On the Verge of I Do

by Heidi Betts

  His scowl deepened, and he had to bite his tongue to keep from snapping right then and there. But if he stopped her now, he knew he’d never get the rest out of her, and he needed to hear it.

  Holding his gaze, she said, “I couldn’t believe you wanted me or cared for me as more than a friend, because you’d never shown the least bit of interest in me that way before. And it was too easy to believe that you were on the rebound from your breakup with Laurel. Not just a breakup, but practically being left at the altar. It wasn’t much of a stretch to think you might be using me to get back at her.”

  Eli clenched his jaw so forcefully, he could hear his molars grinding to dust. “You’d better get to the point damn quick,” he bit out, “because I’ve got something to say and I’m running low on patience.”

  Her lashes fluttered at that. She looked just about ready to bolt…which would be a huge mistake on her part. Birthday party or not, park full of witnesses or not, if she made one move to get away from him, he was going to tackle her to the ground like the Carolina Panthers offensive line and ruin that cute little dress of hers.

  She swallowed, her chest rising and falling with her shallow breaths. And then, in a tone so soft he could barely hear it over the revelry at his back, she said, “I’ve been in love with you forever, Eli. Since the first time we met…all through high school, college, our adult lives… It broke my heart when you started dating Laurel. When the two of you started talking about marriage and asked me to plan the wedding.”

  Her voice cracked and her eyes glistened with moisture. Any anger or frustration he’d been feeling only seconds before washed away, replaced by keen remorse and the sudden understanding that he was a jackass. A complete and utter fool.

  Giving in to temptation, he took her hand, linking their arms across the top of the plastic picnic table.

  “Kara,” he whispered softly.

  She shook her head, blinking to keep the tears at bay. “So you can see why I didn’t think I could trust your sudden profession that you had feelings for me. Or trust myself to trust you, for fear it was just my long-buried crush spinning out of control.”

  “Kara,” he said again.

  She licked her lips before they curved into a crooked, slightly insecure smile. “But I had coffee with Laurel this morning,” she told him. “And she had this really smart idea. She suggested I simply ask you about what Diane said, and give you a chance to respond. So here I am. Asking.”

  Her shoulders went back as she straightened her spine, her chest rising as she inhaled confidence along with fresh oxygen. “Are you in love with Diane?”

  Eli sat up straighter, too. If they were going to do this, then they were going to do it head-on. No beating around the bush. It was no-holds-barred, all-on-the-line, do-or-die truth-telling time.

  He met her gaze, looked directly into her soul, and invited her to look into his.

  “No,” he answered firmly.

  “Are you sleeping with her—now?”

  “Absolutely not.”

  “Are you still in love with Laurel?”

  “I don’t think I was ever in love with Laurel,” he responded honestly.

  “Do you still have feelings for her at all? Other than friendship.”

  “No.”

  Kara paused, her toe tapping wildly beneath the table while nerves coursed through her bloodstream. She knew what she wanted to ask next, but once she did, that was it. Game over. His answer would determine the entire future of their relationship—good, bad or indifferent.

  But she had to know.

  “Are you in love with me?”

  Sixteen

  Kara’s heart lurched against her rib cage over and over again like a Mexican jumping bean while their gazes remained linked. Eli’s eyes, dark and glittering with intensity, made her want to squirm, but she refused to look away until she had an answer.

  The heavy, razor-sharp silence was killing her. Fear that he might say no or, worse yet, that his face would fill with pity at her awkward confession and pathetic desire for him, turned her insides cold.

  But she held her ground, waited, and told herself that if he was going to break her heart into a million pieces, then it was better to be done with it here and now.

  She could go home and lick her wounds later. Lord knew she still had the ratty pajamas, unmade bed and freezer full of ice cream ready.

  To her surprise, Eli pushed to his feet, coming to her side of the picnic table and pulling her up to stand in front of him. Framing her face in both of his big, strong hands, he smiled, sending a shiver of warmth through her system.

  “Yes,” he said, his voice rough and graveled and sincere. “Yes, I’m in love with you. I think I have been for years, too. I just didn’t realize it until recently.”

  Running the pad of his thumb back and forth across her bottom lip, he said, “I fired Diane.”

  He gave a small chuckle when Kara’s eyes went wide as saucers.

  “When I couldn’t find you that last day you were at the resort, I went searching and ran into her instead. She admitted what she’d told you—sounded proud of it, no less. I think she actually believed what she said to you. In her mind, she thought we had a real relationship, while I considered our time together nothing more than a one-, maybe two-night stand. I never would have hired her if I’d known she had an agenda.”

  “So you fired her?” Kara didn’t know whether to be shocked or flattered.

  “On the spot. Ordered Security to stay with her while she gathered her belongings and see her off the resort property so there would be absolutely no mistakes and no confusion about my feelings—or lack thereof. I called you right after. And called, and called, but you didn’t answer.”

  “I’m sorry, I—”

  He covered her mouth with his finger. “I would have been back in Charleston that very night, on your doorstep with candy and flowers and my heart on my sleeve, but as luck would have it…disaster struck.”

