by Summers, Amy
She outlined her idea quickly. Though Rafe wasn't enthusiastic, Thawn considered the alternatives he offered out of the question. "You just wait," she told him hopefully. "My plan may just work—and accomplish two things at once."
Rafe drew her head down on his chest. "You're quite a lady, Thawn Carrington," he murmured into her hair. "I may just have to keep you."
She turned her smile up for a kiss and sighed with contentment as he cradled her face between his hands. His fingers caressed her hairline while his lips drew from her sweetness. She knew that she would cherish this warmth forever, even if only in memory.
"Quite a lady," he whispered again.
Thawn went to present Tom with her idea the next day. He was sitting in his office shuffling through piles of Geological Survey reports.
"Hi," she said breezily, having decided to ignore completely the way they'd last parted. "What's new?"
Tom looked up, his wide face candid with surprise. "Not much," he drawled warily. "What's new with you?"
"I have a favor to ask of you," she told him. "Oh, don't worry. It has nothing to do with Rafe Armstrong." She smiled brightly. "It's his sister."
It didn't take long to break through Tom's angry defense. Once she'd launched into the story of Carly's tragedy, he stopped muttering indignantly and began listening.
"If you'd just come out and meet her," she urged him. "She's opened up so much in the short time I’ve known her. But she needs some contact with someone else to help her see that she's not a freak, that people will still like her for herself, no matter what her face looks like."
Tom avoided Thawn's gaze. "I don't know," he said, frowning. "I don't know what good I could do..."
Talking fast, she finally forced a reluctant commitment from him for the following Saturday. Satisfied, she returned to her own office and closed the door. It was a long shot, but what else could they do?
The pattern of Thawn's days took on a pleasant rhythm. She made it a practice to run out to the trailer to have lunch with Carly before hurrying back to work. Sometimes a work site would be close enough to allow her to walk with Carly on the beach, where she pointed out tiny sea animals, and helped her learn the names of the tideland flora. On other days Thawn barely had time to bolt down a sandwich and share a few anecdotes before racing off again.
Evenings, Rafe arrived at her cottage. They often went back to the trailer to keep Carly company. Sometimes they ate what she had cooked; other nights they picked up a pizza or some hamburgers and took them along. They were really alone only late at night, when Rafe took Thawn home.
That was the time she loved best. As she lay on lemon yellow sheets, holding Rafe's dark head to her breast, listening to his uneven breathing and feeling his rapid heartbeat, a lump would rise to fill her throat. What she felt for Rafe so eclipsed anything she had ever felt for Mark that she couldn't bear to think about it. If she let its significance sink all the way in, she would go into a panic. If leaving Mark had hurt so much, what would losing Rafe do to her?
She held him in her arms as tightly as she dared, and kept back the thoughts. She would save them for another time, when there was nothing left to do but remember.
"We need to celebrate," Rafe told her one night as he leaned over her, stroking her downy hair. "Let's go out Friday night, just the two of us."
Thawn pulled up to face him. "What are we celebrating?" she asked suspiciously.
"My victory at the board hearing," he answered with a flourish.
A tiny smile curved her mouth. "But you haven't won yet," she said softly. "The hearing isn't until next week."
He shrugged grandly. "Call me a cockeyed optimist," he teased.
"All right. Where do you want to go?"
He threw back his head and leaned against the headboard. "Somewhere wild and wonderful. Somewhere special."
A mischievous grin curled her wide mouth. "Have you ever been to the Madonna Inn in the hills below San Luis Obispo?" she asked, her eyebrows raised.
He shook his head. "Will I find it wild and wonderful?"
She nodded. "I'm sure of it. If you've never been there, that's where we should go. It's something special."
He dropped a light kiss on her parted lips. "Friday night," he told her firmly. "Just the two of us."
She hesitated. "Why not take Carly along? I hate to think of her all alone."
"No." He brushed silky tendrils back from her forehead. "She knows we need some time alone. Just the two of us."
