The Unexpected Millionaire

Susan Mallery

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Coming Next Month

One

About eight seconds too late, Willow Anastasia Nelson realized there was a massive flaw in her plan.

She’d driven over to Todd Aston the Third’s embarrassingly huge estate to give the slimy, no-good weasel a piece of her mind. But she’d never actually met the man, so she didn’t know what, exactly, he looked like.

She had an idea, of course, sort of. Tallish, handsomeish, rich. But wasn’t his hair dark and weren’t his eyes brown? Why hadn’t she thought to look him up on the Internet? He was probably on the front page of “JerksMonthly.com.”

And if Todd Aston defined the whole tall, dark and yucky scenario, then who was the blond hunk and a half standing in front of her?

“Oh, hi,” she said, smiling at the man who’d opened the front door and hoping she didn’t look as out of place as she felt. “I was hoping to have a word with Todd. This is his house, right? My sister mentioned he lived here and…”

Willow groaned. That hadn’t come out right. She sounded like a groupie.

“My sister knows him,” she added helpfully.

Blond guy didn’t step aside to let her in, although he did fold his arms over his chest in a move that got her attention. The man was big—really muscled, but not in a too-buff, action hero kind of way. This guy looked powerful, like a jaguar. She would bet he could snap her forearm without breaking a sweat.

His eyes were green and kind of catlike, she thought absently, continuing the whole “powerful cat” analogy. He had a good face—handsome, but also trustworthy. Not that she knew anything about him. He could be…She shook her head. She had to focus on her mission.

“Look,” she said as forcefully as she could, determined to sound in charge and unintimidated by the burly guy’s presence. “I need to talk to Todd. I’d like to do more, of course. He totally messed things up for my sister. Everything turned out in the end, but what if it hadn’t? I get so mad when I think about it, I just want to pop his pointy little head. And that’s the least of it.”

The man in the doorway raised one eyebrow, then pushed aside the front of his suit jacket. Willow felt all the blood rush out of her head—no doubt fleeing to somewhere much safer than her body.

The man had a gun.

She could see it just inside his coat, tucked under his arm in some kind of holster. It was almost like in the movies, except for the cold knot of terror in her stomach.

“What is your business with Mr. Aston?” the man asked in a low voice that sent chills tripping down her spine.

So he wasn’t Todd. She’d sort of guessed that, but now she knew for sure. “I, ah, he…”

The smartest move would be to leave. She wanted to yell at Todd, not get shot. But some stubborn streak made her plant her feet more firmly on the oversize and pillared porch.

“I think you’re overreacting,” she muttered, forcing herself to look away from the gun, back to the man threatening her with it. Well, not threatening, but intimidating. Something he was doing really, really well.

“I get paid to overreact.”

“Has weasel-man already left for the office?” she asked sweetly. “I’ll catch him there.”

“You won’t be catching him anywhere. Who are you and what do you want with Mr. Aston?” As he spoke, he reached out to grab her arm.

Willow had tried out every year of high school for the cheerleading squad. But in a world of amazons, she’d been too short. No matter how well she knew the routine, putting her in the lineup made them look off balance. Still, she’d been good at tumbling and turning and ducking.

The skills came back to her now as she faked a spin to the left, instead went to the right, then ducked under the big guy’s arm. Suddenly she was inside the house.

Elation filled her. If Todd was here, she would find him. Then she would yell at him and her world would be set to rights.

She sprinted down the wide entryway, Mr. Big Gun and Cranky right behind her, then ran through huge rooms with soaring ceilings. This place was more like a museum than a house, she thought as she raced through what looked like a study and came out in a long hallway. She heard the man with the gun running behind her. She was fairly confident he wouldn’t actually shoot her, but just in case, she wove back and forth and kept close to walls.

“Todd,” she yelled as she ran. “Are you home? You need to get your lying, slimy butt down here. You don’t have the right to mess with people’s lives. It’s wrong. You should know better.”

Perhaps not words to put fear into his heart, but they would have to do.

She heard footsteps closing in and righteous anger gave her a burst of speed. Unfortunately that burst led her into a room with no other exits.

Panic energized her. She spun quickly, looking for a door, a big window, anything. Then she stared at the floor to ceiling drapes and headed in that direction.

Victory! A French door that led onto a patio as big as her elementary school had been. She burst outside and glanced around.

The grounds were stunning. The patio led to stairs that flowed into a terraced garden that reminded her of the grounds around Versailles. Beyond them was a forest of trees.

Didn’t Todd know he was in the middle of Los Angeles?

“Stop,” Burly Guy demanded as he ran out of the house after her. “Stop, or I’ll make you stop!”

Ha! He hadn’t been able to stop her yet, had he? But had he already called the police? Willow didn’t wait to ask. She bolted for the trees.

Unfortunately the open ground gave her pursuer the advantage, mostly because his legs were a lot longer than hers. That combined with her erratic commitment to physical fitness and any sort of regular exercise program meant he gained on her far too quickly.

She dug down for more righteous indignation to give her speed, or slow him down or something, but there wasn’t anything left. Her breath came in pants, the sound of her rapid heartbeat filled her ears, and she felt the chilling fingers of defeat reaching for her.

“I will not be taken alive,” she gasped as she surged forward, straining to reach the trees. Once there, she might have a chance. As for not being taken alive, okay, yeah, she had a slight dramatic streak.

She felt him reach for her and darted to the left, where a tree root jutted out of some grasses. She tripped over it, lost her balance and started to go down.

As she did, several things happened at once. There was an awful sensation of pain from her left ankle, she saw something gray and white and furry in a hollowed-out base of the tree, and what felt like a tank plowed into her from the rear.

She hit the ground, all the air rushed out of her lungs, and there were actual spinning lights where the rest of the world should have been.

