Sweet Tempest

by Helen Bianchin

  Nothing dulled the pain, and even Michael's goodnatured humour did little to lift her flagging spirits. Only the animals provided some solace, and she became so involved in caring for the sick and the stray that even her father insisted she deploy her interest, at least in part, elsewhere.

  Stephanie tried, without success. Taking in a movie with Karen, even attending a party with Michael didn't help, despite their efforts to make each outing enjoyable. What was the use when her gaze unconsciously searched every tall dark-haired male head for a glimpse of a man she knew she would never see again?

  Jim Matheson's suggestion that she take a week or more and holiday in the warm Queensland sunshine evoked an outright refusal, until being confronted with an airline ticket and hotel reservation left her little choice but to accept.

  Hayman Island, at the head of the Whitsunday group in North Queensland, was an idyllic tropical paradise noted for its translucent waters, an abundance of varied tropical reef fish, and above all, a calm relaxing atmosphere.

  For a week Stephanie did nothing but laze beneath the sun, read, swim, and attempt to get her life into some sort of perspective. Certainly she gained a great tan, and her appetite improved measurably, but as a strategy to banish Jake from her mind it was a dismal failure.

  Jim Matheson was at the airport on her return, and she glimpsed his kindly face among the waiting crowd an instant before he saw her, and she summoned a dazzling smile as she moved forward to greet him.

  'Let me look at you.' He drew back and regarded her intently. 'Not my dear sweet Stephanie, but definitely an improvement on the girl who left here last week.'

  'I'm fine—really,' she assured him lightly. 'Did you get my postcards?'

  'Yes, as did Michael, and Karen.' His blue eyes speared hers with kindly affection. 'Didn't you do anything else but write cryptic little messages to us all?'

  'Of course. Haven't you noticed my tan?' she teased. 'I read two hefty novels currently high on the bestseller list, flipped through at least a dozen magazines, and watched all the soap operas on television. Satisfied?'

  'Not entirely,' he responded honestly. 'But you'll do.'

  She made a miniature curtsy. 'Thank you, kind sir. Now, if we're all through with the "hello-how-are-you" bit, we'd better collect my luggage.'

  At home Satan gave her an enthusiastic welcome, as did all the other animals, and she fondled the German Shepherd's ears with affection. 'Man's best friend, aren't you?'

  'They've all missed you,' her father said quietly. 'So have I.'

  Stephanie crossed and gave him a warm hug, then kissed his leathery cheek. 'I've missed you, too,' she assured him softly. 'You're a very dear man, whom I happen to love very much.'

  His eyes seemed to acquire a glimmer for a few seconds, then he grinned. 'I suppose you're going to insist on coming into the clinic tomorrow?'

  'Of course.'

  And she did, with an equanimity that had Michael softly whistling with approval.

  The following few days were busy as she caught up with the monthly accounts and various other secretarial chores the temporary girl hadn't managed to achieve. The state of the files indicated a lack of sufficient care, and it took considerable time to get them all into a semblance of order.

  On Thursday Stephanie drove into town, and after mailing the accounts and completing the banking she slipped into a near-by cafe and ordered a sandwich and coffee.

  It was almost two o'clock when she eased her Datsun out of its parking space and sent it into the main stream of traffic. The day was remarkably clear; one of those rare early spring days when the sun's warmth gave a prelude of what was to come. Most of the trees were still bare, but the countryside had lost the heavy green mantle of winter and the earth seemed to hold a waiting expectancy for the emergence of a new season's growth.

  Stephanie eased the sports coupe into the driveway, and sent it speeding towards the house. Her actions were guided by experience and the sheer familiarity of having traversed the gravelled driveway countless times before.

  There were a few cars lining the curved apron of asphalt adjacent to the clinic, and declining to enter the garage she turned the car towards the stand of trees bordering the side of the house.

  A patch of gleaming silver metal entered her peripheral vision, and the breath caught in her throat as she recognised the sleek low lines of Jake's Lamborghini.

  Oh God! There were any number of reasons for his presence at the clinic, yet at this precise moment she could think of only one. Fool, she accorded with self-derisive bitterness. He'd walked away, out of her life, without so much as a backward glance. He wasn't likely to walk back in.

