Garrett wasn’t so stupid as to believe this, but had answered.
K. So I hear you’re getting your dresses fitted Wednesday. I’ll drive you.
Won’t your girlfriend get jealous?
I’d like to explain to you about her.
It’s fine. The fitting is at five so I’ll see you before then.
“Are you even listening, Garrett?”
He lifted his head to Landon’s confused gray gaze.
“Hmm? What?”
Landon scowled and then continued, raising his voice as though to be clearer. “Clarks...new strategy...”
So, Kate thought Garrett had planned it all?
How could she believe that he’d planned to get sick, so that he could get her to bring over some food for him, get her into bed, seduce her like some out-of-control adolescent and conveniently forget a condom so she might have to stay? Well, hell, it sounded so brilliant, he felt like an idiot for not thinking of it before.
“Garrett, dammit, did you hear?”
“Yes. Clarks. A new strategy.” He set his phone aside, but putting thoughts about Kate aside wasn’t that easy.
“You’re the last single Gage. Will you or won’t you go through with this?” Landon asked.
With a major wrench of mental muscles, Garrett pulled his scrambled brain together and tried to focus on the topic today.
“All three of us know that I’m not really the last single Gage, Lan.” Garrett leaned back to survey both his brothers’ expressions across the conference table.
Landon’s eyebrows shot up. “Don’t go there.”
“Why not?” He shrugged. “He’s still a Gage.”
“Mother wanted nothing to do with him. Hell, we paid him millions to get out of our lives for good, and you want to bring him back?”
“How badly do you want Clarks?” Garrett countered.
“As badly as you want it,” Landon returned.
Garrett scraped a hand along the tense muscles at the back of his neck. He wanted Clarks, but not as bad as he wanted something else.
“Plus who’s to say that selfish bastard will want to help us?” Landon rose to pace by the wall of windows. “He will want a big piece of the pie, and he’ll want even more than that. Do you remember Father refused to recognize him?“
“But we know he was Father’s son, no matter how many times he denied it to Mother,” Garrett countered. He’d been wracking his brain for other options and this was, fortunately or unfortunately, the only one he’d been able to come with.
To bring their illegitimate half brother, Emerson Wells, back into the fold.
Julian chewed on the back of a pen before he lowered it and spoke. “We could entice him with money. Stock. Something. Maybe we should call just him.”
“He’s trouble,” Landon said pointedly, his face furrowed in thought. “What does he do now anyway?”
“Last I heard he was in the personal security business here in San Antonio. Started as a bodyguard.”
“Seriously?”
“What can I say? He likes beating people up.”
“All right then.” Crossing the room, Landon clicked the phone intercom and rang his assistant. “If you’d please get me Emerson Wells on the line. You should be able to do a Google search and find his number. He owns some sort of personal security business here in town.”
Hanging up, Landon rubbed his chin thoughtfully, his gray eyes on Garrett. “If he denies us...would you still go through with it?”
Kate’s face and words surfaced in his mind with a vengeance, and his chest cramped. I would never marry for anything other than love!
For one painful moment, he wondered if she’d even care whether he married someone else, for whatever reason. But although her words had cut through him, her body had spoken another language. He’d lost control, and so had she. They’d both been so needy he hadn’t even been able to stop to put on a condom.
What had he done?
Perhaps Garrett hadn’t technically broken his promise to her father, but he felt like he had. There was probably no man more undeserving of Kate’s affection than he.
Clearly, you blew it, Gage.
But she had wanted him. Hell, she’d not only wanted him, she’d melted under his touch. Was he supposed to turn his mind blank and forget about a moment like that?
“Molls said they have a fitting this afternoon that you insisted on driving them to?”
He glanced up at Julian in confusion. “Molly? I told Kate I’d drive her. I didn’t know it included Molly.”
“And Beth,” Landon added with a grin. “They’re all going together.”
Garrett almost groaned. So much for talking to Kate one-on-one.
“Fine, then. I’ll drive the three of them,” Garrett reluctantly conceded. An infuriating hunch told him that Kate was doing this on purpose. Clearly, she had no desire to discuss anything with him.
Julian dropped his pencil on the table and angled his head, his eyes sparkling in amusement.
“You know, bro, I can’t help you here. Molls would strangle me if I see her in the dress.”
“That’s fine.” He plunged a hand through his hair. He’d wanted to spend some time with Kate and talk, but he would manage somehow. “I’ll drop Kate off last and see if she’ll do dinner with me.”
“So I take it this means whatever Emerson says, you’re not keen on the marriage of convenience?” Julian queried.
“Would you be?” Garrett countered. “Keen to marry a stranger? When your every thought is consumed by someone else?”
“Why don’t you just tell Kate how you feel and get it all out there?”
Garrett shook his head.
Because he didn’t deserve her.
Hell, the way things stood, even if he were to tell Kate how she made him feel, she’d probably tell him to stick his declaration where it hurts. She resented him for having taken her father from her, no matter how much she tried to pretend she didn’t. He still couldn’t forget those words she’d lashed out at him with when they were young: How dare you!
