the family, although Bianca was certain that she would never remember everybody’s name. Especially not with
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London’s arms draped possessively across her shoulders. London was standing so close that she could feel the heat from his body.
His musky scent surrounded him and she half feared she would become dizzy.
“It’s about time you got here.”
London looked toward the kitchen door and frowned. “Mark,”
London acknowledged when the tall, solidly built man with eyes the color of a copper penny came to join them.
He finally left her side long enough to give the man a hug, and she took that moment to try to calm her hormones. This was not the time or the place for the erotic thoughts she was having.
“Bianca, I’d like you to meet my womanizing cousin.”
Mark’s gaze went straight to Bianca. “Never that. I’m always honest with my dates,” he said smoothly, as a smile touched the corners of his mouth.
“Yeah, right,” London replied with a bark of laughter.
“Hey, it’s not my fault they don’t care to listen.”
Bianca chuckled. “Nice to meet you.”
He shook her proffered hand “Welcome. What would you like to drink, maybe a wine cooler?”
Bianca didn’t know what to say.
London dropped a kiss on the top of her head and must have noticed that she was a bit flustered at all the attention because he pulled her closer. “A lemonade for my future wife and I’ll take a cold beer if you have one.”
Mona laughed. “We’ve always got cold beer.” She glanced at her cousin before making her way into the kitchen. “Mark, point them in the direction of the food. London, give poor Bianca some air.”
Bianca looked up at London. The grin on his face was impossible to read. She swallowed and wondered again what he was thinking. She was smiling, as well and had to admit that it felt good to be around him and his family.
While holding her hand, London introduced Bianca to several other people who were already gathered around the table, filling their plates. The buffet contained an assortment of platters—
meatballs, potato salad, barbecue chicken, baked beans and several other dishes. Although the food looked delicious, just seeing it all was enough food to make her feel sick. She reached
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for the cheese and crackers. London, who had been watching her intensely, leaned over so that his mouth was at Bianca’s ear.
“You okay?”
She nodded, even though her insides were a ball of nerves and she was weak-kneed from standing so close to him.
“Don’t hesitate to let me know if you’re not feeling well. I have no problem leaving and taking you home,” he said.
Bianca nodded. Again there was something about the way he always cared about her and her unborn child that warmed her heart in ways she couldn’t begin to describe. Seeing the softer side of him only confused her even more about her feelings for him. If she wasn’t careful, she would fall in love.
Mona appeared with their drinks. “Everything smells and looks delicious,” Bianca told her as she took the lemonade from her. “I really appreciate your going to all this trouble.”
She waved Bianca’s concern aside. “Oh, it was nothing.
Everybody pitched in.”
As Bianca prepared her plate, she couldn’t help but notice how different their two families were. Jessica Beaumont would never have asked her family or friends to bring food to one of her parties.
She would have called a catering service or used her kitchen staff.
She would never have served beer, either. But this warm gather-ing of friends and family, who’d spent hours in their kitchens cooking for her and London’s engagement party, meant more to her than any meal any five-star restaurant could have prepared.
London stayed by her side, laughing at the jokes his family told. “Don’t let them embarrass you,” he whispered, his mouth touching her ear. “They’re just having fun.”
She shivered on contact, his lips on her outer ear, and his breath warm on her cheek. “I know.”
She found a spot on a couch in the family room and nibbled on her food. The barbecue ribs were good and tender. Dinner conversations were light and entertaining as she listened to the family jokes about London growing up. She hadn’t been able to keep any food down all day, but she managed to finish almost everything on her plate. The Brown family definitely knew how to throw down in the kitchen. When she couldn’t eat another bite, Bianca carried her plate to the kitchen, where she found London’s
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sister, Denise, rinsing dishes and putting them into the dish-washer. “Everything was delicious,” Bianca said.
“Thank you. I’m glad you enjoyed it,” the woman replied, taking the plate from her. “I’ll have to be honest. We were all shocked when London told Daddy he was getting married, so all of us were dying to meet you.”
“It all happened so quickly,” Bianca said.
Denise smiled. “Yes, it did, but after seeing the two of you together, it’s obvious that you’re crazy about each other.”
“It is?” In Bianca’s surprise, the words slipped out.
“Well, of course. I didn’t even know my brother was seriously dating anyone and the next thing we know, he’s engaged. If that ain’t love, I don’t know what is. I’ve never seen London this happy.”
Bianca’s eyes traveled into the other room, where London was laughing at something his cousin Mark had said.
