Whispers of the Heart (13 page)

“And I’m not ready to be caught,” Kat replied equally candid, “so where does that leave us?”

“At an impasse?”

“At an impasse,” Kat replied, pulling free from his embrace. Kat sighed dejectedly, “If
you’ll excuse me, I’m suddenly very tired. Good night, Mr. Rivers.”

“Good night, Kat,” Dalian replied. He watched her leave the barn and move toward the house, his brain mulling over their conversation. He’d only known her two weeks, but a need deep within made him want to get to know her better. Still, he sensed something inside her was preventing him getting closer. Her husband’s death, perhaps?

She’d agreed when he’d said they were at an impasse, but what she didn’t know was his definition of impasse didn’t include inescapable. He’d get through her self-erected barriers, if he had to chisel through them one brick at a time. He only had six weeks until she left though, so he’d have to chisel fast.

“You really shouldn’t be out here alone. Not at night, at least.”

Kat jumped. Instead of relaxing when Dalian stepped from the shadows, her heartbeat increased along with her breathing. What was it about this man, she wondered for the hundredth time, that caused her heart to skip a beat whenever he drew near, and made her innards turn to mush? Yes, he was gorgeous, but her husband had been an extremely handsome man as well. Even Cal, who’d shown an interest in her, was a good-looking fellow.

But when Dalian was around, she felt an animal lust that was confusing to her; a lust she admittedly never felt during her marriage. A lust she’d never felt with any man.

“Kat? You shouldn’t be out here alone,” Dalian repeated softly.

“Why?” She asked, but wasn’t just responding to his comment, but was also questioning her own inner turmoil.

“It’s not safe,” he said, placing a booted foot on the corral railing. He leaned on his elbows, keeping his gaze averted.

“Why? Are there other men on this ranch that can approach a person as stealthily as you and give a guest a lethal heart attack?”

“Nope,” Dalian said with a laugh. “Only I can manage that one.”

“Your ability can scare the tar out of a body.”

“Sorry about that, but I wasn’t necessarily referring to scaring someone to death. There are other creatures hereabouts, besides man, whose stealthy approach can do more than scare the tar out of a body.”

“Thanks for that disturbing image.”

“I’ll plant as many of them in your brain as need be, if it’ll keep you safe,” Dalian said, suddenly serious. His tone, possessively protective, gave Kat pause. It also sounded like he spoke from personal experience, which made her curious. She shook the protective tone off as simply hearing things due to tiredness and smiled slightly. “Well, I’m sure glad to know you care about the people who patron your ranch. Of course, you have a funny way of putting people at ease while setting them on their toes.”

“Just doing my job, Miss,” Dalian said, tipping his hat playfully. He shook off the memory of Carolyn standing in this area the night she died. If he’d been more diligent and determined then as now…

“Well, I wouldn’t want you to be overly concerned with my well-being, and I certainly don’t want to become some nocturnal predator’s midnight snack, so I guess I’ll turn in. I just... well, it’s just so beautiful here, is all. The sky. The stars,” she whispered, taking another quick glance upward.

“Nothing like it in the world, as far I’m concerned,” Dalian whispered, his gaze turning heavenward as well.

“I’d have to agree. Well, I guess I’ll say goodnight then,” she whispered, and started to turn.

“If you want to stay, I’ve got my rifle with me.”

Kat looked down, only just realizing that a weapon lay near her feet.
Armed and dangerous
, she thought,
in more ways than one.

“If you don’t mind the company, that is, especially since I seem to have offended you earlier in the evening,” Dalian added, and Kat looked up. Her reply caught in her throat when her gaze collided with his. His eyes were like liquid chocolate, she thought. Fiery pools of dark chocolate, she amended. Hormones, she concluded.

Kat tried to speak again, but it was no use. Her mind had reverted to puberty and her tongue had rapidly followed suit. She’d never speak again, she thought, unless both grew up in a hurry. She looked away. After she felt more composed, she tried again.

