Bachelor Unforgiving (9 page)

“Are we?”

A smile touched the corners of his lips. “If you don't believe me just watch.” And he then leaned and kissed their joined hands.

Kara couldn't stop the tremble that immediately coursed through her. She licked her lips when a familiar sensation stirred in the lower part of her body. “Do you think this is necessary?” she asked, letting out a slow, controlled breath.

“Don't you?” he asked softly. “Tell me what you think since you came up with the action plan. Was this not what you had in mind for the woman I was to date exclusively? Were we not supposed to give people the impression that we're all into each other?”

“Yes, but I wasn't supposed to be that woman, Virgil.”

“But unfortunately, Kara, you are now that woman. Now lean toward me a bit. Don't ask why, just do it.”

Drawing in a deep breath, and with their hands interlinked and heat spreading up her thighs, she leaned in closer. And that's when he leaned in and brushed his lips softly against hers. She figured the kiss was meant to be quick, however, instead of either of them leaning back, their lips remained mere inches from each other. The most logical thing was to kiss again. So they did. This one lasted longer than the last, and when he swept his tongue across her lips, she felt fire curling in her stomach.

When their lips parted he tilted his head and looked at her and said in a deep throaty voice, “I think that will do for now.”

“Will it?” she asked in a breathless whisper.

“Yes,” he said, slowly releasing her hands. “Now it's time to leave.”

“But I thought we were here to plan our strategy.”

A smile touched the corners of his lips. “We just did. Come on and let me walk you to your car.”

Chapter 10

T
he next morning Virgil gazed out his bedroom window and thought back on last night at the café with Kara. For the umpteenth time he tried convincing himself that kissing her had served a purpose. They'd had an audience so it had been the perfect time to put on a show.

But did he have to kiss her a second time and taste her with his tongue?

There was no doubt in his mind that he had felt something in those kisses, something he hadn't counted on. It was not intended to mean anything. He'd been merely acting out a part and nothing else. However, the moment his mouth had touched hers, emotions he hadn't expected had flooded him. Those emotions should have been buried long ago, never to resurface again.

Some emotions were to be expected, he told himself. After all, regardless of the reason they'd broken up, Kara had been the one and only woman he'd ever loved. Not feeling something would have been impossible.

He had walked her to her car and, when he'd opened the door and she'd slid her body onto the leather seat, exposing a luscious thigh in the process, a pang of desire had shot through him. He'd been tempted to act on it so he'd given in to temptation and placed a kiss on the side of her throat. He'd gone even further and used his tongue to cop a taste when he licked her skin there.

Kara's sharp intake of breath had let him know she'd felt it. There had been no logical reason for his tongue to come into contact with her skin, and now he was paying for his actions. He was convinced the taste of her had somehow saturated his insides. After she'd driven off, he had quickly walked to his car, gotten inside and driven home totally aroused. He still was.

He didn't want to be sexually attracted to Kara. It had taken only a kiss to show that she could still get under his skin. And if that wasn't bad enough, the taste of her had him thinking of nothing else but tasting her again. And why on earth had he suggested they spend the weekend together? What had he been thinking?

The cell phone on his nightstand rang but he didn't have to answer it to know who was calling. It was Uriel. Uriel and his wife, Ellie, were spending the summer on Cavanaugh Lake, which was located a few miles from Gatlinburg.

Crossing the room, he picked up the phone. “Yes, U?”

“I came into town yesterday to attend the pep rally. Afterward a group of us went to the Racetrack Café and I heard you'd been there earlier with Kara. I also heard the two of you were all lovey-dovey.” There was a brief pause before Uriel asked, “So, what's going on, V? Are you and Kara getting back together?”

“Not in a million years,” Virgil replied in a gruff voice.

“In that case you have some explaining to do.”

Virgil rolled his eyes. “Do I?”

“What do you think?”

Virgil drew in a deep breath. He didn't want his godbrothers getting the wrong idea about him and Kara. “Have you had breakfast yet?”

“No.”

“Good. Join me, I'll explain everything.”

“Okay. Where?”

“Meet me at the Racetrack Café in a half hour.”

* * *

Kara stretched her body, not ready to get out of bed just yet. She glanced over at the clock and thought since she didn't have any appointments this morning there was no rush to get to the office. She would just lie here a minute longer and bask in her memories from yesterday.

