“Me? At some point, I did. I mean, every little girl who grew up watching Disney, did. But I’m twenty-six and I have never quite gotten my own shot at a fairy tale.”
He found that hard to believe. There must have been someone, right?
“Why?”
She shrugged, her shoulder lifting lazily, as though it was as natural and effortless as breathing. He never would have thought the day would come when a shrug would appear so pleasing.
“I never loved people who loved me back. And frankly, I do not think there has ever been anyone who loved me, to make me want to love him back.”
“Now, that has got to be a lie. You are pulling my legs, right?”
She chuckled… it sounded like painful memories.
“No, I’m not. I had my first crush in the 10th grade. I would pine after him all day at school and he didn’t even realize I existed. Then, there was this boy in junior high, Michael? He was everything. He had this really beautiful smile that would just melt my heart and he was freakishly smart. A nerd, just like me. He was easily looked over too – just like me. You know, when you have your eyes covered by glasses and your head in books all the time, people tend to just look you over. I thought we would be well suited for each other, but naaahh. We were lab partners and we always sat close to each other in classes, but I was always just Keisha. He ended up dating this new girl who joined in senior year. In college, there was this guy, Hank. He was a senior and I could say he was the first guy I ever actually loved. But I was his best friend, his pal. One day, he told me I was like a sister to him, as he introduced me to his girlfriend. They are married now.”
Kane had listened attentively as she spoke. Not just to her words, but to her voice. He had watched her body, her eyes, her lips, her shoulders, her hands. He had taken in every expression. All of these must have hurt her, at some point. He was certain of this. But she had accepted them and they no longer hurt her. They were simply no more than unpleasant memories.
“So, there has never been anyone?” How? Were these men blind?
“Oh, there has. There was Cory. After College. I came back to Colorado and he was my Dad’s new mentee. He worked in the firm. He was charming, and a total gentleman. We went out on a few dates. Dated for six months, but when he got a promotion, he suddenly got too busy to have any time for me.
“Bastard,” Kane cursed. “I hope your Dad let him go.”
“Oh, he did. Not immediately, anyway. That would have been too obvious.”
“No more obvious than using the boss’s daughter to get ahead. How original.”
“He’s a darn good lawyer. He would have gotten the promotion, anyway. I guessed he wasn’t so certain of himself. He saw an opportunity and he took it. What he doesn’t know is that our relationship never factored into the reasons why he got that promotion.”
“So what did your dad do?”
“Gave him time. He messed up royally soon enough. The position got to his head and he started acting out, disobeying orders and taking on clients outside the firm. We happily bade him goodbye. He has his own firm now and he’s doing fine by himself, but he is still a douche bag and he runs from both my parents’ courtrooms.”
A beautiful end to the story, Kane thought. His smile was back on his face.
“Great. I wouldn’t have had it any other way. And since then?”
“No one. I got too busy with Wells Holdings.” She sent him an accusing look and he felt no guilt for it. In fact, he felt pleasure. He was happy to know that no other man had caught her attention since the years he had known her.
“Perhaps, you would have the time to find love on your vacation.”
“Or not. It doesn’t bother me so much, anymore. It’s gonna come when it will.”
“You’re still hopeful.”
“I am. The loss of hope is as well the loss of life. I do not want to exist without living.”
And apart from her beauty and great body, this was another reason why he loved and respected Keisha Young – her brain.
“Let’s make a toast. To finding love.”
With no hesitation, she picked up her glass and clinked it against his.
“To finding love.”
By the time he bade her goodbye that night, he knew that he hadn’t had an evening so lovely in a long time. Tonight, he had learned new things, he had seen a new side to Keisha Young, and if this was the good thing that came out of the trip, he didn’t mind having more of such evenings while at it.
Chapter 5
Keisha spent the whole day at her desk, with work – as usual. After the night of talking and champagne, she had slept in a little. She couldn’t remember the last time she had gotten a solid ten hours of good sleep. Appalled by the fact that she had slept so much, she had been back at her work since waking up.
Going through reports from Colorado and trying to figure out a way to fix the Miami mess, that was what had taken her whole day. There was a way out. She knew that. It was just there at the back of her mind, if only she could just grasp it.
She had decided to just take a break a little after 5p.m, and she had ended up sleeping off again. It was probably the bed, she thought as she woke up to the doorbell ringing. It was too big and too comfortable. It was made just for sleep.
And by the sheer size of it and the luxury of everything else in this suite, obviously for other things too. Running the sleep out of her eyes, she sat up, stuck her feet into her flip flops and let her legs drag her to the door.
She was groggy and very little made sense at that moment. It was like being hungover – only without the nagging headache and the bitter aftertaste of alcohol on her tongue.
As she yanked the door opened, and saw who was on the other end, the sleep immediately cleared from her eyes. Alarms rang in her head and she resisted the urge to slam the door in his face.
She was a mess. Her hair was all shades of a madhouse, her face was definitely swollen, and she was in the P.J and Sweatshirt she’d had on since last night. In addition to that, the room was in total disarray and she was pretty sure her breath stank.
