Baron stepped out, but Kara wasn’t in the hallway. He checked her workroom, but it was empty. He found her outside, waiting by her car. “Ready?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay. I’ll follow you.” He started for his SUV.
“Just a minute, Baron.” She walked to him, reached up and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you for being here for me. And don’t say it’s no problem or anyone would have done the same thing because we both know that’s not true. You Fitzgerald men are something else. Thank your brother for me, too.” She wiped his cheek, as though removing a smudge of lipstick. “Now we can go.”
The feel of her lips on his cheek sent heat pulsing through his body. He probably looked like an idiot staring after her, but he couldn’t help himself. The woman was unpredictable, fascinating, and caring. If he had his way, she would be his forever.
CHAPTER 7
“Would you like something to drink?” Baron asked. He appeared relaxed, his jacket off, a few buttons on his shirt undone, and sleeves rolled up. Still, Kara could feel the tension pulsing from him. They’d taken off about ten minutes ago.
“Iced tea, if you have some,” she said.
“We do.” He got up and paused to ask, “Sweet or unsweetened?”
“Unsweetened, please.” She picked a grape from the bowl of fruit on the table in front of her and popped it in her mouth as Baron walked to the galley. Kara studied his broad back, the way the tailored pants caressed his thighs, and allowed herself a drool-moment. Then her glance shifted and swept the main cabin of the Gulfstream.
“How often does your brother use the jet?”
“Between the properties in the Caribbean and on the west coast, he practically lives in it.”
She could see why. Baron had introduced her to the crew—the pilot, female copilot, and private flight attendant—then shown her around. The luxurious interior with its cherry-wood paneling, tan leather seats and couches, a master suite, well-stocked galley, and lavatories with showers had a home-like ambience. Add the conference room, crew rest area, and high definition T.V. screens and computers, and you had a boardroom as well.
Before takeoff, she had called Jim while Baron spoke privately with the flight attendant. Kara hadn’t seen the woman since. Obviously, her hunky boss had decided to take care of her for the duration of the flight. If the personal attention was meant to butter her up or impress her, it was working like a dream.
The sound of ice chinking drew her attention back to the man occupying her thoughts more and more. He sauntered to her side, two crystal glasses in his hands—one with telltale greenish-yellow iced tea and the other with an amber-colored liquid. His gaze brushed over her, reminding her she’d removed her jacket too and showed a lot more skin than usual in her spaghetti strap top.
He offered her the iced tea, acknowledged her thanks and lounged in the seat across from hers. “In fact, Lex was about to take off to San Francisco when I called.”
“You kicked your brother off his own plane?”
Baron shrugged. “He had a business meeting, which was easily canceled. This trip is personal.” He sipped from his glass and shot her a challenging look under hooded eyes.
For five years, Baron had lived and breathed his business. Could he really be pushing his work aside just to pursue her?
Thrilling as the thought might be, it intimidated, too. She’d seen how relentless he was when he went after a piece of art or an artist for a show. Nothing would deter him from getting what he wanted. And it seemed, for the moment, he wanted her. The thought was sobering.
“He didn’t mind?” Kara asked to stop herself from being so self-absorbed.
“I’m sure he did, but we have a family motto even he can’t break.”
“What’s that?”
“Family first, business second.”
Nice. She swallowed a mouthful of her drink and studied him over the rim of her glass. Ever since he’d cursed under his breath while they were in his office, Kara had reached the conclusion she hardly knew this man. Baron had depth, which tickled her curiosity. She drank from her glass one more time, leaned forward and placed the tea on the table.
Baron’s gaze shifted to her chest, almost making her regret the move. She couldn’t concentrate when his smoldering stare felt like a physical touch against her skin. On the other hand, if he wanted to look….
“So you and Lex are pretty close?” Her voice came out irritatingly husky.