  A hysterical bubble of laughter rose in her throat as she moved her foot to the accelerator. There was no power on earth strong enough to give her sufficient courage to enter the clinic and deal with the effect his presence would have.

  Uncaring that her actions might be noticed and commented upon, she sent the car back down the driveway, and once clear of the cattle-grid she headed in the opposite direction of town.

  Why—why! she groaned inaudibly. Just when she'd thought she could handle his absence, he had to return, bringing alive a wealth of memories far too vivid ever to be consigned into oblivion.

  Unbidden, his image rose to taunt her. Eyes as deep and unfathomable as an ocean, and remote; warm and liquid with silent laughter; slumbrous with passion. She knew their every expression, and had become more aware of her own sexuality within his arms that she had ever dreamed possible. And his mouth—even to imagine its curving lines, the sensual promise and the torment its touch could wreak plunged her into a state of such despair she could hardly see.

  Whether by instinct or pure reflex action, she cast a glance at her rear-vision mirror, and almost died as she recognised the car travelling close behind.

  Her breathing became ragged and painful, her heartbeat reaching an impossible thunderous crescendo as she glimpsed the Lamborghini's racy body swing out and draw alongside.

  She risked a sideways glance, trying to gauge his intention, and saw him motion for her to pull over.

  Damn his arrogant hide! If he thought she'd meekly follow his direction, he had another think coming!

  Foot almost to the floor, she sent the car surging forward, indifferent at that moment of any risk to life and limb. Seventy, eighty, ninety, the speedometer needle swung steadily higher. All her nerve-ends screamed in agonising rejection, bringing a return to sanity, and even as she began to brake there was a flash of silver metal as the Lamborghini streaked past, its throttled back speed forcing her to come to a slow halt at the edge of the road.

  The engine was still running, and she automatically reached out to switch off the ignition. The resultant silence became a suspended entity, and with an inaudible groan she let her head fall down on to the steering wheel in a gesture of utter defeat.

  Through a mist of despair she heard the decisive clunk of a car door closing, followed by the crunch of footsteps on the road's gravelled edge, then her door was wrenched open and firm hands reached in and released her seatbelt.

  'You crazy idiotic little fool!' His voice was full of barely controlled fury. 'Get out!'

  How dared he issue orders? A slow burning rage rose to the surface, and she leaned back against the seat, her eyes alive with anger as she swung round to face him. The hell I will!'

  Dark brown eyes glinted with icy resolve. Then move over, and I'll get in.'

  'No!' The single denial left her lips as an agonised groan. It was bad enough him being here. At least she felt some measure of protection seated within the car.

  'It's one or the other, Stephanie,' Jake growled emotively. 'You want me to decide?'

  He looked angry enough to do her bodily harm, and she felt oddly threatened. 'What is this?' she managed icily. 'Another example of imposed harassment?'

  A muscle tensed along his jaw, and his gaze narrowed fractionally. 'You want revenge?'

  Her eyes became fiery blue ch
ips, brilliant and fiercely angry. 'Yes—damn you!'

  'Then get out and take it.'

  For a moment she was tempted, then reason returned. 'Oh?' she inclined with intended sarcasm. 'Should I beat my fists against your chest, kick your shins—physically slap you?' A slightly hysterical laugh escaped her lips. 'I'm not crazy enough to imagine you'd let me!'

  His voice was a silky drawl and infinitely dangerous. 'It could only have one ending.'

  Stephanie momentarily closed her eyes against the picture his words, evoked, and he stated quietly—

  'The ultimate revenge would be to let me walk to my car and drive out of your life.'

  She was still consumed with rage and bitterness, and the desire to hurt was uppermost. 'Then walk, Jake. Walk!'

  The silence was electrifying, then he said slowly, 'If you're sure that's what you want.'

  Why did his voice sound so stiff—even bleak? Almost as if he cared. Yet he couldn't—could he?

  Stephanie heard his footsteps begin to recede, one by one, and she watched his tall frame with mesmerised fascination. With a sense of dawning horror her mind leapt ahead, mentally envisaging the damnable hell of having to watch him leave.

