Safe in the Tycoon's Arms

He shrugged. “So they’re old jeans. It doesn’t mean anything.”

“I don’t know. This could all be an act. How am I to know that you aren’t pretending to be the owner? Maybe I should call the police and let them sort this out.”

Instead of the angry response she’d been anticipating, the corners of his mouth lifted. Was that a smile? Her stomach somersaulted.

“I guess I deserve that. Wait here.” He set off in the same direction he’d gone to grab his clothes and the robe he’d loaned her.

The scorching hot image of him in those boxer shorts flashed in her mind. Her pulse kicked up a notch or two. If Lucas wasn’t already wealthy, he could make a fortune as an underwear model. She’d be first in line to buy the magazine.

Still a bit chilled, she snuggled up in the robe, noticing the fresh scent of aftershave. She lifted the plush material to her nose, unable to resist inhaling even deeper. Mmm...

“Is the robe okay?” His smooth, deep voice filled the room.

“Umm...yes.” She smoothed the lapel. “I was just admiring its...its softness.”

He nodded, but she wondered if he’d caught her getting high off his very masculine scent. No man had a right to smell that good or look that hot with his clothes on...or off.

He skirted around the kitchen island and headed for her. Kate held her ground, all the while wondering what he was up to.

“Here.” He flipped open a black wallet. “This should clear things up.”

Her fingers slid across the worn smooth leather. She really didn’t need to see his driver’s license, but she had started this, so she might as well follow through.

She glanced at the photo of a neatly groomed man in a suit and tie. Definitely Lucas, but the spiffed-up version. The funny thing was she liked him in his worn-out jeans and sloppy T-shirt as much if not more than his business persona.

“So now do you believe me?” he asked with a tone of smug satisfaction, as if he’d just one-upped her.

She didn’t like him thinking that he’d gotten the best of her.

“I don’t know.” She held the ID up beside his face, hmm-ing and hah-ing, as though trying to make up her mind. “There’s definitely a resemblance, but I’m not sure.”

He yanked the card from her hand and stared at it. “Of course it’s me! And that’s my address...this address.”

At last he’d fallen off his cool, confident edge. A smile pulled at her lips. The action felt so foreign to her after the past few stressful months, but the lightness grew, erupting into laughter. The more she laughed, the deeper Lucas frowned. It had been so long since she’d had an occasion to laugh that she didn’t want it to end. It felt so good. So liberating. So freeing.

His brow arched. “Have I amused you enough?”

Her cheeks started to ache and she forced herself to calm down. After dabbing both eyes, she gazed up at him. “Sorry about that. But you don’t know how much I needed that laugh.”

His brows rose higher, but he didn’t ask why and it was just as well. She wasn’t about to spill her sorrowful tale to this stranger. In fact, she suddenly felt guilty for her outburst. Not because it was at Lucas’s expense. He was a big boy who could take a little ribbing. It was the thought of her little girl in the hospital that sobered her mood. Under the circumstances, Kate had no right to smile, much less laugh.

If the hospital staff hadn’t invoked their stupid policy, she’d still be there—sitting by Molly’s bed or haunting the halls. But the nurses had insisted she needed some rest so she didn’t wear herself out.

“Hey, what’s the matter?” Lucas stepped closer. His hand reached out as though to touch Kate’s shoulder, but then he hesitated.

She blinked back the rush of emotions. “I’m fine. I’ll just get my things and get out of your way.”

His hand lowered to his side as he glanced around the room. “Where exactly are your things?”

“Upstairs.”

“But those rooms aren’t fit for anyone. I dismissed the maid service as soon as... It doesn’t matter. The only important thing is keeping you out of that mess.”

“It isn’t so dirty now.” At the shocked look on Lucas’s face, she continued. “Or at least the room that I’m staying in is mostly clean.”

“What room?” His face creased with worry lines.

A crack of thunder sounded, followed by the lights flickering. Kate wrapped her arms around herself. “The one at the end of the hall.”

His shoulders drew back in a rigid line as his brows gathered in a dark, intimidating line. “Which end?”

Kate pointed straight overhead.

