The Texas Christmas Gift by Cathy Gillen Thacker

undergarments, she circled the bed where Derek lay watching her, a mixture of delight and satisfaction in his gaze. “He’s interested in one designed by Santiago Florres.”
    “The Texas architect who builds homes like ultramodern mazes.”
    “Right.” Spying her tights at last, Eve snatched them off the floor and started putting them on. “My mother has been courting this investor forever. He’s coming to town to look at a property tomorrow. I have to pick him up at Love Field in the afternoon.” Nearly dressed, she stepped into her sheath. “In the morning, I have to meet with Flash Lefleur—”
    Lazily, Derek stood and tugged on his boxer-briefs, still listening to her intently. “The hockey player who was traded to Montreal last summer.”
    The snug-fitting cotton highlighted the sensual contours of his generous physique in a way that made Eve want to undress him all over again. Forcing herself to remain as strong and disciplined as she needed to be, she smiled. “Yes. I listed his condo almost five months ago. But Flash has refused to do the things required to actually sell it. Luckily, he’s going to be in town for tomorrow night’s game, and agreed to meet with me while he’s in Dallas....”
    Trying to keep her mind from veering into forbidden territory, she cleared her throat, then continued. “Because there has been so little interest in the property despite its stellar location, I’m hoping to talk sense into Flash at long last. But I only have a few minutes, after his morning practice wraps up, to do it.” She located her pumps and slipped into them.
    Derek put on his pants and then his shirt, unabashed admiration in his eyes. “If Lefleur’s smart, he’ll listen to you. You know your stuff.”
    Aware that Derek could easily make her forget everything but making love to him again, Eve drew in a jerky breath. She held him off with a roll of her eyes and a look that would have sent a lesser man running for the exit. “Flattery will get you absolutely—”
    “Where I want to go?” With a teasing smile, he pulled her against him. His eyes mirrored everything she felt, and the knowledge was staggering. So tender, so yearning... It would be so easy to fall in love with him.
    Too easy. Eve gulped and did her best to keep her vulnerable heart in check. “The sex was great, Derek.” Pretending to be a lot more casual about all this than she was, she splayed her hands across his hard chest.
    His heart thudded heavily beneath her palms. Ignoring her efforts to keep him at bay, he playfully nuzzled the side of her neck, finding the nerve endings just beneath her ear. He kissed her again, in a way no one else ever had. Or likely ever would.
    Finally, he drew back, his eyes meeting hers. “No argument there,” he said softly. “It was spectacular for me, too.”
    Eve wet her lips. “But I meant what I said about this being a make-love-once-and-we’re-done affair.”
    His grin widened. “I know.”
    She willed her knees to vanquish their trembling. “Then...?”
    His blue eyes twinkled. “Even so, a Texas gentleman never ends an evening without a proper good-night.”
    Eve should have seen the last kiss coming. Should have seen a lot of things coming. Like the fact that, since Derek was the kind of man who went after what he wanted with no holds barred, he wasn’t likely to end their one-and-only encounter without a kiss.
    And not just any kiss, but one that made another chink in the wall around her heart, and nearly drove her to her knees. When he finally lifted his lips, she was a puddle of desire once again.
    * * *
    D EREK WALKED E VE to the door, said a casual goodbye and watched her slip away. He knew she had told him that this was a one-time event. But he didn’t believe that would be the case.
    For starters, she wasn’t the kind of woman who could make love without feelings being involved, even though she had clearly tried her best to do so. Second, even though she didn’t want to