She resurfaced to someone rolling her onto her back and telling her to take a breath.

Breath? She couldn’t breathe. She really was not going to get out of here alive. Oh, God—she’d been kidding. She didn’t want to die here. Now. Like this.

“Take a breath,” the man repeated. “You’re fine.”

How did he know that? How could he be sure?

Willow opened her mouth and sucked in air. It filled her lungs. She did it again and again until the lights faded and she could focus on everything around her.

Gun Guy sat next to her. He’d removed his jacket. The good news was she could see he was all muscle and it was pretty impressive. The bad news was his gun was totally exposed and she couldn’t pretend it wasn’t there.

“Who are you?” he asked. “Some crazy ex-girlfriend? I usually know them, but every now and then…”

Willow raised herself up on one elbow. “Ex-girlfriend? No way. I wouldn’t date Todd if the continuation of the entire planet depended on it. Well, okay, if it would save some endangered species, maybe. We all have to do our part. It’s important for us to realize that for the planet to continue to be a renewable resource, there are some basic rules we need to follow.”

He held up his hands in the shape of a T. “Time-out. Who are you?” he asked again.

“Oh. Sorry. Willow. My sister is Julie Nelson. She’s engaged to Ryan, Todd’s cousin. But rat fink Todd did everything he could to keep them apart and I can’t let that go. I know I should just accept it and move on, but it was wrong. He thinks because he’s so rich, he’s king of the world or something. Idiot. Who are you?”

“Kane Dennison. I’m in charge of security.”

“Here at the house?”

His expression hardened, as if she’d just insulted him. “For the entire company.”

“Oh, sure. That explains the gun.” She pushed herself into a sitting position and brushed at the grass stains on her sweater. “I wasn’t going to hurt him, you know. I mean come on, look at me. Do I look dangerous? Seriously?”

He tilted his head as if considering the question. “You’re short and scrawny, so I guess not.”

The short she could handle—it was a reality she couldn’t change. But scrawny?

“Excuse me? I’m petite.”

“Is that what they call it?”

“I have curves,” she said, really annoyed and just a little hurt. Maybe she didn’t have big curves or a lot of them, but they were there. “It’s the sweater. It’s bulky, so you can’t see what’s underneath, but I’m very sexy.”

She wasn’t—not really. She tried, of course. But it was a losing cause. Still, to have this man just dismiss her like that was more than annoying.

“I’m sure you’re stunning,” Kane muttered, suddenly looking as if he wished he were anywhere but here. “I’m sorry you’re mad at Todd, but you can’t show up at the man’s house and threaten him. It’s wrong and it’s illegal.”

“Really?” She’d broken the law? “Are you going to have me arrested?”

“Not if you leave quietly and never come back.”

“But I have to talk to him. It’s just one of those things. He needs a good talking to.”

One corner of Kane’s mouth turned up. “You think you can scare him?”

“Maybe.” Although in truth she’d kind of lost her passion for the job. “I could come back later.”

“I’m sure Todd would be delighted to hear that. You have a car?”

“What?” she asked. “Of course I have a car.”

“Then let’s get you to it and we’ll pretend this never happened.”

A course of action that made sense. There were only a couple of problems standing in the way. Standing, or not standing being the main one.

“I can’t,” she said and rotated her foot. Instantly pain shot through her ankle and made her clench her teeth. “I think I broke my ankle when I fell.”

Kane muttered something under his breath and shifted so that he was by her foot. He lifted it gently and held it in one hand while untying the laces with the other.

She wore size six shoes, which, considering she was only five foot three, wasn’t all that dainty. Still, his large hand nearly dwarfed her foot. Wasn’t there some old wives’ tale about guys and big hands?

Willow didn’t know whether to laugh or blush at the thought, so she let it go and watched him carefully remove her athletic shoe.

“Move your toes,” he said.

She did. The pain made her wince.

He peeled off her sock and began to examine her foot. Willow winced again, but this time it had nothing to do with pain. Even with her total lack of medical training, she could see her ankle swelling.

“That can’t be good,” she murmured. “I’m going to walk with a limp for the rest of my life.”

He looked at her. “You sprained your ankle. You’ll need to rest it and ice it for a couple of days, then you’ll be fine.”

“How do you know?”

“I’ve seen enough sprains.”

“There’s a lot of that in the security business? You work with especially clumsy people?”

He drew in a long breath. “I just know, okay?”

“Hey, I’m the one with the potentially life-threatening injury here. If anyone gets an attitude, it’s me.”

He muttered something that sounded like “Why me?” then he moved next to her and before she realized what was happening, picked her up in his arms.

The last time Willow had been carried anywhere, she’d been seven and throwing up from too much junk at the county fair. She shrieked and wrapped her arms around Kane’s neck.

“What are you doing?” she demanded. “Put me down.”

“I’m taking you inside so we can ice your ankle. Then I’ll wrap it and figure out a way to get you home.”

“I can drive.”

“I don’t think so.”

“You said it wasn’t that bad,” she reminded him as she noticed he seemed to carry her effortlessly. Apparently the muscles were for real.

“You’re in some kind of shock. You shouldn’t be driving.”

Shock or not, she didn’t like the sensation of being swept away. She preferred to be in charge of her own destiny. Besides, there were other considerations.

“You left my shoe and sock back there,” she said. “And your jacket.”

“I’ll get them when you’re settled.”

“What about the cat?”

Her rescuer gave her a look that told her he was questioning her grip on reality. She really hated when that happened.

“The one in the tree. I think she’s giving birth. I saw her when I was falling—I’m good at multitasking that way. It’s cold. We can’t leave her out there. Do you have a box and some old towels? Or newspaper first, maybe towels later. Isn’t birth messy? I know it’s a part of the cycle of life and all, but there are fluids.”

