Now a blank canvas sat on her easel awaiting the final painting in the tale. Katie didn’t know if the painting would be one of light or dark. Would Cain pull her completely into his dark world? Would she be able to coax him into the light? Or would they be destined to exist in that nether world half in and half out of the light? That was up to Cain. She felt that he had strong feelings towards her, and she desperately hoped her instincts were correct.
Thank heavens it was Thursday. Cain had been gone for just over a week and was due back tomorrow. He hadn’t been sure what time he’d be home, but when they’d talked last night, he’d promised to call her. Whatever business was occupying him was not good. He’d been distracted every night he’d called and had been more terse than not. There had been no more playful bouts of phone sex, but she had done her best to lighten their phone calls by sharing bits and pieces of her day with him. In truth, he genuinely seemed to enjoy that part of their conversations.
Katie walked to work, enjoying the brisk morning air. The streets were coming alive as she left the apartment. Other people, like herself, who had to work early, had already started their day. The newsstand was opening as she passed by and she greeted Mr. Jenkins, the owner, as she strolled by. She smiled at woman who was rushing to catch a bus, and waved at an elderly gentleman who was out for his daily walk. Some of the people she knew by name, but many she knew only by sight as they all appeared on the street at the same time every morning. Such was life in the city. She treasured her early morning amble to work, using the time to sort out her thoughts. The sights and sounds energized her and the crisp morning air invigorated her.
By the time she let herself in the coffee shop she was in a better frame of mind and ready for work. She’d been very careful this week, not wanting Lucas to find out about Cain yet. He would only worry about her and ask questions she just wasn’t ready to answer. She knew he suspected she was seeing someone, but so far he had kept his own counsel.
“Good morning, Lucas.” Keeping her voice upbeat, she breezed past him to the office to hang up her coat and put away her purse. The smell of cinnamon filled the air and her stomach growled as it anticipated a morning snack of fresh cinnamon buns drizzled with icing. Tying on a clean apron, she returned to the kitchen and started in on her morning routine by putting on a pot of coffee in the kitchen. When she glanced up, Lucas was staring at her.
“When are you going to tell me what’s wrong, Katie?” Lucas’s voice was not accusing, but she sensed the underlying hurt. Obviously, she hadn’t concealed her emotional turmoil as well as she’d thought she had.
Going to him immediately, she wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned into his strength. “I thought I hid it so well.”
She felt his kiss on the top of her head even as his arms came around her shoulders to comfort her. “Only to someone who doesn’t know you. In truth, you’ve been distracted all week long, but things haven’t been right since the day I told you I sold that damned painting.” He sighed and released her. “I’m beginning to wish that I’d never put it in the window.”
“Sometimes, I wish that too, but a wise man once told me that change was inevitable and it was how you dealt with it that mattered.” She went over to the cupboard and pulled down two mugs. Expertly she tugged out the coffeepot and inserted one mug under the trickling brew while she filled the other cup by pouring coffee from the pot. When the other cup was full, she pulled it from the coffee machine and replaced the pot, all without spilling a drop. Returning to the counter, she plunked both coffees down and waited.
“Obviously, that guy didn’t know what he was talking about.” Lucas was chuckling at her, his smile brightening his whole face. “Only you would throw my own words back in my face.” He picked up his mug and took an obviously much-needed gulp. Katie examined his face and noticed the circles under his eyes. He looked almost as bad as she did, but she’d been too wrapped up in her own worries to notice.
“Thanks for the coffee.” He paused. “But seriously, Katie, what’s wrong? Are you worried about the business? Is it some guy?”
Something in her expression must have tipped him off because his coffee cup made a thud as he slammed it to the counter. His large hands flattened on the countertop and he leaned towards her. “Did some guy hurt you?” Lucas’s eyes glowed, promising immediate retribution.
“It is a guy. But he didn’t hurt me, at least not in the way you mean.” She paused to gather her thoughts.
