“Don’t hold your breath for that one, friend. I’m never getting married.”
“Watch out, Sterling. I said the same thing for years.” Kyle grinned as he walked off in search of his wife.
* * *
Nicky was beaming. “I’m not going to ask how you managed to get Sterling Hamilton here tonight, but thanks.”
Kyle nodded, glancing around the room. “Where’s Kimara?”
Nicky couldn’t help noticing the lines of strain and tension etched deeply into his dark features. They were a mirror to those she’d seen in Kim’s face over the past few days. “She’s in the back doing a last minute check with our catering staff.”
“Thanks.” Kyle turned and had taken two steps when Nicky called after him. “Kyle, good luck.”
He nodded, knowing he would need all the luck he could get. He found Kimara where Nicky had said she would be, in the back near the kitchen. She was talking to a man he assumed was her head cook. His breath caught in his throat. Her profile was to him, and she looked beautiful dressed in a red strapless gown with a split that displayed a peek of her gorgeous long legs and fit every curve Kimara possessed. Her hair was eloquently pinned up in a style which allowed wisps of curls to fall framing her face, and to his delight she was wearing the diamond necklace and earrings he’d given her as a wedding gift.
He ached to pull her into his arms, to kiss her and to tell her how much he loved her. But first he had to explain things to her. He hoped to God she would listen and then forgive him.
The man Kimara was talking to walked away and she turned. Surprise flitted in her eyes when her gaze met his.
A sudden rush of air flooded her lungs when she saw the man standing a few feet away from her. She tried not to think about how handsome he looked dressed in a black tux, or the powerful magnetism he radiated. What she did focus her thoughts on was how much this man had hurt her. She remembered the last time she’d seen him, twelve days ago, and how he’d walked out on her. Those thoughts made her shiver in anger.
“What are you doing here, Kyle?”
Kimara watched as he came closer. She was too caught up in her hurt, pain, and resentment to see the tortured look of regret that lined his face and darkened his eyes.
“I had to come, baby. I couldn’t stay away from you any longer. I - ”
“Spare me. Your coming here was a mistake. You made everything clear the day you walked out on me.”
“Kimara, please hear me out. Let’s find a private place where we can talk. I need to explain things to you. I need to tell you that I--“
“You want to talk? Well, it’s too late for that. I asked you to talk to me that morning you left, and you said we had nothing to talk about. So why should I listen to anything you have to say now? Please leave, Kyle. Just go and leave me alone. You’ve broken my heart twice, and I won’t let you do it a third time.”
She made a move to walk around him, but Kyle blocked her path. “Twice? What are you talking about? How could I have broken your heart twice?”
Not wanting to tell Kyle about the time she’d been a young girl madly in love with him ten years ago, she faced him, her hands balling into fists at her side, her body filled with rage.
At that moment Kyle made the mistake of reaching out for her. “Don’t touch me,” she screamed, snatching away from him. “Just leave me alone. I hate you for making me love you. I hate you.” She suddenly turned on him, striking out at him, and in her pain she pounded his chest.
“You walked out on me,” she wept brokenly. “You made me love you and then you walked out on me.”
Kyle let Kimara release her fury on him, deserving everything he got. When he felt her body weaken with exhaustion, he picked her up in his arms and carried her into the back of the huge room. He was grateful no one had been around to witness the scene between them.
He continued walking with her in his arms, her body still shaking with wrenching sobs. He came to a small vacant room that had a table and a couple of chairs. With Kimara still nestled in his arms, he sat down.
Her crying tore at his heart; her pain cut through him. He held her with tears clouding his own eyes, remembering the two weeks they had spent together at Special K and how much they enjoyed being together. He knew deep down in his heart that he had begun loving her then. He never had meant to hurt her, but in trying to protect himself, he’d done just that. The realization that he was the cause of her tears tore at him, almost ripping him in two.
“I’m sorry, baby. Please forgive me. I never meant to hurt you,” he whispered hoarsely, holding her closer in his arms, closer to his heart.
