Seaspun Magic

by Christine Hella Cott

  Was Leo going to back out of their relationship, such as it was, now that he knew that sometimes she could read his mind? Her sight was probably too eerie for him, too. But still, the fact remained that he had asked her for the information, both vocally and otherwise, and he had been very insistent about it. If she had thought for a second it would have the effect it did, she never would have passed on the direct dedicated whatever it was. Of course he knew what that string of words meant; he must know, or else he wouldn't have been so upset. Oh, well, it was done now.

  "Arianne?" Leo was back. "I won't be home for dinner tonight."

  "Uh-huh." She paused for a millisecond, and decided to try the old jealousy ploy. "That works out fine. Larry said he was going to drop by tonight.'' She turned away, pretending to be busy wiping Rae's pudgy little hands.

  Leo hesitated in the doorway, then left without another word. She sensed his mood was explosive. What could be the matter with him? If he was jealous, why didn't he just grab her and kiss her and be done with it? And if he didn't want her for himself, why should he mind if someone else did?

  With a sickening lurch of her insides, it occurred to her that Leo would probably be asking questions of her all the time now. Most likely his interest had been in the powers rather than her all along, only he'd been side-tracked for a while by a few kisses.

  Maybe both Larry and Leo were only after her ESP. That wouldn't surprise her. It was a perpetual problem—

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Another problem was resisting the overwhelming temptation not to snoop through Leo's effects when Arianne made up his room that afternoon. She came within a hair's breadth of ripping his suitcase apart and flinging everything out in a mad search for—for what?

  She hadn't been looking forward to Larry's company, but as she dressed for his visit she reconsidered. After all, it was nice to have him around to cheer her up. At least he had never changed his mind about wanting her; he had made it very clear he was in for the long haul, not a short run.

  Why was it she always fell for the wrong type? First Reggie, now Leo. She should have married Mikey, as her mother and his had wanted ever since... well, for the past twenty-five years, ever since Mikey was born.

  Sighing, Arianne drew the soft knit dress she'd chosen to wear that night over her head and smoothed it down over her figure. The dress was red, with colorful friezes around the neck, wrists and hemline in a classic type of design. It had taken her a long time to knit this particular dress pattern, and she felt she had every right to feel proud of her effort as she surveyed the result in her full-length mirror. It even helped put her in a more Christmasy frame of mind, with the holiday only two weeks away.

  Larry arrived at eight, and Leo, who was supposed to be out until late, unexpectedly came home at eight-thirty. His intention seemed to be to hang around and get in the way. Arianne was gratified... more than that, she was thrilled.

  But Larry was put out, and he came closer to gnashing his teeth than anyone Arianne had ever seen. He just barely kept his svelte manner intact. He wasn't even appeased by her unusual warmth toward him.

  Arianne had a few doubts about using Larry so shamelessly, but, then, she was desperate. Now she wasn't content to have Leo suffering jealous twinges; she wanted him in a rage. She wanted him so furious he would forget his manners and let true feelings fly. Anyway, it would serve him right for treating her so callously the other night, she rationalized, as she flirted with the officer.

  Just standing next to Larry's chair, resting a hand on the back of it, had Leo taking note. Oh, he was sophisticated enough not to let anything show in his demeanor, but Arianne met his eyes for a telling second....

  The same violence that had prompted her to throw the sugar bowl after him was simmering just below the surface in him, but the anger was far more potent. Alongside was downright hunger provoked by the sight of her generous, gorgeous female body in the red wool dress. But it was the mingling of the two that made for a delectably volatile situation.

  Arianne couldn't help but be pleased, although her conscience niggled her. She would have to make reparations to Leo, and didn't she just know how she was going to go about doing that!

  She smiled at him, just a hint of a smile, loaded with suggestion nevertheless. The pale-green eyes were like ice, and yet they hotly devoured her innocent face amid the tousle of curls. Then she teased him further by coming around the back of Larry's chair to sit on the arm of it. When she crossed her legs, neither man said a word.