He had kissed her. She would admit by Virgil Bougard's standards both kisses had been rather chaste. She knew from past experiences that Virgil had the ability to plow you with a kiss that could make your head swoon for days. But the lasting effect had been just as powerful. Then when he'd walked her to her car, he had licked her throat. The feel of his tongue on her skin had stirred something deep within her.

And then he'd suggested they spend some time together this weekend, to be seen in public as a couple. She would plan the activity and she already had an idea what she wanted them to do. They would—

Her cell phone rang, interrupting her thoughts and quickening her pulse. Virgil had her number. Was he calling her?

Reaching for the phone, she glanced at caller ID and felt her heart sink. It was Marti. It had been months since the two of them had communicated and she couldn't help wondering what her sister wanted. She sat up in bed and clicked on the phone. “Yes, Marti?”

“Is the article I read in yesterday's newspaper true?” Marti asked excitedly. “Are you and Virgil really back together?”

Kara frowned. Why would Marti sound happy for them after all she'd done? “And what if we are?”

“Then I'm happy for you. I know you don't believe me but I truly am. I was wrong about Virgil, and in trying to protect you, I went too far. I know you hate me and—”

“I don't hate you but you had no right to do what you did and then to brag about it to the person you were talking to on the phone. You know the pain I went through when I thought Virgil was unfaithful. You let me go through that. You even had the gall to give me your shoulder to cry on when you deliberately lied about him.”

“I thought I was protecting you, Kara. Why can't you believe that? Why can't you forgive and forget so we can move on?”

Kara drew in a deep breath. Hadn't she wondered the same thing about Virgil when he hadn't accepted her apology? But there was one difference. “Because I don't believe you regret what you did. Don't forget I overheard that conversation you had with that person on the phone. You were bragging and boasting about how you screwed up my relationship with Virgil. If I didn't know better, I'd think the reason you did it was because you wanted him for yourself.”

“That's not true! I told you why I did it. I didn't believe he really loved you and thought he would eventually hurt you. You're my baby sister and I didn't want you to go through the pain that...”

When Marti didn't finish what she was about to say, Kara asked, “What? What were you going to say, Marti?”

“Nothing,” Marti said, much too quickly to suit Kara. “I was wrong about him and I'm sorry. But it's not about us anymore, Kara. It's about Mom and Dad.”

Kara frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“They're on bad terms because of us. It's all my fault that there's a rift between me and you, and I hate that Mom and Dad are involved. Please let's meet this morning for breakfast. We need to at least talk, Kara.”

Kara didn't say anything for a minute. She hated how the disjunction between her and Marti was affecting her parents. Maybe she should take Virgil's lead and forgive but not forget. She doubted she could ever trust her sister again.

“I need to shower and get dressed. It will take an hour.”

“Great!”

Kara tried not to notice the excitement in Marti's voice. “You decide where.”

“You know I'm going to say Racetrack Café. Their waffles are to die for.”

She shook her head. Unknowingly Marti had selected the place where she'd dined just last night with Virgil. How could she sit there this morning and not be swamped by memories of his kisses?

* * *

“So there you have it, U. The only reason I'm coming within ten feet of Kara is for business.”

Uriel Lassiter lifted a brow. “You sure about that? From what I heard, your mouth was playing around hers pretty damn good.”

Virgil frowned. “That kiss was just for show.”

“Whatever you say,” Uriel said in a tone suggesting he didn't believe him. “Did you finally come around to accepting Kara's apology?”

“I told her I would forgive her but I wouldn't forget.”

“People make mistakes. Even you, V.”

Virgil's frown deepened. “You're right. My biggest mistake was ever falling in love with her.”

Uriel shook his head. “I'd be wasting my time if I told you to let it go. I've suggested it before and you haven't. You recall how for all those years I avoided Ellie.”

Yes, Virgil remembered. Ellie had played a teenage prank on Uriel that had taken him nearly ten years to forget. Eventually he had and the two were now married.

“I told you that I accepted her apology.”

“But you're still holding a grudge.”

“I am not holding a grudge. Doing so would require too much time and effort, and I don't intend to give Kara any more of either than I have to.”

Uriel took a sip of his coffee. “I'm surprised Kara agreed to go along with pretending to be in an exclusive affair with you.”

Virgil shrugged. “She wasn't happy about it. But Kara is getting paid to improve my image, no matter what it takes for her to do so.”

Uriel gave him a hard glare. “I hope you don't have any sort of revenge on your mind, V.”

