The poor night showed the next morning when she hung over the sink splashing water on her bleary face. Her cheeks had wrinkle marks, a sign that she’d mashed her face into her pillow all night long.

“Go away, wrinkles,” Kira ordered the mirror. “I have a date in case you didn’t know it.”

A date. That was the first time she’d thought of it like that. It was true. Caleb had asked her out and she’d accepted. She hadn’t turned him down, despite the fact that she’d made him work for it.

After putting on her best-fitting jeans and the forest green sweater that curved along her waist and hips, Kira pulled on her knee-high brown boots, the nicest ones she owned.

The last thing she put on before tying her winter scarf in a pretty knot around her neck was her red necklace, double-checking the clasp. From now on, wearing her grandmother’s necklace was going to give her the heebie-jeebies worrying that she’d lose it again. Maybe she should just keep it in her jewelry box and admire it from afar.

Eleven o’clock came and went and no Caleb Davenport.

Kira checked her texts. He’d said he would pick her up at eleven.

She turned on the TV. Nothing but Saturday morning cartoons and sports.

At eleven-thirty-five, she shed her scarf in the warm apartment. Her phone showed no messages. Had she gotten the day wrong? But no, their text messages earlier this week was for this Saturday. It was a decent Saturday for November. Not terribly cold and the sun was shining.

Where was he?

Ten minutes later, the doorbell rang. Kira peered through the peep hole. It was Caleb. She threw open the door.

He was breathing hard, as if he’d run up the three flights of stairs.

“Yes?” she said, placing one hand on her hip.

He ran a hand through his thick, dark brown hair. “Kira, I’m so sorry.”

“Did you forget?”

“No! Of course not. I’ve been counting down the hours until today.”

She suppressed a smile. He sounded like a kid. “Then I think you miscounted your hours.”

“I swear I can count,” he said, attempting a smile. “I had to—go somewhere this morning and the time didn’t work. I had to wait—” he broke off, fumbling over his words, obviously not wanting to tell her what he’d had been doing.

She stared at him, waiting for the good part. It didn’t come.

“All I can say is that I’m sorry. It’s rare that I’m late. I promise. I—I had to depend on somebody else this morning, but that probably isn’t a good excuse.”

She didn’t respond. Why didn’t he just tell her where he’d been?

Caleb’s expression fell. A frown creased his forehead. “You’ll still come, won’t you?”

“Yes,” she finally answered, trying not to sound too grudging or suspicious. She certainly wasn’t going to invite him inside either, because her low-income life was too painfully obvious.

Relief swept over his face and then Kira went to retrieve her purse and coat.

At the top of the concrete stairs that led to the parking lot, Caleb reached out to take her hand. He wasn’t wearing gloves and she had stuffed hers into her handbag earlier. The strength and size of his hand enveloped hers in a protective warmth that sent shivers down her spine. Why did she have this reaction to him every single time? She’d half hoped that the reaction at the reunion was all a fluke and she could forget Caleb Davenport. But it wasn’t happening.

“By the way, Kira, you look fantastic,” he told her now as they crossed the apartment lot, his eyes resting on her appreciatively.

“Thank you, kind sir,” she said, giving him a teasing smile.

He opened the door to a red Lexus and Kira slid inside, eyes widening at the vehicle’s luxury. The Lexus smelled freshly waxed and cleaned, the soft leather seats releasing a lemony scent. The plush carpet to the state-of-the-art electronic system was a little intimidating.

“All your gadgets and touch screens are confusing,” Kira said, watching him maneuver it all in stride while the vehicle rolled smoothly out of the parking lot.

Caleb shrugged, and Kira sensed a tinge of embarrassment. “The old days of using a crank handle to open the windows, or the outside air as the AC are gone, aren’t they?”

“GPS replaced maps and now Google has been replaced by a call navigation company giving me live directions.”

They made small talk while Caleb made the turns to the freeway. When he asked about her parents, Kira was purposely vague. She wasn’t ready to confide her mother’s diagnosis of dementia. She didn’t want this man to know about their dismal existence, the worry over an uncertain future, or her selfish, annoying brothers.