  Larry began to loosen up a little, seeing as it was his chair she was perched on. And he obliged her devious plan by running a finger along the length of the feminine thigh closest to him.

  "Babydoll, why don't we go out for a bit?" Larry looked pointedly at Leo. "We could take Rae across to Jill. She did tell me earlier she wouldn't mind. Or, say, why don't we let Mr. Donev here perform the honors since he's become such a friend of the family.'' Larry was being his most urbane.

  "Oh, no." Arianne didn't want to go out with Larry; that was the last thing she wanted to do. She wanted to stay and antagonize Leo until he couldn't take it anymore, and then as soon as Larry left they would be alone. "No, of course we couldn't—I'd really rather stay home, Larry."

  "I sure was game for that, but now—" Larry shot Leo another obvious frown "—we'll have to go out. So make up your mind between Leo and Jill."

  "Larry—" Arianne began, rising from his chair, annoyed.

  But Leo interrupted her with a silky, taunting remark. "I'll be glad to baby-sit. It's the least I can do for you, Arianne, when you've been so kind to an ailing man."

  "You have another headache?" she inquired sweetly, glaring at him.

  It was his turn to smile. "A terrible one. I'll keep me home. Go ahead, go out and have a good time. I'll wait up for you, Arianne."

  It was Leo's sneaky way of saying that Larry could take her out for a few hours, but she would be coming home to him. Everybody became very aware of that fact for a moment. Larry's grip on Arianne's arm tightened as he started for the door.

  "We... might be late. I don't know if I'd wait up if I were you," Larry countered.

  "I'll wait up for you, Arianne," Leo repeated just as if Larry hadn't spoken, as if he weren't even there.

  Arianne uncharitably felt like slapping his face. How dared he push her into Larry's arms like this? For all he knew, they could sit in the car all evening on some lonely beach smooching, and he didn't care! He was actually helping her get into such a situation! And then, when she came home, she was supposed to take up with him where she'd left off with Larry? Fat chance that she'd even speak to him when she came home! She was irate and she would let him know exactly how much, one way or another.

  She still didn't want to go out with Larry, but it was better than staying home with Leo. "Where do you want to go?" he asked as soon as they were in his car.

  "Somewhere bright and cheerful and Christmasy," Arianne requested, sighing.

  "Right! Let's drive to Seattle, shall we?" Larry peeled the car out of her lane onto the road.

  "I don't want to drive all the way there at this time of night!"

  "Aw, where's your sense of adventure?"

  "In my chiffonier at home! Larry, I don't want to go that far. Some other time I'd love to, but not tonight."

  "Arianne, come on, I know the brightest, cheeriest, most Christmasy place in all Seattle. We'll have a whirl and not get back till the wee hours, and that'll teach Mr. Headache not to wait up for us!" He laughed, trying to coax her into a smile.

  "Oh, Larry, really, that's awfully nice of you, but would you mind terribly if we went somewhere closer, instead? I don't want to get home too late, actually. I don't know that I feel all that great about Leo babysitting. At what he's paying me per day, I hardly think he should be baby-sitting for me!"

  "He offered."

  "Yes, but—"

  "And Jill is right next door in case of any emergency. So you have nothing to worry about, and nothi
ng to hurry back for. Come on, Arianne, let's go have us some fun!"

  "All right, you win. But I still don't want to be home too, too late, so just remember that. I won't be amused, Larry, if you bring me home at six tomorrow morning. Like I said, maybe some other night."

  "Okay, okay."

  She soon realized what Larry wanted the long drive for—to pump her for more information. He was on about the rings again.

  "'Mosquito' was wrong and so is 'retarded.' Arianne, you've got to try harder."

  "I'm trying as hard as I can!"

  "But you were right the first time!"

  "ESP comes with a margin for error, like anything else."

  "But everything else you said was right. Now all of a sudden, everything's wrong!"

  "Well, I am sorry, but I warned you it would be like this!"

  The whole drive to Seattle was like that. Arianne thought she would much rather have stayed home, knitting, if nothing else.

