He stood close, but she didn’t touch him back for fear he'd drag her into his arms. She wouldn’t stop with a kiss. "So you won't reach out for something that might be taken away, is that it?"
"I'm being smart. It works for me."
Jace tilted his head and considered. He had to tread carefully here, or lose her completely. She had to be wooed, had to be taught to love in the fullest sense of the word. Not only in bits and pieces.
She'd lost everything once—and then to make matters worse, she'd been without a real family for most of her life.
She slumped a little and he pulled her against him, wrapping his arms around her slender waist. She sighed and allowed the closeness.
"I don't understand why we can't just be together while we have the opportunity. Why is what we have together so complicated?" Then she turned into his arms and buried her face against his shoulder. He tempted himself by tracing a fingertip around the rim of her ear.
"It won't get complicated, Kate," he promised. "We'll keep it simple, you'll see."
"Oh, Jace, I've missed you," she said into his neck.
"I haven't missed you. You've been with me every waking moment and most of my sleeping ones as well." She moaned deep in her throat and burrowed more closely against him, a furnace seeking more fuel.
What could a few kisses hurt? She needed reassurance and he needed to hold her. He wouldn't let anything get out of hand. He kissed her hard, his tongue making promises against hers.
Katie tugged on Jace's shirt, backing up until she pressed against the wall. Long moments later, she protested when he lifted his mouth from hers.
"Kate, we can't. Not out here. What would the neighbors say?" His voice went husky and gave him away. He wanted her so much he ached.
She looked around. “The lilacs surrounding the yard are in full leaf. No one will see....“ She shuddered in his arms. She smelled of sunshine, ammonia cleaner and Kate. Delicious, he thought as he licked the soft flesh behind her ear.
She giggled in response and he wanted, so badly, to take her where she stood.
Instead, he smiled and tilted his forehead to hers. "We should go inside now. Harry's home from wherever he went."
She nodded. "Tonight then?"
He kissed the tip of her nose. "Tonight," he promised.
She reached for him once more when they entered the kitchen, but Jace groaned and set her away from his lower body. "You're killing me."
She grinned.
"Katie, how did it go?" Harry called to her over the noise of his television.
"She was up a ladder all by herself and the damn thing wasn't braced at all," Jace called in to his uncle before she had a chance to answer. He headed toward the makeshift bedroom.
"Don't listen to him, Harry, he's thrilled that I did everything myself," Katie said, following close behind.
He stopped right in front of her. "Is that what you think?" Jace asked quietly.
"Well, isn't it true?" She read his gaze and saw disappointment.
He shook his head sadly as he continued along the hallway and into Harry's room.
Katie followed, confused.
"Harry, will you tell this woman she shouldn't clean windows alone? Climbing ladders to the second story is dangerous." He looked at her. "When I think about how you were swaying around on that ladder, I—well, we should have done the job together. You didn't even wait for Harry to come home. At least he could have steadied the ladder for you."
Her reply stuck in her throat for a moment. "But I told you before that I clean when I'm upset. Weren't you listening?"
Harry watched them closely. "What were you upset about?"
"It was silly. Nothing important. I'm all right." And she was. For now.
* * *
One sharp rap on her bedroom door woke Katie on Sunday morning. She struggled to waken, still half lost in dreams, all of them erotic, all of them involving Jace. Then the knocking got louder, more furious until she had to accept the inevitable.
"Kate, get up," Jace called through the door, "today's the day."
She stretched under the covers, then snuggled in again. Jace had been particularly attentive last night, telling her about his college days, his early teens living with Harry. She'd learned a lot about him and his plans for Zurich. She was happy for him.
Even happier that he hadn’t continued on that track about them being together for longer. This was wonderful.
This, as it was. Just this. "What day?" She had no idea what he was talking about.
"The day you learn to ride a bike." This pretending that they weren’t sleeping together seemed ludicrous, but Jace insisted. Must be another family thing she was unaware of.
