The Fearless Groom (Texas Titan Romances) Read online

  Her eyes narrowed, and she looked down at the exquisite raspberry cheesecake in front of her. She’d only taken a couple of bites before the bidding on Xavier had started. There was little hope of finishing it now. Her father had matched the five hundred grand. That innocent little girl part of her that used to idolize her daddy, before he’d grown cold and awkward with her and then she found out what a cheating louse he was, wondered if he was trying to show that he cared about her, about the children she’d dedicated her life to.

  The grown-up woman knew better. There was an angle here. It might even just be a publicity stunt. She could see it now, “Owner donates exorbitant amount to Dallas Children’s Hospital because he adores his daughter.”

  She didn’t think that was it. The Triple Threat gave her father plenty of publicity. What was his angle? She didn’t want it to come out. It would just be another reason to hate him.

  Loud cheering broke out, and she snapped out of her reverie. The bidding on Kade Kincaid must’ve just ended. He was teasing with America and beaming for the crowd. Malcolm made a few jokes and some kind of thank you speech that America echoed. Then, thankfully, the event was over.

  Izzy started to stand. The young man on her right, who had been trying to keep her attention all evening, pulled out her chair. She thanked him. Robert, that was it. He was a medical student at TCU and the grandson of some U.S. senator she couldn’t name right now.

  “I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation tonight,” Robert said. “Could I bother you for your number and take you to dinner sometime?”

  “Oh, I …” He seemed like a decent young man and it’d been fun to reminisce about medical school, but she wasn’t really interested.

  “The lady is only going to dinner with one man.” The deep voice came from right behind her.

  She whirled and found herself face to neck with Xavier. “Now, you hold on a minute,” she protested, leaning back to glare at him.

  “You bought me sweetheart. Don’t go trying to backpedal now.” He nodded to Robert, who suddenly looked like a little kid. “If you’ll excuse us.” Xavier placed his large hand on the small of her back and directed her away from the table, leaving all the people staring at them.

  “Goodnight,” Izzy murmured, trying to maintain some decorum. She allowed Xavier to escort her out of the ballroom and down the hall, but when he tried to steer her into a small corridor with the obvious intention of finding some privacy, she halted. “Now you see here. I am not one of your little hotties.” Where were her stinking bodyguards when she needed them? Probably under instruction from her father to let Xavier Newton have any time alone with her he wanted.

  “I think you’re plenty hot.” His eyes roved over her before he smirked and arched an eyebrow. “You’re the one who bought me lock, stock, and barrel.” He took a step closer, and she backed into the wall. Resting his arm next to her head, he leaned close. Dang if he didn’t smell divine. “What are you going to do with me now?”

  She pushed at his chest, but he wasn’t going anywhere unless he wanted to. “I only bought you for the hospital.”

  “Yeah, I figured that, with Daddy’s money.” He lifted his free hand and trailed it down her cheek.

  Izzy lost all rational thought. Her blood felt like it was boiling, and she couldn’t concentrate on anything but his closeness and the feel of his fingers on the sensitive skin of her face.

  “Now, what I’m trying to figure out”—his voice went low and gravelly, and he leaned dangerously close—“is if you bought me because of Daddy, or if you’ve got some secret desires of your own.”

  That snapped her back to reality. He didn’t know how close to the truth he was on both points. Izzy ducked under his arm and stepped a respectable distance away. “Everything I did was for the children, but I can’t say the same for you.” She gave her hair a saucy flip. “You can just forget about the date mister because I have no desire to be alone with the likes of you.”

  Xavier straightened away from the wall and took a step closer again. Izzy held her ground, refusing to back away and show him she couldn’t handle his closeness, his smell, or the predatory gleam in his eyes. She could see why he was labeled a playboy, and she had no desire to give into him, but my, oh my, it was tempting. She had a lot of sympathy for every woman who fell under his power.

  “You owe me a date, Miss Knight. I’ll pick you up Saturday morning at nine. Wear something you can get dirty in.” His dimples deepened.