He stepped onto the stone path and walked toward a gatehouse. Willow let the cat issue drop as she stared at the pretty structure. It was all windows and wood, perfectly suited for the surroundings. But it wasn’t the main house.

“Hey, where are you taking me?” she demanded, having sudden visions of a dark dungeon with chains and handcuffs on the walls.

“My house. I have first-aid supplies here.”

Oh, right. That made sense. “You live on the property?”

“It’s convenient.”

“It shortens the commute, if nothing else.” She glanced around at the gardens. “Nice southern exposure. You could grow anything here.” Gardening was a favorite hobby. Her fingers itched to be in the soil and planting.

“If you say so.”

He slowly lowered her to the ground, but kept an arm around her and supported most of her weight. She leaned on him, her body nestled close.

He had to be well over six feet and a couple hundred pounds. He felt as solid as a building and she had the thought that whatever happened, this was a man who could keep a woman safe.

He dug keys out of his trouser pocket, then unlocked the door and carried her inside.

“If we were dating, this would be romantic,” she said with a sigh. “Can we pretend?”

“To be dating? No.”

“But I’m injured. I may die and, frankly, it’s your fault. Is it because you’re married?”

He lowered her into the chair by the fireplace, then put her injured foot on the ottoman.

“You’re the one who ran,” he said. “It’s your fault. I’m not married and don’t move.”

He disappeared into what Willow suspected was the kitchen. All right, so Kane didn’t mind doing the rescue thing, but he wasn’t exactly friendly about it. She could handle that.

She looked at the room, liking the high beamed ceiling and the earth tones. The space was bigger than she would have thought, yet still cozy. The large windows that faced south cried out for a few planter boxes, though.

On the table next to her was a book on the Middle East. Financial magazines littered the coffee table in front of the sofa. Interesting reading for a security guy.

“Engaged?” she yelled.

He mumbled something she couldn’t hear, then said, “No.”

“So the lack of pretending is a personal thing. Are you getting ice?”

“Yes.”

“Don’t forget the box for the cat.”

“There’s no cat.”

“Oh, there’s a cat. It’s too cold. Even if she’d be okay, what about her kittens? They’re newborn. We can’t just leave them to die.”

“There’s no damn cat.”

There was a cat, Kane thought grimly as he stared into the hollow of the tree. A gray and white one with three tiny kittens. Despite having been pregnant until a couple of hours ago, the cat looked skinny and bedraggled.

A stray, he thought, wondering what he’d done to deserve this. He was a decent guy. He tried to do the right thing. All he asked was that the world leave him alone. For the most part, the world agreed. Until today.

As the odds of the cat getting into the box were close to zero, he set it on the ground and studied the situation. He wasn’t a pet person, but he knew enough to know cats had claws, teeth and miserable dispositions. However, this cat had recently given birth, so maybe it was weak and therefore feeling more cooperative. It was also a new mother and likely to be protective.

One way or the other, he knew there was going to be blood spilt and it was going to be his.

He reached inside the hollow and closed his hand around the first kitten. The mother cat stared at him and put her paw on top of his hand. As he began to move the impossibly small ratlike baby, claws sank into his skin. Oh, yeah, a real good time.

“Look. I’ve got to get you and the kittens inside. It’s cold and it’ll be foggy tonight. I know you’re hungry and tired so just shut up and cooperate.”

The cat blinked slowly. The claws retracted.

He scooped up the kittens and set them in the nest of towels he’d folded in the box, then reached for the mother cat. She hissed, then rose and jumped gracefully onto the towels and curled up around her babies.

Kane grabbed his coat, Willow’s shoe and sock and the box, then headed back to his place.

This wasn’t how his day was supposed to go. He lived a quiet life by choice. He liked his place—it was secluded and he didn’t get visitors. Solitude was his friend and he didn’t need any others. So why did he have an uncomfortable sensation that everything was about to change?

He walked into the gatehouse and found Willow on the phone.

“Gotta go,” she said. “Kane’s back with the cat and her kittens. Uh-huh. No, that’s great. Thanks, Marina. I appreciate it.”

“You called someone?” he asked as he set the box by the fireplace.

“You gave me the phone. Was I not supposed to use it?”

“It was for emergencies.”

“You didn’t say that. Anyway, the call was local. I phoned my sister. She’s bringing over cat food and a litter box. Oh, and some dishes, because I didn’t think you’d want to use yours for the cat food. I’d put money on her calling Mom and telling her what happened, which means Dr. Greenberg is probably going to want to check me out before I can move.”

“You have a doctor who makes house calls?”

“My mom’s worked for him for years. He’s great.” She glanced at her watch. “We should have this all wrapped up by two or three. Really. But if you have to be somewhere, don’t let me keep you.”

As if he was going to leave her alone in his place. “I can work from home today.”

“So that’s all good.”

She smiled at him, as if all this was normal. As if she was normal.

“You can’t do this,” he told her. “You can’t invade my life.”

“I didn’t invade it. I stumbled into it. Literally.”

There was that smile again—the one that transformed her from pretty to beautiful and made her eyes twinkle. As if there was a joke that only she got. Which, based on her loose grasp of reality, was probably true.

“Who the hell are you?” he demanded.

“I told you. Julie’s sister.”

“Why aren’t you at work?”

“Oh, I work from home, too. I’m a cartoonist, actually. I have my own comic strip. I’m syndicated. Do you have anything to eat? I’m starved.”

He didn’t keep much food around. It was always easier to grab a meal on his way home from work. But there had to be something.

“I’ll go look.” He stalked toward the kitchen.

“Nothing with meat. I’m a vegetarian.”

“Of course you are,” he muttered.

The cat had followed him into the kitchen. He searched his bare pantry and found a can of tuna. After opening it, he dumped the contents on a plate and set it on the floor. The cat gulped down the food.

