Winds of Heaven

by Karen Toller Whittenburg

“Don’t you ever shut up?” He captured her lips once more with tender and sensitive possession. And this time she didn’t even try to tell her body to resist. Her heart just wasn’t in it. She curved her arms around his neck and let her good intentions drain away.

  When he raised his head, she felt limp, and it took a considerable effort to open her eyes. “Speechless?” he asked. “I should have tried this method sooner. It seems to have a debilitating effect on your vocal cords.”

  “Fortunately it’s only temporary.” Kylie knew she sounded weak and breathy, but she plunged on. “I’m going to need my voice when I start looking for a place to stay.”

  He smiled, and that intriguing cleft appeared in his chin. He slipped an arm around her shoulders and walked to the door. “Well, good luck. You’d better get started.” He opened the door, then placed a detaining hand on her arm. “Wait.”

  She watched as he retraced his steps and bent to retrieve the key chain she’d dropped. When he returned to her, he dangled the keys over her outstretched palm. “Will I see you tonight?” he asked huskily.

  “I don’t know.”

  “You know, Kylie. You know damn well.”

  She let her lips form a noncommittal reply. “You say that too often.”

  His brows arched in a question. “What?”

  “Damn,” she answered. “You say it too often. It’s a bad habit, you know. Especially for a troubleshooter.”

  He frowned as if he couldn’t believe what she’d said. ““Is this part of the training? Maybe I’d benefit from private lessons. What do you think?”

  “I think it would be a waste of time. I was merely making an observation, not offering my services as a tutor.”

  “We can discuss it after dinner while you’re doing the dishes.”

  She placed her hand on the doorknob. “Not a chance. You’ll be eating alone.” Unable to resist one last remark, she turned, then looked over her shoulder. “If you’re not careful, Nick, dining alone could become a habit.”

  “I don’t think so. At least not tonight.”

  “I won’t be there.”

  He smiled. A slow devastatingly confident smile. “You’ll be there, Kylie.”

  With a dismissing tilt of her chin Kylie swept through the doorway, wishing she could have the last word. But even as the door closed behind her and she faced Stephanie’s curious eyes, Kylie knew there wasn’t a thing she could have said.

  She had a feeling that Nick was right. She would be at the company house this evening, probably full of excuses and rationalizations, but there nonetheless.

  “Is something wrong?” Stephanie asked politely. “Mr. Jamison asked me to help you in any way I could.”

  “Thanks, Stephanie, but I’m afraid it’s too late.” With a casual wave Kylie hurried from the outer office, leaving the secretary looking bewildered.

  First things first, Kylie decided as she stepped from the building into the hot summer sunshine. She’d look over the training manual and refresh her memory on the assertiveness principles.

  As things stood, she was going to need every advantage she could find.

  Chapter Three

  Like a canvas awaiting the stroke of a brush, the sky stretched overhead, a canopy of indigo blue. Here and there the rosy haze of sunset made its final stand against the deepening twilight. One star and then another winked at Kylie, promising a finished portrait of night if only she would linger outside.

  Drawing a deep breath of the cool air, Kylie tried to separate the interwoven scents of mountain juniper and the desert plants that decorated the patio. She knew it was an exercise in futility, but it was enjoyable just the same.

  Closing her eyes, she lay perfectly still on the chaise longue and listened to the clatter of dishes in the kitchen behind her. Nick was making sure she heard each plate as he put it away in the cabinet.

  Serves him right, she thought. It was bad enough that he’d halved the amount of time she needed for the seminar, but she had spent—no, wasted—an entire day because of him. Kylie frowned as she remembered the rejections she’d received from polite but firm hotel clerks. She wished she could take a fifteen-minute nap for every time she’d heard the arts festival mentioned. And each time she’d heard it, her irritation with Nick had increased.

  By some process of distorted logic she had decided that if he hadn’t told her she wouldn’t find another place to stay, she wouldn’t have been so determined to find one. She had driven in circles, walked for blocks, and discovered parts of Santa Fe that even the natives probably didn’t know about. All to no avail. The only vacancies she had found were either extravagantly expensive or far from being suitable.