His shoulders drooped as he let out a sigh. “What in the world was my aunt thinking to send you here?”

Kate had wondered the exact same thing, but she’d come to the conclusion that Connie had only the best intentions...even if they were a little misguided. Now it was time to move on.

* * *

Lucas watched as Kate snuggled deeper in his robe. A resigned look etched across her weary features as the dark circles made her eyes appear much too large for her face. She reminded him of a puppy who’d been kicked to the curb and forgotten.

His thoughts rolled back in time to the day when he’d found a stray pup and brought it home. Everyone but his aunt had told him to get rid of the filthy beast. Aunt Connie had been different. She could see what the others couldn’t be bothered to look at—the puppy’s need to be loved and cared for. More than that she recognized Lucas’s need for something calming in the upheaval that was his life.

Lucas brought his thoughts up short. Kate wasn’t a stray puppy. She was a grown woman who could care for herself. He had enough problems. He didn’t need to be embroiled in someone else’s. He should wish her well and be done with it.

A loud boom of thunder shook the very floor they stood on. Kate wrapped her arms around herself as her wide eyes turned toward the window. This storm was showing no signs of letting up. Definitely not a night to be out and about.

If only he knew why his aunt had sent her here....

Kate turned and started down the hall.

“Wait.” Unease mounted within him as he realized what he was about to do.

“For what?” Kate asked, stepping back into the kitchen.

He noticed how the rest of her short dark brown hair was tucked behind each ear as though she’d been too busy to worry about what she looked like. The concept of a woman going out in public without taking great pains with her appearance was new to him. This mystery woman intrigued him and that was not good—not good at all.

But more than that, he’d witnessed how every time it thundered, she jumped and the fear reflected in her eyes. He couldn’t turn her out into the stormy night—especially when he suspected she had nowhere else to go.

Going against his better judgment, he said, “You don’t have to leave tonight.”

“Yes, I do.”

“Would you quit being so difficult?”

She glowered at him. “But you just got done telling me that you wanted me out of here right away. You’re the one being difficult.”

He inwardly groaned with frustration. “That was before. Give me a moment to speak with my aunt.”

“I don’t see how that will change anything. Unless you’re still worried that I’m a liar and a thief.”

“That isn’t what I meant.” He jerked his fingers through his hair. “Just wait here for a minute, okay? In fact, sit down. You look dead on your feet.”

Her eyes narrowed. Her pale lips drooped into a frown. He’d obviously said the wrong thing...again, but darned if he knew what had upset her. Maybe it was mentioning how tired she looked. In his limited experience with women, they never wanted to look anything less than amazing, no matter the circumstances.

When Kate didn’t move, he walked over and pulled out a chair at the table. “Please sit down. I won’t be long.”

He stepped inside the small bedroom just off the kitchen, which at one point in the house’s history had been the domestic help’s quarters. Lucas now claimed it as his bedroom—not that he spent much time there. His cell phone was sitting on the nightstand next to the twin bed.

He selected his aunt’s name from his frequently called list. His fingers tightened around the phone as he held it to his ear. After only one ring, it switched to voice mail.

“Call me as soon as you get this.” His voice was short and clipped.

He couldn’t help but wonder where she might be and why she wasn’t taking his call. Would she still be at the hospital doing her volunteer work? He glanced at the alarm clock. At this late hour, he highly doubted it.

With his aunt unaccounted for, he’d have to follow his gut. He’d already determined Kate wasn’t a criminal. But what would he do with her? Sit and hash out what was bothering her to see if he could help? Certainly not.

He rubbed his hand over his stubbled jaw. He didn’t want to get pulled any further into her problems. No matter what her circumstances were, it had nothing to do with him. Come tomorrow, she’d have to find other accommodations.

Still uncomfortable with his decision, he stepped back into the kitchen. Kate was seated at the table. Her arms were crossed on the glass tabletop, cradling her head. He must have made a sound, because she jerked upright in her seat.

Kate blinked before stretching. “Did Connie confirm what I told you?”

“Actually she didn’t—”

“What? But I’m not lying.”

“No one said you were. But my aunt isn’t available. So how about we make a deal?”

