She couldn 't say no, even though she didn 't think he would. "It is just that I have never lived with a man. "

"It 's not like the two of you are going to be having sex in the kitchen. " His lips pursed. "You 're not are you? "

Heat rose in Simone 's cheeks. "I most certainly am not. " She pulled herself out of the car but was still pinned against it by Curtis who hadn 't stepped back. "Is that what you think of me? You think I moved here to sleep my way around? "

Curtis reached his hand to her face and caressed her cheek with his thumb. "I didn 't mean it to come out that way. I 'm a little gun shy having you this close. "

She was drowning in a sea of confusion. He wanted her, he didn 't. He loved her, he loathed her. She couldn 't get a grip on what was going on.

"Curtis, you are crowding me. I need to get inside. "

His hand still lingered on her cheek. "I 'm here to help. " He bore a stare of warning and concern at her. "You hurt me, Simone. I 've never hurt that bad in my life. "

She dropped her gaze to the ground and he lifted her chin with his finger until she looked at him. "Curtis, I am sorry. "

"I think you are. I want us to be friends. You mean the world to Zach and my sister. Now here you are intertwined into every aspect o1f my life. " He let out a deep breath and lowered his forehead to hers. "You 've changed. I don 't know what it is but you 've changed. "

She swallowed hard. How much did he know?

"I am more than the face of Pierpont Oil. "

"I know. I didn 't then, but I do now. You cemented that in my mind when you helped Regina. "

"No woman with a child deserves that. "

"You 're right. " He stepped back and looked at her. "I saw my sister nearly die at the hands of a man. I saw her heart break when she gave up her daughter. You saved Regina from all that. And if she keeps going on the path you set for her you will have saved her life. "

Those damn tears broke free again and they rolled down her cheeks.

Curtis brushed them away. "It feels good to save a life, doesn 't it? "

She could only nod. There were no words for his compassion.

He pulled her into his arms and held her until she 'd composed herself.

"Curtis, thank you. "

Zach pounded his fist on the hood of the car forcing them to jump apart. "I 've successfully untied everything all by myself. Do you two think you could stop making out in the street long enough to help me move this stuff? "

Simone laughed against Curtis 's chest. She 'd never felt so taken care of in her entire life.

After a morning spent with Zach in control of coordinating everything she understood better why he was so successful. She 'd seen him dealing with men in suits at a meeting, but she now knew he could throw his weight around a work site just as well.

She 'd heard every curse word Curtis knew and Zach 's voice had risen to levels she 'd never heard. But in the end she had a bed, a dresser, a chair, a television, a closet full of clothes, and a place she called her own.

She stood in her new bedroom, which was the size of her closet in her father 's home, and she smiled. Who would have ever thought she 'd be so happy in such a small space.

"Have you ever slept on a waterbed? " Curtis leaned against the doorjamb.

"No, I certainly have not. I did not know that was what was in the truck. " She let out a giggle.

"They can be fun. " He winked at her and she looked away. As much as she wanted to eat up the charm she couldn 't just pull him in the room and roll on the bed. There was something he would certainly notice and he couldn 't find out that way.

"I cannot believe Regan gave me all these clothes. "

"Well you have to figure she 's on baby number two, and I think they are far from done having babies. So this is part of her old life. "

Simone turned from him so he couldn 't see the fear she felt creep over her. "It was very nice of everyone. "

Curtis touched her shoulder. "It 's okay to be overwhelmed. You 've never needed anyone before. "

He was right she hadn 't. It was hard to have to be humble.

He turned her around to him and held her against him, again. "You 've gotten involved with the wrong family if you can 't accept graciously. "

She turned her head and rested it against his chest. "Am I involved with this family? "

"More than I thought I wanted you to be. " She felt him suck in a breath and let it out slow. "I couldn 't get you out of my head. No woman has ever done that to me before. "

"I hurt you. "

"More than anyone ever has. " He brushed his lips across the top of her head. "Have you ever forgiven someone? "

"No. "

"Me either, so I guess we 're going to have to work around that. " He chuckled. "Let 's start with going out and dancing. "

Simone stepped back and nodded. "I think I would like that. "

"I 'm going home and getting a shower. I 'll pick you up at seven. "

"I 'll be ready. "

He turned to leave the room and looked back at her. "Don 't take this the wrong way, because it 's going to come out sounding bad. But I like what Tennessee has done to you already. You 're feeling like a real woman in my arms with those nice curves. " He winked and walked away.

Simone fell to the bed. He 'd noticed too much. She ran her hands over her stomach. It wouldn 't be long before there would be no hiding it. Tonight had to win him over or his comment about not forgiving would force her back to France and she 'd have to gravel at her father 's feet. That wasn 't an option.

The best part about Simone 's new wardrobe was Regan, though still petite and small, was two sizes bigger than she was. She 'd have lots of room for a while in her new clothes. There was a denim skirt, black sleeveless shirt with mother-of-pearl snaps, and a worn pair of boots.

Simone grinned at herself when she looked in the mirror. Though it was almost as if she 'd dressed in a costume, she couldn 't remember a time, even in her own clothes, that she 'd looked better.

Sam knocked on her door. "You look good. "

"Thanks. I have never worn boots like this before. "