Channing picked up her cell phone when she saw the caller was Megan. “Hey, Megan, what’s up?”
“Thought I’d ask you the same thing. Rico confessed that he told Zane where you were. Sorry about that.”
Channing eased down on the sofa. “No reason to apologize and yes, Zane showed up on my doorstep yesterday.”
“And?”
“And he claimed he loved me.”
There was an undisputed gasp. “Zane told you that?”
“Yes. But of course I don’t believe him.”
“You don’t?”
“No. It was less than a week ago when he looked me right in the eyes and told me he didn’t love me, that what he felt for me was nothing more than possession. In other words, Zane thinks I’m his and doesn’t want me to belong to another man. Now he wants me to believe he woke up one morning and miraculously realized he loves me. That’s hogwash, and you know it.”
“And you told him you didn’t believe him?”
“Yes, and I asked that he leave.” Channing decided there was no reason to mention she’d had sex with him before he left.
“So now he’s on his way back to Denver?”
There was a pause before Channing said, “Not exactly. He showed up here again this morning.”
“And?”
“And he did a flip-flop on me.”
“Flip-flop? Now he’s saying that he doesn’t love you?”
Channing heard confusion in Megan’s voice, so she tried to explain. “He’s admitting to feeling things for me he hasn’t felt for any other woman. I guess those emotions are confusing him, and he believes that if what he’s feeling isn’t love yet then it’s close to it. He says all he needs is a little push.”
“A little push by whom?”
“Me.”
Megan frowned. She’d never heard anything so ridiculous in her life.
But the more she thought about it, the more she could see Zane’s ploy even if Channing couldn’t. First of all, there was no doubt in her mind that Zane loved Channing. He would not have dropped everything to go after her if he didn’t. Then there was his admission of love. Zane would never admit loving someone if he actually didn’t. And as far as him miraculously waking up one morning and realizing how he felt about Channing—well Channing might not believe it could happen that way, but Megan did.
Channing was dealing with a Westmoreland male, and most Denver Westmoreland males had put up roadblocks when it came to falling in love. Ramsey, Derringer and Riley had fought the idea of falling in love tooth and nail. Even she and her sister Gemma hadn’t given up their hearts easily.
Knowing how that analytical and psychological mind of Zane’s tended to work, Megan knew his plan. He figured that since Channing didn’t believe him, he would show her the evolution. He’d even gone so far as to encourage Channing to spearhead the transformation. Megan hated to admit it, but it was a brilliant strategy—if it worked. And she had a feeling it would work because Zane never failed at anything that he put his mind to. And he had an additional advantage. His heart was in it, as well.
“So, are you going to do it?” Megan heard herself asking.
There was a moment of silence and then Channing said, “Yes. I love him so much, Megan, even though I don’t want to. Zane is a complex man.” She paused then added, “He explained how your parents’ and uncle’s and aunt’s deaths affected him.”
Megan’s mouth dropped open. “He told you that?” She was stunned that Zane would be that forthcoming about his fears. Over the years, she’d suspected he felt that way but had never been sure.
“Yes, he told me. And if that’s really the reason he’s been holding back then maybe I can help him overcome that. Do you think I’m crazy for thinking that way?”
Megan drew in a deep breath and smiled. “I see nothing wrong with a woman fighting for the love of her man, Channing.” Just like she saw nothing wrong with a man fighting for the love of his woman. Crazy thing was, Zane and Channing were fighting for the same thing, and neither of them knew it yet.
“I’m going to keep my fingers crossed that things work out for you,” Megan said quietly.
“Thanks, Megan. I appreciate it.”
* * *
The rest of the day moved pretty fast for Zane. So he didn’t feel like a slacker while he was in Virginia Beach and Jason and Derringer were back in Denver hard at work, the three of them had agreed that Zane could sort through the online files that had been piling up for months. Using his tablet computer, he had gone through all the emails, trashing a lot of spam and making appointments for interested horse buyers.
