Daring Her Love (7 page)

HAL BRADEN CAME through the patio door and scooped little Christian into his arms, pressing his lips to the squirming boy’s forehead.  He was a formidable man at six foot six. Even at almost seventy, he had a commanding presence, with shoulders that filled a doorframe, a barrel chest, and a deep, gravelly voice that rivaled Clint Eastwood’s. He was a man made of love and loyalty, having raised six children by himself after losing his young wife to cancer, and Kat loved him dearly. He’d not only embraced Brianna and Layla like they were his own flesh and blood, but he’d welcomed her into their tight-knit family, too.

Layla ran from the table where they’d been sitting and hugged him. Holding Christian in one arm, he leaned down and kissed her head. “How’re my favorite girls?”

“We’re about ready to do our photo shoot,” Brianna said. Today they were taking candid photos and headshots of Kat for her promotional materials and website. She could still hardly believe her business was coming to fruition.

“Are you ready to go see Uncle Rex and Auntie Jade?” Hal asked.

“Yes! Yes! Uncle Rexy said I can ride his new horse!” Layla ran to Brianna and hugged her goodbye.

“Take your riding boots, Layla, and tell Auntie Jade I said not to pump you full of chocolate this time.”

“Aw, Mom. Auntie Jade says you can’t rule me when I’m there. I’ll go get my boots.” She ran for the door, and Hal laughed.

“You might as well give that up, darlin’. Jade’s got a bun in the oven, and she’s bubbling over with mama love. Let her spoil the child a little.” Hal settled a hand on Brianna’s shoulder and kissed her head the same way he’d kissed Layla’s.

“Well, paybacks will be fun, I suppose,” Brianna said. “I’ll sugar up her little muffin baby and then give him or her back buzzing with energy.”

“That’s what family’s for. Love ’em up the best you can. No harm in that.” Hal turned his dark eyes on Kat and spread his large hand on her shoulder. “How about you, darlin’? You have a beau on the horizon?”

His use of
darlin’
touched her heart, and she realized it was the same endearment Eric used for her. She wondered how much time Eric had spent with Hal over the years.

As if on cue, Hugh and Eric sauntered outside. They were both gorgeous men, but heck if Eric didn’t make her weak in the knees even though she was sitting down. He was still barefoot, with a beer in one hand and a crooked smile hovering somewhere between scorching and volcanic. Was she the only one who felt his potent masculinity like a vibrator set on high?

“Not at the moment, Hal,” she finally answered as Eric took the seat beside her, bringing a heat wave with him.

Hal’s knowing eyes shifted between the two of them. “Uh-huh. Well, don’t you worry, darlin’. Your heart’ll lead the way.”

“Pop, are you preaching love again?” Hugh put an arm around his father’s shoulder and kissed his son’s pudgy cheek.

“Preaching truth, son. Preaching truth. I’m taking the kids over to Rex’s now so y’all can get on with your evening.”

“Thanks, Dad. You sure you don’t want to go to dinner with us after Bree and Kat wrap up their photo shoot?”

“I’m going to hang around here in case Rex and Jade need me to take over. Christian here loves his grandpappy something fierce, right, Christian?” Hal kissed the little boy’s cheek, and Christian giggled. “You kids have a good time.” Hal patted Hugh on the back and smiled at the others as he said, “I love y’all, though.”

The open affection Hal lavished on them tugged on Kat’s heartstrings and reminded her why she wasn’t interested in being a weekend hookup, not even for mega-hot, ultra-orgasmic Eric. She wanted more for herself.

“Bree,” Hugh said with a hopeful smile, “it would be great to have some professional shots for the announcement of the foundation’s scholarship next month. We were thinking that in addition to the pictures you’ll take at the foundation picnic tomorrow, maybe you could take a few shots of us today?”

“Sure. We should take those at the track, though, right? With you guys in full race attire?” Bree asked.

Kat pictured Eric in the jumpsuit she’d seen racers wear. She loved a man in uniform. Cringing inwardly, she realized how superficial that was, a little too reminiscent of her past, and again she reminded herself that she was supposed to be taking charge of her future, not hooking up for a weekend.

“That would probably be best,” Eric said. “Kat, I hope you’ll be joining us at the picnic tomorrow.”

Kat’s stomach flipped at the prospect of spending more time with Eric.  So much for her resolve to remain distant. She’d go anywhere he asked. Twice.

