by Judy Duarte
“You’re right. Life as I once knew it has stalled altogether.”
“So who is she?” Zoe asked, connecting dots he hadn’t planned on revealing. “Anyone I know?”
“No. And it’s really not that serious. It’s just...well, I really need to talk to her.” It was too soon to let his family think he might be feeling more for Dana than just friendship. Especially when he wasn’t sure what to call it himself.
“Can you bring Rosie to Olivia’s house?” Zoe asked.
“Of course. I can be there in half an hour. Is this going to interfere with your wedding discussions?”
“No, we’ll be wrapping things up before you get here. Sophie will be leaving soon. She and Mason are going out to dinner tonight, and she needs to go home and get ready.”
Kieran had planned to ask Sophie a question when he got there. But if she was leaving, he’d better do it now.
“Can you put Sophie on the phone?” he asked. “I’ll only keep her a minute.”
“Sure.”
There was a murmur or two, then the sound of a chair moving across the floor. Finally Sophie got on the line and said, “Hi, Kieran.”
“I have a question for you, Soph. Remember when Ariana Lamonte interviewed you for that article she was writing?”
“Yes, why?”
“She went to the history center the other day and seemed interested in some old magazine and newspaper articles about Dad.”
“That makes sense. He started Robinson Tech shortly after moving to Austin. I’m sure she’s just trying to get a few of her details straight.”
Kieran had considered that. “Did anything strike you as odd about her or any of the questions she asked you?”
“No, not at all. Are you worried about something?”
“She’s supposed to be writing about the ‘new’ Fortunes, which didn’t bother me because a topic like that could end up being good publicity. But I think she might want to write an exposé about our old man.”
“She seemed very sweet and sincere during my interview. I don’t think she has any ulterior motives. Besides, with the half siblings who’ve turned up lately, I can’t blame her for being curious about Dad.”
“You’re probably right. I’d better let you get back to your wedding plans. Tell Zoe and Olivia that Rosie and I are on the way.”
After they ended the call, Kieran went into the living room, where he found Rosie playing with a puzzle. He helped her finish putting the pieces together to speed her along. After she chose a few toys and books to put in her backpack, he took her out to the car.
He stayed within the speed limit on the drive to Olivia’s, but it wasn’t easy. He was determined to get to Dana’s house in time to take her to dinner.
Sure, there was always the possibility that Dana would refuse to go out with him, but there was something to be said for Kieran Fortune. He never took no for an answer.
* * *
If Dana had any sense at all, she’d leave the house before Kieran arrived. But she hadn’t survived foster care and achieved all that she had today by running from uncomfortable situations, even if she found them downright embarrassing. So she kept herself busy by emptying the picnic basket and putting it away. She’d cleaned up the kitchen after she’d made cookies with Rosie, but she decided to do a more thorough job of it now.
To help keep her mind off Kieran, she turned on the radio to her favorite soft rock station. She loved listening to music from the 1980s and sometimes wished she’d been born thirty years earlier.
She just finished sweeping the floor—or actually, dancing with the broom—when the last chords of a James Taylor hit faded and the next song began.
As Rod Stewart sang the opening lyrics of “Have I Told You Lately,” she turned off the radio. There’d be no professions of love today, even if they were only made by a singer. She’d no more than put the broom back in the closet when the doorbell rang.
Her heart pinged around in her chest like a pinball. It had to be Kieran. Was she up for this?
She’d have to be. And on the upside, once they had the talk he insisted upon having and put it behind them, her life would be back on track.
But the minute she opened the door and saw him standing on her porch, all sexy and handsome, she wondered if it was going to be as easy as she’d thought to not only put him out of her mind, but out of her life for good.
He offered her an easy grin. “I came to apologize again for ducking out on you like I did.”
She didn’t respond. Nor did she return his smile or invite him in. She did, however, scan the yard and look at the backseat of his car. “Where’s Rosie?”
“With my sisters, Zoe and Olivia.”
Clearly, he no longer needed Dana as a babysitter. That would make it easier to put an end to their friendship.
“I’ve been struggling with something,” he admitted. “I have feelings for you, and I was afraid that it was too soon. Zach hasn’t been gone that long, and you probably thought I was coming on too strong.”
She placed her hands on her hips. “I told you before that I cared about Zach, but I’m not grieving for him in the way you think I am.”
“Yeah, well, after that last kiss, I realized that had to be true.” His smile deepened, dimpling his cheeks. But she still didn’t return it.
She’d lost her head during that kiss, making a fool of herself, and she didn’t need the reminder.
“I have no business getting involved with anyone,” Kieran added. “Not when I’m solely responsible for Rosie. She’s struggling with the loss of her father and a move from the only home she’s ever known. I’m all she really has right now.”
“I haven’t asked anything of you.”
“Yes, I know. And that’s the point. You’ve been great. And amazing. But if things turn in a romantic direction, it might not be fair to you.”
“How so?”
“Rosie has to be my first priority, and the last thing in the world I want to do is hurt you.”