“If you call beating the crap out of him at racquetball twice a month close, then yes.” He grinned as though relishing the thought, but then his smile disappeared. “Dad died when Chase and I turned thirteen and Lex was sixteen. Jade was about ten. Mom did her best, but we were a handful. Lex had to step in sometimes and straighten us out. He’s a hard ass, but he’s cool, too.”
From his voice, Kara could tell he loved his brother. If only her family shared the same motto and treated each other equally. Her parents tended to take sides. No, her dad treated her and Briana the same. The only time he sided with Kara was when Briana acted crazy. Her mother always took her sister’s side. Kara realized Baron was studying her with a frown, probably expecting some kind of response.
“Is that why you stopped working for him, because he’s hard?”
“Are you by any chance interrogating me, Kara Michaels?”
The caress of his voice caused the hairs on the surface of her skin to rise.
“I’m just trying to understand you better, Baron. But if it bothers you….” She reached for her drink and leaned back.
He chuckled. “Not in the least. Ask me anything.”
“Why did you stop working at Fitz-Valdes?”
His short laugh indicated he found her determination amusing. “It was time to try something new, fun, and challenging.”
“What did you do before?”
“I was in charge of the resorts in the Caribbean.”
“That wasn’t fun?”
A lazy smile played on his lips. “Surfing and lying about in the sun can get boring. Don’t misunderstand me, though. I love the Caribbean, and I’m not talking about the beaches and tourist traps. The islands have a lot more to offer if you know where to go. There’s this swampy area in Trinidad, Nariva Swamp, with amazing animals. It’s the nesting ground of leatherback sea turtles.” He drained his drink and placed he glass on the table then spread his arms, eyes sparkling. “They’re huge. I lucked out one day and got there when a dozen or so females came up from the surf to lay their eggs. Amazing. In Tobago, sighting blue-backed manakins performing a mating dance is priceless.”
The laugh lines at the corner of his eyes creased attractively. All these years together and she’d never known about his love affair with nature.
“I’d hardly call that boring. But now I understand where the spectacular black and white nature pictures in the photography room at the gallery come from.” The photographs had the name Nariva scrawled at the right corner.
“Spectacular? Thank you.” He touched his chest and lowered his head in feigned humility.
Kara rolled her eyes. “How come your name is missing from the donated byline?”
“Because I might have captured the beautiful animals, but I could never claim to own them. They belong to the swamp.”
He had a point there. “So why did you stop taking pictures? You obviously have a talent for photography. Why open a gallery instead?”
A look Kara could only identify as unease crossed his face. “I minored in art history, got my masters in business, so why not?”
She wasn’t buying it. “Did you want to share your photographs with the public, but couldn’t trust anyone to showcase them? I’ve seen how particular you are with the display of each piece.”
His brow shot up, his dark eyes an inscrutable gleam. “Are you saying I’m anal?”
“Oh, yes.” When his eyes narrowed, she couldn’t resist adding, “Not just a little bit either.” Kara indicated with her thumb and forefinger.
Baron scratched his chin and eyed her as though debating how to respond. “Isn’t that the kettle calling the pot black?”
“What? I’m the least anal person I know.”
An endearing, playful twinkle entered his eyes. “Who snapped my head off when I changed the radio station while she was cleaning a painting?”
“I don’t know. Who?” Kara gave him an innocent look then spoiled it by grinning. It was thrilling to see his teasing side resurface. How could he remember something that happened five years ago? It was after that incident she started to lock her door when she worked.
“You’d suck at poker, sweetheart,” Baron said, interrupting her thoughts. “And who takes a whole five minutes to order a turkey sandwich whenever she calls a deli? Not pastrami, bologna, or salami …just smoked turkey breast, light mayo…better yet, a thin layer on the bread, and make sure the tomato and the lettuce are between the turkey slices.”
Kara wrinkled her nose at him and he laughed, the sound so attractive she found herself joining him. “I hate it when the bread gets soggy from tomato juice.”
“That’s what I call—”
“Don’t say it,” she warned and lifted her drink threateningly.
