Real Men Don't Quit

by Coleen Kwan

  Her stunned gaze clashed with his. Rain trickled down his nose, dripped from his hair, glistened in his eyelashes. She jerked upright and backed away, breathing hard, afraid to hear any more.

  “Listen—” As he started toward her, several metallic objects scattered beneath his feet.

  “You’re losing my nuts—”

  “You’re driving me nuts!” Dashing the rain from his eyes, he sucked in a harsh breath. “Tyler…”

  Her whole body quivered as her name softened on his tongue.

  “When I was a young boy, I used to admire my father,” he said, his speech labored as if he had to drag the words out. “But later I realized what a shallow man he was, how he capitalized on my mother’s feelings for him. She loved the bastard, despite knowing all his flaws, couldn’t help herself taking him back every time. He knew her weakness for him, and he exploited that for his own selfish needs.”

  Pausing, he shifted to meet her eyes fully. Beneath the tumbling rain his face was pale, tentative. “You’ll probably accuse me of being conceited, but I sense you have feelings for me, strong feelings, or you wouldn’t have visited me earlier.” He swiped a hand across his brow, and with a burst of shock she noticed he was trembling. “Two weeks ago when you asked me to move in, you have no idea how much I wanted to shout ‘yes,’ but I couldn’t do that to you. I didn’t want to be my father all over again. Can you understand that?”

  In a daze, she shook her head. In unison with the rain, her heart was pounding so loudly she felt she was drowning, but one thought stood out in all the confusion.

  “You say you don’t want to be your father. Does that mean you feel nothing for me?”

  He looked as if a ten-ton truck had fallen on him. “No! I care so much about you.” He swallowed hard. The wrench clanged to the ground. “Tyler, I love you.”

  “You do?” His face blurred as tears rushed to her eyes and mingled with the raindrops. “Then how can you compare yourself to your father?”

  “Because I’ve never been in love before, and I don’t know if I can live up to your expectations.” He jabbed at his chest, agitated. “Look at me, for Christ’s sake. I don’t have a steady income or a fixed address. I live out of a suitcase. I spend half my time in my head. I’m an unabashed introvert. I hate possessions dragging me down. What woman would put up with a man like that? And what kind of father would I be to Chloe?”

  The anguish in his voice made her want to cry out. She reached out and touched his arm and felt the muscles tense beneath her shaking fingers. “And how would accepting your agent’s offer rectify any of that?”

  “Because at least I’d have something solid to offer.”

  “But you know it’s wrong.”

  “Is it?” He pressed his hand over hers. “After you left earlier this evening, I went back to my writing, but everything felt gray, hollow, dead. I realized something was more important than my bloody writing. So I came after you, hoping—praying—I had a solution so I could be with you and Chloe.”

  Somehow she held back her tears as she lifted his hand to her lips. “Darling, you already have the solution.” She kissed his cold knuckles. “You said you love me. That’s all I need.”

  “No, it’s not enough.” Disentangling his hand, he gripped her by the shoulders. “It’s not enough for me. I want to provide for you, be someone Chloe can look up to, be there no matter what. That’s what real husbands and fathers do.”

  “Oh, Luke, how can I get it through that beautiful, thick skull of yours?” She wrapped her arms around him and planted a fierce kiss on his forehead. “You’ve been more than that to Chloe and me. You’ve been loving and patient and understanding. You’ve been passionate and tender and generous. You’re everything to me, and—and I won’t have you thinking the only way we can be together is for you to write a crappy novel!”

  Close up, his eyes glittered. He lifted his hands to cup her face, his breath sweet against her skin. “You’re gorgeous for saying that, but it’s still my decision to make.”

  “Not anymore.” Love, hot and fierce, bubbled out from her. “You said you love me, and I’m not letting you take that back! We’re in this together now. I won’t let you call that douchebag agent of yours. You got that?”

  Passion flared in his face. He breathed hard as he ran his fingers through her hair. “Jeez, Tyler, you’re so damn sexy when you get all bossy with me.”

  They were soaking wet, but still heat coursed through her veins. “How sexy do I have to get before you agree?” she whispered, quivering beneath his caressing hands.

  His eyes burned but then his hands stilled. “Seriously, Tyler. If I continue writing the book I want to write, it could be a year or more before I sell it.”

  “I don’t want Luke Maguire, the literary genius. I want the Luke who shared my life for a few blissful weeks. I want him, forever. I love you, Luke. I love you like—like I love oxygen, and I’m not giving up on you.”

  For the first time she saw his eyes grow moist. “Oh, honey, I won’t let you down.”

  “Great.” Her voice wobbled. “I could do with some decent help around the house.”

  “I can imagine.” His fingers drifted over her collarbone, then lower, pushing aside her jacket to track across the damp T-shirt clinging to her chest. His voice grew husky. “I’ll start with the bedroom. You definitely need help there.”

  “Um…” The deluge grew misty as she leaned helplessly toward him.

  “But maybe we should start with a kiss.” Spanning her ribcage with his palms, he drew her closer and kissed her, the kiss lingering, tender, soft, and filled with an infinity of promise.

  “Maybe you should get us home,” she croaked, “before I commit an indecent act on you.”

  He laughed and pressed his palm against her cheek. “I’m going to hold you to that promise, sweetheart.” He smoothed the rain from her skin. “So you won’t kick me out before dawn? You’ll let me sleep with you all night?”

  He was still concerned about Chloe, she realized with a quick heart pang. She wasn’t sure how her daughter would react when she discovered Luke in her mother’s bed tomorrow morning, but whatever happened, they would work it out, together.

