Chapter 2
A bright flash of lightening startled Amber, bringing her out of the fog she’d sunk into as she stared at the painting on the easel. Then realized that someone was pounding on her door. Confused for a second, she looked around her, then remembered that Daniel Taylor was supposed to be coming to meet her that night. Another flash of lightening lit up the room and she realized that it had gotten dark. She must have lost track of the time, the knocking on her door was probably him and she wasn’t even dressed.
Jumping down from her stool, she ran for the door, aware that rain was pounding on the slate roof and that Daniel would be soaked. She had no idea how long he’d been banging on her door, it could have only been a minute but had probably been far longer, she really was going to have to build a roof over her porch. When she opened the door, she gasped, sure that the storm had washed a pirate up on her beach and that he’d found his way to her door.
The man standing there was well over six feet tall, with dark wavy shoulder length hair, and the most startling blue eyes she’d ever seen, framed by long lashes and full eyebrows. She couldn’t pull her eyes from his. His face was covered by an equally black beard, and it gave him a slightly sinister air that made her stomach flutter and her heart rate increase. The rain was running off him in rivulets, the leather of his jacket funneling it to splash at his feet, soaking his boots and jeans.
Horrified, she threw open the door and pulled him inside. “I’m so sorry,” she said, “I lose track of time when I’m painting.”
Daniel stood inside the door, dripping onto the carpet, staring at the woman who’d just answered the door. She was dressed only in a white painting smock that reached just above her knees. Clearly upset that she’d left him standing in the rain, her breath was coming fast making her ample chest rise and fall. A wave of desire washed over him, startling him enough that he didn’t speak for a few seconds.
“I understand,” he managed to say.
“You’re soaked. Let me go get you a towel,” she said, then stopped and asked, “You are Daniel Taylor, aren’t you?”
Daniel couldn’t help but laugh. “Yes, and you must be Amber McIntyre.”
Amber breathed a sigh of relief, “I’ll be right back.” Then she turned and fled down the hallway, but not before the glimpse of bare feet, gold toe rings and an ankle bracelet sent another wave of desire through him.
She was gone only minutes, just long enough for him wipe the moisture from his eyes and peel the leather jacket off. When she handed him the towel, she took the jacket from him and held it in her arms, not realizing that the moisture from the jacket was soaking into the thin fabric of her smock and making it transparent. Still flustered, she watched him dry off then saw that his shirt was completely soaked.
“You’re still soaked, maybe we should build a fire,” she suggested, leading the way through the big room to the fireplace in the back.
Daniel glanced around him as he followed her, noticing that although the room was huge, she’d arranged it so that it felt warm and comfortable. There was the distinct smell of acrylic paint, but he could also smell wood smoke, the salty ocean air, as well as the forest around the cottage. As they crossed the room, he noticed a stack of canvasses against one wall and what looked like an almost finished painting on an easel by the window that faced the ocean. He was tempted to take a detour and look at it, but followed Amber to the fireplace instead.
She took his jacket and hung it on a hook by the fire place, then reached up and took down a box of long matches. When she turned to hand them to him, he couldn’t help but notice that her smock had become wet, it’s transparency making the clear outline of her black bra and panties all too obvious. It was almost impossible not to let his eyes linger on the curve of her breasts and hips and he was surprised at how intensely he wanted her.
Amber noticed that Daniel was staring at her smock and looked down, horrified to realize that he could see everything under her smock, and a deep blush spread across her cheeks. “Umm, maybe I better go get dressed,” she said, resisting the urge to cover herself with her hands, then fled the room.
When she got to her bedroom, she slammed the door and leaned against it, taking deep breaths until she felt the heat fade from her cheeks. She’d only worn the silky, lacy bra and panties to give herself a little confidence for her meeting with Daniel, now he would think she was some kind of, well, she wasn’t sure what he was going to think. Looking in the mirror over her dressing table, she winced when she saw what a display she’d just made, not only was her underwear showing, her hair was a wild mess around her head thanks to her habit of running her fingers through it when she was thinking.
