by Sandra Brown
She stepped around the newspapers and the naked-looking chest of drawers. She had pulled out all the drawers for easier painting and stripped them of their hardware. He would think she was terribly messy. But why should his opinion of her matter?
“Please excuse this mess. I needed to do this on my day off, and I have to do it indoors so I’ll be close to the baby.” She could have bitten her tongue. Why did she make that reference to Allison? Somehow she hoped he would forget his objective and just go away. Did she want him to go away? Yes! she averred silently, but was not quite convinced.
He drained the Coke and put the glass on the coffee table after carefully taking a coaster out of its rack. Didn’t he ever make a mistake, do anything wrong?
From the basket on the coffee table he picked up an orange spiked with whole cloves and sniffed it appreciatively. Replacing it, he reached for a bright green Granny Smith apple and gave it the same clinical analysis.
Katherine watched him warily as he crossed the room and stood in front of the large windows looking out over the tree-shaded yard. The white shutters had been pushed aside to allow Katherine a vista of the green expanse she loved.
Palms out, his hands slid into the back pockets of his jeans, and Katherine noticed that he could barely squeeze them between the layers of fabric which stretched so tightly across his slim hips.
The muscles of his shoulders and back stirred the cloth of his plaid cotton shirt. The cuffs had casually been rolled up to just under his elbows. She had never given such avid attention to a man before. But then had she ever seen legs so long and lean and—
“Nice trees,” he observed. No comment was required, so she didn’t offer one. Long moments of silence passed before he turned to her and asked softly, “Can I see the baby now?”
“She’s sleeping,” Katherine tried.
He didn’t buy it. “I promise not to wake her.”
She wanted to refuse him, but it would be useless. If he wanted to see the baby, she couldn’t physically stop him. She sighed resignedly and indicated the room where Allison was taking her nap, completely unaware of the friction her existence generated between these two people.
Jace’s large body seemed to fill the room as he bent over the crib and pulled back the light blanket.
Allison was in her usual sleeping position. She lay on her stomach, her head turned to one side, her knees drawn up under her tummy, her bottom stuck up in the air.
Katherine carefully watched Jace’s reaction as he studied the baby whose gentle, rapid breath was the only sound in the close room. He reached out with one large brown hand and stroked the rosy cheek with his index finger.
“Hello, Allison,” he whispered.
Katherine, who had been awed by the contrast of his hand against Allison’s small head, turned quickly to look at him. “How did you know her name?” she asked. She had been mindful not to mention it to him, thinking that the less of an individual the baby seemed to him, the less he would want her.
“The nurses at the hospital told me. When I started looking for you, that was the first place I went. They remembered Allison well. The circumstances of her birth and Mary’s—” he broke off mid-sentence and looked at Katherine. Was it pain she saw in his eyes? “Anyway, they remembered her. And you.”
“Me?”
“Oh, yes, I was told countless times how sweet and considerate you were. Not to mention how beautiful.” His voice was a hoarse whisper, and Katherine avoided the blue eyes that looked at her from a face far too close to her own. She could feel his breath fanning her cheek.
Her hands were trembling as she drew the blanket over Allison again. Jace’s hand touched her shoulder as if to turn her toward him, but she recoiled and jerked away.
“Don’t,” she cried. When Allison jumped in reaction to the loud noise, she lowered her voice to a rasping hiss. “How dare you come in my house and act civilly and friendly and… and affectionately. Understand me, Mr. Manning. No one is taking Allison away from me. Especially someone named Manning. I want nothing to do with any of you. I ask nothing of you, and neither will Allison.” She drew a deep, ragged breath. “Your brother killed my sister!”
The words hung in the room between them. Momentarily they were frozen in time, adversaries assessing each other and weighing the opponent’s strength.
The atmosphere crackled with emotion and expectation. Later in private, self-analyzing torment, Katherine swore that she hadn’t leaned toward him, that the lunge that brought them together had been solely on his part. All she could truly recall was being enfolded in his powerful warmth. The lips that crushed hers were bruising and hard, and she matched his anger by meeting them in kind. She clutched his back as he wrapped her in arms of steel.
