Kylie was impressed by the dark, Spanish beauty of Glynnis Claybrook and by the warmth of her welcome. But Kylie was less than impressed by the way Nick introduced her, first to her hostess and then to other guests. It wasn’t what he said so much as what he didn’t say. Not once did he mention the reason for her presence in Santa Fe.
It was an oversight on his part, she knew. Purely unintentional, but bothersome just the same. She could have mentioned the seminar, of course, quite naturally, and she felt sure Nick would have taken the cue. But for some perverse reason it seemed important that he recognize the omission on his own.
She told herself it was silly to be upset over something as trifling as an introduction, but she knew it went deeper than that. Nick saw her as a woman, first and last, and her profession had little or no significance for him. It was the way Colin had seen her, too, and she had allowed him to treat her accordingly. But she wouldn’t allow it now, not from Nick.
“Kylie?”
With relief she turned from her disturbing thoughts to the woman behind her. From her softly curling hair to her softly curving smile, Stephanie looked light-years removed from the efficient, tailored, and cuffed Bunny.
Her vivid red gown began with off-the-shoulder ruffles that tucked neatly into a slender waist and flared in romantic tiers to the floor. “Stephanie,” Kylie said warmly, “I’ve been wondering where you were.”
“Alex has been showing me the garden.”
It was a shy admission, almost reluctantly made, and it gave Kylie pause. That Alex had changed his attitude so abruptly was hard to believe, but the gentle blush on Stephanie’s cheeks was evidence that something had changed. “And have you been showing Alex that brunettes can be far more fascinating than blondes?”
The blush deepened, but the blue eyes sparkled with pleasure. “I don’t know about fascinating, Kylie, but he’s talking to me. Really talking. And he hasn’t mentioned the office more than once or twice.” She stopped, and when she continued, her voice had lost some of its enthusiasm. “Well, maybe he’s mentioned it three or four times, but still ... it’s a start, don’t you think?”
Kylie smiled her encouragement, wondering privately how Alex inspired such affection. “Where is Alex, by the way?”
“He’s getting me a drink.” Stephanie nodded toward the bar where Alex stood chatting with Nick. “I’m in love with him, you know.” Her blue eyes met Kylie’s brown ones, then looked away. “I have been for a long time, but I never thought there was a chance ...”
Kylie shifted uncomfortably, cautious about getting into a discussion of Stephanie’s chances with Alex. With a guilty feeling of relief she noticed Nick turn and start toward her.
“I didn’t think,” Stephanie continued, “that Alex would ever see me as a woman and not as a secretary. Until your seminar, Kylie, I didn’t realize that he saw me exactly the way I saw myself. I’ve been too efficient in the office, too willing to take on responsibilities that weren’t mine. There are going to be some changes in the executive suite, and Alex may not like them. But I’m not going to be afraid to stand up for myself, either in or out of the office. It may take a long time, but one way or another I’ll earn his respect.”
“More important, though, Stephanie, you’re learning to respect yourself, to appreciate your own worth.”
“Thanks to you.”
Kylie shook her head in denial. “No. Motivation comes from within. You deserve the credit, not me.”
“But I couldn’t have done it without you.”
“Secrets?” Nick asked as he handed Kylie a glass and smiled disarmingly at Stephanie. “Are you two plotting to liven up this party?”
“Of course,” Kylie answered. “We were just waiting for you to join us.”
“Breathlessly, I hope.”
“Absolutely limp with anticipation.” Stephanie colored but managed to meet Nick’s amused look.
“Ah,” he said wickedly. “At last, a female who appreciates my charisma. You’re a woman after my heart, Stephanie.”
“All right, Cousin.” Alex joined the conversation to complete the foursome, “You can quit flirting with my secretary now.” He slipped a proprietary arm around Stephanie’s bare shoulders. “The next thing I know, you’ll be trying to steal Bunny and advance her up the corporate ladder to the home office.”