“I appreciate the offer, but it was solitude I was after, not company. Thank you just the same.”

“Still angry with me?” Dalian asked, stalling her departure. He liked the sound of her voice, even when her words spoke of her desire to get away from him.

“No. Just frustrated, I guess,” Kat said softly.

“Because I won’t call off my pursuit?” Dalian asked. He’d never been one to play games or mince words. He only hoped he didn’t offend her further, but something said she was of the same mold and would respond equally direct. He wasn’t disappointed.

“For one, I suppose,” Kat sighed. “I guess I’ve been out of circulation for so long, I forgot the rules of the game. It seems I remember though that if a woman doesn’t return the interest, a
man is supposed to turn his attentions elsewhere. You don’t seem to be catching the hints.”

“To be honest, Kat,” Dalian said, “your words are mixing with your signals, which can confuse a body something fierce.”

She cringed a little, because Chloe said something along the same lines earlier. “Have you ever thought that your radar might simply be broken and you’re reading me all wrong?”

“Not likely,” Dalian retorted. “My radar may have been out of service for a couple of years, but it’s hardly broken. Besides, our radars help us men locate a mate, so keeping them working is in our best interest.”

Kat laughed, preferring this form of conversation to the overly intimate ones of late. A healthy debate was always a good way to control raging hormones. “If men’s radars were so accurate, there would be far fewer offended people in the world. I mean, all men have to do is catch the clue when we toss it at them and move on, but do they? No! They take is as a sign to pursue at all costs and then they end up hurt or offended when they realize that the very radar they relied upon was reading all wrong. It would be easier just to accept the fact that the radar is flawed and tune it towards someone else.”

“Sometimes our radar is working just fine,” Dalian rejoined, “but the woman simply refuses to accept the fact that a mutual attraction exists – for whatever reason.”

Kat’s hair prickled along the nape of her neck when she realized he’d turned the conversation back into an intimate one. It wasn’t in the words, so much as in his tone. She glanced up and quickly berated herself for doing so.
Those damned dark chocolate eyes
, she thought and tried to look away.
I love chocolate,
she thought inanely.

“Isn’t that true, Kat?” Dalian whispered, leaning closer.

“I’d better turn in,” Kat whispered breathlessly.

“Prove me wrong, Kat,” Dalian said quickly, softly, leaning closer still. “Prove to me that my radar is broken, and I’ll leave you be for the next six weeks. Not even a sideways glance. You have my word of honor.”

“I don’t...”

“One kiss,” Dalian interrupted, closing the gap between them with each word.

“Kiss?” Kat croaked. Her throat constricted and she felt a strong desire to run, but that desire was overpowered by a deeper yearning that slowly enveloped her.

“You can hide behind words, Kat, but a kiss bears your soul,” Dalian whispered, lifting his hand and tenderly stroking her cheek. Kat’s eyes instinctively fluttered closed and she leaned toward him.

Dalian smiled at her response, moved his hand beneath her hair, and lightly grasped her nape, pulling her toward him. “Prove me
right
,” he whispered and closed his mouth over hers.

Dalian reluctantly broke the kiss, more shaken than even she appeared to be, although from the sound of her ragged breathing, he doubted it – or was that his breathing that was
ragged? It was hard to tell. They both seemed to be panting in unison. He opened his eyes. She was watching him, her gaze clouded with desire. He slid his hand from her nape and stroked her cheek. Once again, she closed her eyes, her lips parting slightly. He was certainly not one to refuse an invitation. The experiment was over, his case was proven, and now he intended to enjoy the victory of being right. His radar wasn’t broken.