This was not how she’d imagined meeting the man her mother insisted that she marry, she’d planned everything so carefully, from the smart black slacks and peasant blouse she planned to wear, to the meal she’d prepared. But as usual, the night was a disaster before it had even started, she should have just met him in a restaurant like he’d suggested. Having dinner here had been her idea, the thought of meeting him in a public place to discuss their little predicament, as she’d begun to think of it, had seemed impossible when he’d suggested it.
She’d couldn’t imagine herself sitting in public discussing the arranged marriage their mothers had forced upon them, or the solution she’d come up with to make it bearable. The moment her mother’s car had pulled out of the drive, she’d known that she’d go through with what her mother wanted, that she really had no choice. But that didn’t make it any easier to call Daniel later that night, especially when she was sure that he wasn’t happy about marrying her either.
Pushing that thought from her mind, she went to the closet, pulled out the outfit she’d worked so hard to find and got dressed. Telling herself over and over that this was an adventure, that it was only a year of her life, she pinned up her hair as best she could, put on some lip gloss and opened the bedroom door. Squaring her shoulders, she headed for the living room and her guest, feeling a little better now that she was properly dressed.
But that confidence evaporated when she came around the corner to find Daniel standing by the fireplace without his shirt on. She must have made a little sound in her throat because he turned to face her before she’d gotten two steps into the room. The sight of his bare chest tapering down to his tight abdomen stirred something inside her and made her blush.
“Oh, I guess your shirt was wet too,” she stammered, dragging her eyes from his chest back up to his face which didn’t help all that much to still the beating of her heart.
“Yeah, that happens when you stand out in the rain,” he said, amusement in his voice.
Amber blushed again. “I lose track of time sometimes when I’m painting,” she said, then looked over to the easel where to her horror the painting she’d been working on was uncovered.
Daniel’s eyes followed hers. “I’ve never been much of an art fan, but I’d hang that in my house,” he said, pointing to the last painting of the beach.
Amber rushed over to the painting and threw the cover over it. “It’s not finished, it’s…um…still missing something,” she tried to explain.
“I take it you don’t like people looking at your unfinished work,” Daniel said, walking over to stand next to her.
Amber could smell his cologne, something masculine that made her want to burry her nose in his neck and sniff, so she stepped back a few steps. “It’s just one of my weird hang-ups. Call it superstition if you want, I just don’t let anyone see my work before it’s finished.”
“Are there some I can see?” Daniel asked. Looking around the big room and spotting the stack of finished canvases propped up against one wall, he headed in that direction without waiting for her to answer.
Amber could have handled the situation much better if the man had a shirt on, so she asked, “Would you like me to put your shirt in the dryer?” Hoping that not only would it distract him from her paintings, but get his body covered up so that she could think clearly.
“Oh, it’ll be dry soon,” he said, waving his arm towards the fireplace where a roaring fire had warmed the room up. “So, can I look at these?”
Amber couldn’t think of a good reason not to let him look, but she wasn’t going to stand and watch him. “Those are all finished,” she said, pointing to a stack of canvases. “I’m going to go finish our dinner.” Then she fled to the kitchen like the coward she was.
Daniel spread out the canvases against the wall, surprised to see how good they were. His mother had made it sound like Amber was just indulging herself with her painting career, but she was truly talented. Although he wasn’t crazy about art, he and his brother had received an education that included things like art appreciation. And since art was always a good investment, he’d leaned a lot over the years. This woman had talent, talent that if nurtured could make her famous someday.
Stepping back to look at the paintings, he thought about the woman who had greeted him at the door, not at all what he’d expected, but he’d been drawn to her none the less. Once he’d gotten over his initial shock at finding that she was African American, a fact his mother had omitted, or, now he realized, might not even know. She had said that she’d never met Amber, but he’d just assumed that she’d seen a picture of her, although she'd been evasive when he’d asked.
