He tossed his shirt on a nearby chair, stretched his arms wide, and yawned. Lord, it was good to be home. Bone weary and half asleep, he sank down on the double bed to take off his socks—except he didn’t actually sit on the bed. He sat down on a very soft, warm, sweet-scented woman.
She let out a loud groan. He let out a blasphemy.
Genevieve Perry had been sound asleep one second and was wide awake the next. She felt as though the house had just caved in on her. Instinctively she shoved the dead weight off of her legs and bolted upright in the bed. Grabbing hold of the sheets, she held them up to her neck and peered over at the huge man sprawled out on the floor.
“What are you doing?” she whispered.
“I’m trying to get into my bed,” he whispered back.
“Adam?”
“Yes, Adam. Who are you?”
She swung her long legs over the side of the bed and put her hand out to him.
“My name’s Genevieve, and it’s such a pleasure to meet you. Your mother’s told me so much about you.”
His eyes widened in disbelief. He almost laughed, so ludicrous was the situation. Didn’t the woman realize he could see her bare arms and legs? She obviously didn’t have much on, and that sheet was a paltry barrier at best.
“I’ll be happy to shake your hand when you’re dressed.”
“Oh . . . Lord.”
Her reaction told him she’d finally recognized the awkwardness of their circumstances.
“I guess turning the lamp up is out of the question,” he said.
“No, no, we can’t do that. I’m in my nightgown. You really should get out of my room before anyone finds you here. This isn’t appropriate.”
“It’s my room,” he reminded her. “And lower your voice, or you’ll wake the entire household. I don’t want my brothers running in here to find out what’s going on.”
“Nothing’s going on.”
“I’m aware of that, Genevieve.” He sat up, untangled his long legs, and braced his arms on his knees. He tried to be patient as he waited for her to explain why she was in his bed.
Her vision finally adjusted to the darkness, and she got a good look at the man she had been dreaming about for the past two years. Lord, he was gorgeous. She had tried to picture him in her mind, had fantasized about him too, but now she realized she hadn’t done the man justice. The angles of his face were perfectly sculptured. He looked as though he had been molded from one of the ancient statues she’d seen in the museum back home. Adam had the same square forehead and high cheekbones and the identical straight nose and mouth. His eyes made him even more beautiful. They were the color of midnight. His gaze was intensely focused on her now, and she could feel the heat all the way down to her toes.
She couldn’t stop staring at him. He was much bigger than she’d imagined him to be, and far more muscular. He was lean, yet his upper arms were enormous, suggesting amazing strength. She could feel the coiled tension in him and knew, without a doubt, that if he decided to pounce on her, it would happen before she had time to blink. The thought made her shiver. She’d never imagined that he would be dangerous, but then she’d never pictured him frowning, and he was certainly frowning now.
And she looked like a poor, frumpy relative. She was wearing an old, faded nightgown, a favorite she refused to throw away because it was so comfortable. She pulled the sheet up higher to hide the frayed neckline.
She should have been horrified by his intrusion. She wasn’t though. She wasn’t the least bit afraid. Why, she wouldn’t be feeling the most irresistible urge to laugh if she were afraid, would she? Besides, she knew Adam better than anyone else in the whole world, even his brothers, because she had read all the letters he’d written over the years to his Mama Rose.
“You don’t have to worry,” she whispered. “I’m not going to shout for help. I know who you are and I’m not afraid.”
He clenched his jaw tight. “You don’t have any reason to be afraid. What are you doing in my bed?”
“The guest room’s occupied, so your mother told me to take your room. I surprised her by showing up without giving her any advance warning. She invited me to come to Rosehill a long time ago, but due to circumstances beyond my control, I couldn’t get here until now.”
It suddenly dawned on him exactly who Genevieve was. Adam was a big man, but he could be quick when he wanted to be. He was on his feet and halfway across the room before she had time to draw another breath.
She grabbed her robe from the foot of the bed and quickly put it on. She started to stand up but changed her mind almost immediately. She didn’t want him to get the notion that she was chasing after him.
