by Donna Hill
His stomach tightened. His heart knocked hard against his chest. A welcome rush of relieved exhilaration spread through his veins. He heaved a sigh of relief. He lowered his head and touched it gently to hers. “I’ll never hurt you, Vaughn,” he vowed. “Never.” He brushed her hair away from her face. “I promise you that.” Ever so sweetly, he sealed his vow with a kiss.
Slowly, he eased away and took her hand, leading her back into the living room. He pulled her down beside him on the couch.
Her heart skittered when she saw the look of uncertainty on his face. “What?” she asked, a sudden fear knocking at the door of her happiness.
Justin breathed heavily. “There’s something I need to talk with you about,” he began slowly.
Oh, God, she thought. He’s going to tell me he has a wife somewhere. But the painful story that Justin revealed was the last thing she expected to hear.
“I’ve decided to start looking for my daughter again,” he concluded, after divulging the details of his tumultuous marriage.
For several long moments, Vaughn sat in silence, trying to put this revelation in perspective. He wanted her to be a part of his daughter’s life. He wanted to give up his practice and devote his energies to finding Samantha. He thought that he might have a lead in Simone Rivers. Rivers, she mused curiously, that was her mother’s maiden name. It was almost too much to comprehend.
Her emotions ran the gamut. He’d cared enough about her to confide his deepest emotions, his greatest goals, his darkest fears. Was she willing to do the same? Not yet. Even now, years later, it was still too painful and now potentially too disastrous to discuss. The past was dead and buried. The vivid thought seemed to take on life within her, causing her to flinch. Justin saw her reaction as accusing.
Suddenly he sprang from his seat, jamming his hands into his robe pockets. He walked away from her and turned on the stereo, keeping his back stiffly toward her. His heart sank to a new low. Her physical response was not what he expected. He thought Vaughn to be the most compassionate woman he’d ever met. But maybe her compassion didn’t extend beyond her public image. He was so engrossed in his dark thought that he didn’t hear Vaughn come up behind him until she spoke.
“Whatever, you need, darling, I’ll be there for you,” she said, her voice full of the empathy he believed her to have.
Slowly he turned around and looked down into her face. Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. “I can only imagine how difficult it’s been for you all these years.” With trembling fingers she caressed his stubble-roughened chin. She smiled gently. “You’ll find her,” she assured. “I know you will. And when you do, I’d like to be there.”
With all the love that flowed through him, he wrapped her in his arms, burying his face in her hair. “Thank you for coming into my life,” he whispered hoarsely. “Thank you.”
Chapter 11
“So how long have you been working for the assembly-woman?” David asked Crystal as he handed her a cup of coffee.
Crystal smiled and shook her head. “Vaughn and I go so far back, I can’t say where friendship ends and work begins. A lot of years, in other words,” she said, taking a sip of the steamy brew.
The Amtrak train rumbled comfortably along the track. The scenery of downtown D.C. was soon out of view.
“So I guess you know her pretty well,” he commented, settling comfortably in his seat.
“Yeah,” Crystal grinned. “I’ll introduce you once we get back.” She paused. “Maybe we could all get together for dinner one night,” she suggested hesitantly. “She’s seeing Justin Montgomery these days. We could do a foursome.”
Justin Montgomery. That information could prove useful. He cleared his throat and turned in his seat to look at her.
“To be honest, Crystal, I’m a very private person. I’m not really into group activities. I guess it comes from always having to deal with conference goers and boards of directors,” he lied smoothly. “And personal time,” he added in an intimate tone, “is a special treat for me. I’d like to use it getting to know you better. My job requires a lot of travel. I don’t want the little bit of time I have with you to be shared with anyone else.” His eyes skimmed her face warmly and Crystal felt a definite tingle work its way through her body.
“Then we’ll just have to make those times extra special.”
He gave her hand a little squeeze. “I’d say we were well on our way.” He grinned, giving her his best smile.
“Tell me more about what you do,” Crystal said in an attempt to recover her equilibrium. David truly had her senses whirling.
He leaned back and sighed heavily. “It’s really pretty boring stuff. I mean, compared to working for a politician.”
“I want to hear all the boring details anyway,” Crystal insisted, smiling brightly.
David shrugged. “Basically, I travel across the country and help businesses to get on a stronger footing. In other words, I analyze their finances, programs, goals, and things, and help them to do it better.” He’d rehearsed this speech so many times in his head over the past few days he’d begun to believe it himself.
“That sounds great, David. You get to meet folks, travel, and have an impact on a lot of people. What could be boring about that?”
His full lips tilted into a half smile. “I guess it’s what you make it,” he said nonchalantly. “I’ve been doing this for so long it’s just second nature. I don’t even think about what I do beyond getting the job done as quickly and effectively as possible.”
Crystal nodded. “It’s inevitable to slip into complacency if you don’t look beyond the small picture.”
“That’s true,” David said absently, not really paying attention to her assessment. His mind was already on other things. “But enough about me, tell me about you.” He gave her a meaningful look. “I want to know it all.”
Crystal beamed. David was the first man she’d met in so long who didn’t want to have a running monologue about himself, his accomplishments, his ex-wives or girlfriends, or his sexual prowess. David was definitely a welcome relief.
