He looked right at her. “I won’t ask that of you. I’d rather move forward instead. I love you, Bree. I know you might not believe that after everything that’s happened, but losing you has only made me more painfully sure. I ache for you like I need my next breath. The days are dull and pointless without you. Even work doesn’t seem exciting anymore, without you there to share it.”
Bree’s chest expanded. “That photo shoot was pretty fun.” Even though I was going half-crazy trying to hide the hurt.
“Everything we did together was fun. Just going out for coffee and a walk in the park, or lying in bed watching the sun rise. I want to watch the sun rise with you, Bree. Tomorrow and every day after that. If you’ll take a chance on me again.”
His voice thickened, heavy with emotion, and she felt it echo through her. Odd thoughts flickered through her mind.
“I’m sorry I threw your grandmother’s ring on the floor.”
“It’s okay, I have it.” He reached into his pocket again. “I would really like it to go back on your finger.”
She noticed with some satisfaction that he was still wearing his ring.
He followed her gaze to his left hand. “I never took it off. I know our marriage got off to a rocky start, but I still believe in us, Bree. I believe in my heart that we’re meant to be together.”
“Are you saying my dad was a psychic?” She couldn’t resist teasing him.
“He might well be. They call him The Guru in financial circles. Maybe his prescience extends beyond spotting the next hot businesses to invest in.”
His wicked grin tickled something inside her. “He must be livid about the publicity.”
“I’m sure he is.” He shrugged. “But I didn’t care about him. I only cared about finding you. I’m sorry if the press embarrassed you, but I wanted everyone to know I was looking.”
“Pretty sneaky of you to send me that newspaper to soften me up.”
He frowned. “I didn’t send a paper. I just drove right up and came to your door.”
“How did you know I was here?”
He looked sheepish again. She saw his Adam’s apple move as he swallowed. “Elle.”
Bree blew out hard. “I swore her to secrecy! Of course, that was before I found out she had a dark side. I can’t believe she told you.”
“She took pity on me. I’m deliriously grateful to her.”
“She must have sent the paper. I made the mistake of telling her the town I’d be in. She seemed really keen to get us back together. Why would she care one way or the other?”
“Maybe she just thinks we’re perfect for each other.” He leveled a wary gray gaze at her. “She wouldn’t be the only one.”
Bree took in his handsome face, so filled with hope and desire. “Perfect for each other. That’s a tall order. We do fit together pretty well, though. Some of the puzzle pieces turned out to have some splinters on them, but I guess we could file them off together.”
His gaze darkened and his lips curved into a smile. “I can think of some creative ways to do that.”
“I’ll just bet you can.” She raised a brow. “Promises, promises.” Her breasts felt heavy and her belly already rippled with desire. Just being around this man was dangerous. But it was the kind of danger she no longer wanted to resist.
She took a step toward him. Gavin looked as if he wanted to devour her whole. Even with her makeover stripped away, she felt…sexy and irresistible.
“Can I touch you?” His voice was low, breathy.
“Okay.”
Eleven
Suddenly Gavin’s mouth was on hers, and her arms wrapped around his sturdy back. Bree clung to him as if she would never let him go.
The days of hurt and loneliness fell away as she sank into his warm embrace. Gavin devoured her, his kiss hungry, like a man who’d been starving for days. His fingers roamed into her hair and over her curves as he hugged her tight.
When they finally came up for air they were both gasping. “I’ve never felt so rotten in my life as the past few days without you,” breathed Gavin. “I knew I was crazy about you, but I didn’t know how much until I lost you.”
“My head is still spinning.” Bree leaned her cheek on his shoulder. “Everything’s been moving so fast since the minute we met. I’ve been so happy and so sad in such a short space of time.”
“I think it’s time we slowed right down and savored the moment together.” Gavin picked up one of her hands and kissed it. “Possibly in bed.”
Bree giggled. “I like the way you think.” She tipped her head to the bedroom where she’d been hiding from him so recently.
