She put her arm through his and pressed it to her side. She felt the tension in his body, her grip signaling the tension in hers.
Rudely, Clark ignored the man at her side, his attention focused entirely on her. His eyes a bit wild, breath hitting her face in rapid puffs of air. What a pretender. He could have won an Oscar for his performance.
Kate gripped Cash’s bicep tighter, her breast crushed against his arm. An uncomfortable wariness formed in her stomach. Astounded by his audacity, she merely stared, at a complete loss for words. They’d promised to love and care for each other, but he’d left when she needed him most. Now here he was, acting as if they were old friends who hadn’t seen each other in a long time, instead of a man and woman parted by ugliness. Pretty nervy of him to call her “baby,” especially after the way he’d cheated and abandoned her.
“Introduce me to your friend?” he finally asked in a guarded voice.
Clark was no longer a threat. He was nothing, and to show him, she smiled into Cash’s face and wrapped her arm around the back of his waist, and leaned in. Big and tall, a bulwark of protection against Clark’s venom, his body a refuge—warm and safe. She silently thanked God Cash was with her.
Taking a deep breath, Kate trusted Cash would back her up. “Sweetheart, this is Clark Burgess. He and I were friends—for a time. Clark, this is Cash Montgomery, a very dear friend.”
Cash was quick. He snaked his arm around her waist and drew her close. A slightly possessive smile on his face.
“Burgess,” Cash acknowledged tersely.
They stood there like statues in the midst of the people coming in and out of the restaurant. Kate was aware of the curious gazes of passersby, and of the heat of Cash’s body. From the corner of her eye, she could see the challenge in his expression. If Clark wanted to make a scene, he was ready. She breathed a sigh of relief.
Her former fiancé’s gaze homed in on the competition, patently interested in the other man, the expression on his face cold, his jade eyes green with more than pigment. His look dismissed Cash and focused on her.
Why had she never noticed Clark had eyes like a snake? A predator. Beady eyes. Mean eyes. Cold and lethal.
He spared Cash no more than a quick glance. Dismissed him. Locked his penetrating gaze back on her.
He struck.
“Katherine, you look wonderful. I’ve missed you—thought about you a million times. I regret how things went down between us. Hate we left things as we did. We have a lot to talk about. Now that I know you’re out and about, I’ll give you a call, honey.”
He childishly emphasized the endearment, and she heard Cash mumble something under his breath. Her body shuddered, and she slipped her hand beneath the leather of Cash’s belt and held on with a death grip. The beveled edge cut into her palm—it was the only thing that seemed real, and in a strange way the tiny hurt anchored her—gave her courage.
“I don’t think we have anything to discuss, Clark. Please don’t bother. Now, if you’ll excuse us, Cash and I need to get back to his office. Goodbye, Clark. I’d tell you it was nice seeing you again…but it wasn’t,” she replied icily, turning to leave.
Clark stepped back, shocked, as if she’d physically slapped him.
Cash didn’t bother to smother his grin.
Kate turned on her heel and somehow managed to get herself and Cash moving in the same direction and out of Clark’s presence.
After they’d taken a few steps, he looked down at her. “You were so awesome. Want to give him something to really remember you by?”
Before she could answer, he took her in his arms, bent his head, and planted a long, hard kiss on her closed mouth. Startled, rigid beneath his embrace, she pushed against his chest.
“Relax,” he murmured on her lips. “Go with it, sweetheart. Don’t give him what he wants.”
Beyond his shoulder, she could see Clark. Pure hatred seethed from his gaze. Cash was right. If anything would offend her ex, it would be a PDA with this incredibly handsome man. Sort of a punctuation mark at the end of a sentence. Goodbye, Clark. Period. You no longer have a place in my life. Period. Buzz off! Exclamation point.
“Can you see him?” Cash asked.
“Yes,” she breathed.
“And?”
“Let’s just say, if looks could kill…”
She heard a hum of satisfaction come from the back of his throat as his mouth crooked to the side. The mouth thing—it was a good look for him. She’d not seen his dimples go so deep until just then. Suddenly her heart reset to defrost, after the meeting with Clark, and she gave herself over to the warmth winnowing through her veins.
