“Sorry, miss,” the soldier said, pivoting to the side. “Didn’t see you.”
The familiar timbre and drawl of his voice halted her midstep. It couldn’t be. Her eyes widened, and she spun around.
“Ted?” Her heart pounded in sudden joy. It was! There could be no mistaking the sharp slash of black eyebrows and the determined, angular jaw.
The soldier slowed and glanced at her with a slight frown. Her pulse became erratic as his familiar dark eyes met hers.
Chapter 33
“Genie?” Ted’s frown vanished, and a wide grin softened the edges of his chiseled, handsome face. “Well, if that don’t beat all! It is you. I can hardly believe it. What the heck are you doing in LA?”
“I live here now,” she said, her heart starting to function again.
“Do you now?” He gazed at her for another breath-stealing second and then turned to the well-dressed fellow with him. “You’re not going to believe this, but this is Miss Baker, the missionary girl I was just telling you about.”
The older man bowed slightly and smiled. “Miss Baker, it’s a pleasure. I’m Stuart Jeffries, regional coordinator for war bond activities.”
“Nice to meet you,” she said politely. With his intelligent eyes, craggy face, and neatly trimmed mustache, he reminded her a little of General Chennault.
“Want to hear something crazy?” Ted said, turning back to Genie. “He thinks parading me around the country will get people to buy war bonds. Me, of all people.”
“And why not?” Mr. Jeffries asked, sounding exasperated. “You’re young, good-looking, and one of the famous Flying Tigers. Tell me, Miss Baker, would you buy a war bond from Lieutenant Younan?”
She ran her gaze appreciatively over Ted from the top of his dark, slicked-back hair to the tips of his polished brown shoes. “Absolutely.”
“And there you have it,” Mr. Jeffries said with a pleased look. “The young girls of America will eat you up.”
Ted’s cheeks pinkened beneath his tan. Genie’s lips twitched as she bit back a smile at his obvious embarrassment. It served him right for being so ridiculously good-looking, and kind, and brave, and . . .
“Ready to go, sweetheart?” Dick touched her, startling her. She had somehow forgotten his presence.
Ted’s gaze flicked to Dick’s hand on her shoulder. His expression became politely blank as he held out his hand. “I don’t think we’ve met. Lieutenant Ted Younan. Friend of Genie’s.”
“So I gathered,” Dick said drily, letting go of Genie long enough to shake Ted’s hand. “Dick Pelton, and I heard a lot about you on the trip home from India.”
Ted raised an eyebrow. “All good, I hope. And where’s that Sterling fellow? I’m surprised he isn’t with you tonight.”
“Oh, Ted,” Genie said, slipping between the men. “There’s so much you don’t know—”
Ted’s gaze flicked from her and to Dick. “Apparently.”
“Nathan is dead.” To her surprise, tears filled her eyes as she said the words. “He died on the way here. And then my aunt went missing.”
“Oh, honey. You all right?” The genuine concern in his voice almost undid her.
“She’s fine,” Dick said coolly. His hand settled on her shoulder again, a silent reminder that she was out with him, not Ted.
Dashing the wetness from her cheeks, she forced herself to smile. “Dick was kind enough to find me a job and a place to stay, so yes, I’m fine. And you’ll never guess what! I’m training to be a pilot.”
“No kidding.” Ted smiled, his attention all on her again. “That’s terrific. Which airport are you flying out of?”
“Vail, over in Montebello.”
“Sure, I know the field. Who’s teaching you?”
“Genie . . .” Dick eased her back from Ted. “We’ve delayed the gentlemen long enough.”
“Florence Palmatier,” Genie said, resisting the movement. It felt so good to talk to Ted again. So much had happened since the night they had shared in Calcutta. “You should stop by sometime. I fly almost every weekend, if the weather’s good. We could talk after my lesson.”
Ted’s gaze flicked toward Dick. “I don’t know, Genie. I just got back to the States. For all I know, Uncle Sam could be shipping me out again.”
