I turn to the crowded room, and that’s when I see Kate, just barely, hiding in the dark shadows in the corner of the room.

  Unaware anyone is watching, she sways her hips seductively to the music. I wonder why she’s not on the dance floor. Perhaps she’s too shy; I like the shy ones. I don’t mind the private viewing. She feels my gaze and looks over to see me leaning against the bar, drink in hand, watching her intensely. Our eyes lock, and she hesitates where she stands. I expect her to stop, but instead, she gives me a show. It’s even hotter knowing that she knows I’m watching and every move, every sway, every swirl is meant just for me.

  I order two more drinks and walk toward her. “Hello, Kate.”

  “Hey there.” She looks around me for something. “I’m not used to seeing you without a woman attached to you somewhere.”

  “Ouch.” For a shy girl, she sure is feisty. “It looked like you were working up a thirst.” I hand her a drink.

  “I’m not sure I should accept this.” She holds it up to the light and looks through the glass. “Rumor has it there’s a nasty man spiking women’s drinks around here.”

  “It’s not me,” I assure her.

  “Says the guy I saw carrying an unconscious girl to his room.”

  “You got me there. You should be careful.”

  “How is Mr. O’Connell’s girlfriend?”

  I cock my head to the side. “You’ve done your homework.”

  “I was curious.”

  I raise a brow. “Curious or jealous?”

  She laughs once. “Don’t flatter yourself, you’re not that charming.”

  “Clearly you’re mistaken. Have you heard my accent?”

  She has the most beautiful smile. Her friends return to the table and give me the once-over look. I think that’s my cue to exit. “I just wanted to say hello. I’ll leave you to spend time with your friends.”

  She raises the glass in the air. “Thanks again, for the drink.”

  Scott finds me, still sitting at the bar, watching her.

  “What’s her name?” he asks, as he climbs the stool beside me.

  “Kate.”

  “How did you meet Kate?”

  “It’s kind of odd, really. It doesn’t matter where I am, she seems to be there.”

  “I see.” He slides another drink in front of me. “So she’s the reason you stayed?”

  I nod.

  “I didn’t think it had anything to do with the Australian business plan. So what are we talking here? Puppy Love? True Love? Have you even…”

  “Hooked up?” I answer for him. “No.”

  “Why not?”

  “I think about it A LOT, but I’m going back to Australia eventually.” I put down my beer down and turn in my seat. “She’s not the kind of girl you leave behind. I can tell.”

  “You can tell? How can you tell?” Scott asks curiously, as he glances over at her.

  “I just can.” I pause trying to think of a way to explain it to him. “Okay, listen… remember how you felt about Rachel the first time you saw her? The way you said she had gotten under your skin, just by the way she looked at you.” I glance over my shoulder and catch her looking. A coy grin spreads across her raspberry lips.

  “You’re afraid that if you spend time with her, you won’t be able to hold back,” Scott acknowledges.

  “Nope.” I laugh once and tip my beer to my lips. “I’m afraid once I’ve had a taste of her, it will kill me to leave her behind.”

  The girls on the other side of the room get louder. Clearly, they’re feeling a little tipsy. They’ve moved to the dartboard, and I watch amused for a long time. It’s a wonder any of them can even hit the board.

  “This is painful to watch.”

  “It certainly is,” Scott agrees. “Take a chance, man. I have no idea what this infatuation is you have with Olivia, but it’s a nonstarter. That girl there,” he nods in Kate’s direction, “she could be the love you’re looking for. And she’s not dating the boss, so it’s probably a better choice.”

  I feel a fleeting moment of anger at his statement, but I wash it away with the last half of my drink.

  It’s the last throw of the game, and Kate tries to figure out how many points she needs to win. She sways, trying to stay balanced, and I can no longer resist. I hand my beer to Scott and cross the room.

  “Go get her, buddy,” he chuckles.

  Her friends giggle, and she shushes them while she tries to focus.

  Stepping up behind her, I place my hand on her shoulder then slide it down her arm. She tenses, tightening her grip on the dart. I try to guide her from behind, but she becomes stiff and nervous. “Relax your arm,” I whisper in her ear.

