Enthralled

by Ann Cristy

  The club was located down some steps from the sidewalk and, when the door opened, Teel heard muted laughter and music and the underlying sound of dishes rattling.

  The maitre d' appeared before Chazz could remove Teel's coat. "Mr. Herman, sir," he said, his face wreathed in smiles, "we were so happy to hear that you were joining us this evening. It's been too long."

  "Good evening, Arthur. You have a table for us?" "Of course, sir." Arthur bowed, his smile stretching wider.

  "Fawning idiot," Teel muttered under her breath. Chazz's shout of laughter made her heart bump against her ribs.

  Their table was oval and set in front of a curving leather banquette. As the others slid along the long bench, Chazz held one of the two chairs for Teel and sank into the one next to her.

  The waiter described the entrees for the evening. "I hope you all know you are my guests tonight," Chazz announced, smiling around the table. "Teel and I are anxious to entertain all her friends." His grin widened at her gasp of outrage. He turned to her and kissed her lightly on the mouth. "Aren't we, darling?"

  "I'm going to draw and quarter you and put you into a tank of piranha," Teel hissed.

  "She says, of course, that's what we want to do," Chazz assured the others. "The sky's the limit," he added, holding both her hands in a tight grip as she clenched and unclenched her fists.

  "Teel, you sneak." Nancy laughed, leaning forward to look past Clint. "You kept this surprise all to yourself."

  "I'll bet it was his idea," Rena stage-whispered to Buz.

  "You're correct there, Rena." Teel stretched her mouth in a semblance of a smile. "It was all Chazz's idea."

  Buz looked at her wisely. "Ah, cut it out, Teel. We know you, how generous you are. You just wanted to surprise us."

  "Surprise, surprise," Teel managed with false brightness, looking at the array of drinks that the waiter had set before them. Had she ordered something? She didn't remember. Drat the man! He was making her lose her mind. It wasn't bad enough that he caused her aches and pains. Now he was making her mentally incompetent. She could feel Chazz's web tightening around her.

  "I hope you don't mind"—Chazz glanced at the others—" I took the liberty of telling Arthur we would all like to try 'Arthur's Star,' the specialty of the house, for the first round. Of course, you must order anything you like, no need to stick to this. I just thought you might enjoy sampling what Arthur considers his piece de resistance of drinks." Chazz lifted his glass in a salute. The others did likewise, all except Teel, who frowned into her drink. When she noticed the others watching her and waiting, she raised her glass too. "Here's to—good relationships." Chazz clinked glasses with Teel and drank. "Try it," he urged.

  Teel sipped and found that the drink had a piquant pineapple flavor. It was good. She took another swallow and blinked.

  "Careful," Chazz warned, leaning toward her. "That's first-class rum."

  "I was hoping yours was first-class hemlock." Teel tittered, then sat straighter in her chair. The sound coming out of her own mouth irritated her.

  "Shall we dance?"

  Teel was about to tell him no when he reached down and lifted her to her feet. "Don't you ever wait for an answer?" she hissed as he headed toward the dance floor. Several couples were already dancing, but it wasn't crowded.

  The vigorous beguine rhythm seemed to seep into Teel's blood. Despite her determination to stay as stiff as a board in Chazz's arms, she soon found herself swaying to the music, caught up in the beguiling beat. Chazz was an excellent dancer. It was so satisfying to follow his movements, to twist and turn lightly and surely to the music.

  Teel didn't know the dance they were doing by name, but the intricate steps challenged her. All at once her irritation fled and she whirled around Chazz, his hand holding hers high as she spun wildly. Glee bubbled up as she felt her body respond and answer the challenge. She forgot everything but the fast, swaying rhythm that curved her body away from him then back to fit perfectly to his form like pieces of a puzzle. Held close to him, with his face looking down into hers, she saw the laugh lines etched around his eyes and the dark flecks that rayed out from the center. She had the startling sensation that Chazz was sending her telepathic instructions, that her body had to obey.

  "You are one beautiful lady, Teel Barrett." Chazz gazed down at her, his breath coming fast. "I think I could spend my whole life dancing with you." His voice held a hint of surprise and he continued to look at her, his eyes going from her nose to her mouth to her hair to her chin.

  "Wonderful way to exercise," Teel said absently, her eyes steady on him.

