In the Arms of the Rancher

By

Joan Hohl
His Vienna Christmas Bride

By

Jan Colley

www.millsandboon.co.uk

In the Arms of the Rancher

By

Joan Hohl

“A kiss. That will really seal the deal.”

Reaching across her to set his glass next to hers, he drew her into his arms and captured her mouth with his own in a searing kiss.

Seal indeed. The thought, recognizable if fuzzy, floated through Kate’s mind. Or was it she herself floating?

The sealing kiss went on forever yet ended much too soon. When Hawk drew his mouth from hers, Kate found herself stretched out on the long couch, Hawk stretched out next to, or rather practically on top of, her.

How did she get into that position when she didn’t remember moving? How had Hawk managed the move without her noticing? Did it matter at all?

No. The answer was there, at the forefront of her mind. The only thing that mattered was she was there with Hawk, secure and safe in his arms.

About the Author

JOAN HOHL is a bestselling author of more than sixty books. She has received numerous awards for her work, including a Romance Writers of America Golden Medallion award. In addition to contemporary romance, this prolific author also writes historical and time-travel romances. Joan lives in eastern Pennsylvania with her husband and family.

To:

My new editor, Krista, and her assistant, Shana. Welcome to my imaginary world!

Dear Reader

Hello once again. I’m back with another story for you. If you happen to have read a previous book of mine titled Maverick, you may recognize the hero in this book as the Maverick’s friend Hawk McKenna. Well, it seems after playing a minor role in one book, Hawk decided he needed a book of his own. What’s a poor writer to do but obey her imagination? Besides, I really liked the character named McKenna my busy little mind came up with.

So here, then, is Hawk’s story about a summer-weary rancher taking a vacation break in Las Vegas for a little R&R and some female company before winter sets in. Instead, he finds Kate, a beautiful female with man troubles.

Although I’m writing this letter on a beautiful spring day in May, I know the holiday season is approaching as you hold this book, which I hope you will buy and enjoy, in your hands.

Happy holidays to all and to all a good read!

Joan Hohl

Prologue

He needed a break, and he was going to take one. Hawk McKenna stood in the sunlight slanting from the west onto the covered porch that ran the width of his ranch house, his hand absently resting on the head of the large dog next to him.

Though the sun’s rays were warm, there was a nip in the early October breeze. It felt good to Hawk after the long, hot, hard but productive and profitable summer. Yet he knew that before too long, the mild autumn would be replaced by snowflakes swirling, driven by harsh, bitter cold winds.

When the deep snows came, Hawk knew the work on the ranch would be just as hard as it had been during the summer. No, he thought, smiling wryly as he gazed around him at the valley in which his ranch was nestled, the work in the deep snows of winter entailed numb fingers and toes and being chilled to the bone. All things considered, he’d rather sweat than freeze.

The idea of what was to come sent a shiver through him. He must be getting old, Hawk mused, stepping from the porch into the fading sunlight. But as he was only thirty-six, perhaps it wasn’t so much his age as it was tiredness. Other than a run into Durango, the city closest to the ranch, for supplies, he hadn’t been off the property in months.

Nor had he been in any female company in all that time, other than that of his foreman Jack’s nineteen-year-old daughter and his wrangler Ted’s wife.

Not exactly what Hawk had in mind for female company. Ted’s wife, Carol, while very nice and pretty, was…well, Ted’s wife. And Jack’s daughter, Brenda, was even prettier but far too young, and she was becoming a pain in the ass.

A year or so ago, Brenda, who had hung around the ranch every summer since Jack had come to work for Hawk, had begun trailing behind Hawk. Her sidelong, supposedly sexy glances were beginning to grate on his nerves.

He wasn’t interested. She was a kid, for cripes’ sake. Not wanting to hurt her feelings, Hawk had tried dropping subtle hints to that effect, to no avail. She had gone right on with the sly, intimate looks, at moments even deliberately making physical contact, while making the touches appear accidental.

Frustrated, not knowing what to do other than be brutally honest by telling her to act her age and knock off her flirting, Hawk had approached Jack about her behavior. Treading as carefully as if he were negotiating a mine field, Hawk had asked him what Brenda’s plans were for the future.

“Oh, you know kids,” Jack said, grimacing. “They want everything. They just can’t decide what in particular.”

Hawk sighed. Not much help there. “It’s over a year since she graduated high school. I thought she was planning to go on to college?”

“She now says she isn’t sure.” Jack gave him a probing look. “Why? Has she been making a pest of herself hanging around here?”

Drawing a slow breath, Hawk hedged. “Well…she has been kinda getting underfoot.”

Jack nodded his understanding. “Yeah, I noticed,” he admitted with a sigh. “I’ve been meaning to say something to her about it, but you know girls…They get so dramatic and emotional.”

“Yeah,” Hawk agreed, although he really didn’t know girls, as in kids. He knew women, knew as well how emotional they could be. He worked hard at avoiding the dramatic ones.

“I’ll talk to her,” Jack said, heaving a sigh before flashing a grin. “Maybe I can talk her into spending the winter with her mother, as she always did while she was still in school.” He chuckled.

Hawk shook his head. Jack and his former wife had not divorced amicably. Although Brenda had spent only the summers with Jack while she had been in school, mere days after receiving her diploma, she’d taken off, telling her mother she wanted to be on her own, free.

Well, Hawk mused, if being on her own and free meant living with her father while bugging the hell out of him, she had succeeded too well. “You handle it any way you want,” Hawk said, not bothering to add that Jack had better handle it, and her, sooner rather than later. “Maybe a father-daughter heart-to-heart will help.”

“Will do.” Jack started to turn away.

“Hold up a minute,” Hawk said, stopping Jack short. “I’m going to take off for a couple weeks for a little R and R. Can you hold down the fort, and Boyo?” Hawk ruffled the hair on the dog’s head.

Jack gave him a look. “You know damn well I can.”

Hawk grinned. “Yeah, I know. I just like riling you now and again.”

“As if I didn’t know,” Jack drawled. “You tellin’ me where you’re going and when?”

“Sure. No secret. I’m going to Vegas as soon as I can make room reservations. I’ll let you know where I’ll be staying.” He paused before going on. “When I get back, you and Ted can take some time off. While I’m gone, you can decide who goes first.”

“Good deal.” Jack grinned and went back to work.

Relieved, Hawk drew a deep breath of the pine-scented mountain air. The dog looked up at him expectantly. “Not this time, Boyo,” he said, ruffling the dog’s thick hair. “You’ll be staying with Jack.”

If a dog could frown, Hawk thought, that was exactly what the big Irish wolfhound was doing. With a final hair ruffle, he turned to the porch steps.

A smile on his lips, Hawk walked into the house, picked up the phone and began punching in numbers.

Chapter One

Kate Muldoon was behind the hostess station, checking the reservation list, when the restaurant entrance door opened. A smile of greeting on her lips, she glanced up to see a man just inside the door and felt a strange skip beat in her chest.

The first word to jump into her mind was cowboy. Kate couldn’t say why that particular descriptive word came to mind. There wasn’t a pair of boots or a Stetson in sight. He was dressed the same as most patrons, casually in jeans that hugged his hips like a lover, a pale blue button down shirt tucked into the narrow denim waistband, the sleeves rolled up to mid-forearm.

His height was impressive. Kate judged him to be six feet five or six inches tall at least, maybe more. He was lean, muscular and rangy. He had a head full of thick, straight dark, almost black, hair with strands of deepest red glinting under the lights. It was long, caught at his nape and was tied with a narrow strip of leather.

He was striking—sharply defined features, a squared jaw and piercing dark eyes. His skin was tanned, near bronze. Part Native American, perhaps? Maybe.

But he wasn’t what she would call handsome, not in the way Jeff was…

“May I help you?” Kate asked brightly, pushing away errant thoughts of her former lover.

“I don’t have a reservation, but I’d like a table for one, if you have it.” His voice was smooth, low, rather sexy and alluring.

Telling herself to grow up, Kate said, “Yes, of course. If you’ll follow me.” Scooping up a menu, she ushered him to a small table for two set in a corner between two curtained windows.

He arched a dark brow with visible amusement when she slid out a chair for him. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” she replied, handing him the menu. “Tom will be your server today.” Feeling oddly breathless, she added, “Enjoy your dinner.”

He smiled.

Kate felt the shivery effects of his smile all the way back to her station. Ridiculous, she chided herself, dismissing thoughts of the tall man when she noticed a line of unexpected guests waiting for her.

Greeting and seating the hungry patrons who had suddenly shown up snared Kate’s focus. After seating a party of four nearest the corner table, she heard the tall man quietly call to her.

“Miss?”

The shivery effects began all over again. Sighing through her professional smile, she stopped at his table. “Can I get you something?” she responded, noticing his half-empty beer glass. He smiled, this time with a suggestive hint. Kate felt the shiver turn into an unnerving shimmering heat.

“Is Vic in the kitchen this evening?”

His question threw her for a moment. She didn’t know what she had expected, but an inquiry about her boss wasn’t it. “Yes, he is,” she answered, instantly regaining her composure.

“Would you give him a message from me?”

“Yes, of course.” What else could she say?

“Tell him Hawk would like to talk to him.” He smiled again, revealing strong white teeth.

“Hawk…just Hawk?” she asked. Lord, the man had a killer smile.

“Just Hawk,” he said with a soft laugh. “He’ll know who you mean.”

“Uh…right. I’ll tell him,” Kate said, turning away to head for the kitchen. It was a good thing Jeff had immunized her against men, she thought, pushing through the swing door to the kitchen. That kind of man would get under an unwary woman’s skin in a hurry.

That was one appealing package of femininity, he mused, his gaze fixed on the subtle yet intriguing movement of her hips as she pushed through the door to the kitchen. Of average height, she was all woman from the riot of loose curls in her long dark hair to her slim ankles, and everywhere in between. And he had noticed she wasn’t wearing a ring on the third finger of her left hand.

Of course, that didn’t necessarily mean she wasn’t married. Hawk knew of many men as well as women who didn’t wear their bands of commitment. Cramped their style, he supposed. He was wondering if she might be one of those women when a familiar voice broke into his musing.

“Hawk, you old dog, when did you get into town?” Vic Molino came to a stop next to Hawk, a big smile of welcome on his handsome face, his right hand outthrust.

Rising, Hawk grasped the hand and pulled the shorter man into a buddy embrace.

Stepping back, Hawk flicked a hand at the empty chair opposite his. “Got a minute to talk…or are you too busy in the kitchen?”

Vic grinned. “Always got a minute for you, Hawk. How the hell are you?” He arched his dark brows. “It’s been a long while since your last visit.”

“Yeah, I know.” Hawk grinned back. “Been too busy making money. Now, before winter sets in, I aim to spend a little of it.”

“I hear you.” As he spoke, a server came to a stop at the table. Vic smiled at him. “I’ll take care of this customer, Tom, but you’ll still get the tip.” He lowered his voice dramatically, as if to prevent Hawk from hearing him. “And he’s a big tipper.”

Tom smiled. “Thanks, Vic.” He turned to leave but Vic stopped him before he could take a step.

