A Touch of Persuasion

by Janice Maynard

  Try as she might, such a picture never came into focus.

  Kieran held her hand as they made their way back to the house. Their feet made scarcely a sound as they walked.

  Her fingers clung to his, wishing she had the right to be with him like this forever. He was a loving man, and an honorable one, despite his youthful misjudgments. He loved his family, and he was clearly on his way to loving Cammie, as well.

  But ultimately he saw Wolff Mountain as a trap, one that had robbed him of his childhood. And though he might visit from time to time, he was never going to settle in one place.

  They entered through the back of the house, treading quietly in deference to sleeping servants. When they entered the room where Jacob kept watch, he stood up and stretched. “I was about to give up on you.”

  Kieran grimaced. “Sorry. The time got away from me. It’s a beautiful night.”

  Jacob’s gaze settled on Olivia. He was a quiet, intense man, and his piercing eyes, like the X-ray machines he used, seemed to see right through her. “You need to watch out for my brother,” he joked. “We used to call him the ‘were-Wolff,’ because he loved roaming the woods at night.”

  She blushed, feeling as if Jacob could see exactly what she and Kieran had been up to. “I enjoyed the walk,” she said. Her red cheeks were probably a dead giveaway, but she kept her expression noncommittal.

  In the wake of Jacob’s departure, an awkward silence bloomed. Kieran’s jaw was rigid, and hunger still tightened the planes of his face. “Will you come to my room?” he asked.

  She shook her head, backing away. “I need to get some sleep. Cammie will be up early. Good night.”

  Her retreat was embarrassing to say the least, but she needed distance. His masculinity dragged her in, demanding a response, and for tonight, she needed to regroup and figure out how to protect her vulnerable heart.

  Late the following morning Kieran’s cousin Annalise arrived. She blew in on a burst of wind and rain, her laughter contagious and her genuine welcome hard to resist.

  “So glad to meet you both,” she said, squatting in Prada pumps to hug Cammie.

  She was tall, dark-headed and gorgeous. And when she looked at Cammie, she was clearly shocked.

  Olivia squirmed under her assessing gaze, but refused to be lured into saying something she would regret. “How was the family vacation?”

  Annalise hugged her cousins, as well. Kieran and Jacob had showed up to eat lunch with her before going back to their construction project at Jacob’s clinic. Gareth had gone home to see Gracie. “Daddy and the boys are still fishing in Wyoming, but I reached my fill of tying lures and fighting mosquitoes. Plus, I had to get home to see Kieran. It’s like a sighting of the Loch Ness monster. You don’t want to miss it.”

  “Very funny.” Kieran suffered her teasing with an easy grin, slinging an arm around her shoulders as they walked to the dining room. “Admit it, brat. You just had to come home and meet my guests.”

  She wrinkled her classically beautiful nose. “You got me.” She gave Olivia a rueful glance. “It’s a well-known failing of mine,” she said, patting Cammie’s head as she seated herself at the table. “Whenever we were little, the guys tortured me by pretending to have secrets I wasn’t privy to. I’d badger them unmercifully, until half the time they admitted that they had made it all up.”

  “It must have been hard being the only girl.”

  “You have no idea.” She paused, expression concerned. “Where’s Uncle Victor?”

  “He had a rough night,” Jacob said. “But he hopes to be with us for dinner.”

  Over a lunch of cold salads and fresh fruit, Olivia watched Annalise interact with her family. There were three more males not present, the brothers Annalise spoke of, as well as Vincent Wolff, who was Victor’s twin. Clearly Annalise was close to Kieran and Jacob. She teased and kidded them with open affection.

  The six young cousins had been raised in isolation in this huge house after the violent deaths of their mothers. It was no wonder they had formed a bond. Tragedy had marked this family and shaped its face.

  When the meal was concluded, the men were itching to get back to work. Annalise turned to Olivia, her face alight with enthusiasm. “Why don’t we go swim in Gareth and Gracie’s pool?”

  “A pool?” Olivia looked askance at the window where lightning flashed and water rolled down the panes.

  “Indoors, silly.” Annalise laughed.

