King's Million-Dollar Secret

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“Good to meet you too, Rafe,” Nana said with a smile.

When he walked away, Katie’s gaze was locked on him. His long legs, the easy, confident strides he took, the way the sunlight glinted on his black hair. And yes, she admitted silently, she liked the view of his butt in those faded jeans, too.

Finally though, she turned her gaze to her grandmother. The thoughtful expression on her Nana’s face had her asking, “Okay, what’s going on? What’re you thinking?”

“Me? Only wondering if he has a grandfather as good looking as he is.”

“You’re hiding something,” Katie said, narrowing her eyes.

“Me?” Emily slapped one hand to her chest and widened her eyes in innocence. “I’m an open book, sweetie. What you see is what you get.”

“Nana …”

She checked her wristwatch and said, “Oh, I have to fly. Grace and I have a double date tonight with a couple of frisky widowers. I’m meeting Grace for manicures in half an hour.”

Katie laughed and gave her a hug. “You’re amazing.”

“So are you, when you give yourself a chance.” Emily slid a look at Rafe again. “Why not invite that boy to dinner? Live a little, Katie. You like him, don’t you?”

“Yeah,” Katie said, shifting her gaze back to Rafe. “I do. I mean, I’ve only known him a week, but I’ve spent so much time with him, it feels like longer. He’s a nice guy, Nana. A regular guy. Nothing like Cordell King and believe me, that’s a good thing. I’ve had it with the idle rich.”

“Not all rich guys are idle,” Emily pointed out. “Or, jerks for that matter.”

“Maybe,” Katie said, but she wasn’t convinced. Granted, she hadn’t had a lot of experience with rich men. Cordell had been the one and only billionaire she’d ever known. But if he was an example of their breed, then he was more than enough to last her a lifetime. “From now on though, I’m only interested in regular, hardworking guys.”

“You have your mother’s hard head, God bless her.” Nana blew out a breath and said, “Fine. This Rafe seems nice enough and he’s surely easy on the eyes.”

“That he is,” Katie agreed, letting her gaze slide back to the man whose image had been filling her dreams lately.

“But you never really know a man until you’ve hit the sack with him.”

“Nana!” Katie groaned and shook her head. “What kind of role model are you, anyway?”

“The good kind.” Emily laughed, clearly delighted at being able to shock her granddaughter so easily. “I’m just saying, it might be interesting to take him out for a test drive, that’s all.”

Katie loved her grandmother, but she was in no way the free spirit Emily O’Hara was. But then Nana hadn’t always been this outspoken and full of adventure. Right after Katie’s mother died, Nana had seemed to realize just how short life really was and she’d thrown herself into the mix with abandon.

And while Katie admired that adventurous style and certainly understood, she just couldn’t bring herself to behave the same way. Nana had had the great love of her life and now she was looking for fun.

Katie was still looking for love.

Still, the fact was, Nana was probably right about Rafe. Katie was more drawn to him than she had been to anyone, up to and including Cordell King. So maybe it was time she took a chance. Pushed herself out of the cocoon she’d wrapped herself in.

“Not interested in a test drive.” Okay, that’s a lie, she amended silently when that little buzz of interest popped in her veins again. “Not yet, anyway,” she said aloud. “But dinner would be good. I do like him and he’s so different from Cordell King.”

“Uh-huh.”

“What?”

“Nothing. Not a darn thing.” Emily pulled her in for a hard, tight hug and said, “I’m off for some fun. I suggest you do the same. Gotta run.”

Alone again, Katie silently studied Rafe Cole as he stood in the sunlight laughing with Arturo.

Fun sounded like a good idea.

“The guys are gone,” Rafe said.

He had stayed deliberately, after the crew left for the night, just to get a few minutes alone with her. Hadn’t asked himself why, because he wasn’t sure he’d like the answer. But he’d fallen into the habit of being the last man to leave and he actually looked forward to the times when it was just him and Katie at the house.