The Proposal & Solid Soul (22 page)

C
HANCE STRODE INTO
K
YLIE’S
house, rounded the corner that led from the utility room to the kitchen and stopped dead in his tracks. For the first time in his life, he forgot how to breathe.

Kylie was standing on a stool trying to get something out of a top cabinet. Stretching upward, the sundress she was wearing had raised, showing off a pair of luscious hips and those legs of hers that he admired so much.

His conscience gave him a hard kick. He shouldn’t be standing in the middle of her kitchen ogling her this way. The truth of the matter was that he couldn’t help it. The tantalizing sight of her had captured his attention and wouldn’t let go. Pure, unadulterated hunger filled his gaze, keeping him focused primarily on her. She had a gorgeous body and, with the fantasies playing around in his head, he could just imagine his hands all over it, followed by his mouth.

He inhaled deeply when he felt his body getting hotter by the second. The need to escape back outside suddenly overwhelmed him. He had to get out of there, right now, this very instant, before he went up in flames or—even worse—before he did something outside of his control like cross the room, snatch her off that stool and take her into his arms and kiss her senseless.

K
YLIE WASN’T CERTAIN
if she’d heard a sound behind her or if her own body had alerted her to the fact that Chance was near. Whichever it was, she turned around so fast that she almost slipped off the step stool and had to fight to regain her balance.

Within an instant she was gathered into strong arms, avoiding a possible fall.

“You okay?”

The soft husky words from Chance’s lips that fanned against her temple raised her temperature ten degrees. “Yes, I’m okay. You startled me. I hadn’t heard you come in.”

Instead of offering her any kind of explanation, he simply nodded as he held her body in his strong arms. For the next couple of seconds her mind questioned the sanity of them standing in her kitchen that way. What if the kids walked in?

She panicked at that possibility. “I’m okay, Chance. You can put me down now,” she said, although she knew her voice lacked conviction.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” he asked, his tone deep and rich, and his gaze remaining steadily on hers.

No, Kylie thought. She wasn’t sure. Desire, the likes of which she’d never encountered before, raced through her, igniting her awareness, her attraction and her fire. Her eyes locked with his and at that instant she felt safe and protected in his arms, even with the feel of his body growing hard beneath her, which reminded her of the kiss they had shared Friday at the car wash.

With her teeth she caught the edge of her bottom lip, thinking she was just where she had dreamed of being last night—in his arms. Would it be so terrible if she stayed there just a little longer?

“Where are the kids?” she asked softly, tilting her head back and not breaking eye contact.

“Outside, cooking the rest of the meat.”

“That should take at least five minutes.”

“I’m counting on at least ten,” he said.

She felt him sliding her down his body, lowering her feet to the floor. But he kept his hand at her waist, not intending for her to go anywhere out of touching distance. When she was standing, her legs automatically parted slightly to gain her balance; ironically it was just enough room for him to pull her close and place his thigh between them. She felt him again, the hardness of his erection that was resting between her legs.

“Why didn’t you let me know that you had come inside?” she asked as intense heat shot up her core.

An apologetic smile touched his lips. “I couldn’t have spoken even if I had wanted to, Kylie. Seeing you on that stool like that had me barely breathing. Has anyone ever told you that you’ve got one hell of a nice figure?”

She tried not to be touched by the thought that he liked the way her body looked. “Yes, but it never really mattered.”

“Oh.”

“Until now.”

He bent toward her. “You’re sure?”

“Positive.”

He intended to be certain of that. Moving his hand to the swell of her hips, he gently pulled her closer as he leaned down and slanted his mouth over hers. She tasted sweeter than he remembered and he was helpless to do anything but deepen the kiss. He knew the exact moment she placed her arms around his neck, bringing their bodies closer into a locked embrace.

What he was sharing with her was a degree of passion
he hadn’t shared with any woman in over seven years, and he was desperate for anything and everything she was offering. He suddenly felt it, a primitive need to bind her to him in the most elemental way. But he also knew he wanted more from her than just her body. He wanted her mind and soul, as well.

