Rich turned to Jack with a cocky smile. "This is also the very place you decided to trade in your ten-year-old Dodge truck for your new Escalade. That was a huge, gut-wrenching decision for you."

He'd had that truck since high school and had seen no reason to replace it any sooner. "I'm a practical kind of guy," he said, feeling a bit defensive. "I don't like to spend money frivolously."

"Hell, I know that." Rich set another ball on his tee, but waited for Jack to take his first swing. "And I'm not criticizing your choice of thought process, just making you aware of the fact that this place seems to be where you do it best. In fact, the very last time we were here is when you made the decision to open a second restaurant."

All true, and Jack was amazed that he'd never seen the correlation himself. He swung and hit the ball, taking a huge divot out of the grass before sending the ball soaring to the right in the worst slice anyone had ever seen.

"Ahh, man," Rich said on a wince. "That shot sucked."

"Thank you for pointing that out to me."

"This is serious, isn't it?" Rich asked, much more concerned this time. "Usually your concentration is right on even while you're hashing out one of your decisions. Something's really got you shook up."

"I'm fine." And just to prove it, he took another shot and ended up topping the ball. He cursed beneath his breath.

"Come on, Jack. Just spill it," Rich said, putting his eight iron back in his bag in favor of a driver. "You'll feel a helluva lot better once you get whatever it is off your chest, and then we can go have a beer up at the clubhouse and toast to your newest acquisition."

This time was different. This was one time he couldn't just save up and purchase what he wanted. No, he had to earn it. And that was what made everything so uncertain, because the decision was out of his control.

Or was it?

The question nagged at Jack, and he transferred his gaze from the two-hundred-yard flag stick out on the range, to Rich. "It's Kayla Thomas."

Rich placed a ball on the tee. "I thought you said you were happy with the new dessert menu."

"I am."

Rich's brown eyes lit up. "Ahhh."

The one word held a wealth of understanding, and his friend just waited patiently for him to unload. "I'm falling in love with her." Jack scrubbed a hand over his jaw and finally admitted the truth out loud. "Hell, I'm already there."

"Congratulations," Rich said with a big grin. "You certainly have my blessing. I like her. A lot. And quite honestly, other than your crappy mood today, I can't remember the last time I've seen you so happy."

But Jack had a huge problem. He might be more content that he could ever remember being, but his biggest obstacle in getting what he wanted-a future with Kayla-was Kayla herself. And he had no idea how to get around her insecurities and emotional barriers.

"So, have you told her how you feel?" Rich asked while taking a few practice swings.

"No. Not yet."

Rich glanced his way with a frown. "Why not?"

"Because I'm afraid of scaring her away." He went on to explain a bit about Kayla's past to Rich, of how skittish she seemed to be of him and their developing relationship. And that he'd decided to take a step back and wait for her to come around on her own.

Rich took all that into consideration for a moment, then said, "In my opinion, you're taking the wrong approach with her."

Jack was willing to listen and learn, especially since Rich had more experience in the relationship department than he did-at least more experience with serious relationships that involved real emotion. While Jack had spent years keeping women at arm's length, Rich had been looking for that one special woman to spend his life with-but had yet to find her.

"I'm listening," Jack prompted.

"She's obviously not like all the other women you've dated," Rich said, and sent a golf ball soaring through the air in a clean, straight-line shot. "She's not demanding or assertive or overbearing."

"Not at all," Jack agreed. And those were some of the things that he loved about her. She wasn't at all smothering. She was gentle, sweet, and caring, and he was one-hundred-percent comfortable with her.

"So don't you think that since she doesn't possess any of those aggressive traits that she's going to read your signals all wrong? You're only making it easier for her to let you back off, because she thinks that's what you want." Rich selected a different club from his bag and briefly met Jack's gaze. "With you putting distance between the two of you, it's just going to reinforce her belief that you don't want someone like her."

His stomach cramped at the realization that Kayla might construe his actions in such a negative light. "I've never thought of it that way before."