Stephanie stiffened at his touch. Her eyes darkened in disappointment and then brightened with determination. Unobtrusively she moved free of Alex’s hold. “If there’s ever an opening in the home office, Mr. Braden, you wouldn’t have to steal me. Just ask. I think I might like to live in San Francisco.”
“Oh, come on, Bunny. You wouldn’t leave Southwest and me. We need you.” Alex assumed his best soothing manner, but Stephanie responded with a cool stare.
“I need a drink, Alex. Did you forget?” With enviable control Stephanie spun away from any excuse that he might offer and walked toward the bar.
Alex muttered something under his breath as he watched the swirl of red skirt that marked her path. “Now what’s wrong with her?” He turned to Kylie in accusation. “What did you say to her? We were getting along fine until she started talking to you. I suppose I’ll have to apologize now.”
“Why don’t you try two dozen roses?” Kylie suggested.
“Roses?” His blond brows soared in surprise. “For Bunny?”
“Her name is Stephanie,” Kylie said crisply.
But Alex had turned his back and was hurrying across the room.
Pressing her lips together, Kylie glanced at Nick and caught the glint of amusement in his eyes. “You might have said something, you know.”
“Oh, no. I’m not getting involved in that love triangle. It’s strictly none of my business. Unless it starts to affect my business.” He sipped his drink, cool, unconcerned, and opinionated.
“I understand completely.” She kept her voice low to conceal the twinge of irritation she felt at his attitude. “You’ll allow, will even be entertained by, these minor skirmishes between two of your employees, but the instant they pose a threat to you personally—”
“Hey, what is this?” Nick interrupted with a questioning frown. “I’m just a bystander in all this. Alex and Stephanie can skirmish all they want outside of the office. Although it amazes me that any man could clash with such a potent combination of innocent blue eyes and that Scarlett O’Hara dress.”
It was such a typically male comment that Kylie focused on it as the final straw to all the evening’s minor irritations. “That’s a very chauvinistic remark.”
“Why?”
“Because it just is.” She drew a deep breath. “You could have noticed something more important about Stephanie tonight. Like the confident way she’s been speaking to people—to you, to Alex. That’s the difference, you know. She’s finally gained some self-confidence.” Kylie flashed him a challenging glance. “You might at least admit some grudging admiration of her spirit.”
“I admire her spirit,” Nick said, lifting his drink in mock salute. “And I also admire her very attractive dress.”
“Men!” she murmured under her breath. “They’re all alike.”
His gray eyes laughed at her above the rim of his glass. “Careful,” he admonished solemnly. “Someone might accuse you of making a chauvinistic remark.”
A smile tugged at her lips, but she resisted stoically. “Excuse me,” she said with a tilt of her chin. “I’m going to find a conversational partner who can look past a woman’s clothing to the person beneath.”
Kylie winced at her poor choice of words, but Nick merely arched his brows and wisely didn’t follow through on the comment.
“Why don’t you do that?” he answered in a maddeningly patient voice. “I’ll find you when it’s time to leave.”
With a nod she moved to the opposite side of the room, wondering with each step why she was upset with Nick. Maybe things were moving too fast for her. Her gaze retraced her path to linger on his profile. How had his opi
nion and his attitudes become so important to her in such a short time?
Noticing her pensive study of him, Nick smiled, and Kylie knew it was an open invitation to “agree to disagree.” The sensible thing to do, of course. But she wouldn’t return to his side, not just yet.
Kylie dulled the temptation with a second glass of wine and an intriguing conversation with a man she’d met earlier in the evening. Quite by chance she discovered he was a business owner from Albuquerque and that he was looking for an employee-incentive program.
She explained her own ideas and the basic premise of her seminars. He seemed receptive, even asked her to call him in a few weeks when she’d finished the training at Southwest. It sounded like a good opportunity, and she smiled easily at Nick when he touched her arm.
“Are you ready to leave?” he asked.
Kylie nodded. “I’ll be in touch, Mr. Sanders.”
The balding man looked past her to Nick. “Miss Richards has been telling me about her seminars. I was surprised to hear she’s giving one for your company. You don’t usually go in for that type of employee training, do you, Braden?”
