He's the One

by Jane Beckenham

  "I haven't changed my mind.” Cade's gentle touch caressed her cheek. He looked directly at her, dark eyes earnest. “It's still yes, Taylor."

  The card slipped from her fingers. “It is?"

  "Uh huh. So what's next?"

  "I don't know."

  "It's your call. You're the boss, Taylor.” But Cade saw her hesitation. “What? You thought you'd just jump my bones and get it over with tonight?"

  Taylor swallowed her embarrassment. Yes, that was exactly what she'd thought. Businesslike. Organized. Get it over with and get on with life.

  He lifted her hand in his, turning it over, then back again as if he tried to read her palm. He smiled then—slow and sweet. It made Taylor want to reach up and trace his mouth, to feel his smile.

  "Sorry, no can do."

  "Why not?” God, did she actually ask that?

  "Because, call me old fashioned, but I think we need to take it slow, let it smolder, heat up and get in the mood. Making love isn't wham bam thank you, ma'am, it's an art."

  Mood? An art form? Lord. She was in the mood now. One kiss and her body burned for him. She had to get out of here before she did exactly what he said and jumped his bones.

  "Well, thank you for being a ... gentleman."

  "No problem. When would you like to meet again?"

  How about ten minutes time, her subconscious offered.

  "Um ... maybe tomorrow. I've got to check my diary."

  "Of course. Business before pleasure."

  Taylor's head jerked up. She caught Cade's amused grin. Those dimples sure were a temptation.

  "Business is what pays the bills."

  "And love is what the makes the world go round, or so they say."

  "This isn't about love."

  Cade's grin slipped. “No, it's not. It's about giving you some experience. Don't worry; I'll phone you."

  And with that, Taylor realized she'd been summarily dismissed. Thrusting the car door open, she jack-knifed out as fast as her trembling legs allowed, and although she bent down to say thanks, Cade didn't give her time. He gunned his hot car and, with a squeal of tires, sped off into the night.

  "Just like a knight in shining armor,” Taylor murmured as she watched the retreating vehicle.

  Trouble was she wasn't sure she could handle being rescued by Mr. Harper.

  * * * *

  The Mustang's revs vibrated as Cade drove up Mt. Victoria. He didn't have a clue why he headed there, except he wasn't ready to go back to the bar and face the curious glances or his sister's interrogation. Katie may have been the youngest of the Harper siblings, but she sure made up for it with her mothering. He'd got used to it over the years, but right now, he wasn't in the mood.

  What he was in the mood for was Taylor Sullivan. Prim, uptight Taylor with long, slender legs he was sure went on forever. He imagined them wrapped around him, holding him to her.

  And ankles ... since when had ankles become so darned sexy? Cade shifted uncomfortably. He needed a cold shower—and soon.

  He couldn't help but wonder, though, what was beneath her prim exterior. Didn't she know covering up was way more seductive? It left a guy wondering, and he sure did wonder.

  He brought the car to a halt at the summit and cut the engine. Silence surrounded him, while the city pulsed below. The same as his body pulsed the moment he'd set eyes on Taylor. Unbuckling his seat belt, he sank down on the seat, shutting out the lights below. But, it couldn't shut out Taylor.

  Her image replayed in his brain. Soulful eyes, the way she looked at him, a soft wordless plea in a sea of blue that threatened to swamp him.

  Better get your control back, Harper.

  The way she blushed and looked away embarrassed, as if caught doing something naughty. Right now, naughty seemed very nice. And yet Cade had seen desperation in her eyes, too. Taylor wanted sexual experience to be able to advise her clients. It sounded weird, but he could actually understand it. How often had he ended up as an unpaid counselor to a patron who cried into their drink?

  Yeah, but you don't kiss them, don't undress them ... and take them to bed.

  And that was his problem. She'd asked him to kiss her. He'd done it and wanted more. Lots of it. Her lips, her body. Everything. One taste, one touch of her sweet and tempting mouth beneath his and he'd been hooked.

  "Dumb move, Harper,” he cursed into the silence.

  He should have sent her packing. But he hadn't, and damn it, it felt right—when he knew it shouldn't. She was too—perfect. And that scared him. All he could think about was Taylor and how she felt in his arms. His constant state of arousal drove him crazy.

