The Proposal & Solid Soul

by Brenda Jackson

  “I guess with four adult males it can’t help but happen occasionally, given the closeness of our ages and our competitive natures. Then of course there’s Donovan, who often forgets that I’m the oldest and he’s the youngest.”

  It wasn’t the first time she felt that an extreme closeness existed between the Steele brothers. It was there in his tone whenever he spoke of them. “Well, enjoy your game.”

  “I will. And just so you’ll know, I’m catching a flight out first thing Monday morning to Dallas. I’ll be there until Thursday. Marcus will be spending time with my brothers until I return.”

  “All right, thanks for letting me know,” she said, missing him already, although she didn’t want to feel that way. “Have a safe trip.”

  By the way he was staring at her, she knew without a doubt that if Tiffany hadn’t been home he would have come inside and kissed her goodbye. That knowledge caused an ache in certain parts of her body. Their connected gazes were holding just a little too long. She knew it and was fully aware that he knew it, as well.

  “I’ll call you,” he finally whispered huskily.

  Kylie nodded. A promise made and one she knew he intended to keep. “All right.”

  She wrapped her arms around her waist, hugging herself so she wouldn’t be tempted to reach out and hug him.

  He took a step back and looked deeply into her eyes one last time before turning back to his truck.

  DURING THE NEXT FOUR days Kylie spent her free time shopping for the items on the list Chance had given her. After that was done, Tiffany had convinced her that they needed to spruce up their wardrobes, with a collection of new outfits suitable for camping.

  Kylie enjoyed this carefree, happy-go-lucky side of her daughter. It had been a long time since she’d seen it and she couldn’t help but count her blessings now.

  She and Tiffany returned home from one of their shopping trips rather late on Wednesday night and were in her bedroom unwrapping their numerous packages.

  “Mom, can I ask you something?”

  “Sure, honey, you can ask me anything.”

  “Why don’t you have a boyfriend?”

  Kylie’s hand went still on the new blouse that she was about to place on the hanger. You can ask me anything but that, she wanted to say but decided it was a good question. If only she could give her daughter what she felt was a good answer. She decided to go for the truth…but only after she found out why Tiffany wanted to know.

  “Why do you ask?”

  “Because I think you’re so pretty and all the other girls at school whose moms are single always talk about their mothers’ boyfriends. In fact, Trisha Nobles’s mom is getting married next month.”

  Good for Trisha Nobles’s mom, Kylie wanted to say. But she knew the only reason Tiffany had asked the question was because the answer was important to her.

  “I’ve been too busy to have a boyfriend,” she said honestly. “Running the shop takes up a lot of my time.”

  “But even before we moved here and you worked for that marketing firm you never went out on a date or anything.”

  Kylie lifted an eyebrow. “And that bothered you?”

  “I really never thought about it until recently.”

  Kylie sat on the bed next to her daughter. “And why recently?”

  “Because now I know how it feels to care for someone and I think it’s sad that you never cared for anyone before. It doesn’t seem right.”

  Kylie pulled her daughter into her arms and was mildly surprised when she came willingly. “Oh, honey, but it’s okay. Some things aren’t just automatic. Another reason I never went out was because I’m a very selective person.”

  “Nitpicky?”

  Kylie laughed. “Yeah, nitpicky. Only a certain type of man appeals to me.”

  Tiffany pulled back and glanced up at her. “Really? And what kind is that, Mom?”

  Kylie immediately thought of Chance and forced him from her mind. “First and foremost he has to be willing to be a good father to you. Then he has to treat us both good, look good, be health-conscious, fun to be around, be someone I can always depend on even during my darkest hour, and someone who loves me unconditionally.”

  “Unconditionally?”

  “Yes. Someone who would love me no matter what and who would take me as I am—the good, the bad and the ugly.”

  Tiffany smiled. “You know that’s funny.”

  “What is, honey?”

  “Marcus said he recently asked his dad why he never remarried. And it seems that he’s nitpicky, too.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes. And he gave almost the same exact answers as you did.” Tiffany chuckled. “Boy, adults sure are strange.”

  “Strange in what way?”

  Tiffany gave her mother a beaming smile. “If all of you are looking for the same thing in a person, then why is it so hard to find someone?”

  Before Kylie could answer her daughter’s question—not that she thought she had an answer anyway—the phone rang. Tiffany quickly picked it up. “Hello?”

  Kylie watched her daughter’s dark eyebrows lift curiously. “I’m fine, and yes, sir, she’s here. Just a moment, please.”

  Her daughter then stared at her with bright, penetrating eyes and whispered, “It’s for you and it’s Mr. Steele. He’s probably calling to make sure that you got everything on that list for the camping trip this weekend.”

  Kylie took the phone her daughter handed her. “Yes, I’m sure that’s why he’s calling,” she said, trying to keep her voice neutral but feeling she’d failed miserably. She hoped Tiffany hadn’t picked up on anything.

  “That’s really nice of him to call us all the way from Texas, isn’t it?”

  “Yes, it is.”

  “Well, it’s late and I have school tomorrow so I’m going to bed. Thanks for taking me shopping, Mom. Good night.”

