Jan Colley - In the Arms of the Rancher - In the Arms of the Rancher / His Vienna Christmas Bride

But, no, she hadn’t done that. She had tried reasoning with him. Ha! A lot that had got her. She should have realized early on that there was simply no reasoning with the self-indulgent, narcissistic jerk.

And Kate knew Jeff would ignore any restraining order and would do exactly as he pleased, which meant the continued harassment of her, especially after Hawk returned home.

There was only one thing she could do. Though Kate had thought of it many times, she now felt certain she had to leave Vegas. She had put off the decision because she liked it here, liked her job and the people she worked with. And she loved Vic, Lisa and Bella like family.

No, as much as she wanted to stay, she couldn’t take a chance of putting her friends in danger. Kate heaved a sigh of regret and hurried to the hostess station to relieve the older woman who worked part-time handling the lunch patrons.

She was afraid the day would drag by. It didn’t. The restaurant was so busy, time just flew. Kate also expected Hawk to amble in for dinner. He didn’t. So, of course, not only was she disappointed, but she couldn’t help but wonder where and with whom he might be spending his evening.

After they closed the restaurant, Vic walked Kate to his car. “Are you all right, Kate?” he asked, sounding concerned. “You’ve been awful quiet tonight.”

“I’m fine,” she answered, managing a smile for him. “At least I will be after tomorrow.”

Vic frowned, opening the car door for her. “What’s happening then?”

Kate sighed. “Jeff’s been bothering me again,” she said, touching his arm reassuringly when she saw him grow stiff. “It’s all right, Vic. Nothing happened. Hawk was with me at the time.”

Vic cocked an eyebrow. “And nothing happened? Hawk didn’t do anything?”

She smiled, if faintly, looking at her hand on his arm. “He couldn’t. I held him back.”

Vic actually laughed. “Yeah, right. Honey, if Hawk wanted to go for him, you wouldn’t have been able to hold him back.”

“I said please.” She gave him a sweet smile and fluttered her eyelashes at him.

“Yeah.” Vic nodded. “I can see that would have stopped even Hawk.” Shaking his head, he ushered her into the car. Although she knew he was bursting with questions, Vic didn’t voice even one as he drove her home.

She had no sooner entered her apartment than the phone rang. Hawk. Dropping her purse onto a chair, she hurried to the phone and snatched it up.

“Hello?” Somehow she managed to keep her voice calm, concealing the eagerness she felt.

“I’m sorry, Kate.”

She froze, hand gripping the receiver. “I won’t speak to you, Jeff.”

Before she could hang up on him, he went on. “Please, Kate, listen. I mean it. I’m so sorry for what I said to you today in the lobby. I was just so shocked to see you step out of the elevator with that man, I…” He paused as if to catch his breath.

Kate frowned. He had made an odd noise. Was he crying? Jeff? Ha! Was she crazy?

He babbled on. “Baby, I can’t—”

“I told you before, over and over again, not to call me that,” she said, cutting him off.

“I know, and I’m sorry. I forgot. Geez, Kate, I love you so much, I can’t stand it.”

“Jeff. Restraining order,” she said, striving for patience. “I have nothing to say to you except leave me alone.”

“Damn you, Kate!”

The call waiting signal beeped. Relief washed through her.

Hawk.

She had to get rid of Jeff. “I have another call. I’m going to hang up.”

“Kate, you will be very sor—” Kate pressed the flashing button. Drawing a quick steadying breath, she said, “Hello?”

“Hi.” His voice was soft, intimate.

Shivering in reaction to the nasty note in Jeff’s voice, Kate dropped onto the chair beside the phone table and curled into herself, trying to contain the shakes. “Hi, yourself,” she said as calmly as possible. “Have a nice evening?”

“You want the polite answer or the truth?”

She dredged up a quivering smile. “The truth.” Or maybe not, she thought, but it was too late to change her mind.

“Well…” He exhaled a very long sigh. “I ate dinner…alone. I went to the pool…alone. I played some poker. I won…alone.” He sighed again, so sad and forlorn. “I took a nap…alone.” That last comment was followed by a groan.

Kate was holding her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing—or was it sobbing?—out loud.

He went on. “I had a late snack…alone. I played blackjack…alone.” Now, as if he was having difficulty controlling his voice, a sliver of humor broke through. He cleared his throat. “I won again…alone. You get the picture?”

She opened her mouth.

He didn’t wait for an answer. “Dammit, Kate, I was missing you like hell the whole time.”

Kate couldn’t hold it in any longer; instead of sobs, laughter poured out of her.

“Sure, you can laugh,” Hawk groused, very close to chuckling. “You had friends and customers around all day and evening to talk to. You were probably even flirting with some of those nice old gentlemen I’ve noticed watching you as you walk away from the tables.”

“What?” Kate blinked. Confusion overrode a lingering fear. “What are you talking about?” She drew an easier breath. “What nice old gentlemen?”

“The ones with the nice old ladies who aren’t paying attention,” he shot back at her, pausing before clarifying. “I mean, those regular patrons I’ve seen there every time I’ve been there.”

“The regular old gentlemen customers watch me walk away from their tables?” How funny, she mused. She really hadn’t known.

“Sure they do,” he answered. “The younger men do, too, when their dates or wives aren’t paying attention.” He gave a short laugh. “I’ve been sending quite a few glares their way.”

“Really?” she asked, pleased and surprised. “Why?”

“I had rather hoped I was the only one watching the gentle, sensuous sway of your hips,” he murmured.

Oh my. Kate grew warm—no, hot—all over. She drew a deep, silent breath and let it out softly, all thoughts of Jeff banished.

“Kate?”

“Yes, Hawk?” Her voice was little more than a whisper of air through her suddenly dry lips.

“When?”

She swallowed to moisten her dry throat and took a look at her watch. “Hawk, it’s nearly one o’clock in the morning.”

“Yeah, I know…and I’m starving.”

For you.

He didn’t need to say it. Kate heard it loud and clear. Not allowing herself to hesitate, consider, she murmured, “I am, too, Hawk.” Starving and scared.

“So?” His voice was quiet, calm, without a hint of pressure.

Kate wet her lips, swallowed again and said, “How soon can you get here?”

“Twenty-five minutes or so, maybe less if the traffic has thinned,” he responded at once, sexual electricity sizzling in his tone.

“I’ll be counting the minutes.”

“I’m on my way.” He hung up.

Determined to push Jeff’s not-so-veiled threats from her mind, Kate replaced the receiver and disconnected the phone cord from the wall jack. Digging her cell phone out of her purse, she turned that off, too, before rising to go into her bedroom.

Hawk had said around twenty-five minutes or so. That was just enough time for her to have a quick shower and slip into something a little more comfortable. Simply thinking about that made her smile as she undressed and headed for the bathroom. Tossing off her clothes, she stepped into the shower, careful not to get her hair wet.

Kate was excited but nervous, as well. She hadn’t been with a man in some time, and in all truth, she had never thought the act of sex was the end all and be all it was made out to be.