An answer he wasn’t sure he was ready to find.
Five
Ty dropped another kiss on Angie’s forehead. “Are you okay?” He tried to control the emotion in his voice, but without much success. “Is there anything I can get for you?”
She snuggled into his embrace. “I’m fine.” Fine? She was more than fine. She had certainly made love before. She was far from promiscuous, but she had experienced more partners than just her ex-fiancé. But nowhere in her life had she encountered anything like the pure heated sexual magnetism of Tyler Farrell.
Before that night she had only suspected she might be falling in love with him. Now that uncertainty was rapidly fading to be replaced by emotions she could no longer deny but was not ready to fully accept. She remained still with her eyes closed as she savored the comfort of his arms and the warm glow of contentment. She tried to keep the smile from turning the corners of her mouth as she allowed thoughts of what the future held.
Suddenly her warm glow grew dim as a cloud of doubt appeared on the horizon. The dark cloud tried to invade her euphoria. She didn’t have the slightest idea what Ty felt or what he wanted. Was she nothing more than just another of the many women he dated? Just another conquest, as Mac had tried to tell her?
She fought off the potentially crippling doubt by reminding herself of her original goal and plan. She was not looking for a relationship. She had other things she wanted to do with her life first. And even if she was looking for a relationship, did she really think a man like Tyler Farrell would be the type to make a commitment?
She reaffirmed her determination to pursue her goal. She wanted to earn Mac’s approval and his respect for her abilities as an adult. She wanted to secure her own future through her own efforts without Mac giving her a job just because she asked. It was very important to her to be able to stand on her own feet and earn her own way. She remained in Ty’s arms, lost in her own thoughts about what the future held and where she was going. A future that may or may not include Tyler Farrell.
She turned to glance at the clock on the nightstand. It was still early. It had been only a little after seven o’clock when they had made their way to the bedroom.
“Is something wrong?” He immediately sat up, drawing her body tightly to him. His gaze quickly shot around the room, trying to find what had grabbed her attention. “What do you need? What can I do?” They were questions that had a far deeper meaning than what the present circumstances would dictate. Making love to Angie had a far greater impact on him than he had ever imagined it could. And it had left him reeling with uncertainty and confusion. If only he could figure out where they stood, what the future held and what he wanted.
“I was just wondering what time it was.”
He sank back into the warmth of the bed, taking her with him. He stroked her hair and reveled in the tender closeness. Exactly what were his true feelings toward her? It was a loaded question, one with an answer that scared him right down to his toes. A committed relationship was not for him. He had watched his parents’ marriage disintegrate into bitter arguments and at best nothing more than strained attempts to politely tolerate each other. He had been that route with his own marriage. There was no way he would ever allow himself to be suckered into a commitment to a relationship again, regardless of how attractive it might seem at the moment. If what two people had was right, it didn’t require words of commitment.
Yet he couldn’t imagine his life without Angie being a part of it. And it was that knowledge that tore at him, leaving him without a clear-cut path to follow or any solution for his inner turmoil.
And then there was Mac. He couldn’t get the image of Mac’s look of disapproval out of his mind. Did Mac truly believe that he wasn’t good enough for Angie? If so, what did that say about their friendship and business partnership? It left him as much in the dark about how to approach things with Mac as it did in trying to figure out what he and Angie had together.
Ty placed a soft kiss on Angie’s cheek. “It’s still early and I owe you a dinner. Would you like to go to the pub as we originally planned—” he pulled her body tighter against his “—or would you like to stay here and take your chances on what’s in my refrigerator?”
“I’d just as soon stay here, if that’s all right with you.”
“Me, too.” He reluctantly released her from his embrace. “Let me see if I can find something comfortable for you to put on while we putter around the kitchen.”
Ty climbed out of bed, disappeared into his bathroom, then returned a couple of minutes later. He pulled on a pair of sweatpants, then grabbed a large football jersey from a dresser drawer and handed it to her. “Here…try this.”
She pulled the jersey on over her head, then slid out of bed. When she stood up the jersey came halfway down her thighs. “Yes, this will be fine.”
He started to turn toward the door, but quickly whirled around and grabbed her in his arms. The spontaneous gesture was partly a need to reestablish physical contact and partly a desire to share the lingering warmth of their lovemaking that continued to permeate the air. Is this how it was going to be? His life wouldn’t be complete unless he could hold her…touch her…be with her?
He lowered his mouth to hers in a tender and loving kiss, far different from the frenzied urgency of earlier. It contained warmth and caring, the type of closeness that had a feeling of permanency about it. The sensation was wonderful and comfortable. But was it too comfortable? It was a serious dilemma, one that he knew could cost him many sleepless nights and would not be easily resolved.
Angie wound her arms around his waist. He made her feel so special. It was a feeling she didn’t want to ever lose. But at what cost? A little shudder of apprehension swept through her. What had she gotten herself into? What happened to her decision to not become involved with anyone?