The sound of their kids’ laughter came through the closed window and they parted quickly, but he didn’t release her. Resting his forehead against hers, he breathed in deeply, seeing the passionate look in her eyes and knowing it mirrored his own.

He motioned his head toward the back door. “You don’t think they’re outside burning our dinner, do you?” he asked, making an attempt at gaining control.

“I hope not,” she replied, trying to breathe again normally.

“I came inside to keep you company. Tiffany suggested it.”

“Did she?”

“Yes. Is that a bad thing?”

“Only if it meant doing so would give her more time alone with Marcus.”

Chance gave her an incredibly sexy smile. “I didn’t think of that. But I guess there’s only so much they can do outside in the open.”

Kylie smiled. “Thank heavens for that.”

“And she happened to mention something to me that she said she hadn’t told you about yet.”

“What?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper, hoping whatever it was would not make her fall dead in a faint. She had asked, and Tiffany, although upset with her for asking, had assured her that she was still a virgin.

Evidently Chance heard the panic in her voice and
an easy smile touched his lips. “Relax, Kylie, that isn’t it. Far from it.”

“Thank goodness for that.”

“I personally don’t think they’ve taken their relationship to that level, which is a good thing. In fact, I’m a little more confused than before by what she said, although it pleases me.”

“Dammit, Chance, don’t keep me hanging,” Kylie said in a near desperate voice. “What did Tiffany tell you?”

“Our kids have decided that although they intend to remain girlfriend and boyfriend, they also intend to further their education by going off to college, after which they’ll return here and then decide their future.”

Kylie blinked. “Are you sure that’s what she said?”

“I’m positive.”

She shook her head. “It doesn’t make sense. Earlier this week she was ranting and raving about how madly in love they were and nothing and no one would ever break them apart.”

“I heard the same thing from Marcus. I guess they sat down and talked about it and in the end decided to take our advice. They were getting too serious way too fast.”

“Whatever made them decide to slow things down, I’m extremely grateful for it. Do you think we still need to lay out the rules we came up with?”

Chance nodded. “They may think this way now but it might be a different story tomorrow. Besides, either way, there’s plenty of trouble they can get into before Marcus actually leaves for school in two years.”

And it was the kind of trouble Kylie was definitely familiar with. She agreed with Chance. It wouldn’t hurt to let the kids know exactly where she and Chance stood
and how they planned on handling the situation of them being a couple.

“Ready to go outside?” he asked.

“Just about. I just need to find that lid for the bowl of potato salad. That’s what I was looking for when you came in.”

“Then let me look for it.”

Kylie watched as he crossed the room and, not needing a stool, reached up and opened the cabinet. He pulled out several lids. “Will one of these work?”

“Yes.”

He placed them on the counter then crossed the room to her. He reached out and caressed his finger against her cheek. “Thanks for the kiss, Kylie. I needed it more than you will ever know.”

He really didn’t have to thank her. She’d needed it just as much as he had, although she wished she hadn’t. “I think we need to get back outside now.”

As much as Chance wanted to stay inside with her, a part of him knew she was right. “All right. Is there anything else you need for me to do before I go?”

A smile touched her lips. “No, but it might be a good idea for you to wipe your mouth. You’re wearing the same shade lipstick I’m wearing.”

“N
OW THAT THE BOTH OF
you are well fed, there’s something Chance and I would like to discuss with you.”

Both Marcus and Tiffany looked up from eating their ice cream. Marcus’s smile faltered somewhat and Tiffany rolled her eyes heavenward. “I knew this day was going too good to last,” she said. “What do you want to talk with us about, Mom?”

“Your relationship.”

“What about it, Ms. Hagan?” Marcus asked her in a respectful tone.

Kylie glanced over at Chance, who nodded for her to continue. “Chance and I talked about the best way to approach the situation, especially since Tiffany isn’t old enough to date yet.”

“But I should be old enough, Mom. The other girls at my school began going out with boys when they were thirteen.”