A yawn escaped her lips. “What do you have in mind?”

“I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt, if you’ll do the same for me.”

Kate was quiet for a moment as though weighing his words. “I suppose. But what does it matter now?”

“Because you and I are going to be housemates for the night.”

“What? But I couldn’t—”

“Yes, you can. Have you looked outside lately? It’s pouring. And it’s late at night.”

Her lips pressed into a firm line as she got to her feet and pushed in the chair. “I don’t need your charity.”

“Who says it’s charity? You’d be saving me from a load of trouble with my aunt if she found out I kicked you to the curb on a night like this.”

Kate’s hand pressed to her hip, which was hidden beneath the folds of the oversize robe. “Are you being on the level?”

She didn’t have any idea what it was costing him to ask her to stay, even for one night. This place was a tomb of memories. He didn’t want anyone inside here, witnessing his utter failure to keep his family together.

But there was something special about her—more than the way that he was thoroughly drawn to her. There was a vulnerability in her gaze. Something he’d guess she’d gone to great pains to hide from everyone, but he’d noticed. Maybe because he’d been vulnerable before, too.

“You don’t look too sure about this.”

He was usually much better at hiding his thoughts, but the dismal events of the day combined with the lateness of the hour were his undoing.

“I’m not. Let’s just go to bed.” Her drooping eyelids lifted and he immediately realized how his words could be misconstrued. “Alone.”

CHAPTER THREE

THE SUN HAD yet to flirt with the horizon when Kate awoke to the alarm on her cell phone. Though she’d only snuck in a few hours of sleep, she felt refreshed. Her heart was full of hope that today her most fervent prayer would be answered.

It will all work out. It has to.

As she rushed through the shower, the what-ifs and maybes started to crowd into her mind. Finding a cure to her daughter’s brain tumor had been rife with negative diagnoses. That was why they were here in New York City—to see a surgeon who was willing to do the seemingly impossible. But what if—

Don’t go there. Not today.

With her resolve to think only positive thoughts, she pulled on a red skirt and a white top from her suitcase. The light tap of the continued rain on the window reminded her of the night before and meeting Lucas Carrington. He definitely presented a distraction from her attack of nerves. She wondered if he’d be just as devastatingly handsome in the daylight. She tried to convince herself that it’d been the exhaustion talking, that no man could look that good. But she’d seen the magazine spread with him shaved and spruced up in a tux. He really was that good-looking. Which raised the question: What was he doing living here in this unkempt, mausoleumlike house?

Kate proceeded down the grand staircase, with her suitcase in one hand and her purse in the other. She hated the fact that she would never learn the history or secrets of this mansion. This would be her last trip down the cinematic steps. She paused to take one last look around.

She was in awe of the house’s old-world grandeur. Her gaze skimmed over the cream paint and paused to inspect the various paintings adorning the walls. Her nose curled up. She knew a bit about art from her work as an interior designer and these modern pieces, though not to her liking, would still fetch a hefty chunk of change at auction.

Even though the current decor didn’t match the home’s old-world elegance, she still saw the beauty lurking in the background. In her experience, she’d never found such charm and detailed work in any of the newer structures. Sure, they were all beautiful in their own unique ways, but this mansion was brimming with personality that only time could provide. She’d be willing to bet that if the walls could talk they’d spin quite a tale. She was certain that given the opportunity to rejuvenate this place, she could learn a considerable amount about its history. But she’d never have that chance.

With a resigned sigh, she set her suitcase by the front door before heading back the hall to the kitchen. She couldn’t shake the dismal thought of Lucas turning a blind eye to the house’s disintegrating state and letting the place fall into utter disrepair. Who could do such a thing? Was it possible he didn’t realize the real damage being done by his neglect?

If the man took the time to walk upstairs once in a while, he’d notice the work that needed to be done. Some of the repairs were blatantly obvious. It was a little hard to miss the drip-drip-drip last night as the rain leaked through the ceiling of her bedroom. She’d used a waste basket to collect the water. Maybe she should say something...

No. Don’t go there. This house and Lucas are absolutely none of your business.

