Carae's Touch (Long Line of Love, #4) Read online

  After years of denying his feelings, Thomas Darkwater was now happily married to Sherlyn Drake. Lately, all his friends and acquaintances were either happily married or in committed relationships. The last thing he wanted was to spend the day surrounded by men who were fortunate enough to have landed and kept their sheenea's while his best chance for romantic happiness had died with Rissa.

  "Interested?"

  He was beginning to feel as if he'd pushed his celibacy as far as he could. There was sure to be many single, age-appropriate women at the Darkwater home. Hopefully, he'd meet a woman interested in a few one-night stands. Yet he couldn't quite imagine wanting any of them as much as he wanted Carae.

  He started to shake his head.

  "Before you say no, you should know that Laura will probably be there."

  "Laura Leewater?"

  "Yes."

  He and Laura Leewater had met ten years earlier in Vail where he and Bancroft had been vacationing. Five years his senior, happily divorced with a son in his late teens, she'd been looking for a physical relationship without any emotional attachments. They'd had an enjoyable fling. When she'd moved to the Philadelphia Tri-state area six months later, they'd become friends with benefits.

  Their relationship had suited them both and had lasted until he'd met and fallen in love with Rissa. Two years earlier when he'd driven her home after a party, she'd asked him to stay the night. He'd declined, but now the thought of spending the night in her arms held definite appeal.

  "Interested?" Bancroft asked.

  He nodded. "Yes."

  "Good."

  "Why are you looking so satisfied?"

  "Because I already took the liberty of telling Sherlyn you'd be there."

  "Are you going?"

  "No. I think I'm going back to Hawk's place to spend part of the day with the kids. You have a good enough time for us both."

  "I'll do my best," he said.

  Later that day, just after one-thirty, he arrived at the Darkwater mansion, eager to see Laura. Sherlyn met him at the door. "It's great to see you again, Brandon," she said, giving him a quick hug.

  "And you," he said, extending the bottle of wine and flowers he'd bought.

  "Thanks. I'm going to put the flowers in water. Everyone's out back. You know the way," she said.

  He nodded and walked through the house and out into the large back yard.

  There were about twenty or so people lounging around in the pool area.

  He saw an attractive woman with a curvaceous body and short hair she was confident enough to allow to gray at the temples swimming in the pool. Laura.

  Smiling, he moved forward. Halfway to the end of the pool, he glanced to his left and then did a double take. A bikini-clad Carae with all her curves on full display sat laughing with a tall, athletic Native American male with long hair. For one moment, he felt a wave of fury until he realized the male was Kristopher Macarik. He knew the other male was in love and not likely to engage in one-night stands with friends of his friends.

  Relaxing his tense shoulders, and abandoning his plan to seek Laura out, he strolled across the tiles towards the woman who drew him to her with so little effort.

  From the way that Kristopher looked up at him and immediately rose, he knew someone had alerted him to Brandon's interest in her. They nodded at each other and he slipped into the seat Kristopher had vacated.

  "Brandon!" The surprised smile on Carae's face sent a jolt of emotion through him.

  "Hi," he said, smiling at her. "I didn't know you knew the Darkwaters."

  "I didn't before today."

  "Then what brings you here?"

  "Lelia introduced me to Amber Reddorn last night, who invited me." She frowned. "If memory serves, she and Sherlyn are friends."

  "They are. So you've been passing time with Macarik."

  She fanned herself. "Wow is he gorgeous."

  He stiffened. "And if you'd encountered him last night before we met?"

  "I'd still think he was gorgeous while still not caring about your age or any of the other barriers you talked about. Meeting him last night wouldn't have changed anything about the way I feel about you."

  He believed her and was flattered. "And how is that, Carae?"

  "You make me very happy to be out of the relationship I thought was so important just six months ago."

