Heart Tamer (3 page)

When the sexy brunette Alec had been dancing with earlier came up to chat with him, the two bridesmaids got up and headed to the bar. Kate pasted a polite smile on her face and headed there too. She was tired of sitting at the table while everyone, especially Alec, was living it up on the dance floor. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him go back to the dance floor with Sexy Brunette.

Kate stood at the bar next to the two beautiful bridesmaids who held martinis and chatted like best friends. Both seemed to be in their early twenties with long brown hair in spiral curls. Their fuchsia dresses highlighted their slim figures and porcelain skin.

Kate smiled at the bartender. “I’ll have a club soda and cranberry juice please.” Her ears immediately perked up when one of the bridesmaids said, “Becky, look at Sheena. Do you believe how cheeky she is? She’s been chasing Mr. Yumminess all night.”

“Big surprise. She’s always had a thing for him. But Alec’s the love ’em and leave ’em type. He’ll spend the night with her and then leave first thing in the morning, like he always does,” Becky said resignedly. “Right, Justine?”

“Don’t ask me. How would I know?” Justine grinned. “Anyway…a girl can always dream. Alec is wicked hot, but he’s always up front about not wanting to get married again.” She rolled her eyes. “Sheena knows that, but she thinks she can change him.”

“Maybe she will. Look at them,” Becky said, nudging her.

“I don’t want to. Let’s go back. She’s monopolizing Alec’s time.” Justine grabbed Becky’s arm and drinks in hand, they headed toward the table.

Kate set her glass down and made a beeline to the ladies’ room for immediate strategizing. The moment she entered the ladies’ room, her throat clogged and her eyes welled up.
This is ridiculous.
She angrily swiped at her eyes, surprised by her extreme sappiness tonight. She felt humiliated that Alec was publicly dissing her with Sheena. Most of the guests didn’t even realize it, so why should she feel so rejected? And why should she be so surprised? It wasn’t as if they’d parted on good terms and kept in touch.

Her friendship with Eileen had strengthened over the years, but she hadn’t seen or spoken to Alec since their divorce. Small surprise he was avoiding her. Still, it rankled that he’d be so dismissive. Couldn’t he be gracious? Eileen had told her Alec dated a lot, so she wasn’t surprised he was popular with the ladies tonight. But she hadn’t counted on Sheena…

Growing more annoyed by the minute, Kate blew her nose furiously. If Alec wasn’t capable of coming to her, she’d go to him. Since when had she let his mulishness stop her?
Since the divorce…
Well, things were different now and she hadn’t come all the way to Scotland to cower in the ladies’ room. She was there to get what she wanted, even if it meant chasing after it.

Kate flung the door open and headed to the grand ballroom where Alec was groovin’ to the music with Sheena. She had long, straight black hair parted in the middle, and she wore a burnished silver mini dress that cupped her perky behind. Swaying sensuously to the music, she flung her hair from side to side and sent smoky-eyed glances toward Alec, who was holding his own on the dance floor. Despite his large stature and muscular physique, he was light on his feet and moved with incredible rhythm.

Kate walked up to them as soon as the music stopped. “Excuse me please. I need to talk to Alec. It’s urgent.”

Sheena ignored Kate and looked at Alec, waiting for his reaction.

Alec exhaled a heavy sigh. “It seems Kate and I need to have a wee chat. You’ll save another dance for me, won’t you, Sheena?”

“Aye,” Sheena said reluctantly, giving Kate the evil eye. She squeezed Alec’s hand and smoldered at him from beneath long lashes. “Later,” she promised before tossing her sleek hair over one shoulder and leaving.

The grooves beside Alec’s mouth deepened into slashes and his tawny eyes studied Kate from beneath knitted brows.  “So, Katie, has hell frozen over then?”

Alec’s sardonic question annoyed her and the fact that he brought up the last thing she had said to him after their divorce irked her even more.

“Were you planning on ignoring me all night?” she asked with a thrust of her chin. Good thing she was wearing stiletto heels and didn’t have to crane her head too far back to look at him. With that jab, he didn’t deserve one inch, let alone twelve inches of advantage over her.

“You’re hard to ignore. I recognize that look on your face. What do you want?” Alec’s question rolled off his tongue with a deep Scots burr, sending a shiver of apprehension through her. He was no slouch as an interrogator. She’d have to keep her cool so they could come to a compromise.
Even if she had to be the lamb to his wolf.

