Forged of Steele Bundle (12 page)

A
few days later Kylie was praying that at some point her life would resume a sense of normalcy. Since she’d told Tiffany of her decision to go camping, her daughter had been nothing but a bundle of mass excitement. So much, in fact, that Kylie had to wonder whether being with Marcus was the primary reason for her daughter’s happiness or the camping trip itself.

With teenage exuberance, Tiffany had gone on and on about all the things she planned to do, like swimming in the lake, fishing in that same lake,
having a picnic by that lake and taking oodles and oodles of pictures of that lake. And she intended to do a lot of bird watching and had even checked out a library book on the various species. Of course that meant she would need a pair of binoculars, which her godmother had been quick to buy for her.

Kylie hadn’t talked to Chance anymore until he’d called early Saturday morning saying he would drop off a list of items she might want to bring along. The cabin’s kitchen was well-stocked with cooking utensils, but he thought it would be good if they cooked outside on the grill or a camp stove. He’d gone on to tell her that although the cabin had electricity, usually he and Marcus enjoyed faking it by using candles and lanterns.

Anticipating his visit, she had been a mass of nerves, and once she opened the door not even the loud wail of a fire truck siren could intrude on her jolting awareness of him. She pulled in a deep breath. And then another. Neither did a thing to stop the pounding of her heart or the barrage of sensations that overwhelmed her.

Standing before her in jogging pants, a T-shirt and a pair of what appeared to have once been expensive tennis shoes, Chance Steele was the epitome of everything hot and spicy. He looked like a man capable of
doing anything he pleased, whether it was in the boardroom or in the bedroom. Especially in the bedroom. However, at that very moment she had to concede that there was nothing sophisticated about Chance’s appearance. He looked like a man ready for some play time, and his darkly stubbled jaw, which meant he hadn’t yet shaved that morning, only added to his sharply male features.

“Here’s the camping checklist I told you about,” he said, breaking into her heated thoughts.

She took the paper he handed her. “Thanks.”

“The only things you’ll need to bring for you and Tiffany are the items listed under the first-aid section.”

She nodded and quickly scanned the list, okay with everything she saw on it until she noted the snake bite kit. She lifted her gaze back to his. The eyes that met hers were dark, sexy and full of sexual interest he wasn’t trying to hide, which made her thankful for two things: that she was a woman and that she was decently dressed. “Snake bite kit?”

A smile touched his eyes. “Yes, just as an added precaution. But I have one if you have trouble finding it. It’s a rather popular item this time of the year.”

An uninvited shiver ran through her. That wasn’t exactly what she wanted to hear. She cleared her
throat. “Would you like to come in? Tiffany and I were just sitting down to breakfast. You’re welcome to join us.”

“No, thanks. I’m on my way to the gym. It’s tradition that my brothers and I play basketball every Saturday morning. It helps get rid of any competitive frustrations we might have before the start of a new week.”

She lifted a brow. “Competitive frustrations? Does that happen often?”

“I guess with four adult males it can’t help but happen occasionally, given the closeness of our ages and our competitive natures. Then of course there’s Donovan, who often forgets that I’m the oldest and he’s the youngest.”

It wasn’t the first time she felt that an extreme closeness existed between the Steele brothers. It was there in his tone whenever he spoke of them. “Well, enjoy your game.”

“I will. And just so you’ll know, I’m catching a flight out first thing Monday morning to Dallas. I’ll be there until Thursday. Marcus will be spending time with my brothers until I return.”

“All right, thanks for letting me know,” she said, missing him already, although she didn’t want to feel that way. “Have a safe trip.”

By the way he was staring at her, she knew without a doubt that if Tiffany hadn’t been home he would have come inside and kissed her goodbye. That knowledge caused an ache in certain parts of her body. Their connected gazes were holding just a little too long. She knew it and was fully aware that he knew it as well.

“I’ll call you,” he finally whispered huskily.

Kylie nodded. A promise made and one she knew he intended to keep. “All right.”

She wrapped her arms around her waist, hugging herself so she wouldn’t be tempted to reach out and hug him.

He took a step back and looked deeply into her eyes one last time before turning back to his truck.

