Hot Property

by Lacey Diamond

  And just because he’s not the one marrying Stephanie doesn’t mean he was looking for more than a little fling. He never admitted to loving you. Nor had he committed himself to more than a one time roll between the sheets.

  Betsy had listened. She even weighed the magical sensations that he’d evoked in her to the pain of her heart being broken. In the end, she decided the pain was too severe. A life threatening risk she wasn’t willing to take.

  She left the office and went home hoping to dive into a household project to pass the hours. Needless to say, nothing short of plopping in front of the television sufficed. And that just wouldn’t do. Not when the beautiful fall day beckoned her to come out and enjoy.

  When she went outside and hopped on her motorcycle, she knew it was exactly what she wanted to do. She sped in that same direction she most always rode.

  As she neared her destination, she felt her nerves tighten. A combination of fear and excitement tugged at her insides. If the bank approved her loan she would’ve kept that first promise she made to herself all those years ago. Both promises fulfilled since she had decided to keep her guard firmly in place around men at all times, especially around Skylar Blakewood. If the bank happened to turn down the loan request-well, she just wouldn’t think about that. She couldn’t.

  Betsy caught sight of that magnificent piece of architecture that graced the hilltop. She inhaled deeply, savoring the sight.

  Instead of taking the next second to glance at the road to see if she was too close to the edge or center line, her eyes slowly looked down the hillside.

  “My God!” she gasped in thrilling disbelief by the sight. But that was a split second before she gave out a scream when she flew over the handlebars.

  On impact of hitting the hard ground she did a double somersault before she sprawled out on her back in the tall patch of clover.

  The sound of the ground vibrating beneath her sent her scrambling to get up. She didn’t have to see him to know it was the sound of Skylar running to her aide that was causing the earth to move.

  He came into view as he charged toward her. His breath was heavy on her as he reached down to help her up.

  “Are you all right?” he asked with panic on his face and in his voice.

  Betsy felt too embarrassed to look him in the eyes and brushed off her pants when she answered. “I’m fine.

  “Did you blow a tire or--”

  Betsy finally met his gaze just in time to see the deep concern. “Nothing that drastic. Guess I took my eyes off the road too long and smacked into the bank.”

  “Do you do this sort of thing often?” This question had come with an amused grin.

  She averted her gaze to the hillside where she’d been looking right before she wrecked. “Only when something so eye-catching grabs my attention.”

  Skylar stared at the hillside. “So you were looking at the trees I just finished planting.”

  The trees and you, she almost said but instead just nodded in acknowledgment.

  “Little buggers, aren’t they? But in ten years I guarantee they’ll be the fullest and prettiest bunch of Christmas trees from here to Timbuktu

  Betsy laughed. “I haven’t heard that--” she broke off. Her expression stone-cold-sober.

  “You were saying?”

  She was about to say she hadn’t heard that saying since her dad said it to her when she was a little girl. One of the occasions he came home after being away for what seemed like an eternity.

  Betsy had asked him where he’d been and he told her Timbuktu. Then he chuckled as he scooped her up in his arms and swung her around as if he was the happiest man alive.

  But Betsy didn’t want to think about that time in her life any more. If she did, then she’d remember the devastation she felt when he left that last time and never came back from Timbuktu.

  “I was saying it’ll be fun to watch the little buggers sprout up.”

  Skylar casually placed his arm on her shoulder, his eyes focused on the miniature pine and spruce trees as if he were mesmerized by them. “I’d kind of like to watch them grow too.”

  “Yes, well you can drive by daily if you want,” Betsy mentioned as she shrugged off his arm and leaned over to pick up her bike.

  A move she had to make. Otherwise, that rock-like protective coating that surrounded her would’ve been full of cracks within seconds from his touch.

  “Betsy,” his voice came to her in that familiar husky whisper. “If you can’t get loan approval to purchase the house, I’m taking it off the market.”

