The CEO's Accidental Bride (16 page)

It didn't seem to matter that Zach had played her for a fool. She'd fallen in love with him, and no matter how many times she told herself it was all a lie, she couldn't stop wanting the man she'd known on Serenity Island.

She dried her face and ran a comb through her hair, gathering her frayed emotions. Much as she wished she could drink herself into oblivion today, it was time to stop wallowing in self-pity and get her equilibrium back.

Her career in New York was over. Truthfully, she might as well walk away from the Harper project altogether. What Sadie and Zach would want wouldn't do a thing to save Kaitlin's career.

At least most of her boxes were still packed.

Another tear leaked out, and she impatiently swiped it away. She told herself she was tough, and she was strong, and she was independent. And she would salvage her life or die trying.

She left the bathroom at a determined pace, rounding the bedroom door into the living room. There, her steps staggered to a stop.

Zach stood in the middle of her apartment, large as life and twice as sexy.

She was too stunned to shriek, too stunned to cry, too stunned to do anything, but let her jaw drop open.

“Hello, Kaitlin.”

She still didn't have her bearings. “Huh?”

“I came to apologize.”

She glanced swiftly around the apartment. “Where's Lindsay? How did you—?”

“Lindsay left with Dylan.”

Kaitlin gave her head a little shake, but she wasn't delusional. That really was Zach standing there. “Why would she do that?”

“He kidnapped her,” said Zach. “I wouldn't expect to see her for a few days.”

“He can't do that.”

“That's what I said,” Zach agreed. “But I don't think those two have ever cared much about the rules.”

“Lindsay's a lawyer.” Of course she cared about the rules. She was passionate about the rules.

Zach seemed to ponder that fact for a few moments. “Yeah,” he conceded. “Dylan may have a bit of a problem with that when he brings her back.”

“Is that a joke?” Was Lindsay about to jump out of the closet?

Instead of answering, Zach took a few steps forward. Her heart rate increased. Her chest went tight. And a low buzz started in the base of her belly.

She knew she should fight the reaction, but she had no idea how to turn it off.

“He took my yacht,” said Zach, moving closer still, his gaze locked with hers every step of the way.

“So you're an accessory to kidnapping?” Her shock at the sight of him was starting to wear off, replaced by amazement that he was actually standing here in front of her. She could feel herself sink reluctantly back into the fantasy.

“Dylan told me she wanted a pirate, so she was getting a pirate.”

“Is that why you're here?” she asked. “To help Dylan?”

“No.”

“Then why?”

“Because I have something for you.”

She forced herself to go cold and demanding. “I hope it's a big check.” She knew she'd given up, abandoned the renovation, but Zach didn't need to know that yet.

“As a matter of fact, it is.”

“Good.” She gave a decisive nod, marveling at her own ability to hold her composure. The urge to throw herself into Zach's arms grew more powerful by the second.

“Seventy-five million dollars,” he told her.

It took a few seconds for his words to sink in.

“What?” She took a reflexive step back.

“I sold a ship.”

“What?”

“I'm giving you seventy-five million dollars for the renovation.”

Kaitlin blinked at him.

“But that's not the real reason I'm here.”

For a split second, hope flared within her. But she squelched it. Zach couldn't be trusted. She'd learned that the hard way half a dozen times over.

He handed her an envelope. “I'm here to give you this. It's not much.”

Watching him warily, Kaitlin lifted the flap. She slid out a laminated picture. It showed a twentysomething couple with a young, blonde girl at the beach. The caption was
Holiday Travelers Enjoy Fourth of July Celebrations.

She didn't understand.

“Phillipe and Aimee Saville,” Zach said softly, and it felt as if Kaitlin's heart stopped.

“It was the best I could do,” he continued. “There was a house fire in 1983. None of their possessions were saved. But the private investigators found this in the archives of a New Jersey newspaper. The little girl is your mother.”

Kaitlin was completely speechless.

Her grandparents?

Zach had found grandparents?

Zach had
looked
for her grandparents?

Her fingers reflexively tightened on the photograph, and she felt herself sway to one side.

Zach's hand closed around her shoulder, steadying her.

“I've had three margaritas,” she told him, embarrassed. She ought to be completely sober for a moment like this.

“That explains why Lindsay went so quietly.”

