Читать книгу The Christmas Wedding Ring - Сьюзен Мэллери, Susan Mallery - Страница 9
ОглавлениеMolly felt as though someone had installed a blender in her stomach. As if the almost violent sloshing and churning weren’t enough, she had the horrible feeling she was going to throw up. Now that would be a pleasant visual for Dylan to remember.
Nerves, she told herself. It was just nerves. That and tequila on a very empty stomach. Whatever had she been thinking? The problem was, of course, she hadn’t been thinking. She hadn’t allowed herself, because no normal, sane person would have asked Dylan what she’d just asked him. She wouldn’t be surprised if he excused himself and called 911—asking that they bring those people in the white coats.
She forced herself to look at the way his dark eyes had widened slightly. He didn’t exactly look ready to bolt, which was very nice, considering. She doubted she would have been as polite in his position.
She cleared her throat. “If it makes you feel any better, I can’t believe I said that.”
“So we have something in common.”
At least he hadn’t lost his sense of humor. “Okay, it’s crazy—I admit that. You probably think I’m crazy, too. Maybe I am, but don’t worry, I’m not dangerous.”
He rested the ring in the palm of his hand and stared at it. Molly found her gaze drawn to the row of calluses at the base of his fingers. He’d obviously spent a lot of time doing physical labor. She had a feeling that the first few years he was in business, he’d done most of the assembling himself. Probably late at night, alone in a warehouse somewhere. Dylan had always been determined and driven. She doubted that had changed. He wasn’t the sort of man who gave in easily, nor did he get to be as successful as he obviously was by listening to harebrained schemes. He was going to tell her no.
She turned that thought over in her mind. She was surprisingly okay with it. It was enough that she’d asked. For once, she’d taken the initiative—she hadn’t waited. She’d gone after something that was important to her. Maybe there was hope. A sense of pride filled her and she squared her shoulders. This was a tiny step toward the new life she wanted for herself.
“Here you go,” the waitress said, placing huge platters with oversized burgers and a mountain of crisp, golden steak fries in front of each of them. She pulled bottles of catsup and mustard out of one apron pocket and a handful of extra paper napkins out of the other. “Enjoy.” She gave them a broad smile and left.
The food smelled great. Molly’s stomach growled in anticipation, but she wasn’t sure she was going to be able to choke down a bite.
Dylan applied mustard to the inside of the top of the bun, then settled the bread in place. But he made no move to pick up his burger. He raised his gaze to her face.
“Why?” he asked.
She knew she could pretend not to understand what he was asking, but that was too much like cheating. Why? A simple question. Unfortunately, she didn’t have a simple answer. At least not one she was willing to share with him. It was too personal and too humiliating. But he did deserve an explanation of some kind.
She took the mustard and shook out a dollop, then smoothed it on the toasted top bun. “I’ve reached an impasse in my life. There are a lot of things I have to think about, some decisions that have to be made. I can’t seem to focus on anything, so I decided to get away. I go to Janet’s every year for Christmas, but I didn’t want to disrupt her family for two whole weeks beforehand. I had no idea what to do or where to go.”
“There’s always the North Pole,” he said.
She gave him a half smile. Her lips were still a little numb from the margarita. “I suppose, but I think I’m a bit old to run away to the North Pole. Besides, I’ve never been that fond of penguins. They scare me.”
“Pretty sure they live at the South Pole,” he said.
“Polar bears, then.” She picked up her burger, then set it back on the plate. “As I said, I hadn’t decided where to go, but I figured inspiration would come to me, so I started packing. While I was going through my drawers, I found the ring. It gave me an idea, so here I am.”
If the truth be told, she was starting to be a little sorry she’d given in to the impulse. What on earth had she been thinking? She supposed she actually hadn’t been thinking at all. “I’ve already confessed that it was crazy. I don’t usually give in to impulses, so I can’t explain this one. I guess I shouldn’t have come. I’m sorry, Dylan. Forget I ever said anything. I’m sure you’re as busy as everyone is over the holiday season.”
She pushed the plate away and wondered how she could make a graceful exit. After all, they’d driven to the restaurant in Dylan’s sleek, expensive car. Even if it wasn’t too far to walk back, she didn’t have a clue where his office was.