They hurried across the small cottage, anticipation stinging Bree’s skin. Already Gavin’s fingers plucked at the buttons on her plaid shirt, and his breathing became ragged. Desire darkened his gray eyes as he slid the shirt back over her shoulders to reveal…her dreariest white cotton bra.
“You’re so beautiful,” he rasped. “And your eyes are so much prettier without the green contact lenses. They’re softer and warmer and…” He let out a sigh. “I like the natural you best of all.”
He slid the shirt back over her shoulders and caressed her skin as if she was an object of fine art. Heat flared in her belly. Under Gavin’s admiring gaze she did feel beautiful. Her whole life she’d felt slightly inadequate and disappointing, until she met him. Under his keen attentions she’d blossomed into a confident woman, aware of her own attractions.
For a few days, that had all withered away. Yes, she’d maintained confidence in herself as an independent person, able to look after her needs and survive without anyone around to care for her. Now, as Gavin’s eager hands roved over her breasts and belly, and played in her hair, she morphed back into the desirable woman he’d awakened.
A fine haze of dark stubble shaded Gavin’s sculpted cheeks. He looked tired and haunted, but passion flashed in his gray eyes. She slid her fingers under his T-shirt and over his warm skin. “I didn’t think I was ever going to do this again.” Her heart squeezed. She hadn’t fully acknowledged all she’d lost when she left. Now the raw ache of loneliness rose to the surface and rolled away.
“I couldn’t acknowledge that possibility.” Gavin’s hands crept lower, inside the waistband of her gray sweats and over her hips. “Our bed felt so cold and empty without you. All I could think about was finding you and bringing you home.”
“You’ve found me.”
“But suddenly bringing you home doesn’t seem so urgent.” He nuzzled against her cheek, and his stubble tickled her skin. “Because wherever you are feels like home.”
Bree sighed. “I know exactly what you mean. I’d never really considered leaving the house I grew up in. It had always been my sanctuary, the place where I cherished my happy memories and maybe even hid from the world. Once I met you it didn’t matter anymore. I just wanted to be with you, to live with you and share everything.”
Her fingers had found their way to the button of his pants, and popped it free. She tugged down the zipper, urgency flaring in her blood.
Gavin unhooked her bra and pulled it away from her chest, replacing its close contact with his hot mouth. He eased her onto the bed, licking and sucking until her skin buzzed with arousal. She pushed his pants down over his strong thighs, and together they wriggled out of the last of their clothes.
He groaned with raw pleasure as her breasts pressed against his bare chest. He was hard as the brass bedpost and his erection pressed against her thigh, fueling her own intense arousal.
Their kissing became even more fevered, and Gavin was pulling Bree gently onto the bed when the familiar chime of his phone filled the air.
“Oh, no,” rumbled Gavin. “Let’s ignore it.”
“It might be important,” breathed Bree. “You do have a business to run.”
“Or it could be the press.” Gavin winced. “Speculating on where you are.”
“The missing heiress.” She giggled. “I guess we could tell them I’ve bee
n found. Though I rather like being mysterious.”
“That settles it.” Gavin drew her closer into his arms. “Forget about the rest of the world. Nothing matters but you and me.”
The ringing stopped as they collapsed onto the mattress together, Gavin’s arms firmly around her waist. Bree wriggled against him, enjoying the tantalizing closeness of his hard body.
Then the phone started to ring again.
Gavin groaned. “How can I answer the phone in this condition?”
“But if you don’t answer it, you may never get out of this condition.” Bree shot a glance at his all-too-obvious arousal. “I could lean over and answer it for you.” Bree narrowed her eyes. “But I’m wary about picking up your phone these days.”
Gavin cocked a brow. “I’d much rather you answer it while I’m right here so we can talk. I don’t want you getting upset and running out on me just when I least expect it.”
“Well, when you put it that way…” Bree reached down and fumbled with his pants on the floor until she found the phone. Heart pounding a little, she answered.