“What would you like to hear?”
David shrugged lightly. “Start with the present and work your way back,” he suggested with an encouraging smile. “What does a chief of staff do, for starters?”
Crystal laughed. “All right.”
This time he was paying attention. He absorbed every word. There was certainly some information he could use. As he watched her, smiling as she talked, he had a pang of guilt. The sudden sensation unnerved him. He shifted slightly in his seat. Crystal was actually a wonderful woman. She was bright, great looking, fun to be around. Sexy as hell. If things were different…but things weren’t different, he admitted, adjusting his thoughts to the task at hand. Somewhere, buried inside, he wished it were. But, he reminded himself, he had a job to do. He wouldn’t allow a mere attraction stand in the way of his goals. He settled deeper into his seat, put on his most ingratiating smile, and listened. Too bad, though, he mused. He could really have a thing for Crystal.
“What have you found out?” Elliott gruffly asked the caller.
“She didn’t come home last night,” was the wooden response.
Elliott’s jaw clenched into a knot. He felt a burn in the pit of his stomach. “Where is she?” he spat.
“At 5836 Larchmont Road. Justin Montgomery’s place.”
The burning intensified. “Thank you.” Slowly Elliott replaced the receiver. His large, dark hand curled into a fist and slammed down onto the desk. The coffee cup rattled, losing some of its contents on the maple desk.
A deep frown carved itself into his brow. His eyes darkened to a dangerous hue as he pondered his next move.
Downstairs, Sheila pushed the lightly buttered biscuit around on her plate. She was worried about Vaughn. She needed to talk to her about her father and this obsession he had about her. It was getting out of hand.
Sheila checked the wall clock. It was nearly eleven. Elliott had ye
t to come downstairs today. He was probably still brooding. That was just fine with her. He needed to think about what he’d done. She got up from the table, dumped the contents of her plate into the garbage, and proceeded out to the front hallway. Cautiously she looked, once, up the winding staircase—saw no one and heard nothing. Good, she thought, taking her purse and jacket from the hall closet. She had to get to the bank before noon.
“What do you want to do today?” Vaughn asked in a drowsy voice. After another session of toe-curling lovin’, all she wanted to do was purr. She snuggled under Justin’s arm and pressed her face against his smooth chest.
“Don’t ask,” he mumbled, pinching her bare behind.
“Ouch!” She slapped his arm. “Now I know the real reason why you want me,” she pouted.
“If you say for your body,” he grumbled deep in his chest, “you’d be damned right.” He tenderly massaged her breasts to emphasize his point.
“How very chauvinistic,” she cooed in a throaty whisper as sparks of yearning lit brightly within her.
“That’s me,” he chuckled, increasing the pressure.
“If I really thought that,” Vaughn said on a long sigh, “we wouldn’t stand a chance.”
“Mmmm. I don’t know about that,” he countered, pulling her astride his throbbing body. “I think I’d just have to convince you I was the best thing that could happen to you.”
Her voice shuddered as she felt the length and breath of him fill her. “I think you…may…be…right.” Her eyes slid closed as Justin’s hips rose and fell in a driving, demanding rhythm. Vaughn gripped the headboard to brace herself against Justin’s powerful thrusts as he took them on a journey of unspeakable pleasure.
Hours later, fully clothed and playfully trying to keep their distance, Vaughn and Justin mapped out their day. Vaughn sat Indian-style on the loveseat, while Justin partially reclined on the sofa.
“At some point, I want to stop by my office. I’d like to show you the profile on Simone Rivers.” He breathed heavily. “I know I shouldn’t get my hopes up.” He angled his head to look at her and met compassionate eyes. “But it’s just this feeling I have. It may be farfetched, Vaughn, but anything is possible.”
Vaughn unwrapped her long denim-clad legs, walked around the birchwood coffee table, and sat beside him.
Lovingly, she stroked his forehead, easing away the lines of tension that etched his brow. As she watched the strain slip from his face, she was once again engulfed in her own fears. The same sensation of wariness that had touched her when they’d first met needled her again. Suppose somehow, in some way, inadvertently, in his crusade he uncovered… She couldn’t bear that. She wouldn’t think about it. That would never happen.
“There’s nothing wrong with hoping,” she said softly. “I just don’t want you to get hurt.”
He nodded and took her hand. “I know, and I appreciate your concern.” He pecked the back of her hand with a quick kiss and rose from the couch. “But I’m a big boy now.” He smiled. “I can handle it.”
Vaughn stood and slipped her arms around his waist. “In that case…big boy,” she crooned in a good imitation of Mae West, “let’s get ta’ steppin’.”
Simone had debated for the past few days whether or not she was doing the right thing. On one level, she believed she had the right to the truth. On another, she felt as if she was betraying her foster parents.
Simone sat down heavily on her bed and stared at the business card in her hand. Child-Link, Inc. She’d gotten the card ages ago at that same seminar Justin Montgomery had conducted on child advocacy. She knew the services were essentially free, but if they could find her real parents, she’d made up her mind she would donate half of her windfall to the organization.