  His mouth twisted with irony. “I don’t know if she did it in an act of payback for bringing you in, or if she was just a lousy event planner, but Diane booked two large golfing events for the exact same time. Guests started flooding in, we didn’t have enough rooms for all of them, the courses were double-booked… It was a nightmare. One I couldn’t leave the staff to handle alone, so I stuck around to help get everything ironed out.”

  She nodded. She understood completely. And he’d said he loved her, which pretty much made everything else in her life—everything else in the world—a non-issue.

  “I only got back into town last night. Called you again,” he added, “but you still wouldn’t answer.”

  She winced with guilt, nose wrinkling, and he chuckled.

  “I was going to come over, but wanted the timing to be right, and I was tired, cranky… I thought it would be better to let us both get a good night’s sleep. Then this morning when I got to the office, Penelope reminded me about the party, and I had to be here.”

  He cast a quick glance over his shoulder, where kids with frosting smeared all around their mouths, and on their hands and clothes, had started chasing each other, playing hide-and-seek and breaking out the party favors.

  “I was in charge of picking up the cake.”

  Something thick and warm unfurled at the base of her stomach at his admission. He sounded so proud.

  “What is this?” she asked, just as she had earlier. Maybe this time, he would answer her.

  “April’s birthday party.” At her questioning expression, he explained. “You know I was a foster child, and I lived in a group home as often as a foster one, until Mom and Dad took me in. Well, special occasions and reasons to celebrate are hard to come by in group homes—as are the funds to party properly.”

  She shook her head. “I didn’t realize.”

  “Most people don’t, but I’ve never forgotten how it feels to lie in bed at night and know no one remembered your birthday—if they even knew it to begin with. So when I started m
aking good money, I made a point of going back. I visit every few weeks, arrange outings to museums or the zoo, and I throw big bashes like this for any of the kids who have a birthday that month.”

  Kara’s chest tightened and tears stung the backs of her eyes. And this time, it had nothing to do with fear that her feelings for Eli might not be reciprocated. Instead, it had everything to do with feeling like a worthless, self-centered human being…and realizing that the man before her was not only wonderful, thoughtful and selfless, but that she’d gotten very close to letting him slip through her fingers.

  Clearing her throat, she said, “You did all this?”

  Color bloomed on his cheekbones. “Well, I had some help. Penelope orders the cakes and decorations, reserves the locations, if necessary. But she lets me take the credit.”

  “I’m glad.” Kara smiled, sparing another glance for the young partygoers before returning her attention to Eli.

  “Will you let me be involved next time?” she asked. “I’d love to bring some presents or help come up with new ideas for party themes.”

  Eli beamed at her, his grin wider and brighter than she’d ever seen it. He gave her elbows a squeeze and leaned in to press a quick kiss to her lips. “They would love that. I would love it. We supply gifts, but they’re more of the boy/girl variety, not child-specific. If you could help us personalize things a bit, that would be great.”

  “Consider it done,” she told him. And she meant it. His kindness and compassion were contagious, and she could tell these kids were a cause near and dear to his heart. Which meant that—if things between them played out the way she hoped they would—they were about to become important to her, as well.

  His hands brushed up her arms, stopping at her shoulders while he continued to study her. Finally, he said, “I need you to know something. I was never in love with your sister.”

  His voice was low and genuine, and an invisible weight she hadn’t known was pushing down on her, lifted.

  “I decided I was ready to settle down and start a family, and I thought we would make a good match. Laurel is classy and sophisticated, she comes from a good family…” He shot her a lopsided grin. “All the things you are, of course, but there was no spark there. Nothing that kept me up at night or made me crazy with wanting. You make me crazy with wanting, Kara. And you definitely keep me up at night—in more ways than one.”

  With a giggle, an honest-to-goodness giggle, she buried her face in his chest.

  “It wasn’t until Laurel called off the wedding and it didn’t bother me in the least that I realized I was marrying her for the wrong reasons. Then I went over to your place, and it was as though I was seeing you for the first time. Clearly, through new eyes. It was startling and invigorating and humbling…and I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that I wanted you. Not just for a night or a weekend or even a year, but forever.”

  Heart stuttering in her chest, Kara lifted her head and met his gaze. “Say that again,” she told him.

  The corners of his mouth lifted. “Which part?”

  “All of it,” she said on a sigh. “Or maybe just the highlights.”

  Running his fingers through her hair, then lingering to toy with the ends of the curls, he said, “Here are the important bullet points: I love you. I want you. I need you.”

  He punctuated each declaration with a soft but firm kiss to her lips. Kisses that melted her bones and turned her knees to jelly.

  “Now answer one of my questions,” he murmured. “Do you love me?”

  Her lashes fluttered and the air skittered from her lungs. “More than anything,” she told him.

  “And you don’t think I’m after your money or your family name? Especially considering that I’ve amassed a rather large financial portfolio in my own right, and my parents’ roots—the only parents who matter, at any rate—go back at least as far as the Kincaids’.”

  His face hardened, his eyes going dark, but she knew he wasn’t really angry. Annoyed that anyone could ever believe that, maybe, but not mad. Still, she couldn’t resist teasing him.

