The Perfect Man Read online

Eight

  Although Valerie had expected to cry after Adam closed her front door, she didn’t shed a single tear. Instead she wandered zombielike back to the bedroom and pulled a bathrobe out of the closet. As she belted it around her waist, she stared at the bed and wondered if she’d have to donate it to charity. Sleeping in it would be impossible after this.

  She’d have to burn that maxidress, too, although at the moment she didn’t have the energy to figure out how to do it without setting off the smoke alarm again.

  You didn’t have a meltdown when the smoke alarm went off. You’re making progress. Adam’s words came back to her.

  Now that he was gone, she could admit that he had been right about that. The sound of the alarm had scared her, but not any more than that kind of noise had frightened her before the fire. Alarms were supposed to get the adrenaline pumping, so that people hearing them would take action.

  She’d done that. After stupidly leaving the water boiling and the sauce heating, she’d headed into the bedroom with Adam. Smoke alarms were designed to keep carelessness from causing more serious harm, and everything had worked the way it was supposed to. She’d handled the smoking pans in the kitchen and they hadn’t started a fire.

  But that wasn’t the main issue, and she knew it. Plopping down on the living room sofa, she gazed at the wine, and the bouquet lying on its side, gasping for water. The wine didn’t need her attention, but the blue roses and baby’s breath certainly did. Besides, blue roses cost the moon, and she couldn’t let her foul mood ruin them.

  As she found a vase for the flowers and filled it with water, she thought about her abysmal behavior in the lovemaking department. She’d imagined herself as a clever and sophisticated lady, taking charge like that. But underneath she’d been motivated by fear of losing control.

  She might have gotten away with her ruse if she hadn’t behaved like an idiot in the final moments. What normal woman rejects the idea of having an orgasm? She had, though, to her total embarrassment. Her body had surged ahead, demanding release, and she’d dug in her heels, as if she could keep it from happening.

  No wonder Adam had been confused as hell. Any man would be. And now that she was thinking about Adam, she acknowledged that he hadn’t said a single thing, veiled or blatant, that indicated he cared about the difference in their financial circumstances. Not an issue.

  She’d certainly done her best to create other issues, though. He’d come here with an open heart, and she’d insisted on playing games. Had she learned nothing about honest communication during her sessions with Rocket Fuel? Apparently not.

  If Adam had any sense, he’d give up on her as a bad job. To top it off, she’d created tonight’s little drama on Adam’s first date since his divorce. Wasn’t that special? He might have hoped for a new start, and instead he’d been kicked in the teeth.

  She didn’t know how she’d ever repair that damage, but for now, she could at least clean up the mess in the kitchen. Maybe scrubbing those two scorched pots would bring her some kind of clarity. Pushing herself to her feet, she headed into the kitchen, rolled up the sleeves of her bathrobe, and ran hot water in the sink.

  She was up to her elbows in soapy water when the doorbell rang. Glancing at the clock, she realized it wasn’t that late. One of her neighbors could be dropping by to ask a favor.

  The apartment complex didn’t allow solicitors, and Astrid and Melanie both knew she’d asked Adam to come for dinner, so they wouldn’t be showing up at her door. It had to be a neighbor. She could ignore them, of course, but it might be an emergency.

  Or maybe they’d heard her smoke alarm and were worried about her. Goodness knows she’d be worried if she heard a smoke alarm in the building. Tightening the belt on her robe, she ran her fingers through her hair and went to the door.

  Adam stood on the other side.

  She stared at him. “What are you doing here?”

  “Forcing the issue.” He walked in without being invited.

  She was so startled by his boldness that she stepped aside and let him in.

  The minute she closed the door he spun to face her. “Listen, Valerie, you and I are closer to making a go of things than you think.”

  “We are?” She gazed at him, stunned by his sudden appearance. She’d sent him away. He hadn’t stayed gone.