Two conflicting thoughts clashed in her mind. Was she embarrassed by her family? That made her feel guilty and unappreciative of her parents. Second, did she have any room to complain about Caleb keeping parts of his life a secret when she wouldn’t share her own? Obviously, this budding, new relationship had a long way to go.

When Caleb turned off onto Highway 6 and headed west out of town, they soon were out of the city and into the forested hills. So quickly, it was like entering a new world.

His sumptuous vehicle was nothing compared to the property he turned onto twenty minutes later. Kira leaned forward to stare out the windshield. The gravel drive twisted through tall pines and manicured shrubbery for half a mile.

She turned to Caleb, who was smiling in the driver’s seat, and maneuvering the vehicle at no more than ten miles an hour along the country road. “Where are we?”

“We’re having a picnic, like I told you.”

“This looks like private property.”

“It is. There’s a home up ahead but there’s so much acreage that the owner turned a couple of those acres into a park. Ah, here we are.”

He curved around the last turn and Kira couldn’t stop the gasp from escaping out of her mouth. They had reached a crest of a hill and down below was the most magnificent home she’d ever seen. “That’s not a house, that’s a mansion.”

Caleb shrugged. “I don’t know about that.”

“Obviously, you haven’t watched British Masterpiece Theatre.”

Caleb laughed and turned the wheel of the car, cruising down the remaining road toward the elegant stone house. Emerald lawns dotted with patches of old snow stretched all the way up to a curving driveway before the massive front doors.

Kira could imagine carriages and horses driving up past the main gates and elegant ladies stepping out when the footman held open the door and pulled down a narrow set of steps for her to use.

The butler and his staff would have lined along the drive to greet the guests. Glittering gowns sweeping their trains along the paving while men in tuxedos held out their arms to escort the women. Lighted lamps strung along the drive, creating a golden glow under the stars.

“Kira, are you okay?”

Caleb’s voice broke into her reverie and she jumped, whipping around to stare at him.

“Yes—yes, I’m fine. Just imagining this place a hundred and fifty years ago.”

“Actually, it’s only a hundred and ten years old.”

“Oh. Right.” Kira gave a self-effacing laugh. “You caught me daydreaming. This property looks like it’s been plucked out of the English countryside and plopped down right here, complete with lush lawns, prim flower boxes, and luxurious patios. Even the trees look older than ten years.”

Caleb turned the Lexus into the driveway, passing the front doors to continue on to the rear gardens. “When you have enough money, you can get more mature trees so your house doesn’t look brand spanking new. But there’s probably sawdust still sitting in the corners if you look hard enough, but that’s from a more recent remodel.”

She laughed and Caleb parked the car in an unmarked space wide enough for about five vehicles. Beyond the lot lay the wooded park he’d spoken of. Thick, rolling grass, soft as down and covered with a light dusting of snow from the previous snowfall.

“Now those pines and aspen are older than ten years. What’s beyond the trees?”

“If you walk about five minutes from here the woods border a small creek. The house was planned around the woods and the creek.”

In front of them lay a more manicured garden; brown rose trellises and geometric brick patterns for the paving walkways. Tables and benches lay in intimate positions next to a small pond with a fountain that would likely spray a fine mist during the warmer months of the year.

Kira gave a sigh of pleasure. “It’s absolutely beautiful. I’ve never been this close to a home that was so magnificent. Washington Park or the homes around Cheesman Park don’t hold a candle to this property. It’s a small palace with those broad stairs and balustrades. Curved windows and heavy drapes.”

“I’m so glad you like it.” The relief in Caleb’s voice was unmistakable.

Kira peered up at him through her lashes, cupping a hand over her brown against the noon sun. “Are you sure you don’t have any investment in this place? You promised me honesty.”

“I did. Come on, let’s sit down first.”

“I forgot blankets,” Kira suddenly said.