“No need to be suspicious,” she murmured lightly. She held out her hand. “Shall we dance?” 

“Aye. Why not?” Alec said, more to himself than to Kate. His large hand closed over her hand as his other warm hand settled on the small of her back. A shockwave of sensations skittered up her spine as he pulled her toward him, leaving no doubt who was leading whom.

Kate wished they were anywhere but on the dance floor. But what else could she do? She’d had to move quickly when she saw how Sheena was coming on to Alec. If she hadn’t, it would only be a matter of time before Alec and Sheena headed out together.

As they danced, Alec’s lean hips moved in a sensual, leisurely way that drew Kate’s immediate attention. Her stomach fluttered as she thought of what lay beneath the sporran covering his pelvis. One glance at him and she caught his raised eyebrow. Damn him, he always seemed to know what she was thinking.

“Why the change of heart?” she said when the music slowed down.

“What do you mean?” It was hard to overlook his palm pressed firmly on her lower back, the fingertips hovering above the top swell of her bottom. In the past, that hand wouldn’t have remained still. It would have roamed the round contours of her buttocks, stroking and squeezing to his heart’s content. His other hand enveloped hers, strong and assured, with tapered fingers she knew were adept at creating magic. At the moment, the slight pressure of those very fingers was wreaking havoc on her composure.

She drew in a steadying breath. It was the first time they’d been so physically close in a long while and she wasn’t prepared for the onslaught of heady sensations and emotions. Heat flooded every pore of her wobbly body as she tried to maintain a semblance of poise.

“First you glare at me at church, then you ignore me all evening and now you’re dancing with me.”

“I didn’t glare at you. I was surprised to see you, verra surprised. Curious too.” Alec pulled her closer and his mouth hovered at her temple. “Eileen didn’t tell me you’d be here,” he said in a low voice, his warm breath tickling her ear.

Gooseflesh spread over her bare arms and she dearly hoped he didn’t notice. “She didn’t? And here I wondered why you’d requested to sit by me and never showed up.”

“You’ll have to do better than that, wee Katie. What prompted you to show up here after so many years?”

“I came for the wedding. And don’t call me wee Katie.”

“You haven’t told me
why
you came.”

She stiffened. “My friendship with your sister didn’t end with our divorce. It’s no surprise she would invite me to her wedding.”

“Aye, but that doesn’t explain why Eileen kept it a secret.”

“I asked her not to tell you I was coming.”

“You shouldn’t have done that.” His gruff tone said he didn’t like them keeping a secret from him.

“I wanted a chance to talk to you…to discuss something very important.”

He slowed down and leaned back to study her face. “Oh? And what would that be?”

Alec’s tawny eyes penetrated hers, but she couldn’t divulge the real purpose of her trip in the middle of a dance floor. He might stalk away and then she’d have to follow him. They needed to speak in private, but after the way they had ended it all those years ago, he probably wouldn’t agree. Their fights had been too passionate...their tempers too hot. They’d had a constant a battle of wills that sometimes escalated into passionate fights and ended with Alec’s erotic lovemaking. She shivered at the toe-curling memories.

“It’s something mutually beneficial.”
Good,
she had Alec’s full attention now, and it was time to go in for the kill. With a slight shimmy of her shoulders, Kate inched closer, the tips of her breasts brushing against the lapels of his wool jacket. “Keep an open mind and maybe we can cut a deal,” she said with a cryptic smile, enjoying how his eyes lit up.  

Alec stopped dancing and stared at Kate. What game was she playing? He couldn’t take one more second of her breasts barely touching him. If she moved in any closer, his physical response would be hard to hide. Pulling back to gaze at her hadn’t helped either. Kate’s luscious body was draped in a jaw-dropping strapless jade dress that emphasized full, round breasts, a small waist and shapely hips. What was he thinking dancing with her? He was already hard as a poker.
Damn fool!
Too many cups of wine and he’d already succumbed to temptation in the form of wee Katie and her dangerous curves.

He shook his head and considered what she had just said.
Maybe we can cut a deal
. What kind of deal? Bloody hell, it was all he could do not to drag her from the dance floor to find out.

“This isn’t the place for a private conversation.” He lightly clasped her above the elbow and led her away.

