Diane R. Jewkes (17 page)

Slapping his friend on the back, Hawke headed for the hotel bar with him.

• • •

Hawke was surprised to see Austin Roberts at dinner. He was not surprised, however, to see Kara turn all her attention and charms on the other man, while giving Hawke nothing but chilly stares. Austin might be unaware of what was going on, but Hawke knew exactly what the little she-devil was up to. To his chagrin, the fact he knew her game didn’t make him any less jealous.

After dinner, everyone left for the opera house. He had hoped to get her alone to talk before the performance began, but she kept herself glued to Austin’s side. The sight of the other man’s head bent close to hers in quiet conversation and intimate laughter drove needles of envy and desire through him.

“If you glare any harder at them, Case is going to have the two of you married by morning,” Alec said quietly as he walked up to Hawke, blocking his view of the couple.

Fighting to gain control, Hawke pasted a look of studied boredom on his face.

“Oh, much better,” Alec laughed. “Now only your eyes give away your desire to murder young Roberts and drag Kara off to your cave.”

“Stuff it. Have you found out anything from Miss Roberts?”

“I think I just might have to let you stew in your own juices for a while. Or better yet,” Alec chuckled, “maybe I should encourage the two of them.”

Alec paused in his torment of Hawke to watch Kara and Austin walk arm in arm to their seats. “They are quite attractive together, you know.”

Hawke wanted to grab his friend by the throat and shake the information out of him.

“Yes, I have had the opportunity to find out what has put a ‘burr under her saddle,’ as they so quaintly say out here,” Alec said. “It seems Kara believes your interest in her is a manipulation by you and her father, and if you offer for her, it will only be to take her away from her home and thus gain complete control of the ranch.” Humor twinkled in his eyes. “Very Machiavellian of you. Didn’t know you had it in you.”

“I’m sorry … she what?” Incredulous such a convoluted logic could be coming from someone as intelligent and seemingly levelheaded as Kara had him dumbfounded. “Marriage? I’ve kissed her once.” Hawke sputtered. He knew his duty to his title. Knew he would marry someday, but now? Her?

“Didn’t see that possibility? I believe you might want to steer clear of this entanglement, unless — ” Alec’s voice sobered, “you have fallen for the girl and intend on offering for her.”

Further discussion was halted when the performance began.

Austin had been aware of Hawke watching him and Kara all evening. Before they had left the hotel, she had caught him by the arm and had proceeded to flirt outrageously. Sitting next to her now, her anger was palpable as he watched her pretend to pay attention to the stage.

“What’s your game, Little Bit,” Austin leaned over, her light floral fragrance teasing his senses. “Don’t think I haven’t seen the way that big Scotsman looks at you — and me.”

Austin heard what happened at the branding pens. It had hurt for a while, but if he were honest with himself, he knew Kara would never see him as anything other than a brother, and knew deep in his heart he was not in love with her. It had been a childhood crush, nothing more. Not one to languish over a love he never had, Austin decided he would act the part of big brother for her. Protect her the way he would Alicia.

After she started flirting and looking at him like he was the only man in the world, he knew something was up. “You better tell me, Kara. I have no desire to have him pound me to pulp — and I don’t think you want me to shoot him, do you? Of course, I would if you wanted me to.” He smiled wickedly at the worry in her eyes, “Even though you still wouldn’t marry me.”

“Marry you?” Her eyes widened. “Oh, Austin, I hope I never gave you any impression — ”

“Don’t worry about it, Little Bit.” He chucked her under the chin with his finger. “I know you don’t think of me that way … though I might have wanted you to.” He smiled. “Really, I’m not torn up. Guess it was just a passing fancy. After all, you were the closest female in the area I wasn’t related to who was halfway attractive.”

“Halfway … you,” Kara punched him in the arm and leaned into him, touching her head to his in shared laughter. Austin could feel her relax knowing she hadn’t lost his friendship.

“Want to tell me what’s going on between the two of you?” Austin asked quietly. “I can see the pain in your face and the anger in his. He hasn’t done anything to you? You know,” he said, stretching his neck in his uncomfortably tight shirt collar. “Touched you in a way he shouldn’t — or you didn’t want?” Seeing panic in her eyes, his temper flared, “That son of a bitch. I will kill him.”

