But she hadn’t been husband-hunting, she thought to herself as the gathering ended and she closed her locker a quarter of an hour later. This all seemed like a fantastic dream…and she lived in fear that she was going to wake up.
Before Allison knew it, the eve of her wedding day arrived. They had planned no rehearsal since the ceremony was to be so small, with only Kane’s mother, his uncle Ryan and his wife, and Kane’s sister with her husband and daughter as witnesses, but Miranda insisted on giving them a small dinner party the night before the wedding. The older woman had encouraged Allison to invite her friends to the wedding, but Allison had gently declined. She couldn’t invite a select few from the hospital staff without offending others. And there was no one else. After her parents’ divorce, she’d become so close to her mother that there hadn’t been any room, or any need, for intimate girlfriends. Her solitary nature had been fully formed by the time Nesta had died, and she’d found it easier to simply keep a small distance from those around her.
In addition to Kane’s sister and brother-in-law, whom she’d met over dinner at Miranda’s last week, his uncle Ryan and Ryan’s wife, Lily, had been invited to the dinner. Allison felt sick with nerves at the thought of meeting more members of the Fortune clan, especially Ryan Fortune, the well-known patriarch of the family. If Miranda thought there was something amiss in her son’s choice of a bride, she certainly had hidden it well. She’d been nothing but wonderful to Allison in the past few days, so wonderful that Allison felt guilty and miserable for deceiving her.
Miranda clearly thought that her son was in love with Allison and she with him. Allison suspected that her feelings were blatantly transparent to Kane’s mother’s discerning eye, but she wondered why Miranda didn’t more clearly see that love wasn’t a part of what Kane felt for her.
He’d been acting oddly since the day he’d begun to move her into his home, occasionally appearing distant and distracted. She wanted to tell herself it was his work, but she was too honest to lie to herself. She was sure that Kane was regretting this whole mess. She wished he’d been willing to wait until they’d found out whether or not she was pregnant, but he was inflexible on the matter and loving him as she did, she simply couldn’t bring herself to argue too vehemently. She wanted to be with Kane, wanted to marry him so badly that she didn’t dare destroy the only chance she was ever likely to have to become his wife. He might not love her, but right now he wanted her and she could be content with that.
On the evening of the dinner, Kane called near four and told her he’d be delayed and would have to meet her there. A woman in pre-term labor was about to undergo a Caesarian section and they expected complications with the newborn. Consequently, Allison drove herself to Miranda Fortune’s home with butterflies the size of crows flapping around in her stomach.
Kane’s sport utility vehicle was nowhere in sight when she pulled in and parked and she sighed, forcing herself to collect her evening bag and slide out of the car. There were two other cars already parked around the circle, a low, sleek dark blue Ferrari and a gold Lexus which she knew belonged to Kane’s sister. Let the ordeal begin, she thought morosely. Just then, Miranda came fluttering out of the house. In a floor-length chiffon layered tunic over slim pants, she resembled an exotic bird as she hurried toward Allison with her hands outstretched.
“Hello, dear,” she said. “Kane called and told me he was going to be late and I didn’t want you to have to walk in alone.”
Allison felt a surge of tremendous affection for her almost-mother-in-law. “Thank you,” she said. “I have to confess I’m a little nervous.”
“There’s no need. Really.” Miranda linked an arm through hers and they moved toward the house. “You look lovely.”
Allison smoothed a hand down over the vibrant aqua silk jacket covering a slim cocktail dress in the same shade. Kane had brought it home two days before, and asked her to wear it tonight. She’d found out he’d checked her closet for her clothing sizes and the dress fit like a dream. “Kane picked it out. I don’t normally wear such bright colors.”
“But it’s stunning on you. You should wear this shade more often.” Miranda opened the door and ushered Allison into the large foyer but instead of turning right into the small parlor where they usually visited, she took her to the left to the ivory-and-cream formal living room with its marble fireplace, handsome Oriental rugs in muted shades, and elegant chairs covered in watered silk moiré.