During the next four days Kylie spent her free time shopping for the items on the list Chance had given her. After that was done, Tiffany had convinced her that they needed to spruce up their wardrobes, with a collection of new outfits suitable for camping.

Kylie enjoyed this carefree, happy-go-lucky side of her daughter. It had been a long time since she’d seen it and she couldn’t help but count her blessings now.

She and Tiffany returned home from one of their shopping trips rather late on Wednesday night and
were in her bedroom unwrapping their numerous packages.

“Mom, can I ask you something?”

“Sure, honey, you can ask my anything.”

“Why don’t you have a boyfriend?”

Kylie’s hand went still on the new blouse that she was about to place on the hanger. You can ask me anything but that, she wanted to say but decided it was a good question. If only she could give her daughter what she felt was a good answer. She decided to go for the truth…but only after she found out why Tiffany wanted to know.

“Why do you ask?”

“Because I think you’re so pretty and all the other girls at school whose moms are single always talk about their mothers’ boyfriends. In fact Trisha Nobles’s mom is getting married next month.”

Good for Trisha Nobles’s mom, Kylie wanted to say. But she knew the only reason Tiffany had asked the question was because the answer was important to her.

“I’ve been too busy to have a boyfriend,” she said honestly. “Running the shop takes up a lot of my time.”

“But even before we moved here and you worked for that marketing firm you never went out on a date or anything.”

Kylie lifted an eyebrow. “And that bothered you?”

“I really never thought about it until recently.”

Kylie sat on the bed next to her daughter. “And why recently?”

“Because now I know how it feels to care for some-one and I think it’s sad that you never cared for anyone before. It doesn’t seem right.”

Kylie pulled her daughter into her arms and was mildly surprised when she came willingly. “Oh, honey, but it’s okay. Some things aren’t just automatic. Another reason I never went out was because I’m a very selective person.”

“Nitpicky?”

Kylie laughed. “Yeah, nitpicky. Only a certain type of man appeals to me.”

Tiffany pulled back and glanced up at her. “Really? And what kind is that, Mom?”

Kylie immediately thought of Chance and forced him from her mind. “First and foremost he has to be willing to be a good father to you. Then he has to treat us both good, look good, be health-conscious, fun to be around, be someone I can always depend on even during my darkest hour, and someone who loves me unconditionally.”

“Unconditionally?”

“Yes. Someone who would love me no matter
what and who would take me as I am—the good, the bad and the ugly.”

Tiffany smiled. “You know that’s funny.”

“What is, honey?”

“Marcus said he recently asked his dad why he never remarried. And it seems that he’s nitpicky, too.”

“Really?”

“Yes. And he gave almost the same exact answers as you did.” Tiffany chuckled. “Boy, adults sure are strange.”

“Strange in what way?”

Tiffany gave her mother a beaming smile. “If all of you are looking for the same thing in a person, then why is it so hard to find someone?”

Before Kylie could answer her daughter’s question—not that she thought she had an answer anyway—the phone rang. Tiffany quickly picked it up. “Hello?”

Kylie watched her daughter’s dark eyebrows lift curiously. “I’m fine, and yes, sir, she’s here. Just a moment please.”

Her daughter then stared at her with bright, penetrating eyes and whispered, “It’s for you and it’s Mr. Steele. He’s probably calling to make sure that you got everything on that list for the camping trip this weekend.”

Kylie took the phone her daughter handed her. “Yes, I’m sure that’s why he’s calling,” she said, trying to keep her voice neutral but feeling she’d failed miserably. She hoped Tiffany hadn’t picked up on any-thing.

“That’s really nice of him to call us all the way from Texas, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is.”

“Well, it’s late and I have school tomorrow so I’m going to bed. Thanks for taking me shopping, Mom. Good night.”

“You’re welcome and good night, sweetheart.”

With quiet gravity Kylie watched Tiffany leave the room, closing the door behind her. It was only then that she turned her attention back to the phone and the man waiting on the line to talk to her.

“Hello?”

“Sorry about that, Kylie. I assumed Tiffany would be in bed by now.”