Now he glanced at the clock. He had a couple of hours before he picked up Channing, and he had a number of things to do. The hotel would be preparing a basket of food and wine. And when he had stopped at one of the gift shops downstairs he’d seen the perfect wine glasses and told the hotel he wanted them included in the basket, as well. When he was younger, his parents would take him and his siblings to Denver’s only drive-in theater. It had closed ages ago, but those times had definitely been fun for them. Bailey had been in diapers and the twins were barely saying words that you could understand. Too bad Zane hadn’t known that memories such as those were ones he would have to cherish forever.
As he slid into his jacket, he realized he wanted to share that special drive-in magic with Channing. He knew she wasn’t keen on going to the movies with him—or to a drive-in theater of all places. But he thought that was just the kind of place they needed. At the drive-in, they wouldn’t have to worry about anyone sitting beside them, invading their space. They would be in the car all alone.
He shook his head at his predicament. He figured after a week or so Channing would realize he loved her. If not, then he intended to sit down and try again to give it to her straight. Regardless of what she believed, he was a man who knew his mind and his heart.
Zane smiled as he headed for the door. She should have gotten the flowers by now. It wasn’t the first time he’d sent a woman flowers, but it was the first time sending them had ever really meant anything to him.
* * *
“Ma’am? Will you be signing for the flowers?”
Channing blinked, but she still saw the man standing on her porch holding not just a vase of flowers but what looked like an entire friggin’ bush. And they were roses. Red ones. The most beautiful flowers she’d ever seen. “Oh, yes,” she said, coming to her senses. She quickly scribbled her name on the pad he’d given her.
“Where do you want me to place these? I doubt you can carry them.”
She doubted it, as well. “This way,” she said, leading the middle-aged man into her living room. “Right here will do.”
She stared as he set the potted bush down and stepped back. “Whoever sent these probably meant for you to plant this outside. I’ve never seen anything so large. He didn’t just send you long-stemmed roses. He sent you the entire rosebush.”
Channing nodded. “Wait a second so I can give you a tip.”
“No need,” he said, heading toward the door. “It’s already been taken care of. Your guy thought of everything. Nice fellow.”
Yeah, nice fellow, she thought, closing the door behind the deliveryman and turning to stare at the bush again. She’d read the card already and knew exactly who’d sent them, and she couldn’t forget what the card had said.
I love you.
What in the world was going on in that head of Zane’s? Why was he trying to get a head start on falling in love when she hadn’t even started pushing him yet?
She glanced over at the clock and then hurried to her bedroom. He would be here in less than thirty minutes, and she still had to put on her makeup. Good thing she never used a whole lot. Just a little powder and lipstick. Zane had often complimented her on her natural beauty.
She was wearing a pair of shorts and a tank top; she figured she’d keep them on. After all, she and Zane were going to a drive-in. If they decided to grab something to eat later, they could go to a fast-food place. Or they could come back here since she had plenty of food in the refrigerator.
She tossed her hair back from her face and tossed the idea from her head. She didn’t need to give Zane any encouragement by inviting him to her house after the movies. She would push, but it would be on her time and in her own way.
She drew in a deep breath when she heard his knock. Giving herself one last check in the full-length mirror, she left her bedroom and headed for the door.
* * *
When Channing opened the door, Zane shoved his hands into the pockets of his slacks and looked down at himself. He then glanced up at her and smiled. “I think I might be a little overdressed.”
A smile touched Channing’s lips when she stepped aside to let him in. “Yes, I would say just a little. We’re just going to the drive-in, Zane. No need for the jacket, shirt and slacks. You could have worn shorts or jeans with a T-shirt.”
He shrugged. “I don’t own a pair of shorts.”
She lifted a brow. “You’re kidding.”
He chuckled. “No, why would I kid about something like that? Have you forgotten I live in Colorado?”
“No, but there are warm days there. In fact, I remember a few times during the summer when it got up in the nineties.”
“Possibly, but I feel more comfortable in jeans or long pants. If there’s a problem with what I’m wearing, I can go back by the hotel and change.”
