Evening Hours

by Mary Lynn Baxter

  Answer, dammit, he fumed. Then he heard a sleep-filled voice say, “Hello.”

  “Kaylee, I’m coming over.”

  “Cutler, what—”

  “I’ll be there shortly.”

  He hung up the receiver and lunged out of bed.

  Twenty-Six

  Kaylee was aghast.

  Yet she was curious, too. What on earth could have prompted Cutler to call her after ten o’clock?

  Realizing she would only be wasting her time speculating, she got out of bed and went into the bathroom. She wasn’t about to put on makeup, though she looked a fright. Too bad. He’d have to take her as she was or not at all.

  After brushing her teeth and taming her hair a bit, Kaylee made her way into the kitchen, where she started a pot of coffee. Then she checked the fridge to make sure she had some almond tea made. She did. Remembering that she had some orange muffins left from the bakery, she reached for them, only to freeze.

  What was she doing? Playing the hostess at this time of night was crazy. Besides that, he wouldn’t expect it. She certainly didn’t want anything to eat. Just the thought made her queasy.

  But then, Cutler did a good job of that. He only had to come anywhere near her and her entire body reacted. The last time she had seen him they had made love all night.

  Even if he never touched her again, she would never forget him. In the space of several hours he had changed her life. He had made her feel like a desirable woman, something she’d never before felt.

  For that, she would be forever indebted to him. While he had known that, he hadn’t used it to his advantage, or at least not yet. Waves of panic washed through Kaylee. She feared she wouldn’t be able to resurrect the wall he’d so easily torn down.

  Right now she could walk away from Cutler with her heart intact. If she let him touch her again, an easy flight wouldn’t be possible.

  Be careful, she warned herself, just as the phone rang. Had Cutler changed his mind? If so, was she relieved? Or perturbed? Because she didn’t want to pursue the answer to either question, Kaylee simply reached for the receiver.

  “Hello.”

  “Hi, sweetheart, did I wake you up?”

  “Hey, Uncle Drew.”

  “You don’t sound like you were asleep.”

  “It’s not that late,” she countered with a smile in her voice.

  “I know, but it’s late to some folks.”

  “Not me, so don’t worry.” She paused, growing more puzzled by the second. Something was up with him, too. He rarely called, and never in the evening. But there were exceptions, she reminded herself. Cutler’s abrupt, out-of-the-blue call had apparently tapped into her paranoia.

  “What can I do for you, Uncle Drew?”

  “What? You mean I just can’t call and say hello?”

  “Of course you can.” She paused. “Is that what you’re doing?”

  Seconds of silence ticked off the clock.

  “No, actually it’s not.”

  “Daddy’s okay, isn’t he?” She couldn’t imagine what had prompted her to asked that. Yes, she did. That same paranoia working on her.

  “He’s fine, sweetheart. At least, he was earlier today.”

  “Good.”

  “Are you busy?”

  “Now?”

  “I know it’s late, but I’d like to talk to you.”

  She felt a frown mar her forehead. “Actually—”

  “Sorry. No one wants company this time of night.”

  It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him that was exactly what was about to happen, but since he didn’t give her a chance, she held her silence.

  “We’ll talk another time.”

  “You can’t tell me on the phone?”

  He hesitated again.

  “Look, if it’s something—”

  “It’s not,” he cut in. “Trust me, there’ll be another time.”

  “You promise?”

  “Now, sweetheart, remember who you’re talking to. Have I ever let you down?”

  “No, and I don’t want to let you down, and I feel like I’m doing just that.”

  “Baloney. You’re doing no such thing.”

  “If you’re sure.”

  “I’ll call you the next day or so and we’ll get together.”

  “That had better be another promise.”

  “Count on it.”

  When she replaced the receiver, Kaylee remained unmoving. Two strange happenings in one evening. Though they weren’t related, it unnerved her. She’d hated having to turn Drew down. Of all people. At the same time, she was certain Cutler was on his way.

  Ten minutes later she was still thinking about Drew’s call when the door chime sounded. Taking a deep breath, Kaylee made her way to the door and opened it. She didn’t know what she’d expected, but not someone who looked as if he’d been soundly whipped.

  “I know you’d like to have my head on a platter,” he muttered, crossing the threshold, not stopping until he reached the middle of the great room.

  Kaylee attempted a smile. “Looks like someone beat me to it.”

  His lips quirked. “That bad, huh?”

  “That bad.” She swallowed hard as he was staring at her with a look that she couldn’t read. But for whatever reason, her heart kicked into overdrive. She’d best find out what he wanted, then send him on his way.

  His disheveled and anguished appearance could easily bring about her downfall. Keeping her distance was of the utmost importance so there would be no repeat performance of the other evening.

  “I’ve made some coffee.”

  “I don’t—”

  “I’ll pour us a cup,” she interrupted, her tone indicating it was nonnegotiable.

  “Fine.”

  Once in the kitchen, she didn’t tarry, and soon set a tray on the table in front of the sofa where he sat.

  Still, neither reached for the cups.

  “Come here,” Cutler said brusquely, patting the seat beside him.