God. Talk about bad timing. Forcing a smile on her face, she spoke,
“Hey, Kane! I wasn’t expecting you.”
He had a bottle of champagne in one hand and a tray in another hand.
“No, you weren’t. I thought I could just drop in, you know, pay a surprise visit and get us to do dinner on your patio, tonight? This is obviously the wrong time. I should have called first. That was too presumptuous of me. I’ll just… I’ll just turn around and go away now.”
He seemed genuinely embarrassed and the flush on his face made him even more adorable. How could she turn him away?
Releasing a deep sigh, she stopped him just as he began to turn.
“Wait. Don’t go. If you could just wait on the patio while I fix up this place and myself, I’d be happy to have dinner with you. Besides, I can’t turn away champagne. That’s impossible.”
Her heart warmed as he flashed that perfect set of teeth at her, and maybe – just maybe – her stomach squirmed.
Letting him in, she pointed at the doors that led to the patio. “If you would be so nice to set the table, I’ll only take about… fifteen minutes?”
She hadn’t had her bath all day. She would have to shower and change into something better. She had seen the way he had looked at her last night. She knew he had liked her dress. She liked the fact that he had. So yes, she was going to wear one just like that again, tonight.
“Take your time. This is just the appetizer. They’ll be bringing up the main meal and dessert in about the time you’d be ready.”
“A three-course meal? Hmmm. Sounds perfect. I haven’t had anything to eat all day.”
His eyes widened and he stopped to take one good look at the room.
“And you’ve been up to all of this? We have to talk about that. But not now. I will leave you to it.”
She nodded, grateful that she had escaped a scolding – fo
r now. The moment he had the patio doors closed behind him, she got to work. Kane hated it when she skipped meals. He took it upon himself most times, to order lunch for them if they had to stay in. And sometimes, he brought her muffins in the mornings to take with her coffee. Perhaps, it was all of these things put together, that had made it impossible for her to get over her silly crush.
And after last night? Oh well, let’s just say it was back in full force. Something had changed between them, outside on his patio. She just didn’t know what yet, and it was driving her crazy not being able to place a hand to it.
He had called her beautiful and said he loved her eyes. He had also shared that he liked seeing her face every morning. Call her ridiculous but he had sounded very much like “I love coming home to you,” in her ears.
Yeah yeah, Jordyn would have a field day if she heard those thoughts right now. Good thing humans couldn’t hear thoughts.
In no time, she was done cleaning up her room. Everything was in its place, so she went ahead to have a good scrub.
She settled for shorts and a turtleneck sweatshirt. Tonight seemed a little chilly and she didn’t want to embarrass herself by freezing to death on the patio – all in the name of looking sexy. Combing her hair, she packed it into a ponytail, puffed some Victoria’s Secret on to her neck and inside her wrists. Then, she stepped out to meet him.
He had gone all out. Turned out he had had glow sticks in the covered trays, not desert. Now, her patio was lit by the glow sticks, the curtains blocking out the light from the room. It was beautiful.
“You look beautiful.”
She stopped in her tracks as he blurted out those words and she just… she just stared at him.
“I realize I didn’t tell you yesterday,” he continued, “but you did, and you do now. I like your hair in a fro. Have I ever told you that?”
Suddenly breathless, she managed to answer, “No, you haven’t.”
“Well, now you know. How do you like what I’ve done with the place? A little too much?”
Too much?
“No. It’s just perfect. It really looks gorgeous. I love it.”
“I’m glad you do. I checked on room service while you were in the bathroom. They would be here in about…”
The bell rung just then, and he flashed her that mega-watt grin, once more.
Be still, my heart….
“I’ll be right back. Just get comfortable.”
“I will.”
And she did. By the time he returned, she had already poured their cups. Her thrill had her gasping in delight as she saw the spread he had ordered.
Pasta, lasagna and pork ribs. A complete dinner. And of course, lemon pie for dessert. A man after her heart.
“You really are attentive, aren’t you?”
“We’ve been to enough dinners together to know what you like and what you don’t.”
All business-related dinners, though, and often with other people. That was what made it even more thoughtful. The fact that he had taken note in such impersonal situations.
“Hmmm. Next dinner, I’m placing the order. I’d like to see how well I do.”
His agreement was swift, easy. “It’s a deal.”
Dinner went well. They settled into easy conversation which flowed like a stream, and by the time they got to dessert, Keisha’s ribs were already hurt from laughing too hard.
She had seen so many sides to Kane, but this laid back, funny, man was definitely her favorite. He had been telling her stories from his childhood and all the mischief he had gotten up to as an only child, himself. He had been quite a handful.
“Your parents really indulged you,” she pointed out.
“Oh, they did. They were besotted. I could do no wrong in their eyes – until I got into high school, that is. They thought it was time I started being more responsible. I agreed with them. At the time, I was well past my days of roguery. They didn’t seem so much fun, anymore. High school was a different life on its own.”
“I understand. You have to worry about getting into college, what to do with your life, passing your finals, and finishing all of those projects.”