He eyed the drink. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“You think?”
A subtle change entered his eyes. She couldn’t tell whether it was sadness or regret. “I’ve missed this.”
His simple statement surprised her and she blinked. She knew what he meant: the camaraderie, the teasing, and the shared laughter.
“Me, too,” she confessed.
His expression became guarded. “So, you wanted to know why I started the gallery.”
Truth be told, she’d rather talk about him, see the less serious Baron. But from the cool look in his eyes, he was already retreating, pulling up a barrier between them. “Yes.”
“My godmother and my mom are both patrons of the arts, so they got me hooked at a young age.”
She already knew about his mother. “Who’s your godmother?”
“Mrs. VanderMarck.”
“You’re kidding?”
He grinned at her incredulous expression. “No, I’m not. While Chase hounded her cook during our visits, I explored her mausoleum of a house. I was seven when she caught me looking for Easter chocolate in her priceless Faberge eggs. Ten when she found me in her library flipping through Little Pretty Pocket-Book, a seventeen eighty-seven children’s book, thirteen when she threw in the towel and decided to explain the origins of her collections.”
“So you were fated to be in the antique business?”
“No, to appreciate the finer things in life.” His eyes caressed her face and then he asked, “Would you like something to eat?”
“No, thank you. I’m fine.”
He went back to the galley and came back with a plate of crackers and cheese. For the rest of the flight, they steered clear of personal subjects and instead discussed work.
It was nine-thirty when they arrived at San Diego International airport. Kara smiled as she watched the city and the bay from the air. No matter how often she flew home, she never got tired of the spectacular, panoramic view. Within minutes, they were off the plane and on the sky bridge, headed toward the parking lot and the taxis.
Baron hailed a cab driven by a young man with short dreadlocks and a neatly trimmed beard. “How far to Coronado?” he asked the driver.
“Twenty minutes, but I get you there in fifteen,” the man answered in a heavy Jamaican accent.
“Can you wait once we get there? I’ll need a ride back.”
“As long as the meter stays running, mon, I’m a-okay.”
“Good.” He opened the door for Kara and indicated for her to precede him.
Kara didn’t move, instead she studied his handsome face. “You’ve done so much for me today, Baron. You don’t have to accompany me to the house, too.”
“Humor me. As soon as I know your sister is okay, I’ll leave. I’ve told the crew to expect me back in an hour.”
She didn’t know why he was taking her rescue mission so personally. She’d worked with him long enough to know that once he made up his mind about something, there was no changing it.
Kara slid into the seat and gave the driver the address, then waited for him to get in. “You know, I’ve done this for Briana many times before.”
Baron’s eyes narrowed. “You approve of her actions?”
“Not really, but I understand her reasons.”
“Understand? She’s being totally irresponsible,” he snapped.
“That’s a bit harsh, don’t you think?” She noticed the driver studying them through the rearview mirror and lowered her voice. “I mean, I know she’s a little spoiled and tends to react first before thinking things through, but she’s changing.”
His jaws flexed and for a moment he didn’t speak. “You sound as if she’s ten, rather than a married woman about to have a baby. Look. I know she’s your sister and all, but what she’s doing is wrong. Doesn’t her husband have a say in this? After all he helped create these children she keeps aborting.”
Kara’s jaw dropped. Baron had thought she was discussing abortion?
“What Jim said about her not wanting their child is typical Briana running off at the mouth.” When Baron scowled at her, she added, “She has an attitude problem. Unfortunately, once she lands in trouble, she never calls our parents. She calls me. That’s what I meant by ‘I’ve done this for her many times before.’ You know, gone to her rescue.”
“Oh, I’m sorry I misunderstood,” Baron said in a subdued voice then fell quiet for the rest of the ride.
The silence inside the cab became thick and uncomfortable. Kara didn’t know what to say. Her mind, however, went into hyper mode trying to analyze Baron’s reaction. Had his girlfriend terminated a pregnancy without his knowledge? Could that explain his reaction in the office and why he’d insisted on coming with her?
