Love on Borrowed Time

Chapter 2:No sexy distractions

KAYLEE

“Damn,” I muttered under my breath as I stepped onto the luxury train called The Maze.

It was like stepping into another world. For me, it really was. My gaze swept over the opulence of the carriage that served as an observation car, holding my breath. I only knew that because I had the brochure.

The Maze was divided into sixteen cars, which included the observation car, two dining cars, and cabins or suites that varied from deluxe to presidential. It boasted of having all the amenities needed for a comfortable stay. That was great to know, considering this was my home for the next four days.

No expense had been spared. A plush carpet beneath my feet made every step I took soft and surreal. There was polished wood paneling adorned with intricate carvings that looked like a maze. It made my fingers itch to trace the path like a puzzle that needed solving. Cream-colored velvet armchairs were perfectly arranged on either side of the car, each exuding comfort and class. In short, everything about the place whispered wealth.

Then there were the travelers. No one needed to tell me that these people were not worried about how many zeros they had in their bank accounts. I’d bet none of them had to sell their grandmother’s jewelry just to afford a ticket to be here. If money could talk, it was screaming in every fiber and cell of the men and women who were calmly making their way through the car to their private cabins.

Suddenly, I couldn’t help but glance at the window to my right. There was just enough light to catch my reflection. The feeling I was woefully underdressed slammed into me like a kick to the gut.

My new summer dress, a stunning long gray, off-the-shoulder number with a flared skirt and a daring slit, had seemed perfect for this trip just an hour ago, not so much now. Self-consciously, I smoothed the fabric with my palms. Great. I was nervous now and that wouldn’t go well with my plans.

I couldn’t do sweaty and jumpy when I needed sexy and romantic. Trailing behind me, Caleb stuffed his hands in his pocket. We hadn’t spoken much since he picked me up at my apartment three hours ago.

It also hadn’t escaped my notice that Caleb couldn’t have been bothered to pass a single compliment over my appearance. Even leaving my soft brown curls loose and falling around my shoulders the way he liked it hadn’t seemed to generate a single word. I probably wouldn’t have paid much attention to it, except he had taken the time to compliment Rizalina on her simple look.

Lina was babysitting Zeke for me for the duration of this trip, so she hadn’t dressed to impress, but Caleb had still told her how nice she looked, excluding me from the list of people who deserved a compliment. In fact, toward me, he almost seemed disapproving. I couldn’t fathom why that would be the case.

I turned to him now, hoping to catch his reaction over the train. Caleb was a freelance photographer, always capturing pictures of people in the city and all the interesting hidden corners no one knew existed within the concrete jungle. Surely he had to be impressed with the beauty of the train. If I couldn’t get him to praise my appearance, at the very least, I could get a compliment for my choice of a holiday destination.

Nothing. It was like looking at a blank wall. I released a quiet sigh.

Dressed in his usual distressed jeans and a white muscle shirt that accentuated his slight athletic build and dark brown skin, Caleb looked almost… indifferent and out of place, as though he had wandered onto the wrong train and couldn’t wait to get off.

Confused, I looked around again, wondering if I was just too impressed by nothing. Nope. The interior of the train looked like a dream. I almost didn’t internally cringe at the memory of how much it had cost me to get us here.

Neither of us came from money, so this wasn’t something we’d ever experienced before, which was why I’d thought it was perfect for a marriage proposal. It would certainly be memorable and we would cherish the memory for years to come.

Turning back to Caleb, I tilted my head to the side, my voice taking on a light, hopeful tone. “What do you think?”

With his hands still stuffed into his pockets, Caleb glanced at me and then at the car. He shrugged. “It’s nice.”

Wow. Nice? That was it? Nice didn’t even seem adequate enough for the simple yet elegant vase of freshly cut flowers seated on a small table by the large window between the luxurious seats.

Okay. I swallowed down the irritation trying to climb up my throat, refusing to let his lack of enthusiasm dampen my mood. This train was beautiful, and it was going to serve its purpose. I forced a smile. “Glad you like it.”

Then, determined to get this show on the road, quite literally, I turned, ready to find one of the staff who could direct us to our deluxe cabin, and nearly collided with a black leather wall. Except it wasn’t a wall, it was a man.

Gasping, I quickly took a step back, even as a strong hand clasped around my forearm and steadied me.

My lips opened, ready to sputter a hundred apologies. But then I registered the heat of the firm hold on my arm. An involuntary shudder ran down my back. What the hell? Confused, I looked up into the face of the mountain I had nearly run into and clamped my mouth shut with an audible click of my teeth. Oh my God.

My heart crashed against my ribs. The man standing in front of me was like something out of a rebel’s dream. A bad boy. That was what came to mind the instant I took him in. Although, nothing about him could be described as a boy. This was a man in every sense of the word. And he wasn’t the kind that sat behind a desk pushing papers all day. No. This was an outdoorsman.

A worn leather jacket hung open, revealing a fitted white T-shirt stretched over a lean, toned torso. His pants, also leather, clung to long legs ending in well-worn biker boots.

At least, I assumed they were biker boots since the man carried a black, shiny helmet in his left hand and had a backpack hooked over his right shoulder.

To complete the look, the handsome devil had sharp, striking features, framed by dark shoulder-length hair tucked behind his ears and falling loosely over the back of his neck.

And then there were his eyes - intense and stormy gray. They seemed to pin me in place more than his hold did, studying me as though I were the most fascinating thing he had come across all day. My whole body shuddered again.

What the hell was wrong with me? I had no business gawking at some man, no matter how intriguing he was. Not with Caleb, my boyfriend and the father of my son, standing so close I could feel the warmth radiating from his body.

Right then, as though Caleb felt the need to announce he was with me, he stepped closer. “Watch where you are going.” He sounded irritated.

My eyes snapped toward Caleb just as the hold on my arm vanished. I thought he was talking to the man, but his gaze was on me, so I was the target of his irritation. Was he being serious? There wasn’t even a speck of jealousy in him, even though I had practically been ogling the biker.

Even as I thought that my gaze wandered over the man again as though they had a mind of their own. He hadn’t stopped studying me. Didn’t even seem to notice Caleb. My heart skipped several beats in my chest.

No. I’m not doing that. I wasn’t on this train to meet men like one of those lonely women who paid for cruises just to meet rich playboys for a little fun; I reminded myself sternly. With that, I finally broke eye contact, mumbled an apology, and walked around the man in search of someone who could direct us to our quarters. I had dinner to prepare for and a proposal to focus on. No pair of gray eyes and thin lips curved slightly in a knowing smirk were going to deter me.

Still, I felt his gaze linger on me as I walked away. It didn’t matter. I wasn’t going to let a sexy bad boy ruin my plans.