Hard Break (Deadlines & Diamonds, #5) (21 page)

“What?” she finally asked.

“Why the hell are you all the way over there?”

She glanced down at the couch, up at him. “What? I always sit here to watch a movie.”

“You don’t want to snuggle?”

“You
do?” She had a lot to get used to.

“Hell yeah.” He patted the spot right next to him. “Get
over here and snuggle me.”

She stayed where she was a moment too long, apparently, because he was the one who got up and moved down the couch. When he plopped down next to her, she bounced. He laughed and tossed an arm behind her, resting it on the back of the couch. She tucked her legs under her and snuggled into his body. She’d never watched a movie quite like this. For some absurd reason, she wondered if he also lifted the armrest at the movie theatre.

“You rented Die Hard?” he asked through a laugh.

“
You like Die Hard.”

“I’d prefer not to die hard, love. I’d prefer drained and sated, but yeah, guys like the movie.”

She shook her head. “You’re incorrigible.”

“And in love with you.” He kissed the top of her head, and she didn’t mind in the least.

I
an awoke when his alarm went off. It took a few ticks of the clock for him to remember where he was. With a blanket tucked around his body and his shoes tucked under the coffee table, he deducted he’d fallen asleep.

He wiped a hand over his face, rubbed at his eyes and sat up. The blanket tumbled to his waist. Thanks to the full moon and the light coming in from outside, Ian could see around the dark room. What welcomed him on the coffee table had him choking on his tongue.

Damn her.

There was no way he wouldn’t accept the gauntlet. To hell with being on time for work.

He grabbed the blanket in one hand and her bad little surprise in the other and raced up the stairs. He checked on the kids, all three were out cold and would remain completely oblivious to what he had planned for their mother.

He snuck into Kayla’s room and knelt next to the bed. She lay on her side, her arm tucked up under her chin. Her brown hair fell in wisps across her face. He brushed a lock away and she mumbled something he didn’t
understand. He kissed her cheek and she burrowed deeper into her pillow. He eased the comforter down her body and found her naked.

Beautifully, gloriously naked.

He sucked in a breath
. She shifted and stretched, flopping over onto her back and tossing an arm over her eyes. He shifted and stretched too. Shifting right out of his clothes and stretching out on top of her.

She jerked awake, her eyes going wide. B
ut then realization twinkled amongst the sapphire and she sighed. “Good morning.”

He moved against her, letting her know just how good of a morning it was about to be. “I got your surprise.”

She ran her hands over his back. “I was hoping this would be your response.”

He slid into her and she gasped. Her nails dug into his
shoulders, holding him to her. He rolled onto his back, taking her with him. “Ride me, love.”

She rose up on her knees and moved against him. Her breasts moved i
n the most intoxicating way. Natural all the way. He clutched her to him, her chest lightly rubbing against him. Wow, mornings didn’t get any better than this.

He swallowed her moan. His own
release building. He wanted to hold out longer, but there wasn’t a chance of that. His arms went vise grip, not allowing any more than her hips to move, and leaped off the cliff.

She slumped against him, breathing hard against his neck. “I could get very used to waking up like that.”

Trailing his fingers over her back, he whispered, “So could I, love, so could I.”

They lay there in the darkness, surrou
nded by nothing but each other. The clock on her dresser ticked away the seconds, becoming minutes. Some of the best minutes of his life. He was just about to get up and start the rest of his day when the bathroom light flicked on. Kayla’s head jerked up. Ian tried to become one with the mattress.

The toilet flushed then the light flicked off.

“Sadie, everything all right, baby?”

“Uh-
huh.” She yawned. “’Night, Mommy.”

“Good night, Sadie.”

When the door closed, Kayla’s breath hit his chest in a puff. His fled his lungs in a similar fashion. “Phew! That was close.”

“Too close.” She kissed his chest. “We can’t do that anymore.”

“You won’t hear me argue.” He rolled her onto her back, kissed her long and hard, then stood. “I’ll remember to lock the door next time,” he said, refusing to acknowledge Sadie’s entrance had just secured his status as a monk.

Twenty-Three

I
an wasn’t sure where his good fortune had come from. With this kind of luck, he really should play the lotto. Or head over to the casino for a chance at some really big bucks. Having Kayla in his life, as his lover, had been the best damn thing. Ever.

H
e loved her like nothing else.

He
aven help him, he shouldn’t already be hearing wedding bells, but dammit, he did. He wanted to make her his in a way everybody on the planet would know it.

The sun beat down on his back, the fall weather making it tolerable. The story they covered was nothing but fluff. Zoo, baby elephant, very rare, blah, blah, blah.

Glancing at his watch, he grinned. In exactly thirty-nine minutes his weekend began. He couldn’t wait. He’d planned an amazing weekend, including a trip to Chuck E. Cheese and the park. This weekend was the beginning of the rest his life and would end in the best way possible.

If the sexua
l tension didn’t kill him first.

