She stood in the kitchen, her back to him, her forearms resting on the tile counter.
“What’s wrong, Kel?” As if he didn’t know. She probably thought he was the slime of the earth. She would be right.
“I’m sorry, Mike.”
That surprised him. “Why?”
“For bothering you. I just couldn’t face going upstairs. If I didn’t hear the baby she would disturb you. It’s such a big bed. I thought you wouldn’t even know I was there.”
Fat chance, he thought. Even if she hadn’t cozied up to him, he knew sooner or later he’d have sensed her sweet little body next to his. That kiss had jet-propelled them into something different. He wouldn’t call it love, he didn’t believe in it. But that kiss was hot enough to fry bacon. He knew she had felt it, too.
“I’m sorry—”
“There’s no reason to apologize. I’m not mad,” he said. Her shoulders lifted as she took a deep, shuddering breath. “What’s wrong, Kelly? This is more than you waking up in my bed. It’s about the kiss-—”
She whirled around. “Mike, you mustn’t ever do that again.”
“You kissed me back. Don’t tell me you didn’t like it.”
“I wasn’t going to. Just the opposite. I liked it a lot.”
“Me, too.” He smiled. When he reached a hand out to touch her cheek, she dodged away. A frown pulled his eyebrows together. “I don’t understand the problem.”
“I’ve sworn off men. Remember?”
“Yeah. But you also said it wasn’t permanent.”
“That’s true. But it’s too soon, Mike. I just had a baby—”
“Wait just a damn minute. What kind of insensitive jerk do you take me for? You didn’t think I was going to press you to—”
“No, of course not. I was talking emotionally, not physically.”
“I should hope so. But I still don’t get what the problem is.”
“I’m tired, Mike. My defenses are down. It would be easy to make a mistake with you. I won’t risk it”
“What mistake?”
“When Sammi’s custody is settled and my life is back on track, I want a relationship with a man.”
“What am I? A tackle dummy?”
He was rewarded with a small smile. “I want to find romantic love with someone.”
“That’s a fantasy, Kel.”
“Wouldn’t be my first,” she said, her lip lifting in a self-derisive expression.
“Don’t tell me you’re not attracted to me. I just kissed you and you’re not that good an actress. If you didn’t like it as much as I did—Well, I know for a fact that you know the moves to get yourself out of that kind of situation.”
“I wasn’t going to deny that I felt…something. But you’re not just another pretty face. Not to me. I don’t want to make another foolish mistake, especially with you. You’re my best friend. What would I do without you?” She tried to make her voice light, but couldn’t quite carry it off.
“You’re not ever going to lose me, Kel.”
“I’m not willing to risk it by complicating things between us. I want your promise that this will never happen again.”
Mike wasn’t sure he wanted to do what she asked. The kiss they’d shared had sparked something in him that he’d never experienced before. Why shouldn’t they explore these feelings and see where it went?
His gaze dropped to Kelly’s mouth, still swollen from his kiss, and he knew he couldn’t promise her what she asked.
“Define this,” he said, stalling.
“This,” she said, spreading her arms wide. “You know. In your bed.”
“Okay. You have my word.”
She released a big breath and smiled. “Thanks, Mike.”
“Don’t mention it.”
A whimpering cry came from the bedroom. “Sounds like Sammi is awake. I better change her diaper before I feed her.”
Mike watched her back as she left the room. He supposed he couldn’t blame her for being cautious, after the mess with Hammond. But she admitted she wanted romantic love someday. He didn’t think that love existed, yet he could no longer ignore the power of his feelings for Kelly. He wouldn’t label it. He wouldn’t spoil things by doing that. He also wouldn’t throw away this opportunity with her while they were together.
When she had said she wanted to find romantic love with someone, Mike had been surprised at the jealousy that roared through him. Maybe he wasn’t the most romantic guy in the world, but he was competitive. He could damn well learn.
Thoughts tumbled through his mind. Sammi’s birth had convinced him of two things—he wanted to be around to protect her and watch her grow up and he needed Kelly in his life.
Kelly didn’t want to complicate their relationship. She was kidding herself if she thought it wasn’t already confusing. They could try to go back to what they had before tonight’s kiss. There was a part of Mike that really wanted to do just that, to run like hell in the other direction. He was a trained competitor and he liked winning. He had made big mistakes in the relationship department, and he didn’t like failing. If he didn’t play again, he couldn’t lose. But he couldn’t win, either. And he hadn’t counted on one thing.
How wonderful it was to kiss Kelly.
He couldn’t possibly let her go now. He had a little time left there must be something he could do. The only thing worse than losing would be to wonder what might have been. He had to make every second count.
If she wanted romance, he would give her romance.
Chapter Eight
“You’re up to something, Mike Cameron.”
“What makes you think that?” he asked, shoving the brown bag behind his back.
“That look of exaggerated innocence on your face for one thing,” she said, pointing straight at his nose. “My second clue is that you don’t normally sneak purchases in small brown bags into the house. And you’re not very good at it. Don’t quit your day job to work for the CIA.”
“I hadn’t planned to.”