  “Yes, damn it! Remember the elevator? You might have lost it if those two guys had wedged their way in, but they didn’t, and you made it through that first ride.”

  “Yes, but an elevator ride is not the same as—”

  “Sex? Why not? You were really close to enjoying yourself, but the last part, the climax, was too much for you. But you were almost there! You need to try it again.”

  She blinked. “When?”

  “Now. With me.”

  “You can’t be serious.”

  “I’m very serious. Every cowboy knows that when you fall off a horse, the best thing to do is get right back on.”

  She stared at him. “You’re insane, Adam Templeton.” But a tiny flame of hope flickered deep within her. If he hadn’t lost faith, maybe she shouldn’t, either.

  “Maybe I am insane, but I’ve been driving around town thinking about you, and about us, and that whirligig you made with the scarves, and I—”

  “The scarves? When did you notice the scarves?”

  “As I was leaving. They are so you, the part of you that wants to be free of all this crap.”

  “Don’t read anything into those scarves. I put them up right before you arrived to hide a smear of yellow paint. It took me about ten minutes.”

  He glanced at the scarves and back at her. “You just made my point, Madam Counselor. Look what happens when you let yourself do something crazy and spontaneous.” He gestured to it. “A burst of beauty.” He stepped closer. “That’s what you’re all about, Valerie. Don’t give up on rediscovering who you are.”

  She began to tremble. Much as she wanted to deny what he was saying, it rang true. But was she brave enough to try again? What if she couldn’t let go?

  She stalled for time. “Listen, it’s seven-forty-five and you haven’t had dinner. You must be starving.”

  He shook his head. “I’m not starving.” He took another step closer. “Come to bed with me, Valerie Wolitzky. If it works out the way I hope it will, we can order takeout later.”

  She shook so much she worried that her teeth would start chattering. “You’re giving m-me a s-second chance?”

  “I’m giving us a second chance.”

  “Why?” She held her breath.

  “Because I think . . . I think we might have something special.” His silver gaze searched hers. “And if I drive away from this apartment building without making love to you again, we might never find out if we do.”

  It was now or never. She felt like a skydiver at the open door of the plane. She gulped. “Okay.”

  “I have one condition, though.”

  “Wh-what?” If he didn’t put his arms around her soon, she was going to shake herself apart.

  “No games. No one-upmanship. Just . . . two people loving each other.”

  She nodded.

  “Be brave, sweetheart.”

  She nodded again.

  “And don’t look so grim.” He smiled down at her. “I think you’re going to love this.”

  * * *

  Adam hoped to hell she would respond to him. He wished she hadn’t marched back to the bedroom like a condemned person heading for a firing squad. But at least she’d agreed to go. She hadn’t thrown him out again.

  The room was dim, and maybe that was for the best this time. She walked over to the bed, took off her bathrobe, and crawled under the covers. That was okay, too. She could have as much protection as she needed in the beginning.

  She had a rocker in the bedroom, something he hadn’t notice
d before. He sat in it so he could take off his boots. He undressed as quickly as he could, because he had a feeling she was over there hyperventilating at the thought of letting down the barriers.

  Knowing she was giving him another chance to make love to her was all the stimulation he needed to grow hard and ready. He put the condom on before he climbed into bed with her. Once he started this process, he didn’t want to stop for anything. She might change her mind.

  Poor thing, she was shaking so much. He gathered her close and began stroking her while he murmured words of comfort. She quivered less, and her skin began to warm under his fingertips.

  Rolling her to her back, he moved over her and kissed her forehead, her closed eyelids, her cheeks, and finally, her mouth. He wasn’t sure if she’d kiss him back, but she did. Sweet heaven, she did.

  She began to touch him, too. Her hands trembled a little, but perhaps it was eagerness now, not fear. Encouraged by that, he began an easy journey down her body, kissing and caressing her. When he reached her smooth belly, she tensed. He’d halfway expected that.

  “Adam, don’t . . .”