He was dying to know Amber’s story.He knew that there had to be one, after all her parents were among the elite in Seattle yet he’d never heard of Amber. Even as little time as he spent rubbing elbows with the elite, he was sure he’d have heard about the McIntyres and their obviously adopted daughter. But it didn’t matter, his mother had made it perfectly clear that he was going to marry this woman, if only for a little while, and he was going to do just as she said, he had no choice if he wanted to keep sailing.
When Amber came out of the little kitchen, she found Daniel with his shirt back on, still looking at the paintings. She set the tray she’d been carrying on the coffee table by the fire, went back for the wine, then walked over to him. Standing next to him, she couldn’t help but look at his profile, thinking that he really did look like a pirate, or at least a man who spent his life on the sea. It was a romantic idea that had popped into her head when she’d first seen him and stuck.
“These are really good,” he said, turning to her.
Amber quickly looked away hoping that he hadn’t noticed that she was staring at him. “Thank you. I’ve been working on them for over a year and a half,” she explained, pleased that he liked them. “Dinner is ready if your hungry.”
“I’m starving,” Daniel said, then looked back at the paintings. “Let me put these away first though.”
“Oh, that’s okay. I have to pack them up tomorrow for transport,” Amber said, turning back toward the living area where the meal she’d prepared was waiting for them.
When Daniel saw the meal she’d prepared, he was obviously impressed. “Did you make all this,” he asked, gesturing to the table that was full of an array of seafood.
“I took the chance that you like seafood, but I could always whip you up something else if you don’t,” Amber said, only then realizing that she’d never even considered the possibility that he might not like seafood.
“No, this looks wonderful,” Daniel said, picking up the bottle of wine. “Would you like me to open this?”
“Yes, please. I think it should pair well with the oysters and crab salad.” Amber said, sitting down on the couch, suddenly more nervous than she’d been all night.
Daniel, said, “I guess this is kind of our first date.”
Amber laughed nervously, not sure what to say, she’d never been much for flirting, but then realized that it didn’t matter what she said or did, they were going to have to be married and she relaxed. “If it is, I’d like a do over for the beginning of the night,” she said, watching him pour them both a glass of wine.
“Oh, I don’t know, it wasn’t that bad. I mean, it’s not every day your date meets you at the front door with only half her clothes on.” Daniel teased.
Amber could feel the heat creeping into her face. “That wasn’t intentional,” she said, taking the glass of wine he offered her, then gulping down a few swallows, almost spitting out the last one when Daniel sat down next to her on the couch instead of the chair she’d assumed he’d choose.
Sitting so close to him, it was all she could do to keep her breathing normal, not only because of the attraction she felt, but because of how nervous she was. When she’d been planning this dinner, she hadn’t taken into consideration how hard it was going to be to say what she needed to. If the man hadn’t been so attractive, it would have been so much easier, but he was and that fact was making her a little crazy, making her wonder why he wasn’t already with a woman who complimented him.
“Well, it was a nice change of pace, usually the women my mother sets me up with are more concerned with the way they look than just about anything else. It’s good that you have a passion, something that’s important to you,” Daniel said, taking a sip of his wine.
“I’ve loved painting since I was a little girl. My parents saw my potential at a young age and encouraged me. Then when the McIntyres adopted me, they did too, but I don’t think they ever thought that it would consume me like it does,” Amber said, noticing that Daniel was really listening to her.
“My mother’s not crazy about my passion either, she thinks sailing is just something you should do in the Caribbean,” Daniel said, picking up an oyster on the half shell and dumping it into his mouth.
“I heard that you like sailing,” Amber said, thinking that he’d look right at home at the wheel of a ship.
