Time Trap

by Danele J Rotharmel

  “What makes you say that?” she mumbled. “His angry cursing, his escalating threats, or the wanton destruction of mirrors that takes place every time he talks with us?”

  “I was thinking more along the lines of his refusal to invite us up for dinner. A proper host always offers refreshments. Spider’s rude refusal of the normal niceties shows our tactics are getting under his skin. He isn’t in control of our actions, and that’s something he won’t tolerate for long. Soon, he’s going to be stomping down here to confront us.” Peter gave a low laugh and stroked Laura’s hair. “You know, he really blundered when he designed our prison.”

  “It seems pretty sturdy to me,” she said ruefully.

  “Oh, it’s sturdy all right, but it also has this convenient blind corner. Not only that, the automatic lock’s going to present a real problem for him. I’ll bet that’s why he hasn’t paid us a visit. Think about it—how’s he going to confront us without getting locked in himself? He’ll have to prop the door open, and when he does, we’ll have a real chance of escape. Spider may be smart, but he’s not infallible. We can beat him. We just need to be patient.”

  Laura started to speak but then stopped.

  “What is it?” he gently asked.

  “I think he’s insane…I think we’re dealing with a madman.”

  He tightened his arms around her. “I know.”

  “Can we turn on a flashlight?” she asked in a tense voice. “I need to ask you something important, and when I do, I want to see your face.”

  Peter groped in the dark until he found a flashlight. Flicking it on, he said soothingly, “What do you want to ask?”

  Laura hesitated.

  “Go on,” he coaxed. “Whatever you’re worried about, we’ll handle it together.”

  A ghost of a smile touched Laura’s lips. “It’s something we’ll have to handle together.” She raised her eyes to his. “When you prayed for an unkissed wife, what exactly did you mean? Do we need to wait until our wedding day to kiss, or is the fact that we’re engaged and I’ve never been kissed fulfillment enough for your prayer?”

  Peter blinked his eyes—her question caught him off guard. “What are you trying to say?”

  Laura blushed. “I’m saying that unless it violates your prayer, I’d really like you to kiss me. Actually, I’m pretty surprised you haven’t already…” Her eyes faltered beneath his gaze. “Why haven’t you?” she asked softly.

  He looked at her tenderly. “I didn’t want the memory of your first kiss to be in this awful place. I want it to be something special.”

  The tension cleared from Laura’s face. “Our first kiss will be special no matter where it takes place. I don’t think we should be particular.” Her voice caught. “Spider’s insane…we both know what that means. I want us to make as many happy memories as we can. I believe we’re getting out of this alive, but if we don’t…”

  Peter nodded. Putting the flashlight on the floor, he moved toward her. “Are you sure you don’t mind the location? You won’t feel cheated?”

  “The only way I’m going to feel cheated”—she laughed—“is if you keep talking. I’ve told you what I want. Come on over here and do it already!”

  He smiled in the light of the flashlight. “Yes, ma’am!” As Laura crooked her finger at him, his laughter stilled. “I love you, you know.”

  “I know,” she whispered in a soft, serious voice. “I love you back.”

  Stepping closer, he began pulling the hairpins slowly out of her hair. Laura remained silent as her hair fell around her shoulders and cascaded down her back.

  “I’ve wanted to do that for a long time,” he said in a husky voice. Putting her hairpins in his pocket, he ran his fingers slowly through her hair. Light and shadow played along the glossy waves in a way that captivated him.

  “Song of Solomon 7:5 definitely applies,” he murmured, tucking a curl behind her ear.

  Laura’s emerald eyes sparkled. Rubbing her cheek against his hand, she said self-consciously, “I’m not sure what comes next.”

  “It’ll be my pleasure to teach you,” he murmured, drawing her close.

  Laura melted into his embrace. A grin played around the corners of her mouth as she tilted her head toward him at a kissable angle and closed her eyes.

  Peter studied her beautiful face. Fixing the moment firmly in his memory, he lowered his lips gently to her forehead. He saw her eyelids quiver and felt her body beginning to tremble in his arms. Raising his head, he watched as rosy color washed over her face. He lowered his lips slowly, first to one of her closed eyelids and then to the other. Gently pressing his lips to the hollow at the base of her throat, he heard her breath catch.