“One thing, Tom. You can bring me a pot of coffee.” He shot a glance at Hawk. “You want a fresh beer?”

Hawk shook his head. “No, thanks. I’m going to have wine with dinner, but I would like a cup of coffee.”

“Coming right up, sir,” Tom said, hurrying away.

Hawk glanced around the dining room. “Business looks brisk, as usual.”

“It has been good,” Vic said, a touch of gratitude in his voice, “even with the slump in the economy.” He pulled a frown. “I didn’t even get a vacation this year.”

Hawk gave him a droll look. “Poor baby. Lisa cracking the whip over you, huh?”

Vic flashed a white grin. “Never. My bride is too much in love with me to find fault.”

Hawk felt a touch of something—longing, an empty sensation. Surely not envy for his friend and the bride he’d married over five years ago.

“In fact,” Vic went on smugly, “Lisa’s too happy at the present to find fault with anyone.” He paused, waiting for the look of confused curiosity to bring a frown to Hawk’s face.

“Well,” Hawk said. “Where’s the punch line?”

Vic gave a burst of happy laughter. “She’s pregnant, Hawk. After all this time, all the praying and hoping, we’re going to have a baby.”

Hawk lit up in a smile. “That’s wonderful, Vic. When’s the baby due?”

“In the spring. She’s in the beginning of her second trimester.”

“Damn! Damn, that’s great, for both of you. I know how much you’ve wanted a child.” Even as he congratulated his friend, Hawk again felt that twinge of empty longing. He brushed it off as he shook Vic’s hand.

“Yeah,” Vic said, grinning like a kid. “We were almost at the point of accepting that there would never be a baby for us.”

Grinning back at him, Hawk raised his glass of beer. “Well, here’s to perseverance.” Bringing the glass to his lips, he downed the beer remaining in it. As he set the glass down, the hostess came to the table with a full fresh pot of coffee.

“Tom was busy at another table,” she explained. “So I brought this over. Is there anything else, Vic?”

“No thanks.” Vic shook his head. As she started to turn away, he stopped her by taking her hand. “Wait a minute. I want you to meet an old friend.”

“Okay.” She smiled at Hawk.

He felt an instant of breathlessness. He stood up as Vic rose from his chair.

“Hawk,” Vic said, “this lovely lady is Kate Mul-doon, my hostess and Lisa’s and my friend.” He smiled at her. “Kate, Hawk McKenna. We’ve been friends since college, and he’s been Lisa’s friend since our wedding.” A teasing gleam shone from his eyes. “I suspect she’d have grabbed him if she’d met him earlier.”

“Right,” Hawk drawled, offering his long-fingered hand to her. “Nice to meet you…Kate?”

“Of course,” she answered. “Hawk?”

“Of course,” he echoed.

“Have a seat, Kate,” Vic said, rising to grab an empty chair at the next table while beckoning to someone.

Kate shook her head. “I can’t, Vic. There are custom—”

“Yes, you can,” Vic interrupted. “You haven’t had a break yet.”

Kate gave him a dry look. “I started working only two hours ago.”

“Long enough,” Vic said, turning to the young woman who had come to a halt at the table.

“You employed the imperial wave, sire?” the woman said, her blue eyes fairly dancing with amusement.

Vic laughed as he watched her give a quick glance at Hawk, her eyes widening with surprise. “Hawk!”

“Hi, Bella.” Hawk said, getting to his feet just in time to catch her as she flung herself into his arms. “Subdued as ever, I see.” Taking her by the shoulders, he set her back a step to look at her. “And beautiful as ever.”

“I bet you say that to all your friends’ sisters,” Bella said, laughing. “You look great, Hawk.”

“Thanks.” Hawk smiled. “So do you.”

“If this ritual of mutual admiration is over,” Vic said, “I’d like you to take over at the desk for Kate for a while.”

“Sure.” Bella gave Hawk another quick hug before turning away. “Will I be seeing you while you’re in town, Hawk?”

“Of course.” Hawk smiled.

“Good.” Bella smiled back. “Take your time, Kate. I can handle the ravenous crowd.”

“Thanks, Bella,” Kate said. “I’ll only be a few minutes.”

Her soft, almost smoky-sounding voice, along with her smile, caused an even stronger searing sensation in Hawk’s stomach and sections south.

“So,” Vic said, “how long are you going to be in town this time, Hawk?”

“I haven’t decided yet. I have a room for a week.” Hawk shrugged. “After that…depends.”

“On what?” Vic laughed. “The weather?”

Hawk grinned. “Yeah, the weather. You know how much it concerns me.” He shook his head. “No, actually, if I’m tired of the whole scene at the end of a week, I’ll head home. If not, I’ll make other arrangements.”

“And where is home, Hawk?” Kate asked.

“Colorado,” Hawk said. “In the mountains.”

She laughed. “Colorado is full of mountains.”

A tingle skipped the length of his spine. He drew a deep breath, willing steel to chase the tingle from his back. “I’m in the southwest corner, in the San Juans, a double jump from Durango.”

“A double jump?” she said.

Vic answered for him. “Hawk’s got a horse ranch in a small valley in the foothills there,” he said. “I gotta tell you, this guy breeds and trains some gorgeous horseflesh.”

“And I’m damned good at it, too,” Hawk drawled around a quick smile.

Once again he felt that strange reaction to the conversation, a reaction he had never felt before. Hawk wasn’t sure he liked it.

They chatted for a few moments longer. Then Kate excused herself to get back to work.

Unaware of his surroundings, Vic, or the soft sigh he expelled, Hawk watched Kate walk back to the hostess station, head high, her back straight, as regal as any queen.

“Attractive, isn’t she?”

Vic’s quiet voice jolted Hawk into awareness. “Yes,” he said, shifting his gaze to his friend.

“And you’re interested.” It was not a question.

“Yes,” Hawk admitted without hesitation.

“A lot of men are.” Vic shrugged.

“I did notice she was not wearing a ring on her left ring finger.” Hawk lifted his brows. “Is she attached?”

Vic shook his head. “No.”

“Why do I have the feeling that if I said I wanted to ask her to have dinner one evening with me, you’d tell me she’ll refuse?”

“Because she very likely would.” Vic gave him a half smile. “She always does.”

“She doesn’t like men?” Hawk felt a sharp pang of disappointment.

“She used to,” Vic answered cryptically.

Hawk’s eyes narrowed. “Are you going to explain that murky statement, or am I going to have to call you out?”

Vic grinned. “Pistols at dawn, eh?”

“No…” Hawk drawled. “My foot in your rear right here in front of all your customers. So you’d better start explaining.”

“There was a man…” Vic began.

“Isn’t there always?” Hawk said in disgust.

“The same as there’s always a woman with bitter men,” Vic said. “Isn’t there?”

“I wouldn’t know.” It was not a boast. Hawk had never been in love. He had no experience of how a relationship gone sour could rip a person up.

“You’re a lucky man.” Vic sighed. “Well, Kate knows in spades. She was head over heels with a guy, enough to let him move in with her after they got engaged.”

“He dumped her for another woman?” Hawk asked at the thought of any sane man dumping Kate.

“No, worse than that. Not long after he moved in with her, he became abusive.”

Hawk stiffened, his features like chiseled rock. “He what?” His voice was low, icy with menace.

“Not physically,” Vic said. “Verbally, which is just as bad, if not worse. Bruises heal pretty quickly. Emotional scars take a lot longer.”

“The son of a bitch.”

“That’s my take on him.”

Hawk was quiet a moment. “I’m still thinking of asking her to dinner one night.” He frowned at Vic. “What do you think?”

“Well…” Now Vic was quiet a moment. He shrugged. “It can’t hurt to give it a try.”

“You wouldn’t mind?”

“Why would I mind?” Vice shook his head. “I think it would do Kate good to get out…She hasn’t been since she tossed the creep out.” He grinned at Hawk. “And I know you’d never do anything to hurt her.”

“How do you know that?”

Vic’s grin grew sinister. “Because if you did, I’d have to kill you.”

Hawk roared with laughter. “Get outta here and get me something to eat…and make it good.”

Standing, Vic leveled a stern look at Hawk. “You know damn well everything I cook is good. Excellent, even.”

“I know,” Hawk admitted. “So, go cook.”

Moments later he was served a glass of red wine. Soon after the wine, the server set a steaming plate of pasta before him, with a short, folded note on the side. Hawk opened the note and chuckled. Vic had written just seven words.

Kate’s days off are Monday and Tuesday.

Chapter Two

Kate didn’t have time to think of anything except greeting and seating customers for over an hour. When she again returned to her station, she was both disconcertingly disappointed and pleased.

She needed a breathing break. What Kate didn’t need were the thoughts of the attractive Hawk McKenna, which immediately flooded her mind.

He was just another man, she told herself. And yet he invaded her mind and senses the minute activity around her slowed. Shaking her head, as if she could physically shake the thoughts aside, she busied herself by fussing with the station. She straightened the large menus and made a production out of studying the names not crossed off on the long list of reservations. The few parties left on the list were not due to arrive for a while.

Sighing, she glanced up from the list, right into the dark eyes of the very man she had been trying her best not to think about.

She managed a professional smile. “How was your dinner, Mr. McKenna?”

He gave her a slight frown. “I thought we had agreed on Hawk and Kate.”

“Okay. How was your dinner, Hawk?”

“Superb, as Vic’s dinners usually are.”

Kate felt the effects of his breathtaking smile all the way down to her curling toes.

“That’s true,” she managed to articulate around the sudden tightness in her throat. “Vic is a very talented chef. One of the best.”

“I know.” He nodded, a shadow of his smile lingering at the corners of his too-attractive mouth. “He was taught by another very talented chef…” He paused for effect. “His mother.”

Kate laughed. It felt good to laugh with him. Too good. She quickly sobered. “I know,” she said, sneaking a glance around him in hopes of finding a waiting patron. The entryway was empty.

“You expecting someone special?” he asked, obviously not missing her swift look behind him.

“No.” She shook her head. “Why?”

Hawk studied her a moment. Kate felt strangely trapped, as if pinned to a board like a butterfly or some other species of insects.

“You’re afraid of me, aren’t you?” He was frowning again, this time in consternation.

“Afraid? Me?” She gave a quick and hard shake of her head. “That’s ridiculous.” She raked a slow look down the length of him, the long length of him. “Should I have a reason to fear you?” Kate was babbling, and she knew it. She just didn’t know how to stop. “Do you mean me harm?”

“You’re right. That is ridiculous, Kate.” There was a note, a bit angry, a bit sad, in his soft voice. “I mean no harm to any woman. Why would you even think that?”

Kate bit her lip and closed her eyes. “I…I don’t know…I…”

“Yes, you do.” He cut her off. He drew a deep breath.

“That bastard really did a number on you, didn’t he?” His voice was low, as if to make sure no one could overhear him.

Kate froze, inside and out. How did he know? Who told him? Vic, it had to have been Vic. The mere thought of Jeff, his nasty temper and his accusations caused a cold sensation in her stomach. Dammit, she thought. She had believed she was over it, free of the memories.

“Kate?” Hawk murmured, his soft tone threaded with concern.

