A Country Affair(60)

Kate groaned. In light of her father’s news this morning, she’d hoped Luke might be a bit more understanding. “It’s obvious you’re deriving pleasure from this,” she muttered angrily, then pressed her lips together to keep from saying more.

“No, not exactly. When would you like to have the wedding? And while we’re at it, you might as well learn now that—”

“You can’t be serious!” she interrupted, incredulous that he’d suggest they set a date. If this was a joke, he was carrying it too far.

“I’m dead serious. You asked me to marry you, I agreed, and anything less would be a breach of good faith.”

“Then I... I absolve you from your promise.” She waved her hands as if she was granting some kind of formal dispensation.

He stroked the side of his face, his forehead creased in a contemplative frown. “My word is my word and I stand firm on it.”

“I didn’t understand what I was saying—well, I did. Sort of. But you know as well as I do that the...heat of the moment was doing most of the talking.”

Luke’s frown deepened. “I suppose everybody in town will assume you’re marrying me on the rebound. Either that, or I’ll be the one they gossip about. That doesn’t trouble me much, but I don’t like the thought of folks saying anything about you.”

“Will you stop?” she cried. “I have no intention of marrying anyone! Ever!” She was finished with love, finished with romance. Thirty years from now she’d be living alone with a few cats and her knitting needles.

“That wasn’t what you said last night.”

“Would you quit saying that? I wasn’t myself, for heaven’s sake!”

“Well, our getting married sounded like a hell of a good idea to me. Now, I know you’ve gone through a hard time, but our marriage will end all that.”

Kate brushed a shaking hand across her eyes, hoping this was just part of a nightmare and she’d soon wake up. Unfortunately when she lowered her hand, Luke was still sitting there, as arrogant as could be. “I can’t believe we’re having this discussion. It’s totally unreasonable, and if you’re trying to improve my mood, you’ve failed.”

“I’m serious, Kate. I told you that.”

Keeping her head down, she spoke quickly, urgently. “It’s really wonderful of you to even consider going through with the marriage, but it isn’t necessary, Luke. More than anyone, you should know that I can’t marry you. Not when I love Clay Franklin.”

“Hogwash.”

Kate’s head jerked up. “I beg your pardon?”

“You’re in love with me. You just don’t know it yet.”

It took Kate only half a second to respond. “Of all the egotistical, vain, high-handed...” She paused to suck in a breath. If Luke’s intent was to shock her, he’d succeeded. She bolted to her feet and flailed the air with both hands. Unable to stand still, she started pacing the kitchen. “I don’t understand you. I’ve tried, honestly I’ve tried. One moment you’re the Rock of Gibraltar, steady and secure and everything I need, my best friend, and the next moment you’re saying the most ridiculous things to me. It never used to be like this! Why have you changed?”

“Is it really that bad?” he cajoled softly, ignoring her question.

“I don’t know what happened to you—to us—at the wedding reception, but like you said, something must’ve been in the air. Let’s blame it on the champagne and drop it before one of us gets hurt.”

“If you gave the idea of our getting married some serious thought, it might grow on you,” he suggested next.

Then he got to his feet and moved purposefully toward her, his mouth twisted in a cocky grin. “Maybe this will help you decide what’s best.”

“I—”

He laid a finger across her mouth. “It seems to me you’ve forgotten it’s not ladylike to be quite so stubborn.” With that, he slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her gently against him.

Knowing what he intended, Kate opened her mouth to protest, but he fastened his lips over hers, sealing off the words, and to her chagrin, soon erasing them altogether. Her fingers gripped the collar of his blue button-snap shirt and against every dictate of her will her mouth parted, welcoming his touch.

When he released her, it was a minor miracle that she didn’t collapse on the floor. He paused and a wide grin split his face.

“Yup,” he said, looking pleased, “you love me all right.”



Three


Kate had never felt more grateful for a Monday morning than she did the following day. At least when she was at school, she had the perfect excuse to avoid another confrontation with Luke. He seemed to believe he was somehow responsible for her and to take that responsibility quite seriously. She had absolutely no intention of holding him to his promise and couldn’t understand why he was being so stubborn. To suggest she was in love with him simply because she’d proposed marriage and responded ardently to his kisses revealed how truly irrational Luke Rivers had become.

Kate paused and let that thought run through her mind a second time, then laughed aloud. No wonder Luke insisted on marrying her. Kate had to admit she could see why he might have the wrong impression. Still, she wished she could think of some way to set him straight.