  "I can think of many ways to exercise with you that would be wonderful," Chazz growled softly.

  "Pushups are good too."

  "Exactly my thought, darling," Chazz crooned, twirling her around, then back into his embrace. This time both arms encircled her. He chuckled as her cheeks grew flushed. "You're lovely when you blush."

  "Don't be silly. I don't blush."

  Chazz leaned down and let his tongue graze her hot cheek.” Then you have a most delightful sunburn, my angel."

  "Stop doing that," Teel moaned, feeling as though she had just walked through fire.

  "Doing what?" Chazz's arms clamped her close as the music changed and the room grew darker. Now his tongue was tracing her ear lobe.

  "People will see," Teel protested, feeling her throat close and her heart begin to thud. "You have an awful effect on me," she whispered, trying to get enough strength into her hands to push him away. "Whenever I'm with you I feel as though I'm coming down with the flu." She tried to focus watery eyes on him. "I think I'm allergic to you," she finally pronounced solemnly.

  Chuckling softly, he lowered his head to kiss her, and her knees seemed to turn liquid. She clung to him. "Stay with me. Live with me, Teel," he whispered.

  "What? What did you say?" She struggled to focus on him despite the cold symptoms that seemed to be affecting all her senses.

  "Live with me." He kissed a tendril of hair on her forehead. "If you still want to teach, we'll get a house near Selby. I can commute into New York every day."

  Teel looked at him blankly. "Are you saying you want to come to Selby to live with me?"

  "I also have a home out on Long Island if you'd prefer that."

  "Or you could bring the Deirdre up the Hudson, park it in some secluded waterway, and we could fool around on that," Teel said hoarsely, her throat so dry and scratchy she could hardly get the words out. She needed a doctor! "And then what would I do when you tired of me in a few weeks? I might even last a few months. If I was very, very good. Then would you tie an anchor round my neck and drop me into the Hudson? No? Too dramatic?" Strength began returning to her arms—or was it that Chazz was pulling away from her, thus removing the source of her affliction? She bit her lip and stared up into his golden eyes, which were as dull and hard as freshly mined rock. "Perhaps I would just slip back into my old routine as though nothing had ever happened," Teel went on, "as though the bulldozer called Chazz Herman had never gouged through my life. Well, speak up. Tell me how to handle being dumped by a playboy."

  "Stop it!" Chazz grated, shaking her, his fingers digging into her arms. "It wouldn't be like that with us," he exclaimed. "You know it wouldn't"

  "No," Teel's voice wasn't loud, but her firm tone penetrated to a few of the dancers and several heads turned toward them. "I won't be your plaything," she said more quietly. She stepped away from him, turned on her heel, and headed back to the table. Her hand reached blindly for the drink at her seat, and she emptied it into her mouth before sitting down, desperation making her numb to the bite of the liquor.

  "Would you like to dance, Teel?"

  Teel looked blindly at Buz, noting the puzzlement that replaced his smile. Before he could say anything else, she gave him a stiff smile and rose.

  Just then the waiter stopped at the table and set another round of drinks in front of each person.

  Teel stared at the glass, then rea
ched for hers, taking three big gulps before setting it back down and walking toward the dance floor.

  "Hey, lady, take it easy on those things," Buz said just behind her. "I've never seen you drink before. Is this some new kick you're on?"

  Teel turned to face him, holding out her arms. "You could say that, I guess." Her face hurt when she tried to smile, so she turned away and rested her cheek on his shoulder. She closed her eyes, but that made her dizzy, so she kept them open. This way she didn't have to talk, and Buz couldn't see her face, which she was sure reflected all her misery.

  Chazz danced by with Rena, her eyes closed, a dreamy smile on her face. His gaze swept over Teel's face, making her sinuses contract.

  Without thinking, she stuck out her tongue at him and was horrified when his eyebrows arched in amused inquiry. Quickly she closed her eyes again and was at once dizzy. What was the matter with her? She couldn't re-member doing such a thing even as a child. She swallowed around her sore throat. The man was a menace. She would make him pay all her doctor's bills, and that included the psychiatrist! She would see a good lawyer, too. She would sue him for taking away her good health, her peace of mind. She would take him to the Supreme Court!

  When the dance with Buz ended, Teel felt much better. Deciding on a plan of attack against the enemy was very salubrious, she concluded, arriving at her chair and reaching for her drink at the same time.