“Before you leave, then? It’s just been so long since I’ve talked to someone from home . . .” Her voice faltered as he held his hands up and backed away.
“I’ll see, okay? No promises. It was nice seeing you, though.”
Sudden understanding squeezed her chest. He didn’t want to see her again, and why should he? He likely had a girl who would want all his free time spent with her.
Still, it hurt to be pushed away by the man who had given her her first kiss.
She pasted on a bright, fake smile, her good mood of a moment ago vanishing under the threat of tears. “Nice seeing you, too.” She turned to Dick, her heart feeling as fragile as spun glass. “Ready?”
In silent support, Dick put his arm around her, and she leaned gratefully into his shoulder. Dimly she heard him say goodbye to the two men, and then they were walking to his car. She shivered as he opened the door for her in silence, the chill emotional rather than physical.
Memories of China, of her father’s house, of Kunming, of the flight to Calcutta—all whirled about her like leaves before a wind, pulling her back in time, leaving her raw and exposed. It was as if seeing Ted had unlocked something inside her, and she was once more that scared and naive girl.
Dick got into the car, and she could feel the weight of his gaze. “So that was the AVG pilot. Have to say he’s a bit different than I imagined.”
She forced herself to shrug as if her heart weren’t bruised and bleeding. “He’s all right, I guess.”
“You know, pilots aren’t the most constant of people. Most of the ones I know have gals in every city.”
She winced, thinking of the CNAC pilot in Calcutta and his prostitute friend. “I’m a pilot, and I’m not like that.”
“No. You’re something different altogether. Something special.”
She blinked back tears as the rips in her heart mended a little. “Thank you.”
“Aw, sweetheart. Come here.” He reached over and pulled her across the leather seat to nestle close to him. “I shouldn’t have given you so much wine. You just relax, and I’ll get you home.”
She rested her cheek against his chest and closed her eyes. “I’m sorry I’m not a better date.”
He pressed a kiss to her hair. “You’re fine—and the night’s not over yet.”
Exhausted from a long day at work and the effects of the wine, she closed her eyes and relaxed into him as he drove back to the apartment. At some point, she must have fallen asleep, because out of nowhere she felt lips on her temple. On her cheek. Slowly she came awake as Dick tilted her head up, his fingers warm under her chin. His lips touched hers in the softest of kisses, and she sighed. Then his mouth settled over hers with a gentle firmness, the pressure parting her lips, deepening the kiss.
The touch of his tongue on her jolted her into full awareness. Sudden panic had her pushing at him, but he didn’t release her. If anything his mouth became more insistent. With an effort, she broke the kiss.
“Dick, stop!” Panting and disoriented, she looked out the car windows. Her heart pounded. “Where are we?”
“Your place.” He slid his hands up her bare arms, releasing an electrical storm of sensations. “Or rather mine, technically. Why?”
She tried to get her brain to think, to focus, but it wouldn’t. Everything felt strangely muddled and fuzzy. Part of her wanted to go back to kissing him. In fact, most of her did. Especially that secret, sexual part that lay low and deep inside her. Her pulse leaped.
Alarmed at the drift of her thoughts, she pushed back to gain a little space and worked on slowing her heart, her breathing. The car was silent, the engine shut off, the clock on the dash ticking softly. Outside the windshield were the fa
miliar silhouettes of the buildings on her street, the lights shielded in accord with the coastal blackout.
“Is something wrong?” His voice was low and velvety soft.
She considered the question, her body shivering, already missing the seductive heat of his. “I—I don’t know.”
“Then, no,” he said, the mesmerizing timbre of his voice dropping even lower. “Come here, Genie. Let me kiss you . . . please.”
Her thoughts scattered like dandelion fluff as his hand cupped the back of her head. She closed her eyes as the familiar scent of his cologne filled her head, erasing her fears. His lips touched hers, and all her objections fell away. It was as if she had been lost for so long, and now she was found. He tightened his hold, and a flashfire of desire filled her veins.
