A Texan For Christmas. Jules Bennett

hold her a tad longer... It had been so long since she’d rocked a little one.

      She had no idea what happened with Beau and the baby’s mother, but the tabloids and social media had been abuzz with a variety of rumors over the past few weeks.

      Well, actually, the couple had been quite the fodder for gossip a lot longer. It was over a year ago when they were first spotted half naked on a beach in Belize. Then the pregnancy seemed to send shock waves through the media. Of course, after the baby was born, there was all that speculation on the state of the mother and she was seen less and less.

      Chatter swirled about her cheating, then her rehab, then the breakup.

      Then there was talk of Beau. One online source stated he’d been passed over for a part in an epic upcoming blockbuster. One said he’d had a fight with his new agent. Another reported that he and his ex had been spotted arguing at a party and one or both had been inebriated.

      Honestly, Beau Elliott was a complication she didn’t want to get tangled with, so whatever happened to send him rushing home was his problem. That didn’t mean, however, that a child should have to suffer for the sins of the parents.

      Once Madelyn was good and asleep, Scarlett put her down in the crib. There was a light tap on the door moments before it eased open.

      Scarlett turned from the sleeping baby to see Beau filling the doorway.

      “Is she asleep again?” he whispered.

      Stepping away from the crib, Scarlett nodded. “Next time you want to have a family fight, take it outside.”

      His eyes darkened. “This isn’t your house,” he stated, taking a step closer to her.

      Scarlett stood at the edge of the bed and crossed her arms. “It isn’t exactly your house, either,” she retorted. “But Madelyn is my job now and I won’t have her disturbed when she’s been fussy and obviously needs sleep. Maybe if you put her needs first—”

      In a second, Beau had closed the gap and was all but leaning over her, so close that she had to hold on to the bedpost to stay upright.

      “Every single thing I do is putting her needs first,” he growled through gritted teeth. “You’ve been here less than two hours, so don’t even presume to know what’s going on.”

      Scarlett placed her hand on his chest to get him to ease back, but the heat from his body warmed her in a way she couldn’t explain...and shouldn’t dwell on.

      She jerked her hand back and glanced away, only to have her eyes land on the pile of lacy panties she’d thrown on her bed when she’d started unpacking earlier.

      There went more of that warmth spreading through her. What were the odds Beau hadn’t noticed?

      She risked glancing back at him, but...nope. He’d noticed all right. His eyes were fixed on her unmentionables.

      Beau cleared his throat and raked a hand over the back of his neck before glancing to where his baby slept peacefully in the crib on the other side of the room.

      When his dark eyes darted back to her, they pinned her in place. “We need to talk.” Then he turned and marched out, likely expecting her to follow.

      Scarlett closed her eyes and pulled in a breath as she attempted to count backward from ten. This was only the first day. She knew there would be some bumps in the road, right?

      She just didn’t expect those bumps to be the chills rushing over her skin from the brief yet toe-curling contact she’d just had with her employer.

      * * *

      Beau ground his molars and clenched his fists at his sides. It had been quite a while since he’d been with a woman and the one currently staying under his roof was driving him absolutely insane...and it wasn’t even lunchtime on her first day of employment.

      Those damn panties. All that lace, satin...strings. Mercy, he couldn’t get the image out of his head. Never once did he think his nanny’s underwear would cause his brain to fry, but here he was with a silent seductress helping to take care of his daughter and he couldn’t focus. Likely she didn’t even have a clue how she was messing with his hormones.

      Scarlett honestly did have Madelyn’s best interest in mind. She was none too happy with him and Colt earlier and he wasn’t too thrilled with the situation, either. Of all the people angry with him for his actions and for being away from home so long, Colt was by far the most furious. Ironic, he thought. He’d figure his own twin would try to have a little compassion.

      Unfortunately, there was so much more contention between them than just the missing years. Coming home at Christmas and thinking things would be magical and easily patched up had been completely naive on his part. But damn it, he’d been hopeful. They’d been the best of friends once, with a twin bond that was stronger than anything he’d ever known.

      Delicate footsteps slid across the hardwood floor, interrupting his thoughts. Beau shored up his mental strength and turned to face Scarlett. Why did she have to look like a walking dream? That curvy body, the dark eyes, her flawless dark skin and black hair that gave the illusion of silk sliding down her back.

      Damn those panties. Now when he saw her he wondered what she wore underneath her clothes. Lace or satin? Pink or yellow?

      “What do you want to talk about?” she asked, making no move to come farther into the living area.

      Beau gestured toward the oversize sectional sofa. “Have a seat.”

      She eyed him for a moment before finally crossing the room and sitting down on the end of the couch. She crossed her ankles and clasped her hands as if she were in some business meeting with a CEO.

      Beau stood next to her. “Relax.”

      “I’d relax more if you weren’t looming over me.”

      Part of him wanted to laugh. Most women would love for him to “loom” over them. Hell, most women would love him under them, as well. Perhaps that’s why he found Scarlett of the silky panties so intriguing. She truly didn’t care that he was an A-list actor with more money than he could ever spend and the power to obtain nearly anything he ever wanted.

      Beau didn’t want to make her uncomfortable and it certainly wasn’t his intention to be a jerk. It pained him to admit it, but he needed her. He was only a few weeks out on his own with Madelyn and he really didn’t want to screw up this full-time parenting job. This would be the most important job he’d ever have.

      “We probably need to set some rules here,” he started.

      Rules like keeping all underwear hidden in a drawer at all times. Oh, and maybe if she could get some long pants and high-neck shirts, that would certainly help. Wouldn’t it?

      Maggie sat straighter. “I work for you, Mr. Elliott. Just tell me the rules you had for Maggie.”

      Beau nearly snorted. Rules for Maggie were simple: help with Madelyn while Beau was out working on the ranch and trying to figure his life out. The rules for Scarlett? They’d go beyond not leaving your lingerie out. He mentally added a few more: stop looking so damn innocent and sexy at the same time, stop with the defiant chin that he wanted to nip at and work his way down.

      But of course he couldn’t voice those rules. He cleared his throat and instead of enumerating his expectations, he took a different approach.

      “I’m a hands-on dad.” He started with that because that was the most important. “Madelyn is my life. I’m only going to be at Pebblebrook for a short time, but while I’m here, I plan on getting back to my roots and helping to get this dude ranch up and running.”

      That is, if his brothers would let him in on realizing their father’s dream. That was still a heated debate, especially since Beau hadn’t been to see Grant Elliott yet.

      His father had been residing in an assisted-living facility for the past few years. The bad blood between them couldn’t be erased just because