“She must have been starving.”

He looked up and saw Willow standing in the doorway. She was balanced on one foot, holding on to the door frame, her gaze focused on the stray.

“Poor thing. All alone in the world and pregnant. You know whoever the guy cat is, he didn’t bother to stick around. It’s just so typical. A real statement on our society today.”

Kane rubbed his temples as he felt the beginnings of a headache.

“You should be sitting,” he said. “You need to ice your ankle.”

“I’m getting cold from the ice. Do you have any tea?”

He wanted to snap back that this wasn’t the kitchen at the Four Seasons and no he didn’t have any damn tea. That she should be grateful he hadn’t left her and the stupid cat out there to freeze to death.

Except this was Los Angeles and it never got close to freezing and there was something in Willow’s blue eyes, an expectation of goodness and trust, that stopped him.

She was the kind of woman who expected the best from people and would bet a large portion of his considerable bank account that she’d been disappointed more often than not.

“No tea.”

She nodded. “Not the tea type, huh? You’re too macho for that.”

“Macho?”

“Manly, virile, whatever.”

“Virile?”

“I’m just guessing on that one. It might not be true. You don’t seem to have a woman in your life.”

He felt an unusual need to growl at her. “You screw with my day, threaten my boss, run from me, blame me because you tripped and now you’re questioning my…my…”

“Manhood?” she offered helpfully. “Am I making you crazy? It happens. I try not to do that to people and I don’t always know when I’m doing it.”

“You’re doing it now.”

“Then I’ll stop. Would it help if I hopped back to my chair?”

“More than you know.”

“Okay.”

She turned, then swayed and grabbed on to the door frame to keep her balance. He swore and stepped over the cat to pick her up.

“It’s just the blood loss,” she said as she rested her head on his shoulder. “I’ll be fine.”

“Especially considering you haven’t lost any blood.”

“But I could have.”

He turned his head to look at her. It was only then that he realized how close their mouths were. His gaze locked on the curve of her lips and he had a pressing need to rest his mouth there. Just for a second. To know what she felt like and how she tasted.

He shouldn’t. He would only hurt her—it was as inevitable as the sunrise and yet he was tempted.

“I wouldn’t mind,” she whispered. “I know I’m not your type but I wouldn’t ever tell anyone.”

He didn’t know what she was talking about and he didn’t care. Because for once in his life, he was going to do the one thing he knew he shouldn’t.

He was going to kiss her.

Two

Kane claimed Willow with a kiss that took her breath away. Powerful, sensual, erotic. She couldn’t say what was different, how his mouth pressing against hers was unlike any other kiss, but it was.

His lips were firm and demanding, but with a gentleness that made her want to give him anything he wanted. She knew he could just claim her—he was more than capable of taking, but the fact that he didn’t seemed to make him even more powerful and appealing.

She clung to him, her arms around his neck. Her body straining to be closer. He touched his tongue to her lower lip and she parted for him instantly.

When he swept into her mouth, she felt heat pouring through her body. Need made her quiver and if she’d been standing, she would have collapsed.

His tongue explored her, teased her, excited her. He tasted of coffee and some exotic flavor that left her hungry for more. She kissed him back with an enthusiasm that probably should have embarrassed her, but as she figured this was a one time thing, why not go for it.

The kiss went on and on until various parts of her body began complaining that they, too, wanted some of that. Her breasts ached and between her legs she felt a distinct longing.

Finally he raised his head and looked at her. Passion darkened his eyes to the color of storm clouds, which was something she’d never been able to think before. The wanting tightened his features and made him look predatory.

“You want to have sex with me!” she announced, so pleased she nearly kissed him again.

He muttered something under his breath and carried her back to the chair on the living room.

“We’re not having sex,” he told her.

“Oh, I know. I don’t know you and that would make it tacky, but you were interested. Plus, you held me for a long time without breaking a sweat. So you must work out.”

He shook his head. “I’ve never understood why anyone would want to bang his head against a wall, but now I get it.”

She ignored that. “Kane?”

He glanced at her.

Her breath caught. It was still there—the need. Men had offered to take her to bed before, but they’d never needed her. Not sexually.

“Wow. I’m not imagining it. You are so incredibly sweet. Thank you.”

“I’m not sweet. I’m a cold son of a bitch.”

Oh, please. She smiled. “You’ve made my whole day. Guys don’t ever want me. Not really.”

He looked her up and down in a blatantly sexual way. She supposed that to be a fully realized woman, she should be insulted, but in truth, it was thrilling.

“Trust me—guys want you. You’re just not paying attention.”

“No, they don’t. I’m the warm, caring type who takes in strays. I give them a home—well, not literally. I mean they don’t come live with me. But I rescue them. You know, patch them up, give them support, care about them and then they leave. But they never…you know.”

“Wanted to sleep with you?” he asked bluntly.

She winced. “Not usually. Which is fine. Some are just friends, but others…” She shrugged. “It’s kind of the way my life goes.”

She could deal with that—it was her destiny to fix the guys and send them on their way. But sometimes she wished they would see her as something other than a good friend. There had been a couple she’d wanted to stick around.

“Just so we’re clear,” he said. “I don’t need rescuing.”

She wasn’t sure she believed him, but she was willing to let it go for now. Mostly because the wanting thing was so incredible.

“You’re so good-looking and powerful,” she said with a sigh. “Not my type at all, not that I’m complaining.”

“Good to know,” he said dryly.

“You could kiss me again. I wouldn’t mind.”

“While that’s a pretty irresistible invitation, I’ll find you something to eat instead.”

She was kind of hungry. “But you do still want me, right? That hasn’t faded.”

He looked into her eyes and she felt the pull of his need. Her insides got all hot and quivery.