Kaitlin fought against the sensation of his touch, even as she struggled to make sense of his gesture. “How? Where?”
Why
had he done this?

“I had some people start looking last week. After you told me.” His hand tightened on her shoulder. “And I couldn't stand to see the pain in your eyes.”

Her throat closed tighter, and her chest burned with emotion. She had to blink back tears at his thoughtfulness. Her voice dropped to a pained whisper. “How am I supposed to hate you?”

He drew a deep breath. Then he closed his eyes for a long second. He reached out and gently smoothed her hair back from her forehead. “You're not.”

His hand stayed there, resting against her hair. Her nerves tingled where he touched. Her body begged her to sway forward against him, even as her mind ordered her to hold still.

She couldn't trust him. She didn't trust him. Oh, my, how she wanted to trust him.

He stroked his way to her cheek, cupping her face, tilting his head at an angle she'd come to recognize, to love.

He was going to kiss her, just like he'd done a hundred times, maybe a thousand. His lips dipped closer, and she moistened her own. She inhaled his scent, and her body relaxed into the exquisite moment.

“You're not supposed to hate me,” he repeated on a whisper. “You're supposed to love me.”

Then, he paused with his lips just barely brushing hers. “Because I love you, Katie. I love you so much.”

His mouth captured hers, sending joy cascading through her body. His kiss was deep, sweet and long. His arms wrapped fully around her, hauling her close, pulling her safely into the circle of his embrace.

She clung to him, molding against him, passion and joy making her feel weightless.

After long minutes, he finally drew back. “Renovate anything you want,” he rasped. “I'll sell half the damn fleet if I have to. Just don't leave me again. Not ever.”

“I gave up the new design,” she told him.

He drew back. “What? Why?”

“Sadie wouldn't like it.”

Zach stilled. “Sadie doesn't matter. The past doesn't matter. Only the future, Kaitlin. And you're the future. You're
my
future.”

Kaitlin's heart soared at the thought of a future with Zach—such a loving, thoughtful man.

Her voice quavered as she spoke. “You found my grandparents.”

“I did,” he acknowledged. “I know they were buried in New Jersey.”

“You know where they're buried?”

“Yes.”

Twin tears rolled from Kaitlin's eyes at that. “Have I mentioned that I love you?”

“No.” He shook his head. “You hadn't. And I was getting worried.”

“Well, I do.”

“Thank goodness.” He drew a deep breath, tightening his arms around her. “I told Dylan to give me an hour. Otherwise, you were getting kidnapped, too.”

“You would not.”

“Hell, yes, I would. One way or another, you and I are starting on a whole new generation of Harper pirates.”

Kaitlin smiled at his joke, her body sighing in contentment. “Sadie would be pleased.”

“Yes, she would,” Zach agreed. “She'd also be gloating over the success of her scheme. In fact, I can almost hear her chuckling from here.”

Kaitlin moved her hand to take another look at the picture of her grandparents. Her grandfather was tall. Her grandmother slightly rounded with light, curly hair. And her mother looked bright-eyed and happy with a shovel and pail in her hands. “I can't believe you did this.”

“We can go visit their graves.” He paused. “I swapped Dylan the yacht for a helicopter. It's standing by.”

Kaitlin was overwhelmed by this thoughtfulness. But she wasn't anywhere near ready to leave his arms.

She molded her body to his. “Or maybe we could go in an hour or so?”

He sucked in a breath, lifting the picture from her hand and setting it safely on an end table. Then his eyes darkened, and he bent forward to kiss her thoroughly.

“Maybe in an hour or so,” he agreed and scooped her up to head for her bedroom.

F
ollowing a month-long kidnapping, Lindsay and Dylan's wedding was held on Serenity Island, on the emerald-green lawn at the Gilby house, next to the pool. The bride was radiant, the groom ecstatic and the guests a who's who of New York City. According to Ginny, it was the biggest party the island had held since the heyday of the 1940s.

Dylan had insisted on flying the Jolly Roger, while Ginny confided gleefully to Kaitlin that since the wedding was so rushed, she wondered if Lindsay might be pregnant.

After the toasts were made, the five-tiered cake was cut and the dancing had started in the late afternoon, Zach drew Kaitlin to one side.

“There's something I need to show you,” he told her quietly, tugging her inside the house and down the hallway toward the garage.