  I grip her hip with my free hand and guide her back against my chest, trying to steady her. Her breath hitches and I feel her clench her legs together. She looks up, embarrassed I felt her body’s reaction to me. I grin, slightly embarrassed myself, as my semi-hard cock presses firmly into her backside.

  “Ready?” I ask.

  Slightly turning her head, she brushes her cheek against mine and swallows hard. “Yes,” she whispers.

  “Me too,” I growl softly, pressing my hips against her backside.

  “Are you talking about darts or something else?” she giggles, slightly inebriated.

  “I’m open to suggestions.” I lift her hand, preparing to make the throw. I can’t seem to bend her elbow. “You do know how to relax, don’t you?” I tease.

  “Are you kidding me?” she asks. “It’s all I can do to remember to breathe at the moment.”

  “Try,” I encourage, feeling amused.

  She takes a deep breath and relaxes her arm. I direct her movement and release the dart, hitting the target she needs.

  “You win,” I say softly in her ear. I turn and walk away, trailing my fingers across her backside as I go. I don’t look back. I can’t. If I do, I know how this will end.

  My phone rings as I return to the bar. “Hello, John.”

  “Carter. Do you have any idea what the fuck is going on?”

  “None.” I hold up a hand to stop Scott from interrupting and start walking until I find a spot in private. I haven’t told Ethan I’m still in Toronto, and I don’t feel like getting the third degree. Once a day is enough for me.

  “I’m worried.”

  “So am I, mate.”

  “Between the bullshit going on at Aurora and Olivia terminating the pregnancy, I’m afraid he’s going to completely lose his shit soon.”

  I feel like I’ve just taken a hard punch to the gut. All the air seems to have left my chest.

  “Carter?”

  I shake my head in shock. “Um, sorry. What did you just say?”

  “I said Hammond’s nephew is a…”

  “NO!” I interrupt. “About Olivia being pregnant.”

  “Ethan hasn’t called you?”

  I pace, considering that my evening with Olivia wasn’t as uneventful as we both wanted to believe. “No. Tell me.”

  John sighs, “Olivia was pregnant.”

  “Was?”

  “She kept it from him. He found out she went to a clinic for a termination, then took off to spend some time with her sister. I can’t believe he didn’t tell you.”

  “I can’t believe she didn’t tell me,” I say under my breath.

  “What?”

  “How far along was she?” I ask, beginning to feel the tension tightly coiling in every muscle.

  “I don’t know. Why does it matter?” John asks, confused.

  “It just does,” I snap. I tilt my head back and take a breath. “Never mind. Where is she now?”

  “I just told you. She’s at her sister’s in Cape Breton. Are you okay, Brant?”

  “Yeah, I’m fine.” I hang up and dial her number repeatedly while I walk, but she doesn’t answer. I’m so consumed with my thoughts that I’m not even sure how I end up home. In a complete fog, I step into the elevator and turn to face the door. I make no effort to stop them from closing as I watch Kate approach.

  “Asshole.” I hear her yell as it begins to ascend. Finding it difficult to breathe, I run my fingers through my hair and lean back against the wall. I think I’m about to lose my mind.

  I head straight to the fridge and open a beer. And then another. Before long, there’s a long trail of empties lined up across the coffee table. Cursing, I throw the remote across the room, aggravated. The last thing I remember is dialing Olivia’s number again.

  It’s a long slow process to peel my eyelids open in the morning. The high-pitched shrill of the phone makes my head hurt.

  “What?” I groan when I finally find the strength to lift it to my ear.

  “It’s me.”

  “Scott?” I try to sit up when I hear sirens. “What’s wrong?”

  “Someone broke into Olivia’s house and trashed it.”

  “Kids?” I stagger over to the sink for a glass of water.

  “No. I’m sure it wasn’t.”

  “Jesus.” I’m wide-awake now.

  “I’m here, dealing with the cops.”

  The sunshine blazes through the living room window as I pass on my way to the shower. I squint as I stop to lower the blind. “Do you need me there?”