He picked up a steak fry and ate it. “I haven’t said no yet.”
She felt her eyes widen. “You can’t be considering what I’m asking.”
“I might be.” He grinned.
This smile was different from the one he’d given her when he’d first seen her. That one had been pleasant and welcoming, but more impersonal. This one was a thousand watts of male trouble in the making. She felt the heat clear down to her toes. She was sure that if she looked, she would see little puffs of smoke drifting out of her loafers.
“You realize if you even consider doing this you’re crazy, too,” she said.
“It won’t be the first time someone has called me that.” He took a bite of his burger and chewed. Molly told herself to stop staring, but she couldn’t seem to make her eyes behave. Some of her sadness and fear lifted. It was enough that he hadn’t flat-out refused her. No matter what, she would remember this brief time, and when reality got too ugly, she would pull out this memory to make her smile.
Sunlight filtered into the restaurant through the painted window. A sunbeam illuminated Dylan like a spotlight on a movie set. He was handsome enough to be the leading man, she thought, pleased that although he’d matured, he still looked as wonderful and perfect as ever. There was something very pleasant about spending a few hours in the presence of a good-looking man. It didn’t matter that they were physically mismatched or that she wasn’t even close to being his type. This wasn’t about wanting him in the way she had when she’d just been fourteen and deeply enamored with all things Dylan.
Aesthetically, he appealed to her. The dark hair, worn short—not even to his collar. Years before, it had touched his shoulders. She decided she liked the more conservative style better. His eyes were as she remembered, although there were a few faint lines in the corners. His mouth was firm, his jaw well shaped. The gold earring was gone. He’d filled out a little. From the hints of movement under his dress shirt and suit slacks, he was in the same great shape as before. He was still the most amazing man she’d ever met.
He had a confidence about him that spoke of his power. It was probably for the best that they didn’t go away together. After all, she doubted her hormones were any more controllable than they had been fourteen years earlier. The last thing she needed in her life was to deal with having a crush on him. It would be silly.
A voice in her head whispered that right now she could use a little silliness, but she ignored the words.
Maybe they could skip the trip and simply fall into bed together. A night of great sex would clear her sinuses for a month.
Molly picked up her drink and took another sip. What was wrong with her? She knew better than to wish for the moon. Men like Dylan Black were interested in women like her sister. They wanted leggy, slender females with model-perfect faces. She was not that.
Some people thought her wavy-curly hair was unusual, but she thought it was a pain, which is why she usually tied it back in a braid. Her hazel brown eyes were what she referred to as the color of “rain-washed mud.” She had a decent smile, even though her mouth was too small. Her nose was too big, but her ears were cute. Her skin was clear now—adolescence had not been good for her skin. Then there was the matter of those twenty pounds she’d been trying to lose since she was born. In a world of size-eight beauties, she was a frumpy size twelve.
“You’re looking fierce about something,” Dylan said.
“It’s not important.”
His good humor faded. “Are you in trouble, Molly? Are you on the run from something?”
She was, but not in the way he meant the question. Besides, she wasn’t about to explain about all that.
“If you’re asking if I’ve committed a felony, the answer is no,” she told him. “I am on the run, but only from myself. I haven’t done anything wrong.” And that was part of the problem, she thought. If only she had a few regrets about things she’d done, rather than wasting all her regret on what she’d never gotten around to doing. “I just wanted to get away.”
Which she was still going to do, regardless of what he said. She put down her margarita and leaned toward him. “Haven’t you ever felt the world closing in on you? It’s like no matter where you turn or what you do, there’s no escape. It feels like nothing is changing or is ever going to, yet the reality is that nothing is the same.” She shrugged. “I know I’m not making any sense.”
Dylan stared at her. “You would be surprised at how much sense you are making.”
“I just want to run away for a few days,” she continued. “A week or two, tops. I want a chance to clear my head, to think things through.” She gave him another half smile. “Maybe I’ll get lucky and figure out a way to be someone else.”
“Who would you want to be?”
“Anybody but me.”
“Why is it so bad being Molly Anderson?”