She waved off his words. “No problem. I’m fine with it. I just want you to be comfortable.”
“Oh, I plan to be comfortable.”
“Okay, then. Are you ready? All I have to do is—”
“Come here,” he interrupted in a low, husky tone, pulling her into his arms. “You look good, and you smell good, too.”
She went to him easily, willingly. Doing so reminded her of the time when things had been so good for them. A time when she had felt sure of herself where he was concerned. “Thank you. And I should also be thanking you for the flowers. Or should I say the rosebush. It’s beautiful.”
“So are you.”
“Thank you. Now as far as the card is concerned...”
“What about it?” He continued holding her in his arms. It was as though this was where she was meant to be.
“Getting carried away, don’t you think? Not giving me much room to push.”
He feigned ignorance. “You think so?”
“Yes.”
“You think I’m moving too fast?”
Channing sighed deeply before pulling herself from his embrace and taking a step back. He could see the irritation in her expression. “What you’re doing is saying things you don’t mean. So chill, okay?”
He did mean them, and he intended for her to know it. But for now... “Okay. Are you ready to go?”
“Yes, let me grab my tote bag.”
As she rushed toward her bedroom, he noticed the huge plant sitting in the corner. When he’d walked into the florist shop after leaving her house earlier today, he’d seen it and wanted her to have it. He knew from the months they’d been together that she liked roses, especially red ones. Yet he’d never sent her any. On those occasions when he had sent her flowers, she’d gotten the pink-and-white carnations like all the other women he’d dated. He had been intent on not changing his course. The last thing he’d wanted was to fill her mind with the hope that things were more serious between them than they actually were. In a way, this rosebush represented all the roses he should have given her and hadn’t.
“I’m ready.”
He smiled at her. “Okay, then. Let’s go.”
Taking hold of her arm, he led her toward the door.
* * *
“It seems you thought of everything,” Channing said, noting the large basket in the backseat. She wasn’t sure what was in it, but she was impressed he’d brought it.
“I tried to. We can eat whenever you get hungry.”
She had eaten a nice lunch right after Megan’s call, and it had filled her up. But that was before she’d gotten into Zane’s rental car and the basket had snagged her attention.
To get her mind and her stomach off the basket, she examined her surroundings. She saw all the cars parked facing the huge screen. A little excitement ran through her body. This was something new for her. “This is nice,” she said. “And this is the first time I’ve been to a drive-in.”
Zane let his seat back to accommodate his long legs. He glanced over at Channing. “You’ve never been to one before?”
“No. How old do you think I am? I understand drive-in theaters are nearly as extinct as dinosaurs.”
“They aren’t that extinct,” he said, chuckling. “I used to go to one every Saturday night with my parents. They would load all of us into the van. It was fun. The one we went to even had a playground.”
“Wow, you remember all of that?”
He nodded. “Yes. Those were special times for us, especially for me. After the folks died, that’s all I had left. The memories. My counselor suggested I write it down.”
She arched a brow. “Counselor?”
“Yes. Mrs. Harris. She was a grief counselor. Dillon and Ramsey thought it would be a good idea if we all went to see her. I think that’s when I decided I wanted to become a psychologist.”
She followed his lead and pressed the lever to let her seat back. Her legs weren’t as long as his, but it felt nice to stretch out. “You have a degree in psychology, yet you’ve never used it in your work. Why?”
“Because by the time I finished college it was all hands on deck at Blue Ridge Land Management,” he said. Blue Ridge was the family firm that his father and uncle had left behind. “Dillon and Ramsey were doing all they could to keep things going, and I felt my rightful place was to be there to help them. It was all about sacrifices.”
He shifted in his seat to face her. “In a way, going to work for Blue Ridge was a blessing.”
“In what way?”
“It showed me that I’m not suited for being indoors behind a desk. After a while, I felt boxed in. Caged. I knew that I couldn’t be a psychologist. I needed to work outside.”
“Then that partnership with your cousins came at the right time.”