  The thought of never seeing him again, the need to know why he'd come back, the full importance of his words, clamoured for supremacy, and with startling clarity she knew that revenge and pride had no place in her emotions.

  'Jake.' In her haste to get out of the car she almost tripped, and her hand clutched at the door for support, then she broke into a run. 'Jake!'

  He paused, but didn't turn, and she faltered to a halt at his side.

  'I was angry,' she offered quietly. 'Are you still?'

  'I thought I had a right to be.'

  A muscle tensed along his jaw, the only movement visible in that grim profile. 'And now?'

  Stephanie swallowed the sudden lump that had risen in her throat. 'I think you'd better tell me why you came back,' she began slowly. 'Especially why you followed me out here.'

  His lips took on a cynical twist. 'Your pound of flesh, Stephanie?'

  Sudden pain clouded her vision, and her voice ached with agonising emotion. 'Aren't I entitled to some explanation?'

  It seemed a long time before he answered, and when he did his voice was curiously detached.

  'Alana had become a problem. She had my parents' address and her calls were a nuisance—to them, and to me. Your father's offer couldn't have come at a more appropriate time. What I hadn't bargained for was you,' he conferred with a self-mocking grimace. 'I wanted to ignore you, except in a professional capacity during clinic hours. However, fate took a hand, and Mrs James' untimely accident threw us into constant contact— with some disastrous results. You aroused unenviable emotions, not the least of which was a strong desire to get you into my bed. I told myself it had to be a basic greed of the flesh, but I was wrong. It went much deeper than that.' He lifted a hand as if to touch her, then let it fall back to his side.

  'When I left, I thought I could walk away and forget everything that had happened. God knows I tried. I became a sought-after escort to a bevy of beautiful young things who could have been mine if I'd shown the merest inclination, but the only face I could see was yours. Your smile, eyes as blue as an ocean and deep enough for a man to drown in. I cursed you a thousand times for giving me a glimpse of heaven—something I'd assured myself I was better off without.' His hand moved abstractedly to his hair, raking through its well-groomed length and ruffling it into attractive disorder.

  'I lifted the phone to call you, only to slam down the receiver before I'd dialled the full requisite of digits. I became a positive bear,' he revealed with rueful cynicism. 'Unreasonable to work with, and equally impossible at home. Eventually I reached the point where I had to see you again—the warm flesh and blood you, not the image I carried constantly in my head. That was when I rang—twice,' he added with a mocking smile. 'Only to be met with an uncategorical refusal to even speak to me. Up until then I hadn't given our possible future much thought. There was no doubt I wanted you, but after one disastrous marriage I wasn't keen to embark on another.'

  Stephanie hardly dared breathe. It seemed as if her whole life hung in the balance, and her heartbeat began to quicken, like a trapped bird apprehensive of its plight.

  'I want you with me,' he said quietly, adding with deliberate emphasis, 'Every day, all through the night. For the rest of my life.'

  Every single body hair tingled alive, and each delicate sensory nerve-end began to pulse with an increased longing until she felt as if she was on fire. 'Are you sure?'

  His eyes were dark with passionate intensity, and pain. 'Walk into my arms, and I'll show you exactly how sure.'

  A sudden prick of tears misted her vision. 'I love you,' she whispered tremulously.

  Strong arms reached out and enfolded her close against him, holding her as if they would never let her go, then his mouth was on hers, hungry and infinitely passionate as he sought to wipe out all the bitterness and uncertainty.

  It was a long time before he released her, and she buried her head against his chest, overwhelmed by the strength of his emotion, and her own. There was so much she wanted to say, and she would, given time. But some things couldn't wait.

  Slowly she lifted her head, her eyes startlingly direct as she met and held his with clarity. 'I didn't think love could hurt so much. It frightened me, wondering if the attraction—the mystical physical emotion we shared was anything more than desire. For you.' She paused, struggling to find the right words. 'I went through the tortures of the damned, unwilling to face the implications Alana had in your life. I couldn't forget that I was convenient in your scheme of things, and much as I wanted to believe otherwise, there didn't seem any point in adding to my heartache. Why should you be attracted to a girl like me?' she queried simply. 'A man who could take his pick of any nubile blonde, brunette or redhead, for that matter. That was when the bitterness began, and the anger.' An inherent honesty made her qualify, 'Mostly against myself for not being realistic.'

