Page 26 of Zane

Both comments came out at the same time.

Pulling her hand away, Kara slid back her chair. "Let's put it this way. I have no intention of tying my life down with a man who has zero respect for me, one who does not love me. Marriage is a serious commitment, and when I enter into the institution, I want it to be for the rest of my life."

She sent William a cool glance. "I'm not the woman for you. I'm a grown-ass woman. Yes! I say 'ass,' and you can attribute my foul language to working for 'that woman,' as you termed it, Mother, or to the fact that my eyes are open. I earn my own money and am very independent. I've been toeing the line all my life, and it ends here. And another thing-"

She slid the chair all the way out. "I'm quitting the church. While I was being wayward, I discovered some shady things about the first family. The hypocrisy in that church is staggering. I will not abandon my faith, because that is very important to me. There's a tiny Baptist church on Orchard Street about which I've been thinking."

She rose and turned to her mother, who sat there staring at her rigidly. "I know you're very disappointed in me, but I need to start thinking of myself now. You've been dictating my life for too long, and it ends today."

She turned back to the perplexed William. "Not once have you ever told me you loved me. This is just an arrangement to you. Well, I'm done."

They both watched her walk away. Katherine was the first to react.

"Are you going to sit here and allow her to walk out on you like that?"

"What can I do?" he asked helplessly.

"Grow a pair and go after her, you idiot!"

"Of course." Dutifully, he pushed back his chair and rose. "She's just being a little high-strung, that's all."

Kara had just retrieved her key fob from the valet when she saw him hurrying toward her.

With a sigh, she waited until he came alongside the vehicle.

"I've said all I want in there. I'm guessing Mother sent you after me to try and change my mind."

"She wants what's best for you."

"And that would be you."

His lips pursed. "I can give you a good life."

"I already have one, thanks anyway."

He placed a well-manicured hand on top of the vehicle. "You're clearly acting out. Why don't we-"

"Acting out?" She uttered an incredulous laugh. "I'm twenty-eight years old, William. A woman in charge of her own life. I've never had sex-"

She almost laughed when his mouth dropped open. "Yes, I said it. The 's' word that has you all nervous and sweating. It makes me wonder if what they're saying is right. That you're gay."

He went as stiff as a board, and if she was any judge of people, he looked a shade ill. "That's a preposterous thing to say! I assure you, I'm a heterosexual male-"

"And if that's true, you're getting it from somewhere else. You never once put the moves on me, and nothing I ever did stirred you up."

His eyes glinted coldly. "Is that what you want? For me to be pawing you like-like a common prostitute?"

"Yes!" she snapped. "Do something to show me that I'm an attractive woman. Two years with just a few pecks on the lips and nothing more."

"We were saving it for the wedding night."

She laughed, genuinely laughed, at that. "That's what I've been trying to assure myself of. I'm saving myself for marriage. But that's pure bullshit, and we both know it. I'm done. Now please move away from my vehicle and allow me to go. You can always go back in there and tell my mother that you genuinely tried." Her eyes lit up and she smiled. "You can always propose to her. You're both alike in so many ways."

"She's like a mother to me-"

"And don't ever let her hear you say such a thing. Katherine Saunders likes to think that she and I are the same age. Goodbye, William."

Without waiting for him to say anything else, she hopped in and backed out, leaving him standing there and staring after her.