  But he couldn't ignore his responsibilities. Never had. Not since he'd been ten years old and those that should have known better disregarded theirs. In the blink of any eye, Taylor Sullivan had become his responsibility.

  * * * *

  By the time he parked the Mustang behind the bar, the crowd had diminished, though escape proved impossible.

  "Hey, Cade, get lucky?"

  "Nah, she looks too sweet for our man."

  Cade frowned at the snide innuendoes, and his hands balled to fists at his side. As he crossed the bar, he felt his sister's eyes follow him. but he refused to acknowledge her silent questioning and gave a dismissive wave to the rest. He eyeballed the bar. He needed a drink. And time to think.

  Filling a glass with the remains of half-melted ice from the ice bucket, he poured himself a whiskey and headed straight for the back room.

  Perfume. Taylor's perfume. Cade skidded to a halt. The tantalizing fragrance of roses and lilacs assailed his senses the moment he walked in. His eyes shuttered and he inhaled, remembering how her skin had smelt.

  Now he'd never be able to rid her from his mind or body.

  Sinking into the chair behind his desk, he held his glass. The ice clinked and swirled a watery path through the golden liquid. He mentally counted to ten and waited.

  The door banged open and Cade glanced at his watch. “Dead on time."

  "You and I need to talk, Cade."

  Cade gave a resigned sigh. “Why am I not surprised it's you, Katie."

  "Now don't get all uppity with me."

  "As if I would.” he grimaced. He raised his hands in surrender as his sister stepped into the room and closed the door behind her. Escape would be impossible.

  "The bar is closing. I've cashed up."

  "Thanks.” But Cade knew there was more to come.

  "So, who is she?"

  "None of your business, Katie,” he said quietly.

  "Sure it is. I've got to look after my brother. Your history goes before you."

  "What history?” He tried to deny it, but knew his love and leave ‘em attitude was about to play against him.

  "That's exactly what I mean. Too many to remember. The female species drop over you like flies."

  "And your point is?” Cade tempered his tone. He'd put up with Katie's nosiness because he loved her. Unfortunately, she didn't take the hint.

  "The point is they drool over you, and you play the game, one after another. This one's different."

  "How so?” His gaze narrowed on Katie, surprised by her intuitiveness. But she didn't give up. She was on a roll.

  "Well for a start, she's got clothes on."

  So far. Cade's mind whirred.

  "She's a wedding planner,” he offered by way of an appeasement. Seeing the surprise on his sister's face, he nearly laughed out loud, despite himself.

  Katie's eyes twinkled. “Anything I should know about?"

  "Nope.

  "Oh, yeah, that's right. I forgot you're commitment shy."

  "Got that in one."

  "You can't keep blaming them, Cade."

  His jaw tightened along with every muscle in his body, unwanted memories taking him to a sad, dark place he didn't want to visit. It always did at the mention of his parents. “That's none of your business, Katie. You were too young to know what went on."

  "Perhaps, but I
've seen the consequences."

  And he'd lived them. “Forget it, Katie, it's not up for discussion."

  "So?” Her foot tapped a tattoo as she stood with her hands on her hips. “I'm waiting."

  "You're not giving up, are you?"

  She gave him a quirky “I told you so” smile.

  "Stubborn as a mule."

  "We're from the same gene pool, Cade, so don't forget to look at yourself."

  Cade exhaled. His sister's determined look spoke volumes. “Taylor's ... a business associate,” he said. “She's going to help me promote the new cocktail bars."

  "Her! She doesn't look the bar type. What's in it for her, besides a big consulting fee?"

  "There doesn't have to be."

  "Cade Harper, I know you, don't forget,” Katie said wiggling her finger at him.

  Ten, long minutes later, Katie thankfully gave in and left him, though peace didn't come. He warred internally. Intuition told him to run a mile. Yet instinctively he knew he wouldn't walk away from Taylor. She needed him.

  She needs to lose her virginity. I can help in that department.

  Eyes squeezed shut, Cade tried to block Taylor from his mind and his body. Everything hummed with a heat so damned urgent it took all the willpower in the world to hold back. He wanted to jump into bed with her right now. To make love, long and slow and sweet, then hot and fast, over and over until he could erase his need for her.

