Tempting Fate (10 page)

"Yes, we went last fall. I've never seen so many antiques in my life," Lauren said, remembering the acres upon acres of outdoor booths where antiques and collectibles of every kind were bartered tri-annually.

Pointing to the furniture store, he commented, "We built a workshop out back for him before the sale and now he works and sells his furniture right here. It needed some work, but being right across the street from Old Sturbridge Village, I knew it would be worth the risk. A year later, they broke ground for the newer stores. That's when I sold it for twice what I paid. The profit helped me buy the next property and things just snowballed from there on in."

In the distance, Lauren heard the faint sound of voices singing Jingle Bells. The voices grew louder as they walked, until she saw a small crowd of people walking up the brick lane.

An announcement came over the loudspeaker that the Sturbridge High School Choir was performing the finale of its Christmas pageant in the courtyard.

"I thought I heard music." Kyle tugged her by the arm and laughed. "You're on."

Lauren gasped. "What are you talking about?"

"Come on. You sang so good last week at the tree lighting ceremony, I'm sure they wouldn't mind one more person."

She ground her feet in, but he was too strong and practically dragged her along. "Kyle Preston, don't you dare!"

He gave a hardy laugh. He was enjoying this!

Kyle stopped a student passing out lyric sheets and handed it to Lauren.

"I have no intention of singing, Kyle."

"Then I'll sing."

"Now I'm really going to be embarrassed," she teased as she laughed nervously.

In the courtyard was a stage decorated with evergreen garland and gold bows. In front of the stage were several rows of folding chairs arranged in rows. They stood in the back as most of the seats were already taken.

"For our final number," the conductor said, addressing the crowd, "we'd like to solicit your help. Please join in with the words, if you know them, or hum the tune. It's a song I'm sure you're all familiar with." Turning back to the choir, he lifted his baton and the song began.

The crowd sang along to Deck the Hall. After the first round of fa-la-la-la-la's the choir stepped down from the stage and began walking along the brick lane, two by two. A small group of people from the crowd joined behind the choir as they passed.

Kyle gripped Lauren's hand. "Come on."

"No, I can't," Lauren said, giggling. Something about the day, the moment, seemed enchanting. Being with Kyle, she felt light as a winged dove soaring to the clouds.

"Why not?"

The afternoon sun danced in his eyes and her breath caught in her throat. "Because you're crazy."

He gave her a lopsided grin. "Just crazy for you." He squeezed her hand.

An elderly couple who'd been seated in front of them gestured for them to join in. "Tis the season," the gentleman sang, then said, "Come on."

They moved shoulder to shoulder down the brick lane with the crowd of carolers, singing and laughing as they went. Lauren couldn't help but steal a quick glance at Kyle as they walked in formation. His face radiated a smile so bright, it was as though he were intoxicated by the moment. A feeling Lauren couldn't deny had consumed her as well. Their eyes met and held for a lingering moment and his expression changed. What she saw was the etchings of raw human emotion nakedly revealed on the lines of Kyle's face. It should have frightened her, but to her surprise it only added to the mounting desire welling up inside her.

What she saw did not frighten her. What she wanted in return did.

# # #

Chapter Six

A smoldering fire burned in the depths of Kyle's ice blue eyes and suddenly, Lauren wondered just what it would be like to be engulfed by that flame. Hearing her heart beat like a timpani in her ear, she sucked in a breath and held it, before emitting a cloud of mist.

Deck the hall...

His lips didn't move. He was no longer paying attention to the music coming over the loudspeaker or the people singing. He focused on her and her alone. She wasn't sure when it happened, but they stopped moving and the carolers drifted pass them down the lane. She forced a chilled breath deep into her lungs and trembled with anticipation.

He bent his head and his mouth came over hers like a gentle summer breeze caressing her skin. Hot, moist and oh, so inviting. Kyle placed his hand on the nape of her neck and deepened the kiss, seeking what she never thought she had to give. His scent filled her head and sent her senses reeling. He was warm and hard against her softness and she heard herself moan with delight. Or was that him? She didn't know...and didn't care. All she knew was that she'd been swallowed by an all-consuming passion that now threatened to dissolve her. And she didn't care if it did.