“No, no, Austin, stop.” Kara grabbed his arm. “Nothing has happened between us. Really,” She dropped her eyes, “Nothing that I didn’t want. Nothing more than a kiss.” She added hurriedly, “That’s all. Truly.”

“Must have been some kiss to upset you this much?”

“It’s not the kiss. I’m afraid,” she admitted quietly. “Afraid if something were to happen between Hawke and me I would have to leave the ranch.” She looked down at her tightly clasped hands. “I don’t know what’s most important to me anymore.”

Before Austin could answer her the lights dimmed and the performance began. The singer was young and beautiful and her voice was haunting. Austin leaned forward in his seat, enrapt at the vision before him.

Kara recognized his expression and smiled softly. She knew she didn’t have to worry about his infatuation with her anymore.

She had been aware of Hawke’s brooding gaze all evening, almost feel him touching her. She tried hard to ignore him, to wrap her anger around her like a protective shield. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Alec tell Hawke something. His eyes caught hers but his expression was unreadable.

She turned over the problem in her head again and again, only partially listening to the performance. She knew her father wasn’t trying to manipulate her, and Hawke was not trying to take over the ranch. She didn’t know why such a silly notion had entered her mind and taken root so easily to begin with.

Quit being a coward, you know the real problem. You’re falling in love with the man and you don’t want to admit it.

Love
? She felt her heart speed up. Was that what she was feeling? Always on edge, wanting to be with him, afraid of being with him, wondering what he was feeling, thinking? As the haunting notes floated around her, she tried to be objective. She was concentrating hard, trying to decide what she should do, but the music kept distracting her. It seemed to wrap itself around her frazzled nerves, calming her, drawing her in.

Surreptitiously, she peeked over her shoulder at Hawke and Alec. Alec was focused on the singer but Hawke was looking right at her. Her breath caught at the desire she saw dancing in those silvery orbs. He wanted her. Heat coursed through her in response. She felt herself falling into his eyes.

As the music rose to crescendo, she felt herself transported to another place.

She and Hawke were alone in each other’s arms. His hands, hot on her bare skin, and his lips taking and hers giving as he slipped her clothes from her body. The frisson of raw desire coursed through her sending an aching heat to her very core. His lips were sliding from her mouth along her neck to her breast leaving a trail of moist heat on her skin.

The vision faded with the music. Her heart was pounding; she looked at Hawke and was scorched by the raw heat and need she saw in his eyes. Moaning quietly, she closed her eyes against the torrent of feelings.

“If you’ll excuse me, Kara.” She started, opening her eyes and seeing Austin standing over her. “I have to go and beg an introduction to the singer.” Shaking his head, “I don’t know why, I just know I have to meet her.” He slipped out and headed for the area behind the stage.

The murmur of voices intruded on Kara’s thoughts. She could hear everyone around her talking about how amazing the singer was.

“Are you all right, Kara?” Alicia was at her elbow. “You’re eyes are like saucers and you’re breathing like you just ran a race. Both you and Lord Stoneham look like you’ve been struck by lightning. Wasn’t the singer was amazing?”

• • •

Hawke was still sitting in his seat. What the hell had just happened? He had been watching Kara during the performance, she looked at him, and suddenly they were the only two people in the room. Only they were no longer in the opera house. It felt so real; it had been so clear. Kara in his arms, silky and warm, he could taste her skin on his tongue. It was the strangest thing he had ever experienced in his life.

Fighting to regain composure, Hawke stood, straightened his shoulders, walked over to the two women and offered to escort them back to the hotel. Alec came up behind him, offering his arm to Alicia. Case and the Roberts had already left the box.

Kara’s hand rested lightly on his arm. Desire burned within him. He felt her shiver.

“Are you cold?” He inquired politely, wanting to ask more. He knew she had been affected, too. He could smell her arousal. Fighting his own arousal, he asked. “Are you still angry with me?”

“I … I,” Kara stammered. A delicate rose shaded her cheeks. “Honestly, Hawke,” she said. “I wasn’t angry with you. I was mad at myself. I’ve been so upset and confused since my father told me he had taken on a partner that I haven’t been thinking straight. I really do owe you an apology for my actions.” She looked down, her lashes concealing her eyes.

