He couldn’t turn her loose, so he let his hand slide to hers. Starting from the room, he was surprised when she held back.
“What about the mess? We should clean—”
“That’s what Betty gets paid for. She doesn’t have a lot to do anyway.” He tugged again, and Kate fell into step beside him.
The stairs had never seemed longer, as he brushed against Kate walking beside him. His skin burned every time he touched her. When they reached her door, she pulled on her hand as she said good-night.
When Will finally released her, he felt such a sense of loss it surprised him. “Thanks for working on the Snack-O-squares,” he muttered, watching her lips.
She gave a brief smile, then settled her teeth into her bottom lip. “I’ll do my best.”
Hunger filled him, and he touched her, tugging her closer. “You’ll do fine,” he assured her. Then, as he’d known all along he would, he let his lips settle on hers.
Adrenaline and hunger filled him. He pulled her against him, his body aching to feel her heat as his lips devoured hers. It had been five long days since he’d kissed her. Only now did he feel alive.
She pulled back. “Will, we can’t—you know how we react to each other. This isn’t wise.”
He knew only that he needed to kiss her again. To touch her all over. To feel her against him.
She didn’t protest again. Her arms even came around his back, matching him touch for touch.
When he lifted her into his arms and headed down the hall to his bedroom, his lips never left hers. Past, present, future, all became a blur of sensations. He wanted her, needed her, desperately.
When he deposited her on the bed and slid on top of her, his hands moving immediately beneath her T-shirt, she touched him, too. Frantic, he ripped her shirt over her head and, with a mind of their own, his hands seemed to go to her cutoffs.
Before too long, they were both naked, teasing, tempting, tasting. And loving every minute of it. He eased himself into her, realizing with each glorious thrust that he’d never experienced such complete fulfillment, such happiness, before. She was his haven, all softness and warmth and womanly comfort.
His last thought as he drifted into sleep later was, “Now we’re married.”
Chapter Twelve
Kate lay beside Will, listening to his even breathing. After the storm that had consumed them, she found it difficult to relax.
Everything had changed.
She hadn’t intended to lose control. But then, with Will, she had never had much control. Perhaps by the time they divorced, a year later, she would be able to breathe around him, resist touching him, not beg for his kisses. Maybe.
Even more frightening than her physical reaction to the man was the realization that she loved him. She’d missed him dreadfully the past few days. They talked about everything, sharing laughter and pleasure. The excitement that flickered through her veins whenever he touched her made each minute that much more pleasurable.
And when he took her in his arms, she never wanted to leave.
But she had to remember that he didn’t want her love. And he didn’t want her to stay. One year was all she had.
Unless she managed to change his mind.
As sleep overtook her, she snuggled next to him, vowing that she would teach him to love her.
Will woke as the sun was breaking over the eastern horizon, wondering why he was feeling so good. The answer was almost immediate as he felt Kate pressed against him.
He stared at her flushed, sleeping face in horror.
What had he done?
Damn it, he’d known he shouldn’t get close to her. It was all Brian’s fault. He would have continued to avoid her if it hadn’t been for Brian’s request.
Avoid Kate for an entire year?
He was too honest with himself to believe that he could have made it for a year without breaking down, without letting his hunger for her take over.
She stirred, snuggling into his body, and he fought the automatic response of tightening his hold. What was wrong with him? Did he think she cared about him?
Of course not. It was chemistry. Kate had already said it was. She didn’t care. And neither did he!
A sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach acted like a lie detector, buzzing him with annoying accuracy. He couldn’t love her. He’d vowed never to give a woman that power.
Women wanted money. Kate had accepted his proposal for that very reason. He should have known she’d do anything to get her hands on his millions. Just like his mother.
Anger rose. She had her millions now. But she sure as hell wouldn’t earn that much for one night. He intended to get his money’s worth.
Kate awoke to the glorious feel of Will’s mouth on hers, his hands roving her body, his arousal pressed against her.
“Will,” she breathed, meeting his lips as they sought hers. Within seconds, any doubts she had about their marriage, any qualms about his feelings, were washed away by the hunger and need that filled her.
Later, when he lay beside her, his breathing slowly returning to normal, she reached out to stroke his chest, loving the feel of him.
He shocked her by seizing her wrist in a tight hold and thrusting her hand away. “No need, Kate. You got what you wanted. I may require some attention for the next year, but I won’t ask for more than twice a night.”
She sat up on one elbow, staring down at him, her smile still in place. “What are you talking about?”
He rolled from the bed, keeping his back to her as he headed for the bathroom. “I’m talking about the millions you earned last night. I bet you’re laughing at how easily I fell into my own trap.”
Before she could respond, he slammed the bathroom door shut behind him.
Kate lay on the bed, her heart aching, as she realized what her husband meant. He thought she’d seduced him to get his money.
His low opinion of her hurt. But even more painful was the reminder, again, that their marriage would end in one year. He had no interest in making their union real, not even after last night’s wonderful lovemaking. In fact, if anything, he seemed more determined than ever to be rid of her.