He smiled. “Yes. Mainly because Derringer and Jason were ready to bail from Blue Ridge, as well. The three of us love horses, and our fathers taught us to ride when we were knee-high. So when our cousins in Montana decided to expand their horse training and breeding business, there was no doubt in our minds that we were on board.”
She nodded. One of the things she’d missed after leaving Denver was talking to Zane. They had a rapport that had made it easy to talk about anything. Or almost anything. She’d just realized he had never before shared with her why he’d pursued a degree in psychology instead of a degree in business like his brother Derringer and several of his cousins. She knew his brother Ramsey had gone to school for some type of agricultural degree since he’d always wanted to be a sheep rancher.
“Was Dillon upset because the three of you defected at once?”
Zane chuckled. “No, he understood. He’d known Blue Ridge wasn’t in our blood any more than it had been in Ramsey’s. Some people are born to be corporate leaders, and some are not. Besides, Riley and Stern were eager to take their places at the company. Even Canyon was gung ho once he decided being a doctor wasn’t for him.”
The huge screen flared to life. When it showed visuals of what they had for sale at the snack bar, Channing heard her stomach growl. She glanced over at Zane. “Sorry.”
“No need to apologize. If you’re hungry, just grab something out of that basket. I have a lot of good stuff in there. Better stuff than what you’re seeing on the screen.”
Of course after he’d said that, Channing had to check it out and make sure. Taking off her seat belt, she rose up in the seat on her knees and reached in the backseat to uncover the basket. She was impressed. There were several meaty-looking sub sandwiches, bags of chips, an assortment of fruit and a bottle of red wine. Her favorite. But what really caught her eye were the two wine glasses. They were engraved in a beautiful gold script. One had her name on it, and the other had his.
A deep stirring spread in the center of Channing’s stomach. Why would he go out and do something like that? She grabbed a couple of sandwiches, the bottle of wine and both glasses. Turning back around, she straightened in her seat but didn’t put the seat belt back on.
She held up her bounty. “Nice wine glasses.”
“Thanks. I happened to see them in the hotel’s gift shop. I thought, wow, imagine that. Our names.”
Channing threw her head back and laughed. He was lying through his teeth. “Come on. Names like Channing and Zane? You want me to believe there’s another...” She stopped, coming short of saying the word couple. They were no longer a couple.
Zane didn’t have any misgivings. He finished the sentence for her. “Couple like us? Probably not, since we’re unique.”
She shrugged and handed him a sandwich. He took it, and she opened the wine and poured them both glasses. She handed his to him and said, “Um, smell the aroma. Isn’t it wonderful?”
He took a sip, met her gaze and held it. “I like your aroma better.”
Channing swallowed, wishing he hadn’t said that. It was bad enough sharing such close quarters with him, but to have him draw any level of intimacy into their conversation was too much. To keep things safe, she decided not to respond to what he’d said.
He’d told her often how he loved her scent, how it would turn him on. Well, she hoped he remembered their agreement about no sex. She wasn’t so sure he did remember—the car’s windows were tinted where no one could see them. Channing couldn’t help wondering if that was by choice or coincidence.
Before she could dwell on it any longer, the screen blared the announcement that the first movie was about to begin. So she ate her sandwich and sipped her wine while silence reigned between them. She refused to glance over at him. Instead, she stared straight ahead at the huge movie screen.
* * *
Zane’s blood pressure had spiked. He took a sip of his wine while eating his sandwich. Reaching back into the basket for a bag of chips, he ate them, as well. He enjoyed the meal all while inhaling Channing’s scent. How had he gone two years without the aroma he’d become addicted to?
He knew women pretty damn well. Every woman had her own unique scent. He knew the power that pheromones could have on a man. Channing had a way of luring him in with her scent each and every time.
Trying to get his mind off Channing for the time being, he wondered if the drive-in theaters would become a fad again. Gone were the days when you had to park next to a speaker pole and pull the speaker in through your car’s window. Due to modern technology, the sound was now transmitted through your car’s radio. Nice.
