FOREVER MINE(27)

The thought of him going through her luggage, especially through some of her intimate things, didn’t sit well with Kimara, but she figured that now was not a good time to make waves. He might take back his offer to get her robe. “Thanks for being kind enough to get my robe, Kyle.”

“Sure.”

She regretted his act of kindness the minute he threw back the bedcovers. She had forgotten he didn’t have on a stitch of clothing. A blush covered her face when he got out of bed and walked across the room to the closet completely naked. The man had no shame... but then, neither did she, she thought upon realizing she couldn’t help but stare at his excellent physical shape. His lean tapered hips and legs were covered with fine hair. His stomach was firm and hard, and his shoulders and arms denoted supreme masculinity. His dark body stretched in a fine arch when he reached into the closet for her robe. Her throat went dry. She was speechless when he strode back over to the bed.

She couldn’t stop her eyes from moving all over him when he stood next to the bed with her robe in his hand.

“Anything else, sweetheart?” he asked, his voice hoarse, thick, and suggestive.

She somehow found her voice. “Yes, you can get your own robe and cover yourself,” she retorted sharply. She was angry at herself for the desire she had begun to feel for him all over again.

Her words seemed to amuse him. A flash of humor crossed his features. “You may as well get used to seeing me this way. I feel most comfortable when I’m wearing hardly anything.”

Kimara snatched the robe from his hands. To her supreme relief, he sauntered off in the direction of the bathroom, giving her a more than gracious view of the planes and angles of his physique, especially his captivating backside. She released a deep breath when she heard the sound of the shower. Quickly donning the robe, she took notice of her surroundings for the first time when she smelled the fragrance of flowers. A smile touched her lips when she saw the numerous arrangements of roses around the room and the bottle of champagne. Ignoring the feel of the cool wooden floor beneath her feet, she made her way over to the arrangement that held the card. Her hand trembled slightly when she recognized the sprawling bold writing on it. She silently read the message it contained. So intent was she in reading the card that she had not heard the sound of the shower stopping.

“Kimara?” Who sent the flowers and champagne?”

She glanced up. Kyle was standing in the bathroom doorway wearing only a towel around his hips. For a moment she was mesmerized upon remembering she’d slept snuggled to that magnificent body. Reluctantly, she pulled her eyes from his torso and back to his face.

“You won’t believe it when I tell you who sent them, Kyle.”

He raised a brow and walked over to her. “Really? Who sent them?”

She handed him the card.

Kyle recognized the handwriting immediately. It was distinct, with a flair that belonged to only one man.

His grandfather.





Eight




Kyle read the card he held in his hand.



To the granddaughter of my heart

and the grandson of my blood.

Thanks for fulfilling an old man’s

last dream. The Garwood and Stafford legacy

will continue thanks to the two of you.

I love you both.



Kyle Garwood III



“Aren’t the flowers beautiful?”

Kimara’s question drew Kyle’s gaze. She was unaware of the captivating picture she made standing next to the arrangement of roses. “Yes, they are. There wasn’t any doubt in Granddad’s mind we’d get married like he wanted,” Kyle said, smiling, and silently admiring his grandfather’s wisdom in choosing Kimara as the woman to continue the Garwood line. He was beginning to see that there was more to her than the beauty that shone on the outside. She possessed an inner beauty that most people lacked. She was a woman to be admired for her accomplishments. Having survived losing both parents, she’d made an alteration in her life that had boosted her self-esteem but hadn’t rearranged her priorities. And now he kind of liked the idea of her giving birth to his child. The thought of her gorgeous body swelling with his baby made a feeling of fierce pride flow through him. There was no doubt in his mind that she would make a good mother. He’d never been around children much, but he had watched Kimara interact with a little girl who’d been with her parents at the airport. It had been easy to see she liked kids. He knew at that moment he no longer wanted to think of the child they would make together as the Garwood heir. He wanted the baby for its own sake and not for any purpose it would serve or how it figured in his grandfather’s will.

