Man of the Hour

by Diana Palmer

  Her heart ran wild. Her knees felt like jelly. He was hurting her and in a minute he’d cut off her wind. She had to keep her head. If she panicked, it was all over.

  “Mr. Erikson, you’ll go to jail.” She got the warning out through dry lips.

  “Do you think so? It will be my word against yours. Nobody will believe you.” His free hand touched her blatantly over her jacket. “Nice. You feel real nice….”

  Now or never, she thought. Now or never. Her heartbeat went wild as she came back with her elbow right into his diaphragm as hard as she could. His intake of breath and the relaxing of the arm around her neck told its own story.

  She whirled, acting instinctively, all Lang’s training firmly in place as she brought up her knee into his groin and then stepped in, broke his balance and sent him careening down onto the floor.

  Get out, she heard a voice in her head, don’t be a heroine. She ran for the front door. Her hands fumbled with the lock, but only for a second. She got the door open and ran into the hall. Her hands beat on Lang’s door, and she screamed, but he wasn’t home. The hall was deserted! She heard noises coming from her apartment.

  She ran to the elevator, giving way to panic, and pressed the button repeatedly. But the elevator didn’t budge. She remembered the warning about the stairwell, but she was too frightened to heed it. It was the only way out.

  She ran into the stairwell and tripped going down the steps, straining the muscles in her ankle so that each new step was painful. She was breathing raggedly now, and every breath hurt. A sob caught in her throat as she made it to the ground level and burst out into the lobby.

  The security guard frowned as he saw her, and he came toward her at once, with a hand on the gun at his hip.

  “Are you all right, Miss Campbell?” he asked quickly. “What’s happened?”

  “In my…apartment. A man. He attacked me,” she gasped.

  His face went taut. He took her to the manager’s office and handed her over to a concerned clerk, who took her in back while the security guard went into the stairwell.

  Kirry knew what he was going to find. Erikson was too savvy to let himself be caught. He’d be long gone, and out for blood now. She’d hurt his pride. It wouldn’t be a game to him anymore. He’d want to kill her.

  Nausea rose in her throat, making her sick all over. The clerk helped her to the rest room, just in time. She was white and drawn when she went back to the office, to find that the security guard was back, and grim-faced.

  “I knew he’d be gone,” she whispered unsteadily. “But I hurt him.”

  “He got out over the balcony. Somebody must have seen him, though,” he told her. “Nobody gets away with that sort of thing in my building,” he added coldly. “Is there someone you can stay with, Miss Campbell, for tonight? I don’t like thinking about you being up there alone.”

  She laughed bitterly. It hadn’t occurred to her before that she had nothing in her life except friendly acquaintances like Betty. She had no family in this country; God only knew where her mother was, and there wasn’t anyone else.

  “No,” she said, choking down tears. “I have no one.”

  He looked worried. He scowled as he tried to come up with a solution. “We’ll have to call the police,” he said.

  She didn’t have the strength to argue. Her willpower was at its lowest ebb in years.

  The police came and questioned her. She gave them a description of Erikson, explaining the problem and referring them to people at her office—and to Lang.

  “We’ll pick him up,” a young officer said coldly. “He can’t be too hard to find.”

  “Good thing you knew some self-defense, young lady,” his older partner added. “I taught my daughter when she was just a kid. It’s handy stuff.”

  “You can say that again,” she agreed with a wan smile.

  “I’ve called in one of our part-time security guards,” the apartment security officer said, rejoining them with a taut expression. “He’ll be outside your apartment all night long, Miss Campbell. You needn’t worry.”

  She felt tears sliding down her cheeks. “Oh, it’s so kind…!” she whispered.

  He looked embarrassed. “You’re a tenant,” he said. “We can’t have people upsetting our tenants. Here, now, don’t do that. It’s all over.”

