Yet she was certain Graham had decided that tonight was the night. She had held out on him long enough. All the dinners he had paid for, the cinema tickets too, were piling up, and the ring had tipped the scales. He expected something in return. He expected her to stop making excuses. She could feel it in the way he looked at her, the way his hand reached for hers. Possessive.
She wanted to run, to give him the ring back and tell him how wrong she had been. Yet another part of her yearned for the chance to sample married life. But a bigger part of her was saying no, not with this man.
Chapter Eight – Kian
It took all of his resolve to sit with Melanie and eat a meal. She kept glancing at him, she knew there was something wrong, but she didn’t ask. And Kian didn’t offer any information. He tried to push thoughts of Alli being touched by Graham out of his mind, concentrating on his steak instead of imagining another man’s hands on his mate.
“Are you sure you don’t mind about me working for Alli?” Melanie asked.
“No. I think it will do you good. You need to get out and Alli seems really nice.”
“Yes, she does.” Melanie took another bite of her food and then switched to the subject that had absorbed Kian for weeks. “Did you get the hinges?”
He laughed and looked at her. “Do you really want to talk about hinges on your birthday?”
“I like that you are so caught up in the house. It will make a fantastic family home when it’s finished.”
“Yes, it will. If I can scrape the money together. I think that tomorrow I need to take a leaf out of your book and come back into town to find some work.”
“You don’t need to. If I’m working, we’ll be able to afford to do some more repairs to the house.”
“I can’t ask you for money.”
“You are not asking. I’m offering it to you.”
“Melanie, it’s your money. You will be earning it.”
“Kian, you have done so much for me. All the time and money it took to get custody of me. Why won’t you let me pay you back?”
“It doesn’t feel right.”
“Because you’re my brother? Or because I’m a girl?”
“Melanie. It’s not that.” He thought for a moment, trying to put his position across clearly. “I was brought up in a time when men were the breadwinners; they looked after their women.”
“These times have changed.” She used her fork to push her food around her plate, and he knew she was plucking up the courage to say what was on her mind. “You will have to change your views if you want Alli to be your mate.”
“Melanie…” he said, “she’s engaged to another man.”
“The wrong man.”
“She left with him.”
“Because she doesn’t know how you feel, does she?”
“No, I don’t think she does.”
“But I could see the way she looked at you. She felt the attraction, I know she did.”
“And what if I go and claim her? What happens then?” He looked at her, the anguish threatening to tear him apart.
“You mean about me?”
“Yes.”
“I like Alli, I really do. But it wouldn’t matter if I didn’t. She is your mate and I know how much that means. I watched Mom and Dad, remember. I watched Mom die and then saw how the life went out of Dad. He couldn’t live without her, not even for me. So I can’t expect you to live without your mate.”
“Melanie. I am so sorry.”
“Don’t be, Kian. Go and get her.”
“What am I supposed to say?”
“The truth.”
“I’ll sound crazy.”
“I really can’t believe she can have lived here for years, watched all those bonded couples get married, and not have some idea of how different Bear Creek is. Give her more credit.”
“I don’t like leaving you here.”
“I’ll make my own way home. I can go up into the woods and change. I’ll be safe enough.”
“Melanie…”
“Go.”
“It’s your birthday.”
“And the best present I could have is my brother being happy with his true mate.”
He knew she was right. With no more excuses, he got up and paid the check. Before he could leave, some of the other patrons confronted him. Men and women he had never met before. His back stiffened and he looked worriedly at Melanie, who returned her gaze with haunted eyes.
“What can I do for you?” Kian asked, wondering how he could take them all on and get Melanie out of there unharmed.
“Kian, right? From up along the track under the mountain. The old farmhouse?” one of them asked.
“I would like to shake your hand. I hear you have the luck to have Alli as your mate.”
“What? How do you know?” Kian asked.
“It’s the look. Marjorie told us at the book club this afternoon.”
“Book club?” Kian repeated.
“Yes. Now, can I buy you a drink? And whatever this young lady wants.”
People surrounded Kian and Melanie. Everyone asking about the farm and how the renovations were going. It was some time later that he made his escape. Scenting the air, he picked up traces of her and then set off to find her. What would happen when he did, he had no idea. But he had to make her understand that he was the one for her.
Chapter Nine – Alli
Graham let them into his house; thankfully, he seemed in a better mood, but his earlier remarks still stung Alli. Yet when he went to the kitchen to return with a bottle of champagne and two glasses, it was hard not to think that he was serious about their engagement, perhaps more serious than she was.
“To us,” he said, kissing her on the cheek and then raising his glass.
“To us,” she said. Then they touched glasses and sipped champagne, the bubbles almost going up her nose.
“I’m sorry if you think I overreacted earlier,” he said. “But you must understand I have a reputation in Bear Creek that I wish to hang on to.”
“I understand, Graham. Only sometimes you overreact.”