"That's why I'm doing the talking, and you're doing the listening. And I'm not done yet." Rich lined up another shot. "For quite a while now, you've been dating women who were all wrong for you, whom you had no trouble keeping at arm's length. These women have been throwing themselves at you for so long that I'm thinking you've forgotten how to come on strong your-self, to make your intentions known. Now that you've found the right woman, you don't know how to open; yourself up to her."

Jack was blown away by Rich's insight, and realized, in some ways, his friend knew him better than he understood himself. "You're right."

"Of course I'm right." The teasing note to Rich's voice tempered his arrogant comment. "The way I see things, you need to reassure her, Jack, so there's no second-guessing where you're coming from. Let her know how you feel, right up front. Get it out in the open and you can both deal with it in a straightforward, honest way."

How could he have been so stupid? So blind? Everything Rich said made sense, and eased that worry he'd felt about not being able to give Kayla what she needed in her life. He'd just required a bit of friendly advice from Rich to give him a sense of purpose with Kayla again.

"When are you seeing her again?" Rich asked.

"Tomorrow night." Setting a ball on his tee, Jack lined up his club, and eyed the one-hundred-and-sixty-yard flag stick, feeling calmer and more focused than he had in the past eighteen hours. "I'm going to an art show with her."

"Then there's your chance, buddy. After your date, tell her how you feel."

Jack was going to do exactly that, because he wasn't about to give Kayla the opportunity to shut him out. He had to put his own emotions on his sleeve if he expected her to do the same, and he was willing to take that first life-changing step with her. For her.

Jack swung his club, made perfect contact with the golf ball, and sent it sailing beyond the one-hundred-and-sixty-yard flag stick as if it had wings of its own.

Rich whistled long and low at Jack's powerful shot. "Looks like you're back in the game, buddy."

Jack flashed him a confident grin. "You better believe I am."


* * *

Kayla had never worn anything so daring and blatantly sexy, but she couldn't deny that she loved the sensual, confident way her new dress-a vivid purple, off-the-shoulder design-made her feel. With Jillian's guidance, she'd also bought a pair of two-inch heels that didn't make her stumble when she walked. That extra boost of height made her legs look longer, and more slender.

She'd worn her hair up, donned lacy lingerie and smoke-hued stockings, and dabbed perfume in all the right places. Tonight, she needed all the self-assurance she could muster to seduce Jack, because she had no idea what tomorrow would hold.

She'd tried her best to prepare herself for the end of their physical relationship. Other than deliveries of the desserts, which Kayla didn't do herself, they had no reason to see one another on a steady basis. After this evening, she'd be left to pick up the pieces of her shredded emotions.

But at least she'd have great memories to fall back on. They'd shared not just sex, which had been great, but an emotional bond that had helped her begin to gain some insight to herself, her past, and maybe even her future. And she intended to start that future by not having any regrets with Jack after this evening.

She had no time to contemplate further, because he arrived at her house to pick her up for the art show. He looked gorgeous in a black suit with a white shirt and gray patterned tie. Appearing surprisingly relaxed, he gave her a lazy smile of appreciation when he saw her.

She wasn't quite sure what to expect after their emotional conversation two nights ago, but one thing she knew for certain-she was ready for tonight. And she was ready for Jack.

Just as Jack parked the car in the Seaside Gallery parking lot and shut down the engine, and before he had a chance to exit the vehicle, Kayla opened up her purse and withdrew a small gold foil box.

"I brought a surprise for you," she said, and knew by the dark heat in his eyes that he had a good idea what she held in her hands.

He rested his arm across the seat behind her and fingered a tendril of blond hair skimming the side of her neck. The contact made her shiver. "Dare I ask what's in that box you're holding?"

Just that quick, just that easily, her nipples puckered tight with need. Her candies were so unnecessary for her body to get primed and ready for him. No aphrodisiac would ever come close to duplicating the intense hunger that rippled through her at his knowing touch. Her desire for him was real, an all-encompassing combination of physical and emotional need.

Though she'd never be certain if the candies induced Jack's desire, she wasn't taking any chances with his libido tonight. It had been almost a week since they'd made love, and she ached for him in a way that transcended mere sex.