  Trailing his lips up to her ear, he whispered softly, “Are you ready for your first kiss?”

  With her eyes still shut, she smiled and nodded.

  Tightening his arms around her, he looked at her blushing face, memorizing every curve and line—every tint and shade. Lowering his lips toward hers, he murmured fervently with a catch in his voice, “God, please make me worthy.”

  CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

  Alex gave a sigh of relief when the bathroom door finally opened, but seeing the way Phoebe was shaking, his relief faded. She was getting better, but she was still incredibly weak. Rushing to her side, he helped her to a chair.

  “Are you all right?” he asked in concern.

  Phoebe nodded and said quietly, “Katie will keep me company if you want to shower.”

  Looking down at Phoebe’s pale face, he hesitated.

  “Go on,” she prompted.

  Alex turned to Katie. “You’ll stay with her?”

  Katie nodded. “I’d like to recheck her vitals. If you want to shower, now’s a good time.”

  Plucking a change of clothes from the suitcase, he hurried to the bathroom. Leaving the door cracked so he could hear if he was needed, he set the speed record for fast showers. When he was dressed, he emerged, toweling his hair.

  Katie moved to the door. “Alex, Dr. Ember has arranged for meals to be brought to you. If you like, I’ll bring you breakfast in a few minutes.”

  “Thanks,” he replied. “I’ll admit, I’m starving.”

  After Katie left, Alex stood in front of Phoebe. “I need to shave. Would you like to keep me company?”

  Phoebe nodded and raised her arms toward him.

  Picking her up, he laughed. “Your blue nightie feels soft as bunny fur. Is it as comfortable on the inside as it feels on the outside?”

  She smiled and nodded again.

  “Good,” he said, perching her on the edge of the tub. As he began to shave, he peeked at her in the mirror. She was watching his movements with interest.

  “Tell me if I miss a spot.” He chuckled. “My brother grew a horrible beard when I was in college, and it became a family joke. I don’t want to miss any whiskers and chance growing one. I’d never live it down.”

  The bathroom filled with companionable silence as he ran the razor over his chin. He gave Phoebe a wink as the rhythmic sound of his razor strokes filled the air. When he was done, he washed his face and knelt in front of her.

  “Did I miss anything?” he asked with a smile.

  Phoebe cupped his chin and turned his face from side to side. Her uninjured eye filled with laughter as she made the thumbs up sign.

  “I’m glad I meet with your approval. I wanna put on a little aftershave, but I want to make sure you like the smell first. You’re the one who is gonna have to live with it.” Unscrewing the lid, he let her sniff the bottle. When she nodded her approval, he splashed a tiny bit on his hands and ran it over his face. “There,” he said, “I’m all ready to face the day.”

  Knowing how messy his hair was, he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and waited for a response. He wasn’t disappointed. Phoebe’s lips twitched as she shook her head and motioned toward his comb.

  “I thought I’d go for the rugged, windblown look today,” he said mischievously.
“What do you think?”

  Shaking her head, she grinned and pointed more emphatically at his comb.

  “Gonna be picky, are you?”

  When she nodded vigorously, he chuckled and began combing his hair.

  * * *

  A few miles outside Washington D.C., Nicole drove her convertible onto the grassy shoulder of a quiet road. She’d been surprised, but pleased, when Zeke let her drive her car. Some men would have felt threatened by her show of independence, but Zeke obviously wasn’t one of them. He simply sat next to her and enjoyed the drive in the morning sunshine.

  “Is it okay if I park here?” she asked, pulling next to the only other car in sight.

  “Here’s just perfect,” Zeke replied. “It looks like we may meet Andy—that’s his SUV. He usually jogs the trails in the mornings.”

  “Who’s Andy?” she asked, perching her sunglasses above her ponytail.

  “He’s the owner of these woods and a good friend of mine. He was time counseled as a child, and he lets TEMCO employees trespass as much as we want on his land.”

  Nicole stared at the forest and sighed. “It certainly is beautiful here.”