  “You’re welcome and good night, sweetheart.”

  With quiet gravity Kylie watched Tiffany leave the room, closing the door behind her. It was only then that she turned her attention back to the phone and the man waiting on the line to talk to her.

  “Hello?”

  “Sorry about that, Kylie. I assumed Tiffany would be in bed by now.”

  “Usually she is but that’s okay. I took her shopping after school and we just got back a little over an hour ago.”

  Chance chuckled. “Must have been some shopping trip.”

  Kylie smiled. “Trust me, it was.” She didn’t want to sound too excited but she was glad to hear his voice. “How are things going?”

  “Busy. This is one of those annual meetings where the CEOs of various corporations get together, leave egos at the door and work on something we all need to improve within our companies.”

  “And what’s that?”

  “Employee relations. But I didn’t call to talk about that. I wanted to see how you and Tiffany were doing.”

  “We’re fine.” Actually, there was something concerning her. Maybe Chance could shed some light on it. “I know Tiffany talks to Marcus every day, but I’m a little concerned about something.”

  “What?”

  “Although I told him on Sunday that it would be okay if he wanted to visit with Tiffany for a few hours after school on occasion, he hasn’t done so.”

  “Umm, even with football practice I’m surprised he hasn’t jumped at the chance at least once. Does Tiffany seem bothered by it?” Chance asked.

  “No, and I know for a fact that they aren’t mad at each other.” Kylie sighed. Maybe things were different with teenagers today. She and Sam had practically tried living out of each other’s pockets. It had gotten so bad that he had become a regular fixture around her parents’ house, although they had wished otherwise.

  “Maybe I’m assuming too much here, Chance, but I thought with them being so ‘madly in love’ that once I gave the go-ahead for supervised visits that Marcus would become a constant visitor.”

  “That’s strange, bec
ause I know that I would.”

  “You would what?”

  “Become a constant visitor if you ever gave me the go-ahead.”

  Chance’s voice was hardly more than a whisper but she heard the underlying meaning loud and clear. Kylie’s breath hung in her throat for a brief second and then she took a deep, calming inhale, which was followed by a series of flutters in her stomach.

  “Kylie?”

  “Yes?” She was glad to say anything, even that one single word, to assure her that her vocal cords were still working and that they hadn’t drowned in all those sensations overtaking her.

  “May I ask a favor of you?” Chance asked.

  “Sure,” she said with a small shrug, certain he wouldn’t ask her to do anything indecent or immoral.

  “Would you pick me up from the airport tomorrow around lunchtime?”

  Surprise flickered in the depths of her dark eyes. “You want me to pick you up?”

  “Yes. My car is at the dealership getting serviced while I’m away. I can get one of my brothers to pick me up but I would like for you to…if it won’t be any problem.”

  “No, it won’t be a problem. But can I ask you something?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why do you want me to do it?”

  “You’ll find out when I see you.”

  The sound of his voice held promises she wasn’t sure she wanted him to keep. She’d been having a lot of mixed emotions since meeting Chance. A part of her knew that getting involved with him was not a good idea, but then another part of her—the one that lately was constantly reminding her that she was a woman with needs—was egging her on to enjoy what he was offering. At least within reason.

  “All right. Would you like to give me your flight information now?” For the next minute or so, she jotted down the information that he gave her.

  “Well, I’ll let you go now. I’m sure the shopping trip tired you out.”

  “Yes, it did somewhat. I appreciate you calling.”

  “I told you I would. I just hope my doing so hasn’t raised Tiffany’s suspicions. I know how much you don’t want the kids to think anything is going on between us.”

  “No, I don’t think your call did. In fact, she said she thought it was very considerate of you to call and make sure we were all set for this weekend.”

  “And are you all set for this weekend, Kylie?”

  More than I need to be, she thought, thinking of all the new outfits she had purchased with the hopes that he’d like each and every one of them. “Yes, I found all the items on the list, including the snake bite kit.”

  “Good girl. Now do something tonight when you go to sleep.”

  “What?”

  “Think of me.”

  CHANCE SETTLED BACK IN the bed after placing the phone back in the cradle. He hadn’t been able to concentrate on the summit all week because Kylie was on his mind. Hell, for the past couple of nights, he hadn’t been able to sleep a wink.

  It had been during Horace Doubletree’s speech that day when he’d suddenly came to the realization that it was a waste of time trying to fool himself any longer and that things for him had moved past him trying to get to know Kylie better. The truth of the matter was that he knew all he wanted to know. His heart had decided. He had fallen in love with her.

  How such a thing was possible he wasn’t sure; especially when the woman had been sending out conflicting signals since the day they met. She was attracted to him, although she was determined to fight that attraction every step of the way. Her independence, while a turn-on, had ironically become a major obstacle to the relationship. That meant he needed to probe deeper and somehow break through her defenses. He also needed to take one day at a time and wipe away the fifteen years of hurt and pain she’d endured and prove that with him there would only be happier days. Even without her realizing she’d been doing so, for the past couple of weeks she had been extracting an unusual type of strength from him.

  A strength of will.