  She hesitated, drawing her lower lip between her teeth in order to keep it steady.

  “Please.” His voice was ragged. “I’m not going to pounce on you.”

  She gave a start.

  “Though I’d like to,” he added in a strained whisper, a vein beating in his neck.

  God, she didn’t want to care about him. She didn’t want to love him. Suddenly she froze, not daring to breathe. Love? Where had that word come from?

  “Kaylee, it’s okay.”

  “No, it’s not,” she said in a husky whisper.

  His eyes darkened on her. “I would never hurt you. You have to know that.”

  Her bones turned to water at the tenderness in his voice. All the more reason to keep her distance. “I know, because I’m not going to give you a chance.”

  Admiration flared in those dark eyes. “Did I ever tell you that I like your style?”

  “If you’re trying to seduce me with kind words, it won’t work.”

  His lips quirked again as he snapped his fingers. “Damn. Must be losing my charm.”

  She couldn’t stop her smile any more than she could refrain from sitting beside him. “So what’s on your mind?”

  “Us.”

  She blinked with a racing heart. “Excuse me?”

  “You heard what I said.”

  Why couldn’t she stop thinking about touching him? It would be so easy to reach out. Kaylee wound her fingers tightly together, and sat straight as a block of wood.

  “Relax,” he said, his voice a decibel lower than usual.

  “I am. Relaxed, that is.”

  “Sure you are.”

  She cut him a look. He was smiling at her, which was almost her undoing.

  “You asked me up front if I’d like your head on a platter? Well, I just might take you up on that.”

  Cutler’s smile widened, which went a long way toward easing the torturous tension between them. “You’d certainly be within your rights, especially since visiting hours
are technically over.”

  She lifted her shoulders in a shrug. “I’m a night owl.” She intended that comment to sound glib, but she wasn’t sure she’d pulled it off.

  Instead of commenting, he reached out and placed a hand over hers. She stared at his, noticing his long, tapered fingers sprinkled with just the right amount of black hair. His thumb rubbed across the back of her hand, scalding her insides.

  She looked down and tried to pull away. He tightened his hold.

  “Kaylee,” he said in a hoarse, urgent voice, “marry me.”

  Twenty-Seven

  Kaylee’s mouth fell open and her eyes widened. “What did you say?”

  “I said marry me.”

  She slammed her mouth shut; at the same time her head spun and her stomach lurched, as if she’d just been shoved out of a plane.

  “I mean it, Kaylee. I want to marry you.”

  “You don’t…can’t mean that.”

  “You know me better than that.”

  “No, I don’t. Actually, I don’t know you at all.”

  “Yes, you do. You know that I don’t make statements like that lightly, that I’m a man who says what he means and means what he says.”

  “That’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard.”

  “Why?”

  Again she opened her mouth, only to slam it back shut. Frankly she didn’t know how to respond. She was too shell-shocked.

  Cutler’s next words bore testimony to the fact that he knew she’d had a major blow. “Hey, you’re not going to pass out on me, are you?”

  Suddenly she giggled, realizing that she was close to hysterics.

  “I had no idea a proposal of marriage could be funny.”

  The shadow that fell across his face stopped her giggling instantly. Pain? Was that what she saw mirrored there? Oh, God, she couldn’t believe this was happening.

  “Kaylee, say something.”

  “I don’t know what to say, Cutler. For the second time in my life I’m at a loss for words.”

  “When was the first time?”

  She stared at him closely. “Do you really care?”

  “Of course I care.”

  His tone had a slight snap to it, and deservedly so. She flushed with shame and that was also deserved. But dear Lord, she was still so confused, so blown away by his proposal that she wasn’t thinking or talking straight. “So when was the first time?” he asked again.

  “After the wreck, when my life changed so drastically.”

  “I figured as much. I don’t know if I’ve ever told you how sorry I am about that.” Cutler paused. “I’d like to know a few of the details, if it’s not too painful to talk about. Even now.”

  Kaylee explained how the wreck had happened, how she’d been thrown through the windshield and the painful aftermath. She broke off with a shuddering breath, then said in a small voice, “I may never be able to have children.”

  “There are worse things, you know,” Cutler said in a gentle tone.

  Kaylee didn’t feel the need to respond. Anyway, what else was there to say?

  “You’re a real trouper, Kaylee Benton. And I admire the heck out of you.”

  “Thanks, but that was a long time ago, and I’ve adjusted.”

  “That you have, and in a wonderful way, too.”

  “What’s going on, Cutler?” she demanded, her gaze nailing his.

  “A proposal of marriage.”

  “I’m serious.”

  “Me, too. I’ve never asked a woman to marry me before.”

  “Dammit, you know what I’m getting at.”

  “Is marrying me that abhorrent to you?”

  “You know better than that,” she snapped, then stiffened. “But that’s not the point.”

  “I beg to differ. That’s exactly the point.”

  Kaylee stood, looped her arms across her chest for protection, then looked at him out of defiant eyes.

  He stood, clenched his hands at his sides and returned her look. “I want to marry you, Kaylee. It’s as simple as that.” A note of urgency underlined his words.