Lucas was not reassured. “But he’s done something that’s upset you.” It was a statement, not a question, and it demanded a response from her.
Tugging on the tails of her apron, she marshaled her thoughts. “I met this guy and it got pretty intense fast.” Lucas waited impatiently for her to continue. His whole body practically vibrated with his barely contained energy. “I’m not sure he feels the same way I do and it worries me. That’s all.” She hoped her condensed explanation would satisfy him, but one look at his face told her no such luck.
“That’s all!” he roared. Lucas’s hands curled into fists on the top of the counter. “Katie. You haven’t even looked at a man since Kent and now you’re telling me you’re serious about some guy that I don’t even know.”
Katie knew it was that fact, more than any other, that both upset and hurt him at the same time. At times, Lucas took his role as big brother way too seriously for Katie’s liking. This was obviously one of those times, so she tried to smooth it over just a little by offering him some reassurance. “But you do know him, in a way. It’s the guy who bought the painting.”
“I don’t know him at all. I only dealt with his assistant, that Martha what’s-her-name.” Lucas started pacing in the kitchen. “How the hell did he meet you?”
“He followed me home,” Katie replied in a meek voice. She braced herself for the explosion.
“He followed you home. My god, Katie, do you have a death wish? You don’t know anything about this guy.” Lucas was now frantically pacing back and forth across the kitchen but not once did he take his eyes off Katie.
She held her hands out pleadingly in front of her and tried to find the words to placate him. “He didn’t approach me at first and he told me who he was immediately. We’ve spent some time together…” Her voice trailed off as Lucas rounded the counter and hauled her up in front of him. His grip was gentle even though his whole body was vibrating with barely suppressed anger.
“Katie, you’ve been spending time with a virtual stranger that none of your friends have met. Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?” He shook her lightly as he spoke.
Katie pulled back and put her hands on her hips. Now she was the one getting angry. “I’m a grown woman not a child. Besides which, I feel safe when I’m with him.” She felt like stomping her foot in anger and would have if she hadn’t just told Lucas she wasn’t a child.
“It’s the fact that you are a woman—a beautiful, young woman—that worries me.” Lucas sighed and shook his head. “You know I’m going to worry about you until I meet him. At least tell me his name and let me check him out for you.” Lucas smiled and added in a cajoling voice, “Then I won’t worry so much.” When that gambit looked like it might not work, he quickly added, “Katie, I don’t need any more gray hair.”
Katie burst out laughing, as he’d known she would. Lucas didn’t have a gray hair on his head. It was still a thick blond that he kept chopped off short. She stepped forward and ruffled his hair. “We can’t have that happen to your beautiful hair, can we? It’s not a secret, I guess. His name is Cain Benjamin.”
Lucas went as still as a statue. “What did you say?”
Katie began to get nervous. “Cain Benjamin. Why, do you know him?”
“Sit down, honey.” He helped her sit on a stool and took both her hands in his, and the bleak look on his face began to frighten her.
“Just tell me what you know. You’re scaring me.”
“I’m the one who’s scared, but you’ve got nothing
to worry about. I’ll take care of things.”
“Take care of what? How do you know Cain?” Her voice was a high-pitched wail. She was very afraid of what Lucas was going to tell her.
Gripping her hands tight in his he took a deep breath and began. “I did some research on E. S. Investors.”
Now Katie was perplexed. “What does that have to do with this?”
“This company buys and sells real estate, businesses, and just about any other thing it wants to.” Katie was wondering why that phrase sounded so familiar and almost missed Lucas’s next statement. “It’s owned and operated by one man. Cain Benjamin.”
“No, that’s not possible.” Katie felt all the blood drain from her face. Her head felt like it was spinning. She shook her head, the denial immediately springing to her lips. “You must be mistaken.”
“I wish I was.” He took her cold hands in his large, warm ones. Katie was glad for the warmth. Her whole body felt cold and she began to shake.