It didn’t matter that they were on a public sidewalk. Didn’t matter that they were practically strangers. Didn’t matter—well, it just didn’t matter. Nothing mattered except right now, with this man. It was a pleasant sensation, this melting. Clark and their past faded until it disappeared. The man holding her filled her senses.
The tip of his tongue traced the seam of her mouth. She resisted, then opened. Everything about the kiss demanded it. God. The essence of him, warm and exciting, enveloped her. The scent of his skin and a hint of cologne surrounded her. The thrill of being in the arms of an attractive, strong, considerate man overwhelmed her. It was good, really good to be held like Cash Montgomery wanted nothing more than to show the world how he felt about Katherine Sanders on this sidewalk, at this time, in this way.
And putting on a show for Clark Burgess didn’t hurt either. She went with it. Revenge was sweet; payback was hell.
Cash took his time, deepened the kiss, his tongue dancing with hers in a way that let loose myriads of butterflies in the pit of her stomach. This man was a world-class kisser. Vaguely aware of people passing them on the walkway, giving them indulgent glances and encouraging comments, with a few giggles here and there, Kate didn’t care.
A warm glow seeped through her bones. She couldn’t help it. He slid his hand to her ass, and pulled her full against him. God, that felt good. Pure, aroused man, his mouth consuming hers, body plastered against her so she could feel the ripple of every ridge and valley. And there were plenty of ripples. Plenty.
At their side, a man chuckled. “Atta boy.” Another advised, “Get a room.”
A shudder passed through her as he broke the kiss. His hands moved to her arms to steady her. Kate saw him lift his chin in Clark’s direction, a smile of satisfaction spreading over his face. Man to man. Mine, his expression said. You lose; I win.
She had to admit, it was a gratifying feeling. All the while, a little voice warned, It was just an act. But what would it be like if it were real?
Katherine shook her head and frowned into the clear blue orbs staring down at her. “Did it work?” How much did those beautiful eyes really see?
“I’d say so. He’s walking away, isn’t he? What a prick. Was he always this way?”
“He didn’t used to be. At least not until he walked out on me. But now…”
“Please tell me you’re not still interested,” Cash demanded.
“No. Definitely not. We’re over. Even if he did want to come back, I wouldn’t have him. Thank you, by the way. For sticking around—getting me out of an awkward situation.”
His smile breathed down on her. “No need to thank me—the pleasure was all mine.”
The way he said it made her giggle. She unwound herself and stepped back. “I’ll let you get back to your office. I’m sure you have work to do.”
He took her hand, held it, brought it to his mouth and brushed a kiss over her knuckles. Wow.
“As do you. Don’t chicken out on us tomorrow night. My chili is the best in town. That alone is worth putting up with Suzanna and me. Six, seven?”
“Seven would be easier, if that’s okay.”
“Seven it is, sweet lady. See you then.” He touched his finger to his forehead in salute fashion and headed across the street to the VA.
Kate couldn’t suppress a sigh. Then she shook
herself back into reality, pulled out her parking ticket, and made her way to the car.
No way would she analyze the effect of Cash’s kiss or her response. Way too soon. But the feel of it kept her company all afternoon long.
Chapter Eight
The next afternoon, Cash hit the shower as soon as he got home. Suzanna was excited to have Kate coming over, and she followed him into the bathroom chattering and bouncing on her toes.
“Ah, Suze, some privacy, please?” He laughed as he closed the door in her face.
“What time’s Kate coming over?” she yelled, pounding flat-fisted on the door. “Can I help make the chili? Do you like her, Daddy? Isn’t she nice? I really, really like her, don’t you?” Questions bombarded him until he turned on the shower and stepped under the hot, steaming water.
He had to admit he was looking forward to tonight. The more he thought about Katherine Sanders, the more he liked her. And thankfully, Suzanna wouldn’t be a problem—she was on his side already. Kate could have three heads and be twenty feet tall and it wouldn’t matter to Suze.