  She jerked her head around and glared at him as he continued. “There’s nothing I’ve built before that I’m not proud of. But this place has become special. I guess it’s the kind of home I’ve always dreamed of settling down in.”

  Betsy was speechless.

  “Do you know what I mean? Putting down roots. Marrying--starting a family. This is where it begins.”

  One heat wave after another began attacking Betsy. She swallowed and swallowed again to try and combat the sensations.

  Finally, she felt safe enough to believe when she attempted to speak the words would come. “But we have a contract.” Okay, her voice had worked. But it lacked the firmness she so desperately felt it needed at this moment.

  “I know. And I plan to compensate you. You’ll have the full commission you’re entitled to.”

  “Well I couldn’t accept,” she protested, her voice gaining strength. “Besides, I don’t plan on my loan being denied.”

  “Did you apply at City Savings?”

  “I did.”

  “So we’ll know after tonight’s meeting if your loan’s approved.”

  “I guess we will,” Betsy agreed, staunchly.

  Without further ado, she swung her leg over the seat of her bike with the full intention of leaving.

  “On the other hand, we could work out a compromise no matter who winds up with the house,” Skylar stated in one quick breath.

  Betsy froze. She had an idea what he was referring to and it pushed her panic buttons.

  “If you’re talking about sharing the place--”

  “You don’t like the idea?”

  “It’s a crazy idea,” she declared and made a run for it while she still had the chance.

  It took two attempts before the engine roared on and she steered the bike back onto the road and sped toward home; away from him and the outrageous, yet tempting offer.

  She made it home in record time. Safe, in the sanctum of her home. At least for now. And hopefully, long enough to strengthen her weakening armor.

  Times like this sure made her want to surrender the fight though. How bad could it be sharing the house with Skylar? That is if the bank were to turn her down. Then, would sharing the same bed be part of the deal Skylar had offered?

  “What in the world are you doing?” she demanded of herself out loud.

  Perhaps one day she could let down her guard altogether. That is if someone of the opposite sex offered marriage and was sincere about loving her. But sharing a house--a bed, with one without commitment would never do. Even if the man happened to be Skylar Blakewood.

  A one-sided love affair wouldn’t work. At least Betsy didn’t think so. In any event, she refused to give it a trial run.

  “And that is that.”

  She did it again as she plopped on the sofa. She was talking to herself. Maybe she was losing her mind.

  The evening ahead was one of the longest, nerve racking ones Betsy could remember. And as the hours dwindled away, trying to sleep was like asking for a miracle.

  The entire night she was plagued with this eerie feeling the bank had turned down her loan request.

  There was an alternative to the misery she was in. She could call a board member and hope they’d give her an answer. A simple yes or no would do. But then, that would be highly unprofessional.

  She’d just have to wait it out until morning and go through the proper channels, which meant putting a call into H
elen, the loan officer who had taken her application.

  The decision certainly didn’t relieve her of the unsettling sensation tugging at her. Nor did the wonderment of what she’d do if the loan was denied. She wanted to think she’d allow more time for the business to prosper. Then, she’d find another perfect hilltop.

  There were occasional feelings of guilt that hit hard. What about Skylar? Had he really fallen in love with the house as he’d more or less professed? If so, could she hurt him like that? Okay, so I’m not made of steel. Because when it came right down to it, Betsy knew no matter what news Helen gave her in the morning, she was not purchasing the house. Skylar could keep it.

  Betsy remembered her eyelids getting heavier and heavier. The next thing she remembered was hearing the telephone ringing, rousing her instantly.

  She bolted upright and had the receiver in her hand before the second ring.

  “Hello,” she answered rushed. In the very next breath she realized the morning sunshine was flooding her bedroom.

  “Did I wake you?”

  A giddy sensation flooded her with the sound of that husky whisper.

  “Skylar…. No, I’m up. Not awake, but on my feet…. An hour…. No, I’ll be there.”