Steeling herself, Kate looked him square in the eyes. “My personal life is not open for discussion, Mr. McKenna. I’d like you to leave, please. I have a party of four due any minute.”

As if on cue the party swept into the lobby, laughing and chattering. His face unreadable, Hawk stepped to one side, standing firm.

Kate conjured a pleasant smile and turned to face the new arrivals. “Good evening.” Lifting four menus from the neat pile, she added, “Right this way.”

After the patrons were seated and perusing their menus, Kate started back to the hostess station. Spotting Hawk—how could she miss him?—leaning against the side wall, she couldn’t help noticing again how tall and lean and…

Don’t go there, Kate, she advised herself, trying and failing to ignore the tiny twist of excitement curling around her insides.

She began feeling edgy as she approached the station. There wasn’t a single person waiting in the foyer. She lifted her chin, prepared to glare at him for still being there.

Hawk didn’t move but remained standing there, leaning one shoulder against the wall, his gaze fixed on her, a small, enticing smile curving his masculine lips.

His smile set off a new sensation in her body, one so intense she reached for anger in defense.

“You still here?” she said, inwardly cringing at having stated the obvious.

Hawk glanced down, then at the wall he was lounging against, then at her. “I do believe so. At least, it looks like me.” His smile broadened, his eyes grew bright with a teasing light.

Kate suppressed a shiver of awareness as he pushed away from the wall and strolled to stand directly in front of her.

“Will you have dinner with me Monday or Tuesday evening?” he asked softly.

Nonplussed, Kate stared up at him. Surprise kept her silent. Raking her mind for a reply, she decided that she simply couldn’t brush him off. He was a good friend of Vic’s, besides being a customer. Still…the nerve of the man. She scowled at him while fighting a sudden urge to agree.

Foolish woman. She didn’t even know him, trust him. She was afraid to trust any man, other than her father and Vic. Yet she was tempted to say yes to him.

“How did you know I was off Monday and Tuesday?” she said in a sad attempt at irritation.

He cocked his head.

She couldn’t blame him, when the answer was so evident. Damn him. “Vic,” she answered for him.

“Yes.” Hawk nodded. “I can be trusted, Kate,” he said, voice soft, tone sincere. “And Vic will vouch for me. I promise not to step out of line.”

Dilemma. What to do? Kate knew what she wanted to do. It had been so long, months since she’d been to dinner with a man.

Looking up at him, she stared into his dark eyes, seeing admiration and concern…for her.

Hawk leaned closer, against the station, his voice a bare, husky whisper. “Word of honor, I’ll be good.”

Kate relented. “Okay, Hawk, I’ll have dinner with you Monday evening.”

“That has got to be the hardest I have ever worked to get a date. What time and where can I pick you up?”

There was no way Kate was giving him her home address. “You can meet me here. Is seven-thirty okay?”

“Fine. I’ll see you then.” He raised a hand as if to respectfully touch his hat, which wasn’t there. Grinning at her, he lowered his hand, gave a quick wave, turned and strode from the restaurant.

Bemused by his attractive smile, salute and even more so his laughter, Kate stared after him, kind of scared, kind of excited. Had she done the right thing in accepting his invitation, or should she have refused? Should she stay firmly hidden behind her barrier of mistrust for men?

Fortunately, Kate was temporarily relieved of the weight of the conundrum by the door opening to a family group exactly on time for their reservation.

By eleven forty-five, Kate, along with the other employees and the boss, had finished getting the place cleaned, the tables set and everything ready for the next day, Saturday, one of their busiest days.

As he did every night while the other male employees escorted the waitresses out, Vic walked Kate to her car, which was parked in the employees section of the parking lot. Kate used those few minutes to question Vic.

“Why did you tell your friend Hawk my days off?” She kept her voice free of inflection.

Vic slanted a wary look at her. “He asked. Are you angry at me for telling him?”

“No.” Kate shook her head as she came to a stop next to her car.

“Just annoyed with me,” he said. “Right?”

Kate met his direct gaze and smiled. “A bit, yes,” she admitted. “You know how I feel about…” She paused, giving him a chance to speak over her.

“Yes, Kate, I know how you feel about men in general and what’s-his-name in particular. And I respect that.” He shrugged. “But Hawk isn’t any man in general, and not just because he’s my friend. Hawk’s one of the good guys, honey.” He grinned. “You know, the ones who wear white hats in the cowboy movies.” His grin widened. “Besides, I warned him that if you happened to accept his invitation, and he got out of line, I’d have to kill him.”

Kate had to smile. “Well, I…um…I did agree to have dinner with him Monday evening.”

“Good. It’s time for you to get out and about again. Flirt a little. Hawk will love it, after being stuck in the mountains all summer.”

“I’m sure I’ll enjoy his company, Vic.” Kate said. “But I don’t believe I’mready to flirt yet, if ever again.”

“Well, if not this time, then sometime. Just relax and enjoy a little.” He glanced at his watch. “Now, I’d better be getting home to Lisa…before she starts getting suspicious.”

“As if.” Kate laughed. “Thanks, Vic. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He waited until she had slid into the car, locked the doors and started the engine. With a quick wave, Vic headed for his own car.

Kate sat for a minute before pulling out of the lot. Although Vic’s recommendation helped, she still felt a little nervous about the date with Hawk.

Drawing a deep, determined breath, she released the hand brake and drove away.

Two more days until Monday.

Excitement and trepidation pushed at her mind. Fortunately for Kate, Saturday evenings and Sunday brunches were always the busiest times in the restaurant. She barely had time to take deep breaths between greeting and seating patrons, never mind long enough to let herself indulge the nervous twinges playing havoc with her stomach.

Kate was relieved when it was finally time for her break Sunday evening.

She felt her entire body tighten with nerves when Vic joined her in the small employees’ break room next to the noisy kitchen.

“Instead of enjoying a quiet break,” he said, eyeing her critically, “you look as if you just heard terrifying news.” His tone was only half kidding. “Would you like me to get in touch with Hawk and tell him you’ve changed your mind?”

Yes. The word immediately slammed into her mind. But Kate gritted her teeth, damned if she would chicken out.

She gave her head a quick shake. “No. I’ll confess I’m a little nervous.” She tried on a smile; it didn’t fit. “But I have no intention of backing out of the date. I’m going to go and I’ll enjoy the evening, as well.” What a liar, she chided herself.

Vic’s slip tightened as if to suppress a smile. She could tell he knew exactly how ambiguous she felt about spending the evening with Hawk…or with any other man, come to that.

Fortunately, Vic changed the subject and Kate managed to maintain her composure until quitting time.

Monday, 7:25 p.m.

Kate stood next to the hostess station, chatting with Bella. She was early. She had arrived at the restaurant soon after seven. She was also nervous. She felt foolish about her anxiety, but there it was, like it or not.

Bella was seating customers. Kate was casting quick glances at the doorway, chiding herself every time she did, which by now was too often.

Kate glanced up as Bella returned to the station, just in time to see the young woman’s face light up with a bright smile.

“Hi, Hawk,” Bella said, quickening her step to launch herself into his open arms.

For an instant, a heartbeat, Kate felt the strangest emotion. She couldn’t describe it exactly, but then, she didn’t want to examine it, either, refusing to even think the word envy.

She allowed another word into her mind. Breathtaking. Hawk looked absolutely breathtaking. This evening he was dressed casually elegant in dark gray slacks, a crisp white shirt, no tie and a navy blazer.

Kate was relieved that she had taken extra time with her own attire. She had chosen a frilly-collared, long-sleeved sage blouse, a long, swirly nutmeg skirt and three-inch heels. While the days were still warm and even sometimes hot in October, the evenings dropped into the fifties and even the forties, so she had brought the same smooth fleece shawl that she had worn at work the previous night.

Bella swung out of Hawk’s arms as a party of two entered. Hawk switched his dark gaze to Kate.

“Hi.” His voice was soft, enticing.

Kate had to swallow before she could manage a rusty-sounding response. “Hi.”

He slid a long glance the length of her body. “You look lovely.”

She swallowed again. “Thank you. “Y-you look lovely, too.” Good grief, Kate thought, feeling foolish. Had she really said that?

Hawk strolled to the hostess station, a smile flickering on his temptingly masculine lips. “Hungry?”

Watching his lips move, Kate felt as if the bottom had fallen out of her stomach. And in that moment she was hungrier than she’d ever been in her adult life. Yet the last thing on her rattled mind was food.

“Yes.” She tried to unobtrusively wet her parched lips. “Are you?”

His eyes narrowing, he watched the slow movement of the tip of her tongue. “You have no idea,” he murmured, reaching out a hand to take hers.

“W-where are we going?” Kate felt a flash of annoyance, not at Hawk, but at herself for the brief stutter again. Damn, she didn’t stutter. Never had, not even briefly.

Hawk grinned. “Right here. Vic’s creating something special for us.”

“Here? We’re staying here for dinner?” Kate had to laugh. “Why?”

His brows drew together in a dark frown. “You don’t like Vic’s cooking?”

“I love Vic’s cooking,” she protested. “It’s just, well, I thought you would want to…”

“What I want, Kate,” he declared, “is for you to feel comfortable with me, and I figured you would here.” He smiled, then added, “With Vic to defend you.”

“Right,” Vic drawled, leading them to the same corner table for two that Hawk had been given a few days before. “As if I could defend her against you. I’m a chef, not a warrior.”

“Cute. You’re the one who works with knives.” Hawk shot Vic a wry look as he held a chair for Kate. “Wine?” he asked, folding his long body onto the chair opposite her.

Pondering their odd exchange, Kate nodded. “Yes, thank you.” She glanced at Vic. “What do you recommend with the meal? White or red?”

“White for you,” Vic said. “I think nothing too dry, nothing too sweet. You’re both at my mercy with the meal tonight.”

Hawk smiled dryly. “Right. I’ll have the red. Room temperature.

“You know each other very well, don’t you?” Kate said as Vic retreated to his kitchen.

“Hmm.” Hawk nodded, taking a sip of his water. “We roomed together at college.”

“Did you serve in the military?” Her question, seemingly coming out of nowhere, brought his eyebrows together in a brief frown.

“Yeah, after college I served in the air force. What made you ask that?”

Kate shrugged. “Vic called you a warrior, so I assumed that’s what he was referring to.”

His brows smoothed as he gave a soft chuckle. “I flew a Black Hawk chopper, but that wasn’t what Vic was referring to,” he said. “The warrior reference was to my heritage. You see, my father is Scottish, but my mother was a full-blooded Apache Indian.”

“Was?”

“Yes, my mother died giving birth to my younger sister, Catriona.” His smile was bittersweet. “I was two and never got to know her. All I have of her are pictures of her lovely face.”

“I’m sorry,” Kate said, at a loss for any other words of sympathy.

The bitter tinge vanished, leaving only the sweet. “Kate, it was a long time ago. I’m thirty-six years old. Though I’d have loved to have gotten to know her, I’m over it.”

Somehow Kate doubted his assurance, but she didn’t push. “Catriona. That’s different,” she said, changing the subject.

“It’s Scottish for Catherine.”

