Reaching for a remote, he turned on the gas fireplace and then rolled to his side to caress Kendall’s head, meeting her eyes before kissing her. He took his time before moving on top of her. She made room for him, inexplicable desire taking flight. Hearing and feeling her breath, he knew she experienced the same.
He entered her slowly, wanting this to mean something. He didn’t stop and ponder why or what he wanted it to mean. He only acted on instinct and the magic the two of them created.
Moving back and forth, it didn’t take long for either of them to reach a peak. He couldn’t resist moving faster, going deeper, loving how she arched and made a sultry sound as she came.
After lying on her a few moments while they caught their breath and returned to the tangible world, he at last rolled off her. With her curled beside him, he couldn’t remember ever feeling better. Things were going his way. He’d be married to a wonderful woman. They’d start a family. This was exactly what he wanted, what he was missing in his life.
“How do you feel?” he asked tenderly.
Lifting her head, pausing in drawing circles on his chest with her forefinger, she looked at him. “You have to ask?”
“Good, I know, but about all of this.”
She rested her head on his shoulder again, resuming her drawing. After a while, she finally said, “Good,” in a quiet but lighthearted tone.
He kissed her forehead and chuckled. “Me too.”
She stopped drawing and he saw her eyes had closed, content and comfortable.
“Our parents will be really happy,” he said. “My dad, for one, will love to hear how well things are going between us.”
Kendall said nothing and after a few moments she moved away from him to lie on her back. He saw her staring up at the ceiling, seeming to be deep in some somber thought.
“What’s the matter?”
She glanced at him and gave him a slight lift of her mouth in what she might intend as a smile but he sensed something troubling her.
“Darling, what is it?” He rolled to his side, propping his head on his hand.
“Nothing.”
“Yes...it’s something. Tell me.”
After a bit she shook her head on the pillow. “Just nervous I guess.”
About the wedding? He could buy that but he didn’t think that was all. She’d acted the same way on the way here.
“What did you and your parents talk about when I was on the phone?” he asked.
“Not much.”
“It seemed lengthy.” And like more than a casual talk. He’d felt the tension when he’d come into the room.
“They keep badgering me about the nuptials, asking me how things are going. That sort of thing.”
“Oh.” He leaned over and kissed her. “Tell them about tonight then. That will get them to stop.”
She swatted him with her pillow. “I’m not telling them anything about tonight.”
He chuckled. Of course they wouldn’t talk about the intimacy. He only meant the perfect match, a great business deal—one with benefits.
* * *
A few days later, Kendall waited at the highway pull-off where she and Decker had parked for their hike. She had fallen into a sort of domestic routine. She and Decker spent their days working—much to her father’s protest until she convinced him Decker had to work and she’d be twiddling her thumbs all day. Then she and Decker spent their evenings together, having dinner prepared for them at home and giving each other debriefs of their day at work, winding down for nighttime and sleeping together. She couldn’t keep her hands off him.
She saw no sign of the man who’d attacked her and had begun to think maybe he’d been scared off.
Today she had a planned trip to go check on her wolves. She had spoken to the US Fish and Wildlife Service on numerous occasions and at last they had assigned a wildlife biologist who would accompany her. If they saw the wolves that would make this an official gray wolf sighting. There had been a few other unofficial sightings, where hikers or others had spotted a gray wolf but no one in an official capacity had been able to verify it.
Since someone else was going with her, Decker had only put up a small fuss. He didn’t like her going anywhere he didn’t think she was safe. His big house had ample security, but he worried about her even going to work.
“You’re not going to be one of those overly possessive men, are you?” she had asked him.
“No. I just don’t want anything to happen to you.”
“You can’t watch me twenty-four-seven, so how about a little faith in me, okay?”
And with that he’d backed off.
Seeing a truck approach, she saw the US Fish and Wildlife emblem on the passenger door and watched the truck slow, the blinker going on. The driver parked behind her Land Rover. She stood near the trailhead, ready and waiting with her backpack. Today was overcast so she’d dressed and packed accordingly. The biologist’s name was Ben Kennedy. He got out, a big man who looked in his early forties. He retrieved his pack and strode toward her. She already felt safe. Her stalker would be a fool to try anything with this man next to her.
“Sorry I’m late,” Ben said as he came to a stop. “Traffic was terrible leaving Lakewood.”
“No problem.” He must have left very early to make it here by this time of morning—after nine now.
“Let’s get going.” She started for the hiking trail.
Ben made small talk. They exchanged details about their careers and he asked her about how she’d found this wolf pack.
“If we can confirm their location, this is going to mean a lot to us,” he said.
He didn’t tell her anything she didn’t already know.
“We know the wolves have migrated down from Montana and Wyoming and are starting to show a strong presence in northern Colorado, but marking them this far south will be remarkable.”
