by Donna Hill
However, the big question remained. If what she saw in her dream were true parts of her past, what reason could Celeste ever have for engaging in an affair with her sister’s husband? And what kind of man did that make her father?
She blew out a breath and crossed her arms beneath her breasts. “Pure speculation, dear girl,” she muttered. “You are a journalist—with integrity. You deal with facts, not speculation.”
“Don’t tell me this assignment has got you talking to yourself,” Maxwell chuckled as he entered the room.
Reese jumped at the sound of Maxwell’s voice. She spun around and caught the gleam in his eyes and the smile that danced around his full mouth. He moved soundlessly across the room in fluid long-legged strides. “Did I hear you mumbling something about speculation?” he asked nearing his desk. He pushed some papers aside, removed a file and looked at Reese.
“We had this conversation before, Mr. Knight.” She sauntered forward and pressed her palms on the desktop.
The corner of his mouth inched upward in a grin. He leaned so close that air could barely pass between them. His voice dropped an octave as he inhaled her scent. “And what conversation was that?”
Her husky voice matched the beat of his. “The one where I told you not to sneak up on people.” She threaded her finger through the opening between the buttons on his shirt, brushing it across the smooth hairs on his chest.
Max instantly felt his stomach muscles tighten, his groin throb. It seemed his libido always went into overdrive whenever he was in Reese’s airspace. He’d never been so affected by any other woman. And inside he knew it wasn’t just about sex. It was so much more than that. Reese made him feel like just a man when he was with her, inside her. She accepted him as he was, not as a trophy, something exotic to show off to friends, not something to conquer because he appeared so unattainable. She listened, saw what was in his heart, what fueled him and still she understood, opening up to him her own fears and misgivings. Those things, most of all, were what turned him on. The combination was erotic and so very sensual. Which made making love with Reese Delaware an almost spiritual experience. Just thinking about the passion she evoked in him pushed him to the brink of his limits time and time again. Like now.
Her fingers released one button, then another and brushed their tips across his hardened nipples. Maxwell felt his erection surge against the fabric of his pants.
He groaned deep in his throat, as a flash of white heat whipped through his body. “Now Reese, what if I did…” He slid his hand into the open V of her suit jacket and cupped her breast. Reese expelled a shuddering moan of both surprise and pleasure. “…This to you?” he finished.
Reese took his chin in her palm, pulling him closer. Her lips pressed against his, challenging him to deny her entry. Maxwell willingly succumbed, welcoming the sweetness of her teasing tongue.
Slowly, she eased away. Hot passion sweltered in her eyes. She covered the hand that caressed her breast with her own, applying gentle pressure. “I would say,” she uttered in a silken whisper, “that someone had better lock the door.”
Maxwell muttered an unintelligible expletive as he pulled himself away to lock the door. Returning quickly to her, he pressed the intercom and buzzed Carmen.
“Yes, Max?”
“Hold all of my calls, Carmen,” he said, his gaze never leaving Reese’s face. He clicked off before Carmen could respond.
“Now where were we before precaution stepped in?”
“Right about here,” Reese taunted, placing his hands on her thighs.
Maxwell chuckled. “Good a place as any.” Slowly he pushed her skirt up to her hips all the while wondering how he would deal with all of the paraphernalia that women wore beneath their clothes. Suddenly, his eyes widened in surprise. He looked at Reese and she had the wickedest look he’d ever seen gleaming in her amber eyes.
Nothing but garters and no panties greeted his exploring fingers. His heart raced. “Damn,” he whispered, sealing his hungry mouth to hers.
Victoria left Celeste’s home more disturbed than ever. The lies carouseled in her mind. The deceit ran so deep, she was certain she’d never know the whole truth. Who was she to believe, her uncle who’d always manipulated her life, or her aunt who’d been the only one who’d cared about her all these years?
Slowly, Victoria drove through the streets of Frederick, trying to make sense of the past few hours. If only she had someone to talk with, to help her sift through the mire of her life. But she had no one. At least no one whom she could trust implicitly. What a sad testament to her life, she mused with resignation. What would it have been like to grow up with a sister—to have someone to share your adventures with, giggle with in the dark of night?
She released a shaky breath. “I guess I’ll never know.” Then her green eyes narrowed in thought and a picture perfect image of Reese and Maxwell, entwined together, emerged before her with Technicolor intensity. Her stomach twisted into the hard knot of resentment that had been planted years ago. It strangled her with its vines of jealousy. She would have to find a way to rectify the wrongs that had been done to her.
Lynnette stepped out of the phone booth and off of the curb, her thoughts focused on the tasks ahead. What in the world had Reese gotten herself involved in? This whole thing with her and Maxwell Knight was blowing up big time. And it gave her a very bad feeling. She couldn’t shake the notion that Reese was in way too deep. It was already obvious that she’d totally lost her objectivity. And that never led to anything but trouble for any journalist, even one as seasoned as Reese.
But she’d promised to help her sister-friend and she would. Lynnette grinned as she planned her strategy. First she’d just sweet talk that cute technician in the computer room and…
The driver saw her the instant she stepped off of the curb, stepped on the accelerator, and headed straight for her.