“What about your father?”

“He, with help from my mother’s parents, raised me and Cat. After college I joined the air force. And after Cat graduated two years later, she moved to New York, and then Dad moved back to Scotland, where he owns several business holdings.” A server appeared and Hawk took his glass. “He and his second wife raise Irish wolfhounds.”

“Oh,” Kate said. “They’re really big and kind of mean, aren’t they?”

Hawk’s head was shaking before she finished. “They are big, but certainly not mean. I have one. His name’s Boyo, and he’s a pussycat.” He hesitated before clarifying. “Of course, he can get ferocious if I’m in any way threatened. The breed is very protective of his people.”

Kate had to laugh. “His people?”

“Oh, yeah.” He laughed with her. “Boyo believes I belong to him.”

They grew quiet when their meal was served, enjoying the sumptuous dinner Vic had prepared for them.

“Dessert? Coffee?” Hawk asked when they had both finished eating.

Kate shook her head. “No thank you. I’m too full for even coffee.”

“Good.” Hawk drew a quick breath. “It’s nice here, but…” He took another breath. “I have tickets for a show on the strip. Would you like to go?”

Kate was quiet a moment, stilled by a little flicker inside, a combination of anxiety and expectation. As she had before, she drew a quick breath and made a quick decision. “Yes, thank you. I would.”

Hawk shot a look at his watch, pushed back his chair and circled around the table to slide Kate’s chair back for her to rise.

“We’d better leave. It’s after nine and the show starts at ten.” Hawk waved for their server. He said, “Check, please,” when the server hurried over.

“No check,” the server said. “Vic said this meal is on the house.”

“Tom, you tell Vic I said he’s a sweetie,” Kate said, smiling as the young man’s cheeks flushed.

After quick goodbyes to Bella, they exited the restaurant.

Chapter Three

Taking Kate’s elbow, Hawk steered her to the first parking space in the parking lot. Noting the makeshift Reserved sign tied to the light pole in one corner of the lot, Kate raised an eyebrow and looked up at him.

Hawk grinned at her. “It’s good to be the king,” he declared quoting from an old Mel Brooks movie.

The car he guided her to was midsize. After she was seated, Kate watched, a slight smile on her lips, as he crammed his long body into the seat behind the wheel. Settled in, he slanted a look at her.

“This king needs a bigger carriage.”

“You do appear a bit cramped in that seat.”

He rolled his eyes dramatically. “You have no idea.” He heaved a put-upon sigh. “At home I drive a big-boy truck, with a large seat and lots of legroom.”

“This car is easier to fit into a parking space,” she said.

“Granted, but…” He smiled at her, smugly, as he started the engine. “I don’t have to park it. I’m going valet.” He paused an instant before adding in a gotcha tone, “So there.”

Kate lost it. Her laughter poured out of her with genuine amusement. She couldn’t recall the last time she had laughed so hard, with such ease. It was even better that Hawk was laughing right along with her.

As promised, he drove them to the valet parking at one of the casino hotels. The show, by a comedian Kate had never heard of before, was in one of the smaller entertainment rooms. The room was already full when they were escorted to their table just ahead of the burst of applause as the comedian strolled onto the stage.

The man wasn’t merely funny; he was hilarious., .and he worked clean. He didn’t tell jokes. He told life, everyday things that just about every person in the room could relate to and appreciate.

The few times Kate shifted a quick glance at Hawk during the show, she found him laughing, too. One time he winked at her.

A simple wink, and yet it made Kate feel warm all over. Silly woman, she chided herself.

Now, the show over, Kate moved to get up. Hawk stopped her with a shake of his head. “Want to go into the casino, play awhile before we leave?” he asked.

Kate hesitated. Then, remembering this was one of Jeff’s favorite gambling sites, she shook her head. “Not tonight. I hurt from laughing,” she said, smiling at him to soften her refusal. “He was very funny.”

“Yes, he was,” Hawk agreed, leading her outside. He handed over his parking ticket to the valet before adding, “And you’re a lousy liar.”

Kate opened her mouth, but before she could utter a protest, he said, “No insult intended.”

“What would you call that remark?” Kate didn’t attempt to conceal her annoyance.

The valet area was crowded with people waiting for their vehicles. Hawk moved closer to her. “Kate,” he said, his voice low, private, “I’m not unconscious. I saw the flicker in your eyes when you uttered that lame excuse. For some reason of your own, you don’t want to go near that casino.” He raised one dark brow. “Care to tell me why?”

He stood there, so close to Kate that she could smell his cologne and the pure masculine scent of him, and the tang of wine on his breath, teasing her lips. It played havoc with her nervous system.

“No?” He smiled.

She smiled, surrendering to his smile. “It’s a silly thing, I guess,” she said, sighing. “I didn’t want to go in there, because that is one of Jeff’s favorites.” She shrugged. “I prefer not to run into him.”

The instant she finished speaking, as if she had conjured him up, Jeff’s practiced, cultured voice sent shivers of revulsion through her.

“Well, Kate. Beautiful as ever,” he said, his voice and smile much too smooth. “Imagine seeing you here. I thought you didn’t like the casinos.” He acted as though Hawk wasn’t there.

“You thought a lot of things, Jeff,” she returned, her voice as cool as she could make it. “Most of them wrong…no, all of them wrong.”

Jeff’s pale blue eyes went cold; his smooth voice grew a jagged edge. “Not all of them.” A leer twisted his lips as he ran a quick look over her. “I wasn’t wrong about your response in the bed…”

“If you’ll excuse me,” Hawk interjected in a menacing drawl, sliding one arm around Kate’s waist. “The car’s here, Kate.”

Relief washed through her, but only for a moment. Jeff caught her by the arm, keeping her from moving away with Hawk. She stiffened, angry and embarrassed.

Jeff glared up at Hawk. And up was the word, as Hawk had a good six inches on the man. “Who the hell do you think you are?” he demanded.

“I don’t think who I am,” Hawk said. “I know who I am. And I don’t want to know you.” His drawl vanished, a soft warning taking its place. “Now, little man, take your hand off my lady.”

“Little man! Your…your lady…” Jeff sputtered in anger. “You dare—”

Hawk sighed. “I. Dare. Anything.” He enunciated very softly. “Now, back it up, buster, before I’m tempted to get real nasty.”

To Kate’s near amazement, Jeff took a step back, looking not at all like a cock of the walk, which was how he regularly portrayed himself. She watched him stare narrow-eyed at them as Hawk helped her into the car. But he blinked and took another step back as Hawk turned to stare back at him.

Although Kate couldn’t see Hawk’s face, she thought his expression must have looked meaner than hell, for turning on his heel, Jeff quickly strode back into the casino.

Turning her head, Kate watched, expecting to see a man ready to explode with anger, as Hawk came around the car and slid behind the wheel. To her utter surprise, she saw the brightness of inner laughter in his eyes and a grin on his rugged face. Amusement danced in his voice.

“I bluff at poker, too.”

It started as a chuckle from Kate and developed into full laughter. “You’re something else,” she said, her laughter subsiding.

“Oh, lady, you don’t know the half of it.” Hawk slid his glance from the wheel after starting the car to toss a smile at her.

The tension of the previous minutes drained from Kate’s body, leaving her relaxed and comfortable. For the first time since throwing Jeff, cursing and arguing, out of her apartment, and her life, she felt at ease in the company of a man.

Kate couldn’t quite decide if that was good or not. She knew too well that being at ease with a man was not the same as trusting one. At this point in time, she wasn’t sure she would ever again be able to trust a man, any man. It was sad, really, that one nasty male…She gave a mental shake. Forget him, she thought. He wasn’t worth the effort it cost her to dwell on him. Resting her head back, she allowed her thoughts to drift.

They drove for several minutes, Kate content and mellow, before Hawk broke the mood.

“Er…Kate, are we going to drive around aimlessly for the rest of the night, or are you going to tell me where you live?”

Kate knew the mood was too good to last. “I parked my car at Vic’s,” she said, straightening from her near lounging position.

“Um,” he murmured, making a turn at the next intersection. “We’re a little past his restaurant.”

Kate gave him a startled look before glancing around at the area. She frowned when she didn’t recognize where they were. “How little?”

A smile twitched the corners of his mouth. “Oh, only a couple miles or so,” he said. “You looked so comfortable, I hated to mention it. Fact is, I wasn’t certain you were awake.”

She felt her cheeks grow warm and was glad for the dark interior of the car. “I wasn’t sleeping but I was drifting a bit. It must be the wine.”

“All two glasses of it,” Hawk drawled. Then he sobered. “Were you thinking about that clown who was giving you a hard time?”

“His name is Jeff,” she said, tossing off the name as if it didn’t matter, and it truly didn’t.

“He grabbed your arm.” His voice had changed. It was now close to a growl, almost scary. “And if he tries something like that again, touches you again when you’re with me, his name will be sh—er—mud.”

She had to chuckle at his quick word switch. “I do know the word, Hawk.”

“I know. Everybody does.” He shrugged. “My father is a stickler for speaking politely in front of or to a lady. I feel the same way he does.”

“That’s nice.” Kate said as he drove into the restaurant parking lot. He came to a stop next to her car in the otherwise empty lot.

Unfastening the seat belt, she turned to face him, offering her hand for him to shake. “Thank you, Hawk, for a lovely evening.”

Although he took her hand, he shook his head. “I’m following you home, Kate.”

“But…”

That was as far as he allowed her to get. “It’s late, so I’ll follow you and make sure you’re safely inside.” His voice was firm; he would brook no argument.

Shaking her head, she sighed and didn’t argue. She got out of his car and into her own. True to his word, Hawk stayed on her tail, nearly tapping her bumper, until she pulled into the parking area of her apartment complex.

Once again he parked next to her. He got out of his car as Kate stepped from hers.

“I’ll see you to the door,” he told her.

“Really, Hawk, it’s not necessary,” she protested. She might as well have saved her breath. Without replying, he strolled beside her to the entranceway.

“Thanks again, Hawk,” she said once more offering her hand to him.

“You’re welcome.” He took her hand and used it to gently draw her close to him. “Will I see you again?”

“Yes,” was all Kate was capable of saying due to her suddenly dry throat.

“Tomorrow evening?”

She swallowed, hesitated before repeating, “Yes.”

“Good.” A mixture of relief and satisfaction colored his voice. “I’ll pick you up here at seven-thirty, okay? We’ll do something fun.”

She nodded, her heart skipping when he raised his hand to cradle her face, his thumb slowly stroking her cheek. “That creep was right about one thing, Kate,” he murmured, gently lifting her chin with the heel of his hand. “You are one very beautiful woman.”

Now Kate’s heart wasn’t skipping; it was thundering.

“Hawk…I…”

“Shh,” he murmured, lowering his head to hers. “It’s all right. I won’t hurt you.” His breath whispered over her lips an instant before his mouth brushed over her mouth in what was not a kiss, but more a promise. “Good night, Kate.” He stepped back. “Now, go inside and lock up.”

Barely breathing and not thinking at all, Kate went inside, unlocked the lobby door and ran up the stairs to her second-floor apartment, completely forgetting the elevator.