“Wow,” she breathed as he turned away. “You’re good.”

“I live to serve.”

He crossed to the kitchen where she heard him opening cupboard doors. She glanced at the mother cat licking her babies.

“I think you’re going to be really happy here,” she whispered. “Kane is nice and gentle. He’ll be a good owner.”

Or he would be, once she convinced him that he wanted to keep the mother cat and her kittens. He was at heart, she believed, a decent man. With her need to rescue, she didn’t find decent very often.

There was a knock on the door.

“I’ll get that,” she said as she slid to the edge of the chair and prepared to stand on one leg.

“This is my place and I’ll get it,” he told her as he walked across the hardwood floor. “Sit. Stay.”

“You kiss too good for me to be scared of you,” she told him.

He ignored her and opened the door. “Yes?”

“I’m Marina Nelson. I’m here to see my sister.” She thrust a bag into his arms. “There are more in the car.”

Willow twisted in her seat and waved. “You came.”

“Of course I came. You said you’d fallen and broken your ankle.”

“I called Marina because I knew she was home this morning,” Willow said to Kane, “Julie’s at work. Are you going to step aside so she can come in?”

“I haven’t decided.”

“You could push past him,” Willow told her sister.

Marina shook her head. “He looks burly.”

Willow opened her mouth to say that he wasn’t all that tough and that he was an amazing kisser, then she thought better of it. It was really the sort of information she needed to keep to herself.

“You look alike,” Kane said.

Willow sighed. Obviously he was going to be difficult. “All three of us do. It’s quite a gene pool. Are you going to let her in?”

“Do I have a choice?”

“If I leave now, I’ll only come back with reinforcements,” Marina told him.

“Right.”

He moved aside and Marina slipped past him. She rushed to the chair and hugged Willow.

“What on earth happened? What are you doing here? What did you do to your poor foot?” Marina sank onto the ottoman and leaned forward. “Start at the beginning and tell me everything.”

Kane took the single bag into the kitchen, then disappeared outside.

“So talk,” Marina said.

“I haven’t been able to forget about Todd,” Willow began. “I kept getting madder and madder. Or is it more mad? Anyway, when I woke up this morning, I just couldn’t stand it anymore.”

Marina looked at her. “Tell me you didn’t come over here to take him on.”

“That’s exactly what she did,” Kane said as he walked in with an armful of bags. “Are there more in the trunk?”

“No, just those in the backseat. Thanks.”

He grunted, then disappeared into the kitchen.

Willow watched him go, admiring the way his slacks tightened around his butt as he moved. She’d never been one of those women who admired men’s rears before, but then she’d never seen one this good.

“Willow,” Marina said impatiently.

“What? Oh, sorry. So I came over here to yell at Todd. He nearly broke up Julie and Ryan and I couldn’t stand thinking about that. I mean who does he think he is? Plus there’s the whole million dollar thing just hanging out there and he’s so self-centered and egotistical you just know he’s thinking we’re dying to meet him now that Julie’s engaged. I just want to beat him with a stick.”

“For someone who’s a vegetarian and so into being one with nature, you’re surprisingly violent,” Kane called from the kitchen.

“I’m not violent,” she yelled back. “I wasn’t the one flashing a gun around. Where is it, by the way?”

“Somewhere you can’t get it.”

Marina’s eyes widened. “He had a gun?”

“Yes, but don’t worry about it. So I came here and Kane answered the door and I guess he thought I was a serious threat because he tried to grab me.”

“What?”

“It’s his job. He’s in charge of security for all of Todd and Ryan’s companies. You have to be clear on that. He’s a little touchy about people thinking he’s only in charge of the house or something.”

“I’m not touchy.”

The words were a little garbled, as if he were speaking through clenched teeth.

She leaned forward and lowered her voice. “He really is. Who knew? Okay, so he tried to grab me, I ran and got through the house, but he caught up with me on the grounds. Then I tripped, and as I went down, I not only ripped off my ankle, I saw the cat there giving birth. So here we are.”

Marina covered her mouth, then dropped her hand to her lap. “I swear, I don’t know if I should laugh or shriek. Only you, Willow, only you.”

Kane walked out of the kitchen, holding a litter box in his hand. “Is this what I think it is?”

“Only if you think it’s a cat box,” Marina said, then turned back to her sister. “It’s completely disposable and biodegradable. Cool, huh?”

“Very. Thanks for that. Where do you think we should put it?”

Marina glanced around the living room. “Somewhere a little more private.”

Kane stared from the women to the litter box and back. What the hell had happened? When had he lost control of the situation, not to mention his life?

“I’ll go find a place,” Marina said. She stood and took the box from him, then smiled. “It’s kind of a lot to take in. You probably need a minute to recover.”

He watched her walk out of the living room and down the hallway. Great, Willow thought he needed rescuing and her sister was convinced he was an idiot.

“Is there a scooper?” Willow asked him. “You’ll want that by the box, along with some paper towels.

He started to ask for what, then stopped himself. Right—it was basically a cat’s bathroom. There would be deposits.

“She’ll know how to use it, right?” he asked as he jerked his head toward the cat.

“Oh, sure. We’ll just show her where it is.”

Marina returned without the litter box. “The bathroom off the second bedroom seems like a good bet. I put it there.” She walked to her sister, bent over and said in a low voice, “It doesn’t look like he has women here on a regular basis, so that’s something.”

He was equally outraged and admiring. “I’m standing right here.”

Willow smiled at him. “We know.”

“He seems okay,” Marina continued. “But given your history with guys…”

“It’s true,” Willow said sadly. “Maybe he’s different.”

“Still standing here,” he announced.

“You could feed the cat,” Willow said. “You’ll probably be more comfortable in the kitchen while we’re talking about you behind your back.”

