“Why did you ask me to lunch?” Once she’d asked the blunt question, Kaylee regretted it. But there was no way to retract her words.
He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he stared at her with a strange glint in his eyes. “Why not?”
“That’s just like a politician to answer a question with a question.”
He chuckled.
“I asked first.”
He thought for another long second, then said, “Why can’t you accept the fact that I wanted to be with you?”
“Ah, another question.” Kaylee forced a smile. “We’re not making much progress.”
“Sure we are. We’re talking.”
“That we are,” she responded, watching his mouth take on a sensual curve. She averted her gaze.
“Kaylee, look at me.”
His husky voice did nothing to calm her frayed nerves. She had to get a grip on herself or she wouldn’t make it through the remainder of the meal without making a complete fool of herself. Their conversation was getting far too personal, thanks to her.
“Kaylee,” he repeated.
She responded to the soft steel in his tone.
“What?”
“You’re a lovely woman with all the right stuff. You have to know that.”
For a moment she was mesmerized by his long brown fingers as they toyed with the stem of his now empty wine-glass. She concentrated on the splattering of wiry black hair on his wrists.
He was a man’s man and the sense of suffocation she felt at his nearness almost overwhelmed her. She’d never had this kind of strong reaction to anyone, but then when it came to the opposite sex, she’d had only one close encounter and that was with Kenny, who in the scheme of things didn’t count.
So why should she be so drawn to a man she could never have?
“You’re wrong,” she said at last. “I don’t have any of the right stuff.”
“Someone sure did a number on you.”
Kaylee blinked. “What makes you think that?”
He ignored her question. “I’d like to get my hands on the bastard.”
This time she was taken aback and didn’t bother to hide the fact. “You don’t know anything about me.”
“I know that much,” he said flatly.
She felt color flood her face, but she didn’t deny it because it was, after all, the truth.
“I’d like to change the subject, if you don’t mind.”
“Fine, but first, know that I’m here with you, right now, because I want to be.”
Kaylee fought the urge to get up and get away from him. She didn’t like his being sweet to her. She didn’t want to feel this unwelcome attraction toward any man, especially Cutler.
She looked away one more time. “Tell me about your reelection chances.”
A smile tugged at his lips. “Okay, you win. For now, that is.”
“Thanks,” she said with a tinge of sarcasm.
His smile stretched into a grin, then disappeared. “My reelection bid. I’d say there’s a chance I might be defeated.”
“Surely not.”
“Winston Gilmore’s a formidable opponent.”
“Still, it’s awfully hard to beat an incumbent.”
“Not if you’ve chalked up a lot of enemies.”
“Is there a reason for that?”
Cutler shrugged. “I’ve been told I’m too hardheaded and hard-assed.”
She smiled. “At least you admit it.”
“Oh, I know my shortcomings, all right, only—”
“You’re not willing to do anything about them.”
“Ah, you’ve already got me pegged.”
His smile again sent her pulse racing. “Not hardly.”
He let that slide. “I’m due to try several controversial cases, any of which could sink my ship.”
“Even if you win them.”
“Either way, I’m going to piss someone off.”
She blew out a breath. “So how do you de-stress?”
“My ranch. Whenever I get the chance, I hightail it there and hole up. Takes the starch out every time.”
“Somehow that doesn’t surprise me—the ranch, that is.”
“I betcha the boots were a dead giveaway.”
“You think so,” she said in a teasing tone.
Cutler laughed outright and then sobered, with the exception of the gleam in his eyes that was centered on her, and her pulse quickened even more. He was flirting with her, and she was flirting back. But how could she not? His magnetism could incite a riot in a nunnery.
“So how do you chill?”
“I don’t.”
“That’s not true.”
“Oh?”
“You’re chilling now.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Wanna bet?”
Kaylee pursed her lips, which drew another laugh from him.
“Gotcha, right?”
She didn’t bother to respond, cautioning herself to pause and take note of the dangerous game she was playing. She had no intention of becoming a casualty of this man.
“Mind if I ask you something?”
“I have a feeling I should say no.”
“Feel free.”
She sighed openly. “What is it?”
“How long have you been like this?”
“And how is that?”
His eyes delved with laserlike intensity. “Crippled.” Ordinarily the use of that word flew all over her, even if it was the truth and even if she’d goaded him into saying it. But coming from him, said in such a nonchalant manner, it was not in the least offensive.
“Since I was sixteen.”
“That’s a hell of a long time.”
“That it is.”
“I’d like to know what happened, but if you don’t want to share—”
“Some other time, perhaps.”
“That’ll work.” He paused. “Are you ready to get out of here?”
“Let’s go.”
Cutler paused again, his gaze locking with hers. The expression in his eyes made her feel hot and breathless and more than a little alarmed.
“Come on,” he said huskily.
She was about to get into the car when it happened. She misstepped, losing her balance.
Just as the pavement rose to meet her, Cutler cried, “I’ve got you, Kaylee!”
Ten
“Want me to come back later?”