Bike riding. “I can’t believe I agreed to this.”
She groaned and threw her arm across her eyes. "I'd hoped you'd forgotten." When she heard Jace's deep chuckle through the door, she grinned. "All right, all right, I'm coming."
"I'll be in the shower. Coffee's made," he called through the door.
A whole day together. Sun, sand, and Jace. What more could she ask for? A whole night with him, a treacherous voice in her head reminded her.
Frustrated anew, she yanked on her jeans and sneakers. She stomped down the stairs, venting only a fraction of her pent-up energy. The rich smell of coffee hit her before she got to the kitchen door and she took a mug to fill.
Harry strolled into the kitchen and Katie was shocked at his appearance. He was shaved. He had on a new shirt. His shoes had been shined.
Just then, Jace bounded into the room, looking happy and ready to take on the world.
Harry cleared his throat. "When you go into the lot, I'm coming with you." He said it in such a matter-of-fact way that Katie was fooled, for a brief second, into thinking things were back to normal.
"We're not going in today. Kate's learning to ride a bike," Jace said, filling a coffee mug.
Harry's eyes widened. "What the hell for?"
"Because I never learned as a kid and Jace thinks I missed something." Her skeptical tone implied that she didn't believe she'd missed a thing.
"I never saw a Sunday when you didn't at least go check on the place," Harry groused. "That's okay, though, I can go myself." He lifted an eyebrow, waiting for their reaction.
"Not when I've got your keys," Jace replied smoothly, while Katie held back a laugh. "I'll take you to the lot for an hour in the morning and bring you back," he relented.
Harry stood and glared at both of them. "An hour? Why don't you stick me in a straitjacket and be done with it?"
Jace glared right back at him.
Harry mumbled something ungracious that made her laugh again. He reached for his soft yellow cardigan that he'd hooked on the back of a chair. The sweater made him look like a golfer.
"Going out?" she asked.
"Got a problem with that?" he asked.
"Yeah, I've got a problem. I'm scared you're overdoing it. The doctor—"
"You know what doctors are good for, Katie?"
She sighed, giving up. "What?"
"Driving people crazy," he snapped and edged toward the hallway.
Thankfully, Jace was blocking his uncle's escape. "Jace, don’t let him leave."
But Jace was already moving out of Harry’s way. "What would you like me to do?" He shrugged. "Throw him down and hold him with a half nelson?"
The doorbell rang and Harry's step quickened as he scooted past Jace to go answer the door.
Katie had to move fast to catch up to him. Just before he opened the door she careened to a halt at his back.
He turned his head and glared at her.
She took one step back.
He opened the door.
"Hi, Harry," said a soft, feminine voice. Harry opened the door wider and stepped aside to let the woman enter.
A blonde: trim, fifty-something with a smile that lit up her face at the sight of Harry.
* * *
An hour later, Katie wondered if Jace had a hidde
n sadistic streak. Her shins were bruised from bicycle pedals that whacked them every chance they got. Her bottom felt sorely abused. Jace's arm was around her shoulder while his other one steadied the handlebar. She leaned against him as much to stop from falling over as to catch the scent of his heated body. There were certain advantages to spending the afternoon this way, she thought.
"Katherine Calhoun, you're driving me nuts." He stopped walking her and the bike around the empty parking lot, and pressed a kiss to her temple.
She smiled up at him, in what she hoped was a completely disarming way. "Haven't I done enough for today?"
"No."
"Can't we stop now?"
"No."
"Spoilsport."
"Quitter."
"That does it, pal. No one calls Katie Calhoun a quitter and gets away with it. If you want me to ride this stupid bike, then I’ll do it."
He grinned smugly.
She narrowed her eyes. "I'll show you."
Jace stepped away from her. Katie gripped the handles with sweaty palms, hoped her hands wouldn't slip off and pushed away from him. The pedal was firmly in place under her foot. She pushed against it. The bike moved forward. The worst part was getting the other foot squarely on the other pedal without wobbling to a fall.
