Caitlin's Choice (24 page)

“Let me go,” she demanded.

“Not until I’m finished. You know damned well your father never saw a dime of that money. As for me, I find it a small price to pay so that Tyler could know his family.”

She stilled. There was nothing she wouldn’t do for her son, so she could hardly argue with his feeling the same way. “You did it for Tyler? No other reason?”

All he had to do was say yes. How easy it would be to agree and end the matter. He couldn’t. “Partly.”

“And the other part?”

He pushed back the hair that had fallen across her face during her earlier struggle. Although her body was tense, she wasn’t fighting him. He considered that progress.

“And you accuse me of being dense. Do you have any idea how much it hurt see you cry over something that was so easily remedied? I would have paid ten times that amount to see you happy.”

“Why?”

“You taught me what it meant to be part of a family, Caitlin. Any gift that special deserves one equally as valuable.”

“There’s a big difference.”

“Monetarily, perhaps. Not in terms of what it meant to me . . . what you mean to me.”

“I’m not sure I’m following.”

“See if you can follow this. I love you.”

“What?”

His arms tightened around her waist and she realized that he was holding her up; her legs had turned to Jell-O again. She was in shock, and Andrew seemed to be amused. The glow from the lights in the distance illuminated his broad smile.

“Am I not speaking clearly, or do you have too much wax in your ears? I said I love you.”

Her hearing was fine, but her comprehension was working in slow motion.

“This is where you’re supposed to say you love me, too,” he said. “Unless, of course, you don’t.”

The uncertainty in his voice had a sobering effect. He had gone to all that trouble and expense for her, and she had questioned his motives every time. Never once had she given him the benefit of the doubt.

“Don’t be absurd.”

“Does that mean you love me?”

“Yes.”

“Then say it.”

She had gone from hell to heaven in the space of three seconds, all because of three little words. Those same three words that people had been trying to pry out of her all day.

“I love you.”

“Good. Now we can get a few ground rules straight.”

Caitlin let out a choked laugh. No sooner had the words come out of her mouth than Andrew was issuing orders like some mountain man. She should never have let him spend the day with her father.

Where were the passionate kisses and waves of excitement that were supposed to follow declarations of undying love? She was going to cancel his subscription to The Wall. Street Journal and get him a few issues of True Romance. He was going about this love scene all wrong.

“Ground rules?” she repeated.

He shook her shoulders, but with a trace of tenderness. “I don’t ever want to hear you refer to yourself as a whore. Is that clear?”

She snuggled closer to him. “Yes, sir.”

“As for the money, that is a secret known only to your father and now your brother. Not even Maggie knows. So I don’t want to hear it mentioned ever again. You gave me my family. I gave you yours. I’d say that makes us even.”

Feeling far too happy to argue, she tipped her fingers to her head in a mock salute. “Yes, sir.”

“You owe your father an apology. You said some hurtful things to him. You have no idea how lucky you are to have parents who love you so much, parents who would sacrifice their own happiness to protect you.”

Her heart ached at the bitterness laced in his voice. She couldn’t change his past for him, but she could make sure that from now on he felt loved.

“And another thing. My employees might call me a bastard, but I didn’t like it coming from you. Don’t do it again.”

She interrupted him playfully. “I’ll try, but I’m not making any promises on that one.”

He kissed the top of her head. “All right. Next.”

“How long is this list?” she moaned wearily.

“I’m not sure. You’ve always disagreed with everything I’ve said. While I’m on a roll, I want to keep going.”

“Well, hurry it up. I’ve got other things on my mind besides your needs. Like mine.”

She burrowed her hands under his pullover and kneaded the warm flesh of his back. He let out a deep groan. “It seems your needs are irrevocably intertwined with mine.”

“I’d say so.”

“Is it safe to kiss you?” he asked.

“I might have to take matters into my own hands and physically attack you if you don’t.”

He kicked his foot along the hard ground. “It could get messy unless you’re into twigs and leaves.”

“There’s an entire field of soft rye grass just beyond that ridge.”

“I’m not so out of control that I can’t wait until we get back to the hotel.”

“You’re not? Perhaps this will help.” She stroked her fingers over the fly of his jeans, testing his restraint. He groaned and pressed in closer as she cupped her fingers over his erection.

“You deserve better,” he muttered against her ear.

She shook her head in disagreement. “I already have the best.”

* * * *

Sissy’s wedding was the social event of Weldon. The rented hall was filled with beautiful floral arrangements on crisp white linen tablecloths. A buffet table at the north end of the room held a wide variety of hot and cold foods all lovingly prepared by friends and family. The sixty guests were considered a large gathering by local standards.

Andrew brought two cases of French champagne for the reception. Although Sissy gushed over him for a full ten minutes, Caitlin knew that his little joke was directed at her.

