Kissing Mr. Right (8 page)

She nodded. “It’s better that way.”

He walked forward and unhooked the latch on the gate, holding it open for her to pass through. “Whatever you say, Princess.”

She muttered something as she marched by him. Ty figured it was better he didn’t hear her. He swung the gate closed and followed her up the path, content to let his gaze wander between the natural scenery and the sway of Kendall’s hips as she maneuvered around rocks and ditches along the path. It should be a crime for jeans to shape a woman so perfectly. Twice he got so distracted he almost walked off the path.

She stopped at the edge of a small stream that cut through the underbrush. Shielding her eyes from the sun, she looked around and then turned to him. “Is there a bridge or a log we can use to cross?”

He glanced at the brilliantly white gym shoes she wore and grinned. “I take it those aren’t waterproof.”

She shook her head.

“I can’t believe you don’t own hiking boots.”

“I do. I’m just not wearing them today. Don’t ask.” She inched toward the water’s edge until her toes almost touched the rippling current and bent forward to examine the stream. “It doesn’t look that deep,” she said, straightening. “My feet won’t get too wet.”

Before she could test her theory, Ty strode forward. Placing one arm across her back and the other behind her knees, he scooped her into his arms. Her light scent curled into his nostrils, mixing with the smell of the mountain air. He felt the warmth of her body beneath her jacket and the delicious pressure of her rounded hip pressing into his lower abdomen.

A wisp of her hair tickled his chin as she turned toward him, their faces only inches apart. He watched her mouth open in protest and wanted nothing more than to kiss whatever objection she came up with off her lips. But she said nothing. Instead she bit down into the soft fullness.

His knees almost buckled.

He gritted his teeth and walked through the shallow stream, thankful when the freezing water splashed against his legs. Holding her, even for practical reasons, made him so hot he wouldn’t have been surprised to see steam rise from his body.

What the hell was the matter with him? He didn’t get this worked up about anything, let alone women.

When they were on the path again, he dropped her to her feet. She opened her mouth to speak, but he cut her off with a wave of his hand. “Don’t lecture me on professional behavior. You’d have a hell of a time trekking up this mountain with wet feet.”

“I wasn’t going to lecture. I was going to say thank you.” She flashed him a smile and continued up the trail.

Ty stood on the bank of the stream for several moments, willing his body and mind to relax. Kendall stopped walking where the trail curved, her full attention on the charred evergreen near the path.

“It’s so depressing,” she whispered as she stepped forward to run her fingertips along the trunk. “I haven’t been up here since right after the fires. It seemed surreal then. Now the forest looks sad.”

He glanced at the sky through a canopy of scorched branches. “It’s the natural order of things.”

“How can you say that?” she asked. “The fire destroyed thousands of acres of forest and started from someone’s carelessness.”

“What do you see here?”

She looked at him as if he’d just asked her to take off her clothes and dance a jig. Not a bad idea, actually.

“What do I see?” she repeated. “A forest full of burned, dead trees that should be alive.”

“Look closer.”

She turned her head from side to side. “I don’t know what you’re getting at,” she told him. “Why don’t you spell it out for me?”

He moved forward until he stood directly in front of her. Then he bent and picked up a bright yellow wildflower and a handful of the dirt that it grew from.

“This forest has given us a precious gift,” he told her, reaching forward to place the bloom in her palm. He opened his fingers to let the dirt trickle out. “We get to witness the miracle of nature renewing itself.”

“Yes, I know,” she replied, her tone indulgent. “The fire helps by giving the soil nutrients. I took biology in college.” She shrugged her shoulder in a helpless gesture. “It still seems tragic to me to lose so many trees.”

“It is tragic,” he agreed. “But it’s beautiful, too.” He placed his hands on each of her shoulders and spun her around so that her back was pressed against his chest.

“Let me show you,” he said, lifting his arm until it grazed the side of her cheek. “This hillside was consumed by the fire. Two years ago there was nothing here but blistered earth and blackened trees. It might as well have been the surface of the sun for all that could survive the heat. Now the ground is covered with grasses, flowers, sage, and other scrub bushes.”

He breathed in the scent of her clean hair. “Can’t you see how vital and alive this place is? It may not look like much driving by at fifty miles an hour, but this forest is full of life. It’s a miracle, and we get to watch it.”

