A Decent Proposal (4 page)

“How do you mean?”

“We're just playing at it.”

“That's the rumor,” he answered mysteriously.

“And speaking of starting rumors...” She'd intended to express her gratitude for dinner the next time she saw him but hadn't realized she'd be alone with him quite so soon. But now was as good a time as any. “I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate what you're doing for my dad. I didn't expect you to buy dinner tonight and I appreciate that so much. If you'd like I can reimburse you—”

“Of course not. Why would you think that?”

“I didn't mean to offend you. And I don't want to take advantage of you. You're doing me a favor so I feel as if I should take the financial responsibility.”

“No.” He shook his head. “For so many reasons. But I sincerely meant what I said about it being my pleasure. I like your father. And he's a lucky man. Loretta is a wonderful woman. So I'm happy to give their happy ending a nudge.”

How sweet was that?

She leaned into him just a little. “And I mean it when I say how appreciative I am for your participation.” She thought about his moves from the moment he stared at her when she walked in, the kiss on the cheek, meaningful glances through dinner. Meeting his gaze, she said, “You're very good at this. The pretending, I mean. Should I be worried?”

“I'm getting whiplash. You went from appreciative to worried in a nanosecond.”

“Don't get me wrong. I'm thankful for your talent but it makes me think you have practice.”

“No.” He laughed. “Just chalk it up to negotiating skills put to another purpose. I pay attention to details. I'm results-oriented and logistics are my strong suit.”

“Well, you're playing your part to the hilt. That's really unexpected.”

“Call me an overachiever.” He stopped suddenly and looked down at her, something dark and exciting drifting into his eyes. “But consider this—did it ever occur to you that I'm not playing?”

She wasn't able to completely absorb the meaning of his words before he lowered his mouth to hers. The touch was soft and sweet. Seeking and seductive. His hand moved over her back, fingers brushing the bare skin. Shivers slid up and down her spine and her nerve endings started to dance. Heat balled in her belly when he put his arm around her waist and settled her more firmly against him.

It wasn't supposed to happen, but she kissed him back. She couldn't stop herself, didn't want to. Had she unknowingly given off vibes? Somehow let him know how attractive she found him? Whatever the reason, she was enjoying the heck out of this.

When he pulled back and looked at her, she could hear and see that his breathing was unsteady. She would have taken a great deal of satisfaction from that fact except hers was ragged, too. That wasn't good.

They stared at each other for several moments and she knew she had to say something.
Keep it light,
she thought. “That was a nice touch. Like I said, acting is your strong suit. But I'm surprised that you kissed me.”

“The fact that you're a beautiful woman doesn't explain my motivation?”

Oh, how she wanted to be flattered, but it wasn't wise to go there. “It would, except that you've been seen with some of the world's most beautiful women.”

“But none of them can keep the engine in my car purring like a kitten. And I don't mean that as a double entendre. You are a rare, unusual and special woman.”

“Thank you.” With every fiber of her being she wanted to believe that. “But remember we have to keep our eye on the ball. There are lofty goals at stake.”

“It's never far from my mind.”

“Good. Then you understand when I say that you can't be kissing me for no reason.”

“Maybe I had one.” He indicated the light just beside them that made their every move visible to the people milling around the lodge patio not far away. A member of the staff was straightening the outdoor furniture.

“So we could be seen. It's what a man dating a woman would do.”

How silly was she to be even the tiniest bit disappointed to learn that he didn't mean it? Later she would give herself a stern talking-to about how ridiculous her reaction was.

“Yes. And speaking of dating, we have to plan our next move. Your father's remark about looking forward to getting to know me better was his way of letting us know he's watching.”

“I got that, too.”

And she got something else from tonight. A warning that her control regarding Burke Holden was nothing but an illusion. He was a strong man, a powerful man accustomed to getting his own way. She'd dated guys and broken up with them and never looked back, but she had a sneaking suspicion that this could be different.

That didn't make her happy, but unfortunately she was stuck.

Chapter Four

O
n his way to the county buildings on the other side of Blackwater Lake, Burke drove past McKnight Auto and glanced over. Several cars were lined up waiting for service orders to be written up, but there was no sign of Sydney. He hadn't realized how much he'd hoped for a glimpse of her until he didn't get one. If she hadn't approached him with her unorthodox proposal, would he have asked her out?

On his part the attraction had been instantaneous so there was a better-than-even chance he would have. But after dinner with her father and the mayor the other night, it was crystal clear that if he'd followed his usual pattern of avoiding a woman he would have missed something...exciting? Special? Life-changing?

Maybe all of the above. But whatever happened, this
thing
could never be permanent. When it came to his personal life,
permanent
and
forever
weren't part of the vocabulary.

He turned left onto Mountain Street and drove a couple of blocks. The city and county government offices were on the right. He knew where the mayor's office was, having been there several times, and the construction-permits office was somewhere under the same roof.

He parked in the rear lot and walked through the heavy glass doors into the lobby. There was a directory on the wall and Burke saw that the building inspector's office number was located on the second floor. There was an elevator, but he found the stairs and headed up. Too many hours behind a desk could add weight to his midsection. He worked out daily at the lodge fitness center but never missed an opportunity to move more.