  “I don’t know,” she said with an exaggerated sigh. “We are really rich. And there are a lot of men out there who want me. I’m irresistible.”

  The corner of his mouth twitched, and she knew she had him.

  “You are that,” he agreed, obvious humor slipping into his tone. “But I’m afraid I have to have you—money, well- respected Southern name, and all. So what can I do to convince you? Give up my vast fortune? Shout it from the highest rooftop? Eat a bug?”

  She just barely managed to hold back a chuckle. “You could eat a bug.”

  He scowled at her, letting her know that wasn’t going to happen.

  “All right, then, I have an idea,” she said.

  Standing on tiptoe, she looped her arms around his neck, getting as close as possible. To her delight, he did the same at the small of her back.

  “I haven’t gotten around to canceling everything for your and Laurel’s nuptials.” She’d taken care of some of the items on the list, but then got sidetracked by his work-weekend-turned-sexual-rendezvous and the emotional upheaval that went along with it.

  “So…if you love me as much as you claim, and truly want to be with me for the rest of your life…” Her entire body hummed with that knowledge and the soul-deep contentment it brought. “You could keep your original wedding date, but marry me instead.”

  His eyes widened, then began to twinkle. “Marry you? Next month?”

  “Two weeks from now, actually.”

  “Hmm. I don’t know, that’s awfully soon,” he said with mock indecision.

  “It is. But think of it this way—once you tie me to you legally, I’ll be forced to take your name…and half of your money. It’s the perfect solution to all of our problems.”

  He laughed. “You may be right about that. And something tells me you’re going to enjoy spending my money.”

  “Mmm-hmm. Almost as much as I enjoy spending my own.”

  “I’ll bet.” Then he tipped his head, seeming to consider something. “You know, maybe I should go back to Laurel, after all. She may not be as hot as you are, but she might end up costing me less in the long run.”

  Eyes wide, Kara pulled back and punched him hard in the chest. “Hey! Be careful, bub, or I’ll rescind my offer. Then you’ll not only be without the hot Kincaid sister, but I’ll stick you with all the cancellation fees for the rest of the wedding arrangements.”

  “We can’t have that,” he said, shaking his head slowly back and forth. “I guess I have no choice—I’ll have to marry you. But only if you promise to remain as sweet, smart, funny, beautiful, wonderful and amazing as you are at this very moment.”

  She tipped her head, rolled her eyes skyward and gave her best drawn-out Southern belle sigh. “I suppose I could do that. But you have to promise to always be as kind, smart, wonderful, patient, sexy and amazing as you are at this moment.”

  With the cocky, self-assured grin she’d fallen in love with so many years ago, he said, “Oh, I think I can handle that, darlin’.”

  And then he leaned down to kiss her, stealing her breath and taking her heart, her soul, her very being right along with it. When he broke off minutes later, they were gasping for breath.

  Eli touched his brow to hers. “I want to take you home and make love to you. Make you mine, once and for all. My place or yours, I don’t care which.”

  She wanted that, too. So much, she was trembling.

  “I’m already yours,” she told him, and meant every word. “But what about the party? Your guests might notice if their host suddenly disappears.”

  He groaned, turning his head slightly to check on the birthday celebration. The children were still playing, eating, having fun…but several adult eyes were on them, curiosity running rampant.

  “I think you’re right,” he said. “Our absence would definitely be noted. And commented upon.”

  Resting the tips of her fingers on
one side of his strong, smooth face, she pressed a light kiss to the other. “Tell you what,” she said. “Introduce me to the children so I can get a feel for their personalities and what kind of gifts they might like in the future. After a bit, we’ll make our apologies, and you can take me home—your place or mine—and have your way with me for the rest of the night.”

  One dark brow shot halfway to his hairline. “Now that’s a plan I can get behind,” he told her. “I can see why you’re so good at your job, Miss Kincaid.”

  She met his raised brow with one of her own. “That’s Soon-to-be Mrs. Houghton to you, sir.”

  He flashed her a wide grin, lifting her left hand to his mouth and kissing the spot on her finger where his ring would soon reside. A diamond temporarily, followed by a solid gold band for the rest of their lives.

  “Yes, ma’am,” he said softly. “It certainly is.”

  Seventeen

  Kara stood outside the front door of her mother’s home—also known as the Kincaid Mansion—on Montagu Street, fidgeting like a mouse in a room full of traps ready to spring. The heat from Eli’s strong, broad body was close at her back, adding to that of her growing anxiety and the warm April afternoon.

  “If you don’t calm down,” he whispered just above her right ear, his hands resting lightly at her hips, “they’re going to know something is up the minute you walk through the door.”

  “I know.” But that didn’t keep her nerves from jangling or her pulse from jumping in her throat. Her fingers tightened on the container of homemade apple fritters she was carrying, for fear she might drop them.

  “And that’s if they don’t notice the ring right off.”

  The lump in her throat plummeted to her stomach. Oh, lord. She hadn’t needed to hear that.

  After the birthday party at the park, Eli had indeed taken her home—to his apartment, as it turned out—and made love to her all…night…long… . Over and over, until she was weak in the knees…and the spine…and the brain stem…and everywhere in between.