Ah, more questions she would not answer. “You’re going to have to trust me on that one, Dylan. It just is.”
They sat in silence for a few minutes. Molly thought about eating a French fry, but she really wasn’t hungry. It must be the nerves. Gee, if she kept this up for a few months, she might lose those twenty pounds.
“Your timing is interesting,” Dylan said, and leaned back in the booth. He picked up his bottle of beer and took a sip.
“In what way?” she asked.
“I’m wrestling with some difficult decisions myself. Mostly about my business.” He made a dismissive gesture with his hand. “I won’t bore you with the details, but for many reasons, I’m at a crossroads right now, too.”
His dark gaze was intense. She felt as if he were staring into her soul. She wanted to look away because she knew he wouldn’t find a whole lot there to impress him. She wished she were someone different, someone wonderful and interesting, so that a man like Dylan would want her. But she knew the truth. She was just Molly—bright but not brilliant, nice, sometimes funny. She wasn’t wildly attractive, or witty, or charming, or any of those things that usually drew men like him. She was, at best, ordinary.
If only she were beautiful, like Janet. Or skinny, again like Janet. She bit back a smile. If Janet were here, she would tease her sister about being way too annoying to love. Her humor faded as she thought about how wonderful her sister had been through all this. Molly was so grateful they’d finally come to terms with their relationship and that they were close.
“What did you have in mind for your adventure?” Dylan asked.
If Molly had been drinking at that moment, she would have spit across the table. As it was, she could only stare at him in wide-eyed shock. “Excuse me?”
“Your adventure.” He picked up the ring and held it out. “That’s why you’re here. What did you want to do?”
Had she suddenly lost her hearing, or had Dylan really asked that question? Was he serious about this?
Molly opened her mouth, then closed it. Her mind stayed blank. “You’re agreeing?”
“I’m considering. There’s a difference. I want to know what you had in mind.”
Molly shifted in her seat, torn between wild excitement and bone-numbing trepidation. It was one thing to think about an adventure with Dylan—fantasies were fun and safe. But this was real life. Was she actually willing to go away with him? After all, she hadn’t seen him in fourteen years. He was a stranger. She would be insane—
She sucked in a deep breath. No, she wasn’t insane. She knew about his basic character. She’d promised herself no more regrets. She already had too many to live with.
“I didn’t have any place in mind,” she told him honestly. “I don’t care where I go or what I do. I just want to be away. My only stipulation is that I have to have a cell signal. I’ll need to check my messages every day.”
“Let me guess. You’re trying to make a boyfriend jealous. You want to scare him into proposing at Christmas.”
If his statement hadn’t been so painfully far from the truth, she might have laughed. “It’s not that. I’m not currently seeing anyone, and even if I were, that’s not my style. I’ve never been very good at those kinds of reindeer games.”
“Good. I didn’t think so, but I had to ask.” His gaze sharpened. “I’m trying to figure out how much of the Molly I remember is hiding in there.”
“Enough. I’ve grown up, but I don’t think I’ve changed that much.”
He still had the ability to make her heart pound, although she wasn’t going to share that particular fact with him.
“Two weeks,” he said without warning. “I could take off that much time. I’ll choose the first place we go to, then you can pick activities once we’re there. We’ll negotiate for the destinations after that.”
He paused expectantly. Molly could only look at him as she tried to absorb what he was saying. Had she really heard him correctly? Her heart pounded, but for the first time in weeks, it wasn’t from fear but from excitement.
“Okay,” she said cautiously, not sure if he was actually telling her he was agreeing or he was simply tossing ideas around.
Oh, but she wanted it to be true. Dylan had always been her fantasy. They had both changed and matured and she seriously doubted if she still had a crush on him. But she would really like the opportunity to find out how the grown man was different from the man-boy she remembered.
“We’ll have separate rooms and split expenses fifty-fifty,” he said. “Agreed?”
Molly had to resist the urge to roll her eyes. No doubt the poor guy was terrified she was going to come on to him the moment they were alone. She sighed. It made sense. After all, she had had a serious crush on him all those years ago and he was still incredibly gorgeous. However, she would do what she could to control her wayward self in his presence.