“I’ve been trying to get a dance with you all evening. You’ve been avoiding me,” Andrew said after most of the guests had departed.

Caitlin sighed. “Can you blame me? The last time I drank French champagne and danced with you while one of my sisters got married, I ended up with a baby nine months later.”

“I remember. But we sure had fun making him, didn’t we?”

Her cheeks flushed hot from the memory. She glanced around the dimly lit room to find her son being happily entertained by her mother. She couldn’t use Tyler as an excuse. Taking Andrew’s hand, she followed him toward the dance floor.

The band was awful, but Andrew didn’t notice. All he heard was her soft humming in his ear. She brushed against him and swayed to the music. He was trying to remain dignified in front of her family, but she was sorely testing his restraint

The smooth satin of her ice-blue dress felt as soft as her skin. He had trouble keeping his grip on her shoulder. His hand wanted to slip down along the curve of her back and settle in a place that might shock her parents.

Caitlin, however, made no attempt to behave herself. Her fingers roamed mischievously inside his jacket and down over his buttocks.

He grabbed her wrist “Are you trying to get me in trouble?”

She gazed up at him through her long dark lashes and winked. “Maybe.”

“Then you’ve succeeded.” Placing his hands on her shoulder, he turned her around.

John and Sean walked towards them, with hunting rifles in hand. Her giggle turned to outright laughter.

“You think this is funny?” her father asked, hefting his shotgun.

“Sure I do,” she said between deep gasps for breath. “Seriously, Andrew, don’t you know when you’re being put on?”

“This is no joke, young lady,” William said gravely.

“Oh, sure. You want me to believe that you plan to put a gun to Andrew’s head and demand he marry me.”

William stood tall and shot her an indignant glare. “Of course not. I don’t want the man to think we’re backwoods rubes.”

She tilted her head back to look at Andrew. “Told you.”

“After all,” her father continued. “Andrew is not the problem. You are.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Let me make it clear for you,” Andrew said. “They plan to hold the gun to your head until you make an honest man out of me.”

She laughed again. “You’re as funny as they are.”

“Do you see anyone laughing besides yourself?”

“You don’t have to marry me.”

He wrapped his arms around her waist. “Believe me, Caitlin, I do.”

She twisted out of his embrace and whirled around to face him. Her eyes flashed with sparks of anger. “Stop making a joke out of this. It’s not funny anymore.”

“It’s not meant to be funny.” He shrugged apologetically and amended, “Well, maybe a little funny, but not a joke.”

She blinked and a tear slid down her cheek. “Why not ask like a normal person?”

“Normal doesn’t work with you. If I don’t do something to get your attention, you don’t take me seriously.”

“Oh, I take you very seriously. And you’ve got my attention.”

“So will you marry me?”

Her gaze shifted to her father and brother. “Excuse us a moment.”

She tugged on Andrew’s arm, leading him to a private corner of the room. He followed nervously. Her expression gave nothing away. Was she pleased? Angry? Was she going to decline?

Perhaps he should have waited until they were alone rather than putting her on the spot in front of the family. He might deserve this suspense, but his insides had become a giant knot of tension. “So?” he blurted.

“Yes.”

“How soon?” Not the debonair reaction he’d meant to express, but then he’d been confounded by his feelings for her from the very beginning.

She swallowed a nervous cough. “Give me some time to get used to the idea. You never want to wait for anything.”

“You take all the time you need, Caitlin.” He ran his hand along the small of her back and paused at one of her more sensitive points. His thumb stroked repeatedly over the area until her body trembled. “But while I’m waiting for you to get used to the idea, you’ll have to wait for anything beyond a chaste kiss on the cheek.”

“Sexual blackmail? That is so unfair,” she muttered against his ear.

“Yeah, I know. Especially since I’m so much better at it than you. But, as you once told me, there are no rules in a free-for-all. I’ll do whatever it takes to get my way.”

Her shimmering eyes reflected a wealth of love. “You’re spoiled rotten, Andrew.”

“That’s your fault.”

“My fault? How do you figure that?”

“You’re the one who spoiled me. No other woman will do.” He lowered his head and took possession of her mouth with every intention of proving it.

About the Author

Like most authors, I didn't start out as a writer, but rather as a reader. My passion for romance novels began in my late teens and left me with an itch to discover the world.

After living in places as culturally diverse as Athens, Greece and Cairo, Egypt (where I met and married my own romantic hero), we returned to the States.

From a very young age, I showed an aptitude for telling stories. Of course my mother called me a pathological liar, but I prefer to think back on those days as an apprenticeship for my future craft.

Also published by Books We Love

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Codename Romeo

Homeward Bound

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