He’d never forget the hurt betrayal in her eyes when she’d found out her father had died because Garrett hadn’t run as he’d been told to. And now, to top it off, she believed he’d deliberately slept with her just to make sure she stayed in San Antonio. True, it might have been the catalyst, but that was so not the reason.
“You know, Garrett,” Landon said, coming over to pat his back, “we all get the love we think we deserve...and you deserve it, man. No matter what you think. You both do. So you better own it before she leaves for Florida, brother. Neither Julian nor I, nor for that matter, Mother, has any desire to watch what her departure does to you.”
Seven
Kate checked herself in the mirror for the tenth time. She wore a plain khaki skirt and sleeveless halter top. She knew that it would be silly to try on another top, so she grabbed her purse and her phone, then glanced down on impulse at Garrett’s last texts.
He’d said he wanted to talk and tell her about the “bimbo,” but just thinking about the way he’d defended her made Kate’s blood boil. Worse was that every time she went back a little further, to his kisses, little bubbles of remembrance shot through her system. She didn’t want the bubbles. Or the tingles. Or any of the gut-churning jealousy she felt when she thought about him and Cassandra Clarks.
She hadn’t slept a wink last night; she could still feel his touch on her traitorously sensitive skin. Now, Beth and Molly were waiting in her living room for him to pick them up, and Kate was grateful for the buffer they would provide.
Coward. That’s why you asked them to come over.
Yes, yes, so fine, she was a coward. She just didn’t trust herself to be alone with him. She feared she’d either do s
omething sexual, which she had to put a stop to, or say some other cruel things that she didn’t mean. She regretted getting so defensive when he’d started apologizing. Garrett was actually the most unselfish man she knew. He’d always thought ahead to how he would protect her if something unexpected happened. But the last thing Kate had wanted was to add to his burdens when it came to her. She hadn’t ever imagined they’d end up naked and entangled. But he’d been there. So available. So sexy, tan and bare-chested. How could she resist? And the bastard had broken remorselessly through her walls, all in his stupid attempt to bend her to his will and liking!
But then he’d pretended to be hurt by her accusation, and accused her of being a tease. The reminder made her frown. She’d never considered that she was. Did she tease him? She’d tried to make him jealous for years, but she’d never known it had even had an effect.
Maybe it had more than he’d let on.
“Landon thinks he’s going to do it,” Beth was telling Molly.
“Do what?” Kate asked as she came back into the living room.
Molly turned to her with a sad, moping face. “Marry Cassandra Clarks. Jules told me yesterday. I just didn’t know how to bring it up.”
Kate’s stomach clenched.
“It’s got something to do with acquiring Clarks Communications,” Beth said, shaking her head. “Kate, I’m sorry.”
Once again, Kate felt the painful stab of jealousy inside her. “All the more reason I should leave,” she whispered.
“You’d let the man you love marry another woman?” Beth asked uncertainly.
“If he wants her, yes. And I don’t love him. I might have had a crush, but I’m over that. I’m in love with the idea of Florida now.”
“Kate, I think it’s hard for him to let himself want something, with what happened to your father, but I’ve always seen that he’s got it bad for you,” Beth said.
“No. I had it bad for him. And now I’ve promised myself to forget him. I should find a man with no baggage who actually makes me feel loved, Beth.”
Both women quietly watched her pace to the window and then back.
“So there’s nothing going on between the two of you? The boys say he’s distracted. And so are you,” Beth insisted.
Her best friend’s eyes twinkled all of a sudden, and Kate wanted to groan when she saw Molly’s mischievous smile also appear. Did they suspect Kate had totally gone sex-crazed at Garrett’s place several days ago?
“There’s nothing going on. We’re...normal. Friends.” Who slipped up once, she mentally added. Through the window, she watched his silver Audi pull over to the curb. Little bugs tickled the insides of her stomach. “He’s here.”
“I guess I’ll just slide into the back with Molly,” Beth offered as they went outside, and Kate locked up behind her.
She hated how her heart pounded when she walked up to the shiny silver car. Garrett stood holding the door open, his eyes sweet and liquid chocolate as he smiled. “Hi, Katie.”
Her bones went mushy every time he called her Katie. “Hey, Garrett.” His broad shoulder brushed hers as she got in, and her pulse sped with his nearness as he bent to kiss her on the cheek.
Oh, God, please don’t be nice today, she thought miserably.
She could handle fighting with him. But this?
The thought of him marrying anyone, touching anyone like he’d touched her, tortured her.
He settled behind the steering wheel. She watched his hands on the gearshift as they sped off, and her core warmed and boiled hot as she remembered the ways he’d caressed her. Every part of her body wanted to do it again except her mind, where warning bells were ringing at full volume.
She couldn’t let it happen again.
He was talking marriage to another woman.
She was only too glad she wouldn’t be here to watch it.
* * *
After forty-five minutes at the dress shop, Garrett could now totally understand his brothers’ amused grins from only hours ago.