For a moment, she allowed herself to believe that his statement about separate rooms was made in order to make her feel safe. If only it were true. If only Dylan would look at her and find her attractive. But she knew about wishing after the moon. All it ever got anyone was a crick in the neck.
“That sounds fair,” she agreed.
“Then I guess that’s it,” he said. “Do we have a deal?”
“You’re willing to do it?” Molly asked, then felt instantly foolish. But she wanted to be sure. “We’re really going to take an adventure together?”
“I’m game if you are.”
Be careful what you wish for, a voice in her head whispered. She dismissed it and smiled. “I’m already packed.”
“Great.” He held out his hand. “Let’s shake to seal the deal.”
His long fingers engulfed hers. Heat flared between them, warming her from the inside out. She felt a faint tingling rippling through her body, and she didn’t care that her reactions were the result of a drink on top of no food, or even remnants from her crush all those years ago. She didn’t mind that she was the only one having all the reactions. It was enough that Dylan had agreed.
When he released his hand, he picked up his burger. “I’ll need the rest of today and most of the morning to get my business affairs in order. We could take off just after noon tomorrow, if that’s all right with you.”
Molly was suddenly starved. She poured more mustard on her bun, then smoothed the bright yellow sauce in place. “That’s great. I’m ready to go anytime, and I don’t have anywhere to be until the 22nd. If you’ll give me your phone number, I’ll call and let you know where I’m staying tonight.”
He swallowed his food. “You can stay with me.” He grinned. “I have a huge house up on one of the hills. I fell in love with the view, but the place is way too big for me. There are five bedrooms, and a couple are made up for guests.”
Molly hesitated. “I wouldn’t want to intrude.” The truth was, she was uncomfortable at the thought of staying with him under any circumstances. Being at Dylan’s house would be so intimate.
“I see. You’re willing to go away with me, but you won’t spend the night at my house? That makes sense.”
“Oh.” He had a point. She felt herself flushing. “I guess you’re right. Then thanks, I’d love to stay.” If nothing else, she would enjoy getting a peek into his world. What would his house look like? Did he—
She was about to take a bite of her burger, but she stopped suddenly and set the food back on her plate. Her mouth got dry as realization flooded her. “I never thought to ask,” she stammered. “You’re not married or anything, are you? It doesn’t matter as far as the travel, but I don’t want to get in the way or cause trouble.”
Actually, she was lying. If Dylan was married, she wouldn’t want to go away with him, but saying that would sound too weird, as if she had some secret romantic agenda.
“If I was married, I wouldn’t have agreed,” he said. “I’m between women at the moment, so no explanations are required. You don’t have to worry, kid—I live in a normal house. You won’t find anything scary lurking in the closets.”
His teasing smile was like a sucker punch to her belly. She was not relieved that he wasn’t married and she was not going to fall for him. Not Dylan, no way. She knew better.
That out of the way, they finished eating. When they were done, Dylan snagged a clean paper napkin from the passing waitress and drew Molly a map.
“This is the shop,” he said, motioning to a small box he’d made on the napkin. “The route to the house looks complicated, but once you’re on the road it’s pretty easy. Most of the time there’s only one way to turn.”
He explained the intricacies, then pulled his key chain out of his pants pocket and took one key off the ring.
“This is it,” he said, handing it to her. “I’m trusting you not to run off with the family silver.”
She closed her hand around the small bit of metal. It was still warm from his body. “I appreciate this, Dylan,” she said. “Both your willingness to come with me and the trust. I won’t let you down.”
He shrugged. “If I thought you were going to, I wouldn’t give you the chance. Besides, I saw that little car you drive. I could hunt you down in a heartbeat.”
“I’m sure you could.”
She studied his broad shoulders, which nearly stretched out the seams of his dress shirt. He was powerfully built. What would it be like to be so strong that you never had to worry about being physically afraid? It was, she decided, something men took for granted.
“You ready to go?” he said, preparing to slide out of the booth.
She frowned. “We haven’t paid the check.”
“They automatically put it on my tab. I pay it monthly.”
“What happened to splitting all expenses equally?”
He paused. “Young lady, you have a point. You also owe me ten bucks.”
