“You’re coming home?” my mother squealed, obviously eager to have her only son back in town. “How long will we have you? I need to call your sisters so that they can make arrangements to come home, too.”
“Mom, both Ainsley and Veronica live less than thirty minutes away. I doubt swinging by the house is going to be a problem,” I scoffed, grinning when I heard my father’s snort of agreement.
“You never know,” Mom informed me airily. “Ainsley’s class schedule at school has been insane and since Veronica started dating that football player with the Broncos, she’s been accompanying him everywhere.”
I could tell Mom wasn’t thrilled with Ronnie’s new man. “It’s not football season, Mom. I’m sure it’ll be fine. If not, Michelle and I will catch ‘em the next trip. The important thing is to have you and dad meet her and show her how I grew up.” I knew if I wasn’t careful, my mother would throw the entire Templeton clan at Michelle as soon as we arrived, and I didn’t want that. Michelle was already obviously anxious about her own family dynamics. I didn’t want my own kin to compound the problem. “Listen, Mom, I want her to get to know me. I want to show her where I was raised…. how I was raised. If you make this into a big event, you’ll make her uncomfortable. Her family… well, I don’t know much, but I can tell it isn’t like ours. They aren’t close and there are issues. My woman isn’t going to be used to a clan that is as close as ours right off the bat. So, I’m beggin’, please don’t overwhelm my girl.”
I heard my mom release a long breath and my gut clenched as I waited for her response. I’d never put another woman’s needs before my mom’s, so these were uncharted waters for both of us.
“I understand, Son. It’s so wonderful to hear how much you care about this girl’s feelings. That’s what love is, you know. Putting the other person’s needs above your own.”
Closing my eyes, I said a prayer of thanks that my mother got it. Although, I really shouldn’t have doubted it. My mom was the shit. “Thanks, Mom. Just be patient for me. I promise you’ll love her as much as I already do.”
“I’m sure we will, sweetie. Just get those tickets and come home so I can see her for myself.”
“Listen to your mother, Son. Otherwise, I’ll be forced to listen to your mother. And believe me, I’ll solve that problem by buying tickets to Tennessee.”
I laughed, not misled in the least by my dad. He adored my mom and pretty much still hung on her every word. I’d allow him to keep his man card in front of her, though. “I got it, Pop. Give me a month or two and we’ll be out.”
“Sounds good. Take care of her, boy, and take care of yourself, too,” my dad ordered sternly.
“I will,” I replied seriously.
“I love you, Lukie, and I’m so happy for you,” my mother whispered. “My greatest wish is that my kids will find the kind of love I have with your father. It’s good to know you’re on your way, baby.”
“Thank you, Mom. I love you, too,” I offered, my throat going tight at the emotion I heard in my mother’s parting words. “I’ll see you soon, guys. Love you both,” I said thickly before I hung up the phone.
Leaning back in my chair, I pressed my head against the leather headrest and closed my eyes, satisfied that I’d told two of the most important people in my life about the woman who’d changed everything for me.
Drumming my fingers against the desk, I contemplated my next strategic move in the game to woo Michelle. I smiled as my devious mind arrived at the next not-so-logical step I’d be taking to win my woman.
“Ready or not, my gorgeous realtor, I’m coming for you. I’m gonna huff and I’m gonna puff…and then, I’ll buy the damn house of your dreams. And you’re going to find it for us.”
Chapter Five
Michelle
“I’m sorry. I need you to repeat that. You want me to find a WHAT for WHO now?” I nearly shrieked, stomping around my desk to face off with an entirely-too-confident looking Luka Templeton. Glaring at the infuriating ass, I shook my head. It was way too early on a Monday morning to deal with this craziness! I hadn’t even gotten my coffee yet. Staring across my messy desk into his laughing eyes, my fingers curled into fists as I told myself to ignore the sexy smirk that currently clung to his firm lips… lips that I was fairly certain could cause my cute pink panties to spontaneously combust if I wasn’t very careful. But who could blame me for looking? God, that man had an incredible mouth on him… one that I knew, firsthand, tasted better than a triple-layer chocolate cake on PMS day. Not that I’d give the taste of Luka’s mouth all that much thought. Nuh uh. Not me. Not at all.
