by Layla Holt
Outside, the air was rich with the scent from the flowers in the well-tended garden. They followed cemented paths that zigzagged the expanse of the large maze-like garden.
Lance inhaled deeply, feeling as though he was taking in lungfuls of peace with every breath. Most of his adult life, he'd always felt as though he was chasing something.
As he and Corrine strolled, the realization hit him that the feeling of wanting to be on the move had disappeared. And it had been gone for a while. He glanced at her and, sensing his stare, she turned to him and smiled.
"What?"
There was so much he would have wanted to say. Instead he smiled back at her and dipped his hands in his pockets. His heart felt full, at almost bursting point with the avalanche of emotions that he felt for Corrine.
She had walked into his life and shattered everything he had known about himself and love. Without any effort whatsoever, she had changed his view of the world. She'd brought calm into the storm that had been his life. He could pause now and breathe and enjoy the wonder of being in love and alive.
"Nothing, I’m just enjoying the moment," he said.
"Me too," Corrine said. "Tell me, what was written on your yearbook?"
"I'll tell you what was written in yours," Lance said. “Most likely to get married and have many babies."
Corrine grinded to a stop and placed her hands on her hips. "Don’t I look like an ambitious career-oriented woman?" she demanded.
Lance stood in front of her, so close that her warm breath fanned his face. "No, you are the kind of woman a man would want to snag for himself and spend the rest of his wife with."
The atmosphere between them shifted imperceptibly and he became conscious of every slight movement she made. He cupped her face and brushed his lips against hers, all the while holding her gaze.
"Lance," she said, in a soft, sultry, inviting voice.
He plowed his fingers into her hair and held her head in place as he kissed her. “Where have you been all this time Corrine?” he murmured in between kisses. “How did I manage without you?” He stared into her eyes and tried to read her thoughts.
Doubt reflected in her eyes. That didn’t bother him. He was a patient man and he had all the time in the world to slowly show her what she meant to him. That she was his everything and she was his. Just as he was hers. She had captured his heart and there was no going back.
She wouldn’t believe it even if he told her but over time, his actions would show her.
Without giving her a chance to respond, he covered her mouth with his again. She wrapped her arms around his neck, their bodies meshed together as one.
His body demanded more from her and his heart did somersaults in his chest. Over the years he had secretly laughed at the invisible hold his brothers’ wives seemed to have over them. Yet all that time, he had been the fool. The emptiness of his life glared at him now and he held Corrine even tighter.
She shivered in his arms and he thought that she was cold. He pulled back. "Shall we go to our rooms?" he said.
She nodded and they walked back to the inn hand in hand. Outside her room, he drew her into his arms again and in the quiet hallway, he kissed her again, unable to let go of her. He nuzzled the soft skin of her neck, inhaling her sweet scent.
If he could, he would have bottled up her sweet and spicy scent and taken it to bed with him so that it would be the first scent he inhaled when he woke up.
Lance ignored the surging need inside him. He reminded himself that Corrine was not like his usual conquests. The end game had changed. It was a marathon not a sprint. He gently broke the kiss and stroked his thumb over her cheek.
"Good night," he said to her. "Sleep in, I'll see you after my meeting."
Confusion came over her features and it took all of his self-control not to give in to his male urges. Not to subtly suggest a nightcap in her room. He brushed his lips over hers again.
“Are you okay?” he whispered.
“What are we doing Lance?” she said, vulnerability reflected in her eyes.
“Whatever it is, you’re safe with me Corrine,” Lance said. “I’d never do or say anything to hurt you.”
Tears filled her eyes. “Why?”
“Because you’re special and one day you’ll know how special.” He kissed her one more time and gently guided her to her door.
She opened the door, stepped in and stared at him. “Good night.”
“Good night Corrine.”
Chapter Seventeen
I THOUGHT OF WAKING you up with the pretext of saying good morning, but really it was just an excuse to see your beautiful face, to hold you, to kiss you. Lance.
Corrine smiled. She held the note against her chest. He was good, she told herself. But her theory didn’t ring true. If Lance’s intention had been to seduce her, he'd probably have managed the previous night.
After the awesome dinner they'd had and the conversation that made her feel closer to Lance than she ever had to any other human being, she’d been ripe for seduction. The night had ended when it did due to a decision that Lance had made.
And now, her heart pounded hard in her chest as it slowly seeped into her that maybe just maybe she had found that special person who would love and accept her, warts and all.
She strolled to the French doors and slid them open. She stepped out to bright sunlight and uninterrupted blue skies. She read the note again. Was it possible that he had feelings for her?
Corrine was caught in a myriad of conflicting emotions. On one end, she wanted to burst into tears of joy and on the other, her insides trembled with fear. Fear that she could be wrong. That she had read his signals wrong. She leaned on the balcony railing and stared down at the garden.
Her attention was caught by an elderly couple, seated on a bench, their heads close together. The gentleman said something and they both threw their heads back and laughed. Their voices carried to Corrine’s second floor balcony.