When he was home, Liam frequently asked him to play ball, any kind. Baseball, football, soccer. Too often Burke had to say no because of work commitments. He wished he could delegate a lot of details and be home more, but he'd tried that a few times and there was no one he trusted enough. Things got missed, delays resulted and when that happened it cost the company millions. Burke was building an already successful business with his cousin Sloan and someday it would be Liam's. He felt an obligation to leave it more profitable than he'd found it.

Burke located the office and went inside. There was a waiting area with a couch, chairs and a coffee table. A high desk was situated on the left and he walked over. A blonde woman somewhere in her late thirties or early forties was standing there.

“Hi. I'm Burke Holden.”

“Sally Gardiner,” she said, introducing herself. “I've heard about you.”

“Really?” He in no way meant to flirt, but what was a guy supposed to say to that? Just be friendly. “I hope it was positive.”

“You're the fella who's building that new resort up on the mountain. You've got a flashy red sports car. And you had dinner with Sydney McKnight and her dad and the mayor at the Fireside the other night.”

“News travels fast. And it's all true,” he said.

“Generally stories being passed around town are factual and details aren't made up or exaggerated.” She grinned. “Folks here in Blackwater Lake take pride in the integrity of our rumor mill.”

“Good to know,” he said.

“If anything, whoever's doing the telling plays down personal opinion. But you're even more handsome than I heard.”

“Thank you. I'd hate to disappoint.”

“So,” she said, “are you and Sydney an item?”

In a way,
he thought, but not how she meant. “Well...”

“Sorry. I'm nosy. But the thing is, folks are going to ask me. It'll be all over town that you were in here today.” She shrugged.

“An item?” Burke thought for a moment. “Not unless you define an item as a man and woman who are getting to know each other.”

“Hmm.” It seemed as if she was the tiniest bit disappointed in the answer. “Okay, then. What is it I can do for you today, Mr. Holden?”

“Burke, please. You'll probably be seeing a lot of me around here.” He smiled pleasantly, but there was no response from the clerk. “I'm here to look into building permits for the resort.”

“You'll need to speak with the building department supervisor.”

“That would be great. Is he free?”

“I'll check for you. Have a seat.”

“Thanks.”

Burke did as asked but had hoped to be shown in without having to wait. There was a lot to do back at the office and he had a scheduled call with his cousin soon. After ten minutes he began to look at his watch. Probably he should have called ahead to make an appointment. He didn't want to be perceived as presumptuous. That little detail would spread like a wind-driven wildfire and not make his work life in this small town easier.

Just when he was wondering whether or not to leave a message that he would call and schedule a time, Sally walked back behind the counter.

“Sorry I took so long, Burke. Had to update John on some things. He'll see you now.”

Burke had seen John Donnelly, Building Supervisor, stenciled on the door to this office. “Thank you.”

“Follow me. Through there.” She pointed to the door separating the waiting area from the back offices.

Sally led him down the hall to the last office, which was probably the biggest. The door was open and she poked her head in. “John, this is the fella I was telling you about.”

“Thanks, Sally.” The man was in his late fifties, with gray hair and brown eyes. He was a little over six feet tall because they were eye-to-eye when he stood and held out his hand. “John Donnelly. Nice to meet you, Mr. Holden.”

“Burke.”

“Okay.” He indicated the two chairs in front of a desk where construction plans were unrolled for further scrutiny. In the corners of the room, similar rolls were standing up in stacks, probably blueprints waiting for approval. “Have a seat, Burke.”

“Thanks.”

“What can I do for you?”

“I wanted to introduce myself. As you probably know, I'm in charge of building the resort up on the mountain. It's my job to facilitate construction, cross the
t
's and dot the
i
's. In my experience, the process of doing that is much smoother after I get to know who I'll be working with.”

John, cool and assessing, leaned back in his desk chair. “I can see that.”

“It would also be helpful to know what paperwork the county requires. Every one is a little different.”

“Sure.” The other man nodded.

“I've researched codes and zoning restrictions for Blackwater Lake but wanted to find out from the guy in charge if I have the latest information.”

“I can help you with that.”

“It would speed things along to know how many copies of the building plans and site plans you require. How much detail we need to add. Make sure you don't have to ask for more documentation.” Burke looked at the man, who was nodding his agreement.

“That would sure help us out at this end,” he admitted.

“Mayor Goodson assured me that the length of time required and the permit application process is shorter and less intense than a city like Chicago, Los Angeles or New York. Simply because here there's not the large volume of requests.”

“True enough. But we keep busy.”

“I have no doubt. The thing is, delays can be costly and time-consuming.” Stuff that needlessly kept him away from home. And Liam. “I'd like to avoid that if possible.”

“I can sure understand that.” John leaned forward and rested his elbows on the desk. “And here's where I'm coming from, Burke. It's come to my attention that you're seeing Sydney McKnight.”

“We've met,” Burke said cautiously. The man's pleasant tone didn't change, but there was something uncompromising in his dark eyes. “Sir, I don't mean to be critical here. And I'm aware that things are different in a small town. But I'm a little confused about how that information is relevant to my getting construction and electrical permits issued in a timely fashion.”

