Beyond Temptation (Forged of Steele #3)

She glared at Kylie. “So? I’m sure he’s asked several women out. Big deal.”

“No, Lena. For Morgan it wasn’t just a big deal. I think it almost became an obsession.”

Lena frowned. “An obsession?”

“Yes. Not to the point that he would have resorted to stalking you or anything like that,” Kylie said, grinning. “But he was determined to get you.”

Lena considered Kylie’s words for a moment, then asked softly, “In bed?”

Kylie immediately knew where Lena’s thoughts were going and reached out and captured her hand. “No, Lena. I think it was more serious than that.”

Lena’s frown deepened. “What’s more serious than a man going after a woman for the sole intent of getting her in his bed? And you knew about this and didn’t tell me?”

Kylie shrugged. “I knew what Chance was telling me, which wasn’t much, but enough to figure out what was going on. The reason I didn’t tell you is that my husband asked me not to. He felt sooner or later sexual chemistry would do the both of you in. The brothers knew how bad Morgan wanted you, so they figured out why he’d hired you to sell his house and buy another.”

Lena’s eyes widened in startled shock. “Are you saying the reason Morgan hired me as a Realtor was that he wanted to sleep with me?”

Kylie rolled her eyes. “No, that’s not what I’m saying, and will you please be quiet for a moment so I can give you my take on things?”

When Lena reluctantly nodded, she said, “My take on things is this. For Morgan it was more than having you in his bed. I honestly think he was quite taken with you, Lena, and he concocted this plan to get you right where he wanted you, as a permanent part of his life. Remember that day at lunch I told you about his belief about his perfect woman? In his mind you’re it and he would have done anything for you to become a part of his life like he wanted to become a part of yours. But first he had to prove himself to you, let you see that he’s not like those guys you dated before.”

Lena bit her bottom lip. A part of her couldn’t buy what Kylie was saying. Mainly because she couldn’t see herself as any man’s perfect anything. “I think you’re wrong, Kylie.”

“And I think I’m right, Lena. If all Morgan wanted was to sleep with you, once he’d done that he wouldn’t have come back, and I know the two of you have slept together.”

Lena leaned forward. “And how do you know that?”

Kylie smiled. “The same way you knew that Chance and I had slept together without me having said one word. I was celibate for over fifteen years and I know you haven’t been with anyone since your dad died. Although I hadn’t seen you in the past couple of days when I talked to you a couple of days ago you sounded funny.”

Lena leaned back in the chair and lifted a brow. “Funny how?”

“Like you were tired, exhausted, sexually fulfilled. And when I talked to your mom yesterday and she happened to mentioned the fact that you had swollen lips, I thought that—”

Lena straightened in her chair. “Mom told you that?”

Kylie couldn’t help but giggle. “Yes, you know mothers don’t miss anything. They see everything. Trust me, although she might not have said anything, she noticed.”

Lena nodded. “So what did you tell her?”

Kylie smiled. “I told her it must have been a soda bottle. I heard Donovan give that excuse to Chance once.”

Lena inhaled deeply. “Okay, Morgan and I did sleep together, once.”

Kylie lifted a brow, then reached out and touched a mark on Lena’s upper arm. “Once? This sure looks like a recent passion mark to me.”

Lena rolled her eyes. “Okay, more than once. So he got what he wanted.”

Kylie shook her head. “I’m sorry you think that way. You know what your problem is, Lena?”

“No, what do you think my problem is, Kylie?” she asked sarcastically.

“I’ve known you all my life and you’ve always felt you’ve had to complete against skinny females. Why can’t you believe and accept that there are some men who don’t give a damn about a woman’s weight? They see beyond all that and see what’s in her heart. Why can’t you believe Morgan is one of those men? To him, you are his perfect woman. You and not Jamie Hollis or any other slim woman who wants to catch his eye. But until you believe in your own beauty, both inside and outside, what he sees doesn’t really matter.”

Donovan glared at his two oldest brothers. “I refuse to play another game until the two of you calm Morgan down. What the hell is his problem?”