Kylie frowned. “I’m not going to discuss what the other girls are doing, Tiffany. You’re my concern. And for me it’s not a particular age but a maturity level. I personally don’t think you’re ready to begin dating.”

“If you had your way I would never date!”

“That’s not true. You’re the one who has to prove to me that you’re ready. But Chance and I do understand you and Marcus would like to spend some time together, so we came up with what we feel is a workable solution.”

“And what solution is that?” Marcus asked when Tiffany refused to do so.

It was Chance who responded. “You and Tiffany can date only if the dates are chaperoned.”

Tiffany glanced over at Marcus before looking back at their parents. “You mean that you’ll be coming with us to the movies? Bowling? On picnics?”

“Yes,” Kylie answered. “So what do you think?” She braced herself for her daughter’s tirade.

“I think it’s a wonderful idea,” Tiffany said, smiling.

Kylie blinked. “You do?”

“Yes. Since Marcus and I will be getting married after college, I think it would be good that all four of us
get to know each other.” She smiled at Marcus. “Don’t you agree, Marcus?”

He smiled back at Tiffany. “Right, and in the process we can prove to our parents just how responsible we are.”

Kylie glanced over at Chance knowing he was just as confused as she was. Tiffany and Marcus were beaming. If anything, Kylie and Chance had thought their suggestion would be met with some pretty strong opposition.

“Well, if everyone agrees with our plan then that’s great,” he said.

“So how soon can we go someplace?” Tiffany asked excitedly.

“Where would you like to go?” Chance asked.

“Umm, I’ve never been camping and Marcus said you take him all the time.”

Kylie rolled her eyes. “Tiffany, we’re not talking about a family outing. We’re talking about a date.”

“I don’t have a problem with Tiffany coming along the next time Marcus and I go camping,” Chance said. “Of course that means that you’ll have to come, too, Kylie.”

“Yes, Mom. You’ve never been camping before, either.”

“Yes, but that doesn’t mean we can just invite ourselves on a camping trip, Tiffany.”

“But Mr. Steele invited us.”

“Yes, but only after you—”

“It’s okay, Kylie, honest,” Chance cut in to say. “Marcus and I would love for you and Tiffany to go camping with us. My family owns a cabin in the mountains so we’re really not talking about roughing it too much. The cabin has two bedrooms, so you and Tiffany can take one and Marcus and I can take the other.”

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” Kylie said as her gaze moved from one person to the next. “When Chance and I thought of supervised activities we didn’t mean anything that involved staying anyplace overnight.”

“Yes, but it would be fun and different, Mom, and you and I have never done anything fun and different.”

Kylie leaned back in her chair. She thought the two of them had done several things that were fun and different. How about that train ride from New York to California a few years ago? And then there was that vacation to Disney World for Tiffany’s twelfth birthday. Had it really been three years ago? Okay, so they hadn’t actually done a lot of fun and different things together on a regular basis. But she really hadn’t had the time since she’d been busy going to school and trying to move up the corporate ladder to provide for her and Tiffany.

“Please, Mom, just this once. Mr. Steele did say it would be okay.”

Kylie glanced over at Chance. “Are you sure you don’t mind?”

He smiled. “No, I don’t mind. In fact I think it’s a wonderful idea.”

Chance’s statement should have had a calming effect on her but it didn’t. She was no longer concerned for Tiffany, but for herself. She didn’t want to think about a weekend spent in a mountain cabin with Chance in such close quarters. With all the heat they could generate, the kids might think something was going on between them when it really wasn’t.

“Well, Mom?”

The enthusiasm she heard in Tiffany’s voice almost made her say yes, but a part of her held back. This was something she needed to really think about.

Instead of answering Tiffany, she looked over at Chance. “Let me think about it some more and I’ll give you my answer within a week.”

W
ITH A SIGH OF RESIGNATION,
Chance walked into his office Monday morning and met his brothers’ inquisitive gazes. He knew why they were there. Marcus had mentioned to them that they’d been invited to Kylie’s for dinner and no doubt they wanted to know how things went. But he wouldn’t make it easy for them. He would pretend that he hadn’t a clue why they graced his office with their presence.