“Oh, all of that wasn’t a problem for me. I knew I wanted to be a Business major. I always had luck with grades. I wasn’t a nerd or anything, I never read too hard, but I always passed, excellently. Things stuck,” he said tapping at his temple with two fingers. “And I’ve got great memory. That was my saving grace. Nah, other things took my attention and I no longer had the time to trouble my parents. I joined the school's business club, the football team…”
That was news. “You played football?”
“Of course. Even made captain of the team. I was so good that many clubs were willing to sign me, Colleges were willing to offer me scholarships but neehh. That wasn’t what I wanted to do with my life. It was more of a hobby.”
“Wow. Who would have thought?”
He winked at her. “I know you’re trying to picture me in my uniform. Yeah. I looked sexy. So attractive, the girls were all over me.”
His smug tone would have annoyed anybody but she found it hilarious.
“I was imagining you in your uniform, true. And yes, I knew you would have been the school hunk. I mean, look at you. About thirteen years later and the years have only done you better. Colorado’s most eligible billionaire bachelor. The playboy sweetheart.”
She barked a laugh when he winced. Of course, he got the reference. He had been on the cover page for Insider, Colorado, last year and that was the tag they’d used.
He had been mortified when the edition had arrived at his desk.
“I still owe whoever came up with that corny line a fist in the face.”
“It was most probably a woman. You don’t hit women, Kane.”
“Oh well, I am certain I can find a way to make her pay. The point was to enhance my image, not ruin it. Imagine being a playboy and sweetheart in one. Me? Kane Wells? Pfft.”
“Your girlfriends would beg to differ, and you don’t get to accuse anyone of being corny. How much cornier can one get? Certainly no more than sending huge bouquets of flaming red roses with the note “I’m deeply sorry”, after breaking their hearts.”
He would do the breaking up in person, of course. Then send a bouquet for pacification.
“Breaking? Trust me when I say that none of them suffered broken hearts. They all knew what they were in for from the start. A few months in the spotlight. Lots of exotic gifts, a little of my time, and being able to boast of a resume that contains, ‘dated Kane Wells’. Oh, of course, having access to this magnificent body.”
He winked at her as he said those words, then relaxed into the chair, so that his long legs stretched out before him. She rolled her eyes, finding his vain pride ridiculously unbelievable.
“Your body ain’t all that. I have seen better.”
“Oh yeah. Whose? Cory? I can bet my entire fortune he isn’t as gorgeous as I am.”
“What man calls himself gorgeous? My goodness, you are something else entirely.” But he had said the truth. Cory wasn’t half as gorgeous as the Greek god in front of her.
“A man who knows just how good looking he is, and isn’t ashamed to say it.”
She rolled her eyes again, and as she finished up the last piece of pie, she washed it down with champagne and relaxed in her chair too.
“Whatever, you aren’t all that. Idris Elba, the Rock, and Chris Hemsworth would give you a run for your money.”
His eyes narrowed to slits, in mock hurt. “Burn.”
Dissolving into a fit of giggles, she cradled her stomach, as though it would stop it from hurting. By the time she recovered, he was staring at her intently with those lovely eyes. There was something in that gaze. Something that made her feel fuzzy and warm all over.
Clearing her throat, she reached for her glass and took another sip.
“So, tell me,”
He cut in smoothly, “Anything you want to know…”
“What’s it like, dating that way? No emotions, no strings? It sounds too cold when you paint it the way you do. Like a business, sorta.”
“Some of it usually is. But of course, attraction comes to play for most of it. I do not like sleeping around, so I’d rather have a girl I’m officially dating…”
“Every eight months or so –”
“That is because that’s usually the time it takes for them to forget I’m not the one and start hoping I am. They think just because it’s lasted that long, then maybe it could last longer. They start to catch feelings, get clingy, and I just know it’s time to end things before it gets ugly.”
“Well, not that you can blame them. I mean, except for the cockiness, you really are an amazing man.”
She expected a smart ass reply, so when she got a genuine “Thank you”, it rendered her speechless for a bit.
Clearing her throat once more, she offered a small smile. And when he said:
“I think you are amazing too, Keisha. Very amazing,” she melted.
Fighting through the tightness in her throat, she croaked out, “Thank you.”
There was another moment, but it passed quickly.
“So, none of these women have made you want to actually stay and try to build something genuine? Solid?”
“They aren’t the kind of women you build with. Why do you think I go for them? They only see a man for his net worth and fame, what he can get for them. If the man happens to be handsome, attentive and sweet enough, that’s even better. He gives her money, takes her on exotic trips, buys her fine things and ensures her movement up the societal ladder. For these women, it’s all about what they can get from it. They never consider what they can give in return. It’s all about them and except for sex and a few designers shirts and wristwatches, they have nothing else to offer. The former, I can get easily enough. The latter, I have enough of, already. I cannot sign up for forever with such women. They would ruin me, and they would leave at the first sign of trouble, and take everything they can with them.”
Keisha sighed as he finished speaking. Truly, where was the lie? All he had said was the blessed truth, but she had more questions.
Have My Baby Page 5