  'Fool,' Jake muttered softly, trailing his lips down to tease the edge of her mouth. 'Mmm, I could easily become addicted to this.' He savoured the sweetness of her lips, then traced an evocative path down to the hollow at the base of her throat.

  'Could you?'

  'Oh yes,' he acknowledged gently. 'Can't you feel it?'

  A soft pink tinged her cheeks and he laughed at her confusion, pulling her even closer against him so that she could be in no doubt of his arousal.

  'We're standing on the road in the midst of a public thoroughfare,' she murmured with a shaky laugh, and a passing car gave a loud hornblast as if to emphasise her words.

  'Let's go somewhere private.' His slow smile melted her bones, and her lips formed a slight protest.

  'It's the middle of the afternoon.'

  'What has that got to do with anything?' Jake mused with faint irony, and some of her tremulous uncertainty communicated itself. 'Stephanie,' he chided, giving her a slight shake, 'I love you. Oh hell, I haven't even told you, have I?' His hands slid up to cup her face, his expression infinitely gentle. 'Two days from now, we'll be married. I have the licence, and your father's sanction.'

  It didn't sink in at first, and when it did, she could only look at him with a sense of wonderment. 'You're not serious?'

  'You crazy little idiot,' he grated roughly. 'Do you honestly think I could live with you, love you, and not make it legal?' His mouth closed over hers with punishing bruising force until she gasped for breath.

  'I can't believe it!'

  A slow smile teased his lips, and his eyes gleamed with sudden laughter. 'I shall have to make it my business to see that you do.'

  A devilish grin widened her generous mouth, lightening her eyes until they sparkled like fiery blue sapphires. 'Really?'

  'Did I tell you how beautiful you are?' Jake queried gently. 'I could never tire of just looking at you. Skin as soft as silk to the touch, hair that sm
ells like crushed wildflowers.' His mouth sought a vulnerable hollow in a provocative caress. 'I love you.' There was serious intent in his voice, almost a dedication. 'I'm taking you home, where, after a suitable time, I shall bid you goodnight and book into a motel.'

  She was unable to stop the incredulous query, 'Why? You could easily stay at the house.'

  'I daren't,' he admitted ruefully, shooting her a wry smile. 'And you shouldn't have to ask why.'

  'Jake Stanton—bowing down to convention?' A tiny laugh bubbled up inside her. 'I don't believe it!'

  His kiss was punishingly brief. 'Believe, Stephanie. When I share your bed, I want my ring on your finger, and the whole night in which to love you. What's more, I want to wake up with you beside me. "With this body, I thee worship",' he quoted softly. 'And I intend to, for the rest of my life.'

  Her lips quivered, and there were tears shimmering her eyes as she was torn between the desire to laugh and cry. 'Oh, Jake!'

  His eyes darkened with smouldering warmth, then his mouth twisted into a wry smiled 'Let's go,' he slanted roughly, leaning forward to open her car door, and after pushing her gently into the driver's seat, he bent down and issued the soft command, 'Follow me.'

  Stephanie felt her lips curve into a winsome smile, and her eyes were alive with the intensity of her emotions.

  For a moment he hesitated, and she revelled in the depth of passion evident in his expressive gaze, then he smiled and turned towards the Lamborghini.

  Seconds later the powerful engine fired, and she watched as it slowly turned round and headed back along the highway. She sent the Datsun in its wake, travelling at a sedate speed until, one behind the other, they traversed the long curving driveway leading up to the clinic.

  Stephanie brought the sports coupe to a halt outside the garage, then she slid out and took hold of Jake's outstretched hand, and together they walked slowly towards the house.

  They were married on Saturday afternoon, a short civil ceremony with only both immediate families present.

  Stephanie wore a dress of cream silk and carried an exquisite spray of orchids, while Jake was resplendent in a dark three-piece suit and immaculate white linen.