“Good morning. Is there any reason the three of you have taken over my office?” he asked, placing his briefcase down on his desk.

After a few moments, when no one replied, he exhaled a long sigh and said, “I don’t recall us having a meeting this morning. I know I have a meeting with Bas later today, but what’s up with you guys? Is anything wrong?”

Not surprisingly, it was Bas who stepped forward and said, “How about cutting the bull, Chance. You know why we’re here. We want to know how things went yesterday.”

Chance looked at him. “Was there a particular way they were supposed to go?”

“You tell us,” Morgan said, frowning. “You were the one who was all bent out of shape last week when you found that note. Can we assume you blew things out
of proportion and Tiffany Hagan isn’t the threat to our nephew’s future that you assumed she was?”

Chance leaned back in his chair. A part of him wanted to tell his brothers that Tiffany was no longer a threat but her mother definitely was. But there was no way he could do that and have a moment’s peace from their inquisition. “No, Tiffany’s not a threat and although I’m not going to say I overreacted, I will say that I think Kylie and I have everything under control.”

Donovan quirked an eyebrow. “Kylie?”

“Yes, Kylie Hagan. Tiffany’s mother.”

Donovan smiled. “Oh, yeah, the one who’s such a good-looker.”

A dark scowl suddenly appeared on Chance’s face and he leaned forward. “And how do you know that Kylie is good-looking?”

Donovan was taken aback by the bite in his brother’s tone. “You told us, don’t you remember? In fact, your exact words were, ‘If the daughter looks anything like the mother then I’m in trouble.’”

“Oh.” Too late, Chance recalled having said that. He leaned back in his chair again, ignoring the curious glances his brothers were now giving him.

“You know what, Chance?”

Chance glanced over at Morgan and frowned. “What?”

A smile curved Morgan Steele’s lips. “I hate to tell you this, but I have a feeling that you’ve gotten yourself into some trouble.”

“S
O THERE YOU HAVE IT,
Chance,” Bas was saying after handing him the written report. “I’m glad to say that considering everything, we’re doing well. Although some of our competitors have gotten bruised by the severe
trading conditions of the past few years, we’ve been successful because we’re a company that sets the pace and doesn’t just follow the trend. Still, whether we like it or not, sooner or later we’re going to have to give some thought to the possibility of outsourcing in order to stay competitive. I don’t like it any more than you, but that’s the way things are going now and we need to continue to adapt to change, even change we don’t particularly like.”

Chance tossed the report on his desk. Bas was right. He didn’t like the thought of outsourcing as a means to stay ahead of the game. With the new importance being placed on countries like India and China, for the past year he’d seen huge restructuring taking place in a number of manufacturing and production companies.

As the corporation’s problem solver and troubleshooter, Bas kept them in the know. He was an expert at tackling the company’s complex problems. So far the Steele Corporation was not unionized because, during the twenty-five years of its existence, the employees had always been pleased with the fair treatment they’d received. Their salaries were more than competitive, and the Steele Corporation had a reputation of never having laid off an employee, even during some of the company’s rough times.

However, according to Bas, there was talk in the production area that the Steele Corporation would be outsourcing to a foreign country.

“I’m still not ready to go that route, Bas. Our employees are loyal and we owe them for all the hard work they do. Our people are the reason this company is successful, not the products we produce and deliver. What we’re going to have to do is to continue to focus on developing our employees and executing those manufacturing
strategies that integrate people, processes and technologies to assure us tangible results. Until that stops happening, I refuse to entertain the thought of outsourcing to another country.”

Bas smiled. “I fully agree with you. So what do we do about those rumors that we’re headed that way the first of the year?”

“Before I leave for Dallas next week, how about setting up a meeting between me and the production department heads? I want to make sure they’re delivering the same message to our employees. There’s evidently a communication breakdown somewhere. And make sure you include Vanessa. She will be back in the office then,” Chance said of his cousin Vanessa Steele who headed the PR Department and was presently vacationing in Europe.