Ty’s kiss deepened, sweeping away all her doubts and concerns in a heated heartbeat. He pulled her body tightly against his, then skimmed his hands under the bottom of the football jersey and up the smooth skin of her thighs. He cupped the roundness of her bare bottom and pulled her hips against his. His rapidly hardening manhood pressed against her, igniting her own simmering desires. Dinner be damned…she wanted Tyler Farrell. He was all the sustenance she needed.
He scooped her up in his arms. A moment later they sank back into the softness of his king-size bed. Arms and legs tangled together. Mouths and tongues teased and tasted. The passion they had earlier shared burst once again into an all-consuming flame.
Ty arrived for work early the next morning. He had never felt as light of step or happy with life in general. His only regret was that Angie had not been able to spend the entire night at his house. They had agreed that it would not be a wise thing to do. He had reluctantly taken her back to Mac’s house about two o’clock that morning. Even though he had not gotten more than a few hours of sleep, he felt terrific.
As soon as he turned down the hall he spotted Mac leaning against the doorjamb of his office. The expression on Mac’s face struck him as intense and odd, not the usual look that said his mind was a million miles away working on some design problem.
Ty extended a pleasant smile. “Good morning, Mac. Bright, beautiful sunny day out there and all’s right with the world. How’s the design project coming along?”
“I’m almost done with it. Just another day or two at the most.” Mac shifted his weight from one foot to the other, his awkward manner testifying to his discomfort. “Do you have a minute, Ty? There’s something we need to talk about.”
Ty furrowed his brow in momentary confusion. Something was definitely bothering Mac. Could it be a business problem he wasn’t aware of? Trouble with a vendor or a client? “Sure, Mac.”
The two men entered Mac’s office with Mac closing the door behind them.
Ty cocked his head and shot his partner a questioning look. “What’s up? Is there a problem?” He watched as Mac nervously rearranged the items on his desk. A sinking feelin
g settled inside him, a sensation that told him this was something personal rather than business. And that could only mean one thing—Angie. His mind filled with hundreds of images of her and memories of a night of passion he knew he would never be able to duplicate with anyone else—nor did he have any desire to try. Whether he wanted it or not, she had become as much a part of his life as breathing.
Ty attempted to make light of what he suspected was about to be an unpleasant situation. He forced what he hoped sounded like a casual laugh. “Are we on the verge of bankruptcy? Have all our employees decided to go out on strike? I didn’t notice any picket signs when I came in.” The discomfort welled inside him and his words carried an edge of irritation. “Whatever it is, Mac, don’t keep me in suspense. Just say it.”
“Yes…all right.” Mac nervously cleared his throat. “It’s…uh…it’s about Angie.”
Something in Mac’s tone of voice grabbed Ty’s attention. He straightened as a cold fear shot through his body. “Is she all right? Did something happen to her?”
“No, nothing like that.”
Ty eyed him cautiously, not sure he really wanted to hear what Mac had to say. “Then what?”
“Well, as you know this design project has had me chained to my office for the past couple of weeks, even before Angie arrived.” Mac took a swallow from his coffee cup. “And I know I asked you if you would mind entertaining her that first day she was in town.”
“I believe take her off my hands was the way you phrased it.”
“Uh…yes, well…I know how busy you are and I’ve been concerned about how much of your time Angie has taken up. So…I just wanted to let you know that you don’t need to entertain her any longer. I’m close enough to completion on the design that I can have dinner with her in the evenings, so you don’t need to put your own social life on hold any longer. I can take it from here and you can return to your many lady friends.” Mac extended a smile, but it looked more nervous than sincere.
Ty bristled inside at the barely veiled insinuation that Mac was unhappy with how much time he and Angie had been spending together. He also didn’t like the reference Mac had made to his many lady friends as if he was a blatant womanizer. It sounded as if Mac didn’t want him to see Angie anymore. It was the moment he had been concerned about. Was he going to have to make a choice between his feelings for Angie and his personal and business relationship with Mac? Would he have to sacrifice his relationship with Angie in order to preserve the company?
The dilemma presented itself as a double-edged sword. If he was forced to make a decision it wouldn’t matter which side he chose because either way he would lose something special and important to him. He took a calming breath. Maybe it was his own fears that were directing his thoughts. He didn’t want to jump to a wrong conclusion about what Mac really meant.
He drew in another steadying breath, held it for a moment, then slowly exhaled. He leveled a serious look at Mac and carefully measured his words. “What exactly are you saying? Are you telling me you don’t want me to see Angie anymore? Have you even bothered to discuss this with her or are you making this decision for her according to what you think she should be doing?”
“Be reasonable, Ty. Angie is a young and very impressionable girl. She’s not at all the type of woman you usually go out with, not experienced enough to travel in your league. You do have to admit that you have a rather casual attitude toward the women you date. I don’t believe Angie can handle that type of a…well…that type of a no-strings-attached casual situation.”
Ty fought to keep the anger out of his voice. “Open your eyes and look around. Angie is not that little girl you lived with before you went away to college. She’s an intelligent, mature woman capable of making her own decisions. If she wants your advice, I’m sure she’ll ask you for it.”
