One Real Man (Entangled Bliss)(40)

He kneaded the steering wheel for a while. “I hope you haven’t fallen out with your mother over me—”

“It’s not you. It’s me.” She could understand why her mother was so baffled by her behavior. She’d even come to appreciate that her mother’s haranguing was just her way of showing she cared. But sooner or later, Crystal would realize Paige wasn’t going back to her old ways, and maybe then they’d be able to forge a different, more equal connection.

Owen was silent for about a block. “Aren’t you going to ask about my meeting with Eric Jensen?”

She turned to him, suddenly apprehensive. “Did—did it go okay?”

“Looks like he’ll be our new investor in Bandicoot Creek.”

Relief trickled through her. She’d struggled to catch her dad’s attention, but eventually he’d listened to her and offered advice. He’d even appeared impressed by her efforts. It had been another ordeal to approach Eric and convince him she was genuine. She’d feared Eric would be unbearably snobbish toward Owen, but it seemed this unlikely partnership might work.

“That’s great.” She smiled briefly. “Though you may not think so when you meet his fiancée, Astrid.”

“The Astrid?”

“Yep.”

He shrugged. “If I can handle Gretel, then Astrid will be a cinch.”

“Eric’s a bit of a pill, but I’m glad you’ve worked something out with him.”

“It’s all thanks to you.” He shot her a brief glance loaded with meaning. “I never expected you to do something like this.”

She tightened her grip around her purse. “I wanted to make up for what happened with Asquith.”

He shook his head vehemently. “I never blamed you. You didn’t have to—”

“I had to put things right.” She met his eyes. Emotion rushed over her, loosening her tongue. “Not just for Asquith, but for everything else.”

Something flared in his eyes, something wild and exhilarating. “You mean you”

Frightened of what she’d revealed and of what she’d glimpsed in his eyes, she glanced away and saw the open gates of the Kerrigan house just a short distance away. She hadn’t expected to end up here today, alone with Owen. He steered the car down the driveway. When he cut the engine, her throat dried. Anxious, she got out of the car and took off for the rear of the house. Owen’s footsteps crunched behind her as she headed instinctively for the conservatory.

She walked into the cool, serene space, feeling anything but. So much of significance had passed between them in this place, but instinct warned her that something of even greater importance could now happen. She rubbed her forearms, agitated, filled with suspense and longing.

“I remember the first time I saw you here.” Owen’s reflective tone startled her. “You wore a blue polka-dot bikini and you had your hair tied up with a blue scrunchie.”

She turned to him in surprise. “You remember that?”

“Of course.” He was closer than she’d realized. So close that, as his gaze fixed on her, she could make out the hazel striations in his pupils. As he breathed in, she felt her own chest lifting in unison, as if she were hypnotized by the intense green fire in his eyes. “It’s impossible to forget the moment I first fell in love with you.”

Blood thudded in her ears. “Wh-what?” She couldn’t have heard right.

“You heard me, princess.” He stepped closer, and she felt the heat of his body envelop her, consume her. “I fell in love with you back then, when we were just sixteen.”

Owen was talking about love. About being in love. With her. Suddenly her skin felt raw, blistered. “How could you love me then?” She gulped as her eyes started to sting. “I was so mean and—and cruel to you.”

The corner of his mouth twisted. “Yeah, you were. When I left, I thought I hated you, and when we met again I still believed that.” She flinched, but he continued forcefully, “But I fell in love with you again and in a whole new way. I used to call you princess because you were uppity, but now I call you princess because you’re strong and smart and you rule my heart completely.” He paused, and for the first time a hint of vulnerability showed in his expression. “Paige, I know I’m not as polished as the guys you usually—”

“Stop.” To her astonishment, she found herself pressing her forefinger to his lips. “Don’t say another word about other guys.” Against her finger, his mouth was hot and firm. Fierce, primitive longing spiked in her, setting her body trembling. She gulped and blinked back her tears. “You’re the only man to ‘get’ me. You see through all the layers I put on for protection. It’s wonderful, but it’s also scary. I’ve been burned before, by a man I never really cared about, so to open up to you, a man I truly adore, is frightening.”

His gaze seemed to devour her. “Are you saying?”

Breathing unsteadily, she framed his face with shaking hands. “I’m saying I love you, Owen Bellamy. I love you with all my heart. It—it scares the bejesus out of me, but I have to tell you.” Finally she could give voice to the emotion that had tied her in knots ever since she’d recognized it. Finally she had the courage to tell him how she felt.

“Princess—” He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her to him in a fierce hug, lifting her off her feet. For a few endless seconds she heard their hearts thump together in the aching silence. Then, loosening his grip slightly, he angled his head to cover her mouth hungrily with his. All the bitterness of the past melted away as she answered his ardor with her own unleashed passion. Fueled by the pent-up emotion of their separation, she kissed him like a lost wanderer in the desert finding an oasis.

Eventually they had to come up for oxygen.

Panting and exhilarated, Paige beamed at Owen. “I realized I loved you in this pool, after the night we spent together.”

He exhaled deeply. “That’s why you pulled away, shut me out so completely.”

She nodded. “I was terrified. Still am, really. You’re not a man I can control, but I don’t want to anyway. I want to put my trust in you.” She bit her lip as uncertainty began to nip at her. “I know I’m not the right type for you. I’m not like Heidi.”

Owen stared at her. “Hey, Heidi’s like a kid sister to me.”

“She is? ButI got the impression there was something more between you two.”

He sighed. “Heidi developed a crush on me, and it made things awkward between us for a while, but a few days ago we had a chat and talked things over. She realizes it was just an infatuation she felt for me, and we’re good friends again.” He slid his hands around her waist. “No one could ever hold a candle to you. No one.”

The hungry glow in his eyes dazzled him, and then they were lost in each other again.

A long while later, they were curled up together on a sun lounger, warm and buzzing from the afterglow of their kisses. Paige snuggled her head on Owen’s shoulder as she fingered the buttons on his shirt. “You know,” she murmured, “we could get a lot more comfortable in your bedroom” She was desperate to make love with him, and she didn’t mind telling him.

“Are you trying to seduce me, princess?”

She coasted her lips over his throat. “Am I succeeding?”

He chuckled as he closed his hand over her fingers. “You can seduce me all you want in a moment, just as soon as I’ve settled a few things with you.”

He was serious, she realized, so she leaned back to listen to him.

“I’m moving into an old farmhouse on the other side of town,” he said as he stroked her arm. “It’s homey, but it has all the modern conveniences.”

“Sounds lovely.” She nestled her head against his chest.

“I still go up to Sydney once a week. I could pick you up on Fridays and drive you back here.”

“Wait a minute.” She lifted her head to gaze at him. “After everything we’ve just confessed to each other, you think I’ll be happy with some long-distance relationship?”

“I know how important your career is to you.” He wrinkled his brow. “And reestablishing yourself in Sydney.”

“I said that when I was still in a funk over that video. And when I was still in denial over what you meant to me.” Pushing herself upright, she leaned over him. “But now you’re the most important person to me. I don’t want to start us off by hedging my bets. I don’t want a tepid, part-time affair, I want the whole deal. I want us to be together, wherever that might be.” She curled her fingers into his shirt, fierce with love.

“You’re sure?”

“As sure as I’m going to get you naked very, very soon.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” he growled, pulling her to him for a quick, hard kiss. “If you’re going to stay in Burronga, there’s a local job opening soon that might be up your alley.”

“What job?”

“We were just discussing it over lunch. Bandicoot Creek requires a proper marketing campaign. We need someone to create the brand and help us sell it. Think you might be interested?”