A tall dark-haired man in a linen suit stood near the fireplace. He was talking to Wyatt Grayhawk, Kane’s brother-in-law, who had already slung his jacket over one shoulder. On a settee nearby, a dark, sophisticated older woman with her hair in a twist similar to Allison’s sat talking to Gabrielle.
Everyone turned to look when Miranda and Allison entered, and the older man’s gaze caught and held Allison’s. For a moment she was staggered by his resemblance to Kane. Despite the darker hair and equally dark brown eyes, he possessed the same striking arrangement of features which made women long to catch Kane’s attention.
“Allison’s here,” Miranda announced to the room at large. She escorted Allison across the room to the men, turning first to the older man. “This is my brother Ryan Fortune, and you’ve already met Wyatt.” she said. “Ryan, this is Kane’s fiancée, Allison Preston.”
Wyatt nodded, a smile touching the corners of his usual reserved expression. Ryan Fortune smiled, extending a hand, and his dark eyes were warm. “It’s good to meet you, Allison. Miranda has been singing your praises for a week now and I see she wasn’t exaggerating.”
She smiled, feeling utterly tongue-tied. This handsome man, along with his sister Miranda and his brother Cameron’s children, was heir to one of the largest fortunes in Texas. The Fortunes were Texas’s answer to the Kennedys of Massachusetts or the Windsors of England. She’d read about these people, seen snippets of their lives on television, almost all her life. She still felt as if she’d stepped into a fairy tale.
Miranda tugged Allison away from the men to where Gabrielle sat with Ryan’s wife. “Lily, this is Allison.”
Both women rose and Lily stepped forward to press a smooth cheek to hers. “Welcome to the family, dear,” she said, her striking dark eyes twinkling.
“Thank you.”
“Miranda tells us Kane’s been delayed.” Lily’s gaze was steady. “I imagine that’s a given in a doctor’s life.”
Allison smiled. “That is a doctor’s life.”
Just then, the sound of a car door closing intruded on the moment.
“That must be him,” Allison said. “Excuse me.” She hurried across the room, reaching the doorway just as the front door opened and Kane entered. He was still knotting his tie and his eyes looked tired. Then he glanced up.
He stopped dead when he saw her, and his eyes ran down over her dress. “You look…every bit as great as I imagined you would in that,” he said in a deep, low voice. “But there’s one thing wrong.”
“What?” The pleasure she’d felt at his compliment faded instantly and consternation replaced it.
He crossed the foyer in three strides. “This,” he said, and he reached up and began to pull the pins from her hair.
“Kane! Stop that!” She grabbed his wrists but he was far stronger than she and he continued to work until her hair fell down from the tidy twist she’d created.
As her hair came cascading around them, Kane speared his fingers into it, cradling her skull and pulling her up on tiptoe against him. “There,” he said. “That’s better.”
His mouth sought hers as his fingers cupped her jaw, invading with the desire he seemed to have for her all the time, and she forgot everything but the man who held her in his arms. She loved him so very much she ached with it and her hands slipped around his waist as she leaned into him. He deepened the kiss, playing with her tongue and she tasted urgency in it, but finally he drew away, looking down at her with brilliant, narrowed eyes. “This will have to keep until later,” he said in
an undertone before he turned her around.
And it wasn’t until she’d taken a step back toward the drawing room that she realized Miranda, Ryan, Lily, Gabrielle and Wyatt were all crowded in the doorway, watching them with frank, amused eyes.
Wyatt’s eyes were on the rippling curtain of Allison’s hair flowing around her. “That’s…remarkable,” he said to no one in particular. His wife nudged him sharply in the ribs with her elbow.
“Quit drooling, dear,” she said, and Ryan began to chuckle aloud as Allison blushed furiously.
Kane looked at his assembled family. Over Allison’s head, he saw his sister exchange a satisfied wink with her husband, and he eyed her narrowly until she looked his way again. When she saw his face, Gabrielle burst out laughing. “Why, hello, Kane! Now that you’re finished greeting Allison maybe you have time to spare for the rest of your family?”
