When Colby didn’t answer, James took her hand in his. “We’ve never kept secrets before, Colby. I need to know the truth. Morton is not a happy camper. There’s no telling how far he may take this, and I need to be prepared. He thinks I worked some deal with Hamilton and married you off to him to save Wingate Cosmetics. You and I know that’s not true, but others may see it that way. So you have to tell me why you and Hamilton got married.”
Colby looked at James before giving him a nervous little smile. “I married Sterling because I love him.”
James nodded gravely. “I believe that. Now why did he marry you?”
Colby’s eyes slid from James and she released her hands from his. “You don’t think he could love me?”
“I’m not saying that and you know it. To be quite honest with you, I was totally convinced Hamilton loved you. But now…”
“Yes?”
“But now I don’t know what to believe. I keep playing my conversations with Hamilton over and over in my mind, and I suddenly realized that at no time has he actually admitted to me that he loved you. He just acted like he did, and very convincingly I might add. And that’s what worries me. I’m not sure if his actions were sincere or if it was playacting on his part.”
Total silence surrounded brother and sister. After a few minutes had passed, Colby said, “Okay, I’ll tell you everything, but please try to keep an open mind about what I’m telling you.”
When James didn’t say anything Colby went over and sat back down on her tree stump. “You may as well make yourself comfortable on that one,” she said to James, indicating the other stump across from her. “This may take a while.”
After James had taken a seat she started with her story. “I didn’t meet Sterling in Richmond two months ago like I told you I had. I first met him barely a month ago. And I wish I could still claim it was love at first sight, but I can’t. We were both on a mission, although they were totally different missions.”
“What sort of missions?”
Colby took a deep breath before continuing. “For the first time I wanted to do something for Wingate Cosmetics and saw my chance. I flew to California in hopes that I could convince Sterling to do an endorsement for your new cologne, Awesome. I’d written to him with my proposal, so when he sent word through his attorney that he wanted to meet with me, I assumed it was about that.”
“But it wasn’t?”
“No, there was some sort of mix-up.”
James frowned. “What kind of mix-up?”
With a soft sigh, Colby reached out and brushed a piece of fallen leaf off her shorts. Then she looked up at her brother. “He thought I had come to answer an anonymous ad he’d placed in selected newspapers around the country.”
“What sort of ad?”
Colby hesitated briefly before replying. “He was looking for a woman to be the mother of his child.”
At James’s confused look, Colby further clarified. “He was looking for a surrogate mother.”
“What!” James was no longer able to sit down. And his loud voice penetrated the quiet stillness of the entire mountainside. “Is he crazy? What woman in her right mind would do such a thing?”
Colby forced herself to say the next words. Meeting James’s gaze direct, she said, “Me. To save Wingate Cosmetics from a takeover by Morton Industries, I agreed to have Sterling’s baby.”
* * *
Sterling paced back and forth in the cabin of his jet. Takeoff had been delayed due to thunderstorms and he was anxious to get home.
“We’ve been given the okay to take off now, Mr. Hamilton,” John’s voice came over the intercom. “It’s time to buckle up.”
Sterling smiled as he responded. “Thanks, John.”
Then he took his seat and strapped himself in. He glanced down at his watch. He had planned on being back in North Carolina hours ago.
A tiny tremble rippled down his spine when he realized just how much he missed Colby and how she had constantly been in his thoughts. And just to think in a few days he would be leaving her to begin filming in Spain. He wondered if she would consider going with him? Then he squashed that idea. Because of everything that had been happening lately, he hadn’t spent the time he should have preparing for his next movie, and with Colby there it would be a lost cause. She would definitely be a distraction, one he didn’t need. Spielberg had approached him months ago and convinced him he was the ideal man for the part in his next flick; and after reading the script he had agreed. And as with all his movies, he wanted to give this one his very best.
He shifted in his seat and thought of his meeting with Nicholas. Everything had gone well and after the two of them had placed a conference call to Kyle and Jake, it was basically a done deal that Chenault would get the financial backing it needed to do further research.
Sterling’s thoughts slipped back to Colby as he relaxed in his seat. He would be in North Carolina in an hour or so. He couldn’t wait to hold her in his arms, and he couldn’t wait to make love to her again.
He smiled. He liked everything about her. She was a person who wasn’t afraid to tell him exactly what she thought. And he knew the more time he spent with her, he was trodding farther and farther onto dangerous ground. If the truth be known, he kind of liked the idea of someone being there for him to hold at night, someone he could wake up with in the mornings, and like now, someone who would be there at home waiting for him when he returned.
He had never wanted those things from a woman. And he had never really thought about those things. Before Colby came into his life, he had prided himself on being Hollywood’s leading bad boy. Although he knew he had won universal respect because of his talent as an actor, he’d never complained about the media labeling him the man who razzled and bed-dazzled the women. And he certainly had never given any thought to ever falling in love.
Until now.