He liked this woman, was attracted to her from the beginning, but the kiss today after lunch cemented his intention to pursue a relationship. He was turned on and tuned up like he hadn’t been in years.
True, he couldn’t see her in the conventional way, but he’d honed skills with his other senses and could feel the softness of her woman’s body. No doubt she was a beautiful woman, with a beautiful body, and a beautiful soul. Caring. Concerned for the misfortunes of others. A soft heart for the military and the hard consequences of war for them and their families. He admired the work she’d chosen. He admired her.
And her scent. The way she smelled? Yeah. Sunshine, flowers, and pure, desirable woman. He wanted to pursue the lovely Miss Sanders. Flat out wanted her. Period. But it was more than physical. He enjoyed her company. She’d challenged him, entertained him, impressed him. Kate Sanders was special.
Pursuing a relationship with her wasn’t going to be easy. She might be hard to convince. Meeting her ex gave him insight into some of what she’d experienced. Self-centered peacock. It didn’t take a genius to see what he was all about. Classic case. Self-involved jerk takes advantage of trusting woman. When he’s gotten all she has to give, ex-boyfriend develops wandering eye, and a bad breakup ensues.
Broken heart.
The works.
Made sense why she was so skittish and didn’t date. She didn’t want to be hurt again. Understandable.
He’d come across men like Clark Burgess before. Borderline personality disorder and just plain mean. Be hard to come back from such a toxic relationship.
He’d just have to help her with that.
For one thing, he wasn’t going to hurt her. All he had to do was convince her he was one of the good guys. What was it she and her friends had called Burgess? Oh, yeah, a “douche.” He chuckled. Self-explanatory terminology.
For another, he was a patient man. This woman was special. Everything about her appealed to him. He could stay the course.
Cash appreciated he had the luxury of time to change her mind without the competition of another guy muddying up the water. He was available; she was available. They’d be working together—a lot, if he had anything to say about it. They lived in close proximity. He liked her, and if the kiss today was any indication, she liked him. The way she responded…well, he hadn’t lost his touch. It had been a while—a long while—but he still had what it took. That was a big relief.
A sharp knock sounded on the door and interrupted his strategy session.
“Daddy, don’t take all night,” Suzanna complained.
“I’m coming, Suze. Give me a minute.” The little munchkin was getting impatient. He grinned at the fuzzy image in the mirror, brushed his teeth, spit, and slapped on a light douse of cologne.
Ready.
Cash pulled up briefs and jeans, zipped and buttoned, and grabbed a towel to run over his short hair. The munchkin was excited. Already Kate had become an important person in her life. Not that he blamed Suze—Kate was that kind of woman. She drew people to her.
He could hear his daughter rattling pans in the kitchen; if he didn’t get out there soon, no telling what he would find. He wasn’t a neat cook, but he didn’t like the idea of making work, either. Suzanna helping made work—lots of it.
The smells of garlic and cumin drifted his way as he reached the kitchen. “I got out all the ingredients.” Suzanna pulled him to the countertop. “Onions, tomatoes, spices, beans, and beef. Couldn’t find the tomato sauce. Where’d you put it?”
“Check third cabinet on the right. Two cans, munchkin. I need cheese, and don’t forget the rice.”
“Mmm…I love rice. This is one of my favorite meals. Nobody makes chili like you, Dad.”
Cash ruffled his daughter’s hair. “Thanks.” He glanced toward the dining area. “I see some stuff on the table.”
“Yep. Got it taken care of. Our good plates, twelve o’clock. Nice spoons and forks at nine and three. Glasses are at one o’clock, and I hope it’s okay, but I used Mom’s Ainsley bowl as a centerpiece.”
“How did you learn to set up a nice table like this?”
“I asked Sally’s mom to teach me last time I was at their house. She’s real nice. Said I could come to her anytime if I had questions about girl stuff.”
Great. Just what he needed. More from Sally Cline and her mother. But he smiled at his daughter anyway. “That was nice of her. I’ll bet the table looks pretty.”
“I want everything to be perfect for Kate. I want her to like us.”