“Woman, you are just incredible,” Maxwell breathed against the cords of Reese’s neck. He chuckled lightly, easing her legs from around his waist. “I don’t believe we just did that.”
Reese grinned and shielded her eyes behind long, dark lashes. All the while that Max was making love with her on the edge of his desk, she kept thinking over and over again how much she’d changed since she’d met him. Max brought out something in her that no one else had ever been able to do. Sure, she’d had relationships before, but none that touched her in the secret place that Max had uncovered.
“Max,” she uttered, pressing her head against his chest. She slid her arms around his waist and eased closer, comforted by the beat of his heart.
“Hmm?” he mumbled, touching his lips to her hair.
For several moments she was silent, contemplating the veracity of what was in her heart. She wasn’t sure at what point it happened, or even how, but she’d fallen in love with Max. Head over heels, irrevocably in love. Yet she understood that her feelings were not returned. Maxwell had made himself perfectly clear from the beginning. He had no desire to establish any sense of permanency, or develop emotional attachments that he believed he was ill equipped to handle. Her head understood, but her heart could not. And now she found herself in the precarious position of not only having become sexually involved with a client, but falling in love with him to boot. And even though the words churned and bubbled in her throat like a volcano waiting to erupt, she knew she could never tell him.
“You haven’t fallen asleep on me, have you?” Maxwell teased, hugging her just a little tighter.
“No,” she whispered, “I…I was just thinking that you’re the first man I’ve ever told about…my memory. I mean, other than the doctors.” She raised her head and looked up at him, only to find him staring down into her eyes. The softest smile framed his expressive mouth.
“And what does that mean for you?” he probed gently.
“I trust you.”
Her simple statement touched him as nothing else she’d ever said and his heart filled with a joy that had been missing
until her. “And I won’t do anything to jeopardize that trust. I promise you that, Reese.”
“Neither will I.”
Maxwell’s warm eyes grazed lovingly across her face, still unable to believe just how good he felt in her presence. He felt the walls tumble around him brick by brick, day by day. And for the first time, he wasn’t afraid of what she would find. Slowly he lowered his head, brushing his lips across hers, in a kiss so soft, so light, that Reese thought her heart would break from the pureness of it.
With great reluctance he pulled away. His smile was teasing. “In the meantime, uh, I think…” His thick brows rose up and down.
“Yeah.” She grinned. “I think we’d better pull ourselves together.”
Maxwell chuckled deep in his throat. “And I thought we were pulled together.”
“Very funny.” Reese slapped him playfully on the arm and adjusted her skirt.
“You first,” he instructed, pointing to his private bath.
While Reese waited for Maxwell to finish up it dawned on her that she had not heard from Lynnette.
“What’s that look all about?” Maxwell asked, stepping back into the office and straightening his tie.
“I was expecting a call from Lynnette.” She checked her watch. “Nearly an hour ago,” she added, frowning.
Maxwell continued to prepare for his next meeting while he talked. “She probably just got tied up. She is at work you know. I’m sure you’ll hear from her soon.” He moved quickly from behind his desk, covered the short space that separated them and stood in front of her. He tipped up her chin with the pad of his finger. “Don’t look so worried. She’ll call.” He pecked her on the lips. “I’ve got to run. I’ll see you in about an hour and then we can get out of here.”
Reese nodded absently and wondered what could be keeping Lynnette.
Chapter 22
“Have you heard anything from Max?” Claudia asked.
“No. I haven’t.” James heaved a long breath and pushed himself away from the table. “But I don’t expect to. Larry is keeping an eye on things for me.” He turned, slung his hands in his pants pockets and unconsciously began to pace the room.
Claudia’s senses were immediately heightened seeing her husband’s telltale sign of worry.
“Even though Frank Murphy has been relatively quiet since our meeting,” James began, “I still don’t trust him. He’s not above doing what he feels he must to get what he wants.”
“Do you really think he would hurt Max?”
“If he thought that Max was a threat.” He turned and faced his wife. “Yes.”
Claudia swallowed and the old knot of guilt tightened in her stomach. She’d spent the better part of Max’s life wishing him away. Wishing he’d never been born. Wishing that things could be different.
She’d tried to love him, be a mother to him, but between her own animosity and James’s unwillingness to let her get close to Max, she’d never forged a relationship with him. She knew he was hurting, lonely and confused all of those years, but she couldn’t help it. Every time she tried to reach out to him and he looked at her with those dark, exotic eyes, she’d see her husband in the arms of Sukihara.
Claudia squeezed her eyes shut. She now had an opportunity to make amends. If it wasn’t too late. But the gnawing sensation that what they were dealing with went much deeper than what James was telling her, persisted. Her husband was involved in something that had changed the lives of too many people. She’d found a way to live with past deeds and even her own indiscretions. What was frightening was that those deeds had been resurrected and stood blocking their future.
“I have a meeting at Chevy Chase,” James announced, pulling Claudia from her reverie.