In a scary, twisted way, her words made sense. He retreated to the kitchen, all the while wondering what had happened. This morning everything about his life had been normal and pleasantly solitary. Somewhere along the way, he’d been invaded. There were people here—he didn’t do people.

He went through the bags. There was canned cat food, a bag of dry and three bowls. He filled one with water and the other with dry food. The mother cat rushed into the kitchen and fell on the food. When he dished up some canned, she abandoned the dry to feast on that.

While she ate, he checked out the rest of the bags. Marina had brought over bread, honey, several packages of frozen soup, bags of cookies, apples, pears, some girly soap and the latest issue of a celebrity gossip magazine. Did she think her sister was moving in?

He felt something brush against his leg. When he glanced down he saw the mother cat rubbing her leg against him. She looked up, purring.

Feeling awkward and stupid and like he was being taken, he bent over and patted the top of her head. She turned and rubbed her jaw against his fingers. He could feel the vibration of her purring.

He’d never been one for pets. As a kid, it was all he could do to feed himself. Plus caring about anything only made you a victim. In the army, there had always been guys who kept dogs around, but he wasn’t one of them.

He straightened. He could hear Willow and Marina talking in the living room, although he couldn’t hear the words, thank God. So now what? Where did he go? This was supposed to be his house, but he suddenly felt like he didn’t belong.

There was another knock on the door. Before he could say anything, Marina yelled that she was getting it. He walked into his living room in time to see an older version of Willow stepping into his house, along with a fiftysomething guy in a suit.

“Mom, you didn’t have to come,” Willow said. “I’m fine.”

Willow’s mother handed Marina a casserole, then rushed to Willow’s side. “You’re not fine. You hurt yourself. What was I supposed to do? Just let you lie here in pain?”

“Oh, Mom.”

The man approached Kane. “I’m Dr. David Greenberg, a friend of the family.”

“Kane Dennison.” They shook hands.

Dr. Greenberg moved over to the ottoman. “All right, Willow, let’s see what you’ve done.”

Willow’s mother moved back. Marina touched her arm. “This is Kane, Mom.”

The older woman smiled at him. “Hi. Naomi Nelson. She said you carried her here and saved her life.”

Willow had managed to make a number of phone calls and pass on a lot of information in the short time he’d been gone, he thought, not sure if he should punish her or be impressed.

“I don’t think she was all that near death,” he said.

“Mom, there are kittens,” Willow said. She pointed at the box.

“Oh, they’re just born.”

While Naomi went to coo over the kittens, Marina murmured something about putting the casserole in the refrigerator. Kane watched as the doctor examined Willow’s ankle.

“Does this hurt?” he asked as he manipulated her foot. “Does this?”

She answered his questions, then looked at Kane. He felt the impact of her gaze all the way down to his groin. Funny how Marina was similar in appearance, but nothing about her turned him on. Yet with Willow, all it took was a look.

Dr. Greenberg continued his exam for a couple more minutes, then patted her knee. “You’ll live. It’s a minor sprain. You have some swelling, which should go away in the next couple of days. Keep doing what you’re doing. Elevation and ice. You’ll be better in the morning.”

“It hurts,” Willow said with a soft whimper.

The doctor smiled. “I remember how badly you handle pain. You’re the one who cried before I ever gave you a shot when you were little.” He dug around in his case and handed her a sample pack of pills. “These will help. Take them now and then don’t even think about driving until tomorrow. You’re going to be out of it.”

She smiled. “You’ve been very good to me.”

“I know.” He stood, bent over and kissed her cheek. “Try not to be such a klutz.”

“I didn’t do this on purpose.”

“But you still do it.”

Naomi hurried over. “Thank you so much for coming.”

The doctor shrugged. “I’ve known them nearly all their lives. They’re like my girls, too. I’m going back to the office.”

“I’ll be there within the hour,” Naomi promised.

Both women fluttered around, bringing Willow water so she could take her pill, more ice, a snack. Kane stayed in the background, watching them move so easily through his place—as if they’d been here before. Or maybe that was the way of nurturers. They were comfortable wherever they went.

At last Marina left, leaving only Willow and her mother. Naomi beckoned him into the kitchen.

“Thank you for all your help,” she began. “I’m sorry we’ve all invaded you like this.”

“It’s fine,” he said, when what he was thinking was more along the lines of “you could be gone now.”

“I’ll just get her things and take her home.”

Kane eyed the woman. She was about five-five and in decent shape, but there was no way she could carry her daughter.

“I’ll do that,” he said, knowing it was the only way. “You can’t carry her inside.”

“Oh.” Naomi looked concerned. “I hadn’t thought about that. With her foot and all…Can she hop?”

“Not well. Don’t worry. I’ll get her home.”

“If you’re sure…” She glanced at her watch and he knew she was thinking she had to get back to work.

“Ask Willow if she’s comfortable with that arrangement,” he said.

Naomi nodded, then walked back into the living room. Kane followed her and watched as Willow and her mother spoke.

“I’ll be fine,” Willow said, glancing at him, her blue eyes bright with anticipation and humor.

He narrowed his gaze. What the hell was she planning now?

Naomi hugged her daughter, then walked over to him and held out her hand. “You’ve been very kind. I don’t know how to thank you.”

“Not a problem.”

“Good luck with the cat and her kittens. They’re going to be a handful.”

As they wouldn’t still be here while they were growing up, he didn’t care.

Then she was gone and he was alone with Willow.

“Sorry about everyone coming by,” she said.

“No, you’re not. You invited them all. You wanted them to come.”

“Okay. Maybe. I had to be sure I wasn’t dying.”

“Sprained ankles are rarely fatal.”

“At least they brought food.” She smiled. “You like food.”

“How do you know?”