“I’m a big girl. I have no intention of letting myself get hurt.” Still, even though she’d heard those words coming out in her own voice, she wasn’t sure she believed them.
Was she setting herself up for failure?
“I’m attracted to you, Dana. I didn’t expect it to happen, but it did.”
“You?” A man who could have almost any single woman in Austin? And he found her attractive? She slowly shook her head. “That’s hard for me to believe.”
“Then maybe this will help.” He reached out, drew her into his arms and kissed her soundly, thoroughly and with more conviction than she’d ever thought possible.
As his tongue swept into her mouth, mating with hers, she lost all conscious thought. She clung to him, savoring the subtle taste of peppermint and his musky, mountain-fresh scent.
Yet in spite of a growing ache in her most feminine part, she broke the kiss long enough to lay her cheek against his and whisper, “We’d better take this inside. I don’t want to provide a show for my neighbors or give them a reason to gossip.”
Then she took his hand, drew him into the house and closed the door. Their conversation probably should have continued at that point, but when he opened his arms, she stepped back into his embrace and raised her lips to his.
As the kiss deepened, primal need took over. Her hands explored him, caressed and stroked him, as his did her, until desire threatened to explode. But it wasn’t just passion stealing Dana’s thoughts and better judgment. Her heart had become fully engaged, too.
That really ought to concern her, and undoubtedly it would once she came back to her senses. If she ever did,
Before she could consider that thought, Kieran’s cell phone rang, interrupting the sweet bliss. And Dana was torn between hoping he’d ignore the call
and needing a moment to catch her breath.
She opted for breathing and allowing her brain the chance to gather her thoughts. “You’d better answer that.”
“Yeah, probably so. But I’d rather not.” Still, he reached for his phone and swiped the screen.
Moments later, he glanced at Dana and gave a slight roll of his eyes, then continued the conversation with whoever had called. “No, you’re not bothering me. What’s wrong?”
He listened a moment. “She’s got to be exhausted after a day at the park. And she only had about a five-minute nap. She’s probably having a meltdown, but I’ll be right there.”
After disconnecting the line, he looked at Dana, his lips forming a frown. “I have to go, but I intend to finish this later. What are you doing tomorrow night? Can we have dinner?”
“What about a sitter?”
“I’ll find someone.”
Dana smiled. “That little meltdown might mean that your sisters aren’t going to be an option next time.”
“Then I’ll call Kelly or one of the other girls. You and I still need to discuss what to do about this.”
By this, he meant the sexual attraction that had increased to astronomical proportions, at least as far as Dana was concerned.
“Let’s take things slowly,” she said, wanting to guard her heart.
“Sure. We’ll keep things simple and uncomplicated.”
She nodded, then watched him leave. Rather than follow him out to the car, she stayed inside. He might want to keep things simple, but for her, simple had left the station a long time ago.
Chapter Ten
As luck would have it, Kieran had no more than picked up Rosie from Olivia’s and started the drive to his own house when the tired little girl drifted off to sleep.
He was actually getting used to being a stand-in daddy and even enjoyed it at times. But having to cancel plans, especially those that were romantic in nature, was definitely one of the downsides of parenthood or guardianship. And the plans he’d made while kissing Dana had been both romantic and major.
He’d meant what he’d said about taking things slowly, even though his hormones had argued otherwise just minutes ago. But it seemed that he and Dana were finally on the same page—and on the right track. So at least he could head home with a smile and hope for a brighter future.
He’d just pulled up to his building when his cell phone rang. He glanced at the screen displayed on his dash and saw that it was Sandra calling. He answered quickly, trying to keep the apprehension from his tone.
Thankfully, her response was light and upbeat. “How are things going?” she asked.
Better, now that Rosie had finally dozed off. But having the night end before it had a chance to get off the ground had been disappointing, although he wasn’t about to complain to Sandra.
“We’re doing just fine,” he said. “We spent the afternoon at the park with Dana. Rosie met a new friend, and now she’s asleep in the backseat. How are you doing? Is Sam feeling any better?”
“Yes, he is. The meds seem to be working. He’s eating better, getting plenty of rest and gaining strength. So the doctor is pleased.”
“That’s good to hear.”
“Anyway,” Sandra said, “the reason I called was to talk to you about Rosie’s birthday.”
“Dana mentioned something to me earlier today, although we didn’t discuss it. What did you have in mind?”
“I’d like to host the party here at the ranch—if that’s all right with you. It’s close to her preschool and the church, so most of her friends live nearby.”
“That might be a good idea, but I don’t want you to go to any trouble.”
“It’ll actually be fun for me,” Sandra said. “And I promise not to go to any extra work. I can have Kelly and her friends come that day and chase after the kids. And, of course, you and Dana can take part, too—if you want to.”
Kieran laughed. “You strike a hard bargain, Sandra.”
“Then you’re okay with having it at the Leaning L?”
“As long as you’ll let me and Dana do most of the work.”