“I disagree. It is not appropriate for you to be in a bar with another man when you are my fiancée.”
“Is it appropriate for you to be in a bar with another woman now we are engaged?” she asked evenly. There was no way she was going to go along with double standards.
“It’s different for me.”
“Why?”
“Well, my taste in women I drink with is higher than that … brute.”
“Brute? I thought you only met him this morning in my shop. I didn’t know you could tell a man’s character from one short meeting.”
“I did some research on him; he’s practically penniless. Scraped together enough for one of those farms. No business sense, he paid over the odds for it.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I was in talks to purchase a couple of the farms there. He scuppered that deal. I could have ripped the old buildings down and built a few new houses. Would have made me a fortune.”
“He only bought one.” Now she knew why he didn’t like Kian.
“I know, but the owner sold him the one that holds the access to all the others. I can’t put a road through there now, can I?”
“I still don’t see why that makes Kian a bad person.”
“Look at him! Working man, no money, no prospects. And he obviously sees you as a soft touch, that’s why he sent that young sister of his to you. A delinquent if ever I saw one. At her age she should be at collage, not skulking around helping her brother.”
“You seem to know a lot about them.”
“It’s my business. I know a lot about a lot of things.” He took a large gulp of his champagne. “Anyway, enough about business. I know I can count on you as my fiancée to be more discreet about whom you mix with.”
“Graham, I run a bridal boutique. From what you’ve just said, half of my clients would not be suitable for me to mix with. There are ma
ny hard-working people in Bear Creek. People who work with their hands.”
“Another reason why you will be giving it up when we are married.”
“I am not giving up the shop.”
“Yes, you are. I already have the plans drawn up.”
“Plans?” she said quietly, her temper once again simmering.
“Yes,” he said excitedly. “It was going to be a surprise, but I guess I can share them with you now.”
He left the kitchen and went to the room he used as a home office. There he opened his briefcase and she heard him shuffling through some papers. Then he came back to the kitchen, where she waited, not sure what to expect.
“Here,” he said, opening the plans up and smoothing them out on the table.
“That’s Bear Brides?”
“Of course it is. I spoke to a member of the council about it and although he said they would be sorry to see the shop go, he figured that it made sense to use the footprint for houses rather than let the building go into disrepair. So I had these plans drawn up; the council meeting is next week. Once they are through, and we are married, we can knock that old shop down and make some real money.”
“Real money?” she breathed.
“Yes, it’s the kind of deal I’ve been after for years. As soon as the farm was sold, I began searching around for something else to give me a real boost.”
“And when was this?”
Graham was so caught up in his excitement he never realised the reason for her question. “Oh, I don’t know, three or four months ago. These things take time to come to fruition, you know, Alli.”
“Don’t they.” She looked down at the plans, and then over to Graham, who looked the most excited he had ever been. She was right; he was not passionate about her, he was only passionate about business. Right now, those two went hand in hand. He wanted her for the land her shop sat on. “Why did you ask me out, Graham?”
His expression was fixed, but she could tell he was back-pedalling, trying to remember what she had asked him. The realisation dawned, but he wasn’t ready to give up on his dreams yet. “Alli, I asked you out because I could see we have so much in common. Hard-working, loyal, honest, and willing to make sacrifices.”
“So you didn’t ask me out just so you could have my shop?”
“No. Do you think I would have proposed if that’s all I wanted?” He came to her, his hand going around her waist, pulling her to him. “I have made no lie about wanting to bed you, Alli. It’s you who have held out. I have tried to be patient with you; I know how frigid you are.”
“I … I’m not.”
“Then let’s go to bed now. I will fuck you like you’ve never been fucked before.” He giggled at his own joke, doing nothing to raise her arousal from ice cold. But Graham didn’t have the sensitivity to know this. Instead, he kissed her neck, putting his hand on her breast and massaging it.
Alli waited to feel something, anything other than the cold hand gripping her heart. This should be a happy day for her. She was engaged, the man she had agreed to marry wanted to take her to bed, but she felt numb.
“Come on, Alli. I know you would enjoy sex if you gave it a chance.” His fingers moved to her shoulder and pulled her shirt down a little. She closed her eyes and tried to let him ignite the flame she knew was inside her, but he did nothing for her.
“Stop, Graham. Stop.”
“Come on, Alli. Let me squeeze between those thick thighs of yours and bury myself in you.”
Alli shoved him back away from her and took his ring off her finger, placing it down on top of his plans. “No. I think this whole thing was a mistake.”
“Alli, come on. I have waited all this time.”
“What for, Graham? Me or my property?”
“Don’t be like that. I told you, I picked you because we could make a good team in this one-horse town. I thought you would understand, having to put up with all the lower classes that walk into that shop of yours.”
“Lower classes,” she spat. “They are better people than you will ever be, Graham. I can’t believe I agreed to marry you.”
“I can’t believe I asked you.”