  Glancing at her cleavage and her perfectly shaped legs, he found himself imagining her beautiful brown body nude. He felt a sudden, overpowering urge to be alone with her so he could touch her...love her. "Have you eaten yet?"

  "No. Kristopher had just suggested we go eat when you arrived."

  "Good."

  "You're hungry?"

  He nodded, keeping his gaze off her cleavage. "There are several areas on the property that would make an ideal spot for a picnic. Join me?"

  "Of course I will."

  "Good."

  "What's wrong?" She asked.

  "Nothing. Why do you ask?"

  "Because you're staring at me again or should I say you're staring at my cleavage."

  He shrugged. "You'd rather I stared at someone else's cleavage?"

  "No."

  "Then we're on the same page."

  "I hope so, Brandon, but you're proving to be a hard man to seduce."

  He sighed. "I'm only trying to treat you as I'd want a man my age to treat Lelia."

  "I appreciate that, but I wish you'd accept the fact that I really am capable of making my own decisions."

  "I know that, but I don't want to hurt you."

  "And I don't want to be hurt."

  "Then you should stay away from me."

  "Why?"

  "As I've already told you—"

  "Brandon!"

  He looked up. Laura, with a toweling robe wrapped around her body, waved at him from the end of the pool. She looked as lovely as he remembered, but his desire to bed her had waned now that he'd seen Carae. Still, he was pleased to see her and wanted to know how she was.

  "Excuse me a moment," he said, rising.

  Carae reached out to catch his hand. "Do you know her?"

  "Yes. I do."

  "Do you know her know her?"

  "I used to," he said.

  "She's a former lover?"

  "I've already answered that question, Carae."

  "Former being the operative word?"

  "Give me a moment." He squeezed her hand and walked over to Laura.

  "Brandon!" Laura greeted him with a smile followed by a long, warm kiss that reminded him of the many contented nights they'd spent together during their relationship.

  Had he not met and fallen for Rissa, his feelings for Laura might have warmed to the point of wanting an exclusive relationship with her.

  "It's so good to see you again," she whispered and kissed him again.

  Chapter Three

  Conscious that Carae watched, Brandon resisted the urge to respond warmly. But what the hell was he thinking? Here was a woman with whom he'd enjoyed a satisfying physical relationship. Whereas he was determined not to sleep with Carae. Laura should be the one whose good opinion he cultivated. Not Carae's.

  Nevertheless, after a brief response, he stepped away from her. "And you. You're looking well."

  "And you're looking as handsome as ever," she said, slipping her arm through his. "She's pretty."

  "Who is?"

  "The young woman staring so intently at us. Are you seeing her?"

  "No."

  "No?"

  Clearly, she wasn't convinced. "No," he said again.

  "Is she seeing you?"

  He laughed. "I don't know what she's doing."

  "But you know what you'd like to do?"

  He nodded.

  "She's pretty."

  "And as you pointed out, young."

  She shrugged. "Young, but legal. Although it would have been nice to reestablish benefits with you, I'm happy to see you interested in that side of things again."

  The sincer
ity in her voice, touched him. "And you?"

  She smiled. "I have a few promising prospects."

  "I'm glad to hear that," he said. "How is Don?"

  She sighed. "As you might remember, he's married now with a child. At the moment he's finding life a little difficult."

  "Oh?"

  "Five months after his daughter was born and they bought a new house, he got laid off. They're really struggling financially now."

  "I'm sorry to hear that. If memory serves, he has a tech degree?"

  "Yes, but so do many other people and the competition is fierce lately. He's been looking for a job for over eight months now."

  He and her son, Don, had always gotten along and he remembered him fondly. "Maybe I can help."

  "We'd both be grateful for any help you can provide."

  "Let me check with my brothers, but I'm fairly certain that between myself, Randall, Peyton, and Layton that one of us can find him a job that will at least ease his financial burden until he finds something he might like better."

  "That would be wonderful and a burden off both our shoulders."

  "Are you all right financially, Laura?"

