Thorn's Challenge

Delaney chuckled. “I don’t know why you continue to let him get next to you, Tara,” she said, taking another sip of her wine, although she had a pretty good idea. She had been keeping a close eye on Thorn and Tara since they’d met and knew better than anyone that the spark of annoyance flying between two individuals was a sure sign of attraction. She and her husband Jamal could certainly attest to that. When they’d first met there had been sparks, too, but then the sparks had turned into fiery embers that had fed another kind of fire. Delaney hated that she hadn’t been around more to prod Thorn and Tara in the right direction. She and Jamal had spent more time in his homeland during their son Ari’s first year of life. They had returned to the States a few months ago so that she could complete the rest of her residency at a hospital in Kentucky. They would be remaining in the States for at least another year.

“I know I shouldn’t let him get under my skin, Laney, but I can’t help it. For instance, last night, when the others left my house after the card game, Thorn hung back just to rattle me.”

Delaney lifted a brow. “Thorn hung back? I’m surprised he wasn’t the first to leave.”

Tara had been surprised, too. Usually, he avoided her like the plague. “Well, for once he decided to stick around.”

“And?”

“And he said we needed to talk.”

Delaney shook her head. “About Mrs. Chadwick wanting him to do that calendar?”

“No, I never got around to mentioning that.”

“Oh. Then what did the two of you have to talk about?”

A rush of color suffused Tara’s mahogany skin when she thought of just what they had done in addition to talking. Aftereffects of their kiss still had her feeling warm and tingly in certain places.

“Tara?”

Tara met Delaney’s gaze. “Ahh…he wants to take me bike-riding today and we talked about that,” she said, not telling Delaney everything because she figured she really didn’t have to. No doubt there was a telltale sign all over her face that Thorn had kissed her.

“Are you?”

Tara blinked as Delaney’s question broke into her thoughts. “Am I what?”

“Are you going bike-riding with Thorn?”

Tara shrugged. “I told him I wouldn’t, but that didn’t mean a thing to him since he indicated he would drop by today anyway. At first I had planned to make sure I wasn’t home when he arrived, but then I remembered Mrs. Chadwick and that darned calendar.”

“So, you’re going?”

Tara breathed in a deep sigh. “I guess so, I’m only going so that I can ask him about the charity calendar.”

Delaney smiled. It seemed things were finally beginning to happen between Thorn and Tara; after two years it was definitely about time. But still she decided she needed to leave her friend with a warning. “Look, Tara, I know my brothers probably better than anyone and Thorn is the one I can read the best. He was involved in an affair a few years back that left him with a bad taste in his mouth, and heaven knows that was the last thing Thorn needed, since he was moody enough. He’s an ace when it comes to doing whatever it takes to get whatever it is he wants. He’ll pull out all stops and take any risks necessary if the final result suits him. There’s only one way I know to get the best of him.”

“And what way is that?”

Delaney smiled, her eyes crinkling attractively as she thought of the brother who loved being a thorn in everyone’s side most of the time. “Don’t try beating Thorn at his game, since he’s a pro. What you should do is to come up with a game plan of your own.”

Tara lifted an arch eyebrow. “A game plan of my own?”

Delaney nodded. “Yes. One that will get you what you want, while making him think he has accomplished his goal—getting whatever it is he wants from you.”

Tara frowned. For the past two years Thorn had avoided her space and now suddenly he was determined to invade it. She didn’t have to think twice as to what he wanted from her since he had pretty much spelled things out last night. He wanted her! “A game plan of my own. Umm, I think that’s a wonderful idea.”

Thorn sat astride his motorcycle and gazed at Tara’s house, wondering if she was home. He had heard from Stone that she had had lunch with Laney earlier that day.

He should have called first but he hadn’t wanted to give her the chance to refuse his invitation. He’d figured that the best thing to do was to catch her with her guard down since chances were she probably thought she had made herself clear and he wouldn’t show up today.