Blindly she reached for her clothing, spread around on the floor where Will had thrown it the night before. With a sob, she fled the room, her belongings clutched to her chest. She couldn’t face him again.
After standing in the shower, crying her heart out, Kate managed to pull herself together. As she stepped out of the shower stall, reaching for the fluffy towel hanging nearby, she heard footsteps in the hallway. Her heart thudded in her throat.
They paused, then continued downstairs.
She remained in her room until she heard Will’s car leave half an hour later. By that time, she’d repacked the things that she’d put in the dresser. Many of her boxes were stored in the garage, and she’d leave them there for now. But she wasn’t coming back to this house, this man, this shattered dream, ever again.
Dragging two suitcases down the stairs, she left them by the front door. Before leaving her room, she’d called for a taxi. Will had bought her a new car on Monday after the wedding, saying he couldn’t have Pop’s old, beat-up Chevrolet parked in his driveway. It was bringing down the tone of the neighborhood, he’d joked.
She’d laughed and accepted the new car, believmg him happy to be providing it.
Now she knew better.
She’d slipped into his room and left her rings and wedding gift on his dresser. She would take nothing of his with her.
“Betty, I don’t believe I’ll have breakfast this morning,” she said, trying to sound cheerful.
“But, Kate, it’s all ready.”
And I’ll throw up if I eat it. “Sorry.” She heard the sound of a vehicle in the driveway. “I have to go now.”
“But there’s someone coming. If it’s more gifts, you’re going to have to take ’em.”
“Yes, I’ll see to it. And—thank you for everything, Betty.” The housekeeper had be
en warm and accepting. Kate didn’t want to leave without expressing her appreciation.
“Hey, you didn’t even eat anything,” Betty teased, a smile on her wrinkled face.
Kate said nothing else. She couldn’t. The tears were hovering on the edge of her eyes, looking for a reason to fall. She backed out of the kitchen, opened the front door to the taxi driver and handed him her bags.
By the time he slid behind the wheel, she was sitting in the back seat, her purse clutched tightly in her lap, her eyes closed.
“Where to, lady?”
“The Lucky Charm Diner on Wornall.”
“I think it’s closed.”
“I know.”
From there she’d call Maggie to come get her. It might not keep Will from finding her in a day or two, but she needed to buy some time. To gain control of her ragged emotions. To learn not to love Will Hardison.
Her husband.
After lunch, Will struggled to concentrate on his work. The morning had been a disaster so far. He alternated between despair that he’d given in to his desire and a surge of adrenaline when he remembered the moments in Kate’s arms.
He refused to allow any emotion in his thoughts of her, but hunger, pure, unadulterated sexual hunger, constantly plagued him.
“Your housekeeper is on line one,” his secretary announced through the intercom.
“Betty, is something wrong?” he asked as soon as he picked up the phone. His housekeeper never called the office.
“I don’t know, Will. I went upstairs to clean the bedrooms, and Kate’s is empty. But her new car is in the driveway.”
Anger filled him. So Kate had already taken it upon herself to move in with him? Had he asked her to? Who did she—
“And when I went to your room, I found her rings and those diamond earrings you gave her on your dresser. What should I do with them?”
Suddenly the anger disappeared, replaced by an ice-cold despair. “I’ll be right there.”
After he confirmed Betty’s observations, Will stood in the bedroom where he’d twice made love to Kate, wondering what to do. The first thing, he supposed, was to talk to Kate. He knew where to find her. After all, nothing was more important to her than the diner.
When he arrived there, however, he discovered he was wrong. Kate had been there, the contractor replied, but then she’d left with another lady, a brunette.
Maggie. She was with Maggie.
He asked to use the phone. Directory Assistance refused to give him the number for Maggie O’Connor. It was unlisted.
Irritated, he called his mother. She assured him she had never received Maggie’s phone number. Why did he need it? And why didn’t he ask Kate?
Unwilling to answer any of those questions, he abruptly told her goodbye and hung up.
He charged back to his car, slammed the door and roared off toward the Plaza. He knew whom Kate would contact. He had no doubt of it.
In Charles’s office, Will confessed what had happened. It wasn’t pleasant, hearing his best friend call him an idiot.
“I know,” he admitted wearily. “I was an idiot to have you draw up that agreement. And an idiot to think I could resist her.”
“So what do you want me to do now?” Charles asked.
“Is there anything to be done?”
“We could sue for entrapment, maybe reach an out-of-court settlement. But it will still cost you a lot. Just maybe not a hundred and fifty million.”
Will’s mind immediately flew back to those fateful moments in front of Kate’s door. She had been the one to stop. To suggest they not go any further. He had been the one to lift her into his arms and carry her to his bed.
“Will? What are you thinking about?”
His cheeks flushed, Will shook his head. “Nothing. I, uh, don’t think we should claim entrapment. But we’ll try to negotiate a settlement.”
“Okay. Where do I reach her?”
“I don’t know.”
One of Charles’s eyebrows soared. “Then how do you know she’s gone? Maybe she’s out shopping.”