  “Okay, I won’t.” As much as he’d love to taste all of her, he’d give up that pleasure for now. She wasn’t ready to be that vulnerable. Not yet.

  Instead he kissed his way back to her mouth as he continued to caress her hips, her thighs, and finally, that sweet spot he craved entrance to. She was wet. Very wet. His heart thudded with anticipation as he moved between her thighs.

  Her expression was in shadow, but her sharp intake of breath told him to go slowly. He eased his cock in a little bit and paused. She grasped his hips, and for a moment, he thought she might try to stop him. But, no, she was silently urging him to go deeper.

  With a groan, he sank into her. This was so right. They had to make it work between them. And he would do his level best to show her why.

  Propping his weight on his forearms, he leaned down to feather a kiss over her lips. “Thank you,” he murmured.

  Her breath hitched. “I’m so much trouble.”

  “And so worth it.” He drew back and slid in again as tiny arrows of pleasure shot through him.

  “You should . . . have given up.”

  “I couldn’t.” Driven by his own needs, trying to keep his mind on hers, he began a steady rhythm.

  She trembled beneath him. “I don’t know why.”

  “Because . . .” The reason flowed through him in a river of certainty. “Because I love you.”

  “Oh, Adam.” And she began to cry.

  God, he’d messed up again. He couldn’t force himself to break the connection, but he stopped moving. Buried deep within her, his cock twitched with impatience.

  He kissed her wet cheeks. “I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

  “I know.” She sniffed. “Don’t stop, Adam. Please don’t stop.”

  “But you’re crying.”

  “Because you’re so wonderful.” Her tears continued to flow. “Just love me,” she said in a thick voice. “Please love me.”

  “I do. I started loving you the first day. I—”

  “I mean make love to me!”

  She sounded desperate, and as a matter of fact, so was he. He began to thrust, and this time she rose to meet him. She might be crying, but she was completely into this and reaching for her climax without hesitation, without fear.

  Joy filled him as he moved faster. “That’s it, Valerie! That’s it!”

  “I know . . . Adam . . . Adam.” With a triumphant cry, she came, her body clenching around him as she both laughed and sobbed out her gratitude.

  A second later, he tumbled into that brilliant, multicolored world with her, and he held on for dear life. He would never let her go. Never.

  Long moments later, he lay with his head on her shoulder and listened to the glorious sound of her breathing. She wasn’t crying anymore. Quite the contrary. Judging from the curve of her lips, she was smiling.

  She stroked his back and sighed. “I hate to make you move, but—”

  Instantly he pushed himself up. “I’m too heavy.”

  “No!” She wrapped her arms around him. “I want you right there, but you have to lift your head and look at me.”

  “Okay.” He wasn’t worried about her taking control now. Not after she’d been so thoroughly lost in his arms. They’d leaped that hurdle together. He hadn’t messed up, after all.

  “Maybe you should turn on the bedside lamp, although I warn you, my eyes will be red, so don’t freak.”

  “We don’t have to turn on the light.”

  “Yes, we do. Can you reach it?”

  “Yep.” Balancing himself on one arm, he stretched out the other and pushed the small switch. Then he blinked in the glare.

  “I’ll wait until your eyes adjust.”

  He blinked a few times. “I’m fine. And yeah, your eyes could use some saline drops.”

  “What a romantic thing to say.”

  He laughed. “That’s me, Mr. Romance.”

  “I wasn’t kidding. It is romantic, because you’re such a caretaker. Of course you’d notice I need drops for my eyes. I cherish that about you.”

  “Well . . . okay. Thanks.”

  “I cherish lots of things about you, Adam. I wanted the light on so we could look at each other, because this is important. You see, I love you, too.”

  His chest tightened and his throat closed. Damned if he didn’t feel a little misty-eyed, himself.

  She cupped his cheek. “I think you liked hearing that.”

  “Yeah.” He cleared the emotion from his throat. “I liked it a lot. I liked it so much, in fact, that you’ve given me an idea.”

