She would laugh, except somehow tears kept welling up, and now they’d made a big wet patch on the cheap newsprint. Ali rubbed against her leg and she leaned down to pet her. She saw the sticky note where it had fallen on the floor.
“I don’t want to watch TV, Ali. It’ll be even worse. Why can’t he just leave me alone?”
Ali mewed in agreement and wrapped her tail delicately around Bree’s calf. Still, curiosity goaded her into the tiny bedroom, to where a small but quite new television sat on a dresser. “I must be a glutton for punishment,” she murmured as she turned it on. “Or just silly. I’m sure there are far more interesting things going on in the Bay area than an unhappy heiress running off.”
Sure enough, the first channel showed people chugging some sports drink in a commercial, the second followed the blow-by-blow action of a local prize fight, and the third offered some cubic zirconia rings in a two-for-one deal.
“See? I’m getting an exaggerated sense of my own importance. No one cares about me at all.”
Except Gavin. The words snuck up from somewhere in her conscience.
“Him least of all,” she said aloud.
Then a thought crept over her. Had he brought the paper himself? Who else would care if she got his message? Perhaps he was out there somewhere, lurking in the rows of vineyard grapes behind the cottage, ready to spring on her and talk her back into his bed.
Never.
She crossed her arms, which were clad in a very unfashionable plaid work shirt she’d found in the closet. Probably from some farm manager who’d used the cottage for a while. These arms weren’t going anywhere near Gavin Spencer again.
Oversize cubic zirconia still sparkled on the screen, and she wondered if the ring he’d given her was really an heirloom from his grandmother or a fake he’d bought off the television. When you married a woman for money, it really didn’t make sense to throw in anything valuable.
It had been a pretty ring, though. She thought of it falling to the restaurant floor, among stray breadcrumbs and dropped napkins. She still could hardly believe she’d had the guts to do that. Totally unplanned, too! She’d been so upset and angry she hadn’t even given a thought to the big scene she was making. It was probably her fault as much as his that the papers had caught onto the story.
The amazing deal on fake diamonds segued into a vacuum-cleaner commercial. Then the local news logo popped up.
Turn it off, now!
Her mind marched toward the set, but her feet stayed firmly planted on the floor.
“Heiress Bree Kincannon is still missing, more than five days after her tearful breakup from her new husband.” A hideous picture of her filled the screen. The photo was at least five years old, because she recognized the awful plaid taffeta ball gown her aunt had talked her into wearing to some parties one season. With a goofy updo and a strand of big pearls, she looked every bit the lovelorn heiress.
Ouch. And why was she always an “heiress”? Why not “photographer Bree Kincannon,” or even a plain old “San Francisco native” or something?
Her inner monologue screeched to a halt as Gavin appeared onscreen. Dressed, as usual, in a sleek dark suit, heartbreakingly handsome.
She let out a whimper, then cursed herself for it. At least no one was around to hear her. One advantage of being a hermit.
“Yes,” Gavin said, leaning into a mike, “I’m worried. She’s been gone almost a week. No one has heard from her. Of course I’m concerned.”
“Do you think she’s extra vulnerable because she’s an heiress?”
Gavin looked confused for a moment.
The reporter drew closer. “Do you think she might have been kidnapped?”
Gavin’s lips parted in astonishment. “I don’t think so, but…” He frowned. “I suppose we can’t rule out anything until she comes back. That’s why I’m so desperate for word of her whereabouts.” He shoved a hand though his hair in that cute way he did when he was thinking. “Bree, wherever you are, please, call me right now. I don’t know what to do without you. You’re everything to me.”
The picture faded away into a story about penguins at the zoo. Bree stood staring, openmouthed, at the television.
She could almost swear from the look on his face that he meant every word. Her heart beat hard and painful against her ribs, swollen and ready to burst.
“Don’t let him do this to you!” she cried aloud. Already he’d turned her into the kind of maniac who ranted to herself. Still, what if he truly did think she’d been kidnapped, or worse? She didn’t want him actually worrying about her.
Maybe she should call and leave a message on his phone.
A message on his phone. That’s what started this whole mess in the first place. Why did everything have to be so complicated and awful?
The harsh doorbell ring jolted her hard. No way could she go to the door now, cheeks streaked with tears. Even if it was just the mailman, he might have seen the news. She wouldn’t be able to go to the store for eggs without people staring. She snapped the TV off.
Again the doorbell rang, harsh and insistent.
“Go away.” She hissed the words, not intending for them to be heard.
“Bree.” A deep voice boomed into the cottage. It reverberated across the living room and into the bedroom where she stood.
Gavin.
The breath rushed from her lungs and her knees felt weak. Stay silent. He can’t see you here. He’ll go away.
But every nerve ending in her body stung with the urge to rush to the door.
“Bree, are you there? It’s me, Gavin.”
She closed her eyes and tried not to breathe.
“I miss you terribly.” His words echoed through the silent cottage. “I haven’t been able to sleep since you left.”
She knotted her hands together as his words wrapped around her. She hadn’t slept much either. It was hard to sleep alone once you got used to having a warm, well-muscled body next to you.