As Hawk slid behind the wheel of the rental, he glanced up at the building just as lights went on in the second-floor front apartment.

Staring at the glow through the sheer curtains on the windows, Hawk propped his elbows on the steering wheel.

Kate.

Surprisingly, as his lips had barely touched her own, there was still a shimmering trace of her taste on his mouth, an unfamiliar twinge in his chest. He rather liked it. Smiling as a shiver raced up his spine, Hawk switched on the engine and drove back to the hotel he’d booked on the Vegas Strip.

Not twenty minutes after leaving his car key with the valet, Hawk was in bed, lost in fantasies of Kate, her lithe, equally naked form close to his.

Hawk woke suddenly, his skin chilled beneath a fine film of perspiration. He was cold, hot and frustrated. He hadn’t even realized he’d fallen asleep, only to suddenly awaken right at the most intense part of his fantasy dream. He was aching with need.

Knowing he had to take drastic measures to cool the passion pouring through him, he dragged his body from the bed and headed for the bathroom.

Damn, he hated cold showers.

Kate stood at a side window, one hand flicking the curtain aside an inch or so. Gliding her tongue over her lips, she watched until she could no longer see the car.

She could taste him.

Ridiculous, Kate told herself and let the curtain fall back into place. That mere brush of his mouth over hers had been the furthest thing from a kiss she had ever experienced. She walked to the bedroom. Why in the world would she think she could taste him? Testing, she again slid her tongue along her bottom lip and snivelled.

No, it wasn’t ridiculous; she really could taste him, and she liked the taste very much. Kate feared that a real deep kiss from Hawk could very likely be addictive…like rich dark chocolate.

A real deep kiss from Hawk. She replayed the thought inside her head. Swallowing to moisten her suddenly parched throat, she began to undress, her hands fumbling with the simple routine. She mumbled a mild curse to herself.

She had just managed to remove her blouse when the phone rang.

Hawk? Kate froze, her heart beating wildly. It rang again. Not bothering to look at the caller ID, she snatched it up, nearly dropping it. Drawing a quick breath in an attempt to keep a tremor from her voice, she said, “Hello.”

“Who was he?” Jeff snarled.

Kate went cold and stiff. “That is none of your business.” She wouldn’t so much as say his name.

“Yes, it is,” he snapped back at her. “You’re mine and you know it.”

“I never was yours,” she said icily. “And I broke up with you months ago, as you well know.”

“You were in a snit.” He was back to the snarl. “And—”

“No,” she said, cutting him off. “You were being verbally and emotionally abusive…again.”

“I’m not giving up, Kate. I know you love me.” His voice was suddenly soft, cajoling, “I’ll get you back.”

“I’ve been patient up until now, Jeff,” she stated flatly, finally saying his name, anger stirring in her voice. “If you bother me again, I’ll report you to the police. And this time I mean it.”

“Sure,” he said in honeyed tones. “You mean it every time, which only tells me you don’t mean it.”

Kate drew a deep breath in an attempt to control her anger. How in the world had she ever thought that syrupy tone was attractive? Now it repulsed her. He repulsed her.

“I have only three words for you, Jeff,” she began.

“Yeah, I know,” he replied smoothly, interrupting her. “Like I told you, you love me.”

“Go to hell.” She hung up on him.

Kate stood trembling, staring warily at the phone as if it might attack her.

Damn him. Damn him. Damn him.

She had had enough. Tomorrow morning she would see a lawyer about reporting him to the authorities and would take out a restraining order against him.

Although Kate had never done so before, in case there happened to be an emergency in her family, she was so uneasy that she disconnected the landline and turned off her cell.

After she was ready for bed, she still felt shaken by the call and so she checked the locks on the front door, even though no one could go beyond the lobby without a card key. Then she double-checked the locks on the patio door and on every window.

Kate lay in bed for some time, unable to sleep. When she finally drifted off, she drifted right into a dream. Not of Jeff and fear, but of Hawk and unbelievable pleasure.

He came to her softly, murmuring of the exciting delights to be found in the joining of their bodies. She sighed in her sleep, her body moving in sensual restlessness.

She wanted, needed, ached for his touch, the feel of his mouth taking passionate control of hers, for his hard body possessing, owning, her own.

Kate woke, trembling, quivering deep inside her body, her breathing harsh and uneven. She kicked the covers away from her perspiration-slicked body. Never had she had a dream so real, so vivid that it actually brought her close to release in her sleep.

Her breathing slowly returning to normal, she sat up, staring into the dimness of her bedroom, her mind and senses still reeling.

While it was true that it had been some time since she had been intimate with a man—she would not think his name—it seemed unreal to Kate that a dream of a man she had so recently met and knew practically nothing about, not simply a dream of a fantasy man, could affect her to her very core. Her thoughts ebbed as sleep claimed her once more.

To her surprise, Kate woke later refreshed, if still a bit anxious.

What was with her, anyway? Kate asked herself, musing on her unusual reaction to Hawk. Yes, he was extremely attractive and fun to be with, not to mention sexy as hell. But he was just another man…wasn’t he?

Shying away from the thought, Kate centered her attention on the business at hand. Going to the phone, she reconnected the landline and dialed Vic’s home number.

Lisa was happy to oblige with the name of a good attorney, as she had been after Kate to swear out a restraining order against Jeff ever since Kate had thrown him out of her apartment.

Minutes later, Kate had an appointment for the next morning with the attorney Lisa had recommended, an older-sounding man named Edward Bender. It was a start.

Chapter Four

Even though she knew the time of Hawk’s arrival, Kate jumped when the buzzer rang from the intercom in the lobby. Fortunately she had just finished swiping her lashes with the mascara wand, or she would have had a very strange black streak across her temple.

Grabbing her purse and a Black Watch plaid wrap that complemented her off-white dress, she flipped the button and spoke into the wall-mounted receiver.

“Hawk?”

“Yes.” His sexy, low voice gave her an all over tingly sensation.

“I’m coming right down.”

Without waiting for a response, Kate switched on a night light, locked the door and headed for the elevator.

She had felt an attraction to him from the moment he had walked into Vic’s, standing there all tall and lean and ruggedly masculine.

On the other hand, even from the beginning Jeff had appeared almost too handsome, cultured and charming. Almost too good to be true. Of course, before long, his real character had come through.

Kate snorted derisively as she pressed the elevator button. Handsome, cultured and charming was an act hiding Jeff’s true nature.

As Kate stepped inside the elevator, an old adage of her mother’s came to mind. Handsome is as handsome does. Well, for Kate, handsome had proved to be a nasty jerk when things didn’t go exactly the way he wanted them to go.

“Hi,” Hawk said as the elevator doors parted. “You look lovely.” His eyes held a teasing gleam. “How did you know the Black Watch was my favorite of the clan plaids?”

Kate laughed. “I didn’t. It just happens to be my favorite, too. And hello yourself.” She grinned.

“Where are we going this evening?”

Shaking his head, Hawk cupped her elbow and led her to the car. “I thought we’d pick up where we were, before we were so rudely interrupted. Do you avoid all casinos or just the one we almost went in last night?”

“Just that one,” she said and buckled her seat belt. “But I don’t go to casinos very often.” She smiled. “As the old song goes, I work hard for my money. But I do play occasionally.”

“Table games?” He arched his brows.

“No, I play the machines only.” Kate arched her brows back at him. “What about you?”

“Poker, Texas hold ’em,” he answered, shrugging. “And some blackjack now and again. Ready to go?”

“Whenever you are,” Kate said, and he pulled out of the lot.

He was quiet for a moment as they drove. “I don’t know what scent you’re wearing but I like it…a lot.”

Kate grew warmer and more tingly. “Thank you, Hawk. It’s the only scent I wear.”

“Whenever or wherever I smell it, I’ll think of you.” He flashed a smile at her.

Kate was certain everything inside her was melting. She told herself she had better be careful, because this man wasn’t merely dangerous, but he was dynamite. Compared to Hawk, she thought, Jeff wasn’t even a firecracker.

Playing with firecrackers was one thing, but playing with dynamite…Kate shivered.

“Are you cold?” Hawk asked, noticing her shiver even though he never took his eyes from the road. “I can turn on the car heater.” He reached to do so.

“No…no.” Kate shook her head while offering a weak smile. “I’m fine, really, and we’re almost to the strip.” Jeez, she thought, if he turned on the heater, she’d melt right there in front of him.

“It does seem strange,” he said. “In October here in Vegas in the afternoon, the temp can go into the seventies and even the eighties, yet in the evening it can drop down into the fifties and forties.”

“It’s different where you live?” she said, wanting to know every little thing about him, about his life.

He grinned. “It depends what part of the state you’re in. In Denver it can get very warm during the day and cooler in the evenings. But in the mountains where I live, while we might get some warmth in the daytime, it can get damned cold at night.”

“I like the mountains,” she said, unaware of the wistful note in her voice.

“You’re not from here originally?”

“No.” She shook her head. “I’m from Virginia, near the Blue Ridge Mountains. My father runs a small horse farm.”

He slanted a quick smile at her. “There you go. We have something in common.”

“Horses?” She laughed.

“Hey, don’t knock it. It’s a start.”

Kate couldn’t help wondering exactly what he meant by a start. A start of what? He was only going to be in Vegas for a while, wasn’t he?

Hawk surprised her by avoiding the Strip, driving to one of the older hotel casinos in town, one she had never been inside before. That is, old in comparison to the unbelievably expensive palaces forever under construction.

Kate liked it even better than the much more elaborate pleasure palaces with which Vegas abounded. For one thing, it wasn’t nearly as crowded as the others.

“So,” Hawk said, “what do you want to do?”

Kate was quiet a moment, glancing around her. “I think I’ll wander around a bit—” she flashed a smile at him “—until one of the machines calls to me.”

“Fine,” he said. He paused before adding, “I think I’ll wander to a blackjack table. Suppose we synchronize our watches and meet right here in, say, an hour?”

Grinning, Kate looked at her wristwatch. “Right. If I don’t see you before, I’ll see you then.”

They had no sooner separated than Kate began to feel lonely. Silly, she chided herself, checking out the lines of machines as she strolled around.

In a bid to distract herself from thoughts of Hawk, she sat down at a machine at the end of a row. She spent several minutes studying the instructions on the three-coin machine before feeding a twenty into the money slot. She racked up eighty credits in the credit window.

Kate had played the machine for almost the full hour when she became aware that someone new had taken the machine beside her. She did not spare a glance at the person.

“Hello, Kate.” Jeff’s smooth voice gave her a start. “I saw you sitting here all alone and came to keep you company.”

Jeff, here? Kate could hardly believe it. This casino was not the kind he frequented; he preferred the glitzy new ones that drew all the celebrities. The thought that followed sent a chill down her spine.

Was he following her, stalking her?

Scared but determined not to reveal her fear to him, Kate turned a cold look on him. “I’m not alone. I have company, and even if I didn’t, I would never want yours.”

“Now, Kate, we both know you don’t—”

That was as far as she allowed him to go. “You know nothing, Jeff, but I’ll enlighten you.” She drew courage from the cool tones she had achieved. “If you aren’t gone from my sight within the next few seconds, I will begin screaming for security.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” he said. “You forget I know you hate making a scene.”