Her heart beat a bit quicker. “What does he want now?”
James’s jaw clenched. “He wouldn’t say over the phone. Only that he expected me to be there.”
Claudia busied herself with the dishes in the sink. “Have you gotten any word from Larry?” She kept her gaze focused on the suds.
“Nothing more than Reese seems to have moved in with Max while they’re in California. They’re staying at his house in San Diego.”
“That’s good though, isn’t it?”
“It makes Larry’s job easier,” he responded noncommittal.
Claudia turned from the sink. “What aren’t you telling me, James?”
He sidestepped the question. “If we get into a discussion about this, I’ll be late for my meeting.” He crossed the room and pecked her on the cheek. “I don’t know how long I’ll be gone,” he tossed over his shoulder, walking out of the door.
Claudia nodded at the familiar refrain and also understanding that her husband had no intention of telling her anything further. For him, the subject was closed. She turned her attention back to the dishes, floated in the suds. She needed to talk with Larry.
Larry spotted one of Frank Murphy’s men the moment the blue Chevy Nova pulled up in front of the building that housed Maxwell’s offices. All of his senses shifted into gear. He peered intently at the figure shadowed behind the wheel.
Moments later, a tall athletically built man emerged with a small duffel bag in his hand. He leaned casually against the car as if waiting for someone or some signal. The man checked his watch and looked toward the revolving doors.
Larry reached for the lock on the car door, just as a throng of lunch-goers exited from the building. Larry jumped out of the car, but not before the unidentified man merged with the crowd. Larry quickly scanned the area as he tried to dodge the two-way traffic. The man was gone.
He pulled a cellular phone from his shirt pocket and punched in the number to Maxwell’s office.
“M.K. Enterprises.”
“Maxwell Knight,” Larry barked into the phone, racing across the street and through the revolving doors.
“I’m sorry, he’s in a meeting. May I…”
“Don’t let anyone who’s not an employee near him or Reese Delaware. Call security.”
“What? Who is this?” Carmen demanded, her pulse beginning to race.
“Just do it!” Larry stabbed the button for the elevator to the executive floor, changed his mind and took the stairs. He had just as much reason as anyone for not wanting Reese Delaware to uncover the truth of fifteen years ago. But he would no longer be a party to anyone else getting hurt, even if it meant that his role would be revealed. He pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind and took the stairs two at a time.
Carmen’s hands were shaking when the messenger appeared in front of her desk.
“Package for Mr. Knight,” he said, pulling his cap lower on his brow.
Instinctively, Carmen signed for the package, subconsciously recognizing the uniform of the messenger service, even as her mind was on the disturbing phone call.
The messenger took his clipboard, turned and walked onto the elevator, just as Larry pushed through the stairwell door. He rushed toward Carmen’s desk, his physical presence and tense look on his face, a frightening combination.
Unobtrusively, Carmen depressed the button, silently signaling for security. This was obviously the man the phone call was about.
“Has anyone…”
But before Larry could get the words out, two plainclothes security guards flanked him on either side.
“Problem, Ms. Lopez?” asked the guard to the right of Larry, casting him a hard stare.
“I just got a very strange call to be on the lookout for anyone asking for Mr. Knight.” She pointed a finger of accusation at Larry. “Then he came charging in here like a madman.”
“Okay, buddy,” said the second guard, putting Larry’s upper arm in a vise-like grip. “Let’s see some identification.”
“We’re wasting time, dammit! I made that phone call.”
“I.D. Now!” the security guard ordered.
“What’s going on?”
The group of four turned in the direction of Maxwell’s voice.
Carmen jump
ed up from her seat. “Mr. Knight…”
“Larry?” Maxwell moved quickly toward the group, his own fear building with every step. He kept his expression calm and unreadable, not daring to expose the sense of apprehension that was steadily building within him. It’s all right, fellas,” he said flashing a smile that took in everyone. “I know him.”
“Are you sure, Mr. Knight?” Carmen queried not totally satisfied.
“It’s fine, Carmen. Larry’s a friend of my father.” He put on his best smile, clasped Larry around the shoulder and ushered him away.
“Why don’t we go in my office?”
“One of Murphy’s men was here,” Larry said in a low, urgent voice.
Maxwell felt his stomach muscles clench. “Maybe we should go in the conference room,” he said, changing direction, remembering that Reese was in his office. There was no need to alarm her unnecessarily, or at least until he knew exactly what was happening.
Once behind closed doors, Maxwell spun on Larry. “This better be good,” he bit out through his teeth. He stood splay-legged with his arms across his chest.
“I’m sure your father told you that Murphy would have someone watching you. We have no idea what his plans are, but we know he has no intention of you divulging any information to Reese Delaware about your father.”
Maxwell methodically paced the room as he listened to Larry. “How in the hell can he prevent me from talking? And how would he even know if or when I told Reese anything? Besides the fact that I don’t have anything to tell.”
“They can’t be sure about that. Since they haven’t made any overt moves, my guess is that your office is probably bugged as well as your house.”