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And she wouldn’t be here for years. She grimaced, her scalp crying out in protest as she ran a brush ruthlessly through her disheveled hair.
Do what you can. Enjoy what you have while you have it. And for God’s sake, don’t take all of this too seriously.
Enjoying her time with Simon was not the issue. She cherished every moment in his company because being with him filled her lonely places in a way that she had never experienced before.
I’m poor. I’m pragmatic. I am not a woman who believes in soul mates: one man and one woman who complete each other and are meant to be together.
Problem was, her parents had been like that. Poor as they had been, they had also been completely happy. In many ways, it was almost a blessing that they had gone together because Kara was almost certain that one would not have survived without the other. They had been so connected that either of her parents would have been tormented and miserable without the other. It was hard not to believe in real, soul-binding love after watching her parents for eighteen years.
She heaved a sigh and set her brush back on the vanity. Okay…maybe she did believe that love could be that intense, that consuming. But not with Simon. Never with Simon. The man was heartbreak waiting to happen. He didn’t do committed relationships and she was already on emotional overload with him.
The only way to survive her relationship with Simon was to keep it casual, not let her heart get involved.
Scooping up her jacket and purse, she sauntered toward the kitchen, hearing only two words running over and over in her head and her own self-deprecating laugh echo through her mind.
Too late. Too late.
Samuel Hudson had a lavish mansion in South Tampa, an area so affluent that Kara had never been there before, even though she had grown up in the city. She had to force her open mouth to close as James pulled the car around the circular driveway, letting them out in the front of the palatial residence.
“This is…spectacular,” she whispered to Simon as he took her hand to help her out of the car.
“You see why I decided not to drive?” he said in a lazy voice, his eyes scanning the expensive vehicles lining the long driveway.
“You draw quite a crowd, Mr. Hudson,” she told him softly, her eyes roving over his handsome face. “Happy Birthday. I have a present for you, but I’ll give it to you later.”
His face lit up in a wicked, wicked grin as their eyes locked in a heated gaze. “I thought you gave it to me last night. And tonight.”
“Simon!” She refused to blush again. She wouldn’t. Absolutely not. She was a mature, adult woman and she didn’t blush over a simple sexual comment. She was an almost-nurse for God’s sake, used to seeing the human body in all states of dress. It wasn’t like she was a young girl, but it was an infuriating fact that Simon could make her feel like one sometimes.
“Well…just saying. But I won’t argue if you want to do it again. In fact, we could go home right now-”
“In the house, birthday boy.” She laughed as he slipped his arm around her waist and led her to the door, a small, satisfied smirk still present on his lips.
“Tomorrow night we’re going out alone,” he muttered, his arm tightening around her body as he led her to the front door.
“Tomorrow?” she said, confused.
“For your birthday. I’m taking you out. Alone.”
She turned to face him after they had climbed the marble steps, stopping at the huge double doors. “You aren’t taking me out. You’ve done enough. It’s not necessary.”
“It’s very necessary,” he answered, his voice harsh. “I want to. It’s your birthday.”
The door swung open before she could answer.
“Hey, bro! Glad you finally decided to join your own party.”
Kara immediately recognized Sam Hudson. Simon had been right. He was movie-star handsome. Dressed similar to Simon, his sweater was an emerald green that nearly matched his eyes. He looked like an enormous, blond, mythological god…but in Kara’s opinion, he lacked Simon’s sex appeal. Although she could aesthetically appreciate Sam’s handsome face and gorgeous body…he had nothing on his younger brother.
Sam stood back and motioned for them to enter. Kara could feel Sam’s eyes studying her, his brain working furiously to figure her out, put her in a box. As she entered the marbled entryway, she wondered what Simon had told his brother about her.
“Kara, this is my brother Sam,” Simon introduced them casually, his hand reaching out to take the jacket she was discarding. An elderly man, obviously an employee, took the coat from Simon’s arm.
“Well, bro, no need to ask why I haven’t seen much of you lately,” Sam said softly, his tone mocking.
Kara extended her hand politely. “It’s nice to meet you, Sam. I’ve heard a lot about you from your mother.”
“A pleasure.” His hand engulfed her smaller one in a firm grip, holding it a little longer than necessary. “Mom’s talked about you a lot, too. All of it good, of course,” Sam answered, his smile brilliant and his manner persuasive.