  “No. There’s nothing you can do right now. They won’t let anyone in. They’re treating it as a crime scene. So, what happened to you last night? You disappeared.”

  I scrub my hand over my face, trying to think of an explanation. “I got tired of McCabe’s whining, so I went home.”

  “Did she catch up to you?”

  “Who?” I turn the water on in the shower and let it warm up. Even the pounding sound of the water on the glass tile makes my head hurt.

  “Kate. She watched you leave, then grabbed her stuff and went after you.”

  I remember the look on her beautiful face as the heavy metal doors closed shut. “Fuck. I need to track her down and apologize.”

  “What did you do?”

  “I saw her in the lobby, but I didn’t hold the elevator door for her.”

  “There really is something wrong with your head these days, Brant. The girl is into you.”

  “I get it!” I growl. “I’ll make it up to her if she’ll ever talk to me again.”

  “I have to go. They need me here. Get your act together, would ya?”

  I stand under the spray of water for what seems like a very long time, hoping the heat will help the stiffness in my neck. Serves me right for sleeping on the couch all night.

  I round up all the beer bottles and an empty bottle of tequila. No wonder my head hurts. I rummage through a bunch of papers in my briefcase, certain I’ve kept the card Ethan gave me with Kate’s number on it. I take the coward’s way out and send her a text message.

  Carter: Sorry, I’m an asshole.

  Kate: I highly doubt you’re sorry about it at all. It seems to come naturally for you.

  I deserved that, but at least she’s talking to me.

  Carter: Let me make it up to you. Can I buy you dinner tonight?

  Kate: Why should I go out with you?

  Carter: Because I’m irresistible and deserve another chance?

  Kate: Fine. But I’m ordering lobster and the most expensive bottle of wine on the menu.

  Carter: That sounds fair.

  I find myself feeling excited as I get ready. I might even say I’m a little nervous. But it’s the good kind of nervous. I wander through the flower shop on the corner, looking for the perfect ones. I settle on a beautiful arrangement of pastel green carnations and pale pink roses. I hope I’ve chosen well. I’m just leaving the shop when my phone rings.

  “Hello!” I say cheerfully.

  “Well, you’re in a good mood now,” Scott says surprised.

  “I am. I’m on my way to meet Kate for dinner.”

  “That’s great.”

  I detect a strange hesitation in his voice. “What’s going on?”

  “Nothing I can’t handle. I’ll talk to you later.”

  “Wait! What aren’t you telling me?”

  “John just called me. Olivia is on a plane on her way here. She found out about the break-in at the house. I have to pick her up at the airport in an hour.”

  My excitement turns to anxiety. “Okay, keep me posted.” I let out an angry rant that lasts a few city blocks. I’m sure everyone walking past me thinks I have Tourette’s. I take my phone out of my pocket and dial him back. “I’ll pick her up and make sure she gets there safely.”

  “What about Kate?”

  “I’ll postpone for an hour. She’ll either wait or swear at me again.”

  I thought I was finally starting to work Olivia out from under my skin. Moving on. Standing here, waiting, thinking about what I now know has me twisted in knots. Olivia walks out the gate doors into the main concourse of the airport and meets my unimpressed expression. She pauses, surprised to see me, and forces herself to give me a polite smile.

  “What are you doing here?” she asks curiously, as I take the heavy carry-on bag from her shoulder.

  “You know why I’m here.” I fail at hiding my annoyance. “Did you think he was going to let you go to the house by yourself?”

  “I mean, why are you here in Canada?”

  I walk toward the parking garage with growing discontent. “I’m here for personal reasons,” I say, without turning to look at her. My heavy gait and large steps make it difficult for her to keep up.

  “Carter, slow down. I’m tired,” she begs.

  I reach the car ahead of her and open the trunk to stow her bag. When she finally catches up, she stands at the door watching me. I slam down the trunk and glance over at her, looking her in the eyes for the first time since she got off the plane.

  She frowns. “You’re angry with me.”