Friday was a hectic day for Thawn. She'd been assigned to write an environmental impact report on a residential permit to build on a hill that was losing a war against landslides. The prospective builder had dogged her steps, trying to talk her out of every conclusion she'd come to.
"You could build your silly house," she finally cried out in exasperation. "I could ignore all the evidence and clear your plans. And I can almost guarantee the structure will begin sliding down the hill within six months."
The man shrugged. 'That'll be someone else's problem," he argued. "I'll be out of the picture by then."
Thawn stared at him in awe. She'd met her share of unscrupulous people before, but never anyone quite so blatant about it.
"You know what, Mr. Beis?" she said at last. "I think you've done me a favor today."
He frowned, drawing his black eyebrows together in a scowl that showed he had no interest in favoring her at all.
"Yes, you have. You've given me the proof 1 need that I'm doing something of service to the community." She leaned toward him in mock belligerence. "It's people like me who protect the world from people like you. Now get out of here while I finish writing this report."
She would deliver her conclusions personally, just to ensure that no mistake was made. She wanted to prevent Henry Beis from pulling any strings between her firm and the county offices. If she had her way, he would have to go through extra-careful screening before he ever built a house in Vista County again.
Her run-in with Beis had made her late, and when she arrived at her little house, Rafe was already there, waiting for her.
Still, he was in good humor.
"I know," he told her as he wrapped her in his arms for a long, warm kiss. "I know what it's like to get so involved in your work that you forget the time."
Thawn pulled back and looked into his eyes. She was sure he did understand, she thought with a hint of sadness. When he was working on a picture, she was sure nothing else mattered—not eating, not sleeping, and certainly not the woman who loved him.
She showered quickly and dressed while he waited in her living room. When she joined him twenty minutes later, he was playing with the two hermit crabs in her terrarium, seeing which one could race the fastest to the other side of her coffee table.
"This guy in the green shell has definite potential," he told her. "The other one might as well sell himself to a cannery. The only way he'll win fame and fortune is in somebody's crab souffle."
"What makes you think everyone is so eager to have fame and fortune?" she asked.
"Of course people are. Fighting for it puts the spice into life." Rafe turned to her for the first lime since she'd entered.
He didn't say a word, but his face told her what she wanted to know. Until then he'd seen her in jeans or skirts and blouses, maybe a caftan or two, but never dressed for an evening on the town. He obviously liked what he saw.
She'd chosen a soft black knit dress shot with metallic golden threads that shimmered as she moved like a thousand dancing lights. The bodice was snug and cut low, coming to a V that exposed a generous portion of creamy breast, and the skirt flared to give room for sensual movement.
Thawn had piled her hair on top of her head in a cascade of sunny curls. A single diamond gleamed at the base of her throat, held by a gold chain around her neck.
"You really are a golden girl," Rafe breathed as he came toward her. "You're a piece of sun torn from the sky." He stopped a foot away from her, his eyes shadowed. "You're
so beautiful, I'm afraid to touch you," he whispered.
She basked in his admiration, but condemned the space separating them. "You must touch me," she whispered back, her eyes unwavering. "Untouched, I begin to curl at the edges; then I slowly wither away, until all that's left is a tiny pinch of dust."
His grin was crooked. "You win," he answered with mock indulgence. "You win again." He captured her chin and pulled her lips close to his. "What if I mess up your lipstick?" he asked, just fractions of an inch from her mouth.
"I put it on again," she answered, closing the distance between them.
Rafe's mouth was gentle and caressing, and Thawn felt her spirit open like a flower to his warmth. New life surged through her veins under the thrill of his affection. She'd never before felt so alive, so vital, so much a part of the world as she did with him by her side.
"The reservation's at eight," she reminded him as his hands slid down to find a resting place at the small of her back.
He smiled as he released her. "I'm tempted to say forget the reservation," he admitted.
She shook her head firmly. "You'll do no such thing. You're going to see the Madonna Inn. I'm looking forward to showing it to you."