  When she stepped in her front door hours later, at almost two o'clock, the lights were still on downstairs. As Larry's car revved away into the night Arianne just stood silently for a moment, wondering whether Leo had left the lights on for her or if he had just forgotten them. She slid out of her coat and walked into the living room, not believing for a second that he would have stayed up, especially when he'd gone to bed so late last night.

  And he wasn't really up; she couldn't call his being sound asleep on the couch, up. Even the cat was asleep, sprawled on his chest. Looking at the twosome, she was uncommonly happy to be home, and the happiness dissipated the anger that had lingered through the evening with Larry.

  Deciding to let Leo sleep, she scooped up the knit afghan from one chair to drape it over him. As she was settling it carefully over the cat, Jinx woke up with a start, and so did Leo. His hands clamped around her wrists as she dropped the blanket.

  "You're home."

  "Yes. Let go."

  He let go and sat up, stretching. "What time is it?"

  "Two."

  "Two!"

  He sounded so indignant that he ignited her anger again. "Yes, dammit, two! Leo, I'm hardly seventeen! And you're hardly my keeper!"

  "No, I'm just your baby-sitter."

  "Are you sulking?" she asked tauntingly.

  "I've never sulked in my life!"

  "You asked for the job. Don't grouch at me!"

  "Yes, you're right. I did ask for it. The baby-sitting part was fine. The waiting for you part was awful. I never want to sit through a night like this again."

  "I wasn't going to speak to you when I got home."

  "Was your evening out that bad?"

  It had been irritating and dull, but Arianne wasn't going to tell him that. Smiling, she said calmly, "It was very nice. We went dancing."

  '"Dancing,"' he murmured in a heartfelt way, and his eyes ran down the red wool dress.'' Dancing!'' His eyes met hers.

  "Um-hm, and then we had a bit to eat."

  "You're torturing me!"

  "I wish!" she said, laughing.

  "Between all that driving, dancing and eating, did he get any kissing done?"

  "You know that's none of your business," Arianne warned him.

  "Do you really think you should encourage someone like him?"

  She looked at him askance. "What's got into you?"

  "I mean it, Arianne!"

  "Go back to sleep, Leo, right now!"

  "Why don't you answer the question?"

  "All right! Give me one good reason why I shouldn't encourage Larry!"

  "Don't tell me you really believe his hokum about wanting more than just a good time?"

  She was quiet for a second. Well, no, but she had thought it rather harmless hokum.... But she retaliated with a flippant, "What's wrong with a good time?"

  "That's a callous attitude!"

  "Marriage makes one callous!"

  "What sort of drivel is that?"

  "It has made me callous! Or else I just like Larry."

  "Arianne, you're not a good-time girl. Don't put yourself in that position! You need a husband... a father for Rae. You don't need some—you don't need a guy like Larry hanging around!''

  "And who the hell are you to judge Larry?"

  "I can see right through that cardboard smile, Arianne. I'll bet he doesn't keep his friends too long."

  "Seems like you've been hanging around that gas station a little too long!" she spat, absolutely furious with him. "Rae is fine without a father, just fine, and I don't need a husband! How dare you—"

  "Don't you? But, Arianne, a helpmate—"

  "I don't need one. I'm efficient enough on my own! I ran this household for two years totally straight! I mean, not using my—my sight."

  "A companion—"

  "I have friends!"

  "A lover—" He stepped closer.

  "How dare you lecture me about marriage! You can't handle it, so why foist it on me? What do you want, if it's not a good time? It's very easy for you to be a romantic and design a happy ending for me, as long as you don't figure in it. What are you warning me about Larry for. Are you any better? He can't, but you can? What kind of principles are those? Oh, why did you have to come back?"

  Just as he reached out for her she cried, "Don't you touch me!" and flew from the room. She went up the stairs before he could catch her and closed her bedroom door on his entreaties to come out, to at least finish their argument.