  “If you think this is beautiful,” Zeke said, rolling up the sleeves of his plaid shirt, “just wait until we hit the trails.”

  Nicole watched as Zeke walked around the convertible, politely opened her door, and offered his hand. She raised a brow at his old fashioned manners, but she had to admit that she was getting a kick out of being treated like a princess. Brandon usually let her fend for herself. She frowned. She didn’t want to ruin the day by thinking about her ex-boyfriend. Shoving her keys into the pocket of her jeans, she pasted a determined smile on her lips.

  Tying his jacket around his waist, Zeke returned her smile.

  Nicole blinked and caught her breath. Zeke wasn’t particularly handsome, but he had the best smile in the world. She leaned against the hood and watched as he reached for his backpack—for some reason, his warm, tender smile was making her knees feel peculiar.

  “If you like,” he said, “I have room for your sketchpad and pencils in my pack.”

  “I don’t mind carrying them.”

  “Neither do I.” His smile widened. “Come on, let me play the part of a gentleman.”

  Giving a gurgle of laughter, Nicole handed him her art supplies. After stowing her things, he tossed his pack casually over his shoulders and motioned toward the path. “Shall we?”

  Grinning up at him, she nodded. “Lead the way, Galahad.”

  * * *

  “You’re all caught up now,” Peter murmured against Laura’s soft hair. “That makes three kisses—the same amount I’ve had.”

  “I would’ve sworn you dated more than three women down through the years.”

  He grinned. “Keeping track, were you?”

  She blushed. “Only as a casual observer keeping an eye out for a friend.”

  “I may have dated a lot,” he confessed, “but I didn’t kiss any of them.”

  Laura pulled back in surprise.

  “The last girl I kissed, or rather who kissed me, was Fay Hennly. I prayed for an unkissed wife, but I didn’t expect her to do something I wasn’t prepared to do also. Other than a couple of kisses before the drive-in incident, I’ve remained unkissed as well.”

  “I’m glad,” Laura said, tightening her arms around him. She smiled. “So the last girl who initiated a kiss with you was the infamous Fay?”

  “It wasn’t a pleasant experience.”

  Pulling his head down, she murmured, “Let me instigate one that will be.”

  Peter relaxed into her kiss, fully enjoying the experience. Suddenly, he felt her kiss deepening. His eyes popped open in surprise. His hands, which had been holding onto her waist, slowly clenched into tight fists as his heart began to race. When the kiss ended, he said breathlessly, “When did you become an expert at French kissing?”

  “You prayed for me to be unkissed—not unobservant.” She chuckled. “For years, I’ve been taking note of things I’d like to try.”

  “I’m happy to be your guinea pig,” he said, squeezing her tight. “I have a feeling that I’m one lucky man.”

  A mischievous smile played around her lips. “You’re luckier than you realize. One of my undergraduate degrees was in human anatomy. I happen to know where all the major nerve receptors are located in the body.”

  “That sounds mighty interesting.”

  Laura looked at him with a twinkling gleam in her eye. “For instance,” she said in a low, teasing tone, “there’s a particularly sensitive bundle of nerves right here.” She pressed her lips to a specific spot on his neck.

  Catching his breath, Peter laughed. “Wow! Do that again!”

  Laura smiled, complied, and then initiated another kiss that set his entire body ablaze with delight. When the kiss ended, he said in a husky voice, “You know, there are a few things I’ve wanted to try as well.”

  “Have at it.” She grinned. “I think we’re going to have lots of fun experimenting together.”

  “Me too,” he murmured, lowering his head.

  “Mmm,” Laura whispered breathlessly when they came up for air. “You were right. I don’t feel like I’ve missed anything at all—this was definitely worth the wait.”

  CHAPTER FIFTY

  Nicole accepted Zeke’s offered hand, allowing him to help her over a fallen tree in the path. She knew she could scramble over the trunk alone, but the way she figured it, if Zeke wanted to be gallant, she was game.