  This company house was much more than suitable, she had to admit. It was spacious and quiet, and Kylie had been very glad to reach it at the end of a tiring and frustrating day. Despite the fact that Nick had seemed irritated by her late arrival, despite the fugitive tingle of pleasure she’d felt at seeing him again and quickly hidden behind a veil of defensiveness, Kylie thought she’d never been so glad to have a roof over her head.

  And what a roof. This smaller version of a hacienda offered luxuries that no hotel could afford. The U-shaped house bordered the patio garden where she now relaxed. Inside, a tiled entryway opened onto a spacious room that contained both living and dining areas. The only bedroom she had entered, her bedroom by virtue of the luggage that Nick had placed there, was a peaches-and-cream delight with every possible comfort. The adjoining bath contained a huge sunken tub and a separate shower enclosed by crystal-clear glass panels. Done in black and silver, it was easily the most sinful-looking room she’d ever seen. She was looking forward to a steamy, hot, and very luxurious bath before bedtime.

  Yawning at the enticing thought, Kylie stretched lazily on the chaise and admitted that this house also held an added attraction for her. To her chagrin she couldn’t deny that Nick was definitely an attraction. And a potential hazard, she thought as another plate clattered loudly in the stillness.

  He was so sure of himself and of her. He hadn’t even looked surprised when she’d walked in the door earlier. “Your dinner’s in the kitchen,” he’d said, proving he’d never doubted her eventual arrival. “I’ll get your luggage and put it in your room while you’re pouring us both a glass of milk.”

  “I hate milk,” she had answered, asserting her objection to his autocratic manner. The minor declaration of independence had only won her a half-annoyed, half-amused look that fired her determination to challenge him at every possible opportunity.

  But Nick had effectively stayed out of reach, via the telephone, while she had explored the house, changed her clothes, and finally eaten her dinner. He’d entered the kitchen just as she was draining the last drops of milk from her glass.

  She had felt his silent laughter and perversely wanted to share in his amusement. As he drank from his glass Kylie had fidgeted with her silverware, conscious of the purely physical impact he had on her senses. And when he turned on the faucet to begin cleaning up, she’d escaped to the patio with an excuse about having an allergic reaction to the dishwashing liquid. She was actually far more concerned about her reaction to Nick, but she hoped that wasn’t obvious to him.

  Opening her eyes, she traced the outline of the Big Dipper and wondered how she would manage to live in the same house with him and still keep a sane distance between them.

  A gentle breeze brought the fleeting memory of another night spent in the mountains. It seemed a century ago, but the night had been much like this one: soft scents, a star-filled sky, a man who made her heartbeat quicken.

  Colin had made it sound so romantic, and the thought that he did not mean it to be a platonic night never once entered her mind. Of course, she’d been only sixteen and so incredibly naive. Kylie shook her head, remembering Colin’s frustration when she wouldn’t stop crying. He’d paced the floor of the cabin, repeating that he wasn’t going to touch her, that he’d take her home as pure and chaste as when she left
if only she’d stop crying.

  She hadn’t stopped, though, not once on the drive back to her parents’ home. It was a wonder that Colin ever asked her for another date after that, much less asked her to marry him a few years later.

  Kylie lifted a hand to brush the bittersweet memory away. That had happened in another lifetime, and she’d learned to handle situations with a little more finesse since then. Still, her sense of humor inserted, it might be good to keep in mind the shattering effect that hysterical tears had on a man. Just in case sharing this house with Nick got out of her control.

  “Plotting against me?” Nick asked as he moved from the shadows into the moonlight.

  “How did you guess?” Kylie didn’t turn to look at him, knowing how attractive his off-center smile would be. “Don’t tell me you’ve finished the dishes already?”

  “Yes, no thanks to you. You could have helped dry, you know. Unless dishcloths also give you an allergic rash.”

  A low laugh rippled from her throat. “I could have helped, I suppose. But you did say we’d share the kitchen duty, and I didn’t want to infringe on your turn.”

  “I’ll remember that tomorrow night when it’s your turn —allergic reaction or not.”

  “By this time tomorrow the automatic dishwasher will be fixed,” she countered, swinging her feet to the ground and sitting on the edge of the chaise longue.

