Chapter 6

Royce's eyes narrowed to slits as he sat there in the parking lot, waiting for the store to close so that he could have a private conversation with the woman who had inadvertently managed, without much effort, to turn their lives upside down.

Ever since the party, Madison has been obsessed with seeing Indie at the store. His mother told him that the nanny had taken her there for a visit, and ‘Indie' had taken the time to go to the park and spend some time with her.

Now, the woman had convinced the little girl to come and spend a night at her home. Who the hell does that? He wondered irritably. He was considering sending her and the nanny to their beach home in Tahiti for the summer. But first, he was going to set things straight.

He certainly did not need some woman adding to their family's drama. Nor did he appreciate her putting ideas in his daughter's head.

"She sees her friends with their mothers, darling; it is natural for her to want to be like them." His mother had told him soberly.

"And do you approve of this Indie woman suggesting she spend a night at her place?"

"I would not say I disapprove, and I am almost certain that Madison made the suggestion."

So, now he was here to stop this madness, and if he had to resort to threats, then so be it. He reached the door just as she was about to turn the open sign to closed and saw when a frown touched her brow. But she opened the door immediately, a tentative smile touching her mouth.

"Mr. St. Clair, what a surprise."

"I need to speak with you."

"Is something wrong? Is it Madison?"

He felt anger surfacing because she would dare to think that if something were wrong with his daughter, he would come to her.

"No," he said curtly. "Is there somewhere we can talk?"

A slither of apprehension quivered at the apparent pent-up anger she felt vibrating through his large body.

"Of course," She started to go toward her office but diverted to the table by the window.

"Can I get you anything?"

"No. This will not take long." He told her coldly.

"I feel that I am in some sort of trouble." She said with admirable calm as she took a seat.

"It's about your relationship with my daughter."

"I see." She had to tilt her head to look up at him and did not appreciate it. "Will you please have a seat? I am straining my neck here."

Pulling out a chair, he sat jerkily. "You invited her to spend a night with you."

Indie folded her hands on top of the table. "Not specifically."

"Specifically, what did you say to her?" He asked her tightly.

"Madison asked me what my house looked like, and I told her that it was smaller than hers, with three bedrooms, two baths, and a yard where I do my gardening whenever I have time. And she expressed an interest in seeing the garden. I told her that she had to ask her grandmother."

He stared at her for so long that she had to force herself not to fidget. Madison had his eyes, the shape, and the same shade, but whereas hers were warm and filled with laughter and light, the man seated across from her had a coldness about him that sent shivers throughout her body.

Madison had told Indie that her daddy never smiled, and she could reasonably believe that when she looked at him.

"What are you hoping to accomplish here?"

"I am not certain I understand the question."

"Oh, I am sure you do." A cynical smile touched his lips. "You are aware of who I am, Ms. Blair."

Her chin lifted. "I don't care one way or another."

"Is that so?" Leaning back in the chair, he crossed his muscular hands over his broad chest, his expression distasteful. "I have met women like you before and know exactly what you are after."

"Women like me?" Indie felt the anger churning inside her chest. "Since I don't know what you"re talking about, why don't you fill me in?"

"I am a very wealthy man, and you think that getting close to my daughter is the best way to get close to me."

Indie stared at him for a few shocked seconds before laughing. She laughed so hard that Royce found his anger turning into confusion. He had also noticed something. Ms. Indie Blair had the whitest teeth he had ever seen, and her dimples could hide two nickels in each. This completely transformed her face into one of absolute beauty.

The laughter died, and he watched as she slowly and gracefully rose. "I am tired, but today has been a rather hectic day. I would like to tell you where to take your ego and accusation, but I will reserve my opinion and ask you politely to leave my store. The complex might be yours, but as far as I know, I am up to date on my lease payment."

"I don't want you associating with my daughter and putting ideas in her head." He sat where he was and realized he had come here feeling furious, but now something different was taking over. She wore a black silk blouse with red piping along the edging, and her generous bosom was highlighted.

"Madison is a bright child with a beautiful spirit, considering who her parents are. And I would hate to think you are so insecure that you would try to stop this friendship because what? Are you afraid that I will take her away from you?"

He leveled her with a relaxed look, his eyes wandering over the short curls and settling on the lush bottom lip. His eyes traveled back up to her eyes, and his expression turned insolent.

"You are not a mother, are you?"

He saw how much that affected her by the flashing of her dark brown eyes.

"Why is that any of your concern?"

"I happen to be very intuitive, Ms. Blair. That is what makes me a successful businessman. One of my talents is reading people. And what I am sensing here is a woman who is yearning to be a mother with a palpable desperation. I am here to remind you that Madison is not your daughter, no matter how much you wish it were different."

The silence that followed his painful statement was fraught with tension, and for the first time in his life, he felt regret tearing at him when he saw the naked pain on her face.

But as soon as he opened his mouth to apologize, the shutter came over her face, masking the pain. Turning her back on him, she walked swiftly to the door and jerked it open, waiting for him to leave.