  As Zeke bent down to tie his shoe, Nicole breathed in the fresh air and gazed at her surroundings. A little stream was splashing over glittering rocks, and all around her, the lush green of the woods pressed close. She sighed with pleasure at the vibrant colors of the wildflowers as her eyes drank in the patchwork effect of the shadows on the trail. Turning back to Zeke, she saw him smiling at her.

  “I’m glad you like it here,” he said happily. “I thought you would.”

  “It’s wonderful,” she replied. “I’ve been to all the nature trails in the area, and they’re beautiful, but these woods outdo them all.”

  “They are pretty spectacular. Eventually, Andy plans on having part of his property made into a state park. The public will be getting a new treasure when his land opens up to them.”

  “That’s generous of him.”

  “He’s a generous sort of guy.”

  “You were right about nooks crying out to be painted,” she said, motioning toward the brook. “I’ve seen several places where I could set up my easel.”

  “Next time, we’ll bring it along.”

  “Next time?” she asked with a quirked brow.

  “Of course there’ll be a next time.” His voice held a note of confident certainty. “In fact, there’ll be many next times.”

  Nicole blinked and watched as his smile grew. She wasn’t quite sure how to respond to such blatant audacity. Narrowing her eyes, she finally said, “You’re reading a lot into a first date, aren’t you?”

  “Not by a long shot.” He laughed. “You know just as well as I do that we’re destined to become the best of friends.”

  Although he didn’t say, “and much more than that,” the unspoken words hung heavily in the air. Lowering her eyes, Nicole felt herself blush. Confusing emotions engulfed her. It was amazing how Zeke could make her feel comfortable and off-balance at the same time.

  “Come on, Nicole,” Zeke said gently, taking her hand and helping her across the rocks in the stream. “The waterfall’s just up ahead.”

  When they reached the far bank, the sound of running footsteps filled the air. Turning the corner, Nicole came face-to-face with a handsome man in a jogging suit. He was surrounded by bodyguards.

  The man smiled and stopped. “Zeke,” he said, “it’s good to see you! Are we still on for Friday’s racquetball game?”

  “As far as I know,” Zeke replied with a grin.

  “You’d better come prepared.
I’ve been practicing my backhand pinch shot. I’m determined to beat you this time.”

  Zeke chuckled. “I’ll bring my A-game.” He motioned over at Nicole. “Andy, this is my friend, Nicole Cunning. Nicole, this is Andrew Hamilton.”

  Nicole smiled and shook Andrew’s hand. “I’m pleased to meet you.”

  “Likewise,” Andrew replied. “I’ve seen your paintings. You’re remarkably gifted.”

  “Thank you,” she said. “And thanks for sharing your woods. They’re quite beautiful.”

  “Feel free to come whenever you wish. There are many pleasant corners where you could paint undisturbed. I’ll make sure your name gets on my visitor list—I’d feel honored if my woods were memorialized in your work.”

  As Nicole murmured a polite reply, Andrew slapped Zeke’s back and reminded him not to be late on Friday. With a friendly wave of his hand, Andrew and his entourage began jogging toward the cars.

  When the group went around the corner, Nicole turned to Zeke and said accusingly, “Your friend Andy!”

  Zeke blinked. “What about him?”

  Shaking her head, Nicole gurgled. “Nothing—except he happens to be the Vice President of the United States! Why didn’t you tell me who he was before we ran into him?”

  “I did.” Zeke smiled. “I told you all that mattered. I told you he’s a friend.”

  * * *

  Alex held Phoebe in his arms and watched as she looked over at Silver Leaves on the nightstand. “Would you like me to read to you?” he asked.

  Nodding, Phoebe murmured, “It’s my favorite book.”

  Alex smiled. He used a nom de plume, so he knew she didn’t realize he was the author. His heart felt like singing as he launched into the first paragraph of his story. As the tale unfolded, he silently rejoiced when she smiled at the appropriate parts.

  He read until Phoebe got sleepy, and then he cradled her as she slept. As the clock on the wall ticked away, he studied her face and was pleased to see that the swelling was going down. With her face resuming more normal proportions, he was beginning to realize that she was a remarkably pretty woman. He tightened his arms around her. He’d never been a “touchy-feely” type of guy, but he had to admit that holding her was starting to feel natural.