Edgar had responded to Drew’s “Come on in” before he realized his boss wasn’t alone. Glen Yates, whom Edgar didn’t particularly like, occupied one of the plush chairs in front of Drew’s massive desk.
Pointing to the chair next to Glen’s, Drew said, “Take the load off. We need to know how the mill project is going, anyway.”
Edgar nodded at Glen before he made himself comfortable, propping one foot across his knee.
“You were saying.” Drew refocused on Glen.
“From what I’ve been able to gather, boss, the company hasn’t been dumping waste illegally.”
“Would you swear to that on the Bible?” Drew asked.
Glen was silent for a moment, pulling on one corner of his mustache. “Nope. I couldn’t go that far.”
Drew responded with a smile. “Then we’re good to go.”
“Meaning that if we contact the EPA and hint that dumping may be taking place, then the company’s goose is cooked.”
Drew’s smile ripened. “Just the mere hint of scandal, and the rest is history, as they say.”
“Their stock will plummet,” Edgar put in, “and you’ll get the mill for nothing.”
Drew looked at him with a cocksure grin. “And the beat goes on.”
“And on,” Glen added with gleeful sarcasm.
Edgar had planned on keeping his mouth shut, but it hadn’t worked out that way. What his boss was up to with these small family-owned businesses turned his stomach. On the other hand, Drew did a lot of good in the community, making it difficult to figure him out.
>
To date, the good seemed to outweigh the bad, which helped ease Edgar’s conscience. While he didn’t always agree with how Drew conducted his business enterprises, he wasn’t fit to judge him.
Edgar owed Drew too much to lambaste him for his modus operandi. He had been a godsend to Kaylee, and that had earned Drew his complete loyalty.
“What’s going on with the creosote plant?”
“Nothing definitive yet,” Edgar said. “I’m still gathering data. I’ll let you know.”
“That’ll work.”
Glen uncoiled his hefty body and stood. “If that’s all, boss, I’ll be about my rat killing.”
“Check in later,” Drew demanded.
“Will do.”
Once Edgar and Drew were alone, Edgar came straight to the point. “Do you know Cutler McFarland?”
“The D.A.?”
“Yep.”
“Sure I know him, though not well. However, I have contributed to his campaign. Not a great sum, but respectable.” Drew’s eyes narrowed. “Why the interest in McFarland?”
“You’re probably going to think I’ve lost it, and maybe I have, but—” Edgar broke off, struggling to find the right words to say what was on his mind without coming off sounding like a complete imbecile.
“What the hell, Edgar? Spit it out.”
Drew wasn’t one who enjoyed small talk. For Drew, time was money.
“Be patient with me,” Edgar said, clearing his throat. “I’ll get to my point shortly.”
Drew gave him an irritated look, but didn’t argue.
“Is he an okay guy?”
“As far as I know.” Drew stood, then added in a contrary tone, “But I’m really not qualified to make that call.”
“He came to the chamber party and spent some time with Kaylee.”
Drew’s brows shot up. “Oh?”
“Kaylee seemed to really like him.”
“Did she tell you that?”
“No.”
“Didn’t think so.”
“But I saw how she reacted to him.”
“Edgar—”
“Hear me out, okay?” No matter the outcome, he was doggedly determined to have his say.
Drew fiddled with his pen. “I’m listening, though not very patiently.”
“It appeared they were actually flirting with each other.”
Drew looked astonished. “Kaylee, flirting?”
“I know. I was stunned, too.” Edgar paused, then stumbled on. “But the more I observed, from afar I might add, I became convinced there was chemistry between those two.”
“That’s great.”
“That’s my feeling, too, only Kaylee won’t admit to that or do anything about it.”
“Which is her call, right?”
Edgar ignored Drew’s unveiled sarcasm. “Yes, but—”
“Hey, get a grip, man. You can’t go masterminding your daughter’s love life behind her back. That’s ludicrous. More to the point, she would have a conniption fit.”
Edgar felt his face sting, but he wasn’t about to back down. “If I can do anything that will help Kaylee have the things she wants, like a home and family, then I’m prepared to do it.”
“You’re crazy,” Drew muttered. “Give the girl credit for having some sense.”
“Tell me you wouldn’t like to see her married.”
“Of course I’d like that. Hell, I’d love to buy her a house with a white picket fence around it and see her have two point three children—the American dream, right? But we both know that’s not in the cards for her.”
“I refuse to think that.”
“I love her, too, you know. But again, that’s her choice whether to get involved with a man or not.”
“At least McFarland’s not married. I just wonder if he has someone special.”
Drew snorted. “Did you hear what I just said?”
Edgar pursed his lips.
An expletive shot out of Drew’s mouth. “I don’t know whether McFarland’s married or not and frankly I don’t give a damn. I do know that every time I see him socially, he has a different woman on his arm.”
“Which means he just hasn’t found the right one.”
“You’re close to pissing me off, Edgar. Leave Kaylee and her love life be. Trust me, if you don’t, you’ll end up regretting it.”