She managed.
Her teeth squeezed her lower lip but she ignored the pain. Focus. Don't let him see you fail at something this simple. Any kid can learn to ride.
The old bike wobbled, but she straightened the handlebars and kept pushing at the pedals. Jace walked close behind her, but said nothing. She needed focus, not encouraging words that would distract her. The bike wobbled a couple of times, but she righted it as she gained speed. After a moment the bike stopped fighting her.
Wind lifted the ends of her hair and cooled her heated face. Nerves eased, muscles loosened and her heart went lighter.
"I'm doing it, Jace." She kept pedaling faster and faster. She dared to look straight ahead to see where she was going.
Jace trotted to stay with her. "Relax your arms. Don't fight it, Kate." His voice faded as she pulled away from him.
He was right. She relaxed and suddenly the handlebars no longer had a mind of their own. She was in control.
She was riding.
"Thank you," she yelled, not sure whom she was addressing—Jace for teaching her or herself for proving she could do it.
She glided to a halt, dropping one foot to skim the ground, the way she remembered her foster brothers doing it. She'd envied their effortless skills. When she looked back, Jace was grinning from ear to ear, framed by the silhouette of Mt. Baker. He ran faster, whooping as he came.
"Fantastic. That was great. I knew you could do it."
"I did it just like that." She snapped her fingers.
When he reached her he rubbed her shoulder smoothly, erasing more tension. "That was the longest 'just like that' I ever saw." He grinned down at her and for a moment there was nothing in her world but his pride.
"Let me try again."
This time she was able to relax sooner. The wind blew her hair wildly and she dared to stand up on the pedals to go faster. Delicious confidence grew inside. She'd never be afraid to try anything Jace wanted to teach her again.
She chanced a turn of her head to see him. He stood at the far end of the parking lot, hands on his; hips, his old jeans riding so low they were almost indecent.
If she could only brand this image of Jace into her memory forever, she'd have something to hold on to in the long, lonely future. Last night, his talk of Zurich had saddened her as much as it had excited him.
She managed to pedal and coast through a shaky turn. Triumph soared and she shook so hard the bike wobbled but this time she knew she could manage it. She glided to a stop again.
Jace jogged toward her with his fists in the air.
She laughed and dismounted, feeling ecstatic with joy and accomplishment. He was so proud and she loved him so much. She stood still, and watched him run toward her. Good Lord, it was true.
She loved him.
She closed her eyes against the pain that would come at the end of this. Run, the logical side of her screamed; stay, her heart coaxed. She did nothing but stand and wait, already missing him.
"Why'd you stop? You were great." He bussed her cheek. His fingers ran through her hair until they tangled in the knots caused by the wind. She was immediately swept up in the kiss he demanded.
When he released her, he searched her eyes and she blinked back tears.
"Hey, what's the matter? You did a fantastic job."
"Oh, it's only the wind in my eyes."
The rest of the day went by in a blur. Jace taught her much more than bike riding. They went in-line skating, skinny-dipping after dark, and when she confessed she'd never steamed up the windows in a car parked on lover's lane, he made certain it was another experience she wouldn't miss.
"You mean to say you've never made out in the backseat of a boyfriend's car?" he asked.
"Nope."
"I don't believe you," he said, toweling off his hair after their midnight skinny-dip.
"It's true. I avoided dating because I was determined not to end up another statistic."
He settled against the door. "You'll have to explain that one. What statistic?"
"Another teenaged single mother on welfare. The only way I figured I could avoid that fate was to stay away from boys altogether."
"So, no boyfriends through high school?"
"Not a one." She grinned at his shocked expression. When he growled and reached for her, she had no defense. Her love had made her weak and she forgot to hold any part of herself back. Jace's sleek sedan rocked and steamed and bounced as Katie learned what hot new passion was all about.