“What is that?” She leaned to the side, trying to see the package and figure out what he’d brought. It could be Chinese food from China Palace down the street, but there was no mouth-watering smell. Besides, why hide egg rolls?
He put the bag in front of him and went into the kitchen, but Kelly dogged his steps every inch of the way, all the while stretching as high as she could to look over his broad shoulder to get a glimpse of the package. Why did he have to be so darn big? It was like trying to peek around a mountain.
One stride ahead of her in the kitchen, he put the bag in the refrigerator and slammed the door shut. He positioned himself in front of it and crossed his arms over his wide chest like an Egyptian soldier guarding the pharaoh.
“What are you up to, Mike?” she asked again, narrowing her eyes at him.
“Nothing.”
“Okay, let’s forget the mysterious package for now. Why did Susan call and tell me she and Brad would be here at six-thirty this evening?”
“To baby-sit.”
“Why? I’ll be here.”
“No, you won’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because you’re going out.”
“I can’t leave Sammi. She’s only three weeks old. She’s too little.”
“Closer to four weeks, and I anticipated this evasive move of yours. I already checked with the pediatrician and he said there’s no reason why you can’t leave her with someone you trust. You trust Susan. Right?”
“Well, yes, but her children are out of high school now. She hasn’t taken care of an infant in a long time.”
He grinned. “I anticipated that, too. She said it’s like riding a bike. You never forget.”
“It’s a terrible imposition.”
“She said she’d love to do it.” He raised one eyebrow and shot her a challenging look. “That’s three. You get seven more excuses.”
He had come up with ten reasons why they should. get married, and he’d won. She had a
feeling he’d be victorious this time, too, but she couldn’t help smiling at him. This was exhilarating. And more stimulating than talking to an infant who couldn’t talk back, cute though Sammi might be. Kelly decided to play his game.
She thought for a minute. “What if Sammi has a crisis and I can’t get to her?”
“I’ve got the cellular phone, and where we’re going, we can be home in fifteen minutes.”
“So we’re not going out of the valley?”
“Nope. And I’m not going to tell you where, either, so get that look off your face,” he said.
“Look who’s talking about looks, Mr. Innocent Expression.” She thought again. “Sammi’s fussy time is six to eleven. What if Susan doesn’t know what to do?”
“That’s excuse number five and six, and the last one is reaching a little,” he said, rocking his hand back and forth like a plane dipping its wings. “Give her a list of all the tricks you use to quiet Little Bit. Susan’s a competent adult. She’ll be fine.”
“What about all the cracks she made about doing away with kids while they’re still smaller than she is?”
“She was joking. You know how frustrating teenagers can be. Besides, we won’t be gone that long, and if she’s ready to tear her hair out, she can call us.”
“What if the phone doesn’t work?”
“We’ll test it. But if necessary, we can use pay phones every fifteen minutes until she really is ready to tear her hair out and yours, too.” He stared intently at her. “You’ve got three excuses left, and if none of them are any better than those, you’re going out tonight even if I have to throw you over my shoulder and kidnap you.”
“I’m out of shape, and I have nothing to wear.”
His gaze dropped to her mouth, then the spaghetti strap T-shirt over her chest, a little lower to her almost flat abdomen and finally her legs below her short shorts. The whole process took a matter of a few seconds, but Kelly felt as if time had stopped. Heat flowed through her, making her cheeks burn. She was almost glad that he was still looking at her ankles. Her pulse raced, and she put a hand to her throat, a protective gesture to keep Mike from seeing that little vein in her neck throb. If he saw, he would know that one of his looks made her heart race as if she’d done a five-K run.
“You’re in terrific shape. I’ve seen you take Sammi out in the jogging stroller. And even if you weren’t back to fighting weight, I’m sure you’ve got a loose dress you could wear.”
“So I need to wear a dress?”
“No. I just thought that might be cool and comfortable. I still plan to surprise you. No information from me,” he said. “You’ve got one more excuse, Kelly. Make it good.”
It was the best reason of all. “This is too much like a date, Mike.”
“A date? Perish the thought,” he answered.
“It feels like it to me, and as far as I’m concerned, date is a four-letter word.”
“Well, it’s not a date.”
She shot him a skeptical look. “Oh, yeah? It has all the earmarks of one.”
He snorted. “First of all married people don’t go on dates. Second, we’re friends—a man and a woman going out to eat together because one of them needs R & R before she turns into a hermit crab.”
“Me?” she said, touching her chest.
“You,” he answered, easing away from the refrigerator to touch her collarbone, just above her hand. “I’m getting the feeling that you don’t want to go out with me. Or are you afraid to?”
All of the above, she thought. His finger lightly stroked the base of her throat, sending tingles skidding through her.
Their bodies were inches apart, and Kelly could feel the warmth of his heating her from head to toe. She flashed back on that kiss they’d shared in his bed. Countless times over the last weeks she’d wanted to tell him to forget the promise she’d wrung from him. She’d wanted him to kiss her like that again. But every time she was tempted, she’d reminded herself it was dangerous.
She had stayed out of his way as much as possible. For a good reason. When they were together, she wanted to blurt out, “Kiss me you fool,” like some sappy character from an old movie. She’d had to bite her tongue. Hard. But she dared anyone to say a woman couldn’t keep her mouth shut!