“I brought some just in case.” Caleb popped the trunk and began pulling out a stack of wool blankets in checkered patterns, a hamper of food, and a jug of water. A second hamper was filled with real plates, silverware, and wine glasses.

Kira’s eyebrows shot up. “I’m impressed, Mr. Davenport.”

“Do I get extra brownie points today?”

“We’ll see,” she said vaguely, but when Caleb narrowed his eyes at her, she added a teasing laugh and picked up the jug of water to carry.

Caleb held the two hampers in either hand, leading the way across the lawns and down a slope into a small ravine. The house was still in view, but not quite as close.

“Please tell me nobody is at home and watching us from those windows.”

“We’re perfectly alone.”

“Hmm.” Kira didn’t know how he could know that absolutely.

“And I am a perfect gentleman, Miss Kira Bancroft,” he added.

Together they shook out two blankets and laid them down. Then Kira unpacked the hampers to set out the eating utensils. “I’m starving,” she admitted. “I didn’t eat breakfast.”

“Why not?”

“Bad night’s sleep. Too much on my mind to eat. So I kind of forgot. Isn’t that silly?” She didn’t want to admit that she’d spent more time getting ready for their picnic date than she probably should have.

“Sorry to hear that. What’s on your mind?”

The forks and spoons clinked together while Kira unfolded crème-colored napkins. There was crispy, fresh-fried chicken, coleslaw and fruit salad, veggies and a container with ranch dressing for dipping, and finally several saran-wrapped brownies, thick with chocolate chips and frosting.

Kira said, “I think there’s ten thousand calories here.”

“You never answered my question,” Caleb reminded her, stretching out on his side, one elbow propped under him so he could gaze at her.

“It’s just . . . my parents, Caleb. My mother isn’t doing very well. I—I can’t talk about it right now. I don’t want to spoil this wonderful food and this beautiful day.”

“But you can’t enjoy yourself when you’re worried and distracted. I was hoping I could take you away from the normal grind. I certainly need to get away sometimes and it doesn’t happen nearly often enough.”

She wrapped her arms around her knees. “Let’s eat lunch since I’m famished and I’ll let you know if I want to talk later.”

“Deal. I think I can hear your stomach grumbling.”

“No, that’s yours, Mr. Davenport,” she shot back, although he was correct.

“Very astute, Miss Bancroft.”

Kira gave a sigh, gazing around the property in a happy state of appreciation for its beauty and peacefulness. “I think I could sit here all day.”

Unwrapping the food, they filled their plates and ate, listening to the water in the creek below the hill rushing along the rocks and boulders.

“The chicken is delicious. Who made it?”

“I did. I have a really good kitchen. Great frying pans.”

She finished off a piece and reached for another thigh. “I adore the dark meat, and the dark meat adores my hips, but I’m too hungry to stop.”

“You have perfect hips,” Caleb said nonchalantly.

“I’m wearing my best jeans and they hide a multitude of sins.”

“Then you have perfect sins.”

“You’re impossible! Do you always compliment girls like this?”

“No.” Caleb’s face turned red and Kira suspected that he turned around to reach for the coleslaw and bowl of watermelon chunks to cover it up. “Most of the women I know are the sisters of the DREAMS guys. Or acquaintances at business meetings. I’ve been waiting to find the girl with the red necklace for too long.”

Kira let that remark go for the moment. “When do you travel again?”

“Remember those two weeks when you didn’t speak to me?”

Kira blinked her eyes innocently. “Vaguely.”

“Yeah, that. I was in Mexico City for most of that time, but I still get my messages. You didn’t even send me a reply.”

“The connection must have been bad,” Kira said, even though she knew perfectly well she had ignored him after he returned the red necklace the night of the reunion.

Caleb reached out and ran a finger along the back of her hand. When he touched her, Kira’s heart beat faster. Their eyes met for a long moment and then Caleb sat up straight and leaned forward. Softly, he touched the red necklace at the base of her neck. Kira’s breath caught at the intimate moment, her stomach jumping into her throat.

“Because of this necklace, I fear I’ve ruined my chances with you.”