  I nod my head, breaking eye contact. “Yes, I’m angry. Get in the car,” I growl, feeling frustrated.

  Olivia sits quietly for most of the ride. “Carter,” she begins, needing to put it to rest.

  Determined to focus on the road, I glance sideways for only a brief moment, acknowledging her.

  “All my personal belongings are there, things that belonged to my mother. Surely you understand I need to see for myself so why are you so angry with me?”

  “Why? WHY?” I ask agitated. I feel my whole body stiffen. “Do you have any idea just how fucking selfish it was for you to make that decision on your own?”

  Regret washes over her. “You’re not talking about the house, are you?” She frowns and turns to look out the window, trying to avoid my censure.

  “No, I’m not talking about the fucking house.”

  “It was my decision to make, Carter. Telling people would only have made the decision harder, more painful.”

  I grip the steering wheel so tightly my fingers turn white. “You’re wrong, Olivia. That was a decision for the two parties involved, you and the father.”

  “O’Connell made it very clear. He doesn’t want kids.”

  I hit the brakes hard, causing us to come to an abrupt stop in front of her townhouse.

  “Oh? Let me ask you this.” I can’t hold back anymore, I need to know. “Are you absolutely sure it was his baby?”

  Tears well up in her eyes as she locks onto my stare. “Olivia?” I prompt, “I’m going to ask you again, and I want the truth. Are you sure the baby was O’Connell’s?”

  There’s a glimmer of something in her eyes I can’t put a name to. Is it sorrow? Guilt? Regret? She answers me, with inarguable confidence, “Yes, Carter. I’m absolutely sure.”

  “You’re that confident nothing happened between you and me that night?”

  She fidgets and grimaces from discomfort. It concerns me. “Are you okay?”

  She sighs. “Yes, Carter.” Tears form in her eyes as she turns to me with a tormented look. “I didn’t do it.”

  I take a deep breath in and digest what she’s just confessed. I’m certain this is something Ethan doesn’t know. “You didn’t terminate the pregnancy?”

  She shakes her head. “I couldn’t bring myself to do it.”

  A loud crash and the sound of shattering glass startles her, making her turn in the direction of the noise. Without hesitation, she jumps out of the car and runs toward the house.

  “Olivia! Wait!” I holler. Cursing, I take off after her, catching up to her at the front porch. She stands perfectly still, her chest heaving as she tries to catch her breath. Yellow caution tape bars the entrance.

  “Just slow down, until I know it’s safe,” I instruct.

  She looks at me defiantly. Raising her trembling hand, she grabs hold of the tape, tugging it firmly and breaking it.

  Bloody, stubborn woman. I grab her arm, stopping her in her tracks. “I said, slow down. If you insist on going in there, you’re gonna let me go in first and make sure it’s safe.” I take a few steps toward the door, nudging her behind me as I make my way inside.

  Inside, a crew of tradesmen tries to remove the remnants of the smashed windows. Scott looks up from a conversation with one of them.

  “Carter.” He nods. “I thought you were picking up Olivia from the airport?”

  Olivia steps out from behind me and flashes Scott an awkward smile.

  He raises a troubled brow. “Ah, well, I’m glad you can smile. You’ve upset a lot of people.”

  “What is it with you people?” Olivia asks frustrated. “Do none of you understand the concept of privacy?”

  Scott signs some papers handed to him by a tradesman. “Oh, you gave up your rights to privacy the moment you fell in love with O’Connell.”

  Olivia grumbles. “Carter, can you get my bag out of the car?”

  “Not a chance.”

  Scott chuckles. “You’re going to stay with me.”

  Olivia looks over at me, distraught. “I want to stay here, Carter. Can’t you just stay here with me?”

  “NO!” Scott and I answer in unison.

  “You’ll stay with me until O’Connell gets here,” Scott advises.

  She frowns in my direction, thinking that I’ll give in. “Wait…” she says, suddenly agitated. “Ethan’s coming?”

  “Of course he is,” Scott chuckles. “The minute he found out you were on your way here, he and John booked the company jet. They’ll be here in the morning.”