  She squeezed his waist tight. “I’ll let you stay all night, sure…but I don’t know if you’ll be doing much sleeping.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  EIGHTEEN MONTHS LATER

  Tyler picked her way through the maze of boxes littering the living room, wondering how long it would take to sort everything. Luke had already started unpacking. He’d arranged a few framed photos on the bookcase. Drawing nearer, she saw they were their wedding photos. She smiled as she recalled that memorable event three months ago. It had been a perfect day. Luke’s father hadn’t attended—he’d taken up with a wealthy widow and moved to Brisbane with her—but surprisingly Tyler’s mother had shown up at the last minute. Wanda had even managed to kiss Tyler before making a quick exit after the ceremony. While Tyler and Luke had honeymooned, Chloe had stayed with Gretchen.

  A gurgle of laughter made her glance up. Out on the lawn, Chloe had already discovered the tire swing hanging from the large jacaranda tree, and she was giggling as Luke pushed her into the air. Somehow, with a lot of patience, Luke had helped Chloe get over her fear of swings.

  “Higher, Daddy!”

  Tyler’s chest squeezed. It was only the second time she’d heard her daughter call Luke “Daddy.”

  “You got it.” Luke’s beaming grin told her he’d also noticed.

  Even if Damien never signed the adoption papers, Luke would still be Chloe’s father. He was the one who read her stories, tucked her in at night, chased away the bad dreams. He was the one who’d tossed her in the air after he and Tyler had exchanged their marriage vows and allowed her to smother him with confetti. He would always be there for her.

  Just as he was always there for Tyler. Just as he’d promised.

  Her gaze slipped over his broad shoulders outlined by the tig
ht T-shirt. He’d put on some more muscle since he’d been working on this old house they’d bought. The renovations weren’t quite finished but they’d moved in anyway, figuring to save the rent money. The house needed plenty of work, but it was on a large block of land and only a ten-minute drive from Java & Joolz.

  As she straightened the wedding photos, she noticed the contents of a packing box opened nearby—Luke’s books from his mother’s house. The humble cottage would soon be full of life again. Luke’s eldest niece was engaged, and the young couple was in need of a small home, so Luke had been busy clearing things. He’d brought all his books with him, including the ones his father had given him all those years ago. Luke was gathering moss, taking up shelf space, looking set to stay for a very long time. She grinned to herself. Fine by me.

  She was about to step out and join her family when a mobile phone on the couch began to ring. Seeing it was Luke’s, she scooped it up and headed outside. The caller id told her it was Francine, his new agent.

  “It’s for you, honey.”

  He straightened and took the phone from her.

  “Mumma, can we get a puppy?” Chloe said, repeating the plea that had started ever since she’d stayed with Gretchen. “Grammy said I could choose one from her next litter.”

  “We’ll see, sweetie.” Tyler kept her gaze on Luke, alerted by his curious expression as he made a few monosyllabic noises into the phone.

  “Aw, you always say that.”

  Tyler widened her eyes at Luke after he ended the call. “What was that all about?”

  He stared at her, a slow smile spreading across his face, eyes beginning to dance. “Angel, how would you like a custom-built studio for your jewelry making?”

  Comprehension slowly dawned on her. “You mean you…”

  “I haven’t sold yet but…” He reached for her hands. “There’s a bidding war going on. Francine’s talking seven figures minimum.”

  Seven figures. Her mind boggled before she flung her arms around him and gave him a smacking kiss. “Oh, Luke, I knew you could do it!”

  He spun her round in the air, his eyes shining like polished jet, his joy clearly tinged with relief. All the months he’d toiled on the writing project dear to his heart, he’d worried it would lead to nothing, but she had never doubted his talent.

  “What’s happening?” Chloe asked Luke as she jumped up and down with excitement.

  “I’m about to get a few dollars.” He swooped the child up in his arms and did a mad dance with her, flinging his legs about as he chuckled. “Which means I can treat my two favorite girls to whatever takes their fancy! So, moppet, is there anything you want?”

  Tyler held up a warning finger. “Uh, darling, I don’t think you should—”

  “Anything I want?” Chloe cuddled up to him cunningly.

  “Sure,” the unsuspecting man said, hoisting her higher.

  “Then I want a puppy.” The girl grinned in triumph.

  “Um…” Trapped, Luke threw a helpless look at Tyler.

  She shook her head. “You are such a sap.”

  “That’s because I’m a sucker for girls with red hair.” Drawing Tyler into the crook of his free arm, he brushed his lips against her forehead. “I think a puppy is just what this house needs. What do you say, Mrs. Maguire?”

  She sighed and leaned into him, enjoying the feel of him pressed up against her. “And I’m a sucker for you, Mr. Maguire.”

  “Now that’s the kind of sassy talk I like.”

  He drew his arms around Tyler and Chloe and held them close.

  Acknowledgments

  Thanks to my editors, Stacy Abrams and Kate Fall, and publicists, Jessica Turner and JJ Bonds.

  About the Author

  Coleen Kwan has been a bookworm all her life. At school English was her favorite subject, but for some reason she decided on a career in IT. After many years of programming, she wondered what else there was in life—and discovered writing. She loves writing both contemporary romance and steampunk romance.

  Coleen lives in Sydney, Australia, with her partner and two children. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys avoiding housework, eating chocolate, and watching The Office.

  Contact Coleen at her website www.coleenkwan.com.

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