Mac’s expression turned very serious, his intense gaze almost becoming an adversarial glare. “I don’t want her to be an innocent pawn in one of your it’s only fun and games interludes. I don’t want to see her get hurt.”
Ty returned Mac’s pointed attitude with one of his own. “Are you telling me I’m not good enough to go out with your sister? Are you telling me I have to stop seeing her and if I don’t there will be consequences for me to deal with? I want to know exactly what you’re trying to say so that there won’t be any mistake or misunderstanding between us.”
“I’m just saying that Angie is a young, inexperienced girl. Her emotions and feelings could be easily hurt, even if that wasn’t your intention. I…uh…” Mac glanced down, uneasiness and a hint of uncertainty covering his features. “I don’t know what has gone on between you and Angie, but I don’t want to see her hurt because you’ve made her think you’re offering her a relationship with a future when all you’re really offering her is a one-night stand. She’s already been hurt by one broken engagement.”
Mac’s words caught Ty off guard. “Broken engagement? I didn’t know she’d been engaged.”
“Yes, she was engaged for a while to a man from Portland…Caufield Woodrow III.”
“What happened?”
“She told me the engagement was off, but I don’t know what happened or why. I don’t know which one of them broke it off. She didn’t volunteer the information and I didn’t ask her. I don’t want her to be hurt again by something she thinks is real when it’s nothing more than another of your flings.”
A whole new level of discomfort pushed at Ty. He wanted out of the conversation and definitely wanted out of Mac’s office. There was too much whirling around in his head. He blurted out the first thing that came to his mind. “To tell you the truth, Mac…I don’t see where it’s anyone’s business what has happened between Angie and me and that includes you. You may be her brother, but she’s definitely an adult and does not need to answer to you or get your permission for anything. If she wants to see me, it’s her choice and her decision.”
It pained Ty to utter the harsh words, but he needed to put an abrupt end to the conversation before even harsher things were said. Mac’s words continued to ring in his ears…nothing more than another of your flings. The words had hurt. He felt as if Mac had verbally attacked him, had told him he wasn’t good enough to be seeing Angie.
Ty put a stop to any further conversation when he turned and walked out of the office. Mac had hit a vulnerable place deep inside him, a place that had tried to work its way into his consciousness before, but he had never let it in. Now it seemed as if he was going to have to deal with the uncomfortable reality. He would need to face his own deeply buried doubts and fears. And even worse, he would have to explore his own vulnerability.
Ty went to his office, closed the door and slumped dejectedly into his chair. He had been walking on cloud nine when he arrived at work. Now he felt himself sinking into the depths. Exactly what did he want out of life? Everything had been so perfect for the past several years. Even though he had a great deal of family money available to him, after college graduation he had gone to work for a company where his father had no holdings or even influence. He had been determined to make it on his own. He didn’t want to owe anything to his parents. He did not want to depend on them or what they could provide.
During the five years following college, even though they were working for different companies, Mac and Ty had continued to pursue their dream of one day being business partners and having their own company. Then that day had finally arrived. Both men had worked very hard and they had made the company a phenomenal success. He had become wealthy within his own right, as had Mac. The future had truly seemed unlimited.
Now he was filled with doubts. Exactly what did the future hold for him on a personal level?
He wondered where he would be ten years from now. Would he be a forty-five-year-old playboy running after beach-bunny-type women half his age and organizing sailing parties? Would his life be without any personal goals? Without any purpose other than his work? Would his future be devoid of that one special person to
share both his successes and failures with? It was not a very appealing picture, one that left him as frightened as did his feelings for Angie.
His brow furrowed into a scowl. What about Angie’s ex-fiancé—some guy named Caufield Woodrow III? Even the name grated against his nerves. It sounded so pretentious and pompous.
And it left him with a sinking feeling of trepidation.
And what about Angie? Exactly what did she want for the future? So many times she had brought up company business and their possible expansion plans. He had treated it as no more than casual conversation. Had she been trying to ask for his help in some way and he had been too dense to realize it? Too blinded by his own desires to worry about her ambitions and inner concerns—about what she wanted out of life? But if she wanted his help with something, why didn’t she just come out and ask him?
The soul-searching moment left him very uncomfortable and uncertain.
He raked his gaze slowly around his office, taking in the details of his accomplishments. He was proud of the many awards the company had received for both excellence in the workplace and also for their many charitable contributions and civic activities. He and Mac had been so completely in agreement on every facet of the company’s growth. They had always seemed to be a perfect example of a well-honed working relationship.
Yet they were so different in many ways. He loved parties and Mac preferred to stay at home. He had the ability to mingle at both social and business functions, to engage in casual chitchat with anyone, while Mac had admitted on more than one occasion that he was very uncomfortable in large groups, especially with strangers, and was not any good at maintaining a relationship—which explained Mac’s broken engagement of a few years ago.
In Forbidden Territory Page 7