  "I'm stretched a little thin lately, but if you can help Don find a job, I'll be back in a comfortable position in a few months."

  "We'll find a job for him even if we have to create one."

  "I can't ask you to do that."

  "You haven't. I'm offering. Do you still have my numbers?"

  She nodded.

  "Tell him to call me and we'll get the ball rolling. Now what about you? Can I help ease your financial burden?"

  "I couldn't ask—"

  "Again, you're not asking. I'm offering. That's what friends are for, Laura. I like to think we'll always be friends."

  "I'd like to think that too."

  "Good. Friends help each other. Are you still at the same address?"

  She nodded.

  "Now how can I help?"

  "If you could lend me about $5,000 that would really help and I'd pay you back by the end of the year."

  If she asked for $5,000 he was sure she could use $20,000, which is what he'd give her. "I'll send a check, which I don't want or expect back."

  "Oh, no, Brandon. I can pay you back—"

  "And I might expect it back if I actually needed it returned. We both know I can easily afford to give it to you."

  "I know you can afford to but there's no reason you should give me anything."

  "I disagree. We're friends and friends help friends. This is something I'd really like to do for you. So please, let's not argue about it. Please allow me to show my friendship by helping you and accept it as a gift. I'll sleep a lot easier knowing you're not pinching pennies so hard. Okay?"

  "I wouldn't want to cause problems with her, Brandon."

  "You won't. No matter who I see or in this case, want to see, my friends will always be important to me too. So let me help."

  She sighed and then nodded.

  "I'll take care of it later today."

  "Thank you, Brandon."

  "No thanks necessary, Laura.

  "I hope she knows how lucky she is."

  "I don't know that I'm much of a bargain."

  "You're a gem. More, you're a wonderful friend." She sighed and then nodded in Carae's direction. "Don't keep her waiting any longer." She kissed his cheek. "It was good to see you again, Brandon."

  "And you, Laura," he smiled, watched her take off her robe, and dive back into the swimming pool. Telling himself he was walking the wrong way, he turned and retraced his steps.

  Carae stared up at him, a stormy look in her eyes. "She's pretty."

  "That's what she said about you."

  "You seemed to have a lot to say to each other."

  "It's been awhile since we've seen each other and we discussed her son."

  "Did you forget I was here?"

  He knelt beside her. "No."

  "So by kissing her in front of me—"

  "I didn't kiss her, Carae. She kissed me."

  "I didn't notice you protesting. She practically sucked your tongue dry and you let her."

  He shrugged. "You're overstating what happened and I seem to recall allowing you to do the same."

  "Are you saying there's no difference between the two of us?"

  "I'm asking if you're still interested in having a picnic."

  "I suppose if I say no, you'll have one with her."

  Having spurned Laura's invitation, he was in no mood to placate Carae's unreasonable jealousies. "Are you saying no?"

  "I know you didn't come here expecting to see me. Did you expect to see her?"

  He decided to be honest. "Yes."

  "Then go have a picnic with her."

  So much for honesty being the best policy. "Are you sure you want me to do that?"

  "I'm sure I don't want to be a substitute for another woman."

  "I never said you were a substitute for anyone."

  "You came here hoping to see her but you're settling for me."

  He shook his head. "That might make sense if she wasn't here too. She is and she's interested yet I'm over here with you. Do the math, Carae."

  "So now I'm not making sense?"

  Women. Who the hell could understand them? Even though he had arrived with the expressed purpose of seeing Laura, he'd blown her off for the chance to spend a few hours with Carae, who'd just kicked his ass to the curb.

  "Fine. Suit yourself." He rose. "If you change your mind, I'll be waiting outside."

  She looked up at him with a cool look in her eyes.

  Staring down at her, he longed to sweep her up into his arms and spend the day and night in bed with her. Annoyed, he turned away and went back inside to the kitchen where Sherlyn sat paging through a magazine.