Now he could clearly see how he could easily fall in love with Colby. He could see just how he could want her in his life forever. Already she was constantly in his thoughts, his dreams, and he missed her like crazy when they were apart. He smiled when he thought about her ability to arouse a sexual hunger in him that was mind-boggling. And for a man who had never taken any of his past sexual encounters seriously, that realization was downright scary.
He tried to shift his thoughts from Colby and concentrate on the activity happening outside the plane’s window. But he couldn’t. All he could think about was the time he had spent with her in Barbados. During those seven days, something had happened to him. Somehow after years of feeling alone and empty, Colby had filled a deep need within him. It was a need he hadn’t known existed.
For so long he honestly hadn’t had a clue what love was, at least not the kind of love a man had for a woman. In fact, he never thought he was capable of that kind of love. He knew how much Kyle loved Kimara and it completely astounded him because he knew it was an all-consuming kind of love. He figured that must have been the kind of love Chandler had felt for Angeline. And knowing that, he had never wanted to experience that kind of love. He had decided to stick with the kind of love he knew about, the kind of love he felt safe and comfortable with. And that was the kind of love between a parent and a child. Chandler had been the perfect teacher of that kind of love.
He took a deep, shaky breath upon suddenly realizing that with Colby he wanted that other kind of love; the kind he had avoided for so long.
“What have you done to me, Colby?” he whispered quietly. But soon after he’d asked the question of himself, he immediately knew the answer. He knew at that very moment, beyond a shadow of a doubt, whether he wanted to or not, he had fallen in love with her.
“Ah, hell, this wasn’t supposed to happen,” he muttered to himself, tightening his hands into fists. He was never supposed to fall in love. He was supposed to spend the rest of his life without any emotional attachment to a woman. But in her own way, Colby had broken down his resolve and had bombarded him with all kinds of emotions.
They were emotions he had never felt before, and more importantly, they were emotions he couldn’t deny any longer.
Colby had snuggled her way into his heart.
* * *
“James, please be reasonable. It’s like you haven’t listened to anything I’ve said. You’re refusing to listen. I’ve told you I have no intention of honoring that contract.”
“But Hamilton doesn’t know that, Colby. He thinks you’ll be out of his life within twelve months after his child is born. And no matter what you want, he’ll get his way because he has your signature on a legal document to make sure he does.”
“But things can change before then. I’m hoping he’ll want to keep me here with him and our child.”
James pulled his sister in his arms. “Oh, Colby, I hope that will happen, too, but that may not be the case. You know of Hamilton’s reputation. And although he wants a baby, I doubt he’s ready to change his lifestyle and permanently become a married man. Right now all you are to him is a means to an end.”
“No, that’s not true. We had a wonderful time together in Barbados. He likes having me around, James. I just know it. One day he’s going to realize that both he and the baby will need me.”
“Don’t get your hopes up on that, honey. Just because a man enjoys sleeping with a woman doesn’t mean he’s ready for a permanent relationship with her. Sterling’s name has always been connected with numerous women and that may not change although he’s married to you now. You may need to prepare yourself for that.”
Colby stiffened. “How can you say such a thing?”
“Because from what you’ve just told me, you and Hamilton don’t have a real marriage. At least not in the real sense of what the institution of marriage is supposed to represent. The only thing binding between the two of you is a contract—a contract he expects you to abide by. The only thing the two of you share is a business deal.”
All it took was a look at the expression on Colby’s face to let James know his words had hurt her. He reached out and pulled her to him. “I’ve sheltered you from so much, Colby, and maybe that’s where I made my mistake. It’s time you see things as they really are. Let me help you get out of this before it’s too late. Once you get pregnant from him, Hamilton will demand his child. We need to consult my attorneys right away. Hopefully they’ll be able to come up with some—”
Colby pushed herself away from James. “No. I won’t leave him. Please try and understand that I have to do this, and not just for Wingate Cosmetics. I have to do this for me and for Sterling. He needs me, James. I know you think that sounds crazy, but deep in my heart I believe that. There’s never been a woman in Sterling’s life to really love him, believe in him, appreciate him, and trust him completely. And I want to be that woman.”
“Colby, baby, listen to me for just—”
“No, James. I don’t need you to try and protect me anymore. I have to handle this on my own. I want my time with Sterling. I have to believe that in the end, I can and that I will make a difference.”
“And what if you don’t? What if he still wants to send you away after your child is born? Just how will you handle that?”
“I refuse to even consider that possibility.”
“You love him that much, Colby?”
She met her brother’s probing gaze. “Yes. I love him that much. It’s hard to explain, but I believe Sterling and I met the way we did for a reason. And I’m asking that you stay out of it and let me handle things. Promise me you’ll let me work out things between me and Sterling on my own.”
“Sweetheart, you’re taking a big gamble on him.”
She smiled faintly up at her brother. “The biggest gamble I took was going to California in the first place.”
It seemed James held her gaze for the longest time before finally nodding. Then he reached out and captured her hand in his. “I’ll always be here for you, baby. I love you. You know that don’t you?”
Colby wiped away the tears that misted her eyes. “Yes, and I appreciate that.”
Then she reached out and hugged him. “And more than anything, James Cameron Wingate, I appreciate you. And I love you, too.”