  Her sweaty palm continued its death grip on the receiver several seconds after she heard the click on the other end of the line.

  An instant later, she hung up and tore into the bathroom to shower. She managed to put on a light coat of makeup in spite of her trembling fingers. She took the time to blow dry and style her hair. And she still had nearly a half hour before she agreed to meet Skylar at the house. But that didn’t leave her standing in front of her closet trying to decide what to put on. Without hesitation, she yanked her lucky dress from its hanger and slipped it on.

  Why she decided on that particular dress was a mystery to Betsy. From the sound of Skylar’s troubled voice, she assumed her loan had been approved. But she didn’t feel happy or lucky. She felt an urgency to get to him, to ease the pain from the loss he must be suffering. The instant she gave him her news, told him he could keep his house, she knew his agony would slide away. And that’s all that seemed to matter to Betsy right now.

  She knew she was fifteen minutes early when she turned her car onto the road that had been cut up the hillside. But that was all right. Fifteen minutes sooner to ease his suffering.

  Betsy was nearly to the top before she spotted the luxury car parked next to old Betsy. Then she saw him.

  Her insides instantly churned with sickness, anger and though she didn’t like admitting it, jealousy.

  “You have a helluva lot of nerve,” she mumbled to herself as she watched Stephanie press her lean body against his in the front doorway. Then she had the audacity to peck his cheek with a kiss.

  Just what kind of game are you two playing? Good Lord, you’re engaged to be married, Steph. And just what kind of a man are you, Skylar Blakewood?

  Betsy watched Stephanie float away from him and head her way. On first impulse, Betsy felt like slouching down in her seat so she wouldn’t see her. Second impulse had her opening her car door and stepping out as Stephanie started around the front of her car.

  “A little early for you, isn’t it, Steph?”

  “Did the thought cross your mind that I might not have been to bed yet?” she quipped. Her familiar wicked chuckle echoed off Betsy’s eardrums as she watched her disappear into her car.

  Betsy silently counted to ten in an attempt to dissolve the anger boiling within. It might’ve worked if she hadn’t looked to Skylar the second the big car pulled away.

  His eyes narrowed. And the smile Betsy had seen when Stephanie kissed him had vanished. It was as if he resented the fact that his beauty queen left him to face his enemy alone.

  What could she have been thinking when she decided to back out on the deal to purchase the house? There was no way she was giving up her dream house now. And he could play on her sympathies all he wanted, she was keeping the house.

  “You’re early,” he finally called to her.

  “Is that a problem?” Betsy snapped as she strutted toward him.

  Skylar turned away and began adjusting the door when he gave her a flat out, “No.”

  “I was wondering when you were going to get that on.”

  “Had to have it custom-made.”

  “Look, I’m sorry for showing up early and intruding on you and Steph, but you sounded desperate when you called and--” The sound of his chuckle temporarily cut her off. “What’s so funny?”

  “You didn’t interrupt anything important between me and Stephanie. Actually, I’m grateful for the intrusion.”

  “I see.”

  He faced her. “Do you always do that?”

  “What?”

  “Say I see when I can tell you don’t.”

  “You’re wrong. It’s quite obvious you and Steph are having an affair. Why she’s marrying this Gregory somebody isn’t clear. I mean why not marry you if you’re the one who turns her on?”

  He chuckled again, only louder. “You’re jealous.”

  “That’s ridiculous,” Betsy protested, knowing he had hit the nail on the head.

  “Well there’s no need to be. I’d hardly marry my first cousin. Or have an affair with her.”

  Betsy gave his words another run through her head. When they registered, she wanted to jump for joy before the humiliation set in. “Why did you let me go on like that then?”

  Skylar smiled. A delicious smile. “You were going so fast I thought if I stopped you, you might bite your tongue.”

  Betsy tried not to, but couldn’t prevent the smile. “I do have a tendency to go on about things.”

  “And to assume things that aren’t true.”