She laughed. “That’s better.” She extracted the bill from her wallet and handed it to him.
Outside, the sky was clear. When she drove through L.A., it had been hazy, with a combination of low clouds and smog. Beyond the restaurant, there were only open areas. The city of Riverside was a sprawling, mostly rural town, while the county itself stretched all the way to Arizona. She felt as if she were a thousand miles from home, instead of only seventy miles away.
“We’ll go back to the office so you can collect your car,” he said as he opened the passenger door of his Mercedes. “Then you can head up to the house and relax for the afternoon. If you’re a typical female, we’re going to have a talk about packing.”
“I resent the implication,” she said, trying not to think about the huge suitcase filling her trunk.
“I’m going to give you one duffel bag and that’s all you get.”
“You’re not turning into a tyrant on me, are you?” she asked, not sure where he was going with this. Why on earth would it matter how many suitcases she brought and why would he want her to use one of his?
“I’m being practical.” He touched the tip of her nose and grinned. “We’re not taking a car on our adventure. We’ll be riding on one of my bikes.”
Her brain instantly provided a picture of a bicycle and she opened her mouth to protest. What on earth was he thinking? Then she remembered...this was Dylan. All bad boy and black leather on a motorcycle.
Her eyes got wide, and the image was so powerful she couldn’t speak. Then all she could do was laugh in sheer delight.
* * *
Dylan watched Molly drive away, then he turned back toward his building. As the sound of her car faded, he told himself to go inside, that a thousand things needed doing. Yet he stood there, staring at the brown hills and dry desert land.
He couldn’t believe he’d given a strange woman the key to his house and blithely let her go there on her own. Even Molly had been surprised by his blind trust. What had he been thinking?
The truth was, he hadn’t been thinking at all. His gut had said it was okay to trust Molly, and so he had. Weird, considering he never trusted anyone. What was it about her? Their past? Or maybe it was the vulnerability in her eyes. Something that called to him, begging for protection or comfort.
Slow down, guy, he told himself. He knew better than to create fantasies about women. They were only out for what they could get from a man, be it a good time in bed or a lifetime of financial support. Life had taught him that lesson well.
Which made his reasons for trusting Molly even more suspect. Except that he didn’t believe she wanted anything from him. He couldn’t say how or why this was true, but he’d acted as if it was. Maybe old age was making him senile. Reality was everybody wanted something, even Molly.
His admittedly cynical philosophy firmly back in place, he walked inside the building. Evie sat at her desk, her dark eyes wide with curiosity.
“Well?” she asked, making no pretense at being subtle. “Who is she and what did she want?”
Dylan leaned against her desk. “An old friend. I knew her years ago. I dated her older sister.”
“Oh, that explains it.” Evie wrinkled her nose. “I’m sure she’s a nice person and all, but she’s not your type. I mean the hair is curly and she’s probably pretty when it’s down, but she’s real ordinary looking.”
Dylan straightened. “She’s not ordinary,” he said, irritation adding strength to his voice. “Janet was always the pretty one in the family, but Molly has a lot of nice features.” He drew his eyebrows together and waited for Evie to contradict him. He didn’t want to even think about why he felt the need to defend Molly. Maybe because she was one of those people who were good on the inside. So what if she wasn’t traditionally beautiful—she had other qualities he admired.
“My mistake,” Evie said, raising her hands in a gesture of surrender. “I was just a little surprised—that’s all. You usually go for the model type. I think it’s great you’re looking for substance rather than flash.”
“I’m not looking for anything,” he growled. “We’re friends. Nothing more.”
“I knew that,” Evie said. She shifted uncomfortably. “I’m sorry if I said something I shouldn’t have.”
Dylan shook his head. “No, it’s my fault. I’m—” What? What was wrong with him? Why did everything suddenly seem off? “I’ll be in my office,” he told her, and headed for the back of the building.
He was getting soft. That must be it. Good thing he was going away. He would use the time to clear his head.
As he settled down to work, he noticed a faint sensation low in his gut. After a few minutes, he was able to identify it as anticipation. He, who normally hated anything that pulled him away from work, was actually looking forward to taking time off.