  Kieran frowned. “Does Cammie know how to swim?”

  “We’re from southern California. Of course she does.” Olivia noted Kieran’s response, as did Annalise. He had reacted with a parent’s automatic concern. Olivia wondered how long it would be before someone in Kieran’s family came right out and demanded to know if Cammie was a Wolff.

  The pool was amazing. Built to resemble a natural tropical lake, it featured a waterfall, twittering parakeets and water that was heated just enough to be luxuriously comfortable.

  Cammie loved it. She swam like a fish, and soon she was all over the pool. Gracie joined them soon after they arrived. The small redhead had a quiet smile and a look of contentment about her that Olivia envied.

  At one point, Annalise threw back her head and laughed in delight. “I love having women here,” she exclaimed, beaming in her gold bikini that seemed more suited to sunbathing at a resort on the French Riviera rather than actually getting wet.

  Gracie nodded. “Me, too. After our honeymoon, Annalise was gone, and I have to confess that I was lonely sometimes for girl talk.”

  “How long have you two been married?” Olivia asked.

  “Less than two months. I’m still getting used to this amazing house.”

  Gareth’s Western-themed home was spectacular, though not as large as Wolff Castle, of course. And Olivia had glimpsed Jacob’s more modern house through the trees. She frowned. “Why has Kieran never built his own place?”

  Annalise shrugged. “Doesn’t need one. He’s here less than a dozen nights during the year. Two days at Christmas if we’re lucky. Other than that, he’s always on the go. The constraints of our situation were hard on all of us kids growing up, but Kieran chafed at them more than anyone. At the first opportunity, he struck out for freedom and has never really looked back. You can’t cage a man who wants to roam.”

  Was that pity Olivia saw in Annalise’s eyes? Olivia hoped not. It was bad enough for Olivia to acknowledge to herself that a future with Kieran was impossible. She didn’t want or need anyone’s commiseration, no matter how well meant.

  When Gracie hopped out of the pool to dry off and get back to her painting, Olivia spoke quietly to Annalise, all the while keeping tabs on Cammie’s high energy stunts. “Kieran has asked me to go to New York with him overnight. He thought you wouldn’t mind keeping Cammie. Did he volunteer you too freely?”

  “Of course not.” Annalise straightened one of the flimsy triangles of her bathing suit top. Though she was the complete antithesis of Olivia’s mother in looks, she possessed the same star quality. A woman no one, particularly no man, could resist. She smiled. “Cammie is a delight, and I’d be happy to look after her.”

  Standing next to her, waist deep in silky water, Olivia felt frumpy and large, though Kieran certainly seemed to have no complaints about her less than reed-thin figure. His appreciation for her…assets was flattering.

  She signed inwardly. “Just one night, and we won’t be late the following day, because Cammie and I will have to catch the red-eye back to the West Coast. That reminds me, I need to shift our tickets one day later.”

  “Why don’t you take the family jet? Did Kieran not offer?”

  “He has. Several times. But I prefer to make my own travel arrangements.”

  “Because you don’t want to feel beholden to him?”

  “It’s not that. I’ve tried to raise Cammie away from the over-the-top lifestyle my parents enjoy.”

  “How’s that workin’ out for you?”

  Olivia shook her h
ead ruefully. “Sometimes I think it’s a losing battle.”

  “So you didn’t like growing up with all the bells and whistles?”

  “I liked the toys and activities as much as the next kid. But I had friends whose parents were what I thought of as normal. Nine-to-five jobs, cookouts on the weekend. T-ball games. That wasn’t part of my life, and I wanted it for Cammie.”

  “Sometimes we don’t appreciate what’s in our own backyard. There’s something to be said for not having to worry constantly about money. And there’s also the satisfaction that comes from helping people less fortunate. Our family has never wanted for anything, but I like to think we aren’t spoiled. Our fathers instilled in us a sense of responsibility, noblesse oblige, if you will.”

  “If I can do as much for Cammie, I’ll be happy.”

  Annalise twisted the ends of her long hair and squeezed out water. “She’s a great kid, already. For a single mom, you’ve done a great job. It can’t have been easy.”