At what point the kiss changed character Katherine was never able to discern. But for some reason, it was no longer her aim to punish, but to please. She opened her mouth to his demanding tongue and, sensing her acquiescence, his plunder became sweet exploration. They sipped each other as if unable to quench a terrible thirst. Then their mouths fused together again.
“Yoo-hoo, Katherine. There’s the strangest-looking car outside. I got worried about you so thought I’d check—”
Happy Cooper’s immense proportions filled the doorway to Allison’s bedroom and she stood transfixed as she saw Jace standing with Katherine next to the crib.
At the sound of her voice they had sprung apart, stunned by what had happened between them. Katherine felt as if every ounce of blood in her body were concentrated in her earlobes and her body was radiating heat like a stove. Her breasts were having in an effort to fill oxygen-starved lungs.
“Katherine?” the landlady asked cautiously in a quivering voice. When neither Katherine nor the handsome stranger answered, she began backing up and then ludicrously made a mad dash for the telephone in the living room.
The sight of Happy’s bulk bouncing toward the telephone roused Katherine from her stupor. “Happy,” she called and rushed after her landlady. She put a restraining hand on her friend’s arm. “It… it’s okay. Nothing’s wrong. You just startled us, that’s all.”
“Well, you scared me to death!” Happy exclaimed. “I’m not used to seeing strange men in your house, Katherine.” She laughed and her chest and stomach shook. Her round face was wreathed in a genuine smile as she crossed to Jace and extended her hand. “I’m Happy Cooper, Katherine’s friend and landlady. How’s my angel doing?” she asked, indicating the sleeping Allison. “Isn’t she the dearest baby you’ve ever seen? I love her like my own.”
Jace shook the hand presented him and stared at Happy, overcome by her size and open friendliness.
“Katherine, introduce me to this beautiful man before I swoon. He looks like a movie star! Who is he?” Happy had never mastered prudence or tact. When she thought something, she said it.
Katherine groped for a plausible lie and stammered a near truth. “This… this is my… uh… brother-in-law. Yes. My late husband’s brother and Allison’s uncle.”
She looked at Jace over Happy’s gray coiffure and hoped that he had gotten the message. Would he give her away? She had loved the apartment on sight and wanted to rent it right away. Happy’s initial hesitancy to lease it to a single woman with a baby had made it expedient for Katherine to invent a husband who had been killed. Most people couldn’t deny anything to a young, helpless widow.
“What a pleasure, Mr. Adams,” Happy gushed. “I’m sure Katherine feels reassured to have one of her family visit her.”
“My name isn’t Adams, Mrs. Cooper. It’s Jason Manning. Jace.”
Happy’s cheerful countenance collapsed in bemusement. “Well, how is it that you and your brother have different names?”
Katherine held her breath and closed her eyes. Jace would expose her lie, and she would lose her most valued friend.
“He… he was only my half brother. We had different fathers,” Jace lied smoothly. Did deception always come so easily for him?
&nbs
p; “Oh, I see, of course,” Happy patted Jace’s hand. “It was a tragedy for him to die overseas like that. In Africa, wasn’t it?”
Jace raised his eyebrows in a mocking, silent query and Katherine flushed. That he had been in Africa never entered her mind. It was just the most remote place she could think of as she told Happy a tale of an airplane crash that killed a nonexistent husband.
“Yes, Africa,” said Jace. “And it was tragic. A pity he can’t be here with us today.” His face and voice were serious, but his blue eyes were glinting with humor as he looked at Katherine over Happy’s head, which was bent as she dabbed her eyes with a lace-bordered handkerchief.
“Poor Katherine,” Happy sighed as she once again turned to the young woman. Her look of concern was instantly converted to one of joy as she exclaimed, “But now that Jace is here, you won’t have to go to the dance tonight alone. Isn’t that lucky?”
She grabbed Jace’s hand and shoved him toward Katherine.