“She left her rings, earrings and car behind.”
“No note?’
Will shook his head.
“Do you want me to hire a P.I.? Track her down?”
“I don’t think that will be necessary. I’m sure she’ll contact you to find out how soon she gets her money. Let me know when she does.”
For two days, Kate stayed away from the diner, dealing with any problems by phone. During all that time, she remained in Maggie’s small apartment, staring into space, wiping her cheeks before they became furrowed from all the tears.
What an idiot she’d been. To fall in love with a man who didn’t want her. To give her heart, her body, her soul to him, knowing he’d throw everything back in her face in a year.
The second night, Maggie, having tiptoed around her sister for the past forty-eight hours, finally asked, “What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know,” Kate whispered, her voice hoarse from all the crying.
“I still have my savings. Do you want to repay him? I can—”
Kate stared at her sister, her gaze troubled. “Would you forgive me if I stripped you of all your hardearned money, Maggie? I will pay you back, I promise, but I don’t know how long it will take.”
Maggie hugged her. “I just want you to be happy again.”
“I haven’t spent all he loaned me. I’ll stop work on the diner and take a job. Then—”
“No! You were right about the diner, Kate. You’ll make a success of it. So don’t give up your dream. Pay him my twenty-five thousand and asked for time to repay the rest. I’ll work out a payment schedule. Surely he can give you a few years to repay if he has that much money.”
Maggie’s faith in her eased the chill that surrounded her heart, and the two of them worked out the offer Kate would make.
The next morning, Kate appeared at Tori’s office, dressed in the infamous blue suit that had begun her saga with Will. When she explained what had happened and her intentions, Tori cautioned her.
“Are you sure you know what you’re giving up?”
Thinking about Will and any chance of ever being with him, Kate nodded, tears pooling in her eyes again. She thought she’d cried out every ounce of water she’d had in her the last two days.
“It’s a lot of money,” Tori added.
“Money? You were talking about money? That doesn’t matter, Tori. I don’t want his money.”
With a sigh but no more argument, Tori picked up the phone and called Charles’s office. Her call was put through at once and, with a minimum of conversation, she had an appointment in half an hour.
“I’m going with you,” Kate assured her.
“There’s no need. I’m sure we can—”
“No. I want to be sure Charles understands.”
Tori nodded in agreement, accepting Kate’s decision.
Will stood by Charles’s window, staring out at the sunny fall day. When Charles had called him half an hour ago to tell him Ton Herring was on her way over, Will had dropped everything and rushed to his friend’s office.
The tension in him was growing every minute as they waited for Tori’s arrival.
“You realize this could get ugly,” Charles said. “Just let me do the talking. Tori’s not an idiot, and they’ve got the upper hand here.”
“I know. Do you think Kate will come?”
“There’s no reason for her to. I’m not even sure why you’re here. Don’t you trust me?”
“Yeah, I—”
“Mr. Wilson, Miss Herring is here,” his secretary’s voice said through the intercom.
“Thank you. Send her in.” Charles stood, facing the door, and Will turned, too.
He’d spent two miserable days wondering where she was, if she was all right, if she hated him. He wanted to know what she intended to do, and how much it was going to cost him.
He wanted to know if he could resist her even now.
<
br /> His last question was answered when the door opened and Kate followed Tori into the office. His gaze greedily roved over her, noting the circles beneath her eyes, her drooping lips. She wasn’t happy.
Charles greeted the women, but it wasn’t until Will stepped forward that Kate realized he was present. Her face paled so drastically, he was afraid she’d faint.
Tori and Charles forced Kate into a chair, and Tori pushed her head forward.
“My client didn’t intend to alarm you, Kate,” Charles said, shooting a warning stare at Will.
She raised her head, staring at Charles. “No, of course not.”
Will wanted her to look at him. He wanted her to show him how she felt. He wanted to read avarice in her gaze, to stop his heart from racing. To stop his body from wanting to reach out to her. To convince himself he didn’t love her.
She didn’t look his way.
There was an awkward silence, then both attorneys began to speak.
Charles nodded to Tori. “Ladies first.”
She drew a deep breath and said, “We’re here about the prenuptial agreement.”
Will surprised them all, himself included, when he muttered, “Big surprise.”
With a frown at Will, Charles said smoothly, “Of course. We were expecting you to contact us. Now I know my client signed the agreement with every intention of following it. However, I think, in light of the, uh, circumstances, you might consider a lesser award.”
Tori exchanged a look with Kate.
But it was Kate who spoke. “What circumstances?”
Will froze. He’d told Charles not even to imply that Kate had seduced him. Surely he wouldn’t—
“I’m assuming what occurred was mutual, Kate. One hundred and fifty million dollars seems a bit excessive for a little fun.”
Kate paled again, and Tori protested. “Your client signed the agreement.”
There it was. There was the bid for his money. Now he could hate her without a qualm. Couldn’t he? Why wasn’t he angry with her? Why couldn’t he walk out and leave the disgusting, money-grubbing negotiations to his lawyer?
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