Christ, stop thinking about his freaking mouth, I admonished myself silently as I tried to shake off the wave of heat that had suddenly encompassed my body. Good God, this guy wasn’t to be believed! Who the hell was he to waltz into the real estate office where I worked, wearing a suit that cost more than my monthly rent by the way, and offer to buy me the house of my dreams? In front of my greedy boss, no less! A quick look in Mr. Fitzlander’s direction had confirmed what I’d already known I’d see; the man had dollar signs spinning in his eyes.
That’s when I’d grabbed Luka’s suit coat by the lapel and not-so-gently yanked him toward my tiny office. It barely held my desk and chair, but I’d worked hard for it, and it was mine. Better yet, it was private, and privacy was exactly what I needed at the moment. How else was I going to commit cold-blooded murder without witnesses?
All this drama just so that Luka could spend more time with me, I thought as I glared over Luka’s broad shoulder at the door I’d just slammed closed a few moments prior. Hadn’t this dude figured out yet that I didn’t like drama? I’d had enough of it during my childhood to last me a lifetime! Between my father’s antics and my mother’s hysterics when he finally left, I’d had my fill of emotion-fueled announcements and scenes.
Hadn’t this man given a single thought toward simply asking me for a second date (well, technically third…) before he concocted a plan that would make me fodder for the office’s water cooler gossips for months to come?
Sure, I wouldn’t have actually agreed to go on one, but still! He could have just asked all the same.
Of course, I was quickly learning that Luka Templeton didn’t do anything the normal way.
Probably because he was absolutely, certifiably, 100% INSANE! Even worse, he didn’t appear to be the least bit bothered by the fact that he was a lunatic. To be fair, though, what lunatic actually knew they were batcrap crazy?
Hearing Luka’s low chuckle rumble from his chest only fueled my irritation as I plopped my hands on my hips and fumed. “I’m waiting Luka,” I growled, his obvious amusement grating on my nerves in much the same way it did when I heard people run a fork against their teeth. That shit drove me nuts… much like he was doing now. “What the hell was that all about out there?” I asked, flapping a hand toward my closed door. “You do realize that my boss thinks you were serious about buying an expensive house for us! Thanks to the fact, that you’ve convinced the entire office that you’re loaded with that designer suit and expensive cologne you’re wearing, he’s going to expect me to close the deal! When that commission doesn’t come through for the company, who do you think he’ll blame?” I bit out, nearly vibrating with the anger I felt. How could this man possibly think it would be okay to mess with my job like that?
I watched as Luka cleared his throat and dropped one hand into the pocket of his slacks, negligently leaning back against the wall of my office as if he hadn’t a care in the world. Which, with my luck, he probably didn’t! “Would you say something?” I ordered through clenched teeth.
“I’m debating where to start,” he returned with a careless smile and an unconcerned shrug that had me seeing red.
“Luka…” I began. Hopefully my tone would warn the foolish man that an explosion was imminent if he didn’t say something extremely interesting very fast.
“I think I’ll start with reassuring you that I am loaded, humm
ingbird. I come from a wealthy family, but even if I didn’t, I previously owned several successful restaurants throughout Colorado. I sold them for quite a tidy profit when I moved to Tennessee to take over Maybelle’s. As I told you, it belonged to my grandmother and had sentimental value to me. Since it’s also the best steakhouse within a hundred miles, it’s also a very lucrative business for me. I assure you, I can easily afford to purchase any house you show me. Though, I’d prefer you to actually choose a house you like as well as one that will make your boss a tidy sum. I’m sure you have listings on your books that you love. Choose a few and let’s go see them,” he suggested, gesturing at the computer screen where my listings were showing.
My jaw dropped at his bold assertion. “Luka, listen to me. I’m thrilled your restaurant is doing so well. I love Maybelle’s. The food is exquisite. And it’s good to hear that you’ve made a mint selling your businesses in Colorado. Congratulations on that.”
“Thank you,” he returned with a cocky grin.