“All right. Consider it done.”

Chance studied his brother as Bas placed the items back into his briefcase. Bas was a hard worker—too dedicated at times since he lived, ate and breathed the Steele Corporation. That would make one wonder when he had time for a social life, which he evidently had since he was engaged to be married. “Seems to me that you need to chill more than I do, Bas.”

Bas glanced up and his lips curved into a lethal half smile. “I beg to differ, Chance. You’re the one who’s tackling woman troubles. I’m not.”

“It’s hard to believe Cassandra is that understanding.”

Bas shrugged. “Frankly, she’s not but she knows how far to take her complaints.”

A frown pulled at Chance’s lips. Not for the first time he wondered what had possessed his brother to become engaged to Cassandra Tisdale, a staunch member of
Charlotte’s elite social group. Cassandra and Bas were as different as day and night. The woman was so incredibly self-absorbed, it boggled Chance’s mind that Bas had even given her the time of day, let alone become engaged to her. She had a tendency to think she was the most important thing that existed in this universe. And while she was shining and polished, it was known that Bas was more than a little rough around the edges and had a few tarnished spots on his reputation from a few years back. But Cassandra was determined to do something nobody had ever been able to do—make Sebastian Steele sparkle.

Chance and his two brothers wondered how in the hell she planned to accomplish such a feat. If nothing else, they would give her an A for trying. They knew, even if she didn’t, that it would be a wasted effort. The woman who would eventually capture Bas’s heart would be the one who accepted him as he was, and not try to make him into something that he wasn’t.

“Dinner is at six tonight, if anyone is interested,” Chance decided to say, since his brothers had a tendency to drop by for a meal unannounced.

Bas chuckled. “I’ll pass the word on to Morgan and Donovan.”

“What about you?”

“I’m invited to dinner at the Tisdales’. My guess is that Cassandra’s mother will try to get me to finally commit to a June wedding.”

Chance nodded. That was eight months away. “Will you?”

“There’s no reason for me not to, I suppose. Being engaged for almost six months is long enough, don’t you think? See you later.”

When the door closed behind Bas, Chance stood and
walked over to the window and looked out. Deciding to rid Bas and his issues from his mind, he turned his thoughts to his own problem.

Kylie Hagan.

He couldn’t help wondering whether she’d made a decision about the camping trip yet. Several times that day he’d been tempted to call her but had changed his mind.

He felt excited at the prospect of having her at the cabin for an entire weekend, even with the knowledge that their kids would be around to keep them company. It would be hard to keep his attraction to her at bay, but he would.

He figured the reason she was hesitating was because the thought of them spending the night under the same roof bothered her. She was well aware that the kids would have to go to sleep eventually, and when they did, it would be parents’ time.

She was fighting the chemistry between them. He knew that just as he knew it was a fight she wouldn’t win. But he would let her try, up to a certain point. He’d give her until the end of the week and if he didn’t hear from her by then, he would take some necessary action.

“S
O, HAVE YOU DECIDED
whether or not you and Tiffy are going camping with Chance Steele and his son?”

Kylie glanced up from the meal she and Lena were sharing during their weekly lunch date at a popular restaurant in town. “Who told you about that?” she asked.

Lena smiled. “Who else? My goddaughter, of course. She’s all excited at the thought of going camping.”

Kylie rolled her eyes. “I’m beginning to wonder if
it’s the camping trip that has her excited or the thought of being around Marcus an entire weekend. If it’s the latter then she might as well get unexcited because if I do decide to go, I’ll have my eyes on her and Marcus the entire time. Any time they spend together will definitely be supervised.”

Lena couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at her lips. “So you think she has an ulterior motive for wanting to go?”

“Hey, remember I was young and in love once, and when you are their age, you look for every opportunity to be together, whether you’re under your parents’ watchful eyes or not.”

“Yes, that could very well be, but at some point you’re going to have to start trusting her, Kylie. You can’t continue to judge Tiffy by the way you behaved with Sam. The more you do, the more she’s going to resent it.”