“Because you wanted my shop,” she answered for him.
He hesitated for one moment before he said, “Yes. You’re right. All those dinners I took you out for, watching you as you piled on a few more pounds.”
She stood still, her mouth open, feeling like the lowest form of life on the planet. She could never believe a man could be so cruel now, when only earlier he had been willing to marry her. For her property.
With a sob, she left. Pulling open the door, catching sight of him pouring another glass of champagne and raising it. “Here’s to a lucky escape.”
With his words ringing in her ears, she stumbled down his neatly paved drive, trying not to cry. What a fool she had been! To think a man could have been interested in her. She was right, she gave off the wrong vibe, and she resolved to put all her energy into her business from now on. There was no way that a man like Graham would ever get his hands on it.
Opening his gate, she stumbled out onto the street, realising she had a very long walk home ahead of her. At least it would give her time to calm down. But as she took a couple more steps, she broke down into big heaving sobs of anger and frustration. Her self-confidence was in tatters; she had been such a fool.
Just as she felt herself sinking down to the ground, big strong arms caught her. Looking up through her tears, she saw the face of Kian. “What are you doing here?”
“I came for you.” His voice was so matter of fact.
“Why?”
“Don’t you know? Can’t you tell I’m your mate, the one you are supposed to spend the rest of your life with?”
“Please don’t tease me, Kian. I’ve had enough for one night.” But with that, he picked her up in his powerful arms and carried her to his truck. She should have fought him, should have told him she was an independent woman and didn’t need a man to rescue her. But right now, the thought of being rescued by Kian was the most wonderful thing in the world.
Chapter Ten – Kian
“Did he hurt you?” he asked roughly, as he deposited her on to the passenger seat of his truck. He tried to ignore how much it smelt of wood and grease. This wasn’t a fancy car; it was a workhorse, just like Kian.
“Only my feelings,” she said between sobs.
“Do you want me to go in there and … talk to him?”
“No. I just want to go home.” She turned to him and asked, “Will you please take me home?”
“Of course.” He did her seat belt up, his upper arm brushing her breasts, and he felt her nipples harden against his skin. Damn, she was so desirable, but he didn’t want to take advantage of her, not when she was in such a state.
Satisfied she was secure, he went around to the driver’s side and got in, the engine rumbling to life. As he pulled away, he had the satisfaction of seeing Graham come out of his big house and stare after them. It took all his strength not to go back and punch him for hurting Alli. But he couldn’t risk any trouble; he had too much to lose.
“Thank you,” Alli said, sitting up straighter and fishing in her purse for a tissue.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“Not really,” she said.
He turned away from her to look at the road as they made their way into town. It was none of his business, really; he had to wait and see if she chose to talk to him. He didn’t want to force her to confide in him, he had to win her trust and then, perhaps, her heart.
Bear Creek was not a large town, and all too soon, they were pulling up outside her shop. He wanted to see her safely inside and then he would go home; at least Melanie was coming in tomorrow so she could let him know that Alli was all right. But he hated to leave his woman.
“Let me help you.” He put his hand under her arm and she rested her weight on him as she got out. He loved the feel of her flesh against his, as she leant on him for a m
oment while she regained her balance.
“Sorry,” she said. “I think I’ve drained my energy reserves. It’s been quite a day. Not many people can get engaged and then unengaged in one day.” She looked up at him and smiled weakly.
“I’ll see you inside.”
“You don’t have to. I’m not that weak.”
“I want to,” he said, and put his arm around her for support, whether she needed it or not. He wanted as much contact with her as possible in the short window of time before she sent him home.
They walked to the door, which led up to the apartment above the shop. There she put the key in the door with shaking hands, turning it so the door opened. It was now that he should have turned and left her. But he couldn’t.
Leaning against the doorjamb, she looked up at him. “What did you mean? About me being your mate?”
“It’s a bond, between two people.”
“I’ve heard of it. The brides that come into my shop, the ones who have had very short engagements, they talk of a bond. The also tend to look the happiest. Like Drew.”
He swallowed nervously; was this it? Was this the time when he would tell her she was his world? “I don’t know Drew personally. But I know of her kind.”
“What kind?” she said, her eyes going to his lips, while she involuntarily licked her own.
“Do you really want to know?”
“Yes,” she whispered. “I want you to explain to me why my body feels on fire when you are near. Why since I saw you this morning I have been unable to get you out of my head. And more than anything, I would like you to explain why you were waiting for me outside Graham’s house.”
He gave her his only answer. Gathering her to him, he kissed her, pouring all of his passion and longing for her into that one kiss.
Chapter Eleven – Alli
His hands on her body, his lips pressed to hers, it was all she could do to keep herself upright, and she wanted to swoon in his arms. The touch of him made all the words Graham had said to her slip away. That hadn’t been real, that had been wishful thinking: the need to loved, to be part of a relationship. This was something else; it went deep into her veins, deep into her soul.
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