by Cajio, Linda
The kids dispersed on their appointed tasks. Richard* puffed his chest out, feeling more in control than ever. The things a little extra sleep and a little less chaos could do.
Callie gazed at him thoughtfully. Richard smiled at her. "Not bad, eh?" "Not at all."
"Just remember, I don't need you for this. I need youj for this.*9
He kissed her thoroughly. "Poopies!" Mark yelled.
Chapter Fourteen
"Mark's out like a light."
Callie chuckled at Richard's leer. She knew she shouldn't, but somehow Mark's afternoon nap time was rapidly becoming let's-fool-around time for the adults.
"I have three letters to write and fax for you," she murmured, then sucked in her breath when he lifted her hair and kissed the nape of her neck. Who knew napes were so sensitive? Especially hers. She needed to concentrate on business. It was improving, but they had to stay on top of it. "They're regarding those bids, which are due in Hong Kong today."
"Write 'em tomorrow, I don't care."
He pulled her from behind his desk and into his arms. He fitted his mouth to hers in a perfect kiss. Callie's head spun, the sensations pushing her out of control.
"How am I supposed to resist this?" she asked when he turned his attention to her throat and chest.
"You're not." He grinned against her skin, having already unbuttoned the top of her blouse. She had no clue when he had done it.
"I should. I really should." She meant it only halfheartedly. "I am supposed to be working for you."
"You are, and you're doing a marvelous job." He gave her another breathless kiss. "This is break time - and you're doing a marvelous job there, too."
This is confusion time, she thought. Her feelings for him confused her more and more, especially being with him like this.
When they went upstairs - on tiptoe past Mark's closed door - her heart led the way. Her soul made love with his, just as their bodies came together as one. He was exquisite, everything she needed or wanted, and not just in making love.
Spending long hours in his household had shown her that people could share responsibility. Richard entrusted her to run the core of his business, giving her direction and then letting her get on with it. He spent his time caring for his niece and nephews, going to her only for advice on discipline. She involved herself as much as she wanted, and she wanted to much more than she needed to. She also loved the job and, truth be told, didn't want to go back to her old one. One of the best changes in this quick change of her life was that she'd found the time to get caught up in her college courses. All thanks to Richard.
As she lay with him in the aftermath of their lovemaking, replete, she admitted what her heart had known almost from the first moment they'd met. She loved him. How could she not? He was a caring man, a sexy man, a strong man and a tender man. Her fierce need to protect her dreams and goals was easing because they seemed as much a priority to him as to her. Maybe, in the right situation, she could have it all. Maybe this was the right situation. Maybe it didn't matter whether it was right or not, because she loved him.
"What are you thinking?" Richard asked, stroking her arm and kissing her hair.
"That you are a marvelous man." He smiled, his eyes closed. "You're sweet-talking me, woman."
"You deserve it."
He laughed. His fingers traveled down her spine and over the curve of her derriere. He cupped her flesh, his palms kneading. Warm liquid pooled deep within her.
"You're going to kiss me, too," she added in a whisper. "And I will die a happy woman."
"Good." He opened his eyes and gazed at her. "I know you aren't ready to hear it, but I have to say it. I love you, Callie."
Callie swallowed, knowing that if she told him the same she would be taking a big step toward trusting him. "I love you, too."
He turned to her, his lion's eyes wide. "Cailie."
She kissed him softly. "I have for a long time and it scared me. Maybe I'm not so scared anymore. Well, I am, but I love you more than I'm scared."
He pulled her on top of him and brushed her hair back from her face. "I don't know what I did to make you come around, but I am so glad you did."
"You did nothing and everything." She kissed his nose. "You yelled at me, harangued me and basically shamed me into loving you, I think."
"Now there's a strong recommendation," he said ruefully.
She kissed him again. "I think I needed it. I do have to let the past go, just as you said. But, Richard, please don't take ten steps forward because I've taken this one, okay? Wait until I'm there with you."
He laughed. "Right." He pressed her hips closer to his. "I'm here, ready, willing and sort of able."
She giggled. "Let me be the bearer of bad news. The
kids are due home from school in twenty minutes. And Mark will be awake at any time. Besides, I have those faxes to type and send."
"All we do is work, work, work."
She reached between them and stroked him, emboldened into playfulness. "Complaints from the peanut gallery?"
"Who you calling a peanut?"
They were laughing when they finally got out of bed, Callie only slightly regretful about pointing out reality to him. Her body ached so sweetly, so lovingly, that she never wanted reality to intrude again.
In the hallway he kissed her deeply, expressing his emotions without words. Callie melted against him. When he raised his head finally, he said, "I won't hurt you, Callie. I promise. I need you and love you just for me.
She hoped so, aware of the concession she was making in her life.
"Thanksgiving's in a few days," he said. "It's a time for family. Will you come be with me and the kids as part of our family?"
Callie burst out laughing. "Richard, you just took ten giant steps again."
"I did?" He looked genuinely puzzled before he smiled. "Oh, well, if you've got it, flaunt it. Will you come? I promise to make everything."
"This I've got to see." Even though her sister Gerri had the holiday dinner at her place every year and Callie cooked the turkey, she couldn't resist Richard's invitation. In truth, she wanted to be with him and the children, a baby step for which she was ready. "Yes, I'll come."
"Great."
