Maybe her cat was smarter than she was. She had a feeling she’d wake up in the morning with a sated body and a regretful mind. Neither of them deserved any regrets when they finally spent the night together.
But Sierra knew it was coming soon. Because she didn’t know how long she could fight these feelings for Kane Masterson. They were too intense and growing rapidly every day.
Soon, her time would be up.
Chapter Seventeen
Kane shut his laptop and buried his face in his hands.
Was he Fated to never achieve happiness? Was he cursed or meant to get close but never close enough? It was as if his life was one big deal he couldn’t close. Frustration simmered in every cell.
He was trapped.
The past two weeks with Sierra had been a game-changer. They’d been growing closer, regularly sharing meals or going on simple dates where they could talk and get to know each other. Kane had backed off again, keeping their physical contact to hugs and kisses, giving her plenty of time to feel comfortable before the next step. The woman of his dreams was falling for him. He experienced the knowledge in every gentle touch, every lingering stare, and every delighted laugh.
Brick mentioned he’d noticed little birdies flying around his head when they’d met for a beer. He’d denied and quickly retaliated by saying Brick’s eyes got wide like a cartoon character when Aspen walked in the room, but his friend just laughed.
Kane was happy. Believed he could have it all—success in both his work and love life.
Until that damn deal.
Dread twisted his stomach. Kane was running out of time. After a lengthy meeting with Benny, a deep-dive into other property deals he could tempt Stealth with, and a conference call with Jack and Tim, he’d gotten his final answer.
They were moving forward on the property and Kane was in charge. He’d looked into every alternative, even going as far to see if he could find Sierra another similar place to move, but came up empty. The deal was going to be done. Stealth was just offering him the opportunity first.
If Kane said no, they’d move ahead with someone else, and he’d be cut out of a prospective future. He doubted another job would appear if he tanked this opportunity.
It was time to lean hard on Benny, work his magic, and get the contract signed.
A breath shuddered from his lungs. The landlord was a true asshole. Benny had already said he’d been dragging on renewing the leases, and had used the last six months of funds to go into debt with the maintenance. It was a matter of time before everything blew up.
And Sierra had no idea.
There must be a way to explain to Sierra that he was just a tool Stealth was using. He’d help her with every step, vow to find her another place. She would understand.
She had to.
His mind skipped over the next steps. The engagement party was coming up. He’d tell her afterward, and they’d find a way to deal with the fallout together. He’d be right by her side and though he knew she’d be furious for a while, he’d eventually get her to forgive him. She’d have no choice.
Because he already knew he was in love with Sierra Lourde.
He always had been. Since the morning he woke up and found her gone, a part of his soul had been searching for his missing piece. He’d just have to convince her this betrayal didn’t have to break them.
Kane wouldn’t let it.
Sierra squinted through the windshield and held a death grip on the steering wheel. Dammit, the storm was getting worse and the roads were already flooded. Cars with their headlights slowed down as they navigated giant puddles. Streamers of fog surrounded the landscape, making it even harder to go faster than a crawl. At this point, she’d never be back in Corolla before midnight.
Biting her lip, she made an executive decision to take the next exit and find a hotel. She’d been gone one night already, so Montgomery couldn’t be left alone another night. Aspen had checked on him yesterday for his food and water, but Sierra worried he’d believe he was abandoned again. In just a few short weeks, she admitted the cat had stolen her heart. If she’d known how wonderful having an animal was, she would’ve gotten him sooner.
Then again, Sierra knew Montgomery was special. They were twin souls. No other cat would have been such a perfect fit.
She pulled into the parking lot of a Holiday Inn and let out a sigh of relief. Racing through the rain, she made it to the lobby, grabbed a room, and took the elevator up. Her clothes were soaked and she had nothing to change into, but she could dry them out overnight.
After she got settled, she sat on the bed cross-legged and made the phone call.
“Hey! How was the trip?” Aspen asked.
“Awesome. We made a deal that’s good for both of us. I already grabbed a few samples to start with, but I think they’ll be a huge seller.”
