Vivi had been hit with too many things in the last few minutes. She said the first thing that came to mind. “You had to do it in front of the Musical Association?”
There was an awkward pause. “Well, you don’t have a piano at your house.” He half smiled at her. “And I didn’t think I could get you to come to Gabe’s. This was the only place.”
His earlier words finally filtered through. “Wait. That was an apology? To me?”
“Yeah. It’s still a little rough in places, but I generally do better with words set to music.”
“An apology?” She couldn’t quite wrap her head around it.
“For being a jerk. For not being honest with you—not at the beginning, and not the other night.”
She couldn’t quite keep up. “About what the other night?”
“If I’d been honest, I’d have told you that I love you.”
The world swam for a moment. When it righted, Vivi couldn’t believe she’d heard him correctly. “That doesn’t make sense.”
He nodded. “You’re right. And yet the weird thing is that it still manages to be true. I don’t know why I didn’t figure that out years ago.” Shrugging that off, he reached for her hands. “Of course, you’ve never accused me of being particularly intelligent.”
“But…”
“I don’t understand it either, Vivi. All I know is that you are the strongest woman I’ve ever met. You’re smart and beautiful and you don’t let anyone—including me—stand in your way. You care and you have a good heart. You make me want to be the kind of man who deserves that kind of woman.”
Her breath caught in her chest and her lungs squeezed her heart in a vise. His words made her actions the other night all the more inexcusable. “I’m the one who owes you an apology. I was way out of line and I overreacted.”
“All things considered, though…it’s understandable.”
“I’m still really sorry.”
“Me, too. Old habits die hard.”
“Yeah.” Then she looked up at him. “But is it weird to say that I’m happy anyway?”
“Not at all.” He rubbed his hands over her arms. “You know what would make me happy, though?”
“What?”
He cleared his throat. “I said something kind of big and important a second ago, and you haven’t said it back. The suspense is bordering on painful.”
Her heart gave another small squeeze. “For someone who’s made a lot of money—and made a lot of women swoon—with love songs, you’re a little unknowledgeable of the particulars. If I didn’t love you—hadn’t loved you—I wouldn’t have cared what you said or did.”
“Really?” Connor looked quite pleased.
She returned the smile. “Really.”
“Good, because I’m realizing I’m a bit of a sore loser, too. At least when it comes to losing you.”
Connor’s mouth found hers, and Vivi felt whole for the first time. It didn’t make sense, but that didn’t make it any less right.
The sound of applause brought her back to reality. Heat rising in her cheeks, she peeked over Connor’s shoulder to see the entire Musical Association membership crowded on the Mansfields’ front porch.
“Do you always draw an audience?” she asked.
“It happens.” Connor laced his fingers through hers and squeezed her hand. “You know, there’s a whole other verse to that song. Want to hear it?”
“Maybe later. If you hadn’t noticed, I was on my way out when you stopped me.”
Connor’s smile dimmed slightly. “Oh? Where are you going?”
“Wherever you’re willing to take me.”
That brought back Connor’s smile, and it carried a promise that sent shivers down to the soles of her feet. Opening the gate, he pulled her through without so much as a farewell glance at the ladies on the porch.
His car was parked at the curb, and the lights blinked as they approached. Opening the door, Connor gave her a quick kiss and a wink. “Then you better hold on to your halo, Saint Vivi.”
“Saints and Sinners is over,” she told him. “You even got the trophy.”
“Forget the trophy. I got the girl. And that’s far better.”
Her heart turned gooey and melty at his words. Connor helped her into the front seat and then got in the other side. As the engine roared to life he reached out to take her hand. He was right: it might be crazy, but it still made perfect sense.
“I was right. There were no losers in this competition.”
“I wholeheartedly agree.”
A thought flashed across her brain and it must have shown on her face, because Connor looked at her funny. “What’s wrong, Vivi?”
I can’t. I shouldn’t. But he was the one who’d brought it up.
“If we’re both winners, and you only wanted the girl anyway…?”
“Yes…?” he prompted.
“Can I have the trophy?”
Connor was laughing as he kissed her.
All the characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author, and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all the incidents are pure invention.
All Rights Reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises II BV/S.à.r.l. The text of this publication or any part thereof may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, storage in an information retrieval system, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.
This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the prior consent of the publisher in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.
® and TM are trademarks owned and used by the trademark owner and/or its licensee. Trademarks marked with ® are registered with the United Kingdom Patent Office and/or the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market and in other countries.
First published in Great Britain 2013
by Mills & Boon, an imprint of Harlequin (UK) Limited.
Harlequin (UK) Limited, Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road,
Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR
© Kimberly Kerr 2013
**Copyright notice: “Whiskey and Honey” © 2010 C. Lynn;
“Rainin’” © 2010 C. Lynn; “Service Your Heart” © 2011 C. Lynn.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
ebook ISBN: 978-1-472-00168-9
Table of Contents
Praise
Excerpt
About the Author
Title Page
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Copyright
The Downfall of a Good Girl Page 17