“No.” Nick put his hand at the small of Kylie’s back and started to move away, but Mr. Sanders followed.
“But you did this time,” the man persisted.
“Yes.”
Kylie glanced at Nick in surprise, wondering at his terse answer.
“Miss Richards must have a seminar that’s worthwhile, then,” Mr. Sanders continued, obviously determined to get an answer out of Nick. “Do you recommend it, Braden?”
Kylie felt the tension that rippled through Nick as he reluctantly slowed his pace. His hand moved protectively to her shoulder and then down her arm in short soothing strokes as he faced Jonathan Sanders. Nick drew a deep breath but still hesitated before answering—just a second or two, but long enough. “Miss Richards is very ... capable.”
The word stole through Kylie, leaving her shaken and disbelieving. Capable? It was worse than saying nothing at all. Capable! She wanted to vent some of her capabilities on Nick at that moment, but she kept a tight rein on her emotions. Somehow she managed a reassuring smile at Mr. Sanders. “I’ll give you a call.”
The man’s gaze fell to where Nick’s hand caressed her bare arm, soothingly, possessively, suggestively. Then he looked uncomfortably away, obviously drawing his own conclusions. “That’s all right. It would probably be best if I get in touch with you.”
Kylie didn’t remember saying good night to her hostess, and she didn’t remember the walk to the car.
But the drive home was something she knew she’d never forget. It was the coldest she’d ever been on a summer night.
The silence was ear-splitting, but she would have died rather than say one word to Nick.
“I’m sorry, Kylie,” Nick said the moment they entered the house. “I know you’re upset, but I couldn’t lie to the man.”
She whirled on him. “No, of course you couldn’t! And of course you couldn’t say anything positive. You had to be honest. Honest! That’s a laugh. She’s capable, you said. And you stood there rubbing my arm like I was capable of... of... Do you realize what he thought, Nick? What you let him think?”
“I’m not responsible for what the man thought, Kylie. You know I had no intention of putting him off.”
“Really?” Her voice dripped sarcasm. “And I don’t suppose you intended to make such a dishonest and insulting insinuation, either.”
The cleft in his chin marked his irritation. “I’ve already apologized. If it will make you feel better, I’ll call Sanders and explain the whole misunderstanding.”
“No, thanks. I don’t need your help. After I’ve finished the seminar at Southwest, the production report will be all the explanation I need. Mr. Sanders will understand that, I’m sure, without any clarification from you.”
“You haven’t finished the seminar yet, Kylie.”
His lack of confidence in her spurred her determination. “Oh, but I will, if only to prove to you how very capable I am. I hope you like crow, Nick, because you’re going to eat your words, one by one. I’m going to make sure you do.”
He smiled, but his eyes, at last, held no hint of amusement. “I admire your spirit, Kylie. If that day ever comes, borrow Stephanie’s dress, would you? I prefer to have dinner with a woman who at least looks feminine.”
“And I prefer not to speak to a man who is so threatened by a woman’s profession!” Kylie spun away from him, anger trembling inside her.
“Kylie, wait!”
“Save it for the Male Chauvinists’ Club,” she tossed over her shoulder. “I’m sure they’ll appreciate your sentiments.” Before he could respond, she controlled the impulse to flounce from the room and managed to make a dignified exit. She shoved the bedroom door closed behind her and took vengeful pleasure in the loud slam.
Taking off her dress and throwing it in a heap on the floor helped some. But as her initial anger wore away, Kylie knew nothing would help very much. She had no one to blame except herself. She’d known better than to get involved with Nick. She’d promised herself she wouldn’t make that mistake. But she had. Blindly she had fallen for his smooth line, knowing all the time that there couldn’t be a happy ending.
As she lay awake, feeling lonelier than she’d ever felt before, Kylie gave herself a stern lecture about being assertive and thinking positively. But somehow it only made her feel worse.
At least she wasn’t in love with him, she thought sometime just before dawn.
