by Tina Cambria
Was that what this was all about? Putting on a show for the neighbors? He’d been thinking that Danielle was softening toward him, but he’d momentarily forgotten about her being an actress. Just like she’d agreed before to act like his wife for a week so she could earn five grand, maybe now she was agreeing to keep up the masquerade a few months longer so her medical bills would be paid. Easier than hiring an attorney and filing a lawsuit, he supposed.
Maybe, maybe not. No matter what her motive, he was determined to make her fall in love with him again. She hadn’t been play-acting for that entire week in Vegas. Nothing could convince him otherwise.
Even if she were only acting now, he’d make sure the acting turned to real-life. He’d done it before, and he’d do it again. No problem, right?
“I wasn’t all that worried about nosy neighbors, but I’m glad to kiss you if that’s what it takes to put their minds at rest,” Kyle said.
“Mission accomplished.”
She shifted in his arms, which Kyle took as a signal that she wanted him to put her down. Easing her back down to the floor inside the doorway, he said, “I’ll bring the luggage inside later. Let me show you around the apartment.”
He took her by the hand and guided her into the living room.
Looking around, she said, “Something seems to be missing. Like the furniture.”
“Right. I figured you’d want to pick out the sofa, chairs, and whatever else we need. You probably have better decorating taste than I do anyway.”
“Doesn’t it take a long time to get furniture delivered?”
“There’s a furniture store downtown. They have a warehouse out by the interstate, and they promise to deliver the day after we buy our furniture.”
“Pretty convenient, but where do we sleep in the meantime?”
“I already took care of that.” He steered her down the hallway and into the master bedroom. “I got this king-sized bed for you. I hope the white comforter will be okay for you for now. You can pick out whatever quilt or bedspread you’d like.”
“That’s sweet of you. And I could use a night table for that framed photo that Nana gave me. But that giant bed is all for me?”
Kyle nodded and grinned. “Unless you want me in there with you to keep you warm. And you’re under no obligation.”
“And you will be sleeping…where?”
He led her to the second bedroom. “There’s a perfectly fine double bed in here that I can use. Like I said before, this will be okay with me. As long as that’s where you want me to sleep.”
Danielle turned to face him. “Sounds fair.”
Did it? He supposed it was reasonable that a woman who couldn’t even remember she was married to him would want to sleep in her own bed. But for how long?
In the meantime, he’d be a gentleman and wait until she felt comfortable enough to welcome him into her bed.
But he didn’t want to wait too long.
There she was, filling out her jeans perfectly. And she probably didn’t even realize the effect she was having on him with that snug t-shirt.
How long would it be until he’d see her unclothed again? He wasn’t sure how much longer he could wait to make sweet love with her once more.
CHAPTER SEVEN
By the end of the next week, Danielle couldn’t deny that she and Kyle had fallen into a pleasant routine. He had settled in nicely as the new manager at the resort. She felt good about living in the town of Cottonwood Ridge. It had been fun following Kyle’s suggestion to select whatever furnishings she liked for their apartment. The place looked downright homey.
And they were still sleeping in separate bedrooms.
Danielle wasn’t sure if it was the stress of starting a challenging new job that kept Kyle from doing more than pretty much exchanging pleasantries when he got home from work. He was working more than a standard eight-hour workday, making sure things were under control and preparations underway for the upcoming ski season.
She couldn’t complain that he wasn’t acting concerned about her well-being. Quite the opposite. If she wasn’t up and about when he left for work, he’d text her a little later to make sure she was okay. And he checked in again a couple of times during the day. As soon as he got home from work, he’d ask what he could do to make her comfortable.
Maybe it was the crisp mountain air or perhaps the fact that that she was moving toward the second trimester of her pregnancy that caused a change. Whatever it was, Danielle had gotten her energy back and felt much better overall. Now that her queasiness had disappeared, she enjoyed preparing a nice dinner for Kyle each evening.
“You don’t have to go to all this trouble for me,” he said when he got home from work on Friday night. “I don’t want you on your feet too much or straining to lift heavy things.”
She laughed. “Kyle, I’m fine. Dr. Chartoff said so.” Her face darkened for an instant. “At least pregnancy-wise. Now, my memory is another matter. But I can certainly pick up a small skillet and stand here cooking for half an hour.”
“But I’m supposed to be taking care of you. You’re not here to wait on me.”
“Well, I have to eat too.” She shrugged.
“Was that a play on words about eating for two?”
“Actually, no.” Danielle rolled her eyes. “The reality of a changing body image isn’t the easiest adjustment.”
“All I can say is you look fantastic in that long top—what do you call it?”
“A tunic.”
“Oh yeah.” Kyle cringed. “I should’ve known that. Anyway, I like the color, and it has—what do they call it? A slimming effect.”
“Listen to you, Mr. Fashion Expert.” Danielle smirked and let out a huff.
After she waved off his offer of help with finishing up dinner preparation, Kyle promised to be back as soon as he changed out of his business clothes. A few minutes later, they settled at the dining table where Danielle had placed a platter of sautéed chicken seasoned with rosemary.