  He’d been fighting an intense longing, a deep-rooted desire for her since that day he’d walked into her florist shop. He could now admit that the first time their eyes had connected his heart had slammed into fifth gear. No wonder lunch at the Racetrack Café had seemed fitting as a place for their first date. Even then he’d known that something special was within his grasp.

  After Cyndi died he’d actually thought that he could never love another woman again. And even with the few affairs he’d indulged in over the years, he’d never allowed his emotions to go any deeper than affection or desire. Yet here he had fallen hard for a woman whom he had never actually taken out on a real date, had never slept with and had never really spent more than a few hours with at a given time. His brothers would say such a thing was utterly insane. They would call in the shrink to have his head examined, or they would take him out somewhere and beat some sense into him. But then they would one day realize that some things in life were not meant to be understood, just accepted. Today he had accepted the fact that he had fallen in love.

  And he knew he had his work cut out for him.

  There was more than gentle pride in every bone in Kylie’s body. He knew just from the time he’d spent with her that she could be stubborn, willful and defiant. That was all well and good if she was dealing with any other man than him. But he refused to wait around for her to bolster her courage to take a chance and fall in love again—this time with a man who wouldn’t let her down. He still wouldn’t rush her into doing anything, but he definitely planned to show her how good things could be between them. He planned to jar her emotions, jump-start her heart and make her stare the truth in the face.

  There were chances in life worth taking and he was one “Chance” she should definitely take. In high school he and his brothers had been pegged as guys who were forged of steel. It was time to prove to Kylie that no matter what, he was a man with the endurance to withstand just about anything.

  THE NEXT DAY AT NOON Kylie was at the airport waiting for Chance to arrive. As usual, no matter what day of the week it was, Douglas International Airport was busy. People were scurrying to their connecting flights or to their rendezvous with their loved ones.

  When Chance’s flight number was announced, she turned and glued her eyes on the gate. Evidently he traveled in first class because it didn’t take long for him to exit the Jetway. He was dressed in an expensive suit, and his stride was long and confident as he passed through the gate. There appeared to be an aura of power and authority surrounding him. Chance Steele was one dynamic, compelling and forceful man.

  He looked so dependable, like the kind of man at whose feet a woman could leave her worries knowing he would take care of them and she wouldn’t ever have to carry them on her shoulders again. He also looked like the kind of man who could drive a woman crazy with desire. She could definitely attest to that.

  Her breath caught the moment their gazes met and she felt that immediate quiver of anticipation in her middle. He was going to kiss her. Somehow she knew, and heaven help her but she wanted that kiss more than anything.

  She watched his long, elegant stride eating the distance separating them. And with each step he made, a delicious heat inched its way through her veins, making her blood hot and leaving her wondering, not for the first time, how this particular man could affect her so. He was the type of man that fantasies were built on, and who made realities even more poignant. And with every step he took toward her, he was making anticipation that much sweeter.

  When he was within five feet of her, she saw the undisguised longing on his face. She could actually feel his desperation. There was a lot she didn’t understand, but at that moment the one thing she did accept was that in less than a minute, now more like a few seconds, she was going to be kissed senseless.

  ALL THE WHILE HE’D BEEN walking toward Kylie, the one thought that kept churning in Chance’s mind was that she was the woman he wanted and needed in his life.

  She was the woman he
loved.

  Other than his mother, he had never kissed a woman at an airport, but that thought was pushed to the back of his mind when he pulled Kylie into his arms and captured her lips with his. And as their lips engaged in one hell of a lockdown, he wished she could feel all the emotions flowing through him at that very moment.

  Knowing he had to get a grip before the kiss really turned raw and primitive, he reluctantly pulled back, but kept his arms around her waist, refusing to let her go anywhere. “Now that was worth coming back to,” he whispered softly.

  Kylie struggled for breath and then noted they had become the center of attention. “We’ve caused a scene.”

  He smiled. “Yes, but some scenes are worth causing.”

  She looked up at him. “Is this what you had in mind when you asked me to pick you up last night?”

  He reached out and caressed her cheek. “Not entirely, but it’s definitely a start. Come on, let’s get my luggage so we can get the hell out of here.”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  KYLIE COULDN’T REMEMBER the last time she had a problem with keeping her eyes on the road while driving. But Chance’s presence in her car was interfering with her concentration and wreaking havoc on her senses.

  After claiming his luggage, he had taken her hand as they walked out of the terminal to her parked car. Once he had placed his bags in her trunk, his arms had clamped around her waist, pulled her to him and he’d sunk his mouth down on hers in another kiss. The moment their lips connected, heat had exploded through her and the heavy bulge of his erection pressed to her middle had caused her entire body to ache.

  “We’ve got to stop doing this,” she’d said the moment he had released her mouth.

  “Why?” he had whispered hotly against her moist lips.

  “Because it won’t lead anywhere. It’s a dead-end.”

  His gaze had pinned her with a measured look. “And what if I told you that I see things differently?”

  “Then my response is that you need a new pair of eyes.”

  “I have very good vision, Kylie.” He’d then strolled to the passenger side of her car and got inside.