Kendall turned in his arms. “You’re right.”

He looked down at her beautiful, upturned face and knew she wanted him to kiss her. He wanted that, too. Wanted to press her tight against him and lower her gently to the soft ground.

Instead, he took a deep breath. “This section of forest is like a lot of things in life,” he murmured, his lips almost touching hers. “At first glance, not that remarkable. The question is, are you willing to look beyond the surface and see the value of what’s underneath?”

Kendall stared up at Ty, wishing and waiting for his mouth to brush against hers. She heard his words but didn’t register their meaning until he took a step back. Cool mountain air rushed into the gap between their bodies, washing over her like a bucket of ice water.

“The ball’s in your court, Princess,” he said, tracing one finger along the seam of her lips. “Let me know what you decide.” He gave her a crooked smile and headed up the path toward the top of the mountain.

Kendall stared at his retreating back. It was a fantastic view, his broad shoulders strong and his gait easy as he kicked loose rocks from the trail. It was hard to believe she’d been kissing him as if her life depended on it only a few nights ago.

He’d offered her casual and that’s what she wanted. But she was learning there was more to Ty Bishop than she’d first expected and that made it difficult to keep her feelings out of the equation.

She kicked her foot against the trunk of a fallen tree. Wincing, she cursed the sooty smudge on the toe of her new shoe instead of her own weakness. Emotions were not part of the plan.

As she followed him up the trail, Kendall admitted that she was angrier with herself than him. She knew better than to let him become a distraction. It was the same reason she’d given to him last week when she’d turned down his offer for a date.

When she got closer, she saw Ty gathering soil samples from different parts of the hillside. He spoke about the rejuvenation efforts for this section of the forest, and she was soon caught up in his words. He had a gift for blending technical facts with personal observations to weave a compelling narrative. He would make an excellent teacher. She wondered again why he wasn’t putting his prestigious degree to better use than planting trees in suburban lawns.

It was best he hadn’t kissed her today. If she didn’t have the willpower to resist him, at least he had enough for both of them.

Now she could focus on the story, which was what she wanted. She tried not to notice the way his hair curled in the morning breeze, how his long legs ate up the length of trail, the reverence in his tone as he spoke about the mountains. She tried to keep her mind focused on the business at hand.

It wasn’t easy.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Steve caught up with them soon after they reached the top. Kendall turned on the microphone he’d packed along with the other remote location equipment. With Steve shooting from behind her shoulder, she asked Ty to explain the rejuvenation work to the viewing public. The three of them spent another hour on the mountain and then hiked back down to the van. Ty remained cordial but aloof. It was what she wanted, so why did it disappoint her so much?

When Steve parked the van behind the Channel 8 building, she and Ty climbed out simultaneously. They stood in awkward silence until the cameraman joined them.

“I’ll put the footage from this morning together and e-mail it to you,” Steve told Kendall. “Are we still on for tomorrow?”

She nodded. “I have appointments scheduled with two families who lost their homes in the fire.” She felt Ty’s questioning gaze and turned to him. “Do you know about the potential land development deal for the valley? We’re going to talk with some of locals and get their views on it.”

Ty stiffened and she noticed his hands clench at his sides. “A land deal?” His voice was hard.

“Do you think that’s a problem?”

“Not necessarily,” he said but glanced at his watch instead of looking at her. “I need to get going.” Turning to Steve, he extended his hand. “Nice to meet you. I’ll let my brother know you remembered him. That kind of stuff makes his day.”

The cameraman shook Ty’s hand. “Thanks for the tour. I’m not a nature buff, but you make it almost interesting.”

One side of Ty’s mouth inched up slightly. “That’s what I’m here for.” He shifted his gaze to Kendall. “I haven’t heard anything about the land deal from my contacts in the area, but I’ll do some digging. Let me know what else you need from me.”

She tried to gauge if he was hiding something, but his eyes gave away nothing. “I’ll walk you to your truck,” she said. “Steve, I’ll see you inside.”

“Sure thing,” the cameraman replied, and he began unloading equipment from the van.

Ty led the way around the side of the building to the front lot. He stopped next to a truck that was newer and nicer than the one she’d crashed into last week.

She wanted to say something that would bridge the distance between them but didn’t know how to make it better without giving him the wrong impression. Which could also be considered the right one, depending on whether she listened to her brain or her body.