He’d never gone to a dress fitting before.
Torture.
He sat on a chair outside a line of dressing rooms and watched as the ladies came out to stand before a huge mirror, where a busy little woman picked and poked and stabbed the material until she’d shaped it to her liking.
He’d been doing fine, answering emails on his iPhone, until Kate came out and took his breath away.
He watched her hop onto the platform and model the dress, exposing her slim, creamy ankles as she discussed the length with the short, busy-bee shop attendant. He felt as if a grenade had just exploded in his chest. His blood heated as he remembered the hell of watching her grow up, grow breasts, wear her hair longer, develop those curves. He’d seen her in her prom dress, in a barely there black bikini that hugged her silken curves in all the right places and made Garrett hurt in all the wrong ones.
He’d seen her naked in his bed...writhing in his arms....
And once he got her back there, he never wanted to see her dressed again.
He wanted to touch her, hold her.
He wanted to hear her breathe next to him at night. He just knew if she slept at his side, the mere feel of her would make all his nightmares vanish.
He suddenly saw, clearly, how he’d be complete and whole with her. How he’d feel worthy and needed in a way he had never, ever felt before. But at the same time, he’d be vulnerable. Because, holy God, he needed this woman so much.
He saw her eyes go bright when the girls came over, squealing in delight.
“That blue looks so good on you,” Molly gushed.
“Oh, your date is going to be so thrilled!”
Garrett cocked a brow as he pushed himself off the chair and came over, listening to her ask if they were sure.
He stood next to her and caught her gaze in the mirror. “Date?”
She spun around to face him and her lips trembled in a smile. “I don’t know. We won’t be catering so I’ll have some time to spare.”
“Exactly. Flirt around with a man. Have a little fun,” Molly said from nearby. Garrett couldn’t miss the mischievous glint in Molly’s eyes as she surveyed Garrett for a reaction.
He gave her none.
“Do we want this fitted...?” The saleslady maneuvered Kate’s skirt, and Garrett watched in rapture as the woman tucked the fabric around her waist to enhance Kate’s luscious curves even more.
He studied her breasts, how lush they were, tightly constrained by the corsetlike bodice. His mouth watered and his hands ached. He was in hell and heaven at the same time, and it was the most puzzling feeling he’d ever experienced.
Kate stared at his reflection, her blue eyes shining in concern and somehow pleading for a compliment. “Do you like it?”
They both stared at one another, and for that one moment, nothing mattered but her. She held his gaze, and he held hers. His world centered around this one woman he’d always tried not to want.
His eyes trailed along her body, taking her in, and he heard the soft, amusing sound of her breath catching. The gown was sapphire-colored, consisting of a tight corset top clinging to her body like second skin, then flaring into a wide skirt. He wanted to toss it up in the air and bury himself between her legs. Her arms were toned and slim, her breasts perky and tightly constricted, making him want to free them. Her glossy hair, too long and beautiful to keep restrained, hung down her shoulders.
She was gazing at him nervously, wetting her lips. “Garrett...do you like it?” she repeated.
He nodded while his body burned under his skin.
Smiling tremulously, she hopped off the platform and started toward the changing rooms, but within three steps, he caught her wrist and spun her around. As if shocked, she looked down at his fingers curled around her flesh, then
watched him, wide-eyed, as he lifted her hand in his and kissed her knuckles, one by one. “Speaking of dates,” he whispered when he was done, “do you have one?”
Surprise and excitement flickered in her gaze, and his smile widened as he watched her struggle for a reply. He should probably ask Cassandra out on a date, start playing up appearances, but the hope he saw in Kate’s pretty eyes... He wanted to kiss her eyelids, and track her jaw with his tongue. Then go to the shell of her ear, where he would whisper all sort of things to her, naughty and nice. He wanted to have what his brothers had; he wanted all of that, with Kate.
This talk of marriages of convenience and business mergers...
Did any of it matter to him? If he didn’t have Kate?
He didn’t deserve her, but he was damned ready to work to get her. He wanted to stop punishing himself, stop blaming himself for people dying, and just dream of all that life and love he felt when he looked at Kate.
“I...” She hesitated, then shook her head, her cheeks coloring pink. “It’s best I go on my own.”
She quickly pried her hand free and disappeared behind a velvet curtain to change once more.
* * *
Garrett Gage asking her out on a date?
No. Not a date. Garrett Gage asking her out to the wedding.
And he hadn’t really asked her. He seemed to be checking whether she already knew whom she’d go with, which was different.
Still. In her heart, her gut, in the way he’d looked at her...oooh, how it had felt when he’d asked her that question.
Kate was still reeling at the possibilities as they dropped off Beth and Molly and then rode in silence back to her place. Rain caught up with them by the time he pulled over in front of her one-story house. The drops were so big, they made huge splattering sounds on the windshield and the top of the car.
“Oh, no,” Kate groaned.
Garrett reached into the backseat and grabbed his suit jacket. “Remember this? Something like this has saved your pretty head from getting wet before.”