“I thought you’d be more supportive.” Edgar found himself hard-pressed to keep the bitterness out of his tone.
Edgar stood, though not on steady legs. They felt like putty, but he didn’t let on. “I’ll certainly give your advice some thought.”
“I suggest you do.”
“But I’m making no promises,” Edgar added on a firm note.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Edgar made his way of out the office, his shoulders stooped and his heart heavy.
The fact that he couldn’t stay focused was not good. Cutler had come to the office early once again to clear some of the debris off his desk before the office came alive. So far, he’d made little progress. Instead of concentrating on his important day in court, his mind kept drifting to Kaylee.
Their time together had been both delightful and disastrous. He blamed himself for the latter, though he couldn’t exactly say why. Maybe it was because he made her nervous, even though that wasn’t blatantly apparent. But he knew women. Underneath her confident facade he’d sensed Kaylee was definitely not in her comfort zone.
Still, that wouldn’t have made her lose her balance and stumble, something he bet she didn’t do often. But on second thought, how would he know? He hadn’t been in her company enough to know anything personal about her, especially when it came to her damaged leg.
A deep sigh escaped Cutler, and he rubbed the back of his neck in frustration. Looking back on the incident turned his stomach inside out.
He had reached her just in time. If he’d been a second later, Kaylee would have gone down. “I’ve got you,” he’d muttered, grasping her forearm. “Easy does it.”
Once she was upright, she closed her eyes and breathed deeply. Then she unexpectedly sagged against him. He didn’t know what he’d expected, but not that. When her body made contact with his, he’d felt a surprising jolt, almost like an electrical shock. He went hard instantly before creating a safe distance between them, though he kept a tight hold on her arm.
“Thanks for helping,” she said at last, keeping her gaze averted.
He knew she was humiliated, if not mortified, but her voice held strength and just the right amount of dignity. What a class act, he thought, even in the midst of adversity. He wanted to express that to her, but for some reason he didn’t, sensing she might take it the wrong way.
“No problem,” he muttered, guiding her toward the vehicle and into it.
Once he was behind the wheel, she faced him and said, “I don’t make a habit of that.”
“Didn’t think you did.”
“But sometimes my leg seems to have a mind of its own. And most of the time that’s not good.”
“You don’t owe me an explanation,” he said, keeping his voice light and even, trying desperately to put her at ease. Whether he pulled that off or not remained to be seen. He didn’t want this fiasco to be a deal breaker. He wanted to see her again. She intrigued the hell out of him.
He wouldn’t go so far as to say he was smitten, but he was close. And while that scared the hell out of him, too, it also excited him.
“I know I don’t owe you an explanation, but—” Kaylee’s voice broke off.
He glanced sideways and saw that she had clamped down on her lower lip as though struggling to get her thoughts out. He’d give anything to have been holding her arm, sparing her this embarrassment.
“No buts attached, okay?”
“Now you see why I don’t—” Again she broke off.
“I want to see you again.” He hadn’t planned on saying that. The words just tumbled out of his mouth.
Kaylee stared at hi
m wide-eyed. “What?”
“You heard me,” he muttered.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Would you have said that if you hadn’t stumbled?” He saw no point in soft-pedaling the truth. He’d always called a spade a spade; if he had judged her right, so had she.
“Yes,” she said.
He chuckled. “I hate to call you a liar again, but I’m going to.”
“You’re awfully sure of yourself, aren’t you?”
The irritation was clear in her voice, but instead of giving offense, it further amused him. “I’ll admit you’ve thrown me a bit of a curve.”
“Somehow that doesn’t bring me comfort.”
Although her tone bordered on stiffness, he heard a touch of humor, which gave him hope. In fact, his chuckle deepened.
She cut him a look, then smiled. Moments later they were at her office. Before he could move, she had the door open and was out. “Thanks for lunch.”
“I’ll be in touch.”
Her response had been to turn her back on him, then make her way inside. He hadn’t driven off until he could no longer see her. He just wished he could stop seeing her now, in his mind. To see her was to think about her, making him want to grab the phone and call her. But he knew that type of heavy-handedness wouldn’t work with her.
If he wanted a relationship of any kind, he had to tread softly. When it came to men, she was as skittish as a newborn colt. The kiss had proved that. If she was afraid of him and his motives, he wouldn’t get to first base with her.
That was why he had kissed her with far more distance than he wanted. He’d wanted to harden the contact with his tongue. But he’d dared not for fear of irreversible consequences. But he’d definitely craved more.
It had been years since he’d found a woman who actually tasted good. And she’d tasted damned good. And smelled good, too. And felt good. She hadn’t been immune to him either. He’d felt a flicker of response, even if she might not admit it.
He had no intention of letting the spark between them die, if for no other reason than to remove that sadness from her eyes. With that thought, Cutler placed his hand on the receiver just as he heard the beep on his speaker phone.
“You’re due in court. Now.”
Evening Hours Page 7