  She gave him an incredulous look. “I can’t believe you said that. You asking me to marry you is anything but simple.”

  “I don’t see it that way.”

  “I might as well butt my head up against a brick wall as to try and reason with you.”

  This time humor did rearrange his mouth, softening it. “I don’t mean to be difficult.”

  “Yes, you do.”

  He laughed outright, which helped to dispel the growing and suffocating tension.

  “Say yes, Kaylee.”

  So much for the lessening tension. His soft plea shot the tension back up, sending her hand to her heart as pains shot through her chest like tiny darts.

  “Aren’t you forgetting something, Cutler?”

  His eyes narrowed. “What would that be?”

  “Love.” She watched his face drain of color before she plowed on. “You don’t love me. We both know that.”

  “Nor do you love me.”

  “So again, I don’t get it. Why would either of us want to marry the other?”

  “What if I do love you?”

  “Stop it, Cutler,” Kaylee lashed back. “I didn’t just fall off a turnip truck.”

  Color darkened his face. “I never implied that.”

  “Yes, you did.”

  “I don’t want to turn this into a verbal slinging match.”

  “So satisfy my curiosity. Love aside, why would you want to be saddled with a woman who’s a cripple when you could have any woman you want?”

  He reached out for her.

  She backed away, thrusting out an arm. “No. Don’t touch me.”

  That vein in his neck began beating overtime. She watched it for a moment, thinking that if something didn’t give soon, she’d lose what little control she had left.

  “I don’t think of you as a cripple, for God’s sake,” he muttered at last.

  “I’m just calling a spade a spade.”

  “That’s crap.”

  “Perhaps it’s because you want to appear more sympathetic to your voters.”

  He strangled on an expletive.

  “That’s the only possible reason I can think of for your sudden and off-the-wall proposal.”

  “I care about you, Kaylee, more than I ever thought possible.” He paused and shoved a hand through his already disheveled hair. “And let’s just say it’s time I settled down.”

  “Since when?” she asked bluntly.

  “Since I met you.”

  “You expect me to believe that?”

  “It’s the truth,” he said in a hoarse voice. “I know I can make you happy.”

  “What about the woman you’re seeing?” Kaylee swallowed hard. “Can’t avoid the gossip, you know.”

  “She’s a friend.”

  “I’ve heard that before.” Her voice dripped with sarcasm.

  “Not from me you haven’t.”

  “No matter.” Kaylee laughed with derision. “I’m not marrying you.”

  He swore, then pulled her against his chest. Before she could get her bearings, his lips adhered to hers with such force that it literally took her breath.

  It was only after he heard her moan that his lips relaxed and his tongue snaked into the hot cavity of her mouth. That was her undoing. Heat boiled up inside her. Sure that her insides were about to explode, she clung to him, returning the kiss with equal fervor.

  She didn’t know how long he held her captive. She didn’t care. As much as she despised herself, she was exactly where she longed to be—locked in his arms with his lips against hers. A lifetime of that would be heaven on earth.

  But that was the fluff fairy tales were made of. And she was no Cinderella.

  Clearly struggling for breath himself, Cutler stared deeply into her eyes. “Fair warning—you’re mine, Kaylee Benton, and I don’t intend to give up.”

  With that, he thrust her away, turned and walke
d out the door.

  Kaylee crumpled in a heap on the floor.

  Keeping her arms tight around her, she rocked back and forth, whimpering. Only when she could no longer stand the sharp pains shooting up and down her leg did she try to get up.

  Miraculously, she did that and more. She made it into her bedroom and into the tub, where she lay back and closed her eyes, letting the hot, sweet-smelling water penetrate her muscles and bones.

  If only that soothing balm could reach her head. While the water worked magic on her body, her mind remained immune. What had she done to deserve to have her life turned upside down once again?

  Tears trickled down Kaylee’s face into her mouth. She licked her lips and tasted Cutler. She moaned and sank farther down into the tub. What if she just kept on going until her whole body was immersed?

  Frightened by that irrational and crazy thought, Kaylee jerked herself upright and opened her eyes. Still, his image swam in front of her and she struggled for a decent breath.

  Had he really asked her to marry him?

  Yes. She might be well on her way to losing her mind, but she hadn’t as yet. As much as she might want to pretend that conversation never happened, she couldn’t.

  But why?

  More to the point, why her?

  She didn’t for a minute buy his lame explanation. So if the most important ingredient, love, didn’t enter into the equation—and it didn’t—then what did?

  Who cares? a tiny voice inside her whispered. As long as he asked you.

  Kaylee’s body turned rigid. Somewhere in her subconscious was she entertaining the idea of taking him up on his offer, regardless of whether he loved her?

  Absurd.

  Ludicrous.

  Impossible.

  Yet possible.

  If he carried through with his threat, which she felt he would, then he wouldn’t give up. He was right; she did know the kind of man he was. He didn’t waste words or time. He knew what he wanted and he went after it.

  Apparently he wanted her.

  A sense of excitement suddenly filled every corner of her mind. All she had to do was say, “Yes, I’ll marry you.”