A Texan For Christmas

Before her surgery, she’d thrown herself into each and every job. Before her surgery, she’d always felt like one unit with the families she worked with.

Before her surgery, she’d had dreams.

The hard knot in her chest never eased. Whether she thought of what she’d lost or was just doing day-to-day things, the ache remained a constant reminder.

Scarlett stepped back into the living area and found Beau standing at the patio doors, his back to her. At least he’d put a T-shirt on. Even so, he filled it out, stretching the material over those chiseled muscles she’d seen firsthand. Clothes or no clothes, the image had been burned into her memory bank and there was no erasing it.

“Madelyn’s asleep,” she stated.

Beau threw her a glance over his shoulder, then turned his attention back to the view of the open field.

Okay. Clearly he wasn’t chatty. Fine by her. He must be a lonely, miserable man. She’d always wondered if celebrities were happy. After all, money certainly couldn’t buy everything. Her stepfather was proof of that. He’d been a state representative for years before moving up to governor. He’d wanted his children—he included her in that mix—to all enter the political arena so they would be seen as a powerhouse family.

Thanks, but no thanks. She preferred a simpler life—or at least one without lies, deceit, fake smiles and cheesy campaign slogans.

“If there’s something you need to go do, I’ll be here,” she told Beau. Not surprisingly, he didn’t answer. Maybe he gave a grunt, but she couldn’t tell if that was a response or just indigestion.

Scarlett turned toward the kitchen to take stock of what type of formula and baby things Madelyn used. Being here a short time, she wanted to make sure the transitions between Maggie and her then back to Maggie went smoothly. Regardless of what Scarlett thought of Beau, Madelyn was the only one here who mattered.

Before Scarlett could step into the kitchen, a knock sounded on the front door.

Beau shifted, his gaze landing on the closed door. He looked like he’d rather run in the opposite direction than face whoever was on the other side. Given that they were on private property, likely the guest was just his family, so what was the issue? Wasn’t that why he’d come home? To be with his family for the holidays?

When he made no attempt to move, Scarlett asked, “Should I get that?”

He gave a curt nod and Scarlett reached for the knob. The second she opened the door, she gasped.

Sweet mercy. There were two of them. Another Beau stood before her, only this one was clean shaven and didn’t have the scowl. But those shoulders and dark eyes were dead on and just as potent to her heart rate.

“Ma’am,” the Beau look-alike said with a drawl and a tip of his black cowboy hat. “I’m Colt Elliott, Beau’s twin. You must be the replacement nanny.”

Another Elliott and a twin. Mercy sakes, this job was not going to be a hardship whatsoever if she had to look at these men each day.

She knew there were four Elliott sons, but wow. Nobody warned her they were clones. Now she wondered if the other two would stop by soon. One could hope.

“Yes,” she said when she realized he was waiting on her to respond to his question. “I’m Scarlett.”

Colt’s dark eyes went from her to Beau. “Is this a bad time?”

Scarlett stepped back. “Not at all. I just got the baby to sleep. I can wait outside while you two talk. It’s a beautiful day.”

She turned and caught Beau’s gaze on her. Did he always have that dramatic, heavy-lidded, movie-star stare? Did he ever turn off the act or was that mysterious, sexy persona natural?

“If you’ll excuse me.” She turned to Colt. “It was a pleasure meeting you.”

“Pleasure was mine, ma’am.”

Somehow Scarlett managed to get out the front door without tripping over her own two feet, because that sexy, low Southern drawl those Elliott boys had was rather knee-weakening.

Once she made it to the porch, she walked to the wooden swing on the end in front of her bedroom window. She sank down onto the seat and let the gentle breeze cool off her heated body. December in Texas wasn’t too hot, wasn’t too cold. In this part of the state, the holiday weather was always perfect. Though the evenings and nights could get chilly.

Good thing there were fireplaces in this cabin. Fireplaces that could lead one to instantly think of romantic talks and shedding of clothes, being wrapped in a blanket in the arms of a strong man.

Scarlett shut her eyes as she rested her feet on the porch and stopped the swaying swing. There would be no romance and no fires...at least not the passionate kind.

Raised voices filtered from inside. Clearly the Elliott twins were not happy with each other. Two sexy-as-hell alphas going at it sounded like every woman’s fantasy, but she couldn’t exactly barge in and interrupt.

Then she heard it. The faint cry from her bedroom, right on the other side of the window from where she sat. Well, damn it.

Scarlett pushed off the swing and jerked open the front door. Hot men or not, powerful men or not, she didn’t take kindly to anyone disturbing a sleeping baby.

As she marched toward her bedroom, she shot a warning glare in the direction of the guys, who were now practically chest to chest. She didn’t have time to worry about their issues, not when Madelyn had barely been asleep twenty minutes.

Scarlett crossed to the crib and gently picked up the sweet girl. After grabbing her fuzzy yellow blanket, Scarlett sank into the nearby rocking chair and patted Madelyn’s bottom to calm her.

Madelyn’s little sniffles and heavy lids were Scarlett’s main focus right now. She eased the chair into a gentle motion with her foot and started humming “You Are My Sunshine.” Madelyn didn’t take long to nestle back into sleep and Scarlett’s heart clenched. She’d just 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?