She turned a little and nodded.
“Really. Our office is going to be indebted to you for this find.”
“I’m just doing what I love.”
“We are too, so I’m sure you understand how significant a gray wolf pack near Roaring Springs will be.”
“Is,” she said. “They’re here and established.” She had to admit, having to go through this formal “confirmation” of her find annoyed her. She had a solid reputation. Why couldn’t they consider her word good enough? She could send photos.
“I believe you. Sorry for the necessity to prove it. Call it bureaucracy. Tell me more about the pack.”
She went through what she’d told Decker, adding, “The mated pair really seem bonded. I’ve seen them close, touching noses and sniffing each other. And the way they watch their offspring. It’s like our own families only they have a different way of communicating.”
“Yeah. Wolves are my favorite to study. That’s why they sent me.”
Kendall was glad they’d sent the best.
“Are you married?” he asked after a while.
Uncomfortable that he might be checking to see if she was available, she said, “I’m living with someone at the moment.”
“He must not be a weak-kneed man if he’s with you.”
“He’s not.” She didn’t say more. They reached the point where they had to veer off the trail and she took him the distance to the last location she and Decker had seen them. This time they weren’t there.
“We have to be careful, but I know where their den is.”
They hiked the distance and crouched low and hidden. Kendall heard the wolves before she saw them.
“Wow,” Ben whispered. “That is incredible.”
The mated pair had their heads turned in their direction, indicating they had heard their approach. Right now they were another animal to them, and they did not seem threatened. In fact, this pair didn’t seem to scare easily, whi
ch was probably why they would continue to be a healthy pack. A strong pack.
“Let’s go,” Ben said. “We’ll take it from here. I’ll study them and put a tracker on one. We’ll keep in touch to let you know status. And on behalf of everyone with the Fish and Wildlife Service, we thank you.”
She looked one last time at the wolves, sorry that she wouldn’t see them again. But Ben was right. He had the experience to track them. She followed him down the mountain, her thoughts turning to the upcoming evening with Decker.
* * *
Later that day, Kendall had parted ways with the wildlife biologist and had driven to her house to pick up a few more things she needed. She left there and headed toward Decker’s house.
She drove perhaps ten minutes before she noticed a car behind her. She knew she hadn’t been followed to the trailhead, but it was possible her stalker had waited somewhere hidden near her house. She was close to the turn to Decker’s. This car was different than the other one she’d seen the stalker in.
She really had no choice other than to make the turn to Decker’s. Her heart rate leapt into a faster pace.
She could drive to the police station, but what if the man decided to try and run her off the mountain route? She stepped on the gas on the road toward Decker’s driveway.
The car behind her sped up too.
It was him.
“Oh, no,” she breathed, feeling the blood drain from her face.
She drove as fast as she could on the winding road, but the man behind her was a good driver and had a V-8. She drove a V-6.
He caught up to her, so close she couldn’t see the front of the car.
Her heart raced.
Exactly what she feared. He’d try to run her off the road in an attempt to abduct her.
She swerved into the next turn. She could see Decker’s driveway.
“Please have the stupid gate open,” she said out loud.
She had called him when she left her house, so he knew she was on her way.
Closer and closer she came to the driveway. She held her breath.
Seeing the gate was open, she let out a gush of air in relief. She swung into the turn, hitting the metal edge of the gate. Her stalker would be on camera now if he followed.
She looked behind her.
The car drove past the driveway. Stopping in front of Decker’s house, she got out and hurried to the door, glancing back just to be sure no one had followed. Thankfully, no one had.
She entered and closed the door, locking it and resting her head against the hard surface.
Hearing someone come up beside her, she jumped and turned to see Decker. He reached to press some buttons on the control box beside the door. He closed the gate and set the alarm.
“What happened?” he asked, his brow furrowing with concern.
She moved to press herself against him, safe at last.
He held her and rubbed her back. “Hey.”
She leaned back and looked up at him. “He followed me again, almost ran me off the road.”
Decker’s jaw flexed, revealing his anger. “I should have been with you.”
“You can’t always be my hero,” she said, smiling shakily.
Stepping back, she went into the living room and put her purse onto a chair.
He went with her, standing just outside the seating area. “No more driving yourself. You go with one of my drivers.”
“No argument from me on that.”
“Was it the same man?” he asked.
“I didn’t see him. It was a different car.”
He stopped as she faced him, putting his hands on his hips with a concerned dip to his brow. “That’s not good.” He looked at her. “This isn’t random, Kendall. Someone is targeting you. The question is, why?”
Kendall was afraid she already knew. Who had her father borrowed money from who would go to such extremes to get it back? How desperate had her father become?
“Are you sure there isn’t anyone who might want to do you harm?”