She heard his sharp intake of breath amid the music blaring over the speakers as he pulled away. His breathing was ragged, as was her own, she realized. With his hand still at the back of her head, he gently caressed her neck and combed his fingers through her hair before dropping his hand.

He held her gaze and she wondered what he saw written in her expression. A gust of wind lifted her hair and broke the trance between them.

"We'd better get going." She turned away and looked into the faces of people who were filing away from the courtyard. For a moment she'd forgotten where and who she was or the presence of people around her. Suddenly, she felt as if she was an item on display, although she was sure none of the strangers were paying any real attention to them.

Shaking her hair, she tried to regain her composure. "I don't want to get back too late." She spun around and walked toward the stores.

"We have all the time in the world, Lauren," Kyle said to her back. She knew he wasn't talking about hours in the day. Within seconds, his hand was clasped around hers in a tight hold. It was clear he had no intentions of letting her take flight from him after their kiss. The thing that she couldn't figure out was why she didn't want to.

As they walked down the brick path, they passed a store window displaying an assortment of gift-wrapped packages under a silver-limbed Christmas tree. Although the red and green ornaments were festive and shimmered under the display lights, it held little charm.

"That's the saddest tree I've ever seen," Kyle said, staring at the display. "I like cranberries and popcorn, myself."

She looked up at him in awe that he was thinking the same thoughts as her own. "And gingerbread cookies with gold ribbon," she added.

He smiled. "Scotty made a star out of aluminum foil in pre-school a few years back. You should see his face when Mom puts it on the tree."

"Hey, that's a good idea. We don't have a tree topper. I'll have to remember that when we put up our tree. Oh, look!" Lauren dropped Kyle's hand and raced to the toy store display window a few yards away.

Behind the glass was a magical winter wonderland. A pair of moving Santa and Mrs. Claus figurines stood in the center of the display surrounded by miniature elves buried in a sea of fake snow. A toy train, set on tracks suspended from the ceiling, disappeared into a tunnel before coming back to the display for the outdoor viewing.

But the thing that caught Lauren's attention was the magnificent antique dollhouse. It was every little girl's dream come true, from the Farmers porch with swing, to the miniature furniture and people all set up inside. The house opened on hinges, giving ample space for a child of any age to sit and re-arrange the pieces. She could just envision her and Kristen sitting on the floor of her bedroom, playing with it for hours.

"Krissy would just love that." Lauren kept her eyes on the dollhouse and felt Kyle's hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"I've got the feeling you would, too," he said softly. "Let's go inside and take a look." Kyle led her to the double doors, opened one, and waited for her to proceed inside.

Pulling the scarf from her neck, Lauren groaned and trudged to the display. There was no sense falling in love with this dollhouse, she thought with a sigh. Without even looking at the price tag, she knew that it was far beyond her reach.

"Beautiful detail," Kyle said in admiration as he bent down and pulled the white tag, holding it out for her to inspect the price.

Lauren’s shoulders sagged when she read the numbers. Just as she expected, it was well beyond her financial reach. She would never be able to afford spending an entire month's rent no matter how perfect a gift it would make.

As if reading her mind, Kyle offered, "What do you say I pick it up as a gift for Kristen?"

She glared at him, angrier with herself for not having the means to enjoy giving such a luxury than at his attempt at charity. Piqued, she knotted her scarf around her neck. "We've already been through this, Kyle. I won't take your money."

She spun on her heels and pushed through the store door with force tantamount to her anger. When she reached the sidewalk, he caught her arm and twisted her around to meet his gaze head on.

"Hey, this is no big deal. Why won't you let me do something for you?" he huffed. His drawn expression told her he was hurt by her rejection, not angry.

Seeing his reaction defused some of her anger, but did nothing to squash her pride. "It is to me. I should be able to give my child what she needs without any help from you or anyone else."

