Harlequin Kimani Romance September 2014 Bundle: Seduced by the Heir\Secret Silver Nights\Someone Like You\Indulge Me Tonight (69 page)

“I wish they'd never told me any of it.” Des closed her eyes. “Grace was in bad shape, though, needed someone to confide in, and I...I was the only one she trusted. She had no other family, her parents were gone and she was an only child.

“My brother told me nothing till years later when he asked me to hold that deed. He trusted Leo and me the most. Since Leo was already helping him with the business...”

Desree seemed to shiver on her end of the sofa she shared with Grae during the meal. “It wasn't until after Faro said he'd overheard that conversation that I wondered. Ken was a smart man. He had to pick up on Faro's ways. I think the child only got worse after he heard. I think that's why Kent gave me the deed. He knew I'd never let it go, never use it as a bargaining chip the way Faro...” She dissolved into tears. “I'm sorry. I never should've let him guilt me into doing what I knew I shouldn't.” She turned tear-filled eyes to Grae.

He moved closer, kissed her cheek. “You did exactly what my father wanted—to protect the family. The way he protected me from any lowlife who may've come snooping around in hopes of any advantages being my biological father might grant him.
You
protected the family from any known or unknown threats later.”

“Ken told me you weren't his when he came to me about the deed. Faro was the oldest, so it was logical that he'd be the one to lead, but Ken saw there was a chance Faro wasn't meant to be the one.” Des used the corner of the napkin to dab at her eye.

“He wanted someone outside the company to be able to step in if that wasn't the case.” She smiled over at Tielle, who sat across from them. “Ken knew I loved this little rug rat from the day he popped out.”

She inclined her head toward Grae. “He knew I loved him just like he did, and with a love like that, he knew I'd protect what could one day be his.”

“You did.”

Des smiled at Grae's words. “Not very well.” She looked his way. “I never wanted you to know about any of this. Besides me and Leo, the only others who knew were Barry, Frank and Asia's mother, Clara, who's been dead many years. We all loved you like you were our own, and you made that very easy each day you continued to grow into such an incredible man.”

She looked toward her lap. “I'm sorry for not telling you. We denied you that right, and we're sorry. We hoped Ken would tell you before he died, and when he didn't we...we just didn't think about how to handle it. We never meant to deceive you. We just didn't know what to do.”

“Shh...” Grae shook his head and brushed a rolling tear from Desree's cheek. “There's only one thing to do, you know?”

Desree blinked, waiting.

“We forget it.” Grae gave his aunt a wink that encouraged her to smile.

Not only did Desree smile, she laughed and cried in unison, throwing herself against Grae and clutching him in a suffocating embrace.

From her chair opposite the sofa, Tielle laughed and cried as well.

Vancouver
—One Week Later...

“You're about to surpass me as Brunch and Memories's best customer, you know? What'd you have to buy to secure a private dining room?”

Grae demolished the last morsel of apple cobbler from his dessert bowl. “I told them we had a special occasion to celebrate.”

Tielle sipped her wine. “So how long are we gonna milk this celebration thing?”

Following the late supper with Des, which had ended on a delightful note, the Cleggs had launched into a weeklong joyfest. Grae had dined out, barbecued and cocktailed with virtually every member of his family. Everyone wanted the chance to make amends for the awful events of recent weeks.

“We can still milk it a little longer. Still got some things to celebrate.”

Tielle laughed, but she stopped when Grae set a tiny white saucer in the middle of the small candlelit table they shared in the dim, elegant room. In the center of the saucer was a brilliant silver hand that supported a blinding square-cut diamond.

Her jaw dropped, and, after what seemed an eternity, her eyes lifted to his face.

Grae propped his fingers to his brow and studied her knowingly. “I hoped the retreat would give me the chance to prove I wasn't the same man who forced you to change who you are or lose me. I know that who you are is who I fell in love with, and she means everything to me.”

He tapped his fingers on the saucer's edge. “I know we have a long way to go, but unless you tell me it's hopeless, I don't plan on letting up until my ring's on your finger and my last name is behind your first again. If you'd like to give me your answer, I wouldn't mind.”

“Wow,” Tielle could only manage.

His easy expression clouded. “Please tell me it's not too late.”

“Are you for real?” Her eyes sparkled with moisture. “It's never been too late. I stayed with Des a week after the divorce was final, hoping you'd come to say you'd made a mistake and that you wanted me again.”

“Tel.” Grae sighed, leaving his chair to come round and lean on the edge of the table. He pulled her up against him. “I always wanted you. Somehow I was dense enough not to realize how much until I lost you. I love you, Tielle.”

“I love you.” She smoothed her hands across his shoulders, powerful and sturdy beneath an oak-colored suit coat. “And I'd like to try something you suggested to Des a week ago.”

He watched her curiously.

“Unless you're devoted to dissecting, analyzing and apologizing for every awful part of the last year, how about we just forget it? I don't know about you, but I can think of a lot better memories we can make.”

Grae toyed with the lengthy sleeve of her crimson toga dress. “Does that mean you're ready to give me an answer?”

“The answer is yes, Graedon Clegg. The only question is when.” Tielle spoke her question against her fiancé's mouth.

“You need to be sure, Tel. Remember, I'm unemployed at the momentÁ.”

“I wouldn't call consulting with Leo about Clegg unemployed. Do you think you can hold off going back to the office till after the honeymoon?”

“No need.” He gathered her closer. “The great thing about consulting is you can do it anywhere. So if you think I'd leave you in Vancouver even for a day to go sit up in an office, you're out of your mind.”

“Do you mean...?” Her gaze narrowed. “You'd really consider staying?”

“Done more than consider it, Tel. I've decided. As CEO, it was my right to name my successor. Leo's more than capable, and when he's had enough, we'll put someone in charge who's equally capable.”

“Sounds too good to be true.” She shook her head even as she smiled.

“There's a catch.” He outlined her plump mouth beneath his thumb. “As much as I love Turner Estates, I have enough memories of the place to last a lifetime. How 'bout we find our own estate?”

Her smile brightened. “To fill with our own
better
memories.”

He kissed the tip of her nose. “For the rest of our lives, Tielle. For the rest of our lives.”

* * * * *

We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin Kimani Romance.

You dream in vibrant hues!
Harlequin Kimani Romance
stories feature sophisticated, soulful and sensual African-American and multicultural heroes and heroines who develop fulfilling relationships as they lead lives full of drama, glamour and passion.

Enjoy four new stories from Harlequin Kimani Romance every month!

Connect with us on
Harlequin.com
for info on our new releases, access to exclusive offers, free online reads and much more!

Other ways to keep in touch:

Harlequin.com/newsletters
Facebook.com/HarlequinBooks
Twitter.com/HarlequinBooks
HarlequinBlog.com

ISBN-13: 9781460338896

INDULGE ME TONIGHT

Copyright © 2014 by AlTonya Washington

All rights reserved. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical,
now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

® and ™ are trademarks of the publisher. Trademarks indicated with ® are registered are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Canadian Intellectual Property Office and in other countries.

www.Harlequin.com