“Oh my gosh,” Bree said. “I forgot to mention it. I’m so sorry, Kat.”

“I’d love to go. It’ll be a great experience to watch your PR people in action. Thanks for the invitation. I guess I’ll go change and fix my makeup for the pictures.” Kat stood, and Eric rose beside her.

He smiled as he pulled her chair out for her to step around. “Kat, is it okay with you if we tag along? I don’t want to take over your shoot, or make you uncomfortable by being there.”

Little did he know that he made her the best type of uncomfortable by doing hardly more than breathing. She knew that his being there when she was having her picture taken would be distracting, but this was take-charge Kat. She was facing her fears and she was not going to run from this one—fear of falling for a player who could make her body sizzle with nothing more than a glance.

“Thanks for asking, but I’m fine with it. It’ll be fun.”

The wicked glint in his eyes stayed with her long after she walked inside, and she knew her attraction to him was too intense to be ignored.

Chapter Six

DOWNTOWN WESTON HAD been built to replicate an old Western town, complete with old-fashioned storefronts and hitches to tie up horses, although Kat imagined those were just for show. She couldn’t imagine anyone riding a horse into town for business. It was late enough in the afternoon that the streets weren’t crowded but still early enough that Brianna and Hugh were garnering attention from people walking by while they set up the photography equipment. Bree smiled and answered their questions easily, as if this were what she’d done every day of her life. Kat knew better. Becoming a professional photographer had been a lifelong dream for Brianna, and although she’d worked with a well-known photographer in Richmond and she was talented beyond belief, it wasn’t until she and Hugh had come together that she’d allowed herself to indulge in the activity she loved most as something more than a hobby.

Kat tried to calm her nerves by looking herself over one last time in the full-length mirror Brianna had brought with them. She’d had no idea that taking pictures would be such a production. They’d had to take two cars to allow for all of Bree’s equipment. Kat assumed they’d find a few locations in town and then maybe take a couple of candid shots with the mountains in the background. She’d thought the whole photo shoot might take an hour, but Hugh and Brianna were setting up big white umbrellas and plugging lights and fans into generators. It looked like a movie set, and it had Kat’s nerves going all sorts of crazy.

The longer she looked over her cap-sleeved navy blue dress, the more she worried that the neckline was too low or the dress was too tight. She caught sight of Brianna and Hugh in the mirror, wondering if she should ask Brianna if she should change since they’d brought several outfits for the photo shoot. Hugh touched Brianna each time he walked past. He leaned in close and whispered something that made Brianna blush and turn toward him. When Hugh wrapped an arm around Brianna and lowered his lips to hers, Kat shifted her eyes away from their reflection and caught Eric’s.

He wore a pair of faded jeans and a black T-shirt. She knew now that the just-been-fucked hair was his natural style, and like every time she saw him, her stomach fluttered and flipped. He was standing a few feet behind her with a serious, assessing look in his eyes that made her worry over her outfit again.

She glanced over her shoulder, trying to see the back of her dress to make sure she hadn’t gotten dirt on it. “Do I have something on me, or does this dress just look bad?”

“You could wear rags and you’d still be the most beautiful woman around.” His smile was warm and sincere. A flash of the gentleman had come out to play.

“Thank you,” she said, relieved by both the warmth and the compliment. “You looked deep in thought.”

“Did I? I’m just thinking about the scholarship fund for the foundation. I’m excited to get it launched.” His eyes turned serious again.

This was a side of him she hadn’t yet encountered. “You mentioned a foundation and scholarship earlier. What type of foundation is it?”

“It’s called the Foundation for Whole Families. We help children of drug-addicted parents and reunite families whose lives have been shattered by drugs.” His brows drew together. “There are so many children who need help. Many are barely making it from day to day; they’re in need of food and general caretaking. These kids need to know that someone cares about them.”

The passion in his tone and the intensity of his gaze coalesced, bringing him into a whole new light in Kat’s eyes. This was not the all-about-sex player she’d met in the bar. This was a man clearly affected by the plight of those he was helping, and that touched her deeply.

“Our efforts are focused on the safety and future of the children, of course, but the goal isn’t to simply remove them from their unsafe environments. We provide counseling for the entire family, treatment when necessary, and ensure that the children have a safe place to stay while their parents are in treatment, or for some, while their parents are in jail. But that’s just the beginning. These children need to have a chance at a future, not just the tools to get there, and that’s where the scholarship comes in.”