Lucas chafed her hands between his. “Reclusive multimillionaire, Cain Benjamin. He made a fortune on the Internet companies when they first started and is a wizard on the stock markets as well. Whatever he touches turns to gold, but he keeps to himself. I couldn’t even find a picture of this guy online and he’s been written up in every major business magazine.”
The thought that Cain would simultaneously make love to her and destroy something he knew she loved was almost incomprehensible. Her laughter was bitter. He’d already known about Lucas losing the location for his shop. After all, he was the one taking it from him. Katie felt like a fool remembering how she’d poured her heart out to him over the phone. She shuddered when she remembered his cold reply. “It’s business,” he’d replied. And she guessed, to him that was what mattered. Her feelings certainly didn’t seem to make any difference to him.
Lucas had released her hands and wrapped his arms around her, but Katie couldn’t feel them. She couldn’t feel anything at all. The sound of hysterical laughter filled the air and she wished whoever it was would shut up so she could think. Her whole body was shaking and she was chilled to the bone, so very, very cold.
“I know you’re cold, honey.” She was surprised when Lucas answered her. She hadn’t realized she’d spoken out loud. “You’ve had a shock, but everything will be all right,” his deep voice rumbled.
The world was a deep haze to her now and tears blurred her vision. The only solid thing in her world was Lucas and she clung to him for dear life. His voice coaxed her into her coat and in moments she was bundled into his car. For a moment, she came out of her funk, knowing something wasn’t right.
“What about the shop? We have to open the shop.” She had to make Lucas understand that it was time for work.
Both of his hands were clenched on the wheel, his knuckles white. “That’s okay, baby. I’ll open late today.”
“But we never open late.” She knew something was wrong, but she felt so tired and emotionally drained that, without realizing it, she drifted off to sleep. Katie woke briefly when the car stopped and Lucas lifted her out of the vehicle. But by the time he’d reached her apartment she was fast asleep in the safety of his arms.
Lucas took his time and tucked her into bed. He removed her shoes and tugged off her jeans before covering her with the comforter. He hadn’t felt this kind of anger since he’d almost beaten his old man to death. Taking a deep cleansing breath, he looked at the angel sleeping on the bed. Anger wouldn’t help her now, and he was too old to do something stupid and risk ending up back in prison. Sleep was the best thing for her now. The look on her face was not one he’d easily forget. She felt betrayed right to her very core and one man was to blame.
He crept out of the room to make a call. Judy would go in early and cover the shop until he could get back there. Picking up the receiver, he started to dial, only to come to a complete stop. Three paintings were propped up against the wall. Stark and beautiful, they told the story of her and Cain’s relationship.
In the first one, he was an indistinct shadow lurking in the shadows. In the next one, she had painted him only half in the dark. His features were strong and harsh, yet he enticed her to come to him. And the final one was the most telling. The romantic setting was evident and Katie had painted him like some tragic figure, beckoning her to save him. Her feelings for him were evident in the final painting. It was in every brush stroke. Katie loved the bastard, even though it was evident to him that Cain had seduced her. And that made Lucas hate him even more.
Chapter Ten
Katie woke with a pounding in her head. Groaning, she rolled over and pulled the pillow over her head. Her mouth was dry and her eyes were gritty. It felt like she had a hangover but that was impossible since she never had more than one or two drinks at a time, and she certainly didn’t remember drinking anything anyway. Peeking out from under the pillow, she glanced at the bedside clock. It was just after six.
Panic hit her and she rolled up in bed and planted her feet on the floor. She would be late for work if she didn’t hurry. It was then she remembered everything from the day before. Burying her head in her hands, memories flooded her brain. The tense conversation between her and Lucas that ended with her discovery that Cain was the one forcing Lucas’s coffee shop to relocate. Cain was the big, anonymous business buying the building.
Scrubbing her eyes with her fingers to clear out some of the sleep, Katie sat on the side of her bed and wondered what to do. It had been a shock to her system yesterday to realize just how much Cain was holding back from her. She had shared herself totally with him, while he kept most of himself hidden from her.