“You should never feel you have to apologize for your feelings, especially to me.” He placed his hand on her cheek, making her look at him. He smiled gently down at her. He admired her honesty. There had been few women of his acquaintance so forthright and open. It was one of the many things he valued about her.

He sensed she had something to say, but before he could ask, they were back at the hotel.

“Hawke … I … we need to talk,” she blurted out as they reached the staircase.

“I agree. Would you like to take a stroll?”

“No, I think we need to be somewhere where we won’t be interrupted.”

“Would you like to wait until we have returned to the ranch? Or do you know of somewhere here in town?” Hawke wasn’t sure what she was suggesting. Part of him wanted to drag her to his room, the other part warned they shouldn’t be alone. “When we get home, I guess then would be best.” Nodding to Hawke, she ascended the stairs to her room.

Hawke lay on his back, his hands behind his head, the sheet folded down to his waist, a breeze from the window cooling his heated skin. He hadn’t wanted to frighten Kara with the strength of his desire, so had fought every instinct screaming through his body.

He thought back to the realization that he wanted her. It hadn’t diminished with time. It only seemed to grow. From the beginning, his reaction to her was different from any other woman. He wanted to bed her, that was a given, but more. He had wanted to bed many women, and had, but none had ever held him in this kind of thrall. He knew making love to her would only strengthen his feelings, not lessen his passion or diminish it with time.

The thought of her was making him painfully aroused, and he saw no relief for it.

He reached over to the nightstand and retrieved a pile of correspondence, hoping to distract his thoughts with business figures. Hearing soft tapping on his door, he stood and quickly drew on his trousers and opened the door. Kara was standing there in a robe, her hair hung over her shoulder in a long braid. Her eyes were huge and dark in her pale face.

“Kara, what is it? Has something happened?” Concern washed over him. “You shouldn’t be here. You’re father would skin me alive if he found you here. What is it? Answer me.” He didn’t understand why she just stood there not speaking. “Just what the hell are you doing here?”

His panic at seeing her in his doorway and thinking she was in some kind of trouble turned to aggravation and worse, arousal. She wasn’t in trouble, yet, but he hadn’t missed the way her eyes had roamed over his body and its immediate response. And, while normally he would have welcomed her interest, the intimacy of the surroundings and his tenuous control were making him more than a little anxious.

“I … I needed to talk to you,” she stammered “I’m sorry, I couldn’t sleep. I’ll go back to my room. I realize now I shouldn’t have come.” She turned to leave.

“Wait,” he reached out and touched her arm.

“I … I think I should go.”

Her body quivered under his hand. Seeing someone on the staircase, Hawke drew her into his room and closed the door.

Slowly he reached up, brushing wayward locks of silken hair behind her ear and cupping her face with his hand. His fingers raked through her hair. She lifted her hand. He knew if she returned his touch there would be no going back. Tentatively she reached up and touched his cheek.

“Why do you make me burn, make me need?” she whispered.

Her skin seemed to glow. Her touch was electric. It jolted up his arm and straight to his loins, causing his brain to freeze and his raging desire to break free. He needed to possess her, to feel himself buried in her warmth. The silent “o” of her soft lips and the quivering of her skin under his hand told him she had felt it also.

Hawke released her hair from the long loose braid and felt it slide, heavy and sleek, through his fingers as he spread it around her shoulders in a vibrant veil. It was more luxurious than he had imagined. He held a strand and rubbed it between his fingers, enjoying the silken texture.

Looking into her large jewel eyes, he saw hesitancy. And fear. Not fear of him, but fear of the desire overwhelming them both. It wouldn’t take much more before he would be unable to let her leave, but he knew he had to give her the chance — even though it might kill him if she left.

• • •

“Do you still want to leave?” His voice slid over her skin and along her nerves, soothing and smoky, wrapping tendrils of sensual desire around her very soul.

Looking into those clear gray eyes, Kara couldn’t imagine ever wanting to leave this man. Raw desire melted her very core, releasing the passion within. She shook her head and once again cradled her cheek in the palm of his hand and stepped closer.