Despite Jace’s size, Happy’s gentle push provided enough impetus for him to collide into Katherine. He reached out and grabbed her around the waist before she fell backward. They stared at each other, their faces close as he pulled her back to her feet. The kiss of moments before was still imprinted on their minds. Neither had taken it lightly.
“Here I was worrying about Katherine having to go unescorted to a dance, and right out of the blue a handsome brother-in-law drops in.” Happy continued chattering happily, oblivious to Katherine’s covert signals that she cease.
“Dance?” Jace picked up on the idea. Did he have a radar device in his head?
“Yes! The faculty banquet and dance is tonight. Katherine’s worked so hard on the arrangements. She’s required to attend because of her job, and was having to go alone. Now you can take her. Do you have a tuxedo? Well, no matter. A dark suit will do just as nicely.”
“Happy, you don’t understand. Mr.… uh… Jace isn’t staying. He just came by—”
“Of course I’m staying, Katherine. Do you think I’d leave you stranded without an escort for this evening. Besides I hadn’t had time to tell you that the oil company I work for is drilling near here. I’ll be around for a long time.”
Katherine stared open-mouthed at this announcement, but Happy clapped her hands in glee. “Oh, Jace, you can’t imagine how happy that makes me. I never like to think that a young woman is left so alone in the world. It will be such a comfort to Katherine for you to be here.”
Jace was smiling benignly at Happy, but then he turned to Katherine. He impaled her with his eyes, and the message was clear. He was staying until he got custody of Allison.
“I’ve got to go now and carry my groceries in. I had just come in from shopping when I saw that cute little… uh…” For once, Happy was at a loss for words.
“Jeep.” Jace supplied.
“A jeep! How quaint!” Happy chirped. Katherine rolled her eyes heavenward. Apparently Happy wasn’t aware that the big status symbol these days was a four-wheel drive vehicle. “You two have a nice visit. I’ll keep Allison tonight and you can stay out as late as you want to.”
“I’ve got to go for now too. Katherine, what time do I need to pick you up?” Jace settled one large hand on her shoulder in brotherly affection, and, in deference to Happy’s curious eyes, she stifled the impulse to fling it off. Things were moving too fast. She couldn’t think. How could she spend an entire evening with him?
“Seven thirty,” she heard herself answer and wasn’t even conscious of shaping the words in her mouth.
“Okay, then. Happy, can I carry your groceries in for you? A lady like you shouldn’t be doing menial tasks like that.”
Happy giggled like a young girl. “Oh, Jace, I miss having a man around to do things like that. I really do. My son, Jim, lives…”
Her voice trailed off as they descended the stairs to the lawn below. Jason Manning. He was disgustingly transparent. He was being charming and a perfect gentleman. Was it his intention to get to her through her friends? What was his game plan?
He frightened her. He thrilled her. She must have been insane to even let him come into the house. A Manning wasn’t to be trusted. Hadn’t she seen how shallow Peter Manning’s charming veneer was? She must protect Allison. But how? Jason Manning was too handsome and glib. Katherine thought these characteristics were far more formidable than malicious meanness and disreputability.
* * *
The reflection in the mirror verified that Katherine’s efforts in dressing for the dance hadn’t been time wasted. She had soaked in a tub of bubble bath while Allison took her afternoon nap. The warm water was intended to ease some of her tension. Instead it had only made her more aware of the effect Jace’s embrace had had on her body. She dried herself quickly, skimming over the most sensitive areas that continued to throb whenever she thought of his kiss.
Taking out the electric curlers, she began styling her hair. What should she have expected of Peter’s brother? Peter had made a pass at her. He and Mary were already engaged.
One evening he had been waiting with Katherine for Mary to come downstairs. Katherine called up to her sister to hurry her along, uneasy being left alone with Peter even in her own house.
“You don’t like me very much do you, Katherine?” he surprised her by asking. “Why not?” he insisted bluntly. “I’m quite charming when one gets to know me. I’d like for us to be friends.”