“Hey, slow down. I can’t keep up with you.” Kate’s high heels clicked on the marble floor as she tried to keep up with his long strides.

“What are you doing in those ridiculously high stilettos?” he muttered even though he knew why she’d worn them. Not one to be bested by his height, Kate had made damn sure she would be as close to eye level as possible.

Alec released her arm when they reached the lobby. The feel of her soft skin was distracting and he needed a clear head to deal with her. He came to a halt before two antique chairs and an ornate Victorian sofa.

With his hands on his hips, he leaned in close. “Okay, out with it.”

Kate shook her head. “Not here. It’s not a good place to talk. Too many people milling around.” She gestured toward a group getting off the elevator and heading toward them.

He clasped her upper arm again. “Then we’ll go outside.”

She arched an eyebrow and stared at his hand encircling her arm until he released it.

“It’s too cold out there and I left my wrap at the table. Can’t we find someplace a little more…secluded?” She paused and smiled, a slight catlike lift of her lips. A smile of seduction.
Interesting…
Two could play this game. 

“Then we’ll go to my room.”

“Your room?”

“Aye. We’ll have that chat you’re set on having.”

She stepped up to him so close he got a tantalizing whiff of flowers. His gaze dipped to her soft, bare nape above the coppery, chestnut hair swept back in a loose updo. He wanted to release the pins and run his fingers through her glossy hair, to unzip her dress and bury his face in her pillowy, fragrant breasts...

“What about the guests?” she asked, interrupting his fantasies.

“The party’s almost over. They won’t notice we’re gone. Let’s go.”

Alec watched her bravado slip as she stood before him, wide green eyes vulnerable and lips slightly parted. All playfulness vanished as she swallowed visibly and nodded.

Alec’s suite was simply magnificent. Kate glanced around the spacious room, awed by its sumptuous décor from the gleaming mahogany antiques to the marble fireplace before the pearl gray sofa. In her thriving business, she was invited to many destination weddings and often stayed in hotel rooms, but this one surpassed them all. For a girl who’d grown up having to share a room with boisterous twin brothers, spending a night on luxury sheets and ordering room service was her idea of sheer heaven.

The first time she’d ever spent the night in a hotel suite was on her honeymoon with Alec. She remembered the dizzying excitement as if it were yesterday. And from the smoldering look in Alec’s heavy-lidded eyes, he was remembering it too.

“Let’s sit by the fire,” Alec said, his voice huskier than usual.

Kate perched on the edge of the sofa while he crossed to the sideboard.

“Would you like a drink?” he asked.

“No, thanks.” She needed to keep her wits sharp around him.

Alec seemed to be in no hurry as he took off his jacket and sporran and laid them over a chair. He untied the black cravat and loosened the collar of his shirt, then rolled up his sleeves revealing muscular, brown forearms. She’d always found his swarthy skin appealing. The contrast with his topaz eyes and dazzling white smile made his rugged face all the more enticing.  He stretched his arms out and rolled his neck from side to side before pouring scotch into a cut crystal glass.

If he was getting comfortable, she might as well too. Kate slipped out of her shoes and massaged her aching feet as she sat back on the sofa and replayed the reason she was here. Eileen had confided many things, but what bolstered her most was hearing her say,
Alec would never admit it, but he’s lonely. All his friends are married, and most have children. Now I’m getting married too. He has a lot of women, but he hasn’t had a relationship with any of them…since you.
Eyeing how hot he looked, she wondered if Eileen had exaggerated just to get them back together again.

He was already drawing her to him like a hypnotist. She couldn’t afford a replay of the past where a meaningful look from him was all it took to land her in bed for steamy, heart-throbbing, knee-melting sex. The bridesmaid at the bar had said Alec was the love ’em and leave ’em type. If had been capable of leaving Kate once, he’d do it again. She couldn’t bear to feel that broken again.

By the time Alec joined her on the sofa, Kate’s nerves were bouncing like popcorn kernels in a sizzling pan. He took a long swig of scotch, set the glass on the coffee table and turned his full attention on her. Up close, his eyes were the color of golden sherry with chocolate colored flecks. Surrounded by lush, dark lashes, those gleaming eyes alone would tempt a saint. She scooted over. Alec was a large man and she didn’t want to be distracted by his knee, or any part of him, touching her.