“That’s only one aspect of it.”

Caleb pressed his lips together in a thoughtful gesture. “If I could do it over again, I would have never gone to your Christmas concert. I would have never searched the floor and found the necklace. I thought it would lead me to you, but instead you returned to Denver and I didn’t need the necklace at all.”

“That’s true,” Kira agreed quietly.

“But over the years I’d look at the necklace and know you still existed somewhere. I knew you were real, not just a girl of my imagination.”

“You make me sound so mysterious.”

“In many ways, you are.”

“And so are you, Caleb. You’re keeping secrets right now, and you promised at the theatre you wouldn’t.”

“Oh, Kira, you do not want to know my secrets. If you did, you would run far, far away.”

Kira laid a hand on his knee, knowing she shouldn’t touch him, but unable to stop herself from wanting that crazy-insane shot of goose bumps again. “Yes, I do want to know your secrets. If this goes any further, I have to know the real Caleb Davenport, weaknesses, warts, and all.”

He took her hand in his and kissed the tips of her fingers. “I can assure you I don’t have any warts.”

Kira laughed. “I am inordinately relieved. So tell me,” she asked. “Who does the house belong to? For real?”

“For real? Nobody at the moment.” He glanced up into her face. “Remember at the reunion when somebody—Troy, I think—mentioned that I used to flip houses?”

She did remember, and it was another aspect of Caleb that intrigued her.

“I began flipping houses the summer after graduation, but by the following winter I decided to join the army so I could get three regular meals a day.” He gave a funny smile. “I was in the beginning stages of my DREAMS app idea. I’d work construction during the day and stay up half the night at my computer.”

“That’s dedication.” Kira was impressed. “Who’d you flip houses with? I mean, who was the investor?”

“I worked for my—my uncle.”

“Is that how an eighteen-year-old gets the capital to completely remodel an older home?” She knew that it was, but couldn’t resist giving him a hard time.

“Well, my uncle lost his shirt in a scandal. Taking bribes. Dirty money.”

“Oh, gosh, I’m sorry. What happened?”

“Before he finally landed in jail, he taught me how to inspect a house, how to make a good deal, and how to get the best profit without taking too long to get the work done. Most house flippers will try to sell the house for double what they originally paid for it, but that’s if they’re really lucky.”

Kira glanced up at the house again. “So is this one of your houses? One you did by yourself? I’m doubly impressed, it’s simply gorgeous.”

“Am I that obvious?”

“How can you keep redoing old homes when your company takes up all of your time?”

“This was my last house before DREAMS sort of exploded a couple of years ago. Me and the guys pooled our money to redo the house, and another one of our investors lived in it. He moved to Seattle with another investor company who made him an offer he couldn’t refuse so the house has been unoccupied the past year.”

“But you have a key, don’t you?”

“Ah, yes, I have a key.”

“Nobody would let a beautiful house like this sit empty. If you haven’t sold it already, then you must be working on keeping it yourself, right?”

Caleb’s mouth quirked up into a smile. “Very astute, my girl. You seem to read my mind. Actually, I recently paid the house off so it’s completely mine. It’s the state property taxes that need to be negotiated and I can’t move in until the past ten years are paid up. The state of Colorado seems to think I’m rich or something.”

“Or something,” Kira said, laughing. “So you are the owner and won’t admit it. Here, have a brownie, you idiot.” She picked up one of the iced brownies and shoved it into his mouth.

Brownie crumbs flew, and then they were both laughing while Caleb stuffed a second brownie into Kira’s mouth. “You’re filthy rich and don’t want to admit it,” she garbled through the decadent chocolate.

“Or something,” Caleb said, repeating her own words.

The jug of water fell over and gurgled out into the grass. And that set them off even more.

“It’s gone,” Kira said, her lips twitching while she suppressed a grin. “Your super fancy bottled water from Safeway. And nary a cold-water spigot within five inches of here. Maybe ten feet though? Twenty? Can we take a bet?”

