The Proposal & Solid Soul (25 page)

How such a thing was possible he wasn’t sure; especially when the woman had been sending out conflicting signals since the day they met. She was attracted to him, although she was determined to fight that attraction every step of the way. Her independence, while a turn-on, had ironically become a major obstacle to the relationship. That meant he needed to probe deeper and somehow break through her defenses. He also needed to take one day at a time and wipe away the fifteen years of hurt and pain she’d endured and prove that with him there would only be happier days. Even without her realizing she’d been doing so, for the past couple of weeks she had been extracting an unusual type of strength from him.

A strength of will.

He’d been fighting an intense longing, a deep-rooted desire for her since that day he’d walked into her florist
shop. He could now admit that the first time their eyes had connected his heart had slammed into fifth gear. No wonder lunch at the Racetrack Café had seemed fitting as a place for their first date. Even then he’d known that something special was within his grasp.

After Cyndi died he’d actually thought that he could never love another woman again. And even with the few affairs he’d indulged in over the years, he’d never allowed his emotions to go any deeper than affection or desire. Yet here he had fallen hard for a woman whom he had never actually taken out on a real date, had never slept with and had never really spent more than a few hours with at a given time. His brothers would say such a thing was utterly insane. They would call in the shrink to have his head examined, or they would take him out somewhere and beat some sense into him. But then they would one day realize that some things in life were not meant to be understood, just accepted. Today he had accepted the fact that he had fallen in love.

And he knew he had his work cut out for him.

There was more than gentle pride in every bone in Kylie’s body. He knew just from the time he’d spent with her that she could be stubborn, willful and defiant. That was all well and good if she was dealing with any other man than him. But he refused to wait around for her to bolster her courage to take a chance and fall in love again—this time with a man who wouldn’t let her down. He still wouldn’t rush her into doing anything, but he definitely planned to show her how good things could be between them. He planned to jar her emotions, jump-start her heart and make her stare the truth in the face.

There were chances in life worth taking and he was one “Chance” she should definitely take. In high school
he and his brothers had been pegged as guys who were forged of steel. It was time to prove to Kylie that no matter what, he was a man with the endurance to withstand just about anything.

T
HE NEXT DAY AT NOON
Kylie was at the airport waiting for Chance to arrive. As usual, no matter what day of the week it was, Douglas International Airport was busy. People were scurrying to their connecting flights or to their rendezvous with their loved ones.

When Chance’s flight number was announced, she turned and glued her eyes on the gate. Evidently he traveled in first class because it didn’t take long for him to exit the Jetway. He was dressed in an expensive suit, and his stride was long and confident as he passed through the gate. There appeared to be an aura of power and authority surrounding him. Chance Steele was one dynamic, compelling and forceful man.

He looked so dependable, like the kind of man at whose feet a woman could leave her worries knowing he would take care of them and she wouldn’t ever have to carry them on her shoulders again. He also looked like the kind of man who could drive a woman crazy with desire. She could definitely attest to that.

Her breath caught the moment their gazes met and she felt that immediate quiver of anticipation in her middle. He was going to kiss her. Somehow she knew, and heaven help her but she wanted that kiss more than anything.

She watched his long, elegant stride eating the distance separating them. And with each step he made, a delicious heat inched its way through her veins, making her blood hot and leaving her wondering, not for the first time, how this particular man could affect her so. He
was the type of man that fantasies were built on, and who made realities even more poignant. And with every step he took toward her, he was making anticipation that much sweeter.

When he was within five feet of her, she saw the undisguised longing on his face. She could actually feel his desperation. There was a lot she didn’t understand, but at that moment the one thing she did accept was that in less than a minute, now more like a few seconds, she was going to be kissed senseless.

A
LL THE WHILE HE’D BEEN
walking toward Kylie, the one thought that kept churning in Chance’s mind was that she was the woman he wanted and needed in his life.

She was the woman he loved.

Other than his mother, he had never kissed a woman at an airport, but that thought was pushed to the back of his mind when he pulled Kylie into his arms and captured her lips with his. And as their lips engaged in one hell of a lockdown, he wished she could feel all the emotions flowing through him at that very moment.

