Time For Pleasure

by Angie Daniels

  First her father betrayed her, making false promises and then over the years one man after another whispering false words of love and affection. And each and every time she vowed never to be that vulnerable again, to harden her heart to the next man, only she never could. I’m just not wired that way, she decided with a shaky breath.

  Kaelyn sat there sobbing and getting it out of her system. Sometimes all it took was a good cry before she chalked it up as a learning experience and moved on. After a few moments, she rose, picked up the mug and warmed up another sweet roll. Fifteen minutes later, she was licking icing from her fingers and feeling somewhat better.

  Back in her office, Kaelyn forced herself to get to work. She had things to do and the last thing she was going to do was allow Ashton Ray Kilmer to continue to distract her from her work.

  For the next hour she busied herself loading samples onto her website. Over the years she had created a great reputation, and Chamber House Designs was starting to blow up. As she scrolled through the most recent photographs she had uploaded from her SED card, her breath stalled when she saw a photo of Ashton that evening standing on the balcony. Gawd, he was gorgeous! He had her itching to place her hands on the computer screen and trace over his back and butt among other things.

  Bastard!

  Kaelyn was selecting the photographs for deletion when she heard gravel spinning and practically jumped from the chair. She raced to the front of the house, peered out the window and spotted a beautiful Volvo pulling onto her driveway. She slipped her feet into a pair of flip flops, then hurried off the porch to meet a short Hispanic man as he was coming up her driveway.

  “May I help you?” she asked.

  “Are you Kaelyn Chambers?”

  She nodded.

  “I have something for you,” he said and handed her a key.

  “What this?” she asked. Her brow rose with puzzlement.

  “The key to your new car. It’s yours,” he replied and pointed out into the driveway.

  “What?” Kaelyn was stunned as she stepped off the steps and walked over to the car with her mouth wide open.

  “What? How… why?”

  “It’s from Mr. Kilmer.”

  “Uh-uh, I don’t want anything from him!” She held out the key, but he shook his head and refused to take it back.

  “I was also instructed to give you this envelope.” Reluctantly, Kaelyn took the small white envelope and what she saw inside made her gasp. “This is a check for $5000!”

  He nodded. “ Yes ma’am. The same amount you were suing for.”

  “So he really was guilty,” she mumbled and her shoulders sank with disappointment. Part of her had hoped that it had all been a misunderstanding. “Thanks,” she mumbled and started to walk away when he called after her.

  “Ma’am, before I leave I’d like to apologize.”

  Kaelyn swung around. “For what?”

  “I was the one who inspected your car.”

  Her brow bunched with confusion. “I don’t understand.”

  “I was paid by our sales manager to pass cars even if they weren’t up to par--in order to receive top dollar,” he repeated slowly, softly.

  “Did Ashton have any idea what was going on?”

  “No ma’am.” He cleared his throat. “If I could have a glass of water, I would be happy to sit and explain.”

  With growing curiosity, Kaelyn nodded. “Sure, come on inside.”

  * * *

  Ashton ordered a pizza then tossed his phone onto the coffee table with a weary sigh. There was an annual car show in Rehoboth Beach with high-end vehicles from all over. He attended every year and looked forward to the event. But not now. There was only one place he wanted to be and that was with Kaelyn at her cozy little cottage, instead of his dreary condo.

  His eyes scanned the bare walls. He had planned to buy some of the photographs she had taken while they were walking around town so he could have them framed and displayed throughout his place, hoping to bring life to the place the way it had done to hers. Yet after the incident he couldn’t even get her to return his calls.

  He flicked through the television channels thinking about Kaelyn. Wondering what she was doing. If she was curled on her comfy couch or in her office editing photographs. Or lying in her bed they’d spent so much time in making incredible love.

  Ashton felt his body stir and he shifted uncomfortably on the recliner. Ever since she’d stepped onto that stage, he’d been dealing with a constant hard-on. How could he resist with thoughts of her delicious curves, wild hair and sensual smile? He growled at the throbbing increasing at his loins.