“Perhaps,” she admitted, “but I’ll gladly make an exception in your case.” She made a show of glancing at her watch. “You have exactly two seconds to disappear.” She didn’t look away from her watch. “One…two…”

He was off the stool and moving away from her, swearing a blue streak. Shaken by the encounter, she drew a calming breath, and the minute he was out of her sight, she hit the pay-out button and walked away with five dollars more than she’d started with.

She was hurrying back to the place where she’d agreed to meet Hawk when she spotted him at a blackjack table. She hesitated a moment but then decided to approach him, certain Jeff wouldn’t try anything again so long as Hawk was near.

Coming up behind him, Kate laid a hand on his shoulder to let him know she was there. “Hi. I see you’re winning.” There were several stacks of chips in front of him.

“Yeah.” He turned to smile at her. “You ready to leave?”

“No hurry,” she said. “I’d like to watch awhile, if you don’t mind me standing in back of you as you play.”

“Not at all,” he said, managing to keep an eye on the play of cards at the same time. “I’m not superstitious. Fact is, I like you there.”

Feeling inordinately pleased and warmed by his comment, especially after that unpleasant encounter with Jeff, Kate lightly flexed her fingers on his shoulder. The warmth flowed stronger when he raised a hand to cover hers briefly, his fingers lacing with hers.

The feeling of his touch remained on her even as the evening continued. Would his touch bring such torrid dreams again? She hoped it would banish those nightmares that only Jeff could inspire.

Chapter Five

The idea was to tire himself out enough to sleep. Hawk knew that was the only reason he found himself back at the poker tables until after two in the morning. As he had earlier in the evening, he won. But that wasn’t the purpose.

He didn’t even doze off, not until after four. Hell, he thought, prowling around the spacious room, popping the top off a can of light beer, he might as well have stayed at the poker tables. He stopped at the floor-to-ceiling window to stare at the glaringly bright lights along the Strip. On the street below, the traffic, both human and vehicular, was almost as heavy as in the afternoon or evening. He took a swig of the cold beer. Obviously there was more than one town in the country that never slept.

His thoughts swirled continuously, every one about Kate. Hawk sighed, “Kate.” He didn’t realize he had whispered her name aloud or finished off the beer. Shaking his head at his wandering mind, he tossed the can into the wastebasket.

He wanted to be with her so badly, he ached with the wanting, the raw need. His back teeth hurt from clenching them together. There were other women in Vegas; there had been plenty of them in the casino and the restaurant yesterday morning. Several of them had cast unmistakable looks of availability at him. He had ignored them.

Just any woman wouldn’t do. Hawk was always selective when it came to the females he spent time with, despite the fact that he so seldom left the ranch.

This time around was different. Hawk was coming to the reluctant conclusion that the only woman he wanted to spend his time with was Kate.

And Kate had man problems, dammit.

She appeared to resent the oily guy more than fear him…but one could never really know what another person was thinking, feeling. Vic had said Kate had thrown the creep out of her apartment for verbally abusing her. And last night he had been far from pleasant.

Hawk frowned. Was the jerk harassing her? Had he been harassing her since she dumped him? Hell, that was months ago now.

When Kate had joined him at the blackjack table earlier that night, she had seemed different than when they had separated, he to play the tables and she to play the slots. It had been nothing overt or obvious. She had been quieter and slightly more reserved, not at all the woman who had laughed so easily earlier.

The wheels in Hawk’s mind were rolling full speed. Had that creep approached her again between the time they parted and when she joined him at the blackjack table? Had she come to him for protection? Hmm, it was possible, and now that he thought about it, probable.

Confused by her sudden change in mood, he had slightly withdrawn. He had had such high hopes for a kiss, a real kiss, with her before she went into her apartment building.

Hope in one hand and spit in the other.

The old saying of his father’s slipped through his mind. Hawk rejected the very idea that he gave up hope. Sliding beneath the covers again, he thought he had better get some sleep if he wanted to be sharp enough to catch any slight change in her attitude, because he could see her tomorrow.

This time he was unconscious within minutes.

Kate entered Mr. Bender’s office with a heavy step that morning. The lawyer was older—close to sixty she judged—and he appeared to be the classic prototype of an old-fashioned gentleman.

She told him her problem. In turn, Mr. Bender had questions.

“Did he ever hit you, even the lightest slap?”

“No.” Kate shook her head. “But…I must admit there were times when he was the most angry, swearing…I began fearing he might.”

“I see. Did he ever threaten you?”

“Not outright,” she said, “but in a vague, oblique way.” She sighed. “I don’t know how else to describe it, but he frightens me.”

“Now, don’t you worry, Miss Muldoon. The law will take care of this…” He hesitated, his lips pursed as if from a sour taste. “This lowlife.”

Sighing with resignation at her predicament, Kate pushed herself through the revolving door.

Directly into reality. Her cell phone rang. Kate hesitated, eyeing the instrument as if it might leap into the air and bite her. It wasn’t a number she recognized.

Thoughts whipped through her head, one tripping over another. Jeff…the bastard. She knew; she knew he’d track her to the lawyer’s. He must have followed her.

What to do?

The phone rang for the third time. Kate opened the phone, determining to rip a verbal strip off him.

“Hello?” Her mouth was bone-dry; her voice, sharp with impatience. She fully expected to hear Jeff’s angry voice in response.

“Kate?”

A silent sigh of relief slipped through her lips. “Hawk! I, uh, I’m glad to hear it’s you. I had a lovely time last night,” she said, trying to forget the unwanted and unwelcome appearance of Jeff, and the doubts assailing her now.

“I’m glad.” Now she could hear the relief in his voice. “I wondered whether something had upset you.”

“Well, you wondered wrong,” she said, her tone firm. “It’s been a very long time since I laughed the way I have with you these past two evenings, Hawk. It felt good.” Too good.

In all honesty, and as much as she would have liked to deny it, she felt shaky at the awareness it was him on the line. She felt as if everything was smoldering inside her—and breathless, shivery. She had felt somewhat the same at first with Jeff almost two years ago. This time the feeling was stronger, more intense. No, she didn’t like it at all.

She had believed herself immune to any other charmer. For Jeff had been charming and gallant for many months, right up until she had agreed to him moving in with her, his ring on her finger. For a while she had been content. Her contentment had lasted all of three months. A bitter taste filled her mouth. First Jeff had become possessive, questioning her every move when they weren’t together. Then he had become verbally abusive, cursing, accusing her of being with other men, even Vic.

The warm sensations that had been inside Kate faded to cold determination. She could not, would not, go through a situation like that again.

He jumped on her last remark. “In that case, lunch?”

She had no choice but to smile, and it did feel good, dammit. And she couldn’t resist, didn’t want to resist, even though she feared she’d regret it.

“I’ve got to stop by my apartment to change. Do you want to meet me there?”

“Sure. What time?”

Kate glanced at her wristwatch, noting it was not quite twelve-thirty. “Would forty-five minutes work? You realize I’m not going to even ask whether Vic gave you the number.”

He chuckled in reply. “See you then.”

Within fifteen minutes, Kate was entering her apartment. Slipping off her jacket as she went, she headed for her bedroom. She removed the rest of her suit, hung it back in the closet and made a beeline for the bathroom, wanting to wash up before applying fresh makeup.

She smoothed her hair with a brush, giving it a healthy sheen. Makeup was fast and easy. She kept it light, natural looking. Back in the bedroom she was reaching into the closet for one of the outfits she wore only to work when the buzzer sounded on the intercom.

Hawk? Kate shot a look at the bedside clock. Only thirty-five minutes had passed since she’d talked to him. Pulling on a lightweight robe, she went running to the intercom.

“Yes?” she said on a quick breath.

“Ready for lunch?”

A flutter tickled her stomach, clutched at her throat. “Err…” she said, “not quite. Sorry.”

“That’s okay, I’ll wait.”

“You don’t have to wait in the lobby,” she said, feeling uncertain that inviting him up was wise. Still, she did. “I’ll buzz the lock on the lobby door. I’m in the second-floor front apartment. Just walk in. I’ll be ready in a few minutes.”

“Gotcha.”

That was what she was afraid of, and if he did have her, what did he intend to do with her?

Thinking she must either be nuts or self-destructive, Kate unlocked the front door and, turning, dashed back into her bedroom, shutting the door behind her.

She heard the front door open and Hawk call out, “I’m here, Kate. Take your time. I’m in no hurry.”

In the process of fastening her belt, Kate had to smile. Hawk was—or at least appeared to be—so nice, pleasant. But then appearances, she reminded herself, were deceiving. She sighed, fully aware that she knew that better than most.

When she entered the living room, Hawk was standing with his back to her, perusing the books on her five-shelf bookcase. He looked gorgeous from the rear.

“See something you like?” she asked, her face growing warm from merely thinking about his tight rear.

He turned to smile at her before replying. “Now I do.” He ran a slow look over her, which parched her throat and moistened other places she didn’t care to think about at the moment.

“Ready to go?” she asked brightly, perhaps a bit too brightly.

“Ready for anything,” he said in a tone that was darn close to a purr. “What about you?”

So am I. The thought zapped into her mind and she immediately zapped it back out. “Uhh…” She stalled, trying to think of a reply, then improvised. “Well, if you don’t mind, I’m not ready for lunch…at least not in a restaurant.” She dragged up a facsimile of a smile. “I’ll be spending most of the rest of the day in a restaurant.”

He shrugged. “Okay, what would you rather do?”

She didn’t have to think about that one. “It’s such a mild and beautiful day. “I’d like to spend some time outside. What do you think?” Kate watched as he pondered her suggestion for all of a few seconds.

“I think it’s a great idea,” he said and arched one brow. “Do you like hot dogs?”

Kate had to smile. “I love hot dogs, especially dogs loaded with chili.”

“Well…” he said slowly, “how about we drive to town, park and stroll around the outside of the casino hotels. Some of the grounds are beautiful. When we’re ready, we can go into one of the hotel food courts, have our dogs and, if we still have time, maybe check out some of the upscale shops.”

Kate came to a halt, staring at him as if he had two heads.

“What?” Hawk said, frowning.

“You like to shop?” She managed a fake note of awe.

His frown turned into a wry expression. “I wouldn’t go so far as to say I like it, but I don’t mind shopping occasionally…like two or three times a year.” He grinned at her.

Even as she shook her head in despair at him, Kate grinned back. “Okay. Let’s roll before you change your mind.”

“Good idea.” As if unconscious of his move,

Hawk curled his hand around hers, laced their fingers together and led them out the door.

Kate’s hand tingled with warmth as they rode the elevator to the ground floor. When the doors slid apart, she immediately felt both chilled and angry all over at the sight that met her eyes.

Jeff…What was he doing there? Her earlier fear coursed back. She could hardly miss his hand reaching for the buzzer to one of the apartments. She felt Hawk stiffen beside her, as if readying for a fight, either verbal or physical.

“What are you doing here, Jeff?” she said, trying to tell Hawk to keep his cool by squeezing his hand.