Kane snarled, but it was a teasing sound as he slid an arm around Allison’s waist and took her to his sister’s side. “Hello, brat. Better be nice or I’ll disinvite you to the wedding tomorrow.”
“If you don’t let me come, you won’t get to see Patience,” she said smugly, referring to Kane’s niece, Wyatt and Gabrielle’s young daughter.
Gabrielle’s words were lost on Kane as he simply stared at Allison, who was laughing at the exchange. Had he ever seen her smile like that? She was beautiful when she forgot to hold all her shining personality inside. God, he couldn’t wait to get this dinner over with. Couldn’t wait to get her home. But even more, he couldn’t wait until after tomorrow, when she was legally his and nothing could take her away from him.
As he realized what he was thinking, he automatically backed away from her a pace. He wasn’t going to let himself need Allison, or anyone, so badly that he couldn’t live without her. He had a life, a perfectly acceptable life with a wonderful family whom he was still discovering and getting to know even after six years. But he’d lived without them, without anyone but his mother and sister, for most of his life and he wasn’t about to let himself become dependent on anyone. He’d refused to let the Fortunes take him over, make him a part of what he privately thought of as “the Empire.” He didn’t need anyone and life would be simpler if he kept it that way.
When you kept it simple, you didn’t get hurt.
“What’s wrong?” Allison had approached him and was stroking the back of his hand. “Did that delivery go very badly this evening?”
“No, it was all right.” He could feel the tension and ill humor draining out of him at the look of gentle concern in her eyes and the touch of her fingers on him. She was the most soothing woman he’d ever known.
Forcing himself to pull away from her magical touch was difficult. And because it was, his ill humor returned full force. After the wedding he’d have to explain to her that he needed space.
Allison cast him a puzzled glance, but she didn’t try to touch him again and he could almost feel her withdrawing. Perversely, her reaction annoyed him, and he reached out and took her hand in his, bending her fingers to twine with his. She didn’t look up at him, but he felt her hand soften and clutch his almost desperately. What the hell. He could worry about regaining his space later. He’d had one incredibly lousy day and just touching her made it recede in his mind. What was so wrong with that?
His mother called them all in to dinner then and the group headed for the dining room. His mother’s face was shining as he looked at her. Miranda glanced down at his hand clasping Allison’s and the way her fingers were stroking over his knuckles, and her smile deepened. “I’d have gone out and found her years ago if I’d known anyone could have such an effect on you,” she told him.
He frowned automatically, not liking the implication, but before he could disclaim Allison’s supposed effect on him, Miranda was handing around glasses of champagne in tall fluted glasses. “Would you offer the toast, Ryan?”
Over the meal, Allison slowly relaxed and his family appeared to be enchanted with her. At one end of the table, his mother talked animatedly to Lily about last-minute wedding plans, her hands moving in counterpoint to her rapid-fire words. His tension returned as he watched her, noting the almost manic bubbliness in her manner.
Miranda had thrown herself into planning the wedding with all her considerable energies. He was aware that his mother needed to occupy her mind right now. The strain of waiting for her ex-husband’s next move was beginning to show on her lovely face; her blue eyes were haunted. Unbidden, the reason for this wedding skated into his mind. If Allison were pregnant, it would take his mother’s mind off her problems.
The merest suggestion of a quiver of excitement ran through him. What would it be like to hold his own child in his arms? To know that there was someone in the world who needed and depended on him as no one else ever had? He’d never known that, never had a father to talk to. He’d taken care of his mother and sister for so long that he couldn’t remember what it was like to be the one leaning on another. Besides, he thought, at this stage of his life, it wasn’t necessary anymore. But if Allison was pregnant and they soon had a child of their own, he made a silent vow: his child would never, never fall asleep at night wondering what kind of man could walk away from his family.
And if Allison were pregnant, she wouldn’t leave him. It hadn’t escaped him that she’d been less than enthusiastic about marrying him, had expressed doubts on several occasions since. But he knew her well enough to know that if she bore his child, she’d never walk away.