  “And how are you going to arrange that? Don’t tell me positive thinking works on appliances as well as employees?”

  She tilted her chin and tried to disguise the smile that threatened the solemn line of her lips. “It’s much simpler than that, Nick. I’ll just ask Stephanie to take care of it for me.”

  His chuckle blended with the quietness around her. “Only one morning in the office and you’ve already learned the protocol of getting things done.”

  “It wasn’t difficult. You made it obvious that Alex is president of Southwest Textiles in name only.”

  “I made it obvious?” Nick asked in a tone of disbelief.

  “Of course you did. Alex is afraid to say his name in front of you because he’s afraid you’ll decide to change it.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous. If it was left up to me, Alex could have carte blanche to do anything he wanted with the mill, and he knows it.”

  “Ah, the old sink or swim strategy,” Kylie said, only half-teasing. “Alex sinks, and you swim right into his job as president.”

  “Not exactly. Southwest Textiles is my Aunt Rosemary’s pet project and, since Alex is her only son, it’s a partnership made in heaven.” Nick frowned. “At least in Aunt Rosemary’s eyes.”

  Kylie tried to distinguish some trace of rancor or resentment in the light sarcasm, but she couldn’t be sure there was any hostility underlying his words. “And who appointed you guardian angel?”

  He lifted his shoulders in a shrug. “I have strict orders from my grandfather to keep the company solvent, my aunt happy, and my cousin out of trouble. And, believe me, any one of the three can be a full-time job.”

  “It must be very challenging to be in business with your family.”

  “It can be very frustrating.” A slow smile creased his cheeks. “But most of the time, I actually enjoy it. We’re all pretty fond of each other, and there haven’t been too many problems in resolving our differences. Of course, any discussion of business is strictly taboo at all family gatherings.”

  “But even at family gatherings I’ll bet you sit at the head of the table.”

  “Well, someone has to sit there.” His smile deepened. “Which is why my grandfather takes that place.”

  “He’s keeping it warm for you, no doubt.”

  “Maybe.” Nick slanted a considering look at her. “Kylie? May I ask you a personal question?”

  Her heart jerked at the deep, almost suggestive tone of his voice. Here it comes, she thought. The stage was set for seduction with that enormous moon practically begging to be used for romance.

  “I suppose so,” she answered. Feeling a little like the fly about to enter the spider’s parlor, Kylie stood and walked a few feet to the edge of the patio.

  “Why did you break your engagement?”

  Caught off guard, Kylie stiffened in automatic defensiveness. How had he known about that? “Engagement?”

  She tried to marshal her thoughts as her brows arched upward questioningly.

  “You shouldn’t be surprised, Kylie. It was relatively simple to make inquiries about your company and you. Background checks are standard business procedure.”

  “Bad business procedure, Nick. Especially when you go beyond professional matters and pry into personal ones.”

  “You’re in a position to influence my employees, Kylie. I wanted to know something about the people who have influenced you.”

  “I supplied references,” she snapped, her fingernails imprinting her anger on the palm of her hand. “That was all you had any right to check.”

  He looked coolly surprised at her irritation. “I disagree.”

  It was the height of arrogance, an intrusion she couldn’t ignore. “If that’s the way you feel, perhaps I should conduct an investigation into your background. After all, your influence on your employees is far greater than mine. It might be in the best interests of Southwest and my seminar for me to know something about the people who have influenced you.” Kylie paused, letting the idea settle between them before she pushed for an apology. “Have you ever been engaged, Nick? Married? Divorced? Who was she? What was she like? Was she a blonde, brunette, or redhead? Did she have blue eyes or brown?”

  “I see your point. Sorry if I offended you. I felt I had a valid reason.” He hesitated as if he wasn’t sure how she would react next. “Will it help if I admit that my reason was more personal than professional? I want to know more about you, Kylie.”

  A wry smile pestered her lips, and she sincerely hoped he couldn’t see it. She should tell him to mind his own business, to stay out of her personal life, past and present. At any other time she would have done just that without hesitation. But tonight she felt somehow alone. And Nick was perceptive enough to sense that, and to ask a personal question when she was in an unusually vulnerable mood.