Knowing he had to get a grip before the kiss really turned raw and primitive, he reluctantly pulled back, but kept his arms around her waist, refusing to let her go anywhere. “Now that was worth coming back to,” he whispered softly.

Kylie struggled for breath and then noted they had become the center of attention. “We’ve caused a scene.”

He smiled. “Yes, but some scenes are worth causing.”

She looked up at him. “Is this what you had in mind when you asked me to pick you up last night?”

He reached out and caressed her cheek. “Not entirely, but it’s definitely a start. Come on, let’s get my luggage so we can get the hell out of here.”

K
YLIE COULDN’T REMEMBER
the last time she had a problem with keeping her eyes on the road while driving. But Chance’s presence in her car was interfering with her concentration and wreaking havoc on her senses.

After claiming his luggage, he had taken her hand as they walked out of the terminal to her parked car. Once he had placed his bags in her trunk, his arms had clamped around her waist, pulled her to him and he’d sunk his mouth down on hers in another kiss. The moment their lips connected, heat had exploded through her and the heavy bulge of his erection pressed to her middle had caused her entire body to ache.

“We’ve got to stop doing this,” she’d said the moment he had released her mouth.

“Why?” he had whispered hotly against her moist lips.

“Because it won’t lead anywhere. It’s a dead-end.”

His gaze had pinned her with a measured look. “And what if I told you that I see things differently?”

“Then my response is that you need a new pair of eyes.”

“I have very good vision, Kylie.” He’d then strolled to the passenger side of her car and got inside.

Bringing her thoughts back to the present, she took another quick glance over at him. He was sprawled in
the seat next to her. His muscular body fit nicely into her Altima, although his broad shoulders took up a lot of space. His legs were long and his seat was pushed as far back as it could go to accommodate his height. His head lay back against the headrest and his eyes were closed.

Evidently the trip had tired him out, but not enough to stop him from engaging in a little mouth exercise with her a couple of times. She had begun thinking of their kisses as TST—taste, stroke and tangle—because each time they kissed he tried a new technique on her mouth that centered around those three basic elements.

“You’re tired,” she decided to say when she came to a traffic light. “Are you sure you want me to take you to the dealership to pick up your truck instead of taking you home? It might be a good idea for you to go to bed.”

He opened his eyes, titled his head and let his gaze fasten on hers. “If you were to take me home and I got into bed, would you get in there with me and keep me company?” he asked, his voice low and sexy.

She inhaled deeply. Although he had phrased the question in a roundabout way, technically he had just hinted at the possibility of her sleeping with him. “No. I’d take you home and put you to bed, but I wouldn’t get in that bed with you.”

He smiled. “Spoilsport.”

She chuckled and turned her attention back to the road when the traffic light changed. “I might be at that, but it seems I’m the one destined to keep us out of trouble.”

“Some trouble I might like,” he murmured in a low voice leaden with exhaustion, before closing his eyes again.

“And what if Marcus had that same attitude?”

“When he gets to my age he’s welcome to it, but while he’s underage, I decide what he likes and doesn’t like. And stop comparing us to our kids, Kylie. Like I told you before, we’re adults. They aren’t.”

“Sorry, I keep forgetting,” she said sarcastically.

“It will behoove you to remember. The next time you forget it will cost you.”

She lifted an eyebrow. “Cost me what?”

“A kiss. Right then and there. Even if it’s in front of those two kids of ours.”

She frowned and took a quick glance at him and saw that his eyes were open and he was staring at her. His expression was serious. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“I wouldn’t count on that if I were you.”

And Kylie was smart enough to know not to. She pulled her car into the dealership, parked it and turned to him. “And just what would doing something like that prove?”

“It would prove that our kids wouldn’t have a problem with anything developing between us.”

“But I’d still have a problem with it. I won’t let any man use me to slake his sexual cravings.”

In a flash Chance snapped the seatbelt off his body and before she could get out her next breath he loomed over her. Blatant anger was carved in his features. “This isn’t about me slaking any sexual cravings, Kylie. But you’re so out of practice with men that you wouldn’t know that, would you? Well, let me tell you something, not about men in general but about this man in particular,” he said pointing to himself. “I won’t ever use you just to slake any sexual cravings, so don’t try making my wanting you as anything sullied or dirty.