Well, all right, she admitted, maybe she was half in love with him. But only half, and if she looked on the bright side, that meant she only had to talk some sense into half of her heart.
It was small comfort but the best she could manage under the circumstances.
Chapter Seven
Kylie discouraged a yawn by sipping her coffee and focusing a disinterested gaze on the newspaper in her hand. The print blurred into a meaningless string of words, and finally she folded the paper and placed it on the sofa beside her. Restlessly she propped her feet on the coffee table and stared at the patio beyond the glass doors. The sun bathed the garden in morning light and streamed through the windows in warming streaks of gold. It was going to be a gorgeous day, full of blue sky and puffy clouds.
That was the trouble with the weather, Kylie thought. Just when you needed a drizzle of rain to match your mood, nature turned on the charm. Well, it would take more than a little sunshine to win a smile from her today.
Something from Nick, along the lines of an abject apology or a full-page mea culpa ad in The New York Times, might do the trick. Even the knowledge that he’d spent a sleepless night would have gone a long way toward dispelling her gloom. But he’d denied her even that small satisfaction.
He had, purposefully, she was sure, left his bedroom door open so she would know he wasn’t bothered by their quarrel. At least not enough to let it keep him awake. He had been sleeping peacefully, like a grizzly bear in hibernation, when she’d walked past his door an hour ago. And from the lack of sound in his part of the house, she concluded he was probably still dreaming on.
But when he finally did awaken, he wouldn’t find her staring dismally out the window. Kylie swung her feet to the floor in sudden decision. It was a beautiful morning, too beautiful to spend indoors. Santa Fe was a city steeped in rich history, and today she would be a tourist, a typical Polaroid-snapping tourist.
She would pack a lunch and visit any and every tourist attraction that caught her fancy. And sometime during the day she’d purchase a totally useless souvenir. Something a trifle gaudy perhaps, and emblazoned with the words Souvenir of Santa Fe, New Mexico. Something that in later years she’d shake her head over and wonder why she had wanted a reminder of a routine business trip.
In the kitchen Kylie made a sandwich, took an orange from the refrigerator, and rummaged through the cabinets for a paper sack. Once packed, it didn’t seem like much of a lunch, and she wished she c
ould work up a little more enthusiasm for her plans.
“Enthusiasm is a state of mind,” she said aloud. “And state of mind is simply a matter of self-control.” There was no immediate increase in the appeal of the lunch she’d made or in her outlook, and she closed the sack with a heavy sigh.
“I don’t know who you have in there, but apparently they’ve heard that lecture before.”
At the sound of Nick’s voice her frown deepened. “I was talking to myself,” she stated coolly.
“Well, it didn’t seem to make much of an impression on you either.”
Kylie dismissed his comments with an indifferent shrug and scolded the rebel cadence of her heart. Nick moved across her peripheral vision on his way to the refrigerator, and though she told herself not to, she turned to watch him. As he opened the door and bent to look inside, her gaze fell to the neat navy-blue running shoes on his feet and rose past the white sport socks with their navy trim to the tanned length of sinewy leg beneath the beige shorts. The navy-blue polo shirt was stretched over his shoulders, and Kylie mustered her defenses against the tremor of longing that threatened her composure.
“Hungry?” he asked, his voice muffled by the refrigerator.
“No!” It was too quick, too loud, and too defensive, and she made an effort to soften her tone. “No.”
Nick straightened, the orange juice container in his hand, and let the door swing closed. He glanced in her direction, then warily looked away. “I guess I slept through breakfast.”
“I guess you did.” Kylie lifted the lunch sack and held it in front of her like a shield.
While he took a glass from the cabinet and filled it with juice, she stood quietly, wishing she could just walk from the kitchen and leave him to wonder about her plans. But it seemed crucial to the enjoyment of her day that Nick should know about and appreciate her total lack of concern for his breakfast, lunch, or afternoon snack. She didn’t care what he did as long as he understood that she had no interest whatsoever in his plans. That her logic bordered on illogic only made her more determined to show him a totally feigned indifference.
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