Kayla didn’t realize how damned sexy she was. Or maybe she did and was a closet sadist. Since putting on the brakes two days ago, there’d been very little contact.
And it was killing him. Now that he’d revealed how much she meant to him, he wanted to show her in every touch.

“I don’t give a damn
why,” Philip Ross, reporter extraordinaire snapped into his cell phone. “I’m going live in five minutes. I’ll have to talk to you later.” Without waiting for a response—more like ignoring the shrieked protect—Phil swiped his finger over the
end
button and tucked the phone into his pocket.

“Trouble in paradise?”

Phil shook his head. “Do yourself a favor, McCallister, and don’t ever get married. It’s not worth the hassle.”

Phil would know. His fourth marriage seemed to be
crumbling around his feet. Not that Ian was surprised. He liked Phil, hadn’t liked a single one of his wives. The relationships lasted just long enough to set Phil up real nice after the impending divorce.

Not that Phil was playing the women. If anything,
they
played him. Every damn time. Poor guy.

His phone became a very angry bumblebee, buzzing like the hive had been hit by a baseball bat. Phil just reached in and all that buzzing stopped. He
cursed when it started again. Without saying a word, he took it out of his pocket and turned the power off.

He spoke into the microphone, looking into the lens. “If anybody at the station needs me, I’m with McCallister.”

“Got it,” came the reply via their earpieces.

Ian’s phone rang.

Phil’s eyebrows rose. “So soon?”

Ian fished his phone out and smiled when he saw the caller ID. “You’re off the hook, Phil, this one’s for me and me alone.” He turned his back on his reporter, hitting
send
on the spin. “Hey, beautiful.”

“Hey,” Kayla said softly. “I’m going to be a little late tonight.”

“Everything good?”

“Yeah, I just really need to catch up on this paperwork. I’m sorry.”

“No sweat.” Even though he hated she’d be late. “We’ll be waiting for you when you get home. How late you gonna be?”

“I’ll be home by seven-thirty.”

Only an hour later than normal. He could live with that. “Drive safe. We’ll see you later.”

“Love you,” she said.

Ian smiled like an idiot, so very happy she said it first. “Love you, too.” The line went dead and he turned when Phil laughed.

“Who is she?”

“None of your damned business.” He jerked his head toward the zoo’s newest addition. “Let’s get this wrapped up, I’ve got things to do.”

Phil chuckled. “
I’ll say this until I’m blue in the face, don’t do it, McCallister.”

“Go ahead
, turn blue, as soon as she’ll have me, I plan on doing it.”

W
hen Kayla came home that evening—closer to eight, than the seven-thirty she'd promised—the house was dark. No, that wasn’t right. It was dim. She could smell the remnants of dinner and her stomach growled.

She sat her bag on the counter and went in search of her family. Light drifted down the stairs and she followed it, feeling a bit like a moth seeking the warmth. Happy sounds came from the girls’ room. She stood in the doorway and watched as Ian read a story to all three of her kids.

“That’s not how it goes, Ian,” Sadie protested.

“How do you know? Y
ou can’t read,” Chase scoffed.

“You can read. I
s that how it goes?” Sadie scowled at her brother.

“I like it,” Penelope chimed in.

Ian closed the book, his finger becoming a bookmark. “Hey, no fighting. You’re right, Sadie, I did change the story. But I thought it was better my way.”

“It was,” she conceded. “I just knew it was different.”

Penelope looked up from the debate and smiled big. “Mommy! You home.” She climbed over Ian’s outstretched legs.

The rest of the audience glanced her way as well, and three more smiles appeared.

“Hi, guys.” She accepted the hugs from her children. Chase was a little more reserved with his hugs these days. She hoped he wouldn’t become too cool to admit he loved her. “Have you brushed your teeth?”

Three heads
bobbed.

“Used the bathroom?”

Three more head bobs.

“Wow. I think Ian deserves a reward.” She smiled at him. He answered with a wink. “Tell Ian thank you and
climb in bed.”

Ian had climbed off of Sadie’s bed and stood in the middle of the room. Penelope ran to him, her arms going around his leg. “Tank you.”

“You’re welcome, princess.”

“I lo’ you.”

He rubbed her back. “I love you, too.”

Penelope shocked Kayla by climbing into her crib. She opened her mouth to ask if Ian had taught her that, only to have the question die on her tongue. Judging by the look on his face, he was as surprised as she’d been. Penelope plopped down, pulled the blanket to her chin and said, “Ni’ ni’.”

Sadie put her arms around Ian’s waist. “Thank you, Ian. I love you.”

“I love you, too,
sweet Sadiebug.”

Her daughter giggled, blushed a bit, then hopped into her bed.

Chase sauntered past her and out into the hall. He waited outside the door of his room until she and Ian came close. “Can I talk to Ian for a second, Mom? I just wanted to tell him something.”

“Okay,” she said
, before saying to Ian, “I’ll meet you downstairs in ten.”

He jerked his chin up. “See you in a few.”

As Kayla crossed the hall, she heard Chase say, “I believe you.”

“That’s good,” Ian answered. “But what do you believe me about?”