Daniel let the oyster slip down his throat, then said. “I’d call it a bit more than like. Sailing is the only thing that really makes me feel alive, and racing is an even bigger high. I think I might be a bit of an adrenaline junkie, the thrill of being just a little bit out of control, knowing that the smallest little mistake could flip the boat and send us all into the ocean never goes away.”
“I like to sail, but I prefer a nice slow pace,” Amber said, choosing an oyster for herself.
They talked about painting and sailing while they ate, neither one in any hurry to get to the reason they’d been thrown together in the first place. But eventually Amber cleared the plates and what little food was left over, then brought them both a cup of coffee to go with the little chocolate cakes she’d made. As nice as the evening had been, it was time to deal with what they had hanging over their heads.
Daniel seemed to feel the same way because when she sat down again, she could tell that he’d become serious. “First, I want to say that this has been a very nice evening, much better than I ever expected it would be. My mother has a way of setting me up with the women who are the exact opposite of who I’d chose for myself, of course the woman I would choose wouldn’t come from her circle of friends.”
Amber nodded her head in understanding, her mother had done the same to her countless times. “My mother does the same thing, but she also has a way of messing up the date before it even begins. That’s part of the reason why I didn’t want you to tell your mother than we were meeting, my mother would have shown up, she’s done it before.”
“I’m glad too, I’d have hated to have her standing next to me when you opened that door earlier,” Daniel teased, relieving some of the tension between them. “You said it was part of the reason. What’s the other part?”
Amber had to smile at the thought of her mother seeing her display earlier that evening, not to mention how horrified she’d have been to find out that she’d left Daniel standing out in the rain. This was the moment she’d been dreading, but she took a deep breath and started to explain.
“I’m sure you understand that my mother is blackmailing me into this as I’m sure is yours,” she said, then waited.
“She’s got the funding for my racing team in her control,” he said, affirming what she’d thought.
“My mother made it very clear that unless I do this, they’re going to cut me off. The cottage is paid for but that’s it, and an artist just starting out like I am doesn’t make much money. She also made it very clear that we had to stay married for a year, in fact the more I thought about our conversation that was the only thing she insisted on,” Amber said, nerves making her voice shake.
“But they’re going to expect a big wedding with all the trimmings,” Daniel said shaking his head. “That’s going to take far longer than a year.”
“Then why go through with all that?” Amber said, then quickly added, “If we just went off and got married right away, then the year would begin and this would be over for both of us that much sooner.”
Daniel sat back against the cushions on the couch and stared at her for several minutes, turning what she’d suggested over in his mind. It was a pretty good idea. In fact, it would serve his mother right if they did. “That’s not a bad idea,” he finally said, his respect for Amber growing. At least she was fighting any way she could.
“They’ll probably be mad, but I don’t care, I’m tired of my mother running my life,” Amber said, a glint of stubbornness in her eyes. “Don’t take this personally, but the sooner this is over the sooner I can get back to what I really want to be doing.”
“I suppose you have a plan?” Daniel asked, deciding that her idea was the perfect way to show his mother that she couldn’t completely control him.
“Well, that’s the problem, I haven’t figured it out from there. It was hard enough to suggest it,” Amber said, with a nervous laugh.
Daniel smiled at her and put his hand over hers where it was resting on her leg. “It’s a brilliant idea, and I’m glad that it’s you I’m going to marry and not one of those silly society girls my mother’s always trying to match me up with. Let’s have some more coffee and come up with a plan together, it shouldn’t be that hard to pull this off,” he said, then got to his feet and went to the kitchen.
Amber sat on the couch taking deep breaths, she’d never imagined that it would go this well, had in fact been prepared for Daniel to freak out when she suggested that they get married right away. To her great relief, he wasn’t at all like she’d expected him to be. Although her attraction to him had come as a surprise, she was sure that it would fade as she got to know him. Now all they had to do was pull off making the world believe that they’d fallen in love at first sight and were so anxious to be together that they’d rushed off and gotten married.