Chapter 8
They drove south along the coast, then inland through the quiet farmland of Los Osos Valley.
"Los Osos means 'the bears' in Spanish, doesn't it?" Rafe mused as the Jaguar purred along the country road.
"Hm mmm," Thawn agreed. "In Spanish days they shot grizzlies here by the hundreds. They dried the meat and sent it to the northern missions, where they were short on protein."
"The poor old California grizzly," Rafe replied. "They're extinct now, aren't they?"
"Yes. Everywhere except on the state flag."
They swept along the road, Thawn pointing out the six ancient volcanic peaks that were strung out from San Luis Obispo to the sea. Jutting from the rolling countryside like dark sentinels, they brooded over the landscape.
"The last one is Morro Rock, the huge landmark of Morro Bay," she explained.
"They are gloomy, aren't they?" Rafe commented. Then they were on the freeway speeding toward their destination.
"There it is," Thawn announced some time later, motioning for Rafe to turn off the main road.
The Madonna Inn was set against a hillside strewn with huge round boulders. The buildings that comprised the inn and restaurant stretched gingerbread turrets against that rough backdrop. Painted pink and white, the inn looked like a fairy castle set in the Western wilderness.
"Almost every room in the hotel has a different theme," Thawn informed Rafe as they made their way to the dining room. "My favorite is the Stone Age room. Native boulders are built right into the walls."
The restaurant was decorated in gilt and velvet. Plaster angels flew from the ceiling, an artificial tree in the middle of the room sprouted golden leaves, and native rock lined many of the walls.
"I've got to admit this is a one-of-a-kind place," Rafe said doubtfully. "And I think it may be better that way."
"Oh, don't be a spoilsport," Thawn admonished. "The inn is wonderful. Come upstairs and see the gift shop."
After the gift shop she took him down two floors to visit the stone wine cellar and confectionery.
"Chocolate as dear as diamonds." Rafe shook his head in awe. "And they get people to pay these prices?"
Thawn bit her lower lip. "I want you to do something for me," she said mischievously. "I want you to confirm a rumor I heard the first time I learned about this place."
He raised a dark supercilious eyebrow. "Name it, my darling."
"Would you find out if there really is a waterfall in the men's bathroom?"
His nonchalance evaporated. "A what?" he demanded.
She tried to hold back her smile. "A waterfall. I'm dying to know the truth."
He straightened his shoulders. "I'll accept this mission on one condition."
"Anything."
"That you promise we'll stop exploring and go up to eat when I come back."
"Done."
When he returned, he was silent as he took Thawn's arm and led her back up the wide stairway.
"Well?" she whispered eagerly. "What did you find?"
He cast her a baleful eye. "You don't really expect me to turn traitor to my gender, do you?" he asked in a superior tone. "There are some things a woman just shouldn't know."
"Rafe Armstrong!" she gasped. 'Tell me this instant!"
His scowl made way for a wide grin. "All right," he conceded. "There is a waterfall all right. Damnedest thing I ever saw."
"I knew it." She beamed with delight. "Isn't this place fabulous?"
They ate at a linen-covered table. The glassware was heavy and ornate, the silverware elegant, the china painted with oriental charm.
"We're celebrating," Rafe told the waiter.
"An anniversary?" the young man asked.
Instead of denying it, Rafe winked. "Something like that."
Thawn hid a smile, knowing what was coming. When the waiter returned with a huge pink helium-filled balloon that said "Happy Anniversary" and tied it to Rafe's chair.
She laughed out loud at his astonished expression.
Just then the band took the dais and began to play light swing music. Rafe swept Thawn onto the dance floor in his arms. He led her through a series of complicated steps before settling down to a slow, seductive rhythm.
"We fit together so well," he murmured into her ear as they moved easily about the room. "When I'm not holding you, I feel as though part of me is missing."
