Page 55 of A Fortunes of Texas Christmas (Fortunes of Texas)

“But they do, right?” she inquired as she placed her wine on the side table and moved around the sofa. “They’ve offered the olive branch, haven’t they? Or at least someone has? Keaton?”

He frowned instantly. “How did you know that?”

“I bumped into his wife, Francesca, on Friday,” she explained and then gave a brief account of the conversation. “So, he obviously wants to make contact. What’s holding you back?”

He looked at her incredulously. “Are you serious?”

“Perfectly.”

He shook his head with a kind of impatient disdain. “How about the fact that I’ve been ignored for the last twenty-five years?”

“Well, I think the family only discovered that your...” She paused and found some different words. “That Gerald had other children a year or so ago. And with Keaton arriving in town and falling for Francesca and then Chloe being acknowledged as a sibling and her marrying Chance, I guess there’s been a lot going on for everyone.”

“Yes,” he said with a scorn she’d never heard before. “I’m sure it’s been unbearable for the legitimate children of Gerald Robinson discovering they have so many other bastard siblings around the globe.”

Robin felt his pain so much her insides hurt. “What are you afraid of, Amersen?”

“Afraid?” he scoffed. “I’m not afraid of anything.”

But she knew he was. She reached out and grasped his hand, holding it tightly within her own. He didn’t pull away. He didn’t move. He looked at her, meeting her gaze with a kind of burning intensity that drew her toward him like a moth to a flame. She wanted to help make things right for him.

“I wish you’d told me.”

“Why?” he shot back. “So I could see that pitying look on your face a whole lot sooner? No, thanks.”

“Because we’re friends,” she said quietly. “And friends help one another.”

He looked down into her upturned face, and the mood quickly shifted. “I don’t want to be friends with you,” he said and bent his head, all vulnerability gone, replaced by a burning look of awareness and sexual longing so intense it curled her toes. “I want to make love to you.”

She knew what he wanted—to exorcise his demons with sex. And she should have pulled back and put space between them. But she couldn’t. She loved him. He was hurting. And she would do whatever she could to help ease the pain in his heart and soul.

“Then make love to me,” she said and pressed closer. “And let me make love to you.”

He looked at her for a moment, as though making some monumental decision, and then he kissed her, long and hard and deep and, in a way, a little angry. But she matched his kiss and his touch, and when they finally made it to the bedroom and started stripping off clothes, his hands were caressing her so exquisitely she was all out of coherent thought. He touched her between her legs, and when he found her wet and ready, he made an almost agonized sound low in his throat. Once he had birth control in place, she accepted him eagerly, holding his hips firmly, and he moved inside her, finding an erotic, wild rhythm that made her climax almost immediately. There were no words, nothing other than the need for pure sexual release between them. It felt divine. It felt like she was being driven higher and higher with every pulsing stroke. And it made her a little sad, too. Because she knew in that moment that it was all she could give him. She loved him and gave herself up, holding him tightly as his orgasm brought him shuddering against her.

Afterward, he rolled off and disappeared into the bathroom. When he returned, he sat on the edge of the bed. She knew he didn’t want to speak and didn’t want her advice or counsel. But he was going to get it, regardless.

“I think you should talk to Olivia.”

“No.”

Robin sighed and placed her hand on his bare back. “If you’re feeling like this, then chances are she is, too. What have you got to lose?”

He didn’t move. “My edge.”

Ah—pride. She wanted to hug him and slap him at the same time. “Maybe it’s the person with the stronger character who takes the most risk.”

He shrugged off her touch and walked to the window, naked and unselfconscious. The curtains were open, but the tinted windows gave complete privacy. He stared out of the window for a moment and then spoke.

“You should go home. I’m not in the mood for company.”

Robin hurt right through to her soul. But she knew he was hurting, too. And she wanted to help him. Because...because she loved Amersen Beaudin with every part of her heart. She loved his brash confidence and his self-assured belief that he was right about every single thing. She loved that he was romantic and gave her silly gifts that meant so much. She loved that his kisses made her head spin. She loved the way he looked directly into her eyes when they made love. And she loved that she was seeing him raw and vulnerable and he couldn’t hide it from her, no matter how much he tried.

She knew he was fighting his feelings. And a part of her was, too. She’d never been in any kind of hurry to settle down into a relationship. Even being with Trey had simply happened without any real effort. And she knew Amersen hadn’t been thinking of anything long-term when they met a few weeks ago. But, looking at him, seeing him so hurt and conflicted about who he was, made her realize that she was deeply invested in him. In them. A part of her knew she was wishing for the moon...and that he needed to work out his feelings toward the Fortunes before they could even contemplate taking their relationship any further forward.

He had to face who he was.

And suddenly, she knew exactly what she needed to do.

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