  “I … owe you?” She pointed at herself then at him. “I’m the one that paid for the date, and I get to decide what we do, and if we even go at all.”

  “I don’t think so.” He took another blasted step, and his body was overshadowing and overpowering her. She glared at him and refused to back up one inch. “We both know your daddy paid for this date, and I’m not letting you weasel out of it now. I could’ve had a perfectly nice date with Grandma in there or the plastic blonde.”

  Izzy had to smile at that.

  “You owe me, and I’ll see you Saturday.” He gave her a smug look and then brushed by her, the quick touch of his body sending shock waves through hers.

  Izzy hurried out into the main hall and watched him go. He stormed to the front door, bumping into Ace Sanchez on his way. They spoke quickly. Ace looked back in her direction before walking with Xavier out the tall double doors. Izzy imagined they’d make quite the sensation, two of the three most eligible and good-looking bachelors in the city.

  She sagged against the wall, placing a hand to her heart. Had that really just happened? With Xavier Newton? She didn’t know if she liked him or not. Her body certainly reacted to him, but that didn’t mean anything. He had been cute with her before the bidding, but after, it was obvious he was trying to intimidate and upset her. He must’ve been mad when he found out who she was. There was nothing for it but to get through Saturday. She didn’t want her dad to rescind the funds he’d offered to her hospital—a million dollars. She did a little dance just thinking about that. No matter what Saturday brought, tonight had been more than worth it. Now, if only she could get the smell of Xavier’s cologne out of her head.

  She was safely back in the car her father had sent for the night when her phone rang. She pushed out a frustrated breath. Think of the devil, and he shall call.

  “Hello?” she said tartly.

  “Hi, sweetheart. How did the dinner and auction go?”

  He’d always called her sweetheart. Even in those years after her mother died when he’d shrunk away from her like she caused him physical pain, whenever he addressed her it was sweetheart. As a teenager she’d fire back that she’d never be his sweetheart. As she’d grown into adulthood, she let it slide. If he wanted to pretend they had a relationship for publicity’s sake, she really didn’t care.

  “Fine. Thank you for your generous contributions.” It was stiff, but at least she’d said it.

  “Of course. I’m right proud of you, sweetheart, and all you do for the children.”

  “Thank you,” she muttered again.

  “Everything went well with Xavier?”

  Xavier. Her heart thumped against her chest. She couldn’t tell if things had gone well or to pot. It didn’t matter. She’d done her part, and her father had been more than generous with funds for her hospital. Again, all she had to do was get through Saturday. “Fine. We’re going out Saturday.”

  “Oh, good. Have a great time, sweetheart.”

  What did he care if she spent time with Xavier or enjoyed it? She heard a scuffle. Then her stepmom’s voice came on the line. “Oh, my love, isn’t Xavier Newton the cutest thing you’ve ever seen?” Dolly squealed. “Mercy me, those dimples!”

  Izzy couldn’t help but smile, imagining Dolly’s hand going over her generous bosom. Izzy had tried through the years to hate her stepmom and half-sister for all that they represented of her father cheating, but it wasn’t possible. Dolly and Hailey were the most genuine and loving blonde bombshells she’d ever met in her l
ife. Her stepmom truly looked like Dolly Parton and took great pride in it and she loved Izzy, her dad, and Hailey so much it sparkled out of her. How did someone resist pure love?

  “I don’t know if I’d say cute,” Izzy said, “but he’s definitely easy on the eyes.”

  “He’s a stu-ud. Oh, you’re going to have so much fun on this date. I told your daddy—”

  There was another scuffle for the phone. It happened any time these two called, and it was kind of endearing. Well, on Dolly’s part, it was.

  “Dolly was just telling me how she hopes you’ll enjoy yourself because you work too hard.”

  Izzy couldn’t help but bristle. She worked hard because she loved the children and because she’d cut herself off from him. She took a calming breath. The choice to cut herself off had been hers. There had been many anonymous donations to her checking and savings accounts throughout her college years. She always donated them to charity. At least he did try, in his own twisted way.