Remember, it’s the money he’s after, not you. The icy blast of memory kept her feet rooted to the floor.
“I gave the money back.”
Her chin shot up. Had he really?
“I didn’t want it anymore. I can’t believe I took it in the first place. I was just so caught up in the idea of going out on my own that I didn’t think about how it would look to you.”
“Because you thought I wouldn’t find out.” The words flew out of her mouth—barely more than a whisper—before she could stop them.
“Bree, you are there!” He rattled the door handle. “Let me in, please. I have so much apologizing to do.” The urgency in his voice tugged at her heart.
“What if I don’t want to hear it?” she said weakly. It took all her strength not to rush right into his treacherous arms.
“I’m just so glad you’re safe.” His relief rang across the space. Suddenly the wall between them seemed too much a barrier for her to bear. Bree found herself walking across the wood floor, silent in her tube socks. When she reached the doorway, she peered around the molding toward the front door, which had two frosted glass panes. She could see the tall shadow of a man—a very particular man—blocking the light behind them.
She stopped. Once she opened the door and got a look at him, she might lose all ability to think straight. “Did my dad demand the money back?”
“No. He demanded that I get you back. He’s not a man who acknowledges the possibility of failure.” Humor echoed in his deep voice.
“I guess that’s why you’re here, then.” She spoke flatly.
“No! I’m here because I want you back. I need you back. Bree, I never imagined I could be so dependent on another person for my happiness. Ever since you left, I’ve been miserable.” Emotion reverberated in his gruff voice. “Please open the door. I don’t think I can survive another moment without seeing your face.”
Bree’s heart squeezed. Then she remembered the tear streaks, her unstyled hair, her plaid shirt, sweats and tube socks.
“I’m not at all sure you’ll like what you see.”
“Trust me, if it’s you, I’ll like it.”
“I’m not glammed up.”
“All the better. Nonstop glamour was a bit exhausting.” Laughter hovered around his voice.
Bree walked very slowly to the door, still not at all sure whether she was going to open it. Her feet seemed to be moving of their own accord with the rest of her going along for the ride. When she reached the door she put her hand on the brass knob and hesitated.
Gavin was there, less than a foot away. She could see his tall silhouette on the other side of the decorated panes, and she could almost feel the heat of his skin even through the wood and glass. Her blood heated and a strange prickling sensation ran all over her. “If I open it, will you promise not to touch me?”
She was afraid of the power he had over her. Too handsome for his own good and far too charming to be safe. He could talk anyone into anything, which was of course how he made his living.
“I’ll put my hands in my pockets. Is that okay?”
She swallowed and nodded. “Yes.” She turned the knob slightly, and put her other hand on the key.
The click of the latch made her heart jump, and she pulled the door open very, very slowly. Bright noonday light shone in, and her eyes found themselves staring at a white T-shirt stretched over a thickly muscled chest.
Sure enough, his hands were buried in the pockets of his dark pants. She allowed her eyes to creep up slowly toward his face, up his muscled neck to that angled jaw. Across his sensual mouth, caught hovering on the brink of a smile, to his assertive nose.
Gray eyes twinkled with anticipation. His dark hair was tousled, one lock hanging over his forehead. If anything he looked more gorgeous than ever. The urge to rush into his firm embrace was almost overwhelming….
But not quite.
“You and my father cooked this whole scheme up before we even met, didn’t you?”
His lashes lowered in a sheepish expression. “That’s true.”
“Who came up with it?”
Gavin inhaled, broad chest rising under his white T-shirt. “I’m afraid he did. At first I thought he was joking. I was introduced to him at the gala and we chatted about my ambitions, just casual talk. Then he started asking more and more questions about me—where I was from, where I went to school, what I wanted to accomplish.”
“No doubt he was making sure your origins wouldn’t embarrass the great Kincannon name.” She spoke drily.
A smile tugged at his mouth. “No doubt. I think he liked that I come from a long line of army generals.”
“The Kincannons were a warlike people. Some say they still are.” She fought her own smile. “So he came right out and asked if you’d consider marrying me for the right sum?”
Gavin looked down at the doorstep. “Yes. Like I said, I thought he was joking at first. Then he introduced me to you and we hit it off. When he and I talked later on that night, he assured me he was perfectly serious and that I was off to an excellent start.”
Bree’s chest tightened. “Do you have any idea how humiliating this is for me?”
“I can see now that it was totally wrong, but at the time…I don’t know, it seemed kind of—old school. Like your dad.”
“Biblical, even. A sort of dowry.” She narrowed her eyes.
“Yeah.” He winced. “Kind of like that. I guess the idea of all that money to start my own business made me look past the more unsavory aspects of the situation.” He let out a sigh. “I’m really, really sorry.”
Her chest tightened. “Don’t be. You’re very far from being the only man who might be tempted into marriage by the promise of a million dollars. I guess I should consider myself lucky he at least picked someone good-looking.”
The hint of a smile hovered at the corner of his mouth again. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“Oh, come on, you know you’re handsome.” She twisted her mouth and surveyed him. “That’s probably why you were so confident you’d pull it off. You must have women eating out of your hands.”