  Another cold shower for you.

  Trying to get her off his mind, Ashton surfed the television some more but every raven-haired woman reminded him of Kaelyn.

  It had been hours since Rafael had delivered the car and as instructed he called as soon as he pulled out her driveway, relaying every detail of their conversation over lemonade. Since then Ashton had been watching the phone, waiting for her call. And yet there was still nothing.

  “Hell!” he cried.

  What was it about that woman he couldn’t get out of his head? Why couldn’t he go five minutes without thinking… wanting… needing her. Kaelyn was like a drug he couldn’t live without. Was this love? It was definitely different from what he’d felt with his ex-wife. It was more powerful, addictive. And one thing for sure, he wanted more.

  Reaching for his phone, he dialed her number, and just as he thought she didn’t answer.

  “… Kaelyn, you have two days and then I’m coming to get you.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Hours later, Kaelyn was still thinking about her conversation with Rafael.

  Punching someone in the mouth? She still couldn’t believe Ashton had done that. Although she found his actions quite heroic, part of her could see him trying to be loyal to his company and his people. Once Ashton had discovered who she was, he was already caught up in a lie. It left her with a glimmer of hope that maybe Ashton didn’t mean to lie, well at least not about the car, but that didn’t change the fact he had never revealed who he was.

  How were they supposed to have a relationship without trust, which -- as far as she was concerned meant -- he never meant for the relationship to go any further than sex.

  Isn’t that all you’d wanted?

  Yes, she admitted. In the beginning she wanted it to be strictly a sexual relationship, but the more time she spent with him. The more times they came together as one, her feelings had changed and she had started feeling… wanting so much more.

  As she stepped off the deck and back inside the house, she reminded herself he’d had every opportunity to come clean, but chose not to. And that hurt more than anything else.

  Kaelyn retrieved a bottle of soda and headed to her bedroom. Immediately she noticed she had a missed call. She brought the cell phone to her ear and her heart thumped when she realized she had a new message from Ashton.

  “I’m sorry,” he began and the tone of his voice she wondered, was it guilt? No, she decided, he sounded strange and uncertain.

  She definitely knew what that felt like, she decided, as she walked over to the bed and flopped down onto her back while she finished listening to him explain his story, collaborating what Rafael had shared. She would be lying if she didn’t admit it left her feeling somewhat better. Because the fact of the matter, even after she told him to go to hell and to never call her again, Ashton had still gone out of his way to try and make things right.

  “Kaelyn, you have two days and then I’m coming to get you.”

  Her body heated and her nipples hardened at the thought of Ashton going caveman and tossing her kicking and screaming over his shoulder. Goodness, her body had already given her its vote on the subject. Now it was up to her mind and heart to decide if she wanted to give them another chance.

  She still couldn’t understand why he hadn’t just come clean and told her who he was. And even Mackenzie had kn
own all along and said she had her reasons, but that didn’t mean Kaelyn was ready yet to forgive her either.

  Remembering the check, she rose from the bed and padded back into the kitchen. She reached down for the envelope with the check and realized there was also a hand-written note inside.

  I’m sorry. Please forgive me. A

  Her heart started banging beneath her chest. She went back to her desk, tried to focus on her web design, but her mind was on something—or better yet—someone other than work. Realizing work was useless, Kaelyn looked out the window. Late afternoon, the sky was clear and the sun hot. As she stared out into the ocean, at the vacationers tramping along the shoreline, a sailboat lazily riding the wave, she couldn’t stop thinking about Ashton. His large hands, his body heat, how rough he was in bed. She was supposed to be erasing him from her life, not thinking about him.

  She heard her cell phone and went to her bedroom and brought it to her ear. “Hi Mom.”

  It was typical of Joyce Robinson to get right to the reason for her call. “I’ve been calling you all morning. What’s wrong? Do you need for me to come and bring you home?”

