Page 26 of A Fortunes of Texas Christmas (Fortunes of Texas)

She shrugged. “Trey was young and immature. Actually, I consider our breakup a lucky escape, since I’m sure both sets of parents were getting ready to send out wedding invitations.”

“How old is he?”

“Twenty-five.”

“The same age as me,” Amersen offered lightly. “Not too young to know what is right and wrong.”

“True,” she said. “But you’re a grown-up...and Trey isn’t. Anyhow, enough talk about him. I need to get this tree, and this house, decorated.”

His mouth twisted. “What can I do to help?”

“Pass me the red and green garlands,” she said and pointed to the box at their feet. “While I climb up there,” she added, gesturing to the tall ladder behind the tree. “Oh, and catch me if I fall.”

Robin glanced upward and then started climbing the ladder. She was a few rungs up when she looked down and met Amersen’s gaze. There was intensity and awareness and something else. Something she couldn’t quite define. Until he spoke.

“I’ll catch you,” he said quietly. “I promise.”

* * *

After a couple of hours of negotiation, Amersen agreed to the terms of Kate’s proposal, and once he’d had his own lawyer look over the document, he was certain they would have a deal. The Amersen Noir fragrance would be unveiled the following autumn, coinciding with an aggressive worldwide advertising campaign that would include television, magazine and billboard exposure. It was a good deal, exactly the kind of thing he always looked for. It would be good for his brand and his bank balance. And it would mean he’d have to commute back to Austin over the next few months. It would also mean risking a meeting with any one of his half siblings. He couldn’t shake the feeling that Kate knew more about that situation than she was letting on. True, she hadn’t mentioned anything about Gerald Robinson to him other than a couple of offhand remarks about the man being Graham Fortune Robinson’s father. There was no innuendo, no suggestive comments, nothing that he could pinpoint as the reason for his rising suspicions.

Just his gut telling him to stay alert.

And he would.

Kate’s motives behind this proposition appeared to be genuine...but the bald truth remained that she was a Fortune. And he wasn’t about to lose his edge of anonymity. When he was ready to face his DNA and his blood relatives, he would. Not before. And not yet.

“So,” Kate said once she closed the laptop and sat back on the sofa. “Are you planning on returning to Paris right away?”

Amersen’s thoughts were already out of the room. Earlier Kate had found him standing at the foot of the huge tree, handing garlands to Robin and making a slightly inappropriate remark about the shape of her behind, to which she replied by throwing a wad of tinsel at his face. He wanted to get back to the task. It was fun. And he didn’t do fun often enough. He did business and he entertained celebrities and he wrote his blog and he slept with more women than he liked to think about, but fun...that had been in short supply while he’d been working on his business.

But Robin Harbin made him think about having fun.

“I thought I’d stay a few more days,” he replied. “Perhaps take in a few sights.”

“Alone?”

Amersen met her gaze levelly. “Your point, Ms. Fortune?”

“Kate,” she replied. “And my point is Robin. She’s a nice girl. But a little...let’s say...impetuous at times. I’d hate to see that part of her nature taken advantage of.”

Amersen wasn’t the kind of man to kiss and tell. Or to take advice from strangers who seemed to be coming out of the woodwork. Still, he respected the fact that the people who cared for Robin wanted to ensure she was protected...even if, as in Kate’s case, it was from herself. But he didn’t think Robin was some kind of fragile flower who needed protection, and certainly not from him. She was strong and feisty and could give it back in spades.

“Be assured that I have no intention of taking advantage of anyone.”

“I’m pleased to hear it,” Kate said and nodded. “So, no doubt you will let me know when your lawyers have looked over the contract?”

“Of course,” he replied and got to his feet. “You have the email address. Get your lawyer to send it to mine and we’ll see.”

He shook Kate’s hand, thanked her, said he’d be in touch soon and that he would let himself out. He left the room and headed back down the hallway, hoping to find Robin on the ladder again. But he was disappointed. The tree was partially decorated and several boxe

s lay beside it, and he spotted her tool kit on the floor. However, he wasn’t about to start searching the house for her. Amersen tapped one of the boxes with his shoe and let out a long breath.

Get a grip, Beaudin...

“If you’re searching in those boxes for mistletoe, you’re out of luck.”

He stilled, then turned. She was behind him, hands on hips, her crazy, beautiful hair just begging to be freed from its messy ponytail and her blue eyes sparkling.

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