Sitting across from him, she couldn’t help admiring his broad shoulders and the square set of his jaw.
Did she have an interest in modifying their sleeping arrangements? Snuggling up at night with the handsome man now obviously enjoying the food she’d prepared? Maybe allowing nature to take its course and turn snuggling into something even more intimate?
Probably definitely.
But as strong as her physical attraction to Kyle was, she couldn’t dismiss that troubling sensation in her gut that told her she wanted to know him better before considering more than snuggling with him. Even though what they’d done in Vegas had transformed her into a mother-to-be.
But it was time to focus on what is, right now. And right now, a friendly, good-looking man who happened to be her husband and the father of her child was sitting about three feet from her. In their home. And he’d promised that she and the baby would be taken care of right through the delivery.
She needed to find out more about what made him tick. More details about his personal background and how he’d eventually ended up in that parking lot with her in Barstow, California. They were going to be spending at least the next few months living together. If he knew private things about her, she deserved to learn more about him too.
Deciding to proceed cautiously with breaking the ice, she said, “I’m glad you’re enjoying the chicken. Did I happen to tell you that I knew how to cook before you married me, or were you willing to take a chance on eating burned food every night going forward?”
“To be honest,” he replied, pausing to take a sip of water and then lean back in his chair, “we didn’t quite get around to picking out a china pattern and all those good kind of activities before we got hitched.” A smile slowly lit up his face. “And I doubt either of us thought ahead to what we’d be having for dinner after our honeymoon week.”
“Right.” She nodded. “The marriage was only supposed to last a week anyway. So, why would you care about my cooking skills?”
; “It’s just a bonus, darlin’. I love you either way—whether you’re a master chef or someone who can’t even boil water.”
Did he say that he loved her?
The words I love you had undeniably been said. But there was no sense getting too worked up about it. He’d probably meant it the same way someone would say they loved pizza or a favorite TV show. A description of something enjoyable. Not everlasting, can’t-live-without-you feelings.
“But I must have told you a few things about my background,” she continued. “When you first came to New Loudon, you already knew about my old boyfriend, Walter. You knew about my mother and grandmother too. And I really don’t know anything about your past.”
“What’s your point?”
Taking a deep breath, she plunged in. “I know it’s not the kind of thing couples should dwell on, but I can’t help wondering why you hadn’t already settled down and gotten married. I mean, a lot of guys start thinking about marriage by the time they hit thirty.”
He sat up straight and looked at her directly. “I’ve thought about marriage. I was briefly engaged to a woman I knew in college. But she broke it off.”
“Do you mind if I ask why?”
“She didn’t like my financial status. Thought she could do better. She’s actually married to one of my college buddies now.” His mouth formed a taut line and his nostrils flared as he took a deep breath. “Make that a former buddy. We’re not exactly tight these days.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Danielle said automatically, the way most people do when someone relates any kind of bad news. At his startled look, she realized that maybe she shouldn’t have said she was sorry an old girlfriend had broken up with him and married his friend.
“You think I should get friendly with both of them again?” Kyle cocked his head to the side.
“I didn’t exactly mean that,” she said. Sure, it must have hurt him at the time. But she was married to Kyle now. She was glad that he was still available when their paths crossed, wasn’t she? “Or maybe what I’m sorry about is that your friendship with your old buddy got wrecked. But I’m not sorry that you were single when we met.”
“I guess that’s a start in the right direction,” Kyle said. “For us trying to be a couple, that is.”
She fought off the urge to ask him what being a couple meant to him. Because she didn’t want it to be entirely about having sex.
But would making love with Kyle be wrong? A tantalizing sensation whooshed through her. She could tell he was attracted to her. And the feeling had become oh-so mutual. He was totally gorgeous. And there was no denying that he treated her excellently.
She imagined them ignoring the dinner she’d prepared and making their way to the master bedroom. Kyle could make her feel incredible, couldn’t he? If only she could remember the details about when they’d made love before.
A little voice inside her suddenly told her that she should stop doing things in the wrong order.
Get to know him first, the annoying voice said.
Then Danielle smiled at Kyle and heard herself say, “Right, we need to work on that coupling thing. Get that down pat before we’re immersed in parenthood.”
He returned her smile. “Coupling—I like the sound of that.”
“Actually, I meant that in the sense of getting to know each other better first. Not immediately jumping into the physical part.”
“Gotcha.” His shoulders slumped enough for Danielle to take note. He quickly straightened, and his face brightened. “I also like the way you said we shouldn’t immediately get physical again. And that’s okay. Maybe it’ll happen down the road, but I’ll leave that up to you.”
“I appreciate that.” She didn’t mind leaving open the possibility that they’d eventually be intimate again. But she wanted to take her time. Even with him radiating manliness from every pore, she didn’t intend to mindlessly jump into bed with him. Maybe she’d done that when they first met, but now she was going to act more responsibly.
Leaning back in his chair again with his arms spread out on the armrests, he was the picture of self-assured masculinity. “What do you want to know about me? Because I already know quite a bit about you from the week we spent together.” He winked. “Go ahead and fire away with your questions. I’m an open book.”
