He didn’t think Kate was afraid of much of anything.
“He’ll be better off without me.”
His gaze narrowed. “Why do you say that?”
“Because I didn’t love him the way he deserves.”
The caveman part of his brain wanted to pump his fist in the air. Luckily, the more civilized part talked him out of it. “Then he wasn’t the right man for you, Kate.”
She paused. “Do you believe in soul mates?”
Dangerous territory.
He closed the few feet between them so he was standing by her side. The top of her head barely came up to his shoulder and he fought the urge to pull her into his arms and lift her until her eyes were on a level with his . . . and their mouths were aligned.
Stuffing his hands in his pockets, touching the ring she’d given him earlier, he sighed. “I’m not sure anymore. I used to. I even thought I’d found mine. And then she died.”
Those dark eyes met his again, her expression genuinely sorrowful. “I’m so sorry, Tyler. I know how awful it is to lose someone you love. Do you still miss her?”
Did he? “It’s been almost two years. The pain’s more like a dull ache that I know is still there but . . . it doesn’t bother me all the time.”
“But it does still bother you?”
“When I think about her now . . .”
He got angry, more often than not. And that made him feel like shit. So he didn’t think about her.
“What?” she prompted.
He sighed. “I get mad. Which is stupid. Mia had a brain tumor that killed her a year after she was diagnosed. She couldn’t control it. She could do nothing to change it.”
And yet . . .
“So why do you get mad?”
Because if she’d gotten her symptoms checked earlier, she might’ve lived. If she’d fought harder—
“Because I couldn’t do anything for her.”
And it’d been his job to take care of her.
“So now you think you should be able to cure cancer?”
The dry sarcasm in her voice finally drew out his smile, even through thoughts of Mia.
“Maybe I should.”
She huffed. “Yeah, and maybe one day I’ll be able to weave wool into gold.”
Which was as good a segue as any. “Jed told me he talked to you about a lingerie boutique for the spa. He also said you haven’t given him an answer yet.”
She stiffened, and he could’ve kicked himself. He didn’t want to lose her. Didn’t want her to walk away and leave him. Not now.
“That’s because I’m not sure it’s such a good idea.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’m not sure I’m ready to put myself out there like that.”
It was a reasonable doubt, he supposed. Especially for someone who’d never tried it before. “Have you shown your designs to Jed? He has a great eye.”
It was something he and his brother shared, though Jared mainly dealt with art and Tyler with architecture. Lingerie wasn’t much different than art, he figured.
She nodded. “He’s seen some of my pieces.”
Tyler smiled. “Let me guess . . . on Annabelle.”
She arched perfect eyebrows at him. “Of course. No way was I modeling for him.”
Damn right she wasn’t. Tyler would’ve had to punch his brother.
“Then he’s seen that you have talent. Trust me. Jed’s as much a businessman as I am. He wouldn’t have offered if he didn’t think you could do it and make money. Not even to get in good with Annabelle.”
Her gaze shifted away for a split second. “Maybe you’d like to see some of my work? Judge for yourself?”
His throat went completely dry and his heart started to gallop.
Was she offering to model for him? Would he be able to keep his hands off her if she did?
Kate pointed over her shoulder. “My apartment’s just up the street. I could show you a few of my sketches and I have several samples.”
Okay, not offering to model for him. Damn.
He forced a smile. “If you’d like to show me, I’d love to see them.”
Her expression totally transformed. This was the smile he’d been waiting to see. No trace of sarcasm, just pure, sweet pleasure.
His pulse began to pound and his cock throbbed.
“Then follow me,” she said.
He fell into step beside her and silence settled between them, the only sound the click of Kate’s heels against the pavement and the almost inaudible hum of traffic on the highway to the east.
He could almost imagine they were the only two people awake at the moment. A few windows glowed from within but most were dark. Annabelle had probably invited the entire town to the gallery opening.
A few streetlights provided enough illumination for them to make their way along the sidewalk but didn’t glare down at them.
The air smelled fresher here, cleaner. Philadelphia air always had an underlying scent of decay and diesel fumes.
It took only a minute to reach their destination—a three-story, brick town house with a small porch.
“My apartment’s on the second floor,” she said as she pushed open the white picket gate between her townhouse and the identical one next to it. “The entrance is on the side.”
A security light flashed on and he released the breath he hadn’t been aware he’d been holding.
As a city dweller, you learned to be wary of shadows. It’d be so easy for someone to hide in the dark spots along the side of the house, waiting for her to return. She hadn’t even looked for danger before opening the gate.
As they walked up the wooden stairs along the side of the house, he allowed his gaze to drop again to the slight sway of her slim ass beneath the dress. His hands clenched, his fingers practically itching to touch her. He wanted to crowd up against her and bend her over right here. Ease up her dress, unzip his pants, and slide his cock between her thighs and inside.
He managed to clamp down on those thoughts before she reached the landing at the top and opened the door, ushering him inside and closing the door behind her.
She’d left a light on and the room that came into view made him smile.
It fit her.
Bright red walls with deep purple curtains on the two large windows at the front of the building. A gold love seat and a purple and gold patterned chaise formed a small seating area in front of a tiny, ornate fireplace on the left side of the room with a TV in the corner. Pictures covered the walls, all in different frames. Sketches, photos, watercolors, oils. He couldn’t discern a theme but the jumble seemed to work well together.
“Would you like something to drink? I don’t have much alcohol but I do have soda.”
He turned to find her in the small kitchen area at the back of the house. Bright white cabinets and counters and a small round table with four chairs, all in black, looked pristine.
Everything had a place in her apartment and everything was in its place.
“Soda’s fine.”
As she turned to the refrigerator, he caught a glimpse of what looked like her workroom behind the living room. The jumble of color drew him closer. He knew he shouldn’t be traipsing around her home, poking into places, but he couldn’t seem to stop himself.
He reached for the light switch on the wall and the second he flipped it, he realized he had to have the woman in his bed or die trying.
Holy hell. He was going to have to give Jed a raise, which meant nothing considering they split the profits fifty-fifty. Still . . . Jesus.
“I’ve been a sketching demon the past couple of weeks. Obviously it’s not all good. Some of it’s crap, actually, but—”