Read Online Winds of Heaven by Karen Toller Whittenburg - Free Book Online
Authors: Karen Toller Whittenburg
Tags: Contemporary Romance
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intrusion she couldn’t ignore. “If that’s the way you feel, perhaps I should conduct an investigation into your background. After all, your influence on your employees is far greater than mine. It might be in the best interests of Southwest and my seminar for me to know something about the people who have influenced you.” Kylie paused, letting the idea settle between them before she pushed for an apology. “Have you ever been engaged, Nick? Married? Divorced? Who was she? What was she like? Was she a blonde, brunette, or redhead? Did she have blue eyes or brown?”
“I see your point. Sorry if I offended you. I felt I had a valid reason.” He hesitated as if he wasn’t sure how she would react next. “Will it help if I admit that my reason was more personal than professional? I want to know more about you, Kylie.”
A wry smile pestered her lips, and she sincerely hoped he couldn’t see it. She should tell him to mind his own business, to stay out of her personal life, past and present. At any other time she would have done just that without hesitation. But tonight she felt somehow alone. And Nick was perceptive enough to sense that, and to ask a personal question when she was in an unusually vulnerable mood.
Maybe it was the newness of her surroundings or the quiet solitude of the night. Perhaps it was simply the fragrance of memories in the air. Kylie sighed and knew she was going to tell him about Colin. “It wasn’t my idea to break the engagement,” she admitted. “Colin decided that for me. He married my best friend.”
“I can’t imagine you letting another woman take your fiancé without a fight.”
“I wasn’t much of a fighter then.” Memories suddenly clouded her vision, and Kylie stared at a faraway star, thinking, remembering. She had never had to be a fighter, never had to make decisions. Colin had done that for her, and she had meekly accepted his right to be her guide and mentor. But then he had chosen to marry Susan. A woman with “spirit,” Colin had said, a woman who knew what she wanted in life.
It had been a slap in the face, and Kylie had felt betrayed and hurt and afraid of having no one to depend on except herself. But in the months since, she had faced the fear and conquered it. She had discovered that she liked making her own decisions, liked the positive, assertive person she had learned to be.
“Kylie?”
At Nick’s soft reminder of his presence the memories faded. “Sorry,” she said. “I don’t often talk about the past.”
“Is it past, Kylie?” Nick seemed to hesitate before adding, “Or do you still love him?”
“No.” She could say it easily now without even the tiniest twist of her heart. “Loving Colin was little more than a habit.”
“Why does that make me want to smile?” Nick asked quietly, charging the air around her with electricity.
An ambience of intimacy enfolded her as her gaze covered the distance between them. In the dim light she couldn’t see his expression, but she could feel their thoughts bonding in mutual understanding. The night felt suddenly warm, as something inside her caught and kindled into the first spark of desire.
Releasing her breath slowly, she made herself look away. “It happened a long time ago,” she said to break the mood. “I hardly ever think about Colin anymore. There are still times when I miss Susan’s friendship, though. Times when I’d like to telephone her, even though I know I can’t. I know how awkward and uncomfortable we’d both feel.”
The tightening in her throat choked back Kylie’s words, and she had to blink moisture from her eyes. What was she doing? Talking to a near stranger about things she didn’t even tell her family? She should have kept things strictly business with Nick. At least that was a mistake she could try to rectify. With cool composure she turned toward the house. “It’s getting late. We should start working on the seminar.”
His brows drew together in a
“I see your point. Sorry if I offended you. I felt I had a valid reason.” He hesitated as if he wasn’t sure how she would react next. “Will it help if I admit that my reason was more personal than professional? I want to know more about you, Kylie.”
A wry smile pestered her lips, and she sincerely hoped he couldn’t see it. She should tell him to mind his own business, to stay out of her personal life, past and present. At any other time she would have done just that without hesitation. But tonight she felt somehow alone. And Nick was perceptive enough to sense that, and to ask a personal question when she was in an unusually vulnerable mood.
Maybe it was the newness of her surroundings or the quiet solitude of the night. Perhaps it was simply the fragrance of memories in the air. Kylie sighed and knew she was going to tell him about Colin. “It wasn’t my idea to break the engagement,” she admitted. “Colin decided that for me. He married my best friend.”
“I can’t imagine you letting another woman take your fiancé without a fight.”
“I wasn’t much of a fighter then.” Memories suddenly clouded her vision, and Kylie stared at a faraway star, thinking, remembering. She had never had to be a fighter, never had to make decisions. Colin had done that for her, and she had meekly accepted his right to be her guide and mentor. But then he had chosen to marry Susan. A woman with “spirit,” Colin had said, a woman who knew what she wanted in life.
It had been a slap in the face, and Kylie had felt betrayed and hurt and afraid of having no one to depend on except herself. But in the months since, she had faced the fear and conquered it. She had discovered that she liked making her own decisions, liked the positive, assertive person she had learned to be.
“Kylie?”
At Nick’s soft reminder of his presence the memories faded. “Sorry,” she said. “I don’t often talk about the past.”
“Is it past, Kylie?” Nick seemed to hesitate before adding, “Or do you still love him?”
“No.” She could say it easily now without even the tiniest twist of her heart. “Loving Colin was little more than a habit.”
“Why does that make me want to smile?” Nick asked quietly, charging the air around her with electricity.
An ambience of intimacy enfolded her as her gaze covered the distance between them. In the dim light she couldn’t see his expression, but she could feel their thoughts bonding in mutual understanding. The night felt suddenly warm, as something inside her caught and kindled into the first spark of desire.
Releasing her breath slowly, she made herself look away. “It happened a long time ago,” she said to break the mood. “I hardly ever think about Colin anymore. There are still times when I miss Susan’s friendship, though. Times when I’d like to telephone her, even though I know I can’t. I know how awkward and uncomfortable we’d both feel.”
The tightening in her throat choked back Kylie’s words, and she had to blink moisture from her eyes. What was she doing? Talking to a near stranger about things she didn’t even tell her family? She should have kept things strictly business with Nick. At least that was a mistake she could try to rectify. With cool composure she turned toward the house. “It’s getting late. We should start working on the seminar.”
His brows drew together in a
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