“Oh, good. Some of the parents like to host those parties at places like Cowboy Fred’s because it’s less work for them. But their food isn’t very good. So I’d rather do the cooking. I’ll keep it simple and pace myself, so don’t worry about it being stressful.”
Kieran had eaten enough meals at the Leaning L to know that he’d much rather eat anything Sandra made than Cowboy Fred’s crappy pizza.
“I have one other question for you,” Sandra said. “I’d like to have Rosie spend the night tomorrow so we can talk about her party and what she’d like. I already talked to Kelly, and she’s available for a slumber party. Is that okay with you?”
Kieran didn’t have to ponder the decision very long, since that would allow him to take Dana out—if she’d agree to go with him. “I’m sure Rosie would love to spend the night with you. What time do you want me to drop her off?”
“How about four o’clock?”
“Perfect.” That gave him time to go home and shower before picking up Dana. “We’ll see you tomorrow.”
As soon as the call ended, Kieran dialed Don Ramon’s, a classy restaurant that not only offered some of his favorite Mexican dishes, like tacos and enchiladas, but also served trendy Southwestern fare and boasted a full tequila bar that was the best this side of the Rio Grande.
When he got them on the line, he requested a table for two on the patio.
“Seven o’clock would be great,” he told the woman taking his call.
His plan to take Dana out tomorrow night was coming together nicely.
Sitter? Check.
Dinner reservations? Check.
Beautiful woman to accompany him? Still pending. But he wasn’t worried.
Should he order flowers? That might be a nice touch. One way or another, he would make this date extra special—and a night Dana would never forget.
* * *
Dana hadn’t planned to go out with Kieran this evening, but when he’d shown up at her front door holding a bouquet of long-stem yellow roses and wearing a dashing grin, her resolve to avoid getting romantically involved with him had crumbled.
So now here she was, sitting across a linen-draped pation table with Kieran at Don Ramon’s, one of Austin’s finest—and probably most expensive—Mexican restaurants.
Kieran lowered his heavy, leather-bound menu. “If you like seafood, the camarones rancheros is good.”
“I was thinking about having chili rellenos,” she said. “Although there are a couple of chicken dishes that are pretty tempting.”
“All the food here is good. You won’t be disappointed with anything you choose.”
He’d obviously been here many times, and probably with a date. Yet that didn’t dull Dana’s pleasure at being here with him. The man certainly knew how to treat a lady. He’d made Dana feel special from the moment he’d handed her the fragrant bouquet of roses. And in the car, he’d set the mood with soft jazz playing on Sirius. The royal treatment continued when the valet opened her car door and when Kieran brought her inside.
In the background, near a tree adorned with twinkly little white lights, a mariachi band played an array of Spanish romantic ballads. She didn’t understand a word that they sang, but the music cast an amorous ambiance in the room, especially when they moved to their table and gave them a private serenade.
Was she really on an actual date with Kieran Fortune?
She was tempted to pinch herself. Instead, she opted to settle in and enjoy the handsome man’s company.
One of the service staff placed a bowl of tortilla chips on their table, along with salsa fresco and guacamole.
“Thanks, Pablo.” Kieran reached for one of
the chips and raised it in the air. “They make everything fresh, including the tortillas.”
She wasn’t surprised. The decor alone—with the white plastered walls and dark wood beams as well as an artistic mural depicting historical life in Old Mexico—was enough to convince her that this wasn’t your run-of-the-mill restaurant.
“I’m not sure if you like guacamole or salsa,” Kieran said, “but Don Ramon’s has the best I’ve ever tasted.”
“It’s funny,” she said. “I don’t like avocados, but I love guacamole. One day, I was having dinner at my friend Monica’s house. Her abuelita—her grandmother—had prepared a Mexican feast for us and encourage me to taste her special recipe. I did and was surprised at how good it was.”
He dipped his chip into the guacamole, then handed it to her. “Try this and tell me if there’s any comparison.”
She took a bite and had to agree. “This is a little different, but I think it’s just as good.”
Her thoughts drifted back to the day Abuelita had prepared that amazing dinner, when Dana had felt a part of Monica’s entire family. All she’d ever wanted was to be accepted and loved by people who knew her best.
When the waiter had finished pouring glasses of red wine, Kieran lifted his in a toast. “To our first evening out.”
Dana clinked her glass against his. If this was their first evening, then Kieran expected there would be others. She certainly was game, if he was.
After placing their orders, they settled back and enjoyed their wine, which had a hint of cranberry. With a candle softly burning and the mariachis playing, the evening had turned incredibly romantic.
But maybe that was due to the handsome man across the table from her. And for some reason, she had the feeling that the night would only get better with each minute that passed.
She was right.
By the time Kieran was driving her home, her heart rate was soaring and the heat was building. She lifted her long hair off her neck, refusing to give any thought to why she’d worn it down tonight. Still, she couldn’t stop one thought from echoing in her mind. When he dropped her off, would he try to kiss her again?