  Here it comes. Olivia braced herself, waiting for Annalise to demand an explanation of Cammie’s parentage. But the other woman merely smiled.

  “Thank you,” Olivia said awkwardly. She followed Annalise out of the pool and began drying off.

  “If you ever need a friendly ear, I’m here.” For once, the bubbly personality shifted to reveal a deep vein of seriousness. Her eyes, like Jacob’s, seemed to see all.

  “I appreciate that.” For a moment, Olivia was tempted. She wanted to share with another female the fears and heartaches that came with being Kieran’s lover, with bearing his child. But Annalise was Kieran’s cousin, part of his family. Olivia had not even allowed Kieran to claim his daughter yet, so it would be unethical at the very least to share their secret.

  She wrapped a towel around her waist and stretched out on a lounge chair to watch Cammie play. Annalise did the same. From speakers tucked away somewhere in the foliage, pleasant music played. Olivia yawned, ruefully aware that her unsettled sleep had everything to do with Kieran. When she wasn’t actually with him, she was dreaming about him. What did that say about her subconscious desires?

  Annalise’s long legs were tanned and toned, making Olivia realize it had been some time since she herself had hit the gym. It was tough with a child. An older woman in Olivia’s neighborhood came most mornings for several hours to watch Cammie so Olivia could work. Cammie still napped in the afternoons, and after that it was time to fix dinner, play games and enjoy bath time.

  The routine worked well for them, and Olivia wasn’t willing to leave her child with an evening babysitter to go work out. Perhaps after Cammie started kindergarten it would be easier.

  Cammie did a handstand in the shallow end, making sure both women were watching. They clapped and cheered her success.

  Olivia grinned, pleased that her daughter was enjoying this visit. “Cammie found one of your old ballet costumes in the attic. I hope it was okay for her to play with it.”

  “Of course.” Annalise yawned, leaning back her head and closing her eyes. “Tomorrow I’ll show her my secret trove of Barbie dolls. I had to keep them hidden or the boys would pop off their heads.”

  “That’s terrible.” But Olivia chuckled in spite of herself.

  Annalise lifted one eyelid, her expression morose. “Don’t get me started.”

  Nine

  Olivia and Kieran left for New York at first light. Though Olivia had worried about abandoning Cammie, it was clear the child was having the time of her life. Victor Wolff doted on her. Jacob promised her a tour of his clinic and a lollipop, and Gareth and Gracie had sent up a note inviting Cammie to swim again.

  And then there was Annalise. She and Cammie had bonded like long lost sisters. If anything, Cammie was the more sensible of the two. Annalise had planned out a twenty-four-hour agenda of fun that would be impossible to fulfill, but she delighted in making Cammie laugh at her antics.

  Kieran and Olivia said their goodbyes and departed via helicopter to a small airstrip near Charlottesville. There, the Wolff family jet sat waiting, its brilliant white fuselage gleaming in the sunlight. Though Olivia was well accustomed to luxury and pampering, the level of wealth enjoyed by Kieran and his clan far surpassed anything she had experienced.

  Fortunately she had packed liberally in preparation for her trip to Wolff Mountain. Knowing nothing of Kieran’s family or what to expect socially, she had gladly paid for extra bags so her wardrobe and Cammie’s would cover all eventualities. Which meant that she had plenty of choices for this impromptu New York trip.

  Inside the plane, a handsome male attendant offered Olivia her pick of beverages along with a midmorning snack, in case her breakfast had been inadequate. She declined the fruit parfait with murmured thanks. Her earlier meal had been more than generous. Victor Wolff’s current chef had once served in the White House, and with three full-time cooks to assist him, the menu offerings were varied and delicious.

  Kieran grabbed a bag of cashews and went forward to chat with the pilot. As Olivia fastened her seat belt in preparation for takeoff, she had time to appreciate her plush seat. It was more of an armchair, really. She stretched her legs and felt a little frisson of excitement wend its way through her veins.

  Rarely did she take time all to herself for something as frivolous as a vacation. Tending to a rambunctious child, even when she and Cammie traveled with Lolita and Javier, generally meant little downtime.