“Wait,” she called out. “Didn’t your mother tell you I was coming to Rosehill?”
“No.”
Adam knew he sounded surly. He couldn’t help that. He should have known who she was right away. Her southern accent should have been a dead giveaway, and although he’d certainly noticed the soft, musical lilt in her voice, it hadn’t occurred to him until this moment that Genevieve was the woman his Mama Rose had told him about.
He was reaching for the doorknob when she called out to him again. “Do you mean to say she didn’t explain?”
He slowly turned around. “Explain what?” he hedged.
She pulled her robe close about her and moved into the moonlight. He saw her face clearly then, and in that moment, Adam realized the jeopardy he was in. Without a doubt, Genevieve Perry was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her dark hair was cropped short and framed a heart-shaped, angelic face. She had high cheek bones, a narrow nose, and a mouth that could drive a man to imagine all sorts of things. Her skin was flawless, and that innocent smile of hers could cause real havoc.
His gaze moved lower and, Lord help him, her long, shapely legs were as perfect as the rest of her.
He broke out in a cold sweat. She was beautiful all right, and he couldn’t wait to be rid of her.
“What exactly was Mama Rose supposed to explain?”
She smiled once again, a heart-stopping smile. Every nerve in his body was warning him to get out of there before it was too late and he was captured in her enchanting spell.
“Adam, I’m your bride.”
He didn’t panic, but he came close. He nearly ripped the door off its hinges when he opened it, but escape was impossible. His brothers Travis and Cole were blocking the entrance. The two of them came rushing into the bedroom to find out what all the commotion was. Both men were bare-chested, barefoot, and wide awake. Travis had his gun out and was looking for a target.
“What the . . .” Cole came to a dead stop when Adam gave him a hard shove.
“Put your damned gun away, Travis,” Adam ordered.
“We heard a crash in here,” Cole said.
“I fell on the floor,” Adam whispered.
Both brothers looked incredulous. Travis was the first to smile. “You fell on the floor? How in God’s name did you do that?”
“Never mind,” Adam muttered.
Travis elbowed his way past his brothers so he could see Genevieve. “Are you all right?”
“Of course she’s all right,” Adam answered.
“What are you doing home so soon?” Cole asked.
“Get off my foot,” Adam snapped.
Cole took a step back and then asked, “What are you doing in Genevieve’s room?”
“It’s my bedroom,” Adam reminded him. “No one told me she’d be sleeping in my bed.”
Cole smiled. “Well, now, that had to be a real nice surprise.”
“Gentlemen, will you please leave?” Genevieve called out.
She was immediately sorry she’d said a word, for she’d inadvertently drawn attention to herself. All three brothers turned to her. She tried to scrunch down under the sheets and disappear.
Cole walked forward. “Adam didn’t scare you, did he?”
The brother had almost reached the bed when she bolted upright. “Do you mind
, Cole?”
He stopped. “Mind what? You aren’t embarrassed, are you?”
“You’ve got your robe on,” Travis reminded her. “And after living with us for a week, you’ve got to know you’re perfectly safe.”
“Is anyone hungry?” Cole asked.
“I could eat something,” Travis said. “What about you, Genevieve?”
“No, thank you.”
Adam gritted his teeth in frustration. He couldn’t wait to get his brothers out in the hallway so he could give them a piece of his mind.
“You two haven’t been properly introduced, have you?” Travis said. He crossed the room to stand next to Cole. “One of us ought to introduce them to each other, and now is as good a time as any.”
“For the love of . . .” Adam began.
“Stop teasing your brother . . .” Genevieve said at the very same time. The laughter in her voice indicated she wasn’t the least bit upset.
“This will only take a minute,” Travis insisted. “Genevieve, I’d like you to meet the oldest and the meanest of the Clayborne brothers. His name is John Quincy Adam Clayborne, but everyone calls him Adam. Adam, I’d like you to meet Miss Genevieve Perry, who came here all the way from New Orleans, Louisiana. You should get to know her as soon as possible, since the wedding plans are already in the works. Good night, Genevieve. See you in the morning.”