Close was suddenly not close enough. She slid her hands under his coat and dug her fingers into the hard muscles of his back. He felt so good, so virile under her fingertips. A little purr of pleasure escaped her throat. She thought she heard him groan in response, but he kept on kissing her, over and over, deeper and deeper, until she couldn’t think at all.
Her lips parted under his again as his hands, so provocatively hot through the cotton fabric of her skirt, found their way to her hips. One palm slid up to her waist, making her moan as desire lit up her blood. His fingers flexed, and her back arched without thought. Beneath her blouse her breasts ached, wanting his touch. Some small voice inside cried out a warning, but she didn’t listen. Instead, she dissolved into the sensations of his lips gliding down her neck. She shifted restlessly, wanting something, something more . . .
His thumb grazed her nipple, and she gasped. Shock made her open her eyes. She stilled even as her heart drummed a fast tattoo, her rib cage barely holding it in. “Dick?”
His lips left her neck as he lifted his head. His expression was hard, almost savage in the shadows. Yet his touch was so, so gentle as he cupped her face. Almost reverently, he traced the line of her jaw with his thumb.
“Ask me up, Genie.” His voice was like black magic. “Say the words. Let me come up and give you more. You know you want to.”
Her breath caught with indecision. Aching and restless, she did want more. More kisses, more of his hands on her body, more of how he made her feel: like a woman, desirable and desired. But she wasn’t naive. While there was a chance he would behave himself and not push to take her virginity, there was also the chance that he would push, and she wasn’t at all sure she would say no. Not with the way her body wanted to arch against him, to feel his body press against hers, closer than close, like a magnet to steel.
Good girls wait until marriage, Genie. She struggled to focus on that one hard and fast rule. The one she had been taught since childhood. Good Christian girls wait, no matter the temptation. Except the missionary wives—nor her father, who never mentioned such matters around her—hadn’t mentioned how tempting the fall would be. Here, cocooned in the dark, with the heat of Dick’s body setting her nerve endings alight, the scent of him blending with his aftershave, she felt positively reckless and so, so alive. Her blood sang in her veins, rendering her powerful and powerless in the same instant.
No, Genie. No.
She swallowed as her body fought with her conscience. “I can’t. It wouldn’t be right.”
“Are you sure?” His voice was impossibly deep as he pulled her back, his fingers tantalizingly warm on her arms. “Because everything about this feels exactly right to me.”
When he kissed her this time, his kiss was harder, rawer. She couldn’t help but respond affirmatively to his unspoken plea: let me love you. She squirmed against him, his need resonating within her, unleashing a strange wildness. She felt so beautiful, so wanted.
His hand slipped inside her blouse, the small shell buttons popping free. His fingers found her breast, and she arched her back with a gasp. He traced her nipple with his fingertips and then caught it between his thumb and forefinger and squeezed gently. Pleasure rippled through her, nearly making her pass out. She felt herself falling backward, his weight pushing her down onto the car seat, under him. It would be so easy to just give in . . .
Abruptly, her brain started working again. “Dick, wait! Stop!”
She stiffened when he didn’t pause. Concern spiked through her as his mouth trailed hotly down her neck while he shoved her blouse aside, her breast fully exposed.
She tried to squirm away. “Dick . . .”
The sudden pounding on the window nearly gave her a heart attack. A woman, Lavinia, peered in wide-eyed through the driver-side window.
“What the . . . ?” Lavinia’s muffled voice came through the window glass. “Genie? Are you okay?”
Dick swore softly under his breath as Lavinia began pounding again. Genie flinched, sure the glass would break.
“Pelton, darn you, you promised!” Lavinia was shouting now, sounding oddly close to tears.
Dick closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against Genie’s. His breathing was fast, ragged. “I’m so sorry, Genie.”
“It’s all ri—” she began, reflexively wanting to comfort him.
Lavinia began rattling the door handle. “It’s locked. Try the other side!” she yelled to someone Genie couldn’t see. The passenger-side door opened a second later.
“Play time is over, lover boy,” an unfamiliar female voice growled a second before strong hands grabbed Genie around the upper arms and began hauling her from the car.