  All Arianne's smiles and wiles had come to this. An argument. She could have burst into frustrated tears. She wanted him so badly she was going mad with suppressed desire, but tonight, with his damned lecturing over Larry, he had made her feel cheap. She wanted to love him, and he had degraded their relationship by implying he wanted nothing more than "a good time." She hated him for that. As if she were a dizzy dumbo who hopped in and out of bed, having good times with everyone who happened along!

  She did want to continue the argument; she wanted to yell and scream at him and slam her door just once. But of course with Rae just across the hall, she had to curb her seething emotions and try to fall asleep, instead.

  ***

  Arianne was very short with Leo the next morning. She treated him coldly and formally, just like the guest he was. Actually, she leaned toward the unwelcome-guest treatment, but she didn't banish him to the dining room.

  For his part, he was still preoccupied, but now he was troubled, too. Abstractedly his eyes followed her, but he was careful not to touch her. Arianne had the uncomfortable feeling she remained a gigantic problem to him, whether she was in his arms or not. And that was curious. She figured their argument should have released him from any feelings of responsibility or guilt that might be lingering from their last liaison. An argument always served as a good excuse to end things....

  Dammit, why did he have to feel guilty about their lovemaking! She certainly didn't, and it angered her that he did. Then, maybe he wasn't feeling guilty. But what else could be bothering him? Why else would he look upon her as such a problem?

  He wasn't going to be home for supper that night, he told her on his way out the door right after breakfast. She felt hurt, even though she knew it was stupid to react this way.

  She supposed, for all her bravado, that in her heart of hearts she wanted a happy reconciliation and a passionate avowal he couldn't live without her. Watching him walk away through the misty morning light made her heart ache. Surely sometime in the midst of all her shenanigans and plotting, surely she hadn't fallen in love with him?

  She watched him until he disappeared through the blackberry briars. Heavens, he spent an incredible amount of time at that old fort. Did a business deal really take this long to accomplish? In all the time he spent with her he hadn't taken one day off... at least as far as she knew he hadn't. Of course, he might be walking the beach right now—

  Arianne whiled away the lonely Sunday hours with a myriad of little chores and playing with Rae. Together they made gingerbread cookies to hang on the Christmas tree
, although she hadn't bought one yet. Jill hadn't been popping over the way she used to, and Arianne, for some unidentifiable reason, didn't feel like visiting her, either. She called her mother to catch up on the news in town and that was her only contact with the outside world for the day. Besides, she was immured in her house while the Pacific fog bank turned everything beyond the windows white.

  Twilight came early. For a short time the fog lifted a little and she could see the naval fort through the misty blue gloom. More than one house was alight down there, and as she watched, several trucks, jeeps and cars came and went. It was an island of activity in a world where nothing moved. Something was certainly going on down there—

  She fed Rae his supper and then, after a spell at the building blocks, sadly missing their third playmate, she put him to bed, reading him his usual bedtime story. Tonight it was "The Sorcerer's Apprentice." She thought it particularly apt, considering the mysterious foggy night.

  At the point in the story where the brooms come alive Rae fell asleep. She tucked him and his green crocodile in, put out the dim night lamp and went out into the hall. Across the landing, Leo's bedroom door was shut.

  As if in a trance, Arianne went to the hall closet to get her flashlight—to be sure, Leo had replaced it—and then she walked toward his closed door. She put her hand on the knob and turned, and when it opened, walked right in. One suitcase was under his bed; the other, on a chair beside the table. Taking a mental picture of the exact arrangement of things so that she could accurately put them back, she started a systematic search.

  Arianne didn't even know what it was she was searching for, but something quite strange was going on... had been going on right under her nose, and she meant to find out what it was. Leo wouldn't tell, so she had to try to ferret out the truth using other tactics. She felt compelled to do so.

  Arianne had never searched through anyone else's things before, not in this way, and it was surprising how frightening the seemingly simple task was. The darkness she had to work in made it worse. The flashlight flicking here and there lent her deed such sinister connotations. She had the creepy notion he would surprise her at it, and she would die if he caught her snooping! And the room was filled with his presence, the air full of memories of that one night shared in his bed. Her fingers were trembling as she opened the top drawer of the bureau.