  The cluster of people in the lobby piqued Lang’s curiosity as he came into the apartment building. He’d had to interview applicants and then there had been a faulty burglar alarm that had to be dealt with. He was worn from the rigors of the day, and from hating what he’d done to Kirry. Damn Lorna, he wasn’t going to let her dictate his life or intimidate Kirry. He’d told her so, too. And, he’d added, if she told the Lancasters about Kirry, he’d have something to tell them about her.

  She hadn’t expected that. Her face had gone pale and she’d blustered around for ten minutes. But in the end, she’d given in. She had other men in her life, she’d informed him. She didn’t need to drag up old relationships to keep her warm, and she didn’t want him, anyway.

  Lang had felt sorry for her. But not sorry enough to hang around. He was guilty over the way he’d treated Kirry, and he’d done some hard thinking about his position on marriage. He was overreacting because of his mother, Kirry had said, and she was right. He’d come back with the intention of telling her so, and suggesting that they might think about starting over one more time. But there would be no more secrets. And whatever problems they encountered, they’d work out.

  But the commotion near the manager’s office distracted him. He walked toward it, and suddenly saw Kirry’s white face and torn blouse. Erikson!

  He pushed his way through the crush of police officers to her, and without a word, he pulled her into his arms and wrapped her up there.

  “Are you all right?” he asked without a greeting.

  She was stiff in his arms, but she didn’t push him away. “Erikson was waiting for me in the apartment. I remembered just enough of what you taught me to get away in time. But he’s vanished. They’re searching for him now.”

  Lang lifted his head and looked into her eyes. She was putting up a good front, but that was fear in her face.

  “Damn him,” he said through his teeth.

  “We’re posting a man outside her apartment,” the security guard began.

  “To hell with that. I’m taking her to my brother and sister-in-law’s home. She’ll be safe,” he said abruptly.

  “That would be the best thing you could do,” one of the policemen said. “We’ll get him. But she’ll be safer where he can’t find her.”

  “I’ll take care of her.” Lang turned to the security guard. “Thanks,” he said huskily.

  The other man shrugged and smiled. So that was the way of things. Nice young woman, and that beau of hers was pretty protective. She’d be looked after.

  10

  Lang waited for her to change and pack in her apartment, while he telephoned Bob and explained what had happened.

  “Come on down,” Bob said in a subdued tone. “Connie and Mikey came back today.”

  “And Teresa?” Lang asked.

  “I was a fool. Connie isn’t speaking to me, but if you bring Kirry, maybe it will help all of us out.”

  “I’ll see you shortly. And thanks.”

  He hung up. Kirry was still standing in the doorway of her bedroom, in the same clothes.

  “You haven’t changed,” he said gently.

  “I don’t want to go in there alone,” she said with a self-conscious laugh. “Silly, isn’t it?”

  “Not at all. I think you’re pretty brave,” he said, smiling.

  She smiled back. “I don’t feel it. I was sick.”

  “No wonder.” He came into the bedroom with her. “What do you want to wear?”

  She laid out some jeans and a top. Before she could move, he did, to begin undressing her.

  She looked up at him like a child, her eyes wide, curious.

  He smiled at her tend
erly. “I could learn to like this,” he remarked as he stripped her out of everything except her briefs and bra. “You’re exquisitely designed, Miss Campbell.”

  “I feel weak all over.”

  “Do you?” He pulled her close and bent to kiss her with breathless tenderness. His hands slid down to her hips and his thumbs spread over her belly. He lifted his head and searched her eyes while he touched her gently. “So do I. My knees buckle when I kiss you.”

  That made her laugh. “They do not.”

  He rubbed his nose against hers. “How do you know? You aren’t looking down.”

  She drew in a slow breath and her face was worried. “Did I hear you say that Connie was back with Bob?”

  “For the time being. He’s come to his senses.”

  “Maybe she has, too.” She lifted her hand to his face and had to fight tears at the hunger she felt for his love. “I wish…”

  “What?” he asked softly.

  She withdrew her hand. “Nothing. We should go.”

  “With you like that?” he asked. “We’d be arrested.”

  “If you’ll let me go, I’ll get dressed.”