Virgil didn't say anything as he took a sip of his coffee. He would be lying if he said the thought hadn't crossed his mind. As far as he was concerned if Kara hadn't believed her sister's lie they would still be together now. Possibly even married with a kid or two. Her lack of trust in him had ruined everything, including his belief in love.

“V?”

He met Uriel's gaze. “No, but I don't intend to make things easy for her.”

“So in other words, you intend to be difficult.”

A wry smile touched Virgil's lips. “Maybe. Maybe not.”

“Well, I hope you don't plan to be difficult today.”

Virgil raised a brow. “Why?”

“Because Kara just walked in and Marti is with her.”

Virgil held Uriel's gaze in a hard stare. Then he slid his chair back, stood and said in a deadly calm voice, “Then by all means, U, let's go say hello to the Goshay sisters.”

* * *

When the waitress placed the menu in front of them, Kara knew before they shared a meal, there was something she needed to ask her sister. For some reason she thought there was more to it than what Marti had told her.

“Marti, I need to know the truth as to why you lied about Virgil.”

“Why are you bringing that up again, Kara? I told you I was sorry and why I did it. Why can't we move on? It's not like you and Virgil haven't worked things out and aren't back together.”

Kara didn't say anything, knowing her sister would be the last person she told the true nature of her and Virgil's relationship. “Regardless of whether Virgil and I are back together, Marti, I feel there is more to it. Something you aren't telling me.”

“You're wrong. I told you my reason so can we just drop it?”

She heard the annoyance in Marti's voice and wished she could drop it, but for some reason she couldn't. And another thing... She needed her sister to understand that rebuilding their relationship would take time. The only reason she was even here now was because of what Marti had shared about their parents.

Kara suddenly felt a rush of heat travel up her spine. When she glanced around she saw him. Virgil. And he, along with his godbrother Uriel, was headed straight toward their table. Virgil's features were unreadable so she had no idea of his mood. The one thing she did know was that Marti definitely wasn't one of his favorite people.

She inhaled sharply. Would Virgil confront Marti? The café was crowded and the last thing Virgil needed was make a scene. She could just imagine the article that would appear in
Flo on the Ro
. Virgil's image would go from bad to worse.

Knowing she had to take quick action, she stood, pasted a huge smile on her face and reached out to embrace Virgil when he reached her table. “Virgil, I didn't know you were having breakfast with Uriel here this morning,” she said, wrapping her arms around him and looking up at him with a pleading look in her smile.

And then she leaned up on tiptoe and brushed her mouth against his in what was intended to be a quick kiss. When she was about to pull back, Virgil wrapped his arms around her and despite where they were, slanted his mouth across hers.

Virgil figured two could play whatever game Kara was playing for Marti's benefit. Although it irked him that they had her in their audience, at the moment he didn't give a damn since an opportunity was an opportunity, especially if it was for the media's sake. There was no reason he shouldn't take advantage, so he gave her a short, hot, tongue-stroking kiss.

It hadn't been the kiss he'd he wanted to plow her mouth with, but for now it had been effective. When he released her, he said softly, “Good morning to you, sweetheart. Uriel called this morning and we decided to get together for breakfast.”

With every degree of control Virgil had, he turned and looked at Marti, fighting hard to keep the glare out of his eyes and the sting from his voice. “Marti.”

“Virgil.”

And then Kara gave Uriel a hug. “Hi, Uriel.”

Uriel smiled. “How are you, Kara?” He then looked over at Marti. “And you?”

“I'm fine, Uriel. Thanks for asking” was Marti's response.

With pleasantries, even fake ones, out of the way, Virgil took Kara's hand, lifted it to his lips and kissed it. “Made plans for our weekend yet?”

Kara nodded. Her body reeled when she felt his tongue swipe across her fingers. “I'm working on them,” she said, trying to keep her voice normal as sensations swept through her mind. What he'd done had been deliberate. Just like when his tongue had swept across her neck last night. When they'd been a couple, he'd had a penchant for using his tongue to lick her all over.

He smiled at her. “Good. I'll call you later.”

“You guys leaving already? You're free to join us,” Marti invited.

Kara frowned. Did her sister really think Virgil would? Marti had to know the high degree of disdain he held her in.

Virgil looked down at Marti and said politely, “No thank you.” He then turned his attention back to her. “Have a good day.”

“You, too,” she said, knowing his patience with Marti had probably worn thin by now. As a way to thank him for not losing his cool with her sister, she leaned up and brushed her lips against his cheek.