  Closing her eyes with a smile of contentment, she let her mind drift. It was a shock when she felt a warm hand settle on her shoulder. When she looked up, Kieran grinned at her, his expression more lighthearted than she had seen him at any time since their university days.

  He sat down in the seat adjacent to hers and clicked his belt. “Are you a good flier, or one of the white-knuckled types?”

  “I love it,” she said simply. “How about you?”

  “It gets me from A to B quickly, and for someone in my line of work, that’s the main thing. But I also love the freedom and the sense of adventure. I’ve never lost that. Don’t guess I ever will.”

  Olivia’s heart sank. This Kieran, chomping at the bit to take off, was the man who circumnavigated the globe. She could see in his body language the expectation, the energy.

  The day dimmed suddenly and her anticipation of the trip palled. It was painful to see the evidence of what she had only surmised. Her lover, the father of her child, was a road warrior, an adventurer. He would never be content to live inside Olivia’s mythical white picket fence.

  Soon, the noise of takeoff overrode the possibility of conversation. Olivia closed her eyes again and pretended to sleep. Her emotions were too close to the surface. She could fall in love with him again so easily. Not with the nostalgic reminiscence of a young woman’s rosy fantasy, but in a solid, real way. How could she not? He was caring and honorable. With Cammie, he showed a gentle side that ripped at Olivia’s heart.

  Kieran loved his daughter, even knowing as little of her as he did. He was committed to being her dad. Only Olivia’s fears and reservations stood in the way. That and her determination to protect herself from the pain of losing him again. The devastation six years ago still rippled inside her, waiting to be resurrected. Terrifying in its power.

  As Kieran spoke to the attendant, Olivia studied his profile. Classic nose, sculpted chin. Straight teeth that flashed white in a tanned face when he smiled. His body was fit and healthy; his long limbs and broad shoulders were a pleasing package of masculine perfection.

  Her mouth dried and her thighs tightened as she remembered last night’s lovemaking. When they were together, he made her feel like the most important, most desirable woman in the world. His frank hunger and sensual demands called to the essence of her femininity.

  Though she was well capable of taking care of herself, she enjoyed his protectiveness, his innate gentlemanly core of behavior. In a crisis, Kieran Wolff would be a rock.

  At one time, being his wife had been her dream. Now she knew that e
ven if he put his name on a piece of paper, the dream would end in pain and frustration. Olivia knew herself. She needed a lover who would be there on the ordinary days and not just in the midst of an emergency.

  Kieran could handle the crises. No doubt about that. But Olivia was pretty sure that he would just as soon not have to deal with the mundane aspects of family life.

  Taking out the trash, paying bills, mowing the grass. Ordinary husbands and fathers did those things.

  Too bad Kieran Wolff was not ordinary. And too bad that ordinary was what Olivia had always wanted.

  To Olivia’s surprise, she actually slept. Kieran woke her in time to peek out the nearest window and see the Statue of Liberty as they flew past. Soon, the landing gear deployed, the pilot set them down with a tiny bump and it was time to go.

  A limousine awaited them on the tarmac.

  In no time at all, Kieran and Olivia were speeding toward the city amidst a maze of taxicabs. He took her hand, surprising her. As he lifted it to his lips for a kiss, he smiled lazily. “We’re going to drop you downtown. Do you mind entertaining yourself for a couple of hours while I get this meeting out of the way?”

  “Of course not, but I…”

  “What?”

  She bit her lip. “I owe you an apology. I thought this business trip was only an excuse to get me alone.”

  They were sitting so close, she could inhale the aftershave he had used that morning. In a severely tailored charcoal-gray suit with a pale blue shirt and matching tie, he looked nothing like the man she had come to know. If he had reminded her of Indiana Jones before, now he looked more like a character from Wall Street. She wasn’t sure she liked the transformation.

  He tugged her closer, one strong arm encircling her waist as he claimed her mouth with an aggressive kiss. When she was breathless, her heart pounding, he released her and sat back. “Sucking up to the fat cats is a necessary evil for the work I do.”