Dick resisted for a moment and then let her go. “It’s not what you think,” he said, but it was clear he wasn’t talking to her.
“Yes, it was!” Lavinia yelled back, nearly deafening Genie as she scrambled to her feet. “Can you tell me honestly you would have stopped if we hadn’t happened upon you first? What is wrong with you?”
Inside the car, Dick ran his hands through his sun-streaked hair, his clothes still askew. Genie’s chest hollowed with guilt and embarrassment. She had done that. Despite knowing better, she had clawed at him like an animal in her passion. Thank the Lord that Lavinia had shown up when she had; otherwise she would likely have abandoned her morals entirely.
He drew a deep breath and met Genie’s gaze. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. Things got a little out of hand. Next time—”
“There will be no next time,” Lavinia said hotly, her hand grabbing Genie’s arm as the other person let go. “We had an agreement.”
Dick’s expression hardened. “Which I didn’t break, so stop interfering where you’re not wanted, or I might change my mind.”
“Easy, cowboy.” Sheila stepped out of the shadows, and Genie’s spirits sank even further as she recognized Lavinia’s friend. Now the whole plant would know of her shameless behavior. “Everyone’s a little worked up at the moment. How ’bout you both let Genie decide who she wants to see and when?”
“Fine.” Dick’s voice was clipped. Then he slumped back on the car seat and ran his hand over his face. He looked truly miserable, and another wave of guilt threatened to swamp her. She had started it, after all. At the restaurant, when she had all but thrown herself into Dick’s arms after seeing Ted. And all the kisses she had eagerly returned. All the caresses she had accepted and given.
“Dick . . .” Her voice broke. She wanted to tell him that it was okay, that she completely forgave him because it was partly her fault, too. But the words wouldn’t form. Her legs, unsteady to begin with from the wine she had drunk, began to shake.
He met her gaze. “I’ll call you later.”
“No, she will call you, if she wants to,” Lavinia snarled as she grabbed Genie’s arm.
Then Sheila moved to block her view of him as Lavinia continued herding her toward the entrance of their building. The world blurred, and she realized belatedly that she was crying. No, make that sobbing. And worse, she didn’t even know why.
Chapter 34
“I picked up a second shift, so I’ll be home late tonight,” Lavinia said the next morning as she finished packing her lunch box.
“So don’t invite Dick up unless you think you can fight him off by yourself.”
Genie felt like rolling her eyes, except the movement would likely hurt too much. She didn’t know much about hangovers, but from the descriptions she had overheard at the office, she was pretty sure she had one now. Either that or her headache and upset stomach were from sobbing herself to sleep last night.
“You do remember this is his apartment, right? If he wants to come up, I can’t exactly tell him no.”
“You can tell him to wait until you either leave or have a chaperone.” Lavinia paused in her packing long enough to give Genie a stern look. “I’m serious, Genie. He crossed a line last night, and he knows it. That he did it at all means he can’t be trusted.”
“So you keep saying, but you won’t say what line was crossed, or what this agreement is between you two that he supposedly broke. Honestly, how can you expect me to just give him up if you won’t give me a concrete reason?”
Her roommate locked the metal clasps on the box with a decided snap. “Can you honestly tell me you would’ve been fine with going all the way with him last night?”
“It wouldn’t have gotten that far.”
Lavinia slid her a disbelieving look. “Genie, he was in the process of undressing you in full view of anyone walking by.”
Irritated and losing patience with both her friend and the snood she was trying to pin on, Genie tossed the tangled hairnet aside and picked up her brush. “The situation was as much my fault as his. If you’re going to be angry, be angry with me, too.”
Lavinia’s jaw tightened fractionally. “No, Genie. He got you drunk and then did things he shouldn’t have. Things he promised he wouldn’t. So I have no forgiveness in me whatsoever where he’s concerned.”
“Well, that’s too bad. Because I’m going to go on seeing him, assuming you haven’t scared him away.”
A Girl Divided Page 32