He glanced down to where his hands were still thrust into his pockets. “Not right now.”
“You keep them there. Those hands are dangerous.” She crossed her arms over her plaid-covered chest. “But I’m glad to finally hear the truth. I bet you were pretty alarmed when you met me. You probably thought I’d be a willowy blonde in a slinky black dress.”
“I’m very glad you’re not. I prefer curvy brunettes.” Mischief sparkled in his eyes.
Something fluttered in her chest, but she resolved to keep steady. “Did you really think, that first night, that you’d go through with it?”
Gavin frowned. “I didn’t think all that much. I just enjoyed our dance and knew I wanted to see you again.”
“You moved in fast. Swept me right off my feet.”
“You weren’t the only one getting swept off your feet. I knew right away that you were special.”
She swallowed hard. “I prefer the truth.”
“That is the truth.” He looked pained. “Though I don’t honestly know how to make you believe it after everything that’s happened. All I can say is that I gave back the money because I realized it doesn’t mean anything to me without you.”
His words wrapped around her as his gray gaze challenged her to argue.
“But what about your business? Will you have to close it?”
He shrugged. “Quite possibly, but I couldn’t enjoy running it anyway if it meant losing you.”
She raised a brow. “That’s true on one level, at least. I bet my dad would demand the money back if you didn’t get me to toe the line.”
“It’s a moot point now. I don’t want it. I’d never take money from him or anyone again unless I earned it honestly.” His sincere expression tugged at her heart. “I’ve been ashamed of myself ever since I realized how much I hurt you. I was an idiot, and I can only hope you find it in your heart to forgive me.”
She glanced down at her chest. “I’m not even sure where my heart is, let alone whether I can find anything in it. It’s been a stressful week.”
“For me, too. I’ve been utterly miserable without you.”
His serious expression almost made her laugh. “Oh, come on, I’m sure you’ve been far too busy wheeling and dealing to spend time moping over me.”
“I’ve been far too busy running around trying to find you to do any wheeling and dealing. I was beginning to think you’d moved abroad. It’s much harder finding a runaway heiress than a regular person with a job they have to show up at.”
She let out a sigh. “Yes, poor little rich girl crying her eyes out at her luxurious Napa Valley hideaway. I guess it’s no wonder the press make fun of me.”
“No one’s been making fun of you, but a lot of people are worried. I’ve been fielding phone calls from all over the world, some of them less than pleasant. You have a lot of friends.”
“I do?”
“Unquestionably. One guy from Colombia was so angry I thought he was going to threaten me.”
She smiled. “Oh, that’s Pedro. We were in theater club together in college. He’s a sweetie.”
“And a girl from New York gave me a thorough dressing-down and told me I was a cad.”
She chuckled. “That’d be Lacey. She’s very out-spoken.”
“And your aunt Freda…” He blew out a breath. “She doesn’t mince words, either.”
“So you can’t wait to call them all back and tell them not to worry, you tracked Bree down and everything’s hunky-dory again.”
“Actually, I couldn’t care less about them.” He narrowed his eyes and stared right at her. “There’s only one person I care about.” His hands twitched in his pockets, as if he could barely stop himself from pulling them out. “She’s right here and she’s the most important person in the world to me.”
Ali twisted around Bree’s legs. “Careful, you’re making my cat jealous. I don’t think she’
s going to let you in.”
Gavin looked down at the cat. “Come on, Ali, give a guy a break.”
Ali stuck her tail in the air and marched back inside.
“Hmm.” Bree cocked her head. “That response could be interpreted a number of ways.”
“I think she means ‘Come on in’ in cat lingo.”
“Either that or ‘Get lost, punk.’” A grin flashed over her face.
“I guess I can’t blame her if it’s the latter, but I do hope you’ll be more forgiving.” He glanced down at his hands. “And maybe let me take my hands out of my pockets.”
“Oh, okay. Just watch where you put ’em.” She gave his bronzed forearms a suspicious look.
“I’ll make sure they behave.” His hands emerged from his pockets and hung innocently by his sides. “Though I’ll warn you, they’re pretty darn desperate to wrap themselves around you.”
Bree bit her lip to hide a smile. “I did miss you, a little bit.”
“Only a little bit, huh?”
She held up a thumb and finger, close together. “Maybe this much.”
“I missed you so much it still hurts, even now that I’m here with you.”
“I could get you an aspirin.”
“A hug would work better.” His charming, slightly arrogant grin made her smile and annoyed her at the same time. Of course he expected his charm to work on her.
And of course it did. “You might as well come in. I don’t want the neighbors to see you loitering.”
Gavin glanced over his shoulder. There wasn’t a single house in view. “Good point. The crows might talk.”
“We don’t want them leaking anything to the press.” Her whole body tingled and crackled with anticipation. Gavin’s large, masculine presence in the room seemed to fill it and make it smaller. He smelled delicious—outdoorsy and slightly leathery, with a hint of sweat.
She liked making him sweat. “I suppose you expect me to forgive you.”
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