  "Don't you think you've had enough?" Chazz murmured into her ear.

  "Stick it in your barracks bag, buddy." Teel sounded out each syllable, looking him square in the eye.

  "You're tipsy now," Chazz told her, reaching to take the glass from her hand.

  "Monster," Teel countered, upending the glass carefully down the front of his silk shirt.

  "You little witch," he whispered ominously, grabbing for a napkin with one hand and her arm with the other. After rubbing at the wet spot, he glanced around the table. "I'm taking Teel home now," he told everyone. "The rest of you stay. I'll arrange the bill, so eat, drink, and whatever until closing." He managed to say the words in a pleasant tone, but the hand holding Teel's was gripping her so hard that she was sure the circulation had stopped. "I'll also arrange for the car to be waiting for you so you'll have transportation back to the hotel or any other place you might choose to go."

  Teel squinted up at Chazz, trying to read behind his tight smile. "Viper," she said, then gave a sigh of satisfaction—and was surprised when Nancy gasped.

  "It's been very nice meeting all of you." Chazz added. "I'll say good night again."

  "Yes," Teel said, holding out her right hand. "And a good night to you." She frowned, wishing he would release her left arm, shake her hand, and leave. She was most annoyed when he told her to say good night, then spun her around and escorted her through the supper club to the front entrance.

  There he paused, said something to the maitre d', and whirled her through the door and up the stairs to the sidewalk.

  Teel inhaled great gulps of fresh air—and then wished she hadn't. The sidewalk began to undulate, making her dizzy. She squeezed her eyes shut, which helped a little. A firm hand in the small of her back propelled her forward.

  Once in the car, Teel wanted to open her eyes, but they seemed stuck closed. She was about to argue with Chazz about several things. One, she had not wanted to leave her friends. Two, she did not want to be sitting there enclosed in his arms. But it was too much trouble to form the words, so she said nothing.

  She didn't even open her eyes when Chazz guided her into the hotel. She heard him mumble something to the driver, but she didn't catch the words. She knew she should open her eyes to walk across the lobby, but they reached the elevator so quickly that it didn't seem worth the trouble. The elevator flew up—it must be going faster than before—but Teel still didn't open her eyes. She had no desire to experience the dizziness she had felt on leaving the supper club.

  It annoyed her that she was so tired she had to lean on Chazz. She took a deep breath of relief when she heard the door close behind her. At last, she opened her eyes to tell Chazz to please leave her room, that she would be fine now, but her mouth dropped open. They were in the foyer of Chazz's apartment! She rounded on him at once and almost fell. When his arm reached out to anchor her, she shook it off furiously. "You tricked me, you—you Svengali, you!" She took a deep breath and reeled.

  "You have the most amazing selection of archaic epithets in your vocabulary that I've ever heard." Chazz shook his head, his voice mild.

  Teel watched him unbutton his jacket, then begin on his shirt. "What are you doing?" Her voice had a faraway sound to her ears.

  "Getting out of this sodden shirt, sweetheart. You aimed so well." Chazz watched her closely, his golden eyes glittering.

  Teel squinted to keep in focus. "Well, you don't need me here for that. I'm going home." Damn the man for bringing her here! It was going to take so much effort to hail a cab and get to her hotel.

  "You are home, angel," Chazz crooned close to her ear.

  Teel's eyes opened wider. How had he managed to get so close to her all at once? He was damned sneaky. "You don't seem to understand me very well," she pronounced loftily, enunciating each syllable very carefully. "I am not staying here."

  "Yes, you are, my lovely. I wouldn't dream of letting you out of my sight, especially considering the condition you're in at present." He dropped his shirt and jacket on the tile floor and bent to lift her into his arms.

  It seemed very natural to place her arms around his neck. She had to hang onto something. "I have to go," she mumbled into his chin, liking the velvet roughness of his beard on her nose. "You have to shave twice a day," she intoned solemnly.

  "Yes." Chazz chuckled and held her more tightly.

  "I have to get up early." Teel felt very sad at the thought. She sniffed, trying to stem sudden tears. "Very early. If I stay here I won't get up in time." The rush of tears made her face wet. "I can't disappoint the children."