Without taking his hard-eyed gaze off Jeff, Hawk tightened his grip on her fingers.

“I came to invite you to brunch,” Jeff answered, his tone of voice demeaning. “But I see you obviously have already eaten.”

Steel infused Kate’s back and her head lifted, propelled by pride and anger at the insult in his double entendre. A low, almost growling sound in his throat, Hawk took a step forward.

“Don’t,” she said, yanking his hand to hold him back. “He’s not worth your time and energy.” She looked at Jeff with distaste. “I saw a lawyer today. He is going to swear out an order of restraint against you.”

“You bitch,” Jeff snarled. “And you think that should worry me?” His laugh was harsh, demeaning. “I should have taught you who’s boss long ago.”

Kate felt the simmering anger inside Hawk with the tremor that flashed through him from his rough hand in hers.

“You gutless bastard.” Hawk’s voice was very soft, controlled and somehow terrifying. He again took a step forward, loosening his fingers to draw his hand away from hers.

Kate clasped his arm with her free hand, holding him in place next to her.

“I’d advise you to leave, Jeff, while you are still in one piece,” Hawk growled.

Though Jeff sneered and put on an act of bravado, as if unimpressed with the six-foot-six-inch Hawk, he cast a disparaging look at Kate as he turned, yanked open the lobby door, then paused to glance back this time in clear fear and anger. He glared at Hawk. “You have no idea the trouble you’re going to be in.” He sneered. “I have friends in this town.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Hawk drawled, obviously neither impressed nor intimidated. “And all of them in low places, I’m sure. You know what you can do with your threats and your friends. Get lost.”

His face looking like it was about to cave in on itself, Jeff tore out of the lobby. The swiftness of his steps as he headed for his car was proof that the bigger man had more than intimidated him. He had scared the hell out of him.

“Son of a bitch,” Hawk said softly between his teeth, harsh anger in his voice. Tension hummed through his taut body. He made another move, as if to follow after Jeff.

“Hawk, please don’t,” Kate said, tugging his hand.

He paused, but his hard-eyed gaze remained fixed on the other man until he drove away. Only then did he shift his gaze to her. “I’m not a violent man, Kate,” he said, his voice still threaded with anger. “But I’ll take only so much, be pushed only so far…”

“Not today,” she said, smiling in hopes of cooling his temper.

“No?” Hawk raised one brow. “Says who?” The tension and anger were gone; his eyes teased her.

“Me…I…” She shook her head. “Whatever. I’m ready for a walk in the sunshine…I need a breath of fresh air after that nasty encounter.”

Hawk’s expression was sober, but his eyes continued to tease. “Okay, but this jaunt better be good.”

“Or?” Kate asked in challenge.

“Or it won’t be,” he said, grinning, an invitation for her to join him.

Her relief palpable, Kate laughed.

The tension gone, they had a brief tug-of-war over whose car they were going to use. Hawk won with the simple offer to drop Kate off at work afterward.

The hours they spent together seemed to fly by. They talked practically the entire time, except while they were devouring the chili dogs, sharing one order of French fries and sipping on iced tea.

In a boutique in the Forum Shops at Caesars, they discussed the array of colorful cashmere scarves since Hawk was considering giving one as a Christmas gift to his sister, Catriona. Kate didn’t hesitate giving him her opinion.

“This is beautiful. Perfect for winter,” she said, holding up a scarf in swirling shades of forest green, russet and antique gold.

His lean fingers lightly stroked the length of the soft material.

As if he were touching her, a tingle slid the length of Kate’s spine in time with the stroking of his fingers. She drew a quick breath before asking, “Yes? No?”

He nodded. “I think you’re right. “It’s perfect. Is there anything else you want to look at?”

“No.” She shook her head.

“You wouldn’t like one of these scarves for yourself?”

“I’d love one,” she said ruefully. “But my clothing budget doesn’t stretch to cashmere anything.”

From the expression that flittered over his face, Kate was afraid for a moment that he was going to offer to buy her one of the gorgeous scarves. She softly sighed with relief when he shrugged.

“Are you ready to go, then?”

“Yes,” she said, glad he hadn’t made an offer she would have to refuse, even one involving a simple, if very expensive item.

Kate was happy to get outside again and barely noticed where they were walking until they were in sight of where Hawk had parked the car. It was only then that she glanced at her watch for the first time since they had left her apartment complex.

An odd sensation, almost like sadness, settled on her as they drove to Vic’s restaurant. Their day together was almost over. Kate doubted there would ever be another one, as he would soon be leaving for his ranch, his vacation over.

“I had a lovely day, Hawk. Thank you,” she said when he brought the car to a stop in the restaurant lot. This time she waited until he opened the car door for her.

“You’re welcome, Kate.” His hand on the door handle, Hawk looked at her as she emerged from the car, an endearingly soft smile curving his tempting mouth. He leaned toward her. Without a thought, she met him halfway.

Hawk’s kiss was as soft as his smile and gentle, with no sudden hungry pressure or demand.

Naturally, Kate wanted more, a lot more. Obviously, Hawk did, too. A low groan of protest slipped into her mouth as he reluctantly drew away.

Moving back, away from her, he dragged a deep breath into his body. Looking her straight in the eyes, he said, simply, “When?”

Kate didn’t need to question him. She knew exactly what he meant. The heat radiating through her body was a dead giveaway. He wanted her. Always honest with herself, she acknowledged she wanted him just as badly. But…Why did there always have to be a but? Nevertheless, there it was. Feeling she had known him forever didn’t change the fact that she had met Hawk less than a week ago, and she didn’t really know the inner man, the unvarnished person.

Oh, Kate was well aware that there were women who “hooked up” with a man the same day or night of meeting him. Yet as hackneyed as it sounded, she was not one of those women.

“Kate?”

At the soft sound of his voice, Kate blinked to meet his direct stare.

“I’m sorry, Hawk,” she said, disappointment tingeing her tone. “I…I’m just not sure…I…”

“Shh,” he soothed, raising a hand to glide a finger along the curve of her cheek. “It’s all right. I can wait.” A self-deprecating smile played over his lips. “Well, I think I can wait.” His smile turned teasing as he added, “I’ll suffer in silent agony.”

Kate had to laugh, but she felt like crying. “You really don’t need to come back for me tonight. Vic will drive me home.”

There it was, her feeble declaration of independence. Hawk stared at her for a moment, but she knew he had understood. She was feeling pressured and was asking him to give her some room.

He gave her a wry smile and circled the car to the driver’s side. “May I call you tonight, after you get home from work?”

“Yes, of course.” She glanced at her watch. “I’ve got to go, Hawk, or I’ll be late.”

“Tonight,” he said, standing by the open car door.

“Tonight,” she echoed, softly sighing as he slid behind the wheel and swung the door shut.

Kate made it to Vic’s just in time, not that Vic would have said anything if she had been a few minutes late. While he was easygoing—the employees didn’t even have to clock in—she was a nut about punctuality. Although she admitted she had plenty of human flaws, being late wasn’t one of them.

Big deal, Kate thought, hanging her jacket on the coat rack in the employees’ break room. So she was never, or hardly ever, late for anything. What was so great about that? She would be better served by being tough rather than prompt. If she were tough, she would have had Jeff hauled into court for abuse and harassment long ago.

But, no, she hadn’t done that. She had tried reasoning with him. Ha! A lot that had got her. She should have realized early on that there was simply no reasoning with the self-indulgent, narcissistic jerk.

And Kate knew Jeff would ignore any restraining order and would do exactly as he pleased, which meant the continued harassment of her, especially after Hawk returned home.

There was only one thing she could do. Though Kate had thought of it many times, she now felt certain she had to leave Vegas. She had put off the decision because she liked it here, liked her job and the people she worked with. And she loved Vic, Lisa and Bella like family.

No, as much as she wanted to stay, she couldn’t take a chance of putting her friends in danger. Kate heaved a sigh of regret and hurried to the hostess station to relieve the older woman who worked part-time handling the lunch patrons.

She was afraid the day would drag by. It didn’t. The restaurant was so busy, time just flew. Kate also expected Hawk to amble in for dinner. He didn’t. So, of course, not only was she disappointed, but she couldn’t help but wonder where and with whom he might be spending his evening.

After they closed the restaurant, Vic walked Kate to his car. “Are you all right, Kate?” he asked, sounding concerned. “You’ve been awful quiet tonight.”

“I’m fine,” she answered, managing a smile for him. “At least I will be after tomorrow.”

Vic frowned, opening the car door for her. “What’s happening then?”

Kate sighed. “Jeff’s been bothering me again,” she said, touching his arm reassuringly when she saw him grow stiff. “It’s all right, Vic. Nothing happened. Hawk was with me at the time.”

Vic cocked an eyebrow. “And nothing happened? Hawk didn’t do anything?”

She smiled, if faintly, looking at her hand on his arm. “He couldn’t. I held him back.”

Vic actually laughed. “Yeah, right. Honey, if Hawk wanted to go for him, you wouldn’t have been able to hold him back.”

“I said please.” She gave him a sweet smile and fluttered her eyelashes at him.

“Yeah.” Vic nodded. “I can see that would have stopped even Hawk.” Shaking his head, he ushered her into the car. Although she knew he was bursting with questions, Vic didn’t voice even one as he drove her home.

She had no sooner entered her apartment than the phone rang. Hawk. Dropping her purse onto a chair, she hurried to the phone and snatched it up.

Chapter Six

“Hello?” Somehow she managed to keep her voice calm, concealing the eagerness she felt.

“I’m sorry, Kate.”

She froze, hand gripping the receiver. “I won’t speak to you, Jeff.”

Before she could hang up on him, he went on. “Please, Kate, listen. I mean it. I’m so sorry for what I said to you today in the lobby. I was just so shocked to see you step out of the elevator with that man, I…” He paused as if to catch his breath.

Kate frowned. He had made an odd noise. Was he crying? Jeff? Ha! Was she crazy?

He babbled on. “Baby, I can’t—”

“I told you before, over and over again, not to call me that,” she said, cutting him off.

“I know, and I’m sorry. I forgot. Geez, Kate, I love you so much, I can’t stand it.”

“Jeff. Restraining order,” she said, striving for patience. “I have nothing to say to you except leave me alone.”

“Damn you, Kate!”

The call waiting signal beeped. Relief washed through her.

Hawk.

She had to get rid of Jeff. “I have another call. I’m going to hang up.”

“Kate, you will be very sor—” Kate pressed the flashing button. Drawing a quick steadying breath, she said, “Hello?”

“Hi.” His voice was soft, intimate.

Shivering in reaction to the nasty note in Jeff’s voice, Kate dropped onto the chair beside the phone table and curled into herself, trying to contain the shakes. “Hi, yourself,” she said as calmly as possible. “Have a nice evening?”

“You want the polite answer or the truth?”

She dredged up a quivering smile. “The truth.” Or maybe not, she thought, but it was too late to change her mind.

“Well…” He exhaled a very long sigh. “I ate dinner…alone. I went to the pool…alone. I played some poker. I won…alone.” He sighed again, so sad and forlorn. “I took a nap…alone.” That last comment was followed by a groan.