Damn, but she's stubborn, Kyle fumed inwardly. If it wasn't for the fact that he knew her pride would be destroyed, he'd run right back into the store and buy the dollhouse despite her protest. But he knew she'd hate him for it. And he couldn't bear that.

His mind raced. If she won't take the money from him, maybe he could convince her to take a store credit. "Wait a minute. Let's go back in and see if we can work something out with the manager."

"What good with that do? I still can't afford it." She sighed and his heart broke in two. It was such a simple thing, buying this damned dollhouse, yet she acted like she'd be giving up her first born child by accepting his gift. It was so ironic, he thought. Lauren was so unlike any of the women he’d known who were always too eager for him to pull out his checkbook for them.

"Maybe not in one lump sum, but spread out over time, you-"

"I can't, Kyle." He sensed her embarrassment as her gaze dipped to the ground and she shoved her hands deep into her coat pocket. "The store is not going to give me credit on my salary. It's no use even trying. Even if they did, I doubt I'd be able to make the payments."

Kyle looked back at the dollhouse in the window. There had to be a way without Lauren feeling that she was compromising her ideals.

Suddenly, this dollhouse held all the magic of Christmas. It wasn't just a toy, it was a symbol, a home. He envisioned his house and the fantasy he'd created earlier of Lauren and Kristen living there with him. As he peered back at her, he saw a sheen of moisture in her eyes. "Then I'll give you credit," he said, determination spurring him on.

She sucked in a deep breath, her jaw set, and started to protest, but he put up his hand and cut her off at the pass. There was no way he was going to lose this battle.

"Hear me out, lady, this is not charity. This is a loan." He sucked in a frosty breath and waited for her next move.

She tilted an eyebrow and he thought he saw a spark of hope settling in her eyes. Good. It was just what he needed to bring the deal home.

"It will be strictly business. A little like some of the wheeling and dealing I use to buy property. It's called creative financing."

"Oh, I see." She rolled her eyes. "And what kind of creative financing are you going to give me? Non-existent payment plan? No thank you."

The skepticism in her tone did nothing to deplete his resolve. He found the energy and spunk that made him what he was today come back to him tenfold with her stubbornness. She was a challenge, indeed, but no tougher than any of the other challenges he'd faced in his life.

"We can figure out a workable payment plan. Whatever you decide you can afford comfortably." He could almost hear the wheels in her head spinning, contemplating, and then deciding.

"With interest, right? I won't take-"

"I know, I know, you won't take charity." He puffed his cheeks. "No interest."

She raised her eyebrows and stuck out her chin.

"Instead of interest," he bargained, placing his index finger to his cheek, "you spend the holidays with me and my family." There. He'd just used his trump card. How could she pass up a family Christmas?

Her face softened, the wildcat fire in her ebbed away and was replaced by pain. "Christmas is a time for family."

"And friends. There'll be lots of people at my parents' Christmas Eve. You and Kristen can stay in the spare room at their house."

"You can't just invite me into your parents' home, you know," Lauren argued.

Does this woman back down to anything?

"They already invited you for Christmas Eve. I told them you'd be coming for Christmas, too." It was a lie; he hadn't told them any such thing. But he had her on the run and he wasn't about to let her slip through his fingers now by telling her so. Besides, he knew his parents wouldn't mind her staying the night. The more the merrier as the saying goes.

The tension in her face eased and she gazed up at him, searching his expression. "Why do you keep doing this?"

Because I can't think of anything I want more than being with you on Christmas morning, Lauren Alexander. He thought about saying the words, but in doing so, he knew she'd just make up some excuse for not spending the holidays with him. The thought of her and Kristen being alone was something he couldn't bear. The thought of him being without them suddenly seemed just as bad.

Her wide eyes glistened and a smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "What if I'd said no?"

"Does that mean you're saying yes?"

She poked him in the ribs and chuckled. "You first."

He hesitated for a second, weighing his words. He leaned into her and said softly, "I would have been incredibly disappointed."