  Why so fierce? Why so urgent?

  Hell if he knew. He wasn't some pubescent school kid needing to get his rocks off. Yet, the thought of Taylor with another guy gnawed a path straight to his gut.

  Damn it, he didn't want to care, but he did. And that spelt danger, big time.

  Chapter Three

  "Looks like you had a long night.” Nita sidelined Taylor the moment she walked into her office the next morning.

  "Forget it.” Taylor held up her hand. “You can stop hinting right there. Nothing happened."

  "You mean you ... didn't?"

  Taylor colored and buried herself in her diary. “No, we didn't. In fact, Cade Harper was the perfect gentleman."

  Nita dropped the morning mail in front of her. “Darn. You don't want a gentleman; you want fantasy."

  And there lay the problem. Taylor had fantasies and dreams all night. Hours and hours of vivid imagery, a heat coiled way down low, when she believed she could feel Cade's touch, needy and urgent. It had been a long and lonely night.

  "Right, let's get down to business,” she said, trying to hide her mood. She dropped her briefcase beside her desk and switched on her computer.

  And what about your dreams?

  The question he'd asked her last night replayed—again.

  She had dreamed—a long time ago. But Taylor had learnt that reality and dreams didn't mix. Death had come along, and she'd been given a sad reprieve, wrapped in a shroud of guilt. It had stolen the chance to dream—until now.

  Now, she dreamed of something quite different.

  Sex with Cade. Hot, burning and wonderful sex.

  Taylor squeezed her eyes shut. Oh, Lord, she was a wreck.

  Morning passed in a whirl of messages, paper plans for seating arrangements for an upcoming wedding and tied up with tangled dreams. By the afternoon, unable to concentrate, Taylor found herself glancing at the phone every few minutes. Her nerves were shot, and her hands shook as she picked up her cup and sipped her mochaccino.

  "Here are the monthly accounts.” Nita placed them in front of her. “Still no call?” she questioned.

  "No.” Taylor refused to look Nita in the eye. “All afternoon I've played the will he, won't he game, just like when we were kids, picking the petals off a dandelion. He loves me, he loves me not...” her voice trailed off.

  "This isn't about love."

  "I know. It's about straight sex.” Oh, my goodness, had she said that?

  "Well, not necessarily,” Nita countered, giving Taylor a knowing wink. Taylor blushed vividly, and Nita giggled.

  "Taylor, you work too much. You need to get out, get a life."

  "I have a life.” Taylor picked up the accounts. The absolute last thing she wanted to work on right now.

  "You have work, that's all."

  "It is my life, Nita."

  "Yes, but sometimes we need a shake up."

  "I don't think I'm up to another shake up,” Taylor admitted.

  "I never thought you'd give up, Taylor."

  Her denial came automatically. “I'm not."

  "Really? So why haven't you phoned him?"

  Yeah, why?

  Because she was scared witless, got herself in too deep. Scared of how Cade made her feel—with just one kiss.

  "It's a stupid idea, he's..."

  "Everything you've ever wanted."

  "I don't want him."

  "Liar,” Nita countered, laughing. “Maybe not, but you really need him. You made a mistake with Rob."

  "Leave him out of it.” Taylor dropped the folder of accounts back onto her desk.

  "Why? It all boils down to Rob, doesn't it? You mistook liking and tenderness for love. You thought you had fallen in love with the boy next door. That's all."

  But there was more to it. Deep stuff. Emotions Taylor didn't know how to deal with. Or if she wanted to.

  Her shoulders sagged and she slumped back in her seat. “Okay, I agree, Cade is one hunky guy; he oozes charm, sex appeal and has a body to die for."

  "Are you listening to yourself? You're bonkers about the guy."

  "Am not."

  Nita rubbed her hands together with blatant glee. “Oh, Taylor Sullivan, I can read you like a book. Time to move on and test the waters again."

  Nita was right—sort of. But in truth, Taylor knew she was different from her family. They married their first loves, were hyper-achievers with mega brains. Her parents were mathematicians, her brother a scientist and her sister, a doctor—and she became a wedding planner. Talk about a square peg in a round hole.