  The car pulled up to her condo gate. “I’ve got to go. Give Dolly my love.”

  “I will. Love you, sweetheart.”

  Izzy hung up. Yes, she had to give him credit for trying, but mistakes like his weren’t easily forgiven.

  4

  Izzy finished her rounds Friday evening after nine, but she wanted to say goodnight to her little buddy, Jake, before leaving. He had cardiomyopathy, a progressive weakening of the heart muscle, that had grown worse until the point where he needed a donor. She prayed with him every night for a donor to be found. His parents were great but had three older children, and it made it hard for them to be there as much as they liked.

  She reached for the door, but a hand on her arm stopped her. She glanced up at one of the oncologists, Dr. Murphy. She’d worked rotations with him a few times, but he made her a little uncomfortable. Most of the other single nurses thought he looked like a model with his bright blue eyes, tan skin, and blond hair, but she wasn’t drawn to him. For some reason, she thought about her date with Xavier tomorrow, and her insides pitched with excitement.

  “I noticed you just finished your rounds,” Dr. Murphy said.

  Her skin crawled. Why would he be tracking her like that?

  “I’d love to take you out.” He licked his lips. “Do you like steak?”

  “I’m sorry. It’s not going to work for me.”

  His eyes narrowed. The sparkly blue the women raved about seemed pretty dull to her. “I didn’t mention a day yet.”

  “None of them work for me.” She reached for the door handle again. “If you’ll excuse me.”

  “It’s all over the internet that you bought a date with Xavier Newton for a million dollars. Pretty high price for a male escort.”

  Izzy jerked farther away from him. “My father donated a million dollars to help the children in this hospital and to help their parents pay for over-priced slimeball doctors like you.”

  “Xavier Newton doesn’t want an ice queen who thinks she’s better than any man. He’ll spit you back out so quick your head will spin.”

  “Xavier Newton doesn’t stand a chance with me. Maybe the two of you should get together. You have something in common.”

  With that, she flung the door open and hurried in. She took a quick breath to calm herself, inhaling antiseptic and stale air.

  Jake had a wide smile for her like always. Izzy walked to his bed and gave him a hug, avoiding his oxygen and IV tubes. “How was your day?”

  “Boring. The homework specialist came.” He wrinkled his nose. At seven, he wasn’t picking up on reading yet, and it was torturous for him. At least he liked math. “Can we play a game of Ripple after you pray for me?”

  “Sure.” Her heart felt heavy though. She didn’t feel worthy of prayer with how mean she’d just been to Dr. Murphy. Surely, he had a heart. It just hurt to hear that the doctors and male nurses were still calling her an ice queen or saying she had ice in her veins behind her back. She much preferred Xavier calling her princess. “Would you mind offering the prayer tonight?”

  “If you’ll play until one of us scores a hundred.”

  “Deal.”

  They clasped hands, and he started praying. This was why she had chosen her profession. Jerks like Dr. Murphy and flirts like Xavier Newton couldn’t touch her when she was with the children.

  5

  Xavier had spent the past day and a half trying not to think about Izzy, but unfortunately, his brain was consumed with the memory of the spicy way she’d responded to him, the fluid way she moved on those heels, and the way it had felt when he touched her and got close enough to pick up her sweet gardenia scent. It didn’t help that he was in his off-season and wasn’t as busy as usual. He was spending his time running, biking, swimming, lifting weights, and dealing with all the paperwork from sponsors, his agent, and the charities his mama had spearheaded. He and Mama were leaving tomorrow for Monterrey, Mexico to spend time in one of the orphanages they funded. It would be good to get away and not think about Izzy or contract negotiations.

  Though thinking about Izzy did give him a break from worrying about whether he should accept the offer from the Denver Storm or not. He’d love to play with Cameron Cruz and Hyde Metcalf and live close to his mama and watch out for Marcos, but he, Ace, and Kade had become as close as brothers. How could he bail out on them like that?