“Thank you for your time today,” she said, hoping he would use his natural charm to ease the strain.

“Sure.”

So much for that natural charm.

“I’ll give you a call next week,” she said. “I’d like to get some footage of the volunteer teams working. And maybe something on what’s being done in other areas of the forest to prevent future fires from getting out of control. Would you be available for a couple more trips into the foothills?” She smiled tentatively. “I’ll wear my hiking boots next time so you don’t have to strain your back.”

“No big deal,” he replied, not returning her smile. His tone was so cool it made her wince. He reached into the pocket of his fleece vest and pulled out a set of car keys. “I’ll talk to you next week.”

She watched him unlock the door of the truck and climb in. “Ty?”

He angled his head around the side of the truck’s cab to look at her.

Staring into those penetrating blue eyes, she had no idea what to say. Her emotions were so jumbled she couldn’t keep them straight in her head, let alone make sense of them in the middle of a parking lot. “Thanks again,” she said with another try at a smile.

He didn’t reply, only lifted one hand in a casual wave. He closed the door and started the engine. Kendall moved to the side as the truck reversed out of the parking lot. Ty didn’t look at her as he drove away.

She stood in the parking lot for several minutes after he disappeared from view. Finally, she shook her head and walked toward the building.

She had a long day ahead of her and a lot of work to do.

The following evening, Kendall shifted nervously in her seat at the downtown Denver restaurant where she was meeting her first date. At seven o’clock on a Wednesday night, the place was half filled. The other customers divided their attention between their own dining companions and the table where she sat near the back of the room. She glanced at Steve, who stood behind her, a camera perched on one beefy shoulder.

“Having second thoughts?” he asked, shifting so the camera lens focused on her.

She nodded. “Third and fourth thoughts, too.” Not to mention the fact that she couldn’t get Ty and the way their morning had ended out of her mind. “Are you taping me?”

He shook his head. “Not yet.”

“I’m freaking out,” she confided. “Is it too late to bolt?”

He patted the top of her head like she was a puppy. “You’ll be fine. If you get any sort of weird vibes from the guy, give me a sign and I’ll knock a drink in his lap or something.”

“You’re the best.” Kendall smiled.

Liz hurried over to the table. “He’s here,” she said excitedly. “You remember which one this is, right? Scott Jenkins, thirty-four, hot shot investment banker.”

Kendall rolled her eyes. “I’ve studied his profile and you’ve been lecturing me on his stats for the past half hour.”

“Are you ready?”

Kendall ran her fingers through her hair. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

Liz tapped her finger twice on the table. “That’s my girl.” She gestured at Steve. “Come with me. I want to get some shots of his entrance and Kendall’s expression when they first meet.”

Kendall jerked to attention. “My expression? How am I supposed to react? Is there something wrong with the guy that I need to know about?” Liz left with Steve following, ignoring her frantic questions.

She folded her hands on the table and tried not to panic. As it turned out, there was no need for worry. The man walking toward her looked just like his picture, down to the tailored suit and matching red tie.

She stood as he approached the table. “Scott? Hi, I’m Kendall. It’s nice to meet you.”

He took her hand and brought it to his lips, smearing a sloppy wet kiss across her knuckles. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Kendall.”

Aware of Steve filming her behind Scott’s back, Kendall kept a bright smile on her face. She pulled her hand from her date’s grasp and gestured to the table. “Have a seat,” she said, wiping her hand on her napkin. It was an effort not to shudder.

As he sat down, it struck her that the last time she’d sat at a table across from a man was during her breakfast with Ty. Right now she needed to stop wishing Ty was with her on this date and start focusing on the man in front of her.

The man whose eyes were currently roaming all over her body. “You’re even better looking in person than on television.”

Kendall couldn’t quite hide her surprise at his blunt remark. “Um, thank you.”

He leaned forward and stared into her eyes. “I mean it,” he told her earnestly. “They say the camera adds ten pounds and you look about perfect on TV so I thought you’d be scrawny in real life.” He winked. “But you’ve got curves where it counts.”

Kendall’s shocked gaze darted to Steve and the camera. He gave her a questioning glance. Almost imperceptibly, she shook her head. “Tell me a little bit about yourself, Scott,” she said, trying to redirect the conversation. “I understand you’re an investment banker.”