Caleb fell back against the blanket, holding his stomach and chuckling. He took Kira’s hand again, squinting into the sun dappling the aspen overhead. Then he kissed her palm and laid it on his chest, keeping her close. And then tugging her even closer.

“You promised to be a gentleman,” Kira whispered, gazing down at him while he lay with one hand shading his eyes, staring up at her.

“I’m currently being a perfect gentleman. It’s my thoughts that are roaming where they shouldn’t go.”

“Do you have neighbors?”

“Why do you ask?”

“Because I don’t want any peeping toms using a telescope to watch you kiss me.”

“I’m going to kiss you?” he asked, his eyes lighting up with interest.

She nodded, her face flushing, even as she knew she’d told him no kissing. “If you don’t kiss me pretty soon, I’ll pick up my picnic basket and steal your keys to that fancy Lexus and leave you eating dust.”

He rose up on one elbow, his free hand sliding around her waist to bring her closer. “You can have my car, Kira Bancroft,” he said softly. “You can have my picnic basket. You can even have my car keys.” With each word, Caleb moved closer and closer until their noses were touching, their eyes locked on each other’s. He dangled the car keys in his free hand and Kira grinned, reaching up to snatch them. The moment she closed her fist around them, Caleb’s lips were on hers, his mouth soft and warm and perfect. Kissing her and kissing her and kissing her.

Before she could take a breath, she was lying on her back and Caleb’s hand was cradling her head, the other gently touching her face.

Kira was glad she was lying down because her limbs were trembling at Caleb’s touch while his lips tenderly explored her mouth. She was pretty sure she would have fallen over.

His fresh, pomegranate scent drove her mad, and for the first time in her life, she didn’t feel like a giant next to a guy, especially after her old boyfriend Roger who was barely her height. Caleb was all man, broad and muscled, enfolding her in his arms like a dainty five-foot two girl, instead of her actual five-foot ten height.

She gasped when Caleb’s kiss deepened, and despite the sudden desire running up and down her body, she sat up with a start. He broke away immediately.

“I—I can’t. Keep doing. That.” she breathed out shakily.

“Well, I certainly could, but I won’t,” Caleb said playfully. He got to his feet and lifted her up beside him. “You’re trembling. Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Perfect.”

“Yep, you are perfectly fine,” he agreed, brushing her hair from her face with fingers that were strong and masculine, but gentle.

“I wasn’t fishing for compliments.” She swatted at him and he tucked her arm into his. “Would you like to see your secret now?”

“Oh!” Kira exclaimed. “I almost forgot. Are we going to take a boat ride down the river?”

“Maybe in the spring. There’s not enough water, we’d end up getting out of the boat and pushing it every five feet. Besides, it’s pretty cold right now.”

“Good point. I didn’t bring my waders.”

Caleb turned to catch her eye. “You mean you’re a fisher woman?”

Kira shook her head. “My father used to take me and my brothers fishing when I was younger, but my last pair of waders are sized for a girl of about twelve.”

“I’ve always wanted to go fishing.”

Kira stared at him in disbelief. “What do you mean, you’ve never been fishing? You grew up in Denver with mountains and streams all around us.”

“We’ll have to plan a fishing expedition and you can take me,” he told her.

A moment of sadness flickered through his eyes and Kira’s heart pounded with sudden compassion. “We’ll plan a date in a few months. But you have to gut and cook your own you know?” she added, speaking the words her father used to say.

“Right now, I have something better. A key.”

“You mean to the house? We get to peek inside?” Kira’s voice rose excitedly. “I love looking at houses. I could explore open houses every weekend. It’s fun to dream.”

“You don’t have to dream about this house. You could live here.”

“Caleb,” Kira chided. “Come on. Don’t joke.”

“I’m not—” his words cut off when Kira pressed a finger against his lips and stopped him.

“We’re a long way from that, Mr. Davenport,” she said primly. Even so, nobody had ever kissed her the way Caleb did. She could have melted into his arms and lain there all afternoon, but there was so much more she needed to know about him. One step at a time. Two weeks ago, she’d vowed never to speak to him again.