  This morning, he’d woken up early and run ten miles to ease the jitters. He shouldn’t be nervous about this date. He’d dated models, actresses, and wealthy socialites. Isabella Knight was no different. Yet as he showered then threw on a blue Henley and gray golf-type shorts, he knew that Izzy was definitely different. He carefully gelled his hair and trimmed his perfect five-o’clock shadow. It was silly, but when you heard thousands of times how your perfect facial hair and dimples made women insane, you made sure they looked good when you were going on a date with your dream woman. He scoffed. Definitely not his dream woman. The owner’s daughter. A liar who’d pretended she was just a nurse. Was she even a nurse? Who knew? He ripped his phone out of his pocket and googled Isabella Knight, staring far too long at her beautiful face. Her mother must’ve been one of the most beautiful women in the world because her father definitely wasn’t very attractive. He looked like he’d gone through so much stress in his life that the worry lines were permanently carved into his skin. There was a commanding presence about the man, and most people seemed to love him, but Xavier wondered what he’d been through to have his face look that haggard.

  Xavier blew out a breath. It wasn’t like him to be judgmental, coming from nothing and being raised by a mama who was as generous as she was strict. For some reason, Mr. Knight rubbed him the wrong way, especially when they met last. He had insisted that Xavier wouldn’t consider leaving Dallas for Denver, as if Xavier had no brain in his head to make a decision and Denver was a slum or something. Okay, downtown Denver where Xavier had been raised was pretty sketchy but so was downtown Dallas.

  He glanced around his five thousand-square-foot home in the uppity area The Reserve. It was a sprawling open floor plan with two stories and massive windows and skylights bringing in all the Texas sun he could handle. He’d actually bought it because Kade insisted they all be neighbors and had gotten them in when the neighborhood was being developed. Xavier loved it here. His one-acre, wooded lot gave him shade from the heat and the ability to keep his blinds open and enjoy the outside. The decorator had done a good job making the home similar to a beach house with seafoam walls that contrasted well with the deep distressed cherry wood cabinets and trim. It was manly, yet beautiful. If only he could get his mama to move here, and in an ideal world bring Marcos and his mother with her, life would be just about perfect. Yet his mama felt her place was helping out in the old neighborhood. At least, he’d been able to fix up and build onto her home, expand her yard, and stock her bank account with plenty of money so she could spend it doing good.

  Heading for the garage, he debated only a few seconds before jumping in the
black Land Rover instead of the silver Bugatti Veyron. He doubted Princess Izzy, as he’d taken to calling her in his head, would much enjoy the day he had planned, but he was going to have a lot of fun with it.

  The P.R. department from the team had been great to give him Izzy’s address. He wondered if she’d stand him up. She probably didn’t even know he had her address and phone number. He should text her, but it was going to be perfect showing up at her condo unexpectedly. He could hardly wait to see her beautiful face, no, he meant the surprise on her face.

  Izzy paced around the small living area of her condo. It was five minutes to nine, and she debated between barricading herself in her bedroom and running outside to see if Xavier was coming. He hadn’t asked for her address or phone number so maybe he had just thought it was funny to claim he was coming and then stand her up. She wouldn’t put much past him the way he had teased her. Her cheeks burned remembering how attracted she’d been to him when he leaned in close. Everything he’d said and done showed he was the outrageous flirt the media made him out to be, but Izzy had been pulled in by his spell like any other woman would be. Those eyes and dimples. Lord have mercy.

  A loud rap assaulted the front door. Izzy jumped, placing a hand to her heart. She glanced down at her tank top and cargo shorts. He’d said something she could get dirty in. Swallowing hard, she crossed to the door and swung it wide. Xavier filled up the door frame with all of his deliciousness. Dressed in a blue Henley shirt and gray shorts, he looked as good as he had in his suit. His eyes perused her, and when he smiled, she had to hold her heart again. Darn those dimples.

  “You look like you’re ready to get dirty,” he said instead of hello.

  “Such a compliment.”

  “It is.” He placed a hand on the door frame and leaned closer. He’d perfected that move for sure. “I didn’t know if Princess Izzy had ever had dirt under her nails.”