“My sisters and I are so happy for him. At least now Dad might get off our backs for a little bit.” When her statement was met by a puzzled look, Denise continued. “We’re not married.”
Bianca was flabbergasted. “You mean to tell me that none of you are married?”
“Nope. We’ve been so busy with our careers that a man has been the last thing on our minds. Maybe in a few years, but right now we’re all enjoying being single.”
Bianca knew what she meant. She had felt the same way until she met Collin. But her feelings for London were even stronger than what she’d felt for Collin. Could she be falling in—
Nope. She refused to even entertain that thought.
“Don’t get me wrong. We’re all happy. After the cancer took Mama from us, the twins decided to live at home with Daddy, and Mona and I each have places not too far from here. We still eat dinner together at least three times a week.”
“It seems like your family is really close.”
She nodded. “We are.”
London came into the kitchen at that moment. He noted the look on Bianca’s face. “Is something wrong, honey?”
She smiled at the endearment. He had been so attentive all evening that it was hard to remember that he was just playing a role.
“I was just thanking Denise for going to all this trouble.”
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“Don’t get carried away,” he said. “She and my sisters owe me.”
She shot him a dirty look. “You’re never going to let me off the hook, are you?” She looked to Bianca. “A couple of years ago London saved the life of a man who was choking. And before you ask, it wasn’t in our restaurant. Anyway, the man just happened to own two car dealerships and has given the entire family great deals on new cars ever since. London thinks we owe him for the rest of our lives.”
He pointed a finger at her. “You do owe me. I saved you thousands.”
She rolled her eyes. “Whatever.”
Bianca laughed, enjoying the way they teased each other.
Mark called London into the other room. Bianca offered her assistance and helped Denise clean up the kitchen. While the women talked, Bianca often looked over to where London was standing and her heart thumped an unsteady beat just watching him. As if he felt the heat of her eyes, he cocked his head in her direction and their gazes connected. Goose bumps rippled along her arms and she expelled a long, silent breath before breaking eye contact with him.
Needing to distract herself, as soon as Denise refused any further help, Bianca escaped out onto the balcony. Once there, she swallowed a gulp of fresh air and wondered where in the world her good sense had gone. The wind caught a strand of her hair. She reached up and brushed it away from her face.
Leaning against the wooden railing, she stared out at the view.
The Browns’ house sat on two acres, and the huge ranch-style home was simply gorgeous. Obviously, the interior, decorated in strong, bold colors, were creative choices made by the four Brown women. The deck provided a lovely view of a lake. She stared at the water. The moon was overhead, shining down on the lake. A cool breeze rattled the trees and she listened as her mind wandered.
If only this were real. She and London really engaged and sharing a celebration with his family. The very thought warmed her heart. Frantically shaking her head, she shook the ridiculous thoughts away and blamed it on her pregnancy.
Bianca knew it was dangerous to be thinking about London
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that way, but she just couldn’t help it. Not with his family gathered around them, talking about love, family and marriage.
Three weeks with him had given her an idea of what it would be like to make love to him and share the rest of his life.
She wasn’t the right woman for London and she damn well knew it. Just because they had great sex together, and she couldn’t stop thinking about him, didn’t mean they were right for each other.
Besides, she’d never be able to give him her heart. He deserved a lot more from the woman he’d spend the rest of his life with.
“What are you thinking about?” London whispered near her ear, as he sauntered up quietly behind her.
Bianca’s breathing halted momentarily before starting up again. She hadn’t heard him approach. The warmth of his breath touched her neck, and she closed her eyes and felt her body naturally sway back and rest against him. “I’m not thinking about anything. Just came out to get some air.”
“I don’t believe you,” he replied, bringing his arms around her and securing them at her waist. He felt so good her skin tingled.
“Then that’s your problem that you don’t believe me, not mine.”
London swung Bianca around and she leaned back against his splayed fingers. He stood in front of her, flashing a wide smile. For a long moment they stared at each other, neither saying anything.
“Are you having second thoughts?” he asked softly.
“Yes and no.”
His eyes narrowed with concern. “Care to explain?”
Before she began, Bianca dropped her eyes to his chin where his goatee was trimmed nice and neat. She longed to stroke him there. “I’m just trying to make sure that I’m not making a mistake. Getting married is a big step and I don’t want you to regret being shackled to me.”
“Hey.” He cupped her chin and tilted her head up so she had no choice but to look at him. His eyes darkened until they were nearly black with an indefinable emotion. “Nobody makes me do anything I don’t want to do. I offered to help you and nothing has changed. In fact, I’m looking forward to a lot of long, passion-filled nights with you,” he said.