Undeniably His(48)

Kalin’s expression is soft and warm. “I knew you were a good negotiator.”

“I have my moments.”

He pulls me toward him as we walk down the beach, the water lapping at our feet.

He picks up a shell and tosses it into the ocean. “I knew I was right about you, Annabelle. I knew you didn’t care about the money. That’s exactly why I hired you. Are you really willing to give up four hundred million dollars, transferred in stock irrevocably to you?”

“You have two billion, Kalin. Besides, I can’t even wrap my head around that much money. It’s unreal.”

Kalin’s eyes narrow as he looks out into the ocean. “It’s not me I’m worried about.”

My eyes search his expression as he gazes out into the distance. He has gone through so much pain, an overwhelming storm that destroys weaker men. Kalin could just as easily have taken his billions and dropped out of his painful reality. I realize that he probably never recovered from his own grief before he wanted to protect everyone else. Then it suddenly dawns on me that this was not about him at all. It was about protecting those he genuinely cared about at his company, and preserving the honor he had built it on.

I feel a rush of admiration for him. My palms become wet and I clench my hands together. “I’m sorry, Kalin. I know that you’ve been through so much. Your success has not come without pain. Even with all of that heartbreak, you wanted to put others first over your own pain. I admire you for that.”

“It is my company, Annabelle.”

“I know. And I didn’t mean to put you in this situation. It’s just I cannot be sure without doing this.”

“I know. I was wrong for rushing you into this, and I’m sorry.”

For the first time, I see Kalin the way he really is. Yes he is incredibly sexy and is able to make my body sing with delight. But now I can see him the way he really is, in all of his vulnerability and heartache and pain and goodness.

It seems people like Kalin don’t even belong in this world sometimes. The world has a tendency to stomp them out and strip them of any goodness that is left and turn it into cynicism and resentment. But Kalin, as shrewd and brilliant as he is, is not yet so cynical as to close the door on love. He is still the quintessential romantic. How can I resist someone with so much faith in love? All I want to do is hold him in my arms and comfort him, and tell him the world is not entirely cruel and cold. He is giving love a second chance when he could have been too beaten and too tired to even go on.

I stroll up to Kalin and place my hands over his chest, sliding them up to his strong, broad shoulders. Kalin slides his fingers over my wrists and gazes back into my eyes.

“What?” He smiles down at me.

“You’re one of the most wonderful men I have ever met in my life, Kalin Davis. I’m sorry I was so cold. I was just unsure. But I don’t want you to leave. I don’t want you to walk out of my life.”

Kalin caresses my wrist with his fingers and slides his hands over my bare arms, and the warmth of his touch reaches my shoulders and down my back, sending a wave of warmth over my body. “I’m sorry I came on so strong, Annabelle. I felt something that I haven’t felt in so long. Believe me, at first I tried to deny what was happening. I didn’t want this any more than you did.” His lips flatten in and his jaw clenches as he looks out to the ocean and back at me. “But I knew I could no longer deny it. It meant so many things. This is new. This is the first time I’ve felt this way since Rebecca. And it scared me.”

“I never want you to feel like you can’t trust me or open up to me, Kalin. It took a lot of courage to do what you did.”

My eyes grow moist and I press up on my tiptoes to kiss him. Kalin’s mouth comes down to meet mine, and I close my eyes and feel the warmth of his lips caressing mine. I savor his sweet taste. His tongue slides over the fullness of my bottom lip, before invading my mouth and sending a fiery current through my veins. I moan as I wrap my arms around his neck. Kalin probes my mouth with a satisfied groan, and my heart flurries in my chest. Warmth spreads over me, and I briefly consider if love crashing together with lust makes it any less wonderful or pure.

My breasts rub against his muscled chest, causing my nipples to peak hard against the warmth of his hard body. Kalin reaches behind me and unties my bikini top. “One of the advantages of a private beach.” He grins. My top falls to the sand. The sensation of his skin against my bare breasts causes my back to arch against him while he continues to devour my mouth with hot kisses.

Kalin groans as his mouth closes over my nipple, causing a shuddering sensation to course through my spine. I instinctively slide my wet center against him, and his bulge hardens against my aching body. “Kalin, can we do this here?” I gasp.