“Usually she is but that’s okay. I took her shopping after school and we just got back a little over an hour ago.”

Chance chuckled. “Must have been some shopping trip.”

Kylie smiled. “Trust me, it was.” She didn’t want to sound too excited but she was glad to hear his voice. “How are things going?”

“Busy. This is one of those annual meetings where the CEOs of various corporations get together, leave egos at the door and work on something we all need to improve within our companies.”

“And what’s that?”

“Employee relations. But I didn’t call to talk about that. I wanted to see how you and Tiffany were doing.”

“We’re fine.” Actually there was something concerning her. Maybe Chance could shed some light on it. “I know Tiffany talks to Marcus every day, but I’m a little concerned about something.”

“What?”

“Although I told him on Sunday that it would be okay if he wanted to visit with Tiffany for a few hours after school on occasion, he hasn’t done so.”

“Umm, even with football practice I’m surprised he hasn’t jumped at the chance at least once. Does Tiffany seem bothered by it?” Chance asked.

“No, and I know for a fact that they aren’t mad at each other.” Kylie sighed. Maybe things were different with teenagers today. She and Sam had practically tried living out of each other’s pockets. It had gotten so bad that he had become a regular fixture around her parents’ house although they had wished otherwise.

“Maybe I’m assuming too much here, Chance, but I thought with them being so ‘madly in love’ that once I gave the go-ahead for supervised visits that Marcus would become a constant visitor.”

“That’s strange, because I know that I would.”

“You would what?”

“Become a constant visitor if you ever gave me the go-ahead.”

Chance’s voice was hardly more than a whisper but she heard the underlying meaning loud and clear. Kylie’s breath hung in her throat for a brief second and then she took a deep, calming inhale, which was followed by a series of flutters in her stomach.

“Kylie?”

“Yes?” She was glad to say anything, even that one single word, to assure her that her vocal cords were still working and they hadn’t drowned in all those sensations overtaking her.

“May I ask a favor of you?” Chance asked.

“Sure,” she said with a small shrug, certain he wouldn’t ask her to do anything indecent or immoral.

“Would you pick me up from the airport tomorrow around lunchtime?”

Surprise flickered in the depths of her dark eyes. “You want me to pick you up?”

“Yes. My car is at the dealership getting serviced while I’m away. I can get one of my brothers to pick me up but I would like for you to…if it won’t be any problem.”

“No, it won’t be a problem. But can I ask you something?”

“Yes.”

“Why do you want
me
to do it?”

“You’ll find out when I see you.”

The sound of his voice held promises she wasn’t sure she wanted him to keep. She’d been having a lot of mixed emotions since meeting Chance. A part of her knew that getting involved with him was not a good idea, but then another part of her—the one that lately was constantly reminding her that she was a woman with needs—was egging her on to enjoy what he was offering. At least within reason.

“All right. Would you like to give me your flight information now?” For the next minute or so, she jotted down the information that he gave her.

“Well, I’ll let you go now. I’m sure the shopping trip tired you out.”

“Yes, it did somewhat. I appreciate you calling.”

“I told you I would. I just hope my doing so hasn’t raised Tiffany’s suspicions. I know how much you
don’t want the kids to think anything is going on between us.”

“No, I don’t think your call did. In fact she said she thought it was very considerate of you to call and make sure we were all set for this weekend.”

“And are you all set for this weekend, Kylie?”

More than I need to be, she thought, thinking of all the new outfits she had purchased with the hopes that he’d like each and every one of them. “Yes, I found all the items on the list including the snake bite kit.”

“Good girl. Now do something tonight when you go to sleep.”

“What?”

“Think of me.”

Chance settled back in the bed after placing the phone back in the cradle. He hadn’t been able to concentrate on the summit all week, because Kylie was on his mind. Hell, for the last couple of nights, he hadn’t been able to sleep a wink.

It had been during Horace Doubletree’s speech that day when he’d suddenly came to the realization that it was a waste of time trying to fool himself any longer and that things for him had moved past him trying to get to know Kylie better. The truth of the
matter was that he knew all he wanted to know. His heart had decided. He had fallen in love with her.