It was hard, facing the fact that she loved a man she didn’t really know. All her instincts screamed that a good man lurked just under the façade. Katie just didn’t know if she was the right woman to unearth him. Sighing, she knew it didn’t really matter. She loved him so much that she had to try.
Yesterday, she had fallen to pieces. She wasn’t proud of that fact, but it had happened and there was nothing to do now but move forward. After finally trusting enough to attempt a relationship with a man after so long, Cain’s deception had hit her hard. And it was indeed a betrayal of sorts. She had poured out all her fears about what was happening with her job, and all the while he’d been the one controlling the outcome. It made her sad that he felt it necessary to hide it from her. Yes, she might be mad at him, but she would have tried to see his point of view.
With that in mind, Katie made a decision. Cain was expected back this evening and she would go to his place and talk to him. Maybe if she gave him an opening, he would tell her himself. Maybe he was just waiting for the right moment.
Shaking her head at her own foolishness, she raised her aching head and studied the forlorn-looking woman in the dresser mirror. “Maybe I’m just grasping at straws,” she muttered.
Regardless, if they were to have any kind of relationship, there had to be no more lies or omissions. If she couldn’t trust him then they truly had nothing and she would have to face the fact that she’d been mistaken about the kind of man Cain was.
The image in the mirror was pitiful, so she dragged herself out of bed. What she needed right now was a nice hot shower. She was still half-dressed, for heaven’s sake. Stripping off her clothes, she dropped them on the floor. She rummaged around in her closet, pulled out her robe, and dragged it on. It was when she was heading for the bathroom that she saw the note taped to her bedroom door.
She recognized Lucas’s handwriting as she pulled the sheet of paper off the door. The note was short and to the point. “I’ll be by later to check on you.” She read it aloud and thanked her lucky stars that she had such a loyal friend in Lucas.
Now, she really needed a shower. Lucas would not be happy with her decision to talk to Cain, but it was something she had to do. This relationship was worth fighting for and she would not give up yet. Katie needed to reassure Lucas that yesterday’s meltdown was only due to the shock of the moment an
d fatigue, and that she was strong enough to survive if things didn’t work out with Cain. It would be painful, but if life had taught her only one thing, it was that life went on regardless of heartbreak.
Padding to the shower, she began to practice what she would say to both Cain and Lucas. Both men were difficult and needed to be approached carefully. It was going to be a long day.
Katie was nervous as she stood in front of the large steel door. The wind whistled through the air and penetrated her coat as she contemplated the private entrance to Cain’s building. There was a buzzer to one side that she had yet to push. She’d just finished dealing with one difficult man and now here she was planning to deal with another one. She wasn’t sure if she was incredibly brave or just a glutton for punishment. At the moment, it was a toss-up.
Lunch with Lucas had been challenging, to say the least. It had been incredibly sweet of him to show up at her apartment with a selection of sandwiches and treats. His only concern, at first, had been getting her to eat something. Yesterday’s episode had left him feeling very protective of her. So she’d allowed him to sit her at the table and ply her with good food. When they had both eaten, she’d told him that she planned to confront Cain.
Lucas had not taken her decision well. He’d been visibly upset by her decision, and it had taken her the better part of an hour to calm him down enough to understand that she was going to do this whether he wanted her to or not. Lucas wanted to confront Cain, but Katie was having none of that. She was an adult and had to handle this on her own.
It hadn’t been easy, but eventually he had succumbed to her powers of persuasion, and reluctantly accepted her decision. He had stubbornly extracted her promise that she would call him the moment she got home. No matter what time it was.
Wiping her damp palms against her jeans, she plucked up her courage and pushed the buzzer. She waited. And waited. And waited. No one answered. She leaned her finger on the buzzer again and kept it pressed there a full twenty seconds. Faint barking could be heard in the background.
Awakening Desires: Katie's Art of Seduction Page 12