“It’s the most natural thing in the world for a man to
desire a woman and vice versa. I won’t apologize for it. When we do make love, Kylie, it will be a mutual thing. You’ll want it as much as I do, so don’t kid yourself into believing otherwise. And when it comes to me there’s something else you need to keep in mind.”

“And what’s that?” she asked softly.

“When there’s something I want, I won’t give up until I get it.”

“W
HEN WE DO MAKE LOVE
, Kylie, it will be a mutual thing. You’ll want it as much as I do, so don’t kid yourself into believing otherwise…”

The words Chance had spoken earlier that day woke Kylie up more than once that night. This time she knew she had to deal with them before trying to go back to sleep.

Taking the pillow from the other side of the bed, she wrapped her arms around it and hugged it to her chest, wondering how in the world one man could be so utterly self-confident, so damn arrogant. The nerve of him making such a statement as if it was a foregone conclusion they’d go to bed together. Well, she had news for him, she thought bitterly.

After this camping trip was over she would put rules into place where their relationship was concerned. The only thing between them would be Marcus and Tiffany. As parents they would have some connection in order to keep their offspring on the right path, but that would be as far as things went. It wouldn’t bother her in the least if she never saw the infuriating man again.

Turning over on her side, Kylie gazed despondently at the digital clock on the nightstand. It was almost midnight, way too late to be having this sort of conversation
with herself. She should be resting peacefully in a sound sleep, but thanks to Chance she was wide-awake.

He had upset her so badly that afternoon that it had been a good ten minutes before she’d been able to pull herself together to drive away from that dealership. And twice during dinner Tiffany had asked her if anything was wrong.

And to think she would be spending an entire weekend in Chance’s presence. If there were any way she could cancel their plans without disappointing Tiffany she would, but she knew better than anyone how much her daughter looked forward to this trip.

The phone on her nightstand rang and not for the first time she wished that like the phone in the living room this one had caller ID. But somehow she knew it was Chance and reached out and picked it up. “Hello?”

“I need to apologize, Kylie.”

It was his deep, rich, husky voice, more than the words he had spoken, that sent a sensuous shiver through her. “Do you?”

“Not for everything—just for getting upset with you. I won’t apologize for our kisses. But your words caught me off guard. Never in my wildest dream did I assume you’d think I would want to use you that way.”

“Okay, Chance, maybe it was a bad choice of words, but what I was trying to say was that I’m being logical here. I don’t see things as you see them, and when it comes to a lot of man-woman stuff, you’re right, I’m way out of my league. You aren’t. So I have to protect myself.”

“You’ll never have to protect yourself from me, Kylie. I’d never hurt you, take advantage of you or use you. I give you my word.”

“Thank you.”

“But I won’t give you my word that I’ll stop pursuing you, stop trying to make you want me as much as I want you, stop trying to—”

“Get me in your bed?”

“No, I won’t stop trying to get you in my bed, Kylie, because I think that’s where you belong. And once I get you there I intend to keep you there for a long time. But it will be for all the right reasons.”

“When is an affair good for any reason?”

“When the two individuals agree that it is. You and I have a long way to go, Kylie. We haven’t even gone on what I consider a real date. I want that but you don’t.”

She sighed deeply. “It’s not that I don’t want it, Chance, it’s just that I don’t think it’s wise, considering the kids.”

“So you prefer that we do things behind their backs?”

“No, I prefer that we don’t do anything at all. Why is that so hard for you to understand?”

“And just what is it that you’re afraid of?”

She was taken aback by his question. “I’m not afraid of anything.”

“I think you are.”

“Then think whatever you want.”

“I will, and right now I think it’s time that I show you something, Kylie Hagan.”

She didn’t like the way that sounded. “Show me what?”

“What this man-woman thing is all about. Like I said earlier today, you’ve been out of the game for so long you don’t know what’s acceptable between couples and what’s not. Maybe it’s time that I start teaching you a few things and—”

“Teach me a few things?” she interrupted shortly.

“Yes, then maybe you’ll realize that you’re not immune to me as you want to believe. Good night, Kylie.”

The phone had already clicked in her ear before Kylie could recover her power of speech.

“M
OM, ISN’T THIS PLACE
simply beautiful?” Tiffany asked in a high-pitched voice that was filled with enthusiasm and wonder.

