His smile faded. “Opportunity was knocking. I wanted to make sure you enjoyed it. Because there wasn’t any way I was going to let you walk away from me afterward.”
She stared at him with exasperation and trepidation. “Listen to you. That’s exactly why I’ve been so wary of you since that first day I met you. I’ll walk away if I please, Caleb. But I don’t want to do it. That’s what I was trying to tell you.”
He was silent. “And I listened, but I know there will come a time when you’ll want to walk away. You can’t really trust me, can you? Why should you be different from anyone else?” He smiled mockingly. “So I’ll take what I can get and make certain you enjoy the giving.”
She wanted to reach out with tenderness and pull him close. But he wouldn’t accept that from her because he didn’t believe it had anything to do with him.
“You’re thinking too much.” He lifted the fur throw off her and tossed it aside. “That’s always bad for me. We probably have six hours before Quinn shows up in Edinburgh. Suppose I try to eliminate the thought process until he walks through that door?” His lips slid down from her breasts to her belly … and then lower, rubbing back and forth against her softness. “Let’s start here.…”
*
“When Quinn just called, he said he’d be another thirty minutes.” Caleb was still naked as he lay on the couch, watching her dress. “We could do a lot in thirty minutes. Trust me.”
“Oh, I trust you.” She glanced at him and then looked away as she felt the stirring. “In that category, you’re absolutely reliable. But I’m not going to have Joe walk in on an orgy.”
“We didn’t have an orgy. Next time, I’ll show you orgy.”
“I don’t believe many people could tell the difference.” She tried to keep herself from thinking about the last few hours. Erotic. Imaginative. Completely sexual. Caleb. “But evidently you’re an expert, so I won’t give you an argument.”
“And you didn’t,” he said softly. “Not once. It was … extraordinary. Thirty minutes…”
“No,” she said firmly. “Joe.”
He grimaced. “Okay. I should stop pushing it. It’s a lost cause where you’re concerned. Quinn was like a father to you while you were growing up. You have all those family feelings for him.”
“Yes, I do.” She glanced at him. “You once said that one of the reasons you liked to be around Eve and Joe and me was that you liked to watch us together.”
He nodded. “The family dynamic is a curious and wonderful thing.” His tone was purely objective. “I always found it fascinating.”
Because he’s never had it himself, she thought. “It’s more than that.” She finished buttoning her blouse. “Eve and Joe’s wedding is going to be scheduled for next week. You’ll be there, won’t you?”
“I doubt it. I have business to take care of in Dubai. I’ll be leaving right after I deliver you into Quinn’s hands.”
She stiffened. “Dubai? You didn’t mention it.”
He gave a half shrug. “It doesn’t involve you any longer. You’ll be safe and back with Eve and Joe.”
“It doesn’t involve me? Everything that happened in Dubai involved me. Why are you going back?”
“I promised Haroun that if he went along with arranging to fake his death that I’d not only put down Santara and Teresa but I’d also get rid of the money people in the government who had financed them. It made it far more palatable to him to know that he wasn’t going to have long-term enemies ready to stab him in the back.”
“So you’re going to go back and let those bastards take their shot at getting rid of you because you might be a future danger? Do you even know their names?”
“Two of them. Palik will have the other name by the time I get back to Dubai.” He smiled. “You shouldn’t be concerned. I’m a hunter. This will be simple enough. Not like Haroun.”
“How do you know?” She could see she wasn’t going to be able to talk him out of it. She tried another path. “Will you at least postpone it? Maybe Jock could go with you. And I’d like you to go to the wedding. Eve and Joe will expect you.”
“No, they won’t. This is your family. I don’t belong with them. I’m always the outsider, and that’s fine with me. It’s better that I go now.”
Strikeout. And she was going to be terrified all the time he was gone.
“Then will you try to wrap that damn Dubai business up soon and get back here for it?”
“I won’t promise you, Jane,” he said quietly. “I’m going to finish the job for Haroun.” He rose to his feet with one fluid motion and moved toward the bathroom. He stopped and looked back at her. “Do you want promises from me?”
She wanted him to be safe. But they were still too tentative and uncertain with each other for her to ask him to do anything against his will. She didn’t know if she would ever be able to do that. She didn’t know what those promises would mean or what she’d have to give in return. “No, I don’t want you to give me promises.”
He smiled and nodded. “I didn’t think so. So I’ll go keep my promise to Haroun. And then afterward I’ll take you to my place in the Highlands and show you all my dark secrets and we’ll discuss orgies.” He closed the door.
She was filled with bewilderment and fear as she stared at that door.
No promises.
Outsider.
Secrets.
All the elements that had defined their relationship in the past. In spite of that erotic experience that had changed her concept of what sex could be, she couldn’t tell whether or not she had made inroads in establishing a permanent foothold on this perilously rocky relationship with Caleb.
Or if she wanted to do it.
These last hours had given her a taste of that erotic skill and sexual dominance that Caleb possessed and used so well. It had shaken her to the core.
She was backtracking, she realized. Going back to the fear and wariness that she’d sworn she’d never feel again. She would not do that. She’d decided she wanted him in her life and she would meet all those damn challenges he’d thrown at her.
She just didn’t know how the hell she was going to do it.
EPILOGUE
LOCH GAELKAR
SUNRISE
Eve gazed out over the lake as the pink and gold streaked the sky and turned the mist hovering over the water to stormy amethyst.
The sight filled her with wonder along with a deep thankfulness and contentment.
“Beautiful,” Joe said across the tent from where she was standing by the open entrance. But his eyes weren’t on the lake. He sat up in the bedroll and held out his arms. “Can’t sleep? As I recall, this wedding isn’t supposed to be until sunset. Having second thoughts?”
She smiled as she went back and fell to her knees beside him. “I wouldn’t dare. After all, I’m responsible for this shindig. Not that you would know it. Cara, Jane, and Lisa have completely taken over all of the arrangements. I’ve only been allowed to take care of Michael.” She chuckled. “And what about you? I’m the one who proposed to you and then promptly sent you out to hunt and gather for the ceremony.” She went into his arms and cuddled close. “If anyone should be having second thoughts, then it should be you. You’ve not had an easy life since you knocked on my door all those years ago.”
“True. It’s amazing that I put up with you,” he said gruffly. “It just goes to show what an incredibly forbearing man I am that I was able to do it.”
“Yes, it does,” she said softly. “And I thank God every day for it.”
“Hey, you’re being a little more than I can handle today.” He got up on one elbow and looked down at her, his brown eyes, which were so like Michael’s, glittering with moisture. “I have an idea you’re going to tear me apart.”
“Nonsense. You’re too tough.” Her hand reached up to stroke his cheek. There was the faintest stubble and it was like a caress on her palm. “You can take it. I just wanted to tell you something before we go through that wedding ceremony today. You know I love you. That goes without saying.”