“That you love us. You wouldn’t do all of this if you didn’t.”

She wished she could’
ve seen the hug she heard. Tears pricked at her eyes. Overwhelming love and gratitude yanked at her heartstrings.

“I do love you, big guy. All of you. And if I have anything to say, I’m not going anywhere.”

“Good. ‘Cause I don’t want you to go anywhere.” Chase’s door opened. “I love you too, Ian. Thank you.”

“Goodnight, my man.”

“’Night.” And Chase’s door closed.

She wondered if Ian would come to her room. But his footsteps went right past her door and down the stairs. Which was g
ood, she told herself. They didn’t need a repeat of this morning’s faux pas.

Besides
, she and Ian had some ground rules to lay down. She hurried with the clothes change, donning a pair of yoga pants and an oversized sweatshirt. Going downstairs, she found Ian sitting on the couch.

His gaze raked over her body, head to toe and back again. “You look good enough to eat.”

She cringed. “Yeah, I kind of wanted to talk to you about that.”

A grimace creased his face. “I’m not gonna like this, am I?”

“Probably not.” She walked toward the couch, but before she got there, he stood.

“Are you hungry? There’s a plate set aside in the microwave. It’s probably still warm.”

She was hungry, but wanted to get this conversation over with. She was about to tell him so when he held up a hand.

“You may as well eat. I’d rather delay my date with the gallows.”

“Gallows?”

“The look on your fac
e makes me feel like a dead man waiting for the noose.”

She laughed at his dramatics. “You think I’m going to cut you lose?”

“You’re not?” he asked softly.

“No. I was just going to tell you we can’t have sex again.”

“Oh,” he sighed. Relieved? “Oh.” Not so relieved. “Oh,” he groaned. “Why don’t we discuss this over dinner?”

He took her hand and tugged her into the kitchen. He placed a plate of casserole in front of her.
She leaned down to sniff at the red mishmash. “What is this?”

“Why?”

“Because it smells really good.”

“It’s taco casserole. My mom made it when we were kids. It’s one of my favorites.” He pushed the plate toward her. “Eat.”

She dipped her fork into the stuff and took the bite he seemed so eager for her to take. Tomato and cheese, onion and hamburger. “Holy cow, this is really good.”

He grinned, looking
innocent and guilty as sin all at the same time. “Good enough to make you rethink the no sex thing?”

She finished chewing and set her fork next to her plate. “Here’s the deal, Ian. I’ve only had sex with one, well, two men.”

His eyes bugged out of his head. “Shut up.”

She shook her head. “It’s true. I’m not interested in a frivolous, casual relationship that will end in a few months.”

“This isn’t frivolous or casual, Kay.” He took her hand in his.

“Be that as it may, I can’t have the kids walking in on us. They wouldn’t understand.”

His brows rose. The truth was, Chase probably understood more than she wanted to admit. She wanted to keep her son innocently in the dark for as long as possible, but he was ten, eleven in less than ninety days, and he certainly had to have a clue. She mentally added having “the talk” with him to her to-do list.

“Ian, I’
ve lost my heart to you.” She pushed the plate to the side and leaned forward across the table. “I never thought I’d love again, let alone this deeply. And it scares the crap out of me.”

“Kayla, this r
evelation might be new to you, but my feelings are old news. I’m not going anywhere.”

“You say that now, but what happens when you get tired of making dinners and homework and being a
parent to kids who aren’t yours?”

His face hardened, turned to granite except for the fury raging in his eyes. He bent forward, got in real close. His breath puffed hot against her face. “If you think for one second I look at those kids as
‘not mine’, you have another thing coming. I love those kids, Kayla. Leon might have donated the DNA and been their father not nearly long enough, but I want to be their dad. From here on out.”

“They’d like that, Ian. I’d like that. And you’re welcome to play house as long as you like. Just please give us fair wa
rning before you leave us.”

“Are you
kidding me right now?” He glanced over his shoulder. “You’re punking me, huh?”

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and released it on a sigh. “Ian, I love having sex with you. I’m actually
a little sad to admit it’s the best sex I’ve ever had. But that doesn’t change the fact we can’t do it again. Not until…” She trailed off, unsure if she should finish the statement.

“Not until
what?” His question was all about the good and pissed off.

Sitting up in her chair, she straigh
tened her shoulders. “Not until we’re married.”

“Oh.
” His composure changed sure as if he’d taken some kind of concoction. “I can live with that.” He stood then kissed her on the top of the head. She seriously needed to break him of that annoying habit. “I hate to cut the evening short, but I’m exhausted. I’m going to hit the sack. I’ll see you in the morning.”

She stared up at him, her mouth going goldfish.

He tipped her mouth closed with his index finger, then kissed her lips. “I love you, Kay. I’m not leaving you and the kids.” He snorted. “Except to go next door and get some sleep.” He kissed her again, lingering just enough to make her want to reconsider the no sex thing, as he put it. “Goodnight, love.”

“Goodnight, Ian,” she whispered to his departing back. “I love you, too.”