Rolling my eyes, I continued. “You’re welcome. However, none of that is any of my business. When you do find that special woman that you’ll call your own, I’ll be happy to help you shop for a house,” I lied. “And I’m sure that lady will be pleased as punch that you’re willing to be so generous. Sadly, for you, though, you’ve gotten confused. You see, I’m not that girl. You and I,” I said, gesturing between us as I forced myself to continue forward even though the man was seriously wearing down my defenses. “We are not a thing. We have never been a thing, and we will never be a thing. As such, you do not need to buy me a house. Especially since I already have a place I’m quite satisfied with.”
“You’ve got a condo,” he grunted, scrunching up his nose in distaste. “I hate condos. They’re almost as bad as townhouses. There’s no space. When I was at your place yesterday, there was barely enough room to turn around in the living room without bumping into a piece of furniture.”
“It’s cozy!” I argued, insulted on my home’s behalf. I had searched for months until I found my darling little showplace! How dare he!
“It’s small,” he corrected me evenly. “There’s no way we could start a family there. Where would we put the baby? In a closet?” he questioned flippantly, shaking his dark head as he frowned at me.
Yep, he was definitely delusional, I thought a smidge hysterically as I eyed the deceptively rational looking man in front of me before shaking my head. It was depressing, really, that a man as smokin' hot as this one was loony tunes. A real waste of male beauty. “Oh, bless your heart, sugar” I drawled sympathetically, laying my southern accent on a little thicker than usual. “The buses just don’t run where you live, do they?”
“What?” Luka’s face was adorably befuddled.
“It’s southern, Luka, for you are truly touched in the head, you madman! You’d have to be! And it’s such a pity when the pretty ones turn out to be whack jobs,” I declared sadly, shaking my head with a dejected sigh.
“Hummingbird, I’m as sane as any judge sitting on the bench.”
“Yeah, if that bench happened to be in the middle of the local funny farm,” I snickered, leaning back against my desk.
Ignoring me, he went on. “Michelle, I just happen to know who I want. In my life, in my house, and in my bed. YOU!! But I am gratified to know you think I’m pretty. It’s a stroke to my ego to know the woman I want finds me attractive. Now, if I can ever convince you to stroke something else….”
“Stop right there, hot stuff,” I ordered, throwing up a hand. “No one is stroking anything here. Certainly not me. I find your ego overblown enough.” Lifting a hand to rub the tense muscles in the back of my neck, I made a mental note to make an appointment for a massage as soon as humanly possible. “Look, we’re getting off track here,” I finally groaned, tilting my head to stare at the ceiling while I prayed for some divine intervention. “I’m not your woman, Luka.”
“You are,” he countered. “You just need to realize it, and I wish to God you’d hurry up about it,” he added sulkily. Honest to Christ, he sounded like a petulant child who’d been told his outside time had been cut short.
“He’s cracked,” I muttered to myself, letting out a deep sigh. He really was too good to be true, wasn’t he? “Completely twisted in the head.”
“I’m not,” he insisted with a hard look at me. Pointing at my desk chair, he smiled. “Why don’t you sit down and let me calmly make my case, gorgeous?”
One look at his face and I knew Luka wasn’t going to concede defeat. At least not easily and certainly not yet. But maybe I could wait him out, I told myself, choosing to keep my musings optimistic while I slowly pulled out the chair behind my desk and sank into it. I’d once read somewhere it was best to humor addled mental patients. Perhaps, I needed to try that advice now. What could it hurt? “Okay, Luka. I’m sitting,” I murmured, flashing him an encouraging smile that was only slightly homicidal. I arched one eyebrow heavenward and adjusted the skirt of my navy A-line dress to modestly cover my knees when he only continued to eyeball me closely—much the same way a snake eyes his next victim. “Talk,” I invited, refusing to be rattled by that predatory shine in his eyes.
Nodding once, Luka slowly circled my cluttered office, each step purposeful and deliberate, designed to shake me. I watched, my voice box on mute, as he reached my side. Holding my breath as he leaned across me, I stared as his large tanned hands quickly organized the scattered property files I had strewn across the surface of my desk into a neat pile before he turned and tossed two mangled candy wrappers and an empty soda can into my wastebasket, efficiently clearing enough space for him to perch his firm ass on the corner of my desk. “Okay,” he began after a prolonged silence between us, stretching his long legs out in front of him and crossing them at the ankles, “I think we can both agree that there’s something between us. Wouldn’t you agree?” He asked, his quiet voice strangely gentle.