  "You won't. I'll get you up in time," Chazz soothed, pushing open the door of a ballroom-sized bedroom with a circular bed in the center. The room was decorated in cream and blue with brown accents. A hand-woven Indian carpet in blue, cream, and brown covered the entire floor and looked plush and inviting.

  "Oh." Teel stared around her, momentarily diverted. "Is this where you do your womanizing when you're not on the Deirdre?" she asked sotto voce.

  Chazz gave a hard laugh and squeezed her tight. "You do say the damndest things," he answered.

  Teel smirked at him. "I'll bet you get dizzy on that silly bed." She widened her eyes at him. "Does it go round and round with a motor? Because if it does, you mustn't put me on it. I'll be sick," she promised.

  "It doesn't have a motor," he said patiently, placing her on the bed and proceeding to take off her shoes.

  Teel put her hand on his head and patted. "I do like thick hair on a man... thick black hair... thick black hair that's straight... thick black hair that's straight but with a little wave." She rubbed his hair. "But did you know that bald men are smarter?" When Chazz looked up at her and shook his head, she wagged her index finger in his face. "Grass doesn't grow on a busy street, you know." She nodded her head sagely, then stopped. It made her feel queasy to do that. "I think I'd like a shower," she told Chazz as he took off her dress and eased her panty hose down her legs. "I'm feeling just a tad under the weather." She swallowed and licked her lips. "Apple juice would be nice."

  "Apple juice?" Chazz inquired, standing her up to remove the rest of her clothes.

  "I'm thirsty." Teel felt sad again. "Of course you don't have to get me any." She felt new tears on her cheeks. "I can drink water." She heaved a gusty sigh as he helped her to the bathroom. She felt very comfortable, naked in his arms.

  "I'll get you something refreshing to drink." Chazz set her down in the tiled shower cubicle, then adjusted the water. "Will you be all right alone for a few moments? I have to call Sibley and tell him to get the drink. I don't lik
e to waken Mrs. Pritchett at such a late hour."

  Teel stood under the stream of warm water and nodded. She reached her index finger up to tap the side of her nose. "Very smart. Don't wake Mrs. Pritchett at such a late hour."

  "Sibley won't mind," Chazz said, staring at her body, then swallowing hard.

  "Sibley won't mind," Teel parroted, nodding again, forgetting for a moment that such an action made her dizzy. "Good man, Sibley." She closed her eyes and let the water massage her.

  A little later, when Chazz stepped into the cubicle with her, it seemed sensible for him to be naked too. She took the drink from his hand without stepping out from under the spray of water.

  "You're a kind man." This time her tears mixed with the shower water.

  Chazz eased her out from under the water so that she could drink the lime and lemon mixture he held for her. "I'm sorry there was no apple juice."

  Teel nodded, feeling magnanimous. "Don't worry. I'm sure you'll do better next time."

  "Thank you." Chazz kissed her collar bone.

  "Think nothing of it." She smiled at him, then drank the lemon-lime with gusto. She stared at the bottom of the empty glass. "Oh. I was going to offer you a sip." She hiccupped a sob.

  "That's all right." His voice was unsteady as he pressed her close to him and removed the cup from her hand. "I assure you, darling, that I want nothing more than to drink from your cup, but I'm afraid tonight is not the night to do it." He washed her body, then lifted her from the shower and wrapped her in a fluffy bath sheet.

  "Tired." Teel yawned, her fingers fluttering to her mouth to cover the gap. She felt herself being lifted and placed between silk sheets. "Thank you," she murmured, then she snuggled closer to the warm body that curled up against her.”

  She was sure it must have been her imagination when she heard someone growl, "Tonight I'm going to go out of my mind.”

  Teel struggled up through a woolly world and forced her eyes open. Her teeth ached, her eyes burned, her head throbbed. "Chazz must be nearby," she muttered, then was sorry she had voiced the thought aloud. It hurt her throat to talk. Her eyes focused. She wasn't home in her carriage house in Selby or in the hotel where she had checked in with the rest of the staff. "Oh, God," she mumbled, hazy recollections beginning to intrude. She gritted her teeth and turned her head on the pillow, but what she saw made her temples thump and her teeth clench in horror. She closed her eyes again, hoping Chazz wouldn't be there when she looked again. He was. She tried to roll away from him but found she was immobilized by a heavy arm covered lightly with black hair that was draped over her breasts.