  She smiled up at him. “What’s that?”

  “I was just wondering . . .” He gazed into her green eyes. “If you, Valerie Wolitzky, would do me the great honor of marrying me and making me the happiest guy in the world.”

  Her smile widened. “Yes. Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!”

  “I have to warn you I’m not perfect.”

  “Maybe not, but you’re the perfect man for me.”

  He thought his smile might be even brighter than hers. No doubt about it, this was the best damned day . . . and night, of his life.

  Epilogue

  Almost three weeks later, Adam walked toward the entrance to the Golden Spurs & Stetson with a very excited Valerie beside him. She’d come up with the idea of staging a private party at the bar for her girlfriends, their significant others, and friends and family. Adam considered it a sign of how far Valerie had come that she wasn’t worried about being in a crowded venue.

  And it would be crowded. Each of the six had invited a boatload of friends and relatives to share in their joy. Valerie’s parents were driving up from Houston, along with two sets of aunts and uncles, plus a few cousins. She’d also asked everyone at her law firm.

  Adam had included his mother, his former and current business associates, Will and his wife, and the ranch hands. Then he’d decided to ask some of his buddies from Harvard, and several were flying in.

  Melanie and her fiancé, Drew Eldridge, had similarly long lists, as did Astrid and her guy, rancher Fletch Grayson. Adam would have footed the bill himself. He was just that happy. But Astrid, a woman with a fortune of her own, and Drew, also a billionaire, had insisted on splitting the costs among them.

  Adam had to admit the idea was brilliant. And then Melanie had suggested something even more brilliant. She’d proposed that all three couples meet at the bar an hour before the other guests, so everyone could get acquainted before the onslaught.

  Adam looked forward to it. He’d only seen Astrid and Melanie once, and that had been under difficult circumstances. He knew Drew Eldridge by reputation, and might have shared a table with him at a charity function, although he wouldn’t swear to it. He�
��d never met Fletch Grayson and was eager to talk horses with another breeder.

  Besides, he needed to get to know everyone in this tight circle. The women were best friends, which probably meant the guys would be seeing a lot of one another, maybe for years to come.

  Valerie paused at the entrance and glanced up at Adam. “Just think how much our lives have changed since that night I plowed into you right here.”

  He squeezed her hand. “That was the luckiest night of my life.”

  “Mine, too.” She looked into his eyes. “I love you, Adam.”

  He leaned down to give her a kiss. “And I love you right back, Valerie.”

  “Okay, okay, break it up!” Behind them, a woman laughed. “Quit blocking the doorway. Important people coming through.”

  They turned to find Astrid and Fletch both grinning as they approached the entrance.

  Valerie hurried forward to give Astrid a hug. Then she hugged Fletch, too, although she did it carefully because he wore what looked like a brand-new Stetson. Adam recognized the style as one that he’d looked at just last week.

  “Come and meet Adam.” Valerie herded them in his direction.

  Astrid enveloped him in a hug. “Well done,” she murmured.

  Adam didn’t feel right taking credit for a transformation that had been a joint effort including Will and Rocket Fuel, not to mention Valerie’s own bravery and determination. “I didn’t—”

  “You were a big part of it.” She turned to Fletch. “I’d like you to meet my . . .” She hesitated. “Should I say?”

  Fletch smiled. “That’s up to you.”

  “Oh, heck. I can’t stand it. We’re engaged!”

  Adam shook Fletch’s hand and congratulated him while Astrid and Valerie shrieked and hugged.

  “What, what?” Melanie hurried up, followed by a guy in a sport coat who had to be Drew Eldridge.

  Valerie thrust Astrid’s hand in Melanie’s face. “They’re engaged!” More hugging and shrieking followed.

  Drew laughed as he navigated around the women and held out his hand to Fletch. “Congratulations. She’s a wonderful woman.”

  “Agreed.”