John pointed to a picture on his desk, one of several and nearly obscured by the unrolled paperwork. It was a photo of this man with his arm affectionately thrown across Syd's shoulders. Both were smiling. “Sydney is my niece.”

Burke did his best not to show surprise. If the last name had been the same, he'd have been better prepared. This guy must be her deceased mother's brother. “I see.”

“Maybe you do. Maybe not. It's not clear from what I hear whether or not you're dating my niece, but you should know that I've been extraprotective of her since the day she was born. So I'd prefer that she's a happy camper. That girl and my brother-in-law have been through a lot. I'd sure hate to see anyone do anything to hurt her.” He hesitated a moment, letting the words sink in. “And whatever the mayor told you about a short waiting period for plan approval could be a little off. If you get my drift.”

Burke definitely got it. The drift was clear. Don't do Sydney wrong or the permits could be delayed, costing him time and money.

He stood and met the other man's gaze. “I assure you that Sydney is safe with me.”

“Sure hope so, son.”

Burke shook the man's hand, left the office, nodded to Sally behind the desk, then walked into the hall and back down the stairs the way he'd come. This was an aspect of small-town life that he hadn't taken into account. Since his philosophy was not to get deeply involved with a woman, it hadn't occurred to him there was a potential conflict of interest if he did.

Still, he was pretty sure he'd told Syd's uncle the truth about her being safe with him. She wasn't looking to get serious and had volunteered to handle the details about them breaking up. Considering that, she should be able to pull off convincing everyone that she wasn't hurt by their relationship.

But any ideas Burke had of taking things to the next level with her would be best ignored. Personal risks weren't his style and factoring in the business complications made taking any chances too costly.

Still, he was committed to helping convince Syd's father they were a couple. That would make her happy and now he had business reasons for keeping her that way.

* * *

After rotating the tires, Syd looked at the underside of the 2012 Chevrolet sport utility vehicle up on the hydraulic lift. Always a good idea to make sure the frame was solid. The customer had said the ride wasn't as smooth as it could be. Part of the reason could be that Blackwater Lake was surrounded by rural area. Critters large and small crossed the roads whenever they felt the need and mostly at inconvenient times.

She didn't like thinking about that, but stuff turned up and finding it here at the shop was in her job description, so she looked and fortunately didn't see anything wrong. She would change the oil, then check the fuel injection system.

There were footsteps on the cement floor behind her. A man's footsteps in dress shoes, not boots or sneakers. Burke Holden.

Could be someone else, but she had a feeling it wasn't. Just thinking his name made her heart beat a little faster. She took a deep breath then turned to face him. “Hi.”

“Hi, yourself.”

“I'm guessing you didn't see the sign.”

One corner of his mouth quirked up. “You mean the one about customers not being allowed in the service area?”

“That would be the one.”

“It's a liability issue and I don't plan on having an accident, let alone filing a lawsuit against your business.”

“Good to know.”

He moved closer and pulled her into his arms, then lowered his mouth to hers. The sudden and unexpected intimacy sucked the air from her lungs and started her pulse racing. His lips were soft, so soft, and she felt herself sinking into the kiss in spite of the warning her brain was trying to send that she shouldn't respond.

He cupped the side of her face in his palm and brushed his thumb over her cheek, caressing, mesmerizing, tempting. The sound of a tricked-out truck roaring by on the street brought her to her senses, reminding her where she was.

She pulled back, hoping he wouldn't see that his kiss had affected her, made her tremble from head to toe. Brushing her dirty hands over her equally dirty work shirt and pants, she said, “I'm greasy. It's going to get all over those expensive clothes you're wearing.”

He glanced down at his slacks and sports shirt and shrugged. “A devoted boyfriend doesn't care about things like that.”

Speaking in the third person was a dead giveaway that he wasn't talking about himself. And for some reason that kiss had felt a lot like a giant “take that,” as if he was trying to make a point to someone. “Why did you kiss me?”

“Your father's watching.”

“How do you know?”

“I stopped in the office. He told me where to find you and warned me about customers in the service bay.”

Syd peeked past him and saw that it was true. Tom McKnight was looking at them through the window of his office. It was so tempting to wave, but she held back. Make it look real and natural, she reminded herself. The man's future happiness was at stake.

She looked up at Burke. “I have to say again that you're very good at role-playing.”

“It's a gift.” His face had faux humility all over it.

“I didn't expect to see you here.” But she was happy he'd stopped by, a thought that was something to rationalize later.

“I just met your uncle.”

“Oh?”

He nodded. “I went to the county building services office about permits for the resort. Turns out he handles that sort of thing.”

In the brief time she'd known Burke Holden, Syd had grown accustomed to his easygoing manner. It was missing in action at the moment.

“And?” she asked.

“Several things, actually.” He smiled but there was no amusement in his eyes. “Sally Gardiner wanted to know if we're an item.”

So the rumor mill was already grinding out information. It was good when a plan came together. “Don't keep me in suspense. What did you tell her?”