She thought for a moment. Exactly what did she already know about Kyle? He’d been living in Los Angeles when they met in that parking lot. At the time, he worked for some resort company that thought pairing up employees to pose as honeymoon couples was a good way to improve business operations. His cash flow was good enough that he could afford to pay five thousand dollars to a stranger for help in completing a job assignment.
Yet a former fiancée had dumped him for a guy with better financial prospects. And Kyle had ended up deciding he didn’t like the way his employer did things, so he’d found this new job as the manager of a ski resort in Cottonwood Ridge.
Oh yeah, and he’d grown up around Austin, Texas. Nana Rose had gotten that information out of him within moments of meeting him.
Danielle considered her new husband with a blend of anticipation and anxiety. “Who are you, Kyle?”
“Kyle Williams. Age 31. Texas transplant. Overall good guy and hardcore football fan,” he said as he stood to clear the dinner plates from the table. He shot her one of his disarming smiles. “I’ve got my driver’s license in my wallet, if that’s what you need. Photo ID and all.”
Was there no end to this man’s ability to conjure up official government documents? He’d produced a marriage certificate. Now he wanted her to check out his driver’s license. What if he were some kind of counterfeiter or con artist or career criminal?
She’d been influenced by Nana to trust Kyle and move in with him until the baby was born. Nana always seemed to have good judgment. But what if her grandmother had given her bad advice this time?
If only she’d lingered in Las Vegas five minutes longer before saying good-bye to Kyle and setting out for Colorado. Then she wouldn’t have been in the path of that car that had plowed head-on into her. She wouldn’t even have gotten to that spot on the highway yet.
If she’d started her journey five or ten minutes later, her memory of the week with Kyle wouldn’t have disappeared. She would remember everything that had happened from the moment they’d met in that parking lot. She would remember why she’d thought spending a week with a stranger was a good idea. She would remember what had prompted her to actually recite wedding vows and marry him.
She would remember how he’d made her feel when they made love.
* * *
Since Danielle was asking about his background, Kyle figured it was a good time to provide her with his recent test results. She’d probably be interested in what the lab reported. And if she wasn’t interested…well, she should be.
He returned to the dining table a couple of minutes later, with his wallet in one hand and an envelope in the other. Placing his driver’s license on the table, he said, “By the way, I’ll be trading in my California license for a Colorado ID. I’m intending to stay here.”
She examined the driver’s license, scrutinizing the front and then the back. “Looks like you really are Kyle Williams. But I wasn’t so concerned whether that’s your real name. I was thinking more about your background, your family, that kind of thing.”
“Makes sense,” he said, tucking his ID back into his wallet. “I shared quite a bit of those details with you during our honeymoon, but I’m happy to give you the full rundown again.”
“Damn amnesia,” she muttered.
“We’ll get through it, baby.” His large hand covered hers. “We’ll make new memories. Good memories.”
Danielle’s face showed a hint of a smile, and she nodded.
“So, to get back to your fact-finding mission…” he drawled, “should I give you the story of my life, or do you want to shoot questions at me?”
He’d been trying to come across as a regular guy sinc
e he’d located Danielle at her friend’s home in New Loudon. And in most ways, that’s what he was.
But there was more to his background.
“I did tell you on our honeymoon about my parents’ business and my decision to strike out on my own,” he continued. The thing was, during their initial conversations, he’d kind of glossed over some of the specifics about what his parents did for a living. He’d seen before how it could complicate things. He’d seen it up close and personal when it affected his relationship with his former fiancée.
Because of his previous experience, he didn’t want to give Danielle all the details until he was sure she loved him for who he really was.
Of course, thanks to that car accident, now she didn’t even love him anymore. Not because he’d done anything to make her feel differently. She just couldn’t remember falling in love with him.
Now that he thought about it, maybe he should give her the condensed version of his life story—leaving out the specifics of how wealthy his parents were—so he’d have more control over how the details flowed.
Before he could launch into his story, she made it even easier for him. “Why don’t you tell me what you think is important for me to know? Then I’ll follow up with any questions I can think of.”
“Perfect.” He tried to remember exactly how he’d initially described the chain of steakhouses his parents owned when he’d given Danielle his family history during their honeymoon.
Restaurant owners.
That’s how he’d described them. And when Danielle had asked what kind of restaurant they owned, he’d simply replied, “Steaks. Western-style.” That wasn’t lying, was it? Maybe it had given her the impression that his parents owned a single steakhouse, rather than a chain with almost three hundred locations.
Could he help it if he wasn’t good with details?
“You already know from when I spoke to your Nana Rose that I grew up in the Austin, Texas area,” he began. He compressed the story of his childhood into about thirty seconds, added another fifteen seconds to describe the lovable Golden Retriever he’d had as a kid, mentioned studying business in college, and gave a speedy overview of the two jobs he’d had before joining the company that sent him to Vegas on the undercover mission where he’d connected with Danielle. “Oh yeah, and my older sister is a doctor, and my parents are restaurant owners.”