“Good night,” she replied.
Adam wasn’t amused by his brothers’ antics. He pushed Cole and Travis out into the hallway, pulled the door closed, and then demanded to know what Genevieve was doing there.
“Mama Rose invited her to come here,” Travis explained.
“But that was over a year ago. Why did she decide to come to Rosehill now?”
Cole shrugged. “Maybe it wasn’t convenient before or she had something else she had to do first. Does it matter?”
Adam shook his head. Now, he decided, wasn’t the time to get into a long discussion. “Where am I supposed to sleep?”
“The guest room’s out,” Cole said, “unless you want to sleep with our nephew. Parker’s teething, and he’ll wake you up around four in the morning.”
“Why can’t the baby sleep in with his parents?”
“Mama Rose thought Douglas and Isabel could use a little privacy,” Travis explained with a yawn. “Genevieve’s pretty, isn’t she? And don’t tell me you didn’t notice.”
Adam let out a sigh. “I noticed.”
He started down the steps, but Cole stopped him with a question. “What are you going to do about her?”
“I’m not going to do anything about her.”
“She came here to marry you,” Cole whispered. “At least that’s what Mama Rose told us, and when she suggested a June wedding, Genevieve didn’t argue.”
“What a mess,” Adam muttered.
“I’m going back to bed,” Cole announced.
Travis followed Adam down to the foyer. “We really like her, Adam. If you’ll open your mind to the idea, I think you’ll like her too. She’s got a great sense of humor, and you should hear her sing. She’s amazing. If you’ll only get to know her before you make any decisions, you’ll—”
“I’m not marrying her.”
“Adam, you don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do.”
“Why didn’t one of you let me know she was here?”
“How could we let you know? You’ve been camping, remember?” Travis said.
“You had a week to find me.”
“Why are you in such a foul mood? No one’s going to hold a gun to your head and make you marry her.”
“I’m going to bed.”
He ended up in the bunkhouse. A half hour later, he was still trying to get comfortable on a narrow, lumpy mattress. He was too big for the bed. His feet hung over the edge, and he couldn’t turn over without flinging himself to the floor.
He doubted he would get much sleep anyway, as thoughts of Genevieve kept intruding. He stacked his hands behind his head and thought about the situation. His mother’s interference in his life was galling, and what in the name of God was he going to do about the mess she had created? Surely Genevieve didn’t really expect to marry him just because Mama Rose had suggested the idea to her. Nowadays, most women balked at an arranged marriage, and what son in his right mind would let his mother choose his bride for him?
Adam knew it was going to be up to him to make Genevieve understand that marriage was out of the question. He would sit her down and have a long talk with her. Yes, that’s what he was going to have to do. He would tell her that he had made his mind up a long time ago that he was meant to live alone. He was too set in his ways, liked solitude, and hated distraction of any kind. In other words, he wasn’t husband material. Family was the only disruption he allowed. His brothers were rarely at Rosehill now, and since his sister, Mary Rose, had had the baby, Mama Rose spent most of her time with her new granddaughter. Mary Rose’s husband, Harrison, had built a home on the edge of Blue Belle to accommodate the three women in his life, and Mama Rose much preferred town life over the isolation of the ranch.
Adam wasn’t a recluse. There were always at least twenty hired hands to supervise, so his days were quite busy, and he didn’t mind returning to the big empty house at night alone. In fact, he liked it. Admittedly, his life had become a little too structured and orderly to suit most people, but he was content, and that was all that mattered. When he was younger, he’d longed to see the world, but he’d given up on that foolish dream years ago and now traveled from one exotic port to another through the books he read. Cole accused him of acting like an old man. Adam didn’t disagree with his brother’s evaluation. He had always been happy with his life, and he would be happy again just as soon as he straightened out this misunderstanding.