The raw ache in Kyle’s voice and the slight trembling of his body cut through the wall of anguish and resentment Kimara felt. He was holding her tight, and his hands were moving gently up and down her back, comforting her and at the same time spreading warmth all through her.
Taking a deep calming breath, Kimara fought for self-control and pulled herself out of Kyle’s arms and out of his lap. “I’m fine now, Kyle,” she said quietly refusing to look at him. “Please leave now.”
“I’m not leaving until you hear me out, Kimara,” he said, taking her hand.
She pulled her hand free from him. The last thing she needed was to be touched by him. Her voice was tight with bitterness when she said, “I did hear you out once. It was that night at Special K when you said we would take things one day at a time when we got back here in Atlanta. But you didn’t mean to do that, did you? You had no intention of the two of us ever sharing anything beyond what was stipulated in Poppa Garwood’s will. You made me fall in love with you, Kyle. I told you that I never wanted to be one of your women, and I meant it. But you made me one of them anyway.”
Kyle’s body became tense at the calm acceptance in her voice. “I love you, Kimara.”
Kimara stared at him. “What did you say?”
“I said I love you. And you could never be one of my women because you are my only woman. You’re the only woman who can claim my heart. Only you. Please believe that.” His voice was hoarse and tight, as if the words were being wrenched from deep within him. “Please.”
He took a step forward. “I made a mistake by turning my back on you and my love for you. I was too afraid of the possible pain. I didn’t want to trust my love to you. But now I know that my trust for you is complete. You and I were meant to be together. Granddad knew it, and I’m grateful that he helped me to realize it.”
Kyle’s words began crumbling the wall Kimara had built around her heart. When he held his arms out to her, she stepped into them, winding her arms tightly around his neck.
He wrapped his arms around her. “I love you, Kimara,” he whispered. “I’ve missed you so much these past twelve days. Please take me back into your life, into your heart. Give me a chance to make everything up to you. Please give me the chance to love you forever.”
“I can’t believe you actually love me,” Kimara whispered softly.
“Believe it, because I plan on living the rest of my life showing you just how much.” He tightened his arms around her, his mouth closing hungrily over hers, wiping away hurt and pain, replacing both with promises of love everlasting.
Kimara kissed him back with all her heart, loving the way he was taking her mouth, removing her doubts, and soothing her fears. She had missed him desperately, and by the way he was kissing her, he had missed her too.
When he lifted his head some time later, he kept his arms wrapped around her. “I love you,” he whispered again, as if saying the words over and over would erase any doubt from her mind, “I love you, baby.”
“And I love you too, Kyle” she said, moving closer to his warmth.
He gave her a slow, sexy smile and touched her cheek. “Today is truly a special day. It’s a day meant for love. True love. Our love. I’ll never think ill of Valentine’s Day again. I now realize that it wasn’t meant for me to get married nine years ago. You and I were meant to be together. You are my soul mate.”
Kyle pulled her to him again for another kiss, their passion for each other almost blazing out of control.
“Harrumph.”
The clearing of someone’s throat made Kyle and Kimara part. They turned around to find Nicky had entered the room.
“I hate to intrude, but I’d gotten kind of worried about the two of you. Is everything okay?”
Kimara smiled at her friend, appreciating her concern. “Yes, everything’s fine. Kyle and I were just discussing the weather.”
Nicky laughed. “And I bet the both of you came to the conclusion it was rather hot.”
Kimara grinned. “Yeah, something like that. I guess I need to get back to the ball. I’ve been gone a long time.”
“Yes, but everything’s under control. The students are having the time of their lives. Did Kyle tell you whom he brought to the ball with him?”
Kimara lifted a brow. “No, I guess he didn’t get the chance to,” she said, smiling at Kyle. “Whom did you bring with you, Kyle?”
Nicky was so excited, she answered for him. “He brought Sterling Hamilton. Can you believe that?”
Kimara’s mouth fell open. “Sterling Hamilton! Kyle? How did you manage that? I didn’t know the two of you are friends.”