“We can't leave now,” she protested, trotting on her high heels, the glossy, champagne-colored bridesmaid dress flowing around her knees.

“We'll be back in a few minutes,” he assured her, opening the garage door.

“Zach,” she protested.

“What?”

“Are you crazy?”

He turned and playfully kissed the tip of her nose. “Crazy for you.”

“This isn't a joke.” She tried to sound stern, but she didn't seem capable of getting angry with him. Since the afternoon in her apartment, and their helicopter trip to the cemetery to put roses on her grandparents' graves, she'd been almost giddy with love.

He braced his hand against the passenger side of a golf cart. “And I'm not laughing. Hop in.”

“I will not hop in.” She crossed her arms stubbornly over her chest. She wasn't abandoning Lindsay on her wedding day.

“Have it your way.” He gently but firmly deposited her on the narrow bench seat.

“Hey!” She scrambled to get her dress organized around herself.

“There's something I really have to show you.” He jumped into the driver's side and turned on the key.

Before she could escape, the cart pulled smoothly out of the garage onto the gravel driveway and the road that led down to the castle.

“I can't believe you're kidnapping me,” she harrumphed.

“It is the pirate way.”

“You are
not
allowed to ravish me in the middle of a wedding reception.” She smoothed her dress over her knees and put her nose primly in the air.

Zach gave her a wolfish grin, and she was forced to wonder which one of them would prevail if push came to shove, and he did decide he wanted to ravish her.

They drove all the way down to the Harper property.

As they entered the castle gardens, she felt herself relax. This had quickly become one of her favorite places in the world. It was filled with such history and such happy memories.

Zach pulled to a halt in front of the family chapel, then he hopped out and came around to assist her.

She shook her head in confusion as she clambered around the awkward dress. It was made for fashion, not mobility. The bodice was tight, coming to a drop waist, while the satin skirt billowed out with crinolines, ending at knee length. “This is what you wanted to show me?” She'd been in the gardens a thousand times.

“Have patience,” he told her.

“I'll have patience after the reception. Seriously, Zach. We have to get back.”

But he led her by the hand to the bottom of the chapel steps.

“What are we doing?” she breathed in frustration.

A secretive smile growing on his lips, he reached into his tux jacket pocket and drew something out, holding his palm flat so that she could focus on a small heirloom ring.

It was a delicately swirled gold band, with a sapphire center, flanked by diamonds.

“I don't know how old it is,” said Zach. “But I think it might have belonged to Lyndall.”

“Stolen?” Kaitlin asked, glancing up.

“Let's assume not.” Zach's silver eyes sparkled. He held her hand in his, stepping forward, voice going soft. “Will you marry, Katie?”

She was still confused. “I am. I did.”

“I know.” He smiled. “But I don't think we got it quite right the first time.” Then he nodded to the old chapel. “It's traditional for Harper brides to be married right here.”

Kaitlin understood, and her chest tightened with emotion. “You want to…”

“Absolutely. Marry me, Kaitlin. Do it here. Do it now. Love me when you say the vows, and promise my family you'll stay with me forever.”

She blinked back the sting of tears. “Oh, Zach.”

The ancient door swung open with a groan, and a preacher appeared in the doorway.

“This way,” he told them softly, turning, robes rustling as he made his way to the front of the ancient church.

Zach squeezed her hand as they mounted the steps, leading her over the uneven stone floor, past worn wooden pews, to the altar that Lyndall had built for his own wedding, the very first wedding on the island.

Kaitlin swayed sideways against Zach, absorbing the feel of his strong body.

Footsteps sounded behind them, and she glanced back to see Lindsay and Dylan, still dressed for their own wedding.

“Oh, no,” she moaned under her breath.

“They insisted,” Zach whispered, tucking her arm into the crook of his.

As they stopped at the front of the church, one of the staff members stepped out and handed Kaitlin a bouquet.

White roses.

From Sadie's garden.

It was beyond perfect, and Kaitlin had to blink against the sting of tears.

Lindsay and Dylan took their places, and Zach wrapped an arm around Kaitlin, gathering her close for a private word. “I love you very much, Katie,” he whispered.

“And I love you,” she whispered back, feeling as though her heart might burst wide open.

His tone went husky as he tenderly stroked her cheek, wiping her tears with the pad of his thumb. “Then, let's take our vows and put this ring on your finger.”