A crisp female voice responded. “Hello, this is Lazer Designs. We’re inquiring about the address to send the contract?”
“One moment.” Bree repeated the question for Gavin.
His eyes widened. “Tell them the apartment.”
Bree gave them the address. The voice at the other end said, “Wonderful, and if you could pass on to him that we’d like the entire package—print, radio and television.”
“I’ll let him know. Thanks.” She turned to Gavin. “Lazer Designs wants the entire package.”
Gavin let out a whoop of joy. “Yes! I told them the whole situation, about me giving back the money and having to scale back my start-up operation. I even told them I had to give up my lease on the office, which is why they’re calling about the address. I guess they decided to go with me anyway.”
“They know you’re the best.” Bree beamed with pride.
“With this contract I’ll be able to go full steam ahead. It’s a big furniture company with stores in fifteen major cities. They’ll keep me busy and fund operations and overhead for a good six months.” He turned to her with a smug smile. “Without a penny of your dad’s money.”
“See? You didn’t need it anyway. All you needed was the confidence to go out on your own.”
“And you by my side.”
“Literally, and figuratively.” They lay skin-to-skin on the soft bed. “And I believe we were in the middle of something before we got interrupted.”
“I apologize for the interruption.” Gavin layered soft kisses along her collarbone. “Pleasure before business from now on, at least for today. I love you. And I’m very, very hot for you.”
“I can tell.” She whispered the words into his neck. “And I’m pretty nuts about you, too. I’d have to be to take you back after everything that’s happened.”
“I’ll make it up to you.” He nipped at her neck and blew hot breath over it. Sensation flashed over her, tingling to her toes. “Starting right now.”
He caressed and kissed her all over as she writhed on the mattress. When she was almost ready to cry out with the force of her desire, he entered her, slowly and carefully, until he was deep inside her. His groan of deep, heartfelt relief sent a smile to her lips. “Welcome back,” she whispered. “I’ve missed you.”
“Don’t ever leave me again.” Gavin buried his face in her neck. “I couldn’t stand it.”
“Me, either,” she breathed. “Maybe we could just stay right here, forever.”
They moved together, enjoying each other’s bodies until the sun set outside the window. Then they took a break for dinner, before enjoying each other some more.
It was two full days before they set out on the road back to San Francisco.
“I guess flexible hours are one of the benefits of having your own business,” said Bree as she loaded her bag into her car. “You can take off whenever you feel like it.”
“As long as you’re with me.” Gavin kissed her and slammed the trunk. “I hate that we have two cars to drive back. I’ll be right on your tail the whole way.”
She laughed. “That’s almost challenging me to try to lose you.”
“You go ahead and try. This time I won’t let it happen. On a purely practical level, I need you to shoot the print ads for my new client.”
“Well, if it’s a professional commitment I suppose I’ll have to behave.”
Gavin frowned. “You never did put your wedding ring back on.”
“Does that make me a bad bride?”
“Unquestionably. But since I rather pressured you into putting them on last time, I’ll just give you the rings to do what you like with.” He fished in his pocket and pulled out the trio of diamonds and the engraved band.
They sparkled in his palm.
“I want to wear them.” Conviction unfurled in her chest. With none of the doubt that had given her pause last time. “I’m glad to be your wife and I want the world to know it.” She slid the rings onto her finger, where they settled comfortably against her skin. Then she bit her lip. “I need to speak to my dad. Maybe he thought he was trying to help me, but that kind of interference just isn’t right.”
“We might never have met without his interference.”
“I know, but he treats me like a child. Why couldn’t he have introduced us and then just left us alone to see what happened?” She cocked her head and narrowed her eyes. “Or would you have lost interest without that initial enticement?”
“Nope.” Gavin fixed her with his steady gray gaze. “I knew there was something special about you the moment I danced with you.”
A smile crept across her mouth. “The feeling was mutual.”