Because they’d arrived early, the lines had not been long, and they had found a good parking spot. The view of the screen was spectacular. He wasn’t a big John Travolta fan, but he knew Channing was. When he’d inquired at the hotel about where to take his lady that was casual, different and fun, the concierge had mentioned this place. Zane was glad he had.
Finally, he couldn’t help himself. He glanced over at Channing, only to find that it seemed as though she was really absorbed in the movie. How many times had she seen Grease? He’d given her the DVD, and when it had come to Denver as a play, he’d taken her to see that, as well.
She had finished off her sandwich and the last of her wine. “Want more wine?”
She gazed over at him. “No, I’ve had enough. Thanks.”
She turned back to the movie, but he continued watching her. Damn, he loved her. Whether she believed him or not, it had happened just the way he’d told her. The realization might have been late in coming, but it had punched him hard, first in the heart and then right between the eyes, making him see things he hadn’t seen before.
If she needed to see his transformation to believe him, then a transformation was what she would get. Tonight, he was starting off slow, smooth and seductive. He reached across the seat and took her hand in his. They used to hold hands all the time, but he could tell she was somewhat surprised by his gesture. She didn’t pull her hand away, but it felt stiff in his.
“Relax, Channing. I just want to hold your hand.”
“Why?”
He could say he wanted to do it because he loved her and he enjoyed touching her, but he figured she wasn’t ready to buy that. “I just do, okay?”
She shrugged with tense shoulders. “Okay.”
“And before you get rigid and unbending, I haven’t forgotten your ‘no sex’ rule.”
She relaxed somewhat. “I was beginning to wonder.”
He chuckled. “Why?”
“Because you’re touching me.”
He lifted a brow. “Was I not supposed to?”
She shook her head. “It brings back memories.”
He smiled. “But memories are good, right?”
Her chin lifted. “Some are. Some aren’t.”
The last thing he wanted was for her to think about the bad memories he’d caused. “Slide over here for a minute,” he said, tightening his hand on hers.
She hesitated but then slid across the seat toward him. He folded up the center console to make a bench seat. He didn’t want anything separating them. Satisfied with their closeness, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders. “That’s better. I like you plastered against me like this. I missed this, Channing. The closeness. The intimacy,” he said truthfully. He hadn’t realized just how much until now.
“It was your choice,” she said, and he heard the bitterness in her tone.
“I know. My mistake,” he countered softly.
She glanced over at him, and he saw the reservation in her eyes. He knew he would do anything to remove that look. “It was hard for me after you left, Channing.”
“Was it?”
She asked as if she didn’t believe him. “Yes. I was in a bad way mainly because I couldn’t believe you’d left. You said you were leaving. You even went through all the motions of leaving, but I just couldn’t get it through my head that you were actually going to do it. For a long time, I was in a state of denial.”
She frowned, narrowing her eyes. “Why? Because you’re the great Zane Westmoreland, and women aren’t supposed to leave you? It’s supposed to be the other way around?”
He didn’t say anything for a minute. “I thought that was the reason at first,” he said truthfully. “But then...”
She looked searchingly at him. “But what?”
“I felt the loss,” he said hoarsely. “I actually felt it. And when it hit me that you wouldn’t be back, I developed a bad attitude. It was so awful that no one in my family wanted to be around me. Dillon had to step in a few times to keep me and my other cousins or brothers from exchanging blows. I was filled with so much anger that just about anything could set me off.”
Channing stayed silent. She’d talked to Megan a few times after moving to Atlanta, and his sister hadn’t mentioned anything about Zane’s bad temperament. But then she and Megan had agreed not to bring him up in any of their conversations. However, hearing what he was saying now made her ask, “Why, Zane? Why did my leaving upset you when you told me there could never be anything permanent between us?”
Zane sighed deeply as he thought about what she’d asked. How could he link the fear he’d felt at her departure to the same fear he’d felt when his parents had died? After she’d left Denver, he hadn’t been able to handle the loneliness and emptiness within him. And when he had compared those feelings to the void he hadn’t ever wanted to feel again, he’d withdrawn. He’d resolved never to let down his guard with any woman like he’d done with her.