  As the clock edged past four, Taylor found herself staring into nothing, lost in a world of “what ifs” as the peal of the phone dragged her from her reverie. Scooping up the hand-held, she punched the talk button.

  "Creative Weddings."

  "Taylor?"

  Her mouth opened. It shut. It opened again.

  "You there?"

  Suddenly hot all over, her belly did flip-flops and her breasts felt heavy with need. “Um, yes."

  "It's Cade Harper."

  Oh, yeah. She knew that.

  "I would've called earlier, but had a problem at the bar."

  Think of something, anything. “Can I help?"

  Cade chuckled, a heavy velvet sound that rumbled from deep down in his chest. She'd heard it yesterday, felt it beneath her fingertips when they'd kissed. Oh, Lord.

  "You're the problem."

  Her heartbeat stilled and the flip-flops in her belly skidded to a halt. “I see."

  "I've been trying to arrange extra staff for tonight."

  "Tonight?"

  "You still want to go out, don't you?"

  "Out?” He means a date, stupid—a D.A.T.E.

  Another of Cade's deep laughs echoed down the phone line and sent a river of shivery tingles up and down her spine.

  "You're repeating everything I say. I thought you were a lady of more words than that."

  Get it together, Sullivan.

  "Mind you, those little breathless sighs of yours sure do put a guy in the mood."

  Taylor clamped her lips together. She couldn't believe it. “You phoned."

  "I said I would. You didn't believe me?” Suddenly, the timbre of Cade's voice changed, the light, teasing tone replaced by a seriousness she hadn't heard before. “When I give my word, Taylor, I mean it. I stick to it."

  "And you said we'd get to know one another."

  "That's why I rang."

  Oh, dear Lord.

  "How about tonight?"

  "Tonight,” she squeaked. Tonight seemed
too soon. “Know as in the biblical sense?"

  "We gotta walk before we run, Taylor. I'll pick you up at seven-thirty, okay?"

  She nodded, and then realized she needed to speak. “Fine.” Though she couldn't help but wonder what ‘walking’ involved. The phone clicked dead, and Taylor hit the off button and dropped it into its cradle. For several minutes she simply sat, stunned. The roller coaster ride had begun.

  She glanced at her watch. Four-thirty. She had a date with Cade.

  Snatching up her bag and phone, she dug deep for her keys.

  "Going somewhere?” Nita walked into the office as Taylor slipped her bag over her shoulder.

  "On a date.” She gave her assistant the thumbs up.

  "Way to go, Taylor. Don't forget the condoms."

  Oh, boy.

  * * * *

  For three long, scary hours Taylor paced her bedroom. She wished for the hundredth time she had never come up with such a hair-brained scheme. Besides, what the hell did a woman wear to entice a man? Taylor surveyed the heap of clothes on her bed. It had been so long; she didn't have clue. In fact, she'd never really dated. Rob had always been there. They'd gone through primary and high school together. Everyone thought of them as a couple. Always.

  But always didn't work out.

  Taylor eyed a gray dress and jacket, fingered the fine textured fabric while a bubble of hysteria forced her closer to turning tail and running like crazy.

  "Typical. A wardrobe full of clothes and nothing to wear. Nothing remotely sexy.” Taylor sank down on to the bed and hugged the gray suit to her chest. “Boring. That's what it says. Boring, boring. All you've got is work, no life."

  But how could she forge a life when others set the benchmark.

  Her family. Do this. Don't do that. They “put up” with her creative side, believed she'd “see the light” and one day go to university—be just like them.

  As the iridescent green numbers of the radio clock on her bedside table ticked ever closer to seven-thirty, Taylor eyed herself in the full-length mirror, saw the fear and the flush of panic coloring cheeks. She snatched up the closest dress, a sleek black sheath with cutaway shoulders. Zipping it up, she twirled and caught her reflection again.

  "Tonight's the night,” she whispered and traced her lips with her fingertips.

  Her eyes fluttered closed. She could feel Cade, his lips on hers. So beautiful. Heat pooled in her belly, and she dropped her hand there, sliding a soft caress over her stomach.