“You’re giving them hope for a better life. And you said
we
. Are you on the board for the foundation?”

A humble smile reached his eyes. “I’m actually the founder. The picnic we’re going to tomorrow is for the foundation. I give a lot of my time to the foundation, and to the kids.”

She wondered how many more layers were hidden beneath his bold facade. This side of him was so unexpected. She wanted to know more, not just about the foundation, but also about Eric and what made him tick.

“I knew we were going to a picnic for charity, but I had no idea it was for your foundation.”

“The picnic not only enables us to do fundraising, but to visit with families we’ve helped and thank our donors. It’s one of my favorite events.” He ran a hand through his hair, and a contented look filled his eyes. “There’s no better feeling than knowing a kid—a family—has a chance at being whole and having a future.”

Boy had she misjudged him. Her stomach clenched at the assumption she’d made that he was interested only in a piece of ass. She noticed that Hugh and Bree were finished setting up, and she didn’t want to hold them up, but she felt bad for judging Eric so unfairly, and apologizing to a man who was doing so much for others couldn’t wait. Not one single second.

“Eric, I think I owe you an apology. I know I’ve been a little off-putting, and I’m sorry. I misjudged you, and I had no right to judge you in the first place. I hope you can forgive me.”

He stepped in closer, and the earth shifted beneath her. The vortex that was Eric James sucked her right in. Her heartbeat quickened, her breathing went shallow, and the familiar sparks that she’d come to expect when they were together sizzled and popped. How he went from one extreme to the other so seamlessly intrigued her even more.

“Darlin’.” His gaze moved slowly over her face, returning to her eyes with all the heat that was missing when he was discussing work, along with a new flicker of unexpected tenderness. “Don’t apologize for being cautious. You’re making a big change in your life, one that takes insurmountable courage and determination. The last thing you need is to fall for the wrong guy.”

She swallowed past her fear of the answer and asked, “Are you the wrong guy, Eric?”

“Only you can make that determination. I told you where I stand. Have you given any thought to what it is that you want, Kat?”

His words from this morning sailed through her head.
I find myself completely and utterly captivated by you. I want to explore and enjoy you, Kat. Present tense.
She was completely enamored with him, from his aggressive sexuality to his intelligence and passion to help others. But Kat wasn’t naive, and he’d made his intentions clear.
Present tense.
Not future tense. Not that she expected him to think past today after having just met her, but for her own sanity, she needed to acknowledge what she was considering.
A weekend hookup.

In the space of a breath, she decided that she was probably overthinking the situation. They were visiting friends, and staying at Hugh’s father’s house, so there weren’t going to be many chances to be alone anyway. It wasn’t like they were going to have wild sex on Hal’s kitchen table—although her tightening nipples seemed to love that idea. The most she and Eric could do was sneak a few kisses, and she knew by the vibrations thrumming through her that a few kisses would never be enough.

He touched her arm, bringing her mind back to the moment.

“I think I’d like to get to know you better,” she said.

He smiled, and just as it reached his eyes, it turned sinful.

She quickly added, “But I respect Hal and our friends, and I’d never want to jeopardize our friendship over a tryst, so we should just keep that in mind.”

He leaned in close and said, “I can promise you that I will try to remain discreet, but honestly, Kat, I’ve never been as drawn to a woman as I am to you, and there may be times when that attraction surpasses even my most valiant efforts to keep it concealed.”

THE SWEET AND sultry look in Kat’s eyes sent Eric’s stomach tumbling, but the tilt of her chin when she turned at the sound of Brianna calling her name sent a shock of recognition through him. It was the same wave of familiarity he’d had from the moment he’d first seen her. Only now that faint familiarity mingled with what he intimately knew about Kat—the feel of her body pulsing with need and wet with desire, the claw of her nails against his skin, the strength of her inner muscles when she was in the throes of ecstasy, and the sound of his name as she cried out in pleasure.
Aroused
didn’t begin to describe the feelings building inside him. It wasn’t just the desire to have her naked beneath him, to run his hands and mouth over every inch of her flesh. He wanted to know more about the woman who was strong enough to walk away from everything she’d known for ten years and start anew. The woman who said she faced her fears and didn’t fawn over him because of his celebrity.