  Kaelyn groaned. Her mother could be so irritating, but she cared deeply about her daughter, which was the only reason why she tolerated her overprotectiveness. “No Mom, I’m fine.”

  “Then why do you sound all nasally? You’ve been crying. Haven’t you?”

  She swallowed and wiped a single tear from the corner of her eye. Just hearing her mother’s voice, she felt all weepy and wished she was close by so she could pour out her heart. Her mother would then wrap her arms around her and assure her everything would be okay. But she was hundreds of miles away so there was no way she would worry her like that.

  “Did I just hear a sniffle? Princess, please talk to me.”

  “I’m fine, Mom. Allergies got my nose all stopped up. But I’m okay. I promise.” She’d have to play down how she was feeling or her mother and her new husband Ryan would be gassing up the Buick Lacrosse and hitting the road in the wee hours heading toward Delaware, and she definitely couldn’t have that. “I just took a decongestant right before you called.”

  That quieted her mother for a few moments. “How have you been? Meet any nice men yet?”

  Naughty and nice. The time they had spent together had been special. Except it had been one big lie. “No one worth talking about.”

  There was a moment of silence. “Are you still thinking about Tip?”

  Kaelyn released a sigh. “Mom, I know you care, but I’m fine, really. I’m so over Tip and trying to start a new life. But I promise you I’m happy.”

  “I would be happier if you found yourself a really nice guy… and have some babies. You’re almost thirty,” she said like it was a bad thing.

  “And how would you feel about me being pregnant?”

  There was silence on the other end and she knew her words had shocked her. “Are you trying to tell me something, Princess?” she asked cautiously.

  Despite how she was feeling, Kaelyn had to resist a grin. “No, Mom. I’m not pregnant, but someday.”

  “I sure hope so. Just find a nice boy and get married first. The problem with you is that you want too much. I told you there are no perfect men out there. You just have to find someone who, despite all his flaws, he’s perfect for you.”

  “But Mother, how do you know? I mean how did you know Ryan was worth all the trouble?” She and her stepfather Ryan Robinson had been married two years.

  “Well, I felt something in my heart that I never felt before. Wait a minute, you just called me mother and you never call me that unless it’s something serious. What’s going on here?”

  “Nothing that I’m ready to talk about just yet. Maybe next time,” she stated carefully.

  There was another pause. “Alright, well you know I’m here if you need me.”

  “I know and I love you for it.” Kaelyn knew her mother’s feelings were hurt for her not willingly pouring out her heart. One thing about her, she had always been there to listen and provide advice. But this time it wasn’t quite so easy.

  Kaelyn dragged her legs up to her chest. This time she just wasn’t ready to share. It was all hers and she wanted to hold onto that moment for as long as she could. What she was feeling, she was still trying to make sense of it all herself. She just wasn’t sure where to begin. All she knew was whatever it was, it terrified her.

  She went out onto the porch and stared at the charcoal gray Volvo. It was beautiful, clean and much newer than the one she had. Curiosity got the better of her and she walked over and peeked inside, and released a slow breath. Leather seats. Sunroof. Everything she had wanted and didn’t get with the first. But how did Ashton know? she wondered. Certain she had a pretty good idea who’d told him, she went back inside long enough to grab her purse and the key, and hopped behind the wheel. A mile down the road, Kaelyn opened the sunroof and breathed in the salty air.

  As she drove toward town she stared over at the long stretch of beach along the boardwalk that was lined with restaurants, and hotels. The white sands were crowded with tourists, stretching out hoping to catch some waves, children shifting sand through their fingers, or just soaking up some of the eighty-eight degree sun. She had been living here almost six months and this was the most crowded she’d ever seen it. According to Mackenzie, it was summer after all and the city stayed awake until the wee hours of the morning from the Memorial Day parade down Main Street to the big fireworks celebration Labor Day weekend.

  Despite how angry she felt, she couldn’t resist a smile. She loved the town she now called home and could see why the natives never wanted to live anywhere else.

  By the time she turned into a luxury townhouse community, she was in love with her new car. Even though she knew there was no way she could keep it.