He decided to wait until after the birthday celebration to talk to Genevieve. He would be kind, but forceful, as he explained his position.
Her expectations were unreasonable, and he hoped that after he’d had his say, she would realize he was right. He didn’t want to hurt her, and he certainly wasn’t looking forward to a confrontation. He wasn’t a cruel man who took delight in breaking women’s hearts, but he would do what was necessary to avert a disaster, no matter how distraught she became.
He hoped to God she wouldn’t cry or become hysterical. Regardless, he would stand firm. Adam fell asleep convinced that eventually Genevieve would get over him.
Two
She couldn’t possibly marry him, and just as soon as she could get him alone for a few minutes, she would tell him so. She wasn’t in a position to marry anyone now, not with all the trouble hanging over her head, but she wasn’t about to go into a lengthy explanation when she talked to Adam. She would simply tell him that marriage was out of the question. Then she would be on her way.
Admittedly, before things had become so horribly complicated and bleak, she had entertained the notion of marrying him. After she had read all of his letters, she’d even dreamed about it, but then the Reverend Ezekiel Jones came into her life and turned it upside down. Because of her own naiveté and self-involvement, she could no longer consider becoming the wife of such an honorable man as Adam Clayborne.
It was her hope that once she had completed the dreaded duty of explaining her change of heart to Adam, she would gain a little peace of mind. Lord only knew, she was due for some.
She needed privacy for their talk though, and privacy wasn’t easily accomplished at Rosehill these days. The two-story house was bursting at the seams with returning family members and their spouses and babies. Adam was constantly surrounded by his relatives, and there was also a steady procession of friends, and strangers too, who stopped by the ranch for a cool drink, a hot meal, and a little conversation. None of the Claybornes ever turned anyone away.
As head of the household, Adam tried to be hospitable. He also tried to avoid her whenever possible. It hadn’t taken her any time at all to come to that conclusion, for every time she en
tered a room he happened to be in, he found a reason to get up and leave. His abrupt departures would have bothered her if she hadn’t already surmised from his wary glances that he was as uncomfortable with the situation as she was.
Time was running out and she would have to leave soon. She had made a promise, and she was determined to keep it. She had already stayed at Rosehill much longer than she had originally intended, and she was feeling tremendously guilty about deceiving all of the Claybornes. She had come there under false pretenses to hide, and every time she looked at dear Mama Rose, Genevieve’s shoulders slumped a little more from the weight of all her lies.
The Clayborne family had made her feel worse by being so good to her. They had welcomed her into their home and treated her as though she belonged there. Mama Rose constantly sang her praises. She told her family that Genevieve was a sweet, generous person with high moral standards. Genevieve wondered how Mama Rose would feel about her if she knew the truth.
The opportunity to talk to Adam in private finally presented itself on the day of Mama Rose’s birthday celebration. As Genevieve was coming down the stairs to the first floor, she spotted Adam going into his library, and, saints be praised, he was all alone. She straightened her shoulders, gathered her resolve, and hurried after him.
Two hours later, she was still trying to get to the library. First she had been waylaid by his sister, Mary Rose, who asked her to please supervise the men putting up the picnic tables while Mary Rose fed and changed her daughter. Over the past week, Genevieve had become very close to Mary Rose, and she was happy to help out. An hour later she had only just completed the task when Adam’s brother Douglas asked her to please hold his ten-month-old son, Parker, while he helped construct the platform that would be used by the band Travis had hired.
Parker was a little charmer, and Genevieve certainly didn’t mind taking care of him. The baby was persnickety with almost everyone but her. He was going through what his parents referred to as “a shy phase,” which meant he usually started screaming whenever a stranger came within ten feet of him. He’d taken quite a fancy to Genevieve though, and much to his parents’ surprise, the moment he’d spotted her, he’d put his arms out and demanded with a grunt that she pick him up. She was wearing a colorful necklace at the time, and she was convinced Parker only put up with her so that he could get to the trinket he thought he might like to eat.