  “No, I don’t like that idea,” he murmured. “Covering up such a beautiful body ought to qualify as a crime.”

  She blushed and laughed. “Lang!”

  He tilted her face up and kissed her with slow, sweet ardor. “We could make love before we go,” he whispered. His hands moved up to her breasts and teased them, possessed them. “Would you like to?”

  “We’ve already agreed that it isn’t a good idea if we see each other,” she protested weakly.

  “That was before,” he murmured against her lips.

  “Before what?”

  “Before I discovered that I wouldn’t mind if we had a baby together.”

  Her body stilled against him. She lifted her eyes to his and found warm, dark secrets in them. “Wh…what?”

  He bent and lifted her into his arms. “You’ll still have to work,” he said as he carried her to the bed. “I make good money, but we’ll have a better life-style with two salaries. Besides that, you need to be self-supporting. We can find a good day-care center, one that we both feel comfortable with, and I’ll learn to do diapers and feed him…unless you want to?” he added with a wickedly sensuous smile as his eyes dropped to her breasts.

  She shivered with the force of her feelings. “Oh, yes, I’d like…to,” she moaned. “Lang, I love you so much,” she sobbed. “More than my life…!”

  He eased over her and pressed her gently down into the mattress. His mouth covered hers and his hands found fastenings and revealed the soft bareness of her body to his mouth and his hands and his eyes.

  “I love you,” he whispered back. “It was the thought of a family that unsettled me. I didn’t even know why, until you made me realize how badly my childhood had scarred me. But I think I can come to terms with it. The one thing I can’t do is walk away from you twice in one lifetime. So we’ll just have to cope.”

  “We will. I know we will.” Her heart was in her eyes as she looked up at him. “Lang?”

  “Hmm?” he murmured against her throat.

  “Could you take your clothes off?”

  He chuckled. “I guess so. Want to watch?”

  Her breath caught. “Yes,” she whispered, her eyes wide and ardent.

  He laughed unsteadily as he stood and pulled off everything that concealed his powerful body from her. When he turned back to the bed, she shivered a little in anticipation, because she knew now what pleasure he could give her.

  He slid down beside her, his eyes warm and alive with the joy of what they were sharing. “We can use something, if you want to.”

  She pulled him down with loving arms. “You’re so certain that I can’t be a wife and a mother at the same time, aren’t you?” she asked gently. “Why don’t you let me show you?”

  “Darlin’,” he whispered as he covered her open mouth with his, “I’d love nothing better!”

  She opened her arms to him as his body moved down to press against hers. For endless minutes, they lost themselves in the soft caresses that led to the urgent, slow, sweet rhythm of love. There was a new tenderness in the expression of it, but the passion was just as familiar as the upswing of frenetic pleasure that left them shuddering in its exquisite aftermath.

  “My God,” he groaned into her mouth as his full weight descended on her. “Am I dreaming?”

  “I hope not,” she whispered, shaken. Her legs tangled in his and she pressed her face into his damp throat. “The world trembled, didn’t it?”

  He laughed. “And a few other things,” he murmured dryly.

  “I love the way you love me,” she whispered. “I love you.”

  “Show me again,” he said against her mouth, and his hips shifted slowly against hers. “Make me cry out.”

  “But can you?” she asked uncertainly.

  He moved sharply and chuckled at her wide-eyed wonder. “Let’s see,” he murmured, and pushed down.

  It was three hours later when they arrived at Bob and Connie’s house.

  “We were getting worried,” Bob said as they climbed out of the car in his driveway. “Kirry, are you all right?”

  “Oh, I’m fine,” she assured him with a smile. “I’m a little sore, but that’s normal.”

  “She laid Erikson out,” Lang added with pride, glad that his brother couldn’t see the flush on his high cheekbones. “I appreciate your letting us come down.”

  “What are family for? Connie, they’re here!”

  Connie came out, in a dress, looking subdued and so feminine that Lang actually leaned forward for a closer look. “Connie?” he asked, shocked.