Thawn tried to ignore the flutter his words brought to her pulse and the light ache in her throat. Keep it light, she reminded herself. Don't let him know how much you care. Don't let yourself know.
They had barely sat down for a final cup of coffee when a voice interrupted their cozy interlude. "Well, well. Look who we have here."
Thawn felt a chill. She recognized the vindictive tone before she'd turned to see who was so surprised to find her.
"Matty," she said without enthusiasm, greeting the woman who had worked with Mark so closely in the old days. "How nice to see you."
Matty looked the same, her short brown hair cut in a boyish bob, her green eyes alight with malice. Her companion was a young man Thawn had never met before.
"This is Jeff," she told them both casually. "We were just driving by."
"Hello, Matty," Rafe said, glancing curiously at Thawn at the same time. "You two know each other?"
Thawn's mouth went dry. She'd known it was a mistake to try to keep the past out of their relationship. Of course it had to enter at some point, but she wished now that she'd been the one to bring it up.
Matty saved her the trouble of explaining. "Of course we know each other. Thawn and I go way back, don't we, sweetheart?"
"I wouldn't say that exactly," Thawn tried to protest, but Matty laughed loudly, drowning out her words.
"Sure we do. Why honey, Hollywood hasn't been the same since you left. And neither has Mark." Her eyes crackled with angry intensity. "That wasn't a very nice thing you did to him, you know. It took him a long time to recover."
Thawn threw a quick glance to Rafe and found him frowning in bewilderment, looking from one woman to the other as though he had dropped in on a conversation in a foreign language.
Matty cocked an eyebrow at him. "But now you're after bigger fish, I see," she said sardonically. "A little swordfish like Mark is nothing compared to spearing a big bad shark like Rafe." From her smile she appeared brightly unconcerned as she added maliciously, "That is, if you really think you've got the bait for it." Stepping around the table to stand beside Rafe, she patted him smartly on the shoulder. "Keep up your guard, sweetie. And don't tell this little lady anything you don't want to see in tomorrow's paper."
Thawn went cold, anticipating what Matty might say next. Would she mention the article, spell it all out so that Rafe heard every dirty detail?
Rafe stood and gla
red at the woman. "Listen, Matty," he said sternly, "I know how much you like pitting people against each other. But if you've got accusations to make, say them out in the open. I can't stand this sort of innuendo."
"Oh no, no." She backed away, laughing. "I believe in the old adage, 'If you've got nothing nice to say...'" She smiled at Thawn, then turned and linked arms with her companion. "Jeff and I are just on our way home from a nice little vacation in San Francisco. We'll be on our way now." She licked her lips. "Anything you'd like me to say to Mark for you, Thawn?" she asked innocently. "I'll be seeing him soon. I'm sure he'd love to hear from you."
Thawn felt as if her world had collapsed around her. "No, Matty," she answered wearily. "I have nothing to say to either one of you."
"Ta ta." Blowing her a sarcastic kiss, Matty left the room with Jeff following behind.
Rafe lowered his long frame slowly back into his seat. Thawn found herself unable to meet his gaze.
"Just what in hell is going on here?" His voice was low and even.
Thawn reached for her coffee cup and twisted her fingers around the handle. What could she say?
"I thought you looked familiar the first time we met," he went on softly. "But when I brought it up, you claimed we'd never known each other."
"We never had."
"But you were in Hollywood. We know some of the same people."
She closed her eyes. "Yes."
He reached out and curled his fingers around her chin, forcing her face up to meet his puzzled gaze. "Why did you try to hide that from me?"
What could she say? Would he understand how painful that time was to her, how much she wanted to avoid reliving the memories?
"I think we need to have a long talk, Thawn," he said softly. "Let's get out of here and go someplace where we can discuss this."
The long, low sports car took them back out over Highway One toward the coast. Neither of them spoke as they sped through the night, the dry breeze blowing their hair. A little north of Cambria Rafe pulled the car to the side of the road and turned to Thawn.
"Do you want to walk on the beach?"