Pushing himself up and out of the chair, he made his way toward her slowly, his eyes on her face. He had not meant to hurt her. It was not her fault that Madison's mother was a piece of crap who had left them reeling. All she had done was befriend his daughter, which filled a hole in her life.

"Look-"

"Get out." She told him succinctly, refusing to look at him.

"Not until I apologize," he told her firmly. Her eyes snapped to his face when he jerked the door out of her hand and closed it.

"I don't want or need your apology and would appreciate you leaving."

"I am sorry," he told her quietly. "I was unforgivably rude. I don't know your circumstances."

"No, you don't." She snapped at him.

He was about to respond in kind when he saw the sparkle of tears in her eyes, which did something to him. He reached out almost against his will and clamped his hands on her arms.

"Let go of me."

"You are hurting." He rasped, feeling the pull of an attraction so intense that he pulled her closer to him. "And I am the one who caused it."

"Don't flatter yourself." Indie felt mortified that she was breaking down before a man like him. His words had hammered inside her head and were pounding inside her brain. And he had inadvertently sent the yearning that had been increasing more acutely by her spending time with Madison.

Ignoring her angry remark, he tilted her chin up, blue-gray eyes studying the round face with the tears sparkling in her dark brown eyes. He realized she was struggling to stop the tears from falling but had not succeeded when a lone tear slipped down her cheek.

"Damn you." She whispered brokenly.

Something tore at his heart, and he found himself leaning down, his head bent toward her. His lips touched the moisture, kissing it away slowly. She went still, her heart hammering inside her chest, and for a minute, she could not move. His lips trailed down her cheek to kiss the seams of her lips.

Royce felt the increased thudding of his heart, his body vibrating as he lightly brushed his lips over hers. Her breath sent the tempo of his heart to increase. Her lips parted slowly as if she was undecided on whether or not she should be allowing him to do this to her.

His hands went from her arms to her shoulders, sliding toward her neck where his fingers caressed her flesh. He wanted to make up for the pain he had caused her, he realized hazily.

He had come here to cut her down to size and make her agree to stop seeing his daughter, but now, none of that matters. He kissed her lips lightly, feeling the quickening of her breath.

She was not resisting and realized that he had increased the pressure, his tongue darting into her mouth. The second his tongue touched hers, it ignited a fire deep inside him that had long been laid dormant.

His body tightened imperceptibly, his skin heating up from the unexpected desire. His hands moved restlessly from her neck to her back and down to her curvy butt, where he pressed her closer so that she could feel his rigid arousal.

He wanted her, he thought in shock. The fire inside his loins felt like burning through his entire body. Commonsense exploded inside his brain, and he forced himself to end the kiss, staggering backward. His eyes had darkened to an almost thundercloud gray as he stared at her lips.

Indie could not move. Apart from the fact that she had allowed him to kiss her, her heart was hammering inside her chest, and her body felt weak. Her lips were stinging from the bruising kiss, and she could feel an ache in her lower body.

"Please go." She whispered hoarsely, pulling the door open again.

This time, he did not hesitate. Making sure not to brush against her, he left.

Closing the door and securing the lock, Indie leaned against it and took several deep breaths. She had compounded her problem. From the first time she met Madison, she had fallen in love with the little girl.

And the more time she spent with her, the more her heart had become involved. There was a sadness about her that was so tangible that it had touched Indie's heart. And the little girl had been drawn to her as well.

Now, she had done a stupid thing by breaking down in front of the hateful man and allowing him to kiss her. Pressing her hand against her stomach, she closed her eyes. Maybe she should leave the entire family alone. But that thought sent her into a panic that frightened her so much that she could not move.

*****

It had backfired on him, he thought furiously. He should have left well enough alone. What the hell had he been thinking, going there to confront her? And why the hell had he kissed her?

He could still feel her mouth"s shape against his and her tongue"s taste. Her breasts had been pressing against his chest, branding it. If he had not left, he would have taken her right there, so fierce had the lust being that had surged hotly through his lower body.

Hissing a harsh breath, he slid into the driveway around the building to the home"s parking garage. His mind was in turmoil, and his emotions were tumbling inside his body.

Shoving the lever into the park, he leaned his head back and closed his eyes, which was a mistake. It brought her face sharply to mind, the shimmer of tears in her eyes that had turned them into a glittering dark brown.

He had been unable to resist. It was as if he had been drawn to her against his will. So, his daughter was not the only one.

He had somehow fallen into her spell as well. Shaking off the thought, he exited the vehicle and approached the front entrance. He would just go to his room and finish the document he had been working on before leaving.

And he was going to stay the hell away from her.

*****

She wondered if it had been a good plan to leave the shop and come and sit on a bench in the park. The July sun was bright, beaming on everything and making it even shinier. The park was filled with children enjoying the summer vacation. She smiled at the little girl who came toddling over with her nanny racing after her.

"Misty, come back."