  Kaelyn knocked on the door and a few seconds later it swung open.

  “I’m still not talking to you,” she barked, then stepped into Mackenzie’s living room and flopped down on the couch.

  “Whose car is that?” she asked pointing out the window.

  “Don’t act like you didn’t know.”

  “I’m serious,” Mackenzie said and started laughing. “Ashton gave you that?” She sobered and added. “I must say I’m impressed.”

  “Well I’m not,” she lied. “He had no right and neither did you. You’re supposed to be my friend.”

  “I am.” She shrugged. “Personally, I think the two of you are perfect for each other. You just haven’t realized it yet.”

  “Perfect?”

  With her arms crossed, Mackenzie nodded. “He’s really a good guy.”

  “Then why did he lie and tell me he was a deliveryman?”

  Mackenzie yawned, stretched and settled comfortably on the couch. “Did he really lie?”

  Well, maybe he didn’t lie. In fact, now that she had brought it up, he’d never actually said it was his job. He said he was delivering her refrigerator. Okay, so maybe she had assumed the rest since it was a family-owned business, but he didn’t bother to correct her either.

  Kaelyn pointed her finger. “But that’s no excuse, Mackenzie. Ashton should have told me the truth.”

  “I agree,” Mackenzie said, finally coming to her side. “He should have. But we all make mistakes. Like you were wrong for accusing him of selling you a lemon.”

  She did have a point, but she wasn’t ready to admit it.

  “I heard he decked Glen in the mouth,” Mackenzie shared with a chuckle.

  “So I’ve heard.” Kaelyn smiled and couldn’t ignore a warm feeling inside. He had come to her defense. There was another long silence. Could she have been wrong about him? “He really is a great guy, isn’t he?”

  Mackenzie nodded. “Ask anyone.”

  Kaelyn drew out a long breath. “What if he leaves? What if one day he decides he doesn’t want us anymore?”

  Her gaze softened. “There are never any guarantees. All you can do is follow your hear
t and decide if you can trust him not to hurt you.”

  She wrapped her arms around herself as tightly as she could. “I do trust him.”

  “Then you need to tell him.” Mackenzie began, then dragged her legs to her chest. “Everybody’s not your father, or that bastard Tip, Lynn. There really are some good men out here who want to love and have a family. At some point you have to start believing that again.”

  “Love hurts,” she said stubbornly.

  Mackenzie chuckled. “Yes it does, which is why I love being single but you’re different. You’re meant to marry and have a family and, believe it or not, Ashton is perfect for you. You just have to be willing to take the risk.”

  As her words absorbed, something in Kaelyn’s heart was telling her she was right. Ashton was everything she was looking for in a man and she needed to tell him and make things right. She’d wasted enough time mulling over all the reasons why she shouldn’t be crazy about him and why a relationship between them wouldn’t work. But suddenly none of those ridiculous reasons even mattered anymore. Now she had to find a way to talk to him, which would mean admitting she was wrong for accusing him of betraying her. “So how am I going to fix it?”

  Mackenzie shrugged. “Uh-huh. Remember. I’m staying out of it,” she said, and ducked just before the pillow hit her head.

  Chapter Twelve

  Ashton pulled the Jeep in front of his loft, threw it in Park and made no effort to get out. He’d spent the evening with his brother, Lacey, and his beautiful new niece. Spending time with family had taken his mind off his problems—temporarily. Now he was back to thinking about Kaelyn.

  Once Rafael had admitted to the scheme, he and his assistant, Melani went through Glen’s files and discovered, Kaelyn hadn’t been the only victim. At the advice of his attorney, Ashton was planning to take the problem public and do a recall on every single vehicle they had sold since the treachery had begun. His company would take a major hit, but his reputation was much more important. The fucked up part about it was if it hadn’t been for Kaelyn he would have probably never have found out what was going on at the dealership. Glen had been buying cars, then finagling the numbers to make the cars appear much more impressive. And Ashton had no idea.