* * *
Colby stared out of the window and watched the car pull up in the yard and knew it was Sterling. Getting up from the table she hugged herself and rubbed her arms, feeling nervous and apprehensive. Her conversation with James had brought up uncertainties she didn’t want to deal with. They were things she hadn’t wanted to think about. But she knew sooner or later she would have to.
Taking a deep breath she walked out the door and stood on the porch. When Sterling got out of the car, he stood leaning against it and stared at her. She gazed into his dark eyes and saw him appraising her outfit, an old faded shirt and a pair of denim shorts. It wasn’t an outfit a wife would greet her husband in, especially if that husband was Sterling Chandler Hamilton.
“Welcome home, Sterling.”
A huge smile tilted the corners of his lips and he slowly walked over to her. “I’m glad to be home.”
Sterling started to tell her that the main reason he was glad to be home was because he loved her, but something held him back from saying those words. Instead he reached out and pulled her to him and placed a kiss on her lips.
“I’m glad to be home because I knew you were here, Colby.”
Those simple words he’d spoken in a deep, husky voice totally dissolved any apprehensions Colby had. Loving him the way she did wasn’t wrong. And she had to continue to believe that given time, he would come to love her, too.
She placed her arms around him. “I missed you.”
Sterling smiled and tightened his arms around her. “I missed you, too.”
He picked her up and carried her into the house. Once inside he placed her on her feet and closed the door behind him with a soft click. “I should have been here to do that when you first got here.”
“Do what?”
“Carry you over the threshold.”
Colby smiled. She wondered if he realized he was behaving like a happily married man, and not a man with every intention of ending his marriage some time in the future.
“Better late than never,” she said, smiling up at him. “How’s your mother?”
“She’s progressing rather nicely.”
“And your brother?”
“Nicholas is fine, too. But I don’t want to talk about them.”
“Oh? Who do you want to talk about?”
He pulled her into his arms, and moments before capturing her lips with his, he whispered, “Nobody.”
* * *
Colby couldn’t sleep anymore. She slowly eased out of Sterling’s embrace, taking care not to wake him. He needed his rest.
He had tried to be tender when he’d made love to her, but she had shown him she hadn’t wanted his tenderness. What she had wanted, and what she had needed, was exactly what he’d eventually given her, his complete possession, and the sharing of his heated passion.
She wondered if it would always be this way, whenever he returned home after being away—that overwhelming need to be joined as one with him in the most intimate way, where the only thoughts that could cloud her mind were those of him.
Over and over he had made love to her. Then she had fallen asleep in his arms only to be awakened later by the feel of his warm breath on her neck, and the feel of his hand moving slowly over her body, causing her flesh to become hot once again.
Finally, after neither of them could handle any more pleasure and survive the experience, they had fallen asleep exhausted and their strength totally consumed.
But something had awakened Colby. Something had pulled her back into consciousness. It hadn’t been a sound that had awakened her, but a sudden thought, an alarming realization. She felt the need to think about it, work it out in her mind and come to terms with it. That need increased her urgency to be alone for a while.
Slipping into her robe, she walked barefoot across the room, opene
d the French doors and stepped out onto the dark balcony. She drew in a deep breath of the clean, crisp smell of the mountain air, wishing it could somehow cleanse her soul.
The great irony of it was that she had known from the very beginning what she was getting herself into. Sterling hadn’t made any promises to her. He had made it clear up front that he wasn’t looking for a permanent wife. But she had let herself believe she could make a difference in his life; a difference he would soon come to accept. Now she wasn’t sure that would happen.
“Colby?”
Sterling’s voice startled her. She’d thought he was still inside sleeping. She slowly turned around to him. “Yes?”
“Are you okay?”
She only hesitated a moment before answering him. “Yes, I’m fine. I’m just enjoying the night air.”
“Would you like some company?”
“Sure, but I thought you were sleeping.”
He came to stand before her. The musky scent of him combined with the potent smell of pine needles and mountain laurels, stirred her senses and made her even more aware of him.
“I was asleep, but I woke up and reached out for you and you weren’t there.” He put his arms around her, drawing her closer to him.
Colby leaned against him, absorbing his strength. She so desperately needed it now. He always managed to convey an aura of cool confidence. The only time she’d seen that confidence waver even just a little was when he had told her about Angeline Chenault’s visit. It was during that time that she had seen straight through Sterling’s pretense at being cool, confident and nonchalant.
“Do you want to tell me what really drove you out here?” he asked softly, as he leaned down and caressed her face with butterfly kisses.
“Talk to me, baby. Tell me what’s bothering you.” Then he drew her deeper into his arms as his hand smoothed gently across her shoulders and back.
“James came to see me today,” she finally said, knowing he’d been waiting patiently for her to answer.
He eyed her thoughtfully before saying, “This sounds serious.”
Colby nodded. “He found out about that Morton Industries stock you gave me. Homer Morton visited him and accused James of marrying me off to you to save Wingate Cosmetics.”
One Special Moment Page 19