Suze’s voice sounded a bit strained, anxious. Tonight was important to her, too. She’d already cast Kate in the role of family. Though he didn’t object to the thought, he didn’t want Suzanna to expect too much too soon and get her feelings hurt. Kate either, for that matter. Too much too soon would scare her away. Not going to happen. He needed to be careful. There was a lot at stake.
Keep things light tonight. Maybe talk about the list of scholarship candidates she’d e-mailed Carswell. Then maybe, if she didn’t back out on their date Friday, he could amp up the romance a little then. Wine, dinner, dancing. He could hold her again, let her get used to him. A few dates, sharing meals with Suzanna. After a decent amount of time, he could make his move.
A light tapping came on their front door.
She’s here. A familiar burn started at the base of his spine. She’d felt so right in his arms yesterday. He wanted her there again.
“Let her in, Suze,” he called from the kitchen.
Suzanna ran to the door and swung it wide. “You’re here,” she exclaimed excitedly.
He felt Kate’s warmth as soon as she came next to him. Glancing away from the bubbling chili, he pecked her on the lips and gave her a minute to adjust. He wasn’t going to let her shy away.
“Hey,” she responded. He could sense her smile.
“Hey,” he answered. “You smell nice.”
“So do you.”
Cash graced her with a half-smile, while his daughter giggled softly in the background.
Suzanna quickly claimed her attention. “Kate, do you want to help me grate the cheese? And do you like the table? I did it all by myself.”
Kate turned and walked to inspect the small table—set for three. “Wow. Impressive. You did this all by yourself?”
“Sure did. My friend’s mom showed me the proper way to place the plates, glasses, and silver.” She lowered her voice to a loud whisper. “Plate in the center. Glass at one o’clock. Spoons and forks at three and nine. I try to make it easy on Dad. I think he can see where things are, but I don’t want him to be embarrassed.”
“Very thoughtful, Suzanna,” she replied in an undertone. “There’s no way I’d embarrass your father. I respect him. He lost his vision while fighting for our country. To have come as far as he has with that challenge is amazing.”
Suzanna stared at Kate, her eyes searching. “Yeah, he is
amazing. You like my dad, don’t you?”
“Yes, baby. I like your dad. I like both of you.” Kate rested a hand on Suzanna’s head.
“Good.” The delighted girl grinned. “Cheese?” she asked, with a smile growing ear to ear.
“Cheese,” Kate replied, and followed her to the kitchen.
****
With dinner and dishes done, Suzanna excused herself to do her homework. Kate bit her lip to hide a grin. “Is she always so compliant?”
Cash laughed under his breath. “No. Not usually. I think she wants to give us some alone time. Not too subtle, is she?”
“It’s okay. She wants us to be friends. Understandable.” Kate chuckled with him.
“It’s more than that. Suzanna is on a mission. What she wants is for us to be more than friends,” he observed drily as he settled beside her on the couch and poured her a glass of wine. “She’s decided I need to get married again. I predict this could become an annoyance for you. If it gets to be too much, tell me—I’ll get her to ease off. I must admit, this is nice, just the two of us. Comfortable? Wine okay?”
Kate nodded and settled back on his sofa. “Tell me your story. I know you served in the military, were injured. You’ve recovered, built a good life for you and your daughter. Suzanna mentioned you’d lost your wife when she was very young…”
He put his arm along the back of the sofa and turned to face her, resting his leg on the cushion. “Rayanne—my wife—and I were childhood sweethearts. We grew up together, went to school together, church, family picnics, all the rest. It just seemed a part of the natural occurrence of events, and in some ways, I suppose, our marriage was foreordained. At least by our parents.”
“Ah…parents,” she remarked and took a sip of wine.
“Yeah.” He seemed lost in thought, then continued. “I loved her—she was a good woman.”
Kate’s heartbeat picked up. Of course he loved his wife—and she loved him. That was a good thing, wasn’t it?
She forced her attention back to his story.
“A really good mother. Our life together was like a time continuum—childhood, elementary school, high school, college. A life full of good times and bad. We both thought we’d grow old together, and that was okay with us. I enlisted after college, and we got pregnant with Suzanna. I went where the army sent me. She came with.
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