  She glared at him. “Yes, it’s me, can’t you recognize me when I’m not covered in grease?” she asked caustically.

  He grinned. “Well, come to think of it, no,” he teased.

  She had her arms tight over her breasts and she wasn’t looking at Bob. She moved them to hug Kirry. “Are you all right, honey?” she asked, concerned.

  “I’m fine,” Kirry said, smiling helplessly at Lang. “We’re engaged,” she told them.

  “You’ve already told us, don’t you remember?” Connie asked gently.

  They hadn’t known about the engagement being broken. Kirry and Lang exchanged glances and smiles.

  “No use expecting any sense out of you two.” Bob chuckled. “Come on in. Mikey’s gone to bed. We’ll have some coffee and cake.”

  “My cake, not hers,” Connie said sharply to Bob, who looked uncomfortable. “I just baked it. I can cook.”

  “Honey, I never said you couldn’t,” Bob began.

  “Hmmph!” she muttered, and led the way into the house.

  “She’s been like that since she got here,” Bob said miserably. “She treats me like an adulterer. I swear to God, I never put a hand on Teresa.”

  “Have you told Connie that?”

  “Would she listen?” he muttered.

  “If you tell her the right way, she might,” Lang mused, his eyes warm and loving on Kirry as she went into the kitchen with Connie.

  Bob glanced at his brother curiously. “Are you serious this time about marrying Kirry?” he asked.

  Lang paused, sticking his hands into his pockets. “I’m serious,” he said. “I guess the way we grew up had a worse effect on me than it did on you, Bob,” he added. “I couldn’t bear the thought of bringing a child into the world whose mother treated it like a nuisance.”

  “I can’t believe you thought Kirry would be like our mother,” he mused. “Kirry’s a motherly type.”

  “Not anymore,” Lang told him, with a sense of pride. “She’s got a good mind and she should use it. Besides that, she’s one of the best karate students I’ve ever trained,” he added with a chuckle. “Erikson attacked her and she laid him out.” His eyes sparkled with quick temper. “Damn him, I hope we can put him away forever. If she hadn’t known what to do, the least that wou
ld have happened is that she’d have been raped. He might even have killed her.”

  Bob frowned. “What did she do to him?”

  “He was a security guard at the office. She objected to being talked to like a prostitute.”

  Bob’s eyebrows rose. “How did he keep his job so long, with that sort of attitude?”

  “Women have kept quiet about harassment in the past. They’ve started objecting to it, and so they should. You know, in the early days of the century, despite the fact that women weren’t permitted the freedom men enjoyed, at least they were treated with respect. A man who insulted a woman, married or single, could expect to be beaten within an inch of his life. These days, you’d be surprised at the language men feel comfortable using around them.”

  “Listen, have you ever heard Connie when she hit her thumb with a hammer?” Bob mused.

  Lang clapped his brother on the back. “Point taken.”

  Kirry’s bad experience was the talk of the evening, but the looks she and Lang were exchanging amused Bob.

  “I guess you still haven’t set a date,” he commented.

  “Next week,” Lang said easily, smiling at Kirry’s surprise. “If you don’t want a big wedding, that is.”

  “I just want you,” Kirry said honestly. “A justice of the peace and a simple wedding ring will suit me fine.”

  “That’s how Connie and I did it,” Bob said, his dark eyes searching his wife’s subdued face. “We used to sit up all hours just talking. We were good friends long before we wanted to live together. And when Mikey came along, he was the beginning of the whole world.”

  Connie’s eyes softened as she remembered her son’s birth. She stared at Bob with pain in her whole expression. “And you’re willing to throw away ten good years for a little girl playing house.”

  His face hardened. “At least she likes it.”

  “For now,” Connie agreed. “But she’s very young. When she gets a few more years on her, she’ll realize that a woman has to be a person in her own right, not just an extension of her husband. Thinking up new recipes isn’t enough anymore.”

  “Keeping a clean house and raising good children who were loved and given attention used to be enough,” Bob said angrily.