He stood close behind her while she nonchalantly continued to water a plant near the window. His hand caressed her shoulder lightly. Her poise vanished at his touch. She turned quickly to face him, jerking his hand away.
“I don’t know what you mean, Peter,” she said sharply. “I don’t know you well enough to say if I like you or not.”
“Precisely my point!” he exclaimed, flashing her the famous smile that had been captured time and again in the society page photographs.
He reached out and put his hand under her elbow, squeezing it gently. “Why don’t you and I have lunch sometime soon, and”—his eyes lowered to her lips—“get to know each other better.”
She shuddered in revulsion as his body moved closer to hers. Loathingly she pushed him aside just as they heard Mary coming down the stairs.
Mary was blissfully unaware of his personality flaws, and, of course, Katherine never told her of the incident. Even then he had been playing his macabre games.
At the lavish wedding reception he insulted Katherine with another pass. Mary was chattering gaily to some of the Mannings’ friends when Peter sauntered over to his new sister-in-law. She was making herself as invisible as possible amid potted plants and baskets of flowers.
“Sister Kate, how lovely you look in your bridal frock.” She hated that cooing voice and had learned to dread it. He had adopted the nickname for her after she rejected his first advance. It rankled her every time he used it, but she would never have given him the satisfaction of letting her anger show.
He took possession of her hands and kissed her coolly on the cheek. She jumped back in mortification when she felt his warm tongue poke through his lips and lightly brush her cheek. His back was turned to the room full of wedding guests, so no one had seen what he did. The embrace appeared to be a filial kiss between new in-laws.
She glared at him through slitted green eyes, but he only smiled at her sardonically, his lip curled into a smirk which marred the perfection of his regular features.
“You’re unspeakably vile,” she said.
“Tsk, tsk, sister Kate. Is that any way to talk to your dear brother?”
Justifiably she had hated Peter Manning.
“Yes, Mr. Jason Manning is running true to form and upholding the family traditions,” Katherine said to her image as she misted herself with cologne.
Katherine critically scrutinized her gown and was pleased with what she saw. At the last moment she had decided to pack it when she left Denver. “I couldn’t have afforded another one,” she muttered ruefully. She had splurged
on the expensive dress for a pre-wedding party at the Manning estate. It made a large dent in her budget, but it was worth it. The style was classic and would be in fashion for a while yet.
The sea-green georgette crepe draped close to her body and hung in soft folds at her feet. In a Grecian style, one shoulder was left bare while, on the other, the fabric was gathered into a graceful knot.
The dress accented her slender figure and clung to her gentle curves. The color flattered her summer’s tan and brought out the highlights of her green eyes. Katherine was unconscious of how beautiful she looked in the dress. But she felt an added streak of confidence when she wore it.
She dropped her earring when she heard the knock on the door. Making one hasty last inspection, she retrieved the pearl cluster, inserted it into her pierced ear, secured the back, and went through the living room to answer Jace’s knock.
Earlier in the day she had cleaned up the painting mess and moved the chest of drawers to the other bedroom. The living room was softly lit by shaded table lamps. Katherine hated overhead lights and glaring bulbs.
She opened the door and involuntarily caught her breath at the sight of Jace in his dark gray suit. From the distinctive buttons, she knew that it sported a designer label, and the European cut fit his physique perfectly.
His shirt was pale blue silk and his necktie a deeper shade of the same color. The wavy black hair had been brushed but still looked a trifle untamed. It shone with iridescent highlights.
He whistled long and low as he came through the door. “Wow! Can this be the same Widow Adams that I met this afternoon?”
“Come in, Mr. Manning.” She hadn’t missed his sarcasm. These games must stop if she were ever going to gain control. “Why are you doing this?” she asked in desperation.
“What?”
“This!” she cried, spreading her arms wide with palms up to encompass the whole situation. “Why are you being so pleasant and prolonging the inevitable confrontation? We both know why you’re here, so I wish you’d drop this protective brother-in-law routine.”