She glanced at him from the corner of her eye and caught his scowl. She wished she could tell him she understood his pain. Not that she’d been hurt like that. But she was a firm believer in making mutual decisions with a boyfriend or lover, which was why she hadn’t completely disregarded Baron’s suggestion that they have an affair. She appreciated his honesty and that he’d been up front about what he wanted instead of playing games.
Kara placed a call to the house once they got on Coronado Bay Bridge and spoke briefly with Briana’s housekeeper, Mrs. Marten. When they reached the gate, it swung open before Kara could press the intercom and the cab pulled up in the semi-circular driveway of the classic Mediterranean villa. She gave the stucco exterior, well-maintained lawn, flowerbeds, and palm trees a cursory glance as she and Baron walked toward the front entrance.
“Ms. Kara, thank goodness you’re here,” Mrs. Marten said as soon as she opened the door, her voice barely audible above the loud rap music streaming from behind her. “She’s angry.”
That was an understatement. The angrier her sister was, the louder and raunchier the music. It had been like that since they were teens. Kara closed the door to cut off the sounds then introduced Baron to the housekeeper.
“Take Mr. Fitzgerald to the family room, okay? I’ll join you shortly.”
“If you need me,” Baron reminded her.
She nodded. “I know where to find you.”
Once they stepped inside the marble foyer, Kara waited for Baron and the woman to disappear in the back of the house. She knew the older woman well enough to know she would offer him a drink, then seat him either in the formal living room or family room. They both offered an impressive view of the bay.
Now for her pain-in-the-butt sister. Kara took a deep breath and started toward the circular stairway leading to the second floor foyer and the bedroom suites. Male clothing littered the stairs and the bronze railing. Kara shook her head and started up the stairs.
Along the way, she picked up the shirts and tailored pants, and pil
ed them on her arm. Not that she was picking up after Briana. She just didn’t want to step on them. Now I’m lying to myself. No, it was time she faced the truth. She, too, had contributed to Briana’s spoiled-brat attitude. Ever since her sister came into this world, Kara had taken care of her. Granted, she was five and desperate for a sibling when her mother became pregnant with Briana. Still, that was no reason to be her sister’s keeper now. The tendency to run to Briana’s aid every time she cried over the phone must stop. Briana must start taking responsibility for her actions. In other words, I must treat her like an adult, starting now.
Upstairs, Kara dumped the clothes on the top railing. Then instead of going to the master bedroom, she went in the opposite direction. The elaborate entertainment unit was wired through the house and into other rooms, but the system was in the upstairs sitting room.
She skirted around plush leather sofas and recliners, careful not to trip on the bushy rug then stopped before the stereo system and pressed the off button with more force than necessary. Blissful silence followed, but she knew it wouldn’t last. She crossed her arms, faced the doorway, and waited.
“Who told you to turn off the music, Mrs. Mart,” Briana screamed, entering the room, then her eyes widened. “Kara?”
Kara smiled. “Hey, sis. You look…well.”
For a moment, Briana was speechless. Even with hair messy and eyes red-rimmed, Briana looked stunning in a pantsuit and high-heeled ankle boots. If her stomach had a baby bump, Kara couldn’t see it.
Other than their hazel eyes, no one could tell they were sisters. Kara’s shorter and curvaceous structure and blonde hair favored their mother’s side of the family while Briana’s tall, willowy frame and abundant chestnut hair was their dad through and through. To compound the difference, Kara kept her long curly mane natural while Briana’s tresses were highlighted and made fuller with extensions. She also had an enviable and drool-worthy chest.
“What are you doing here, Kara?”
Briana’s belligerent tone didn’t surprise her. “I was in town and thought I’d stop by and congratulate you on your pregnancy.” Kara started to walk forward, her smile in place.
Kiss Me Crazy Page 10