Chapter 9
Next morning, with Jace at another meeting in Seattle, Katie was surprised to see a large gift-wrapped box on her desk when she arrived at work. She smiled as warmth coursed through her.
She closed her door so McElroy wouldn't see her open the box. She walked around the gift slowly, considering it from all angles. She slid her letter opener under the taped bow, then she removed the rest of the wrapping.
Inside was a plastic pink Corvette. Perched in the driver's seat, all lacy prettiness, was a twelve inch fashion doll. The doll's hair was as dark as Katie's own. She laughed easily as her heart lightened. Her bubbles of laughter rose until Bill poked his head around the door.
"Katie? Are you all right?" His eyes widened when he saw the toys on Katie's desk. "Where'd they come from?"
"Jace."
"Oh, yeah?" His eyes took on a gleam.
Katie smiled. "He said he wanted to take me through the missed steps of my childhood. Obviously this is one of them. I can't believe he remembered."
"Huh?"
"Never mind. I'll explain another time."
"Whatever's going on, it looks like Donner's scored big." He chuckled. "I'll have to remember this. You just never know what it's going to take."
Katie threw the balled-up wrapping paper at him, but his words resonated. Apparently, for Harry, all it took was a blonde dye job and a ton of wrinkle cream liberally applied. As soon as the thought invaded her mind she felt sorry she'd had it. But yesterday had been a day full of shocks.
First, Harry had introduced his lady friend as Brenda Houseman. That she was warm, bright and friendly, Katie couldn't deny. She had class and style Katie might have found intimidating at one time. But she'd long ago kicked that chip off her shoulder.
Then why was she reluctant to accept this woman? What was it about Brenda that made Katie feel uncomfortable? She didn't like the feeling and decided to get to the bottom of it. She had several options. The first was to spend more time with Brenda, the second was to avoid her, the third was to talk to Jace, and the last and least desirable was to talk to Harry.
The other shock had been how easily her heart had been run over by Jace Donner. She still couldn't pinpoint exactly when she'd g
iven in. Was falling in love like that? Sudden and inexplicable and pain-filled?
It wasn't often that she missed having a mother, but this morning, she yearned for hers. To ask her simple questions, to know that she had made the same mistake and come through it all right. The little Katie knew about her mother made Katie believe that her mom had been through something similar at least once. Either she'd loved the wrong man, or the wrong man had loved her. But whatever had happened, the fact was that when she died all she'd left behind was a small girl. There'd been no grieving husband. No father for Katie. And no one to answer her questions today.
All she could do was accept that she'd fallen for Jace, and she would have to lock away her pain when he left. After that, she'd focus on her future and bury her broken heart under her work.
Setting aside her thoughts and worries for herself, she continued fretting over Harry and Brenda. She'd never seen Harry act the way he had yesterday morning. He'd been downright charming. Laughing and smiling and gracious with Brenda, Harry had shown a side of his personality that made Jace choke on his coffee.
And the way Brenda had looked at him. As if he were every woman's dream. Harry, of all people. It was silly. Ridiculous that people their age... What? Thought of sex? Wanted sex? Didn't Harry understand the danger? Didn't Brenda care that leading Harry into a relationship could hurt him? If she cared about Harry, she'd leave him alone.
And Katie had said as much to Jace last night when they'd arrived home to find Harry wasn't there. In fact, he didn't come home all night. Katie knew because she'd been awake, listening for him.
But when she'd wanted to talk to Jace about the situation this morning, he'd been in too much of a hurry to get to Seattle to give her any time. She assumed Jace was busy making all the arrangements necessary for living and working in a foreign country. Perhaps he'd discerned that her feelings were deepening and by not talking about it, was trying not to remind her of his imminent departure. It would be just like him not to want to cause her any distress.
* * *
It wasn't until deep into the night, in the quiet darkness of her bedroom, that Katie was able to thank Jace properly for his whimsical gifts. He accepted her appreciation with good grace and evident pleasure.
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