“You’re a guy. It’s a guy thing.”

“I’m going to get the cat food,” he said and turned back to the kitchen.

“You haven’t fed her yet?” Willow sounded outraged.

He held in a groan. “Of course I fed the cat. I’m going to collect the food so you can have it.”

“I don’t eat cat food.”

She was doing this on purpose. He knew that. She thought baiting him was a fun, new game.

“It’s for the cat,” he said patiently.

“The cat’s not coming home with me. My building doesn’t allow pets, which is one of the reasons I rented there. That and the amazing backyard. I turned it into a garden and it’s so beautiful. But there are a lot of plants that would be poisonous to a kitten. Not that I wouldn’t love one. But I know better. If I rescue one cat, soon I’ll want to rescue them all. Then there are dogs and birds and it could really turn into a disaster.”

He rarely got headaches, but he could feel one coming on.

“I’m not keeping the cat.”

“You have to,” she told him. “The kittens are too young to be moved. They have to be warm and they need their mom. Oh, do you have a hot water bottle to put in the box, because that would be great.”

He could hear a strange buzzing in his ears. “Aren’t there rescue places?”

“Sure, but they’re already busy with real strays. This cat has a home, at least until the babies are older.”

“They don’t have a home here.”

She stared at him, wide-eyed. He knew he was being manipulated and knew he wasn’t going to give in.

“I don’t do cats,” he said firmly. “Not this one, not any one.”

“That’s so mean.”

She spoke softly. He barely heard the words, yet it was as if she’d slapped him. Her blue eyes darkened with disappointment and she seemed to shrink into the chair.

“All right,” she told him. “Just get the cat supplies together. I’ll figure out something.”

He’d led men into more dangerous parts of the world than most people knew about. He’d killed to stay alive and had been left for dead more than once. Yet never had he felt so out of his element than he did at this moment.

What the hell did he care what this woman thought of him? It was a damn cat. Let her take it.

He went into the kitchen and put the food into a grocery bag, then carried it into the living room. But when he glanced at Willow, he saw she’d fallen asleep.

Her head lay on the armrest, her long blond hair a contrast to the dark leather. One leg curled up under her while the other one was stretched out, ice still strapped to her injured ankle.

“Willow?”

She didn’t stir. In addition to being a wimp about pain, she was also a lightweight when it came to painkillers. No wonder the doctor had told her not to drive after taking it.

The room was silent, except for the quiet purring of the mother cat and loud thudding of his own heart.

Willow woke up and had no idea where she was. As if that had never happened to her before, she immediately sat up and thought about panicking. But before the adrenaline could really get pumping, she remembered the whole Kane-ankle-cat thing and decided she was probably still in his house.

A quick glance at the clock on the nightstand told her it was nearly midnight. Wow—that pill had knocked her out for hours. She sat up and looked around. A night-light from the bathroom allowed her to see the shapes of the furniture, including the bed she’d slept on. The guest room, she thought, noting the bed wasn’t huge and the furniture looked more neutral than masculine. Too bad. She really wouldn’t have minded waking up in his bed…with him.

Smiling at the thought, she looked down at herself and saw that except for her shoes, she was completely dressed. Kane had been a gentleman. Wasn’t that just her luck?

Willow sighed. She was never really like this about guys. But there was just something about Kane that got to her and made her want to be wild. Maybe because being around him felt safe. As if no matter what she did or how she acted, nothing bad would happen to her. He would be there, protecting her.

No one had ever been safe before.

She swung her feet over the side of the bed and stood carefully. While her ankle was still sore, it was a ton better. She could almost walk normally.

After visiting the bathroom—where she found a brand-new toothbrush and toothpaste conveniently waiting—she made use of the facilities, washed her face, brushed her teeth, then went in search of her host.

Kane was in the living room, reading. He glanced up as she entered.

“Sorry,” she said. “The pill knocked me out.”

“I noticed.”

“So, you, um, carried me to bed.”

“Yes.”

“I slept through that.”

“Apparently.”

“You kept my clothes on.”

“It seemed the polite thing to do.”

“Okay.”

One corner of his mouth twitched. “Should I have stripped you naked and taken you while you were unconscious?”

“Of course not. It’s just…”

He kissed her before. Hadn’t he meant it?

He stood and walked over to her. In less than a second, the humor was gone and he looked…predatory.

“You’re playing a dangerous game,” he told her. “You don’t know anything about me.”

It was true. The sensible part of her brain told her to quietly back away, retreat to the guest room and lock the door behind her. Only, he’d wanted her before. Really wanted her. The sensible part of her brain needed to remember how rare that was.

He reached up and fingered a strand of her hair. “Like silk,” he murmured.

And then it was back—the fire that had thrilled her so much. She felt the heat burn between them, drawing her closer, making her promises, tempting her into the path of possible destruction.

Three

“I don’t get it,” Willow said. “I’m not your type.”

“You said that before. How do you know?”

“I’m not anyone’s type.”

Kane shook his head. “I don’t believe that.”

“It’s true. I have the sad, painful romantic history to prove it. I’m the best friend, the one guys confide in.”

“I don’t confide in anyone,” he told her.

“You should. It’s very healthy. Sharing problems make them seem more manageable.”

“You know this how?”

“I read it in a magazine somewhere. You can learn a lot from magazines.”

His dark gaze never left her face. “Go back to bed. I’ll take you home in the morning.”

No! She didn’t want to be sent to bed like a child. “But then where will you sleep?”

“You’re in the guest room. I still have my own bed.”

“See, that was flirting. I was flirting. Wouldn’t it be nice if you just went with it?”

He moved so fast, he was like a human blur. One second he was several feet away and the next he was right in front of her, one hand on her waist, the other wrapped around her hair. He eased forward that last inch, so they were touching everywhere.