  "Any chance of getting some sandwiches for a picnic?"

  "There you are," she said, as if she'd been waiting for him. "Everything is all set." She rose, walked over to the counter and patted a picnic hamper and large case. "Everything's packed and ready to go."

  The fact that she had already prepared for a private picnic convinced him that soon all of his friends would know of his interest in Carae and would make every attempt to throw them together.

  "I see Bancroft's been busy," he said, picking up the basket and case.

  "He said you might be in the mood for a picnic."

  "Did he?"

  She nodded. "He's worried about you."

  "I know."

  "If you need anything else, let me know."

  "This is fine. Thanks," he kissed her cheek and walked out to his SUV. He put the basket and case in the backseat and then sat drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. After ten minutes spent trying to convince himself that he didn't mind picnicking alone, he went back inside and out to the terrace.

  Amber and John Reddorn occupied the seats he and Carae had sat in. He glanced around the pool area. He saw Laura talking to Macarik, but no sign of Carae. Where the hell was she?

  "Looking for me?"

  Damn. He turned. Carae stood watching him from just inside the living room. She wore a pretty dark pink short set with matching heels that complimented her legs. He nodded.

  "Well, here I am."

  "But now you're somewhat overdressed," he said.

  She smiled. "Although I love a long-legged, lean-hipped man in a pair of jeans, I could say the same thing about you. Were you planning on swimming in the buff? Those jeans don't look as if they're loose enough to conceal anything...including underwear."

  "Are you implying my jeans are too tight?"

  "They look perfect on you."

  "My trunks are in my glove compartment."

  "And what are you wearing under your jeans?"

  "Wouldn't you like to know, Carae?"

  "Yeah, Brandon, I would. Tell you what. Let's go picnicking and you can show me when we're alone."

  He laughed and offered her his arm. "We're keeping things PG."

 
"You're no fun at all," she said, slipping her arm through his.

  He walked her out to his SUV and opened the door for her. Once she was seated, he slipped into the driver's seat and started the engine. Instead of driving off immediately, he turned to look at her. "Ready?"

  She nodded.

  He drove off and ten minutes later, he parked in a clearing and carried the picnic basket, along with the case containing two blankets and two pillows to a grove of trees.

  After they'd unpacked the picnic basket and she'd taken several bites of her sandwich, she put it down, and stared at him. "Can I ask you something?"

  "Of course."

  "And will you answer?"

  Although he felt certain he wasn't going to want to answer her question, he nodded. "You might not like my answer, but you will get one. So shoot."

  "Who does your hair?"

  "What?"

  "You have beautiful hair. Who washes it?"

  "I do except when I get it clipped, then my stylist does."

  "Lucky lady."

  "He's male," he said. "But that can't be what you wanted to ask me."

  "How perceptive of you."

  "So what do you really want to know?" he asked, taking a sip of his seltzer water.

  "You said you didn't want a serious relationship. Do you mean you don't want one with me or with any one?"

  He put his drink down and brushed the back of his hand against her cheek. "It's not you, Carae. It's me. I have too much baggage."

  She took his hand from her cheek and held it between both of hers. "What's your game plan, Brandon? Do you want to spend the rest of your life in casual relationships?"

  He shook his head. "I don't even know what the near future holds for me."

  "What do you want it to hold?"

  "Peace of mind and..."

  "And what?"

  He could guess what she wanted him to say. "I'd like what my married brothers have, but frankly I don't see it happening for me."

  "Why not?"

  "Because I don't deserve it."

  "Why do you say that?"

  "Because I had the prospect for all they have within my grasp and I blew it." He took a deep breath. "Sometimes, you don't get a second chance."

  She raised his hand to her lips and kissed it. "And sometimes you do."

  "She's dead because of me."

  She tensed. "Because of you? Surely you didn't..."

  "Kill her? No, but I set in motion the conditions that lead to her being there to be..."