  Maybe it was the newness of her surroundings or the quiet solitude of the night. Perhaps it was simply the fragrance of memories in the air. Kylie sighed and knew she was going to tell him about Colin. “It wasn’t my idea to break the engagement,” she admitted. “Colin decided that for me. He married my best friend.”

  “I can’t imagine you letting another woman take your fiancé without a fight.”

  “I wasn’t much of a fighter then.” Memories suddenly clouded her vision, and Kylie stared at a faraway star, thinking, remembering. She had never had to be a fighter, never had to make decisions. Colin had done that for her, and she had meekly accepted his right to be her guide and mentor. But then he had chosen to marry Susan. A woman with “spirit,” Colin had said, a woman who knew what she wanted in life.

  It had been a slap in the face, and Kylie had felt betrayed and hurt and afraid of having no one to depend on except herself. But in the months since, she had faced the fear and conquered it. She had discovered that she liked making her own decisions, liked the positive, assertive person she had learned to be.

  “Kylie?”

  At Nick’s soft reminder of his presence the memories faded. “Sorry,” she said. “I don’t often talk about the past.”

  “Is it past, Kylie?” Nick seemed to hesitate before adding, “Or do you still love him?”

  “No.” She could say it easily now without even the tiniest twist of her heart. “Loving Colin was little more than a habit.”

  “Why does that make me want to smile?” Nick asked quietly, charging the air around her with electricity.

  An ambience of intimacy enfolded her as her gaze covered the distance between them. In the dim light she couldn’t see his expression, but she could feel their thoughts bonding in mutual understan
ding. The night felt suddenly warm, as something inside her caught and kindled into the first spark of desire.

  Releasing her breath slowly, she made herself look away. “It happened a long time ago,” she said to break the mood. “I hardly ever think about Colin anymore. There are still times when I miss Susan’s friendship, though. Times when I’d like to telephone her, even though I know I can’t. I know how awkward and uncomfortable we’d both feel.”

  The tightening in her throat choked back Kylie’s words, and she had to blink moisture from her eyes. What was she doing? Talking to a near stranger about things she didn’t even tell her family? She should have kept things strictly business with Nick. At least that was a mistake she could try to rectify. With cool composure she turned toward the house. “It’s getting late. We should start working on the seminar.”

  His brows drew together in a puzzled line, as if he was startled by the sudden change in her manner. “There isn’t any hurry. It’s too beautiful a night to spend indoors working. Why don’t we stay here and enjoy the company of that beautiful moon? We can relax and watch the stars play hide and seek with the wind.”

  The courtly charm of his words irritated Kylie unreasonably. It was too late now for Nick to notice the moon and the aura of romance around them, she thought. If he’d just had the good sense to steer clear of personal questions.

  “Nick,” she snapped, more out of frustration than anything else, “I’m here to give a six-week seminar which you have cut to three weeks. I don’t have time to waste on romantic drivel!” Kylie pressed her lips together and walked toward the house, knowing that the last thing she wanted to do was work on the seminar. With an exasperated sigh she pulled open the door and went inside.

  Nick frowned as the door closed behind her. Romantic drivel. The words chafed his male vanity and he had to wonder why she fascinated him. He’d known plenty of women as physically attractive, and not one of them had been so volatile.

  Kylie was argumentative, illogical, fiercely independent, and totally frustrating. Nick shoved his hands into the back pockets of his jeans and stared at the silhouette of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Frustrating or not, he couldn’t deny that Kylie captivated him; some elusive quality that he glimpsed at odd moments behind the challenge of her dark eyes. He sensed a softness, a vulnerability in her, and he knew he wouldn’t be satisfied until he’d discovered the secret of her appeal. He thought of her fiancé and all that Kylie had left unsaid. She had been deeply hurt by that broken engagement, and Nick wished he could tell the man to his face what an inconsiderate fool he’d been. Recognizing the intensity of his feelings, Nick stopped and distanced himself from the emotion. Analytically he examined his sudden violent dislike for the unknown Colin and had to admit there was no logic involved. Just as there was no logical reason for wishing he’d known Kylie then, when he might have been able to protect her from the hurt.