She had the feeling he was trying to intimidate her and it would have worked, except she couldn’t seem to be afraid of him.

“You won’t hurt me,” she whispered.

“Your faith is foolish and misplaced. You don’t know what I’ll do.”

He bent his head and claimed her with a hard, demanding kiss. He pushed into her mouth and stroked her tongue, then sucked on her lower lip.

She wrapped one arm around his neck and gave as good as she got, stealing into his mouth and dueling right back. She felt him stiffen with surprise. He pulled her hard against him and she went willingly. The hand holding her hair tightened, drawing her head back.

He broke the kiss and stared into her eyes.

“I am dark and dangerous and I don’t play the games you know,” he said. “I’m not anyone you want to get involved with. I’m not nice, I don’t call the next day and I’m never interested in more than a single night. You can’t fix me, reform me, heal me or change me. You are so far out of your league, you don’t know enough to run scared, but you should. Trust me on that.”

His words made her tremble.

“I can’t be afraid of you,” she told him again.

“Why the hell not?”

She smiled and rubbed her index finger against his lower lip. “I’ll agree that you’re tough and you probably scare other people, but Kane, you rescued me and kittens and you were nice to my mom and my sister and when you put me to bed, you didn’t even think about taking advantage of me. What’s not to like?”

He closed his eyes and groaned. She had a feeling the sound wasn’t about being turned on.

He opened his eyes. “You’re impossible.”

“I’ve heard that before.”

“You’re just about irresistible.”

She sighed. “That’s a new one. Can you say it again?”

He backed her up until she was trapped between him and the wall. She felt his body—and his arousal—pressing against her.

“I want you,” he said in a low growl. “I want you naked and begging and desperate. I want to bury myself inside of you until you forget who you are. But you’re a fool if you take me up on that. This is not a fun trip to the dark side. If you expect anything of me, you will be hurt. I’m going to walk away, Willow. I can walk away now or later. It’s your choice.”

She saw the truth reflected in his eyes. Once again the sensible part of her brain pointed out that the guest room was the best option. Only Willow had never met anyone like Kane before and she was unlikely to ever again. He claimed to be incredibly tough and maybe he was, but she had a feeling there was more to him than he wanted her to see.

Walk away? Not possible. Maybe he would hurt her, but maybe he wouldn’t. She was willing to take the risk. She had to. There was something about him that called to her.

Besides, the guy could make her quiver with just a look.

“For a man so intent on insisting he doesn’t care, you’re going out of your way to warn me off,” she said. “Maybe you should stop talking and kiss me instead.”

“Willow.”

“See? You’re doing it again. I understand the rules, I’m willing to play by them and you’re still talking. You know what? I think it’s all an act. I don’t think you have any real intention of doing anything at all. I think—”

He grabbed her and kissed her. There were no preliminaries, just him wrapping his arms around her as he claimed her mouth with his own. He kissed her deeply, passionately, with no pause for breath or social niceties. He took, sweeping past her lips to stroke her tongue, circling her, claiming her. His possessive acts thrilled her and she freed her arms so she could hang on for the ride.

There was no fear, she thought as her body heated and her muscles lost their ability to support her. However much he threatened, he still held her gently. His hands moved up and down her back, exploring her, touching her, but there was nothing harsh about the contact.

She put her hands on his shoulders and leaned into him. His body supported hers. The combination of hard muscles and warmth thrilled her. She tilted her head and closed her lips around his tongue so she could suck.

He stiffened, then took a step back and stared at her. There was shock, pleasure and need in his eyes—an irresistible combination.

“I don’t scare easily,” she said with a shrug.

He shook his head, then bent down, gathered her in his arms and carried her down the hall.

They moved into a bedroom illuminated by a single lamp on a nightstand. Here the design was totally masculine with large pieces of dark furniture lining the walls. The bed could sleep twenty, and suited Kane completely.

He set her on the mattress and looked at her.

She felt the challenge of his gaze and refused to look away—even when he began unfastening the shirt he wore. When he’d removed that, he pulled off a T-shirt, exposing his bare chest.

Her breath caught. He was as muscled as she’d first thought, but there were also scars…dozens of them. Small irregular circles and long, jagged lines. Scars from surgeries and from wounds that made her ache inside.

What had happened to this man? Who had hurt him and why?

But there was no time for questions. He pulled off his loafers, then his socks. Trousers quickly followed, along with dark briefs.

And then he was naked. Beautiful and hard and ready. His body should be immortalized in marble, she thought. A master should sculpt him. Not that Kane would ever agree to pose.

He put his hands on his hips and stared at her. “You can still run,” he told her.

“Not with my ankle.”

“You know what I mean.”

“Yes, I do. And I’m not going anywhere.”

He took a step toward the bed, then stopped. “Dammit, Willow,” he began.

She pulled her sweater up and over her head, then tossed it onto the floor. “So what, exactly, does a girl have to do to get your attention?”

He made a sound in his throat that was part growl, part groan. Then he was on the bed, on top of her, rolling with her so that she ended up sprawled across him. He tangled one hand in her hair and claimed her with a kiss that made her toes curl.

She parted for him, welcomed him. Their tongues danced. He stroked her bare back, his fingers moving slowly over her skin. When he reached the waistband of her jeans, he slipped his hands over the curve of her rear and squeezed.

She could feel his arousal pressing into his stomach. Her skin was hot and hungry for his touch. She wanted his hands everywhere, touching her, taking her, claiming her.

He shifted so she was on her back. His dark eyes stared into hers.

“You are so beautiful,” he whispered before reaching behind her to unfasten her bra.

His words delighted her, but they weren’t nearly as thrilling as his mouth on her bare breast. One moment there was fabric, then a whisper of cool air followed by the warm, wet sensation of lips and tongue.

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