She took a deep breath. She needed to put the wheels in motion before she went away. She reached for the phone and dialed. All her muscles tensed. She felt her pulse begin a steady upward spiral as she listened to the line connect and the phone ring.
“Good morning, Child-Link. Melissa Overton speaking. How may I help you?”
Simone swallowed hard. She gripped the receiver so tightly that her palm began to sweat. “Hello, um, my name is Simone and, uh, I’m wondering…hoping that you can help me find my parents…”
A warm breeze wrapped around them as they ate brunch at an outdoor café in Georgetown. The day was perfect, the air clean, the sky clear. Trees were blooming all around them. The scent of flowers and fresh-turned soil filled the air. Couples, singles, and families were out in force, taking full advantage of the glorious day.
“It’s not necessary for us to take a trip to my office today,” Justin said, taking a sip of iced herbal tea. “The day is too beautiful to waste a minute behind office doors.”
“It’s your call,” Vaughn offered. She stabbed the last chunk of chicken salad with her fork and lifted it to her mouth. “What do you want to do instead?”
“Do you play tennis?” he questioned. There was a definite hint of challenge in his voice, Vaughn noted.
Her lip curved upward. “I have a nasty backhand,” she taunted.
“I’ll bet you dinner that I can beat you three sets out of five.”
Vaughn tossed her head back, emitting a deep, husky laugh. Should she tell him that she’d been one tennis ball away from the Olympic team in her senior year of high school? Briefly she thought about those carefree days. She could have been a champion. But all her father saw in her future was law. And then there was Brian. But before those two events, she was good. She still taught at the inner city youth program. Well, Mr. Montgomery never backed down from a challenge, and neither would she. Anyway, she’d confess later—after the game. “You…are…on…buddy.” She lowered her head. Her eyes squinted as she stared pointedly at him. “You truly don’t have a clue as to what you’re in for. As a matter of fact, hotshot, let’s sweeten the pot.”
Justin leaned forward meeting her gaze. “Let’s.”
“Not just dinner for one night, but for the whole week—home-cooked—winner’s choice. You can cook—cain’t cha?” She grinned devilishly.
“Ooh, aren’t you the crafty one? I know my way around the kitchen.” He chuckled deeply. “But that won’t be my problem.”
“Let’s cut the rhetoric, buddy, and head to the courts. I want to see what you’ve got.” Vaughn stood up.
Justin snatched her around the waist, pulling her fully against the hard lines of his body. His voice dropped to a pumping whisper. “I thought you already knew what I had.”
“Call me curious,” she breathed against his parted lips.
“Curious,” he crooned softly, letting his lips brush lingeringly over hers. Reluctantly, he eased back. “Let’s go before I change my mind and take you back home.”
“I guess this is where we part ways,” Crystal said, as she and David exited the train and emerged in bustling Pennsylvania Station.
“Only temporarily,” he replied close to her ear. He checked his watch. “How long do you think your business with your mom will take?”
“The better part of the day. We have to meet with the attorneys and settle my dad’s estate. It’s not much,” she added with a false grin of gaiety, “but my mother wants me there for moral support.”
“How long has it been?” asked David, as they wound their way through the throng.
“Just about a year,” she answered quietly. “The insurance company has been dragging their feet and they finally ran out of excuses.”
“That’s how they make their money,” David said cynically, “by keeping yours.”
Crystal nodded in agreement.
They exited the terminal and were instantly engulfed in the surge of travelers rushing for the honking cabs.
“Where can we meet?” David asked, as he hailed the next cab in line. “I’d like to see you this evening.” He turned toward her. “And spend the day with you tomorrow, if that’s possible.”
Crystal was oblivious to the rush of sight a
nd sound that swarmed around her. All she could hear was David’s low, mesmerizing voice. All she could see were his caramel face and soulful brown eyes. Damn! she thought, I think I’ve hit the jackpot. She felt like clicking her heels.
“I’m sure we can work something out,” she said lightly. She reached in her purse and took a scrap of paper and pen and jotted down her mother’s phone number. “Here.” She handed it to him. “I should be in after six tonight.”
David tucked the paper into the pocket of his leather jacket. “I’ll call you.” He lowered his head and touched her lips with his. “Good luck today.” He held open the cab door for her and she slid inside.
“Thanks,” she said looking up. “I’ll talk to you later.”
David stood at the curb and watched the cab pull away. He checked his watch. He had six hours to kill. Since he’d told Crystal that he had business to take care of, he’d have to find something to do for the rest of the day.
He started walking up Seventh Avenue toward midtown. Well, this was New York, he mused. There had to be something. But first he had a call to make. He found a phone booth and used his calling card to make the call.
“Stone residence,” answered the slightly accented voice.
David recognized the lilting voice of the Bajan housekeeper immediately. A flash of her smooth copper body writhing beneath him magnified before his eyes.
“Trini, how are you?” he asked, his voice vibrating across the wires.
Trini’s voice lowered to a sultry whisper. “David,” she purred, letting the second syllable of his name ring lower than the first. Quickly, she scanned her surroundings and found herself alone. “When will I see you again, dah-lin’? It’s been so—oo long.”