“I guess it’s like you said that day in Mason’s office. He knew deep down we wouldn’t deny his last wish. I wonder how the flowers and champagne got here.”

Kimara’s words broke into Kyle’s thoughts. “I bet he left Mason explicit instructions what to do. He was the one who suggested that we come here for our honeymoon. I wonder what other surprises we should expect. I have a feeling Granddad thoroughly enjoyed planning all of this.”

“Are you saying Poppa Garwood knew he was dying? But that’s not possible. He had a sudden heart attack.”

“Sudden but not unexpected. I paid a visit to John Stone, his doctor, last week. He went over his case with me. Granddad began experiencing chest pains a couple of months ago. John ran tests that showed he needed to undergo open heart surgery. From what John said, he explained to Granddad there was a chance he wouldn’t survive the surgery, but without it he could have an attack and die at any time. Instead of having the surgery, he opted to spend his last days planning our wedding and assuring the birth of his great-grandchild.”

Tears gathered in Kimara’s eyes. “Oh, Kyle. I wish he would have told us. I wish he would have let us share those final days with him.”

Kyle pulled her into his arms. “You knew my grandfather, Kimara. He was a proud man. He wouldn’t have wanted our pity.”

“But we wouldn’t have pitied him. We would have given him our love.”

“I know. But in his way of thinking, for us to carry out the terms of the will is all the love we could ever give him.”

“But he isn’t here to know that we actually did it.”

Kyle smiled. “He knows. In his heart he knows. All of this proves that he knew it before he died. There was never any doubt in his mind what we would do. He took the biggest gamble of his life and won. He’s probably up there, looking down on us, grinning from ear to ear and feeling mighty proud of himself.”

“You’re probably right,” Kimara replied, smiling She wiped her eyes and pulled away from Kyle, fighting the need to be held by him. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I want to take a shower before preparing breakfast.”

“May I come and watch?” Kyle’s grin was irresistibly devastating.

A confusing frown covered Kimara’s features. “You want to watch me fix breakfast?”

“No. I want to watch you take a shower.” Kyle’s eyes settled on her mouth. He liked the full, generous shape of it and couldn’t stop remembering the feel of it under his.

Kimara drew on every ounce of self-control she had as her gaze met his. His words were a seductive challenge, and the shifting lights in the depths of his eyes were magnetic. To cover the passionate fluttering that arose at the back of her neck, her stare drilled into him.

“I think we need to get a few things straight, Kyle. I won’t be at your beck and call for the next two weeks.”

A teasing glint appeared in Kyle’s eyes. “I’m disappointed.”

“Then I suggest you get over it.” She couldn’t help noticing the towel around

Kyle’s waist had slipped a little lower. Her eyes moved from the middle section of his body to his broad chest, then back to his waist, his thighs, legs, and toes. When you raised her eyes, she found he’d been watching her ogle him.

“I hope you like everything you see, and especially something you don’t, Kimara, because in the next two weeks you won’t know where your body ends and mine begins.”

“Do you have to say such disgusting things?” Kimara snapped, tightening the robe firmly around her. She suddenly felt hot, and her heart began thumping erratically.

Kyle straightened his stance and took a few steps toward her. The look in his eyes was intent.

Biting her lower lip, Kimara took a step back. When Kyle stood directly in front of her, she felt as if her breath was cut off.

“My words aren’t disgusting. They’re the truth. And for a reason I don’t fully understand right now, so I’ll blame it on the magic of this place, I want you to have my baby, but not for my grandfather, for me. When we leave here two weeks from now, I want a part of me left inside you.”

Heat flooded Kimara’s cheeks. Her heart rate surged. She looked at him for a very long while, wondering why he was so eager for fatherhood all of a sudden. Could it be the magic of the place, as he suggested? Did Special K have some kind of lure that was supposed to enchant and captivate them? Is that why Poppa Garwood wanted them to spend their honeymoon there? Kimara shook her head, stopping her imagination from getting the best of her. She was too much of a realist to believe in magic.