“Me? No.” At least she could answer that honestly—kind of. She didn’t have any enemies, but her father must.
He walked to her and put his hands on her upper arms. “We’ll have to be careful until we can determine who is after you and why.”
She only nodded. Oh, she’d be careful all right. And she’d welcome Decker’s security measures.
He lowered his hands and went to the telephone, from which he called Trey. Kendall listened to his side of the conversation and got as much as the fact that Trey would put the word out to look for the car that had chased her. When he hung up, he came back to her and took her into his arms. She rested her hands on his chest.
Looking up at him, her heart did a little flop. His dark eyes radiated so much warmth and tenderness, and yet he had a rugged edge to him as well, a silent but unmistakable aura of confidence.
He was everything she’d ever dreamed of finding in a man. Maybe more. Which alarmed her.
Would he always be just about business? He’d claimed to want a family. That didn’t jive with someone who devoted life to only business.
She had to know what she was getting herself into. “Decker, can I ask you a very personal question?”
“Sure. Don’t be afraid to ask me anything.”
He might be able to handle it but would he answer her honestly?
“Do you think you can ever fall in love?” she asked.
A hard mask came over his face. He took several seconds before he asked, “Can I?”
“Or do you think it’s at all possible?” she clarified.
Again he took several seconds before he answered. “I think it’s possible to fall in love, but I don’t think it will ever happen to me.”
Was he being overly pessimistic or did he really believe he’d never fall in love? And if he believed he’d never fall in love, then he must not think he’d ever fall in love with her.
“What if I fall in love with you?” she whispered.
“Then you’ll be safe with me, Kendall. I would never hurt you. I want this to last our lifetime.”
She supposed she should be glad to hear that, but instead she felt incredibly disappointed.
He dipped his head, clearly recognizing her reaction. “Hey. If the impossible were to happen, then there isn’t any other woman I’d rather fall in love with than you.”
Again, she supposed she should be happy to hear that but it only intensified her inner turmoil.
“I’m tired. I’m going to run a bath and go to bed early.” She disentangled herself from his grip and went around the sofa to avoid passing too close to him.
As she walked away, he called after her, “Kendall.”
“It’s all right, Decker. I just need to be alone tonight.”
He let her go and she was relieved. She wasn’t prepared for how sad that brief talk had made her. Maybe she should tell him about her father’s money troubles. Then maybe he’d end the engagement and find another business opportunity. She’d be spared what she was certain would turn out to be a major disaster for her. Because now she was sure she could fall madly in love with him.
Chapter 9
Decker hadn’t slept well last night. Kendall’s crestfallen eyes were burned into his mind. He’d been honest with her but she obviously felt different. She believed she could fall in love. She believed she could fall in love with him. That made him feel uncomfortable. Would she end up like other women and demand too much from him?
Even as that thought came, he felt something refute that in his gut. Kendall would not end up like other women. She was uniquely special to him. Didn’t she see that? They got along so well, in and out of bed. But maybe she had begun to want more from him.
Did that mean she had feelings for him? He had feelings for her too. They were great together
. What was she so upset about?
His father burst into the office like he normally did, although this time the door banged against the stop.
“We need to talk,” Russ said.
“Can’t you ever knock?”
Russ just shut the office door and stalked toward the desk. “I just heard Bernard Hadley is on the brink of bankruptcy.”
That came as a shock. Kendall’s family had been extremely wealthy for as long as he had known her.
“Are you sure?” he asked.
“I just had it confirmed. He’s past due on several bank notes.”
Decker didn’t ask how he had found that out. His dad had ways of finding information like that.
“So what’s the issue?” Why was Russ so mad? His dad had originally thought a joining with the Hadleys would be smart financially, but it could still be a good move.
“What’s the issue?” His dad’s voice raised. “They don’t have any money!”
“You didn’t research that before you approached Bernard?” Decker knew that would grate on his father’s nerves.
And it did. Russ’s face turned red. “I didn’t think I had to. That family was worth millions. What happened?”
“Have you asked him?”
“No I haven’t asked him,” Russ grew even more annoyed. “The wedding is off!”
Decker leaned back, surprised his dad would take it that far. “You want me to call off the wedding because Kendall’s dad is going through a rough patch? He’ll bounce back.”
“Yeah, on Colton money!” Russ leaned on Decker’s desk, bringing his angry face closer. “That louse should have said something instead of throwing his daughter at us.”
Decker was beginning to lose his patience. He stood. “You were the one who approached him, Dad.”
Russ straightened. “So? He should have told me he was broke!”
“Why? Is this arrangement only for the two of you to prosper financially? Maybe Bernard thought Kendall would make a good match for me—beyond a business deal.” As soon as he said it he realized he had been treating this as a business deal, but Kendall was more than that.
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