“I guess,” I replied, unable to lie about something that was clearly obvious as I squirmed in my chair and[AO9] avoided his darkened gaze. Outside my office, I could hear the sounds of an average work day, but here, inside my bubble, things were anything but normal. My sweaty palms and racing heart could attest to that.
“Uh huh,” he chuckled. “Personally, I think whatever it is we’ve got is something pretty intense—something that’s definitely worth pursuing. At the very least, we share a fairly potent sexual chemistry that’s begging to be explored.”
I tried to cover my gasp with a yawn as he reached out a hand to wind a long strand of my dark auburn hair around his finger.
No fool, Luka only smiled and lowered his voice. “You may still be a virgin, little one, but I’m not,” he informed me, his voice going all smoky with unhidden longing.
“Good to know,” I murmured, hating how shaky I sounded even to my own ears.
“Trust me when I tell you that this attraction we have between us isn’t something that comes around very often in life. Usually if you’re very lucky, it happens once in a lifetime.”
“Okay,” I squeaked.
Somehow, Luka’s already black eyes got impossibly darker as he tugged on the strand of hair he had wrapped around his finger. Not in a way that hurt, but in a way that expressed that I should pay attention to what he said next.
“You’re my chance at having something genuinely beautiful, Michelle, and I didn’t get to be the successful man I am today by ignoring opportunity when it falls in my lap. I know what I want. I want my shot with you. If I was a traditional guy, I’d romance and woo you.”
“Nobody says woo anymore,” I scoffed, unable to remain on mute. Luka, of course, ignored my editorial comments about his vocabulary. He continued as if I hadn’t spoken.
“I’d go slow and win your heart inch by inch, day by day. Sadly, I’m neither traditional nor very patient where it comes to you. It’s a family trait passed down on my father’s side.”
Great, wacky ran in the fam. Good to know.
“Hell, when my dad met my mom, he had her wedded and bred within a week of meeting her,” Luka shared with a proud grin.
“Oh, my God,” I whispered, my eyes widening as I realized where this was going.
“Wanna know the story?” he queried with a wink.
It was like a train wreck. Once you saw it, you couldn’t ignore it and pretend it wasn’t happening. So like a puppet, I nodded wordlessly. Because, I didn’t want to know. I needed to know how Luka’s parents’ story unfolded.
“Dad met mom on a rainy Friday afternoon after he almost hit her with his car during one of the worst snowstorms in Colorado history. His truck skidded on a patch of black ice while Mom was crossing the street to get to her job at the local diner. After Dad made sure she was just cold and wet rather than broken and bloody, he took her home to nurse her bruises and warm her up. It took something like four point five minutes in my mother’s company to fall completely under her spell.”
“Was she trying to enchant him?” I asked tightly. I hoped against hope the answer was yes. It might give hope to my own plight.
Luka’s sexy eyes danced as he shook his head. “Not even a little bit, but that didn’t matter. Dad was hooked. He kept her with him that entire weekend, babying and coddling her. Oh, she put up a good fight. She’s almost as mouthy as you,” he noted, obviously sympathizing with his father.
“Smart chick,” I smarted off, glaring at him. Although, if I was honest, if Luka’s father looked even half as fine as he did, Luka’s mom had never stood a chance. Especially if she’d been in a weakened condition from her accident. It was clear that the Templeton men would exploit any situation they found themselves in to their benefit. My own hijacked blind date was testament to that.
“By Saturday, Dad knew he was in love, and by Monday, he knew it was the kind of love you celebrated with a gold ring. It took another full day to convince mom to marry him because she can be every bit the infuriating, beautiful pain in the ass you can be when she chooses to be obstinate, but Dad persevered—another shared family trait, by the way. Templeton guys do NOT give up on anything they truly want. Anyway, by Wednesday, Pop had Mom standing in a white dress before a Methodist minister as they pledged their lives to each other. And you wanna know what else?”
Happily Ever Alpha Page 7