“Yes, it is,” Kylie replied, trying to direct her gaze out of the cabin window and not on Chance and Marcus as they brought in the items out of the truck.

Especially on Chance.

Instinctively, she took one hand and checked her pulse at her wrist, not surprised to find the strong beat racing beneath her fingertips. Already Chance was having an effect on her. He had shown up at her place wearing a pair of faded jeans and a T-shirt. The moment she’d seen him those wacky hormones of hers began soaring. She wished there was some type of injection she could take to build an immunity against him.

“Mom, you don’t sound excited about being here. Are you okay?”

Kylie turned to meet Tiffany’s concerned gaze and suddenly felt guilty. The last thing she wanted was her daughter worrying about her needlessly, which would place a damper on all the fun she’d planned for the weekend. “Yes, sweetheart, I’m fine, and it’s going to be a wonderful and fantastic weekend. Now let’s put this stuff down and go outside to see if Marcus and Chance need our help.”

Once they had stepped back outside, Kylie glanced around. The spacious log cabin that sat on the shore of
a huge lake blended well with the surroundings. Trees of all kinds provided plenty of shade, as did a sprawling front porch that had several wooden rocking chairs and a rustic porch swing. Kylie had to agree with Tiffany’s earlier assessment. The place was beautiful.

“The air is so crisp and clean here. I can’t wait until Marcus teaches me how to fish, and Mr. Steele said he would help. Isn’t that nice of him?”

“Yes, that is nice of him.”

They walked back toward the truck while Tiffany excitedly rambled on about what fun she planned to have and what a nice man Chance was.

“Need us to help carry anything else inside?” Kylie asked Chance and Marcus when they reached them.

“No, Dad and I can handle things, Ms. Hagan,” Marcus said, not giving Chance an opportunity to respond. “But remember we don’t use electricity, so you and Tiffany might want to unpack and get familiar with the inside of the cabin. Right, Dad?”

Chance smiled. “Right.”

Kylie could feel Chance’s eyes on her but she refused to look at him. She was beginning to feel ridiculous and out of sorts because a part of her was still upset about yesterday. He, however, was acting like their conversation never took place. To her chagrin, he was in the best of moods.

“So what’s for dinner?” Tiffany would have to be the one to ask.

“I thought it would be nice if we grilled something outside on the open fire,” Chance said. “Any ideas?”

Kylie saw the opportunity to make peace and seized it. She glanced over at Chance. “Anything but hamburgers,” she said softly, as a tentative smile touched her lips.

Chance met her gaze, immediately recognized their private joke and smiled back. “Okay, no hamburgers.”

“What about a hot-dog roast?” was Tiffany’s suggestion.

“That’s a great idea and we have plenty of hot-dog sticks to use,” Marcus chimed in.

“Okay, all that sounds good,” Chance said, as an amused grin eased up the corner of his mouth. “But because I need something a little bit more filling, I’ll throw a couple of steaks on the grill, too.”

He lifted the last box into his strong arms. “Come on, let’s go inside and get this show on the road.”

K
YLIE INHALED A DEEP
breath as she stepped out of the bedroom she and Tiffany were sharing. More than a dozen candles were strategically scattered about and a couple of huge lanterns blazed in the corners of the living room.

She couldn’t help but smile, thinking of all the fun they’d had so far. Chance had given both her and Tiffany a quick lesson on camping and had shown them how to assemble a tent in case they ever needed to use one. Roasting hot dogs on the stick had been fun but she’d appreciated Chance’s idea of grilling the steaks when Marcus and Tiffany overcooked the weiners.

And then later, before it had gotten dark, Chance had taken her out in a canoe to the other side of the lake. The scenery there had been just as breathtaking with numerous trees, flowering plants and a catfish-filled stream. Kylie smiled and thought that a person could get spoiled by so much of nature’s beauty.

“Marcus is out like a light.”

Kylie’s smile froze when she turned and saw Chance
coming out of the bedroom that he and Marcus were sharing. She thought he had turned in for the night.

“So is Tiffany.” She gave him a curious look and said, “I thought you had gone to bed, too.”

“Not without first putting out the candles and lanterns. Fire hazards, you know.”