He gave her a knowing smile. “That’s always a hit with the ladies. Let’s just say, I’ve got a good-size bulge where a man needs it.”

“Excuse me?” she sputtered, hoping she’d misheard him. If she hadn’t, she’d be going on one blind date instead of two. This one would be left on the cutting room floor. Even when Ty had been flirting with her, he’d been a gentleman about it. That was something she was appreciating more by the second. Once again, she tried
and failed
to stop thinking about Ty.

“In my wallet.” He laughed. “Thanks to my job, I’m never short on cash.” He pointed one finger at her in mock accusation. “You, little lady, need to get your mind out of the gutter. We’ll save that sort of thinking for the end of the evening.”

An end that couldn’t come soon enough. She stared in abject horror at the lounge lizard in banker’s clothing sitting across from her. She’d reviewed the bios of each of the guys she’d be dating for
It’s Raining Men
. Like the other men, Steve had looked perfect on paper, but that didn’t matter when he was such a jerk.

Her mind drifted to Ty once more. She’d tried to ignore the spark she’d felt because he was a complication she couldn’t handle. But she was quickly coming to understand how rare that kind of a connection could be. Did she really want to let him go?

Right now she had to figure out how she was going to make it through this date without strangling Scott Jenkins. She gestured to the waiter hovering near the table. “Could we get a wine list, please?”

Kendall pulled to a stop in front of the cozy brick house nestled in a recently gentrified neighborhood not far from downtown. She rested both hands against the steering wheel and propped her head against them. The digital clock on the dashboard shone brightly against the Jeep’s darkened interior. It was almost ten o’clock.

Had it really only been two and a half hours since her disastrous date with Scott Jenkins began? She couldn’t stand to think any more about that lecherous cheese ball. A cool gust of night air washed over her as she opened the car door and got out. One lone streetlight glowed dimly overhead, illuminating large trees that were just beginning to bud. The night was clear, the street silent but for the hum of cars in the distance.

She walked up the short concrete path that led to the house’s oversized porch. A wooden swing hung from the rafters on one end, while several empty flowerpots huddled in the corner on the other side.

Was this a mistake?
Of course it is,
her rational inner voice advised. She ignored the voice and rang the doorbell before she lost her nerve. Being on the date had made her feel lonely, even in the middle of a crowded restaurant with a camera filming. Her empty condo held no appeal tonight, and of all the places she could go, this was where she wanted to be. The porch light flicked on, bathing her in an iridescent glow.

The door swung open, and Ty peered out at her behind the mesh screen, his usual unreadable expression darkening his striking blue eyes.

“Hi.” She smiled. “I was totally
not
in your neighborhood and decided to stop by.”

A slow grin spread across his face. He pushed open the screen. “Come on in.”

“Sorry it’s so late,” she said as she scooted past him into the entry.

The screen door banged behind her, and she jerked around. Ty stood in the doorway, his gaze still enigmatic. “The kitchen is straight ahead. Would you like something to drink?”

“Sure. Thank you.” She walked forward, studying his home as she went. Shelves overflowed with books in the living room and a small table held a TV and stereo equipment. The furniture was overstuffed and comfortable. Framed prints of black and white landscape scenes hung in a row above the leather sofa.

“How long have you lived here?”

“A few years. I’m kind of remodeling it in stages.”

“The house fits you.”

“Thanks. I think.”

She heard the smile in his voice. “Yeah, it’s a compliment. Don’t let it go to your head.”

He laughed.

The kitchen she stepped into was warm and inviting. Dark cherry cabinets contrasted with the soft yellow walls. It was a room that made her want to sit down and stay a while.

“Did you redo this room yourself?” Kendall asked, sliding her hand over the smooth granite countertops.

Ty walked to the stainless steel refrigerator. “For the most part. I meet a lot of contractors in my line of work so I had some help with the plumbing and electrical. Jenny picked out the yellow,” he said, gesturing to the walls. “She swore it wasn’t too girlie and it’s grown on me. What can I get you to drink?”

“A glass of white would be nice.”

He rooted around in the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle. Silently, he removed a wine glass from one of the upper cabinets and poured. He set it before her and turned back to the refrigerator. Kendall watched the muscles of his legs flex under gray gym shorts as he squatted down to grab a beer bottle from one of the lower shelves.