“Me? Afraid of you? Perish the thought,” she said, echoing his own words. Unlike his calm voice, hers sounded too high, too shaky and too unconvincing.
“That means I don’t have to play the Neanderthal to take you out to dinner?”
“So we’re going to dinner?”
“I’ll take that as a yes.” He started to walk out of the kitchen. “It was never a secret that we were going to dinner. The surprise is where we’re going and what’s in that refrigerator.” He gave her a stem look, the one designed to keep his players in training before a big game. “Don’t peek in there. And don’t think I won’t know if you do. You’re not a good liar, and you couldn’t act your way out of a paper bag.”
“So you keep telling me,” she said wryly, knowing he was referring to their kiss.
She hadn’t been able to conceal her feelings then. She hoped her Thespian skills had improved some. Because as much as she knew she should refuse to go out to dinner with him, she couldn’t.
The idea of time to herself was too tempting. She tried to tell herself it would be just as appealing if she were going to a movie with Susan and the girls. But Mike was right. She was a lousy liar. The thought of being alone with him for an evening sent tingles of eager anticipation coursing through her. They were a man and woman going out for a meal. After all, she had to eat
But it was not a date.
“See? The phone works. Even here in the restaurant in the canyon,” Mike said, placing the cellular on the white tablecloth beside him.
The candle in the crystal holder between them flickered, sending out shards of rainbow-tinged light that illuminated just the two of them. Other couples were just dim shapes around them, creating the impression they were the only two people in the place.
Kelly looked beautiful in her black-and-white sundress. The thin straps left her arms bare, and the low neckline gave him just a hint of her tempting curves. Her shiny brown hair just barely touched her creamy shoulders, and her green eyes sparkled with enjoyment.
Le Chêne’s wood walls and beam ceilings perfectly suited the romantic mood Mike was creating tonight. He wanted to make points with her, and he knew this restaurant was her favorite. He figured the score on his side of the board was climbing steadily. Now if only he could put her mind to rest about Sammi.
“Thanks for letting me check on her, Mike. And for the flowers, too,” she said, lightly touching the white rose corsage on her wrist.
“You’re welcome.” The pensive expression on her face, worried him. He wondered if his gift had upset her. “Is something bothering you?” he asked. “If you’re still concerned about Sammi—”
“No. At least it’s not an immediate worry. Susan sounded fine just now.” She grinned suddenly. “She’s teaching Sammi to talk.”
“Good luck,” he said.
“She thinks Sammi’s really bright.”
“I’m sure she is. After all, you’re her mother. But as a teacher you know as well as I do that readiness is an issue.”
“I know. But if it makes Susan happy, the stimulation has to be good for the baby.” Her smile faded as she looked at him.
“What is it, Kel?”
She rested her hand on the table, beside her silverware. “I talked to the lawyer today about the custody hearing.”
“And?”
“He says he’s taking care of everything and not to worry.”
“Then what’s wrong?”
She shrugged. “I guess I wanted more facts, something concrete to convince me that everything will be fine.”
Mike felt a stab of guilt. He knew what was going on. A plan was in the works, but there was nothing hard-and-fast yet that would put her mind at ease. Until Doug agreed to d
rop his custody suit, Mike would do whatever was necessary, including keeping Kelly in the dark. She wasn’t pregnant anymore, but that didn’t lessen his need to protect her. If anything, he felt it more keenly.
Mike covered her hand with his own. “If Tim says he has everything under control, then I’m sure he does. The wheels of justice are square. There’s a lot of downtime when a legal eagle has his beak stuck in a book. Tim is one of the best in the business.”
“I know you’ve told me that but—”
He met her gaze and willed her to believe him. “I’d trust him with my life. More important, I trust him with Sammi. Don’t you trust me?”
“Of course, but—”
“No buts. Relax. You’re not going to lose custody of her.”
“I hope you’re right. And I’m trying not to worry. But this waiting is driving me nuts. I want to relax and enjoy my baby without worrying about whether or not she’ll be with me.”
“You can do that.” He squeezed her fingers.
Kelly was relieved when the waiter brought their salads and Mike was forced to release his hold on her. In spite of his assurances to the contrary, this seemed a lot like a date to her.
She hadn’t seen him this dressed up since their wedding. In his yellow sports shirt and beige slacks, he looked awfully handsome. His dark hair was neatly combed back, except for the one lock that wouldn’t stay tamed and insisted on curling over his forehead. It had been dangerous to accept his invitation tonight, no matter what she called it. Date was definitely a four-letter word. So was hell
Although he kept denying it, she was sure he was up to something. He couldn’t act any better than she could.
She decided to test him.
“Did you know Le Chêne is my favorite restaurant?”
He looked at her over the rim of his water goblet and his dark eyebrows went up in an expression of such exaggerated innocence that she knew he knew. All he said was, “Really?”
She nodded. “It was very sweet of you to bring me here. And the flowers. Why, if I didn’t know better and I wasn’t a nursing mother, I’d swear phase two of tonight’s plan would be to ply me with alcohol and have your way with me.”
Wedding Rings and Baby Things Page 10