He pulled his foot from the fence and turned toward her, slid an arm about her waist and pulled her flush against him. The other hand that had been stroking her cheek returned to her nape, tangled in her hair, and tilted her head to meet his need. His mouth captured her gasp and his tongue began that age-old lover’s duel, but he wanted his tongue to caress more than hers. He wanted it to light her skin afire with desire; one that she couldn’t deny. He broke away from her mouth, slid his tongue along the side of her neck, and then caught her earlobe between his teeth, nibbling softly. Kat’s head fell instinctively to the side, and a groan of desire escaped. Her hands clung to his sleeves like a swimmer to a life preserver; but it was no use. She was drowning – fast.

As if sensing her dilemma, Dalian slid his hands down her back and cupped her rear, pulling her in tighter still. She moaned in acquiescence and Dalian felt himself suddenly sinking. He picked her up and moved backward until he felt the fence bump into his hands, and then released his grip from her rear and grabbed hold of the top of the rail, leaning into her. If his shirt was
her
life preserver, the fence was his.

His mouth made a return voyage and claimed her lips in another breath-stealing kiss. Kat wrapped her arms around his waist and clutched his shirt with what strength she had left. Never had she felt such intense heat pounding through her body. It was as if someone had bound the two of them together and lifted them over a roaring flame of desire.

“I can’t...” Kat panted, when his lips finally broke from hers.

Dalian stiffened, lifting his gaze to meet hers, “Can’t what?” he asked, his own breathing heavy.

“I can’t breathe.”

Dalian took a quick, unsteady step back, but Kat’s hands were still clutching his shirt and he dragged her with him. She collapsed into him, her legs giving way. He reached down and scooped her into his quivering arms and, on unsteady legs, made his way toward the barn. With a barely balanced sway, he kicked the door open and moved toward an empty stall, carefully laying her down upon the fresh bed of hay. He knelt over her, examining her with his eyes. “Are you okay?” He asked, stroking her face.

“I’m fine,” she whispered. “I think.”

“You need to explain better than that. You’re extremely flushed.”

“So are you,” Kat whispered.

“But I can breathe.”

“It’s just that I’ve never felt anything so intense before and it took my breath away – literally,” Kat breathed. “I’m okay now. I think. I’m sorry I worried you.”

Comprehension dawned and Dalian grinned, and then stretched out beside her, “I’ll admit I was having a hard time too. Damn, but you’re the most powerful presence to enter my life, Kat. I’ve never experienced anything like I did when I kissed you. Guess that means my radar isn’t broken.”

“No,” Kat grinned. “I’d say everything about you is in working order.”

“How would you know?” Dalian purred. “You haven’t even tried out the whole package yet.”

“Yet?”

“Hell yes, yet!” Dalian grinned, planting a quick kiss on her lips. “You don’t think I’m going to let you get away, do you?”

“I don’t think I’d get far,” Kat murmured. “You’re like a gigantic magnet, do you know that? I felt drawn to you from the minute I saw you.”

“Same here.”

“I guess it’s time to stop running.”

With a suddenness that startled her, Dalian jerked upright and flipped atop her. His legs were spread eagle on either side of hers and his hands were positioned beside her head. His arms, rigid with the exertion, were holding his muscled frame elevated above her. He grinned and she laughed.

“If I wasn’t lying here beneath you, I’d say you were preparing to do pushups.”

“I am,” he said and laughed when her eyes widened. “You shock easily, do you know that?”

“I don’t know why I would. It’s not like I’m an inexperienced teenager,” Kat said. “I guess I’m just not used to someone as flirtatious as you coming onto me so strongly.”

“Women flirt, men pursue.”

“You’ve definitely been doing that,” Kat said softly. “How much do you weigh?” She asked suddenly in a deliberate change of subject.

“I don’t know exactly. About one hundred-eighty-five.”

“All muscle, no doubt,” Kat murmured in such an admiring tone that Dalian laughed. “Would you mind not laughing,” she said, concernedly. “You quiver when you laugh. Exactly how long can you hold yourself upright like that?”

“Afraid I’ll squash you?”

“Like a bug,” Kat admitted. “I only weigh one-hundred-twenty pounds, and can only bench press forty. If you pass out, I wouldn’t be able to get you off of me.”