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“Don’t you like my present?” Hutch piped up, atrace of uncertainty edging his voice. “I bought him just for you.”
It was the first hint of vulnerability Ty had ever seen the boy reveal. Striding across the room, he dropped an arm around Cassidy’s shoulders and drew her close. “I’m sure your mom is thrilled. She’s surprised is all.”
Cassidy stiffened within his hold. “Very.”
“Relax,” he ordered beneath his breath. “The poor kid spent every dime he had for this. You don’t want to disappoint him, do you?”
That got through to her. Her eyes widened and he caught a quick glimpse of worried pewter gray before thick, dark lashes swept downward to conceal her expression. “Thank you, sweetpea. You couldn’t have picked a better present.”
A flashbulb lit the room again. Then the photographer frowned at them. “How about giving her a kiss?” he suggested. “It would make fantastic copy.”
Ty glanced down at Cassidy. Her pink lips were parted in dismay and he suppressed a sudden urge to sample them, to see if they were as sweet as they looked—to see if the honey in her voice flavored her mouth, as well. She went rigid withinthe circle of his arms. Kissing her probably wasn’t a good idea. In fact, if her expression were anything to go by, it was an incredibly bad idea. But for some reason, that tempted him all themore.
“Oh, what the hell,” he muttered.
Lowering his head, he captured her tiny gasp of distress. For the space of a heartbeat, his mouth connected with hers in a quick slide of soft, moist lips. He cupped her cheek, determined to taste more of her, to drink in the most delicious sensation he’d ever experienced. Before he could, she jerked free, ahand covering the lower half of her face, stealing from him the promise of paradise.
A growl of annoyance reverberated deep in his chest and he reached for her, prepared to drag her back into his arms. If it hadn’t been for the angry defiance flaming to life in her eyes, he’d have done it. He took a deep breath, then another, gathering up his control. What the hell had just happened? He’d never lost it like that before. Never forced himself on a woman. Nor had he ever been so affected by a simple—
Kiss.
He sucked air. Damn. Was it possible? Was there something to that ridiculous legend of Willie’s? There was only one way to be certain. “We’ll definitely have to try that again,” he said for her ears alone.
Her annoyance turned to rock-solid determination. “Not a chance.”
“We seem to have a match,” Willie interrupted with undisguised satisfaction.
“Except for that one percent,” Cassidy replied, her full attention focused on Ty. No doubt she’d decided to keep theenemy in sight and at arm’s length—all twenty-six inches this time. Smart move. “I’m a bit worried about that.”
Ty smiled, outwardly relaxed while inwardly, hunting instincts as old as mankind stirred to life. Run, sweetheart. Run as fast as you can—while you still can. It wouldn’t stop him, not until they’d shared another kiss. Depending on the result, he’d either let her escape, if that’s what she preferred...or bind her tight. “That one percent won’t bother me,” he warned gently.
“Oh, really?” Her answering smile bit like sugarcoated poison. “What a shame. It bothers the heck out of me.”
As Cassidyheaded for home on the bus with Hutch, she stared glumly through the dust-grimed window at the bustling San Antonio traffic. Today was sure one for her scrapbook. What in the world was she going todo?
Her sweet, wonderful son had played a truly rotten trick. He’d bought her the one thing she wanted least in the world—aman. And he’d done it in a way that prevented her from refusing his little surprise without hurting him. Nor, apparently, could she return the impossible “gift” or trade him in for a different model. Not as long as the computer matched them at ninety-nine percent.
Perhaps it wouldn’t have been so bad if Hutch had purchased someone different. Someone safe. Someone she couldcontrol. But instead, though he’d intended to buy the equivalent of a harmless kitten, he’d bought a half-starved mountainlion.
Cassidy frowned. Now that she thought about it, that was precisely what Ty reminded her of. The mix of tawny blond and brown strands of hair coupled with those odd green eyes and powerful musculature all added up to one thing. Good ol’ Leo the Lion. He even moved with the same sleek assurance, all controlled power and relentless strength. And thatkiss!
Her mouth tingled at the memory and she lifted a hand to herlips.
She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been kissed. Of course, whenever it’d been, she hadn’t panicked like a frightened schoolgirl. Come to think of it, she’d never been a frightened schoolgirl. Maybe if shehad...
Her gaze slid to Hutch. Don’t go there, she ordered herself. If she’d lived her life differently, she wouldn’t have her son. And she loved Hutch with all her heart and soul. Heck, she’d do anything forhim.
Cassidy shut her eyes, surrendering to the inevitable. She’d do anything for her son, including dating a hungry mountainlion.
Ty stoodon the porch of Yellow Rose Matchmakers and stared blindly out at the quiet residential street. This wasn’t going to be easy. Not even a little. Assuring himself what he’dshared with Cassidy Lonigan hadn’t been a fluke would be a snap compared to what would inevitably follow.
It was the next part that would take every ounce of determination and patience he possessed. How did he convince a woman who didn’t believe in love that not only did it exist, but that it could be found in a firstkiss?
Willie joined him on the porch. “It’s happened, hasn’t it, boy?”
“I’m not a boy,” he retorted mildly.
“You’re avoiding the question. Is she the one? Was I right?”
