“You were only trying to salvage his ego.”
“I know,” Tanisha wailed.
“He placed you in a no-win situation.”
“Exactly, but he’s an honesty-is-the-best-policy type of guy.”
Katie let out a soft sigh. It certainly didn’t sound like a happily-ever-after ending for her friend. To think, strong-minded, independent Tanisha was reduced to rubble over a man. If it could happen to her, it could happen to anyone. Her heart gave a strange jerk of disappointment and she realized she’d secretly been rooting for Tanisha’s relationship with Dwayne to be of the soul-mate variety.
See what happens when you believe in fairy tales?
Katie rose to her feet. This was precisely why she avoided committed relationships-too much chance for heartache.
“I knew better than to tell Dwayne a white lie. I made a mistake. I know it now. But he won’t even take my calls.”
Not knowing what else to do, Katie patted her friend’s shoulder. “I’m so sorry you’re hurting.”
“You were right to stick to sex and avoid romantic entanglements,” Tanisha said. “Love, marriage, happily-ever-after, it’s all bullshit.”
“No.” Katie shook her head. “I was wrong. Yes, maybe I’ve never been hurt, but I’ve also never had the depth of intimacy you found with Dwayne.”
But you could have it, if you let yourself.
Yeah, right, willingly lay herself open to the kind of pain Tanisha was suffering. No thank you.
“I love him so much. I’ve never felt this way before and it’s ripping me apart inside to think I’ve lost him because of my own stupidity. How can I ask him to forgive me when he won’t even talk to me?”
“If he’s this unforgiving, maybe he’s not the right one for you,” Katie ventured.
“He was the one,” Tanisha said, and shed another tear.
“Then if Dwayne’s the one, you guys will work this out,” Katie said, not believing what she was saying but knowing it was the only thing that would make Tanisha feel better.
“You really think so?”
Katie crossed her fingers behind her back, telling her own white lie. “Absolutely. Give him some time to deal with his bruised ego and he’ll figure out he can’t live without you.”
Tanisha smiled sadly through the tears. “Thank you, Katie, for being such a good friend. You’re probably right, the male ego being what it is. Dwayne really is a stand-up guy.”
Katie forced a smile of her own. For Tanisha’s sake, she prayed it was true.
WHILE KATIE was consoling Tanisha, Liam was staring out the big plate-glass window of his office building watching the bustling city go about its daily activity. He knew she was holding back, keeping her emotions in check. Using sex to keep from experiencing something deeper. He had a feeling she’d been using adventure as a barrier against intimacy for most of her life. He’d just had to figure out a way to knock that wall down.
Truth was, he was out of his league when it came to this romantic stuff. But like any successful executive, he knew where to turn to find answers. Breezing past Vanessa, he headed down the corridor to Tony’s office.
He knocked at Tony’s door but charged in without waiting to be invited.
Tony glanced up from his paperwork. “Hey, boss, what’s up?”
“I need your advice.”
“Sure.” Tony tossed down his pen, leaned back in his chair. “What can I do for you?”
This suddenly seemed like a stupid idea, and Liam almost turned on his heel and walked away. But the thought of winning Katie’s heart had him taking a seat across from his best friend’s desk.
“I’m here for you. What do you need to say?” Tony arched his eyebrows.
“It’s complicated.”
Tony steepled his fingers. “Do you want my advice or not.”
Liam cleared his throat. “Okay, here’s the deal, I think I’m falling in love with Katie, but she’s terrified of intimacy and I don’t know how to get through to her.”
Tony snorted. “Katie’s not the only one afraid of intimacy.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“How many years has your love life taken a backseat to romance?”
“Thirty-one,” Liam admitted.
“Exactly.”
“But that’s not because I didn’t want to fall in love. I was just too busy.”
“And why is that?”
Because he’d been determined to prove to Finn Delancy he was worthy of his respect, but he couldn’t tell Tony this. “I don’t know.”
“Yes, you do.”
“No, I don’t.”
“Because you were terrified you’d screw it up.”
Liam laughed harshly. “Okay, that’s a fact. So what do I do about Katie?”
“Tell her you’re falling in love with her.”
Liam swallowed. The thought was daunting. “I’m afraid she’ll run away.”
“Then take her someplace where she can’t run away. A place where she has to face her feelings and talk things out with you.”
“And where would that be?”
“I dunno. A tropical island.”
“You mean, take a vacation?”
“I know that word isn’t in your vocabulary, but if you want to romance this woman, then you’ve got to think of her desires. You both need time away from work and family to create a fantasy world all your own.”
It made sense. “But what if she doesn’t have real feelings for me?”
“Better to know now and cut things off clean than to keep dating her and hoping she’ll start to feel something. It’s like a real-estate deal. You’re either in or you’re out.”
Tony was right and Liam knew it, but cutting things off with Katie was easier said than done.
“You gotta take a leap of faith, man,” Tony said sagely. “Take a risk with her the way you take a risk on the stock market. Make your plans, do your research, dive in and pray for the best.”
“And if I fail?”
“At least you tried. And, hey, I’ll be here to help you pick up the pieces.”
“Thanks. That means a lot.” Liam got to his feet.
Tony came around the desk to punch him lightly on the arm. “Go get her, dude. I’m living proof the rewards are worth the gamble.”
12
KATIE CAME UP with a brilliant plan for luring Liam to Fiji.
Their mother’s will bequeathed the Fiji property equally to Brooke, Joey and Katie. Briefly, they’d discussed the idea of selling it, but so far, none of them had either the heart or the emotional energy to fly out to the Pacific island paradise and check on the bungalow.
She now had the perfect excuse to complete her Martini dare.
There were so many things she wanted to do to Liam. She wanted to sleep with him in a macramé hammock hung between two palm trees. She wanted to make him cry out her name in ecstasy as they made love over the vibrating engine of a snorkel boat. She was dying to do it in a secret alcove of a rocking dance club, in the swimming pool, in the lanai of the bungalow. She fantasized about riding his hard-muscled body in a volcano grotto, beneath a waterfall, in the hot tub.
During her afternoon break, she slipped off to the employee lounge and called him up on her cell phone.
“Liam,” she murmured, all hot and bothered by her fantasies.
“Yes.” He sounded curt, abrupt. She must have interrupted him in the middle of his work. She almost apologized and hung up. But her determination to complete the Martini dare kept her hanging on.
“It’s me,” she said, then cringed. What if he didn’t know who me was?
“Katie.” His tone immediately melted into a buttery soft timbre.
Did the sound of her voice make him as horny as the sound of his voice made her? “Did I catch you at a bad time?”
“I was about to go into a meeting, but I have a few minutes. What’s up?”
“Um…since you’re an expert on real estate, I was hoping you might be willing to give me your opinion on some property my mother left me and my sisters. We’re considering selling it, but we don’t know if that’s the best way to go. Do you think you might be able to look at it for us?”