Could that be Lance and her one day? Was it possible for them to build on what they had and have a life full of love and laughter that could last through the years until they were old?
All her life, Corrine had dreamed of finding her soulmate and she'd believed with all her being that she had found him in Mark. Obviously, she had been terribly wrong. What if the same thing happened with Lance? What if she opened her heart to him and he turned out to be Mr. Wrong, like Mark? Did soulmates even exist?
Her euphoria melted. She looked at the note again. The words did not sound as magical as they had when she first read them. All he had done was pay her compliments about her looks. Oh, and that he wanted to hold her.
That should not have surprised her. Corinne could not deny that they had amazing chemistry. Their physical attraction to each other was strong enough to ignite a fire.
By the time she went down for breakfast, she had talked herself out of thinking there might be something special between them. She would not set herself up for disappointment.
Breakfast was buffet style and she settled for a bowl of fresh fruits, Greek yogurt and a strong black coffee. She chose to eat on the deck overlooking the garden.
Lance returned when she was on her third cup of coffee. She saw him striding towards her and her heart skipped a beat. He was so handsome, he could have any woman he wanted. What chance did she have?
"A sight for sore eyes," he said and bent to kiss her cheek.
All the negative thoughts she had had flew out of her mind as she basked in his attention.
"How was the meeting?" Corrine said after the waitress had brought Lance his coffee. "Any prospects there?"
"It went well, though the owner seemed a little too desperate to sell. Soda is not really the direction I want us to take but it's something to consider if the merger with Vista gums doesn’t go through."
She loved how intense he became when he spoke about his work. She guessed that Lance was the type of man who devoted a hundred percent and more to the woman he was with.
They chatted a little longer and then it was time to leave for the car race.
The inn had cab services and one of the drivers drove them to the venue. Lance took her hand as they walked to the entrance.
Corrine’s eyes widened as the sound of roaring engines reached her ears. It was her first time to attend a live event and she couldn’t believe the pulsating energy in the air.
“What do you think so far?” Lance said, shouting to be heard above the thunder of the crowd. “I prefer to watch from the stands with everyone else rather than from the suites.”
“I like it here too,” Corrine shouted. In the thick of the crowd, she felt part of the unbelievable vibe while watching from the suites would probably feel more like spectating.
“That’s the favorite to win,” Lance said into her ear and pointing at a driver decked out in a helmet and a large number seven on his back.
She took in everything and asked Lance loads of questions. Her heart thudded as the race got nearer and the tension in the arena grew. The sleek cars were already lined up on the track. Corrine’s heart thumped as though she was driving one of the cars. She couldn’t wait for it to begin.
“I LOVED IT!” CORRINE said for the hundredth time since they left the arena. They were seated at their favorite table on the deck of the inn.
“Not too tired?” Lance teased.
She was so full of energy there was no way she could be tired. He knew exactly how she was feeling because he felt the same way too. A highness, as though he could fly or do anything in the world that he set out to do. That was what car racing did to him.
It boosted his perception of himself and his abilities. He’d never thought anyone else would feel the same way from watching a race, especially a woman.
As if to prove it, Corrine launched into her plans for the coming months. She would start looking for schools, she said to Lance while apologizing at the same time for leaving him without a secretary.
“Don’t,” he said to her. “I encouraged you to follow your heart remember?”
“Yes, you did,” she said and after a moment, she chuckled. “Shall I tell you what I think your yearbook said?”
“Sure,” Lance said.
“Most likely to break a thousand hearts,” she said.
“Actually, it was least likely to fall in love,” Lance said. “They couldn’t have been more wrong.” He let her know his feelings for her in an unblinking gaze.
Corrine went still, and then tossed back the remains in her wine glass.
“I really enjoyed myself this weekend,” Lance said as the moment passed.
“Me too,” Corrine said and grinned, tugging at his heart strings. “But it’s not over yet. We have half of tomorrow. What do you want to do?”
He thought hard. “How about a tour of The Auburn Cord.”
“Sounds good,” Corrine said. “What’s that?”
Lance laughed. “It’s a museum for vintage cars. I’ve always wanted to go but I needed company. Someone who would appreciate the tour.”
Corrine raised an eyebrow. “Don’t get your hopes up. I might hate it.”
Lance put on a thoughtful expression. “True. You might hate it so much that you’ll throw up on the shiny classic celebrated cars.”
Corrine giggled and then grew solemn. “Yeah. The show stopper. The one everyone goes to see. And then I’ll get so mad at myself that I’ll scratch the body in a fit of rage.”
“And everyone will stare at you horrified and we’ll both get arrested,” Lance said.
“Then we’ll call Dean,” Corrine said.
At the mention of Dean’s name, Lance sobered up. He imagined what his brother would say about his relationship with Corrine and cringed. Dean would definitely not understand.
He’d not believed Lance when he told him that he was innocent and had not done or said anything to give Patricia reason to believe that he was interested in her. There was no way Dean would believe that Lance was in love with Corrine.