  Betsy’s smile disappeared, not because she willed it to but because she suddenly felt ashamed. But Skylar let her off the hook pronto.

  “I think you should know that even if Stephanie wasn’t my cousin, she’s not my type. Hell, no man should have to put up with her.”

  Betsy slapped her forehead when another thought entered her mind. “I can’t believe how stupid I’ve been.”

  “You’re not stupid.”

  “Then how come when I found out Steph wasn’t marrying you, I didn’t question why she had to wait until you resigned to become a board member at the bank? I should’ve figured out you were a relative.”

  Skylar shrugged, then smiled. “If you want to hear stupid, I’m the one who introduced Gregory to Stephanie.”

  “I guess neither one of us have been thinking too clearly of late.”

  “Gregory’s the investor friend I mentioned that first day we met, remember?”

  Betsy nodded.

  “Well, I doubt our friendship will last past the honeymoon.”

  “They barely know each other then.”

  Skylar groaned. “Believe me, the late night call I received a few weeks ago from Stephanie, insisting I haul myself over to the club because the two of them wanted to share the good news, I knew Gregory had gotten himself in deep.”

  Could that have been the night? Oh God, what a fool she’d been. “That didn’t happen to be the night they got engaged, was it? And the night you recommended she re-list her house with me?”

  “One and the same.”

  Betsy winced. “I thought--”

  Skylar wrinkled his brow. “Thought what?”

  “It’s not important,” Betsy insisted before quickly changing the subject. “We really should be discussing the reason you wanted me to meet you here this morning.”

  “I thought you’d want to hear the bank’s verdict.”

  Betsy saw sadness and something else enter into his expression. But she couldn’t quite place it, other than resentment toward her.

  “You can have the house,” she suddenly blurted.

  Skylar gave her a surprised look. “You already heard?”

  “Well no,” Betsy stammered. “But they approved the loan, didn’t they?”
>
  Dead silence.

  Then, when Skylar’s eyes finally met hers, he started taking baby steps toward her. “Betsy,” he began. But Betsy didn’t give him a chance to finish.

  “It doesn’t matter. I’ve already decided I don’t want--”

  His mouth came down on hers before she had a chance to continue.

  At first, Betsy resisted. Her fists pushed into his hard chest. But when he didn’t budge, she slid her arms around him. And her lips parted as his tongue commanded. The feel of his body sent a scorching heat to rise up within her. Not the kind of heat that was torturing. But rather, one that carried her off to some magical place she just knew she’d want to refuse the return journey from.

  The journey to paradise was cut short when Skylar suddenly withdrew his tongue and stepped back from her, leaving Betsy feeling like she might crash to the ground. But before she hit, he stepped back up to her and wrapped his arms around her waist. His warm blue eyes gazed down into hers.

  “The board didn’t exactly approve your loan.”

  “They didn’t?” Betsy croaked.

  “You need a co-signer. Preferably me.”

  Betsy blinked several times as her brain mauled over what he said. Then, once she thought she knew what he meant, she twisted away from him, anger beginning to replace all the earthshaking good sensations.

  “I get it. We’re back to sharing the house.”

  “Did I say that?”

  “Why else would you consider co-signing?” she demanded.

  “Who said I was considering?” Skylar fired right back.

  “You’re not?”

  “I’m not. I’ve already decided.”

  Betsy’s head drooped. “I see.”

  “I will not share this house with anyone except my wife.”

  Betsy’s head jerked up. “Wife?”

  “Will you have me for your husband?”

  Betsy’s mouth opened and closed because she wanted to say, my husband, but her voice wouldn’t cooperate and produce the words.

  Before she had a chance to give it another try, Skylar took her into his arms and drew her body snug against the hard mass of his own.

  He kissed her gently before dragging his lips off the corners of hers and planting little kisses over her cheek until they reached her earlobe. Then he whispered those three magical words. “I love you.”