She paused outside the kitchen door and listened. No sounds came from within. She wasn’t so sure she was up to facing him in the light of day after getting caught last night in her nightshirt. Still she refused to just slip away without thanking him for his generosity.

She pushed the door open and tiptoed into the room, hoping not to disturb him since his bedroom was just off the kitchen. Now if only she knew where to find a pen and some paper to write a note.

“You’re up early.”

Kate jumped. It took a second for her heart to sink back into her chest. She turned to find Mr. Oh-So-Sexy sitting off to the side in the breakfast nook with the morning paper and a cup of coffee. Yep, he looked just as delicious in the morning. Now she’d never get him off her mind.

She moved to a bar stool and draped his robe across it. “I didn’t expect you to be up so early.”

“I’m a morning person.”

His intense stare followed her. What was up with him? She nervously fidgeted with the Lucky Ducky keychain she kept around as a good luck charm.

When she couldn’t stand to be the focal point of Lucas’s attention any longer, she faced him. “Why do you keep staring?”

“It’s just you don’t look like the same woman I met last night.”

“Is that your attempt at a compliment?”

“Actually it is. You see, my brain doesn’t work very well this early in the morning until I finish my first cup of coffee.” He held up a large blue mug. “But if you’d like me to spell it out, you look radiant.”

Had she heard him correctly? Had a man, a drop-dead gorgeous hunk, just said she was radiant? Radiant. The word sounded as sweet as honey and she was eating it all up. Heat swirled in her chest and rushed up to her cheeks, but for that one blissful moment she didn’t care.

“Umm, thanks.” Her hand tightened around the keychain. “I’m all packed up.”

“What’s that in your hand?”

She glanced down, realizing she was squeezing the rubber duck to the point of smashing it. “It’s just a keychain. No big deal.”

He nodded in understanding.

“Do you have any more coffee?”

“I’ll get you a cup.”

He moved at the same time she did and they nearly collided. Kate froze, but not before she caught a whiff of his intoxicating male scent. He had on a light blue button-up with the sleeves rolled up and the collar unbuttoned. His hair was combed but still slightly damp. And his face was clean-shaven. He looked like a man ready to conquer the world.

Her heart tripped in her chest as she pictured them chatting over a morning cup of coffee and bagel. He’d tell her what he had on tap for the day and she’d tell him about her plans.

Lucas cleared his throat and pointed. “The cups are in the cabinet behind you.”

She had to get a grip and quit acting like a high school student with a crush on the star quarterback. The best way to do that was to make a fast exit before she made a complete fool of herself. “On second thought, I don’t have time for coffee.”

“It’s awfully early to be in such a rush. Is something the matter?”

“Nothing’s wrong.” She crossed her fingers behind her back like she used to do when she was a kid and her father asked her if she’d cleaned her room before allowing her go outside to play with her friends.

Lucas nodded, but his eyes said that he didn’t believe her. She never had been good at telling fibs. That’s why her father had caught her every time.

A sense of loss settled over her. What had made her think about that man after all this time? She grew angry at herself. As far as she was concerned her father was dead to her. She certainly didn’t miss him.

Maybe being alone in a new city had gotten to her more than she thought. It didn’t help that she’d witnessed the supportive clusters of families at the hospital while having no one by her side. That must be it.

Stifling the rush of unwanted emotions, she made a point of checking her wristwatch. “If I don’t leave now, I’ll be late.”

“But you haven’t even eaten. Don’t let me scare you off.”

“You haven’t. I just have things I must do.” She walked over to the doorway and paused. “By the way, did you ever speak to your aunt?”

“No. I think it was too late last night and she had her phone switched off. I’m sure she’ll call soon.”

“I understand.” But Kate still wanted that little bit of vindication. The chance to flash him an I-told-you-so look. “Thank you for letting me spend the night. By the way, there’s some food in the fridge. Help yourself to it.”

And with that she started down the hallway headed for the front door. She had no idea where she’d find a cheap place to stay tonight. All but one of her credit cards was maxed out since she’d been forced to give up her job to travel with Molly to the long list of specialists. She dismissed the troubling thought. There were other matters that required her attention first.