“And you’re right. Your dad shouldn’t be interfering in your life. You’re a grown woman. We’ll go see him this afternoon.”
Bree gulped. “Well, we don’t have to literally confront him….”
“Yes. We do. You do. And I think I do, too. He needs to know that what he did was wrong. That he shouldn’t be sticking his fingers in other people’s lives. Otherwise who knows what he’ll try next? He’ll be trying to run our marriage from his downtown office.”
Bree bit her lip. “You’re right. He has so many ideas about how things should be done. He’ll try to pick out our china for us and demand that our children are named after Kincannon ancestors, in the family tradition. I’m named for Briony Kincannon MacBride, born in 1651. We must stop him before he insists on naming our child Elliott.”
Gavin grinned. “That would be a serious matter. Let’s get moving.”
Back in town they dropped off their bags and freshened up, then set off for the Kincannon mansion. Gavin wanted to get over there before Bree had a chance to get nervous and back out. A phone call to the housekeeper had confirmed that her father was at home, catching up on work in his study. Bree told her to keep their visit a secret, so she could set the agenda for a change.
“He’s going to be mad about the publicity.” Bree twisted her fingers together as they climbed the stone steps to the mansion.
“He’ll get over it.” Gavin rubbed her back. “Stay strong.”
Lena, the housekeeper, gave Bree a warm hug and almost wept with happiness to see her back. “We were all so worried. The papers said you’d disappeared.” She shot a stern glance at Gavin. “You be more careful with Bree.”
“Trust me, I will,” he said with conviction. Lena rewarded him with a smile, and ushered them upstairs.
Gavin tensed slightly as Bree knocked on the tall wood-paneled door of Elliott Kincannon’s office. Bree, however, held her chin high and entered boldly when he said, “Come in.”
“Hi, Dad.” Gavin watched Bree falter for a moment as her father’s stunned expression turned to a dark glower.
“You’re back.” Kincannon frowned, then rose and rounded the desk. “I’m glad you’re unharmed.” He shot a dark look at Gavin, who willed himself t
o remain silent. He could think of a few things to say to Elliott Kincannon, but this was Bree’s moment.
She stared directly at him. “Why did you feel the need to pay someone to marry me?”
Kincannon cleared his throat. “I wanted to see you comfortably settled.”
“And you didn’t think that would ever happen without a financial incentive?” Bree cocked her head, causing her curls to fall over one shoulder.
“You’re twenty-nine. I was becoming concerned.”
“That I’d be an embarrassment to you.” She spoke softly. “That people would whisper about how Bree Kincannon is getting older and no one wants to marry her.”
“Of course not. I…” Her father had an uncharacteristically speechless moment.
“I’ve had offers, Dad. Several, in fact—some from men I’d barely met. When you have money, there are all kinds of people who’ll happily marry you just to get their hands on it. If I wanted someone who’d marry me for my money, I could handle that all by myself in no time.” She drew in a breath. “I was waiting for someone who’d marry me without wanting my money. Someone who was interested in me.”
Kincannon shot a glance at Gavin, then looked back at Bree. “I imagine Mr. Spencer’s gallant gesture of throwing my one millions dollars back in my face demonstrates to you that he is a man of such caliber.”
“It helped. We’ll never know what would have happened if you hadn’t offered him the money, but at least I know he still wants me without it.” Bree took a step toward Kincannon, who stood like a statue, dressed in a fitted pinstriped suit even in the privacy of his own home.
“Dad…” She reached out her hands and picked up one of his. “I really do believe you meant well. That you wanted me to marry a nice man and be happy. I don’t blame you for trying to micromanage the situation, since that’s just how you’re used to dealing with things.” She swallowed. “But please, in the future, let me make my own choices and live my life the way I see fit.”
Kincannon nodded, his stern face clouded with emotion. “I’ll do my best. It won’t be easy, though.” A smile lifted his wry mouth. “As you’ve observed, I am used to running the show.”
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