It wasn’t that he needed her, he reminded himself, putting up a hand to stroke down the length of her hair where it fell over the back of her chair. It was just that he’d come to like the cozy way his home felt when she was in it. He liked the way she could make his bad days fade away with her soothing touch and gentle conversation. He liked the way she lifted her face for his kiss, the way her body softened against his in bed, the little purring noises she made when he entered her.
She turned her head and smiled at him then, her hand slipping over to squeeze his thigh beneath the table, and he tugged on her tresses.
“Don’t start anything you’re not prepared to finish.” He leaned over and growled the words into her ear, pausing to kiss the tender flesh as he did so.
Her cheeks were a brilliant shade of pink and her eyes danced as she brought a hand to his chest and held him away from her. “I’m not starting anything here. You’ve already embarrassed me enough in front of your family!”
He found himself grinning like an idiot, but as he glanced across the table and caught his sister’s speculative expression, he schooled his features into nonchalance. Of course he didn’t need Allison. There was nothing wrong, though, with liking the way she enhanced his life.
Dinner was a success, as far as he could tell. His sister, mother and Aunt Lily pulled Allison into their conversation as if she’d always been a member of the family. They plied her with questions about her work and the hospital, and he could see her coming out of her shell, blooming beneath the attention, sharing the work that he knew she loved and in the process, sharing her own unique sweetness. Over dessert, he caught Wyatt eyeing her hair across the table again, and he sent him a razor-sharp smile. “Ogle your own wife, sheriff. This one’s mine.”
Wyatt only smiled as Ryan chuckled. “I might adore my wife but I’m not blind.” He raised one eyebrow. “You, on the other hand, might be. Did I hear you say you’ve known her for four years?”
“Not everyone moves as fast as you and Gabrielle,” Ryan said. “It took me far too long to figure out that Lily was what my life was missing.”
But as the conversation moved on, Kane sat silently. He had known her for a long time before he’d decided to marry her. And he’d only done that because he’d taken her virginity during one of the darkest moments in his life. But now, as he thought about it, he realized that a part of him had come to value Allison a long time ago.
He’d told himself it was a casual work friendship, but the truth was he�
�d sought her out more and more often, drawn to her quiet, soothing presence. He’d sensed even then that she would be there for him, hadn’t he? And he’d taken advantage of it, monopolizing her and keeping her from developing other friendships, other relationships.
A vivid memory of a conversation with another doctor over a year ago sprang into his head, a conversation that he’d have sworn he’d forgotten until moments ago. He’d been in the cafeteria with Allison when another resident had joined them at the small table where they were sharing coffee and donuts. Allison had included the man with her usual gentle graciousness and the other guy, a nonstop comic, had had her in stitches within minutes.
When she’d glanced at her watch and risen, the other doctor had started to accompany her from the room but Kane had cut him off with a curt word and walked with her back to the N.I.C.U. Hours later, he’d run into the guy.
“Hey, Fortune,” the resident had said. “Do you go out with Allison Preston?”
Kane had merely stared at the other man.
“Because if you don’t,” the guy plowed on, “I’m going to ask her to a movie or something.”
Kane had continued to stare at the doctor as impotent fury rose in his system. She wasn’t his, he reminded himself. They were just friends. Even so, the guy standing in front of him wasn’t nearly good enough for her. He was pleasant enough, but he had a reputation for loving and leaving women, and the string of broken hearts he’d left through the hospital was proof enough for Kane. Allison deserved someone who would really treat her as if she were the most important thing in his life. Finally, unable to combat the instinct rushing through him, he’d said, “Stay away from Allison.”
There had been enough of a snarl in his tone to make the other man raise his eyebrows and shrug his shoulders. “Hey, man, didn’t mean to step on your toes,” he’d said.
He hadn’t stepped on Kane’s toes, Kane told himself. It was just that he hadn’t wanted to see Allison taken in by someone who didn’t recognize what a treasure she was.
A Most Desirable M.D. Page 7