"Hey, Misty." Indie stretched a hand to the toddler, smiling as the little girl placed a hand in hers. She had thick blonde pigtails and wide blue eyes.

"I am so sorry." The nanny, racing after her, stopped and scooped the little girl into her arms. "I just took her out of her stroller and set her down so that I could get her blankie." The girl held up a faded pink and white blanket. "And she was off like a kite."

"They tend to do that," Indie said with a smile. "How old is she?"

"Fourteen months old. My name is Amanda."

"Indie."

"Are you here with a child?"

"No." It took her effort to keep her face from revealing her unhappiness. "I am just taking in the sun."

"Oh." Amanda looked at her a little strangely. Hugging the toddler closer, she kissed her forehead and turned to leave.

Misty turned her head and waved.

"She likes you," Amanda said with a smile.

"The feeling is mutual. Bye, darling." Indie watched the walk away with a wistful expression on her face. Shaking the feeling of desolation, she was about to reach her feet when her phone rang.

"Hey."

"Hey, you. What are you up to?"

"I was on my lunch break," She looked at her watch and realized, to her surprise, that it was almost one in the afternoon, and she had not eaten anything. And she did not feel hungry.

"It sounds like you are on the road."

"I am at the park."

"What a coincidence, so am I."

She was about to ask him where he was, but she saw him walking toward her with a grin.

"Are you stalking me?"

Putting the phone away, Michael sat next to her. "I went to the store, and Miriam told me you were here." His eyes searched her face. "You okay?"

"I love coming to the park." She told him quickly, turning her head to stare at the water fountain.

"Have you eaten?"

"No." She said with a laugh.

"Want an ice cream?" He asked with lifted brows.

"For lunch?"

"Why not?" He gestured to the truck, which was doing a thriving business. "What flavor?"

"Double chocolate chip. I am living dangerously."

"I think I will join you. I will be right back."

She watched as he approached the truck and the throng of people waiting to be served. She had suggested that they turned the relationship up a notch and would have gone ahead, but not now.

Not after last night. Damn, Royce St. Clair for spoiling things for her. She had been hoping she would see Madison today and had to admit that she missed the little girl.

Rubbing her palms over her dark blue slacks, she tried to perk herself up as Michael returned with two overflowing, dripping cones of ice cream.

"I think we had better get to them before they are completely gone," he said with a grin as he handed her one.

"I think you are right."

*****

"I think Madison would benefit from a trip to Disney," he announced that evening after dinner. He had been wrestling with the decision, and the feelings pulsing inside his body had made it impossible for him to sleep for more than two hours.

The little girl had gone to the pool with her nanny after he had promised to read her a story before going to bed.

Nodding to the maid so that she could take the plates away, Rachel reached for her wine glass. "And you want me to take the trip with her and Glenna."

"What do you have going on right now?"

"Several functions I am committed to. When were you thinking?"

"As soon as possible." Pushing back his chair, he moved restlessly to the built-in cabinet and pressed a button. Selecting a bottle of scotch, he poured a generous amount into the glass and went to the window.

"Is this about Indie?"

Without turning to look at his mother, he responded. "Why would you think that?"

"Because of our last conversation."

"I decided that you were right. Forbidding Madison to avoid Ms. Blair would make her more determined to see her."

"And sending her on the trip has nothing to do with keeping her away from Indie."

"No." Lifting the glass to his lips, he stared out the window with narrowed eyes. He had just stopped himself from pointing the vehicle toward the complex where the store was and finishing what he had started last night. The lust surging through his body for her was making him uncomfortable.

"She wanted Glenna to take her to the store today."

"What did you say?"

"I told her that Indie is running a business and cannot be counted on to pay her attention every time she goes there."

"What did she say?"

"She pouted at first, but Glenna distracted her by getting her to play a game."

"I am certain she will bother me when I go to her room."

"Possibly." Rachel stared at her son's broad back. "Is something wrong, darling?"

"Why would you ask that?"

"You look tense."

"Work." He lied briefly. Lifting a hand, he rubbed the back of his neck slowly, feeling the tension gathered there. The lack of sleep was catching up to him, but he knew that if he went up to his suite, he was going to be bombarded with emotions and erotic thoughts.

The intensity of his feelings confounded him, and he knew he was doing his best to run away from it. He had not expected a kiss to be that passionate or so arousing. He certainly had not expected to be still thinking about the way her mouth felt against his or how he had felt desire soaring through him.

Tossing back the drink, he turned to put the glass down and turned to leave."Will you think about it?"

"Of course. I am sure Madison would love to go to Disney. She has not been for the past year." Her eyes followed him as he made his way out of the room. "Royce?"

"Yes?"

"It would be even nicer if you could accompany us. Suppose we could go as a family."

Turning to look at her, he gave her a faint smile. "I have work to do, and going to a gigantic theme park makes me want to throw myself into a vat of burning oil."

"You used to enjoy it." She reminded him softly.

"When I didn't know better. Goodnight."