Not that he blamed his brother. To be honest, his track record for romantic relationships was seriously lacking. He’d never had a relationship that had lasted longer than six months. He’d been accused more than once of having commitment issues.
Now he knew what the problem had been. He just hadn’t found his person. His woman. He couldn’t wait to announce it to the whole world. To slip a ring onto her finger. To tell her how much he loved her. To spend the rest of his life with her. Lance swallowed down his impatience.
He really needed Corrine out of Candin Inc.
Chapter Eighteen
“HERE ARE THE PRINTOUTS you wanted,” Corrine said and placed a sheaf of papers on Lance’s desk.
He looked at her and smiled warmly. “Thank you.” He turned his attention back to his computer screen.
Corrine stood indecisively for a few minutes. Lance had cooled down considerably since they came back from the weekend in Indiana. On coming home, she had thought that things would change between them.
But she was wrong. Today was Tuesday and Lance had treated her politely since Monday. Frustration welled up in her chest as she stared at his figure, hunched over his screen. He’d even forgotten that she was there. The temptation to demand for answers was great, but what exactly would she ask him?
He hadn’t made any promises or implied that they were anything more than two adults who were attracted to each other. She slowly padded out of the office and shut the door behind her.
As she worked, Corrine kept glancing at his door, hoping that he would come out and say something. Was this his idea of a relationship, shutting someone out for no particular reason? She went over everything that had happened on their last day in Indiana.
They’d had a wonderful time at the vintage car museum and taken loads of goofy pictures. On the plane ride back, Lance had been his usual loving self, kissing her when he thought no one was looking and showering her with compliments.
She felt as if she had gone to Indiana with Lance and returned with his twin.
By lunch time, Corrine’s body was tightly wound up with tension and she was glad to leave her office and head to the cafeteria.
“You and Mr. Lance are in the semifinals,” Katie announced with glee as Corrine sat down with her tray of food.
“Really? Who are we up against?” Corrine asked.
“Chloe and Henry from sales,” she said. “They are very good.”
“Should I be worried?” Corrine said. She was glad for the distraction of the game.
Now she understood why office romances had such a bad rep. They were great when they were working but horrible when they were not. You were constantly in each other’s faces.
Her case was worse. She had no idea why they had stopped working or whether they had even begun. Why did she have to fall in love with an enigma of a man? Did he even know what he wanted from her?
He was so focused when it came to work. He knew he wanted to expand Candin Inc and he knew exactly how he wanted to do it. How then could he be so clueless when it came to relationships?
“Corrine?”
“Yes, what?” she said. She’d heard nothing of the conversation.
“The game is about to start,” Charlene said.
There was an excitement in the air as Corrine walked to the ping pong tables. People gave her way and wished her luck. Lance was already at their end and he handed her a paddle.
He grinned. “Let’s show them how it’s done.”
How could he manage to be so cheerful when something was not right between them? Corrine managed a tight smile and turned her attention to their opponents. If she continued looking at Lance, she would burst into tears.
She threw all her pent-up energy and frustrations on the game, whacking the ball harder than necessary, sending it hurtling across the room.
“You’re on fire,” Lance said to her, his tone admiring.
They won. Corrine left the cafeteria as fast as she could get away and went to her office.
“Are you okay?” Lance said as soon as she sat down. She hadn’t heard him behind her on the stairs.
“Yes, I’m fine,” Corrine said coolly. “Why wouldn’t I be?” Two could play the game. She was fed up of tiptoeing around him, wondering if she had offended him.
A look of uncertainty crossed his features. That lifted her spirits. He had probably expected her to keep following him around with big sad eyes. Well, she was tired of it. If he wanted to play games, he’d have to find someone else to play with.
“You just seem a bit different,” he said and went to his office.
Her victory was short lived. The rest of the afternoon stretched on, misery coating her likes a second skin. At five, Corrine grabbed her bag and knocked on Lance’s door and went in.
“I’m on my way out,” she said and waited with suspended breath, hoping that he would say something. Anything to clue her in on what was going through that gorgeous head of his.
Corrine knew how it felt to be a yoyo. Her moods had become erratic, shifting from one end of a pendulum to another. From hopefulness to complete helplessness.
“Have you found a school that you like?”
Her jaw fell open. After such a horrible day and he wanted to know whether she had found a school? It took a moment for Corrine to gather her thoughts enough to answer the question.
“Yes.”
He realized that she wasn’t going to expound on her answer. “They’ll be lucky to have you. See you tomorrow.” He smiled.
As if he had not spent the weekend kissing her whenever he could and whispering sweet words and vague promises into her ear.
She slammed the door and marched to the elevators. She was not going to think about Lance Cohan anymore, Corrine decided and hurried to the parking area.
Already, she had given him too much brain time. So far, he hadn’t shown her that he deserved a top spot in her thoughts. She purposely shifted her mind to Aunt Maureen. She was holding the last class on Saturday and then she and Sam were going on a longer tour of the state.
Her parents had already left for their cruise. It seemed as though everyone had plans apart from her. She did have one plan though. Childishly, she had not told Lance that she had received an invitation to interview.