There was anguish in Kylie’s eyes and a wee hint of guilt. “It’s so hard being a parent these days, Lena. You want the best for your kids and you go on the premise that experience is the best teacher, but then you’re faced with the question of how you can be there to protect them without suffocating them.”

Lena nodded, clearly understanding. “I think for you it’s more difficult because Tiffy is all you have. Over the years she has become your life. Have you given thought to becoming involved in other things?”

“Other things like what? I have a florist shop to run, Lena. It’s not like I don’t have anything else to do with my time.”

“Yes, but only when Tiffy is at school. Other than that you’re a full-time mother who really doesn’t have a life other than her child.”

Kylie knew where this conversation was leading since
they had been down this road several times. It was the one topic she and Lena didn’t agree on. Lena felt it was a crying shame that she didn’t have a man in her life and hadn’t had one since high school.

Her thoughts shifted to Chance Steele and how much she had enjoyed his company on Sunday. It had felt strange sharing her time with anyone other than Tiffany, but she had to admit it had felt good, too. Too good. After they’d eaten they’d played a game of volleyball, the young against what Marcus and Tiffany had considered as “the old.”

Kylie had been surprised at how much energy Chance had. The kids had been surprised, too, and she and Chance had won the game, showing Tiffany and Marcus that age was nothing but a number. Afterward, they had eaten ice cream and the cake she had baked.

As much as she had enjoyed Chance’s company, she knew it was out of the question for something to develop between them. There was no way she would start depending on him or any other man for her happiness. She had done so once and refused to go that route again.

“I don’t want a man in my life, Lena, at least not now,” she decided to say. “Maybe when Tiffany leaves for college I’ll feel differently and I’ll get involved with someone, but I’m not interested now.” She then turned her attention back to her meal.

“Okay,” Lena said, placing her glass of iced tea aside. “Tell me about Chance Steele.”

Kylie looked up again, giving her friend an uncomfortable stare. “What do you want me to tell you about Chance that you don’t already know?”

“Well, Tiffy couldn’t stop singing his praises when I picked her up from school yesterday. He definitely made
a positive impression on her. She thought he was cool and fun to be around.”

Kylie smiled. “She’s right. He was a lot of fun.”

She quickly resumed eating her meal, afraid that Lena might see all the lust that filled her eyes. The last thing she wanted was to tell Lena that Chance was the cause of her surging hormones lately. Which was exactly why she didn’t think going on a camping trip with him, Marcus and Tiffany was a good idea. The longings he stirred within her could be relentless at times, and it took all the will power she could muster to hold on to her sanity. Her needy libido and her out-of-control hormones confined in a cabin for the weekend with Chance Steele were way too much to ignore. Especially when she’d have to stay focused on Marcus and Tiffany.

“Chance is not a bad catch you know, Kylie. He’s good-looking, wealthy, intelligent and generous to a fault.”

Kylie glanced up. “Umm, sounds like someone you should be interested in, then.”

A sad smile tugged at Lena’s lips. “You know the story of my life. Because of Mom’s failing health, the two of us are a package deal and not too many men want that. At least none I’ve met so far. The moment I mention that I’m my mother’s caretaker, they conveniently drop out of the picture. However, I do believe Chance would be different, but he and I never connected that way. I can only see him as a friend and nothing more.”

Unfortunately, Kylie could see Chance as a lot more than a friend but she blatantly refused to go there. But right now, at that moment, her main concern was not the issue of her and Chance. It was Lena. She silently
searched her mind for something to say that would ease the raw pain she’d heard in her best friend’s words.

Propping her chin in her hand, she gave Lena a serious smile. “There’s a man out there for you, Lena, who will be more than happy to take you and whatever and whoever comes along with you. I’ve always known that if I got interested in someone, that person would have to love Tiffany as much as he loved me. For some men it’s easy to accept a package deal. For others it’s not. And those who can’t are the ones that women like us do better leaving alone.”