“Zane?”
He could hear impatience in her voice. She wanted an answer, and he knew she deserved one. However, how could he explain it in a way that she would understand? A way where she could connect the dots the way he finally had?
Zane held her gaze and forced himself not to pull her into his arms and kiss her instead of answering her. He couldn’t do that this time. He had to make sure he laid out everything she needed to see.
“You left me, Channing. At first, I convinced myself that it didn’t matter, that you were doing the right thing because I couldn’t give you what you wanted. But then...”
She leaned toward him. “Yes?”
He spoke truthfully when he said, “Then I began to feel like a piece of me was gone. I felt empty. My emptiness turned to anger because I had sworn I would never let myself feel such pain over a loss again.”
An uneasy feeling raced up Channing’s spine as she stared at Zane, the movie forgotten. Hearing him say those words had an insurmountable effect on her. Had that been when he’d realized he might feel something for her?
If what he said was true, then she could see why he’d gotten upset when she’d returned almost two years later with a fiancé. But it didn’t explain or excuse his behavior at McKays. She had given him a chance to tell her he loved her, but he hadn’t. Instead, he’d seduced her to prove a point.
“I had to leave,” she said softly. “I could not stay in Denver and pretend I was okay in a relationship that wasn’t going anywhere.” She released a deep sigh. “Maybe this whole ‘pushing’ thing isn’t a good idea, Zane.”
“What makes you say that?”
“If it doesn’t work, I’m the only one who’ll get hurt. After McKays, I left Denver in pain for the second time with no plans to ever return or to ever see you again. Then, low and behold, you show up yesterday and the next thing you know we’re having sex for old time’s sake. You came back again today and convinced me that all it will take is a little push to get you to fall in love. But if I couldn’t do it during the nine months we were together, what difference will it make now?”
He heard the doubt in her voice. The frustration. He wouldn’t be happy until he heard certainty. Absolute and complete. When all was said and done, he wanted her misgivings to be put behind them...mainly because he wanted her to know she had his heart.
She pulled back and looked at him with a narrowed gaze. “Is this nothing but a game to you, Zane? A game to see how far you can make me go without giving me a commitment? Or maybe it’s revenge. You’re getting back at me for having the nerve to leave you in the first place. You like proving points.”
He leaned forward. “Although I know it’s hard for you, I’m asking you to trust me. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t care about you, Channing.” He ran his fingers through her hair. “You mean everything to me.”
Channing drew in a deep breath. Zane knew exactly what he was doing. She’d always loved the feel of his hands in her hair. There was something about the way he did it that sent tingling sensations through her.
The silence between them lengthened. She closed her eyes, wishing she could pretend those two years without him had never happened and things were as they used to be. Maybe if she and Zane had stayed together, if she hadn’t tried to rush things along, they might be married by now. That possibility was why she was here now. Taking another chance on him.
“What are you thinking about?” he asked her in a low voice.
She opened her eyes and looked at him. His face was right there, inches from hers. “It doesn’t matter.”
“Everything about this matters, Channing.”
She wished she could believe that.
“Ask me what I’m thinking,” he said throatily.
They should be watching the movie. Wasn’t that what they’d come here for? she asked herself.
No. The reason they were here together was to see if they could repair their damaged relationship. To see if he could love her the way she needed to be loved. To see if he could really love her the way he thought he could. “Okay. What are you thinking, Zane?”
“How beautiful you are for starters.”
His hand left her hair and moved to her chin. He tilted her face up to his. “Very beautiful.”
“You can’t see very well,” she whispered. His lips were close to hers. She knew those lips well. Full and inviting, they had the ability to make liquid heat fill her. Just thinking about how well she knew those lips, her firsthand knowledge of how they tasted, had her feminine muscles clenching.
“I can see just fine, Channing. And you know what else I was thinking about?”
She swallowed tightly, knowing it was best not to respond but unable to hold back. “No, what?”
“This.” And then he leaned in, capturing her lips with his.