“Hey, wait!”

Kate sighed and turned. She didn’t know what else they had to say to each other. And she didn’t have time to waste. “Surely you aren’t going to insist on searching my luggage, are you?”

“Are you always so feisty in the morning? Or are you just grumpy because you skipped your caffeine fix? I know that first cup does wonders for me. See, I’m smiling.” His lips bowed into a ridiculous grin.

She rolled her eyes and shook her head. She honestly didn’t know what to make of the man. His personal hygiene was impressive, but other than the kitchen his house was a disgrace. And last night he was crankier than an old bear, yet this morning he was smiling. He was one walking contradiction.

Lucas held out his hand. “Let me have your keys and I’ll pull your car up to the door so you don’t get soaked.”

“I don’t have one.” She’d left her car in Pennsylvania, figuring city driving was not something she wanted to attempt.

“Did you call a taxi?”

“I don’t need one.” She pulled a red umbrella from her tote. “I’m armed and ready.”

“Have you looked outside? It’s still pouring. That umbrella isn’t going to help much.”

“Thanks for caring. But I’ve been taking care of myself for a long time now. I’ll be fine.”

When she started to move toward the front door, he reached out and grabbed her upper arm. His touch was firm but gentle. Goose bumps raced down to her wrists, lifting the fine hair on her arms. She glanced down at where his fingers were wrapped around her and immediately his hand pulled away.

“Sorry. I just wanted a chance to offer you a lift. I’ll go grab my wallet and keys.” He dashed down the hallway without waiting for her to say a word.

This was ridiculous. She couldn’t let herself start going soft. There was only her and Molly and right now, her daughter needed her to be strong for both of them. She would walk to the hospital as planned. It wasn’t that many blocks and she’d already done it a number of times.

She quietly let herself out the front door, feeling bad about skipping out on Lucas. For some reason, he was really trying to be a good sport about finding a stranger living in his house. She wondered if she would have been so understanding if the roles had been reversed.

* * *

“Kate, I’ve got them.” Lucas called out from the kitchen. “We can go now.”

Lucas had never met a woman quite like her. Her tenacity combined with a hint of vulnerability got to him on some level. He sensed she wasn’t the type to ask for help and would only take it if it was pressed upon her. Maybe that was why he was going out of his way to be kind to her—because she appeared to be in need of a friend and would never ask for one.

He strode to the foyer with his jacket on and keys in hand. But Kate was gone. He called out to her, but there was no sound. Surely she hadn’t skipped out on him.

He stepped outside to look for her. The rain was picking up and so was the wind. But there was no sign of Kate in either direction. This was not a day where an umbrella would do a person much good.

Without taking time to question his next move, he was in his car and driving around the block. She couldn’t have gotten far. And then he spotted a perky red umbrella. In the windy weather, Kate struggled to keep a grip on the umbrella with one hand while clutching her suitcase with the other.

He slowed next to her and lowered the window. “Get in.”

She ignored him and kept walking. A gust of wind blew hard and practically pulled the umbrella free from her hold. In the end, she’d held on to it, but the wire skeleton now bowed in the wrong direction, rendering the contraption totally useless.

“Get in the car before you’re soaked to the skin.”

She stood there for a second as though ready to burst into tears. Then pressing her lips into a firm line, she straightened her shoulders and stepped up to the car. He jumped out to take her things from her.

Once they were stowed away, he climbed back in the driver’s seat. “Where are we off to?”

“East Riverview Hospital.”

Her face was devoid of any expression, leaving him to wonder about the reason for her visit. She’d mentioned meeting his aunt there, but she hadn’t added any details. Was she visiting a sick relative? Or was there something wrong with her? Was that the reason for her drawn cheeks and dark circles under her eyes?

He wanted to know what was going on, but he kept quiet and eased back into traffic. If she wanted him to know, she’d tell him. Otherwise it was none of his business. He assured himself it was best to keep a cordial distance.

* * *

Kate settled back against the leather seat. She hated to admit it, but she was thankful for the ride. She hadn’t any idea that there would be so much ponding on the sidewalks. Her feet were wet and cold.