Kate was holding her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing—or was it sobbing?—out loud.

He went on. “I had a late snack…alone. I played blackjack…alone.” Now, as if he was having difficulty controlling his voice, a sliver of humor broke through. He cleared his throat. “I won again…alone. You get the picture?”

She opened her mouth.

He didn’t wait for an answer. “Dammit, Kate, I was missing you like hell the whole time.”

Kate couldn’t hold it in any longer; instead of sobs, laughter poured out of her.

“Sure, you can laugh,” Hawk groused, very close to chuckling. “You had friends and customers around all day and evening to talk to. You were probably even flirting with some of those nice old gentlemen I’ve noticed watching you as you walk away from the tables.”

“What?” Kate blinked. Confusion overrode a lingering fear. “What are you talking about?” She drew an easier breath. “What nice old gentlemen?”

“The ones with the nice old ladies who aren’t paying attention,” he shot back at her, pausing before clarifying. “I mean, those regular patrons I’ve seen there every time I’ve been there.”

“The regular old gentlemen customers watch me walk away from their tables?” How funny, she mused. She really hadn’t known.

“Sure they do,” he answered. “The younger men do, too, when their dates or wives aren’t paying attention.” He gave a short laugh. “I’ve been sending quite a few glares their way.”

“Really?” she asked, pleased and surprised. “Why?”

“I had rather hoped I was the only one watching the gentle, sensuous sway of your hips,” he murmured.

Oh my. Kate grew warm—no, hot—all over. She drew a deep, silent breath and let it out softly, all thoughts of Jeff banished.

“Kate?”

“Yes, Hawk?” Her voice was little more than a whisper of air through her suddenly dry lips.

“When?”

She swallowed to moisten her dry throat and took a look at her watch. “Hawk, it’s nearly one o’clock in the morning.”

“Yeah, I know…and I’m starving.”

For you.

He didn’t need to say it. Kate heard it loud and clear. Not allowing herself to hesitate, consider, she murmured, “I am, too, Hawk.” Starving and scared.

“So?” His voice was quiet, calm, without a hint of pressure.

Kate wet her lips, swallowed again and said, “How soon can you get here?”

“Twenty-five minutes or so, maybe less if the traffic has thinned,” he responded at once, sexual electricity sizzling in his tone.

“I’ll be counting the minutes.”

“I’m on my way.” He hung up.

Determined to push Jeff’s not-so-veiled threats from her mind, Kate replaced the receiver and disconnected the phone cord from the wall jack. Digging her cell phone out of her purse, she turned that off, too, before rising to go into her bedroom.

Hawk had said around twenty-five minutes or so. That was just enough time for her to have a quick shower and slip into something a little more comfortable. Simply thinking about that made her smile as she undressed and headed for the bathroom. Tossing off her clothes, she stepped into the shower, careful not to get her hair wet.

Kate was excited but nervous, as well. She hadn’t been with a man in some time, and in all truth, she had never thought the act of sex was the end all and be all it was made out to be.

What if she disappointed Hawk? On the other hand, what if he disappointed her? An image of him swam into her mind. Somehow she doubted he could disappoint any woman.

Why was she taking this course now, with this particular man? She had had offers before, many times. Why Hawk? Oh, sure, he was very attractive, masculine and made her laugh.

He made her feel safe and secure.

Was that enough reason to go to bed with a man? They were practically strangers…and yet. Kate shook the thoughts away as she stepped out of the shower and stuffed the wet towel and her clothing into the wicker laundry basket in the closet.

Why was she analyzing her reasons? She was thirty-one years old; she didn’t need reasons to go to bed with a man. What she needed was the man, this man, simply because he turned her on something fierce.

She opened a dresser drawer and reached for a nightshirt. No. Why bother? she thought, slipping into her silk, wide-sleeved, knee-length robe. If you’re going to do it, do it right, she told herself, staring into the mirror to smooth her hair.

Makeup? Kate shook her head. No. No artifice. This was the way she looked. It was take it or leave it, Mr. Hawk McKenna.

The intercom buzzed. Kate froze, frowning at her reflection. Maybe she should quickly apply a bit of makeup, if only blush.

No. No backing out, she thought, backing away from the dresser and walking to her bedroom doorway. Drawing a deep breath, she rushed to the intercom to buzz Hawk through the lobby door.

The next instant she nearly panicked. Good grief! What if it wasn’t Hawk? What if it was Jeff, coming to back his threats up physically?

The doorbell rang. Standing rigid, Kate said softly, “Hawk?”

His answer came back as softly. “Who were you expecting? The big bad wolf?”

Close, she thought. Dragging a smile to her lips, she unlocked the door and opened it for him, one brow arched. “Aren’t you? The big bad wolf, I mean.” Swinging the door open wide, she moved back.

Stepping inside, he shut the door, locked it, tossed aside the windbreaker he carried and stood there, leaning back against the door frame. His heated gaze took note of every inch of her body. “I wish I were,” he murmured, closing the short distance between them. “You certainly look good enough to eat.”

“Hmm…uh…would you like something to drink?” Her throat was dry; her voice low, raspy.

His mouth took hers, ending her question. His kiss was every bit as soft, gentle and undemanding as before…for a moment. With a soft growl deep in his throat, Hawk parted her lips with his tongue, delving, tasting every part of her mouth before plunging deep inside.

Afraid her legs would fail her, Kate grasped him at the waist, hanging on for dear life. His kiss was hot, devastating. Drowning in sensations, she slid her hands up his chest and curled her arms around his neck.

Without releasing her mouth, Hawk slowly rose to his full height, taking her with him. Her feet dangling a foot or so off the floor, he carried her into the bedroom, closing the door with a backward thrust of one foot.

Still he held her lips and her mind in thrall as he lowered one hand to the base of her spine, drawing her hips in line with his own.

Hawk’s purpose was apparent and successful. Kate felt the hard fullness of him. Lost in the fiery world of sensuality, needy and wanting, she held her hips tightly to him.

“I know,” he said at her sudden movement, ending the kiss to allow them both to breathe, pressing into her body.

Kate drew a deep breath before trying to speak. “What do you think we should do about it?” she said, surprising herself with her brazen response to him. Never before had she felt like this, and certainly never with…oh, the hell with him. He was a nothing compared to Hawk. No, he was a nothing, period.

“I suppose I could think of a few things,” he drawled, his lips a hair’s breadth from hers. “We could start with losing our clothes.” His tongue tickled the corner of her mouth.

She hadn’t known a touch so simple could cause such a burning reaction. Kate couldn’t wait to find out what else she hadn’t known. Eager to learn, she cupped his head with her hands, and whispering, “More, please,” she roughly drew his mouth to hers.

Hawk was quick to comply. This time his kiss wasn’t as long, but it was just as powerful. Breathing deeply, harshly, he murmured, “I’m going to burst out of these jeans if I don’t get them off soon.”

Having no idea that the smile was seductive, Kate lowered her arms and stepped back, looking directly at the spot he indicated.

“This I want to see,” she murmured.

Shoes, socks and pants were removed and kicked aside before he answered.

“Well, I didn’t mean literally.” His gaze devoured her as he dug into a pocket of the discarded jeans, withdrew a foil packet and laid it on the nightstand.

Kate’s breaths were coming out of her body in tiny puffs. Her throat felt parched. Curious, she shamefully lowered her gaze to his boxer shorts, her breathing halting altogether at the sight and size of the bulge there. She tried to swallow, was unable and had to try again. She never even saw him pull off his golf shirt.

“Not fair,” he said, his own voice sounding desert dry. “I’m doing all the undressing.”

Raising her glance, she gasped for breath at the sight of the width of his flat, muscled chest. She blinked as it and he moved closer. She looked up and immediately down again as he pushed down the boxers and kicked them aside.

Good grief! The man was big, absolutely beautiful in form, and perfectly proportioned. Reluctantly returning her gaze to his face, she found him watching her, as if studying her reaction to his nakedness.

“You’re…you’re beautiful,” she whispered, staring into his smoldering gaze.

“Men aren’t beautiful.” There was a trace of pleasure in his voice at her compliment.

“Sure they are,” she said, a wave of her hand brushing aside his rebuttal. “At least you are.” She hesitated a moment before blurting out, “Anyway, I think you are.”

Hawk stepped up close to her, his hand reaching for the belt of her robe. “I disagree with you, but I confess I did like hearing it.” The belt knot loose, he gently parted the sides of her robe to glide a slow look over her body. “Now, that’s my definition of beauty.” Slipping the silky cloth off her, he let it drop to the floor.

Kate was hot and cold. She was shivering on the surface of her body, but a fire blazing inside.

“Hawk?” It was the only word she could manage from her dry throat. It was enough.

“Anything you want, Kate. Anything,” he murmured, throwing back the bedcover and sweeping her into his arms to lay her in the middle of her bed. The next instant he was beside her, drawing her to the heat and hardness of his body.

“Another kiss,” she said, moving with him as he flipped onto his back, drawing her over his chest. His hands cradling her face, he slowly drew her lips down to his. His tongue was ready for the meeting of mouths, laving her lower lip, driving her wild for more.

Feeling like a column of flames burning only for him, she shuddered at his intimate exploration of her body…every inch of her body. And all the while he murmured to her about what he would do next, sending her anticipation, excitement and tension higher and higher.

Her breathing as rough as his, moaning softly, Kate matched him kiss for kiss, stroke for stroke, thrilling at the sound of his own deep-throated moans.

“That feels so good,” he whispered when at last she took him in her hand, marveling at the thick length of him. “But be careful. Don’t go too far.”

“Are you sure?” Kate didn’t need to ask him what he meant; she knew very well. Still, obeying an impish urge, she wriggled down his now sweat-moistened body and took him into her mouth.

Hawk’s body jerked as though he had been touched by a live wire. “Kate…I…” His voice gave way to a groan and he arched into her as she laved him with her tongue. “Damn, Kate. You’ve got to stop now.” His voice was ragged yet his hands were gentle as he grasped her shoulders and pulled her body up the length of his.

“I thought you might like that,” she said, the same impish feeling driving her to tease him.

“Like it?” Heaving a deep breath, he rolled both of them over until he was on top of her. “Oh, you have no idea. I loved it.”

“But…” she began, enjoying teasing him.

“But I want to be inside you,” he said, settling his body between her legs.

Kate sighed as she watched him tear the foil packet, sheath himself. She arched her hips as he slowly, too slowly, slid himself inside her, joining them as one.

Dragging harsh breaths into her chest, Kate sighed with pure pleasure as he began a steady rhythm, slowly building the tension coiling inside her.

Catching him by the hips, she pulled him deeper inside her quivering body, needing more and more of him until, with a soft cry, the tension snapped, flinging her into a shattering release.

A moment later she heard Hawk exhale a gritted “whoa.” And felt the shudder of his body as he exploded within her.

With a heavy sigh, Hawk settled on top of her, his face nestled in the curve of her neck. Drained, satiated, Kate idly stroked his shoulders, his back, and kissed his forehead in thanks for the pleasure he had given to her, a pleasure she had never before experienced.

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