Gerri could cook the turkey herself for once, she thought, although she dreaded telling her sister.
The business phone rang downstairs, just as she heard Mark calling from his crib in his room.
Richard grimaced. "Not a moment too soon. I'll get Mark. You get to work."
"No, I'll get Mark," she said. "You go talk to adults, and I'll talk to the resident toddler. You've got some other local callbacks you have to make, anyway. Better do them before the end of business today."
He left her with a last kiss, after which she went in and saw another of the men in her life. Mark grinned at her.
"Want potty, Callie."
"Good Lord, child," she said. "You're going right into superhero territory, aren't you? You and your uncle. Come on, kid, we'll go make superhero history."
As Callie helped the miniature Holiday through his paces in the bathroom, her mind held fast to the real Holiday man in the family and what he offered.
She was on board a train she no longer wanted to stop.
"Wow. An A on that algebra test. Way to go, Amanda!"
Richard gazed at the paper his niece had proudly presented to him. Amanda had worked hard in the past few days on the math chapter after a quiz showed she had a few gaps in her knowledge. Richard had worked with her, Callie's presence in the office alleviating lack of time and business worries for him. He was proud of his niece for her accomplishment and told her so.
He was also proud of Callie for loving him. He knew she was taking a chance that he and the kids wouldn't overwhelm her needs. He just had to make sure that didn't happen. Right now things were working. He worried a little about how they would handle the first bump in the road, but not enough to let it diminish what they'd achieved so far. His life was on an upswing
, and he'd be damned if he'd send it in the wrong direction again.
"I've asked Callie to Thanksgiving dinner," he said to Amanda. They were in his office. Callie had been right. It had been good to talk to adults about business. He wondered how she was doing with the resident toddler, who was out with her for a walk. "I've done some shopping already and I'm going to make the turkey and all the trimmings, because I don't want Callie to do any more than be our guest. How about helping me with the dinner? Do a good job, and I'll let you go to one of Joey's basketball practices. If Thanksgiving goes well and you have no slipups about getting home on time from the practice, then maybe we can talk about when true parole can begin. Think of this as a good-behavior test."
"Okay." Amanda frowned. "I'll do whatever you want...but I won't have to stick my hands in the dead turkey, will I? It's disgusting."
Richard laughed. "No. There's plenty more to do than that. I'll be the disgusting one, no fear."
"What's disgusting?" Jay asked, wandering in.
"We're talking about Thanksgiving dinner. I'm making it, including stuffing the bird, which your sister finds disgusting to touch because it's dead, although she likes to eat it."
"Ooh. Can I help?"
Richard grinned lopsidedly. "One girl's disgust is one boy's delight. Sure - if you wash your hands thoroughly first"
Jay made a face. "You guys always make me do that. What else are we having?"
Richard brainstormed with the two on the rest of the meal. They split up the chores, too. Learning to make things fun for the children actually made it fun for him. He had to admit that marshaling his troops felt good. He looked forward to Thanksgiving now, having held out a carrot to Amanda to get her cooperation and with Jay just being Jay. He'd probably have to hose Jay down after they stuffed the bird just to keep the kid near the health street's straight and narrow. Callie would be in for a big surprise - and another lesson in Richard Holiday's brand of love. His cousins had been right. Just go with the flow. Helping it along didn't hurt, either.
The front door slammed, drawing his attention. Amanda and Jay jumped, startled by the sudden noise.
"For once it's not you, Jay," Richard said, frowning. "Don't tell me Mark's started now."
"I'll go see," Jay volunteered. The boy raced from the room, then shouted, "It's Callie and Mark."
"Like I couldn't figure that out," Richard muttered, shrugging. Amanda giggled and left him to his work, sorting through another of the files Callie had updated. The woman was good. Too bad she'd filed that protest about her old job and finally talked with the person who'd called her - they'd tracked the woman down eventually. Richard wondered if he could up the business ante as Callie furthered their personal relationship. At the rate she was going, she would make his business a lot of money. Herself even more. If nothing else, he'd learned he'd gone in the wrong direction by hiring nannies, au pairs and housekeepers for the kids. He should have been hiring a business assistant, instead, while dealing with the kids himself.
"Ah, the woman of the hour," he said cheerfully when she entered the office.
"Tell that to my sister," she said between clenched teeth.
"Now what?" Richard asked, although he could make a good guess. "She's not after you again about being here, is she?"
"Are there craters on the moon?" Callie practically ripped her coat down her arms. "She stopped me on the street while I was walking with Mark to give me a lecture on propriety."
"Good thing she didn't see us at nap time," he said, grinning at her.
"I'd love to shove nap time under her nose." Callie shivered. "I'm sorry, Richard, that my sister is such a...prude. I don't know what's wrong with her."
"Your sister's problem is hers, not mine. Or yours. Ignore her. You're here for many legitimate purposes, not the least of which is just being with me. In fact, that's the best part."
Callie's brow furrowed. "I don't know. Richard, what if she's right about the neighbors' gossiping? I don't want to cause you, or especially the kids, who are innocent, any problems."
"Hush." He rose from his chair and put his arms around her. "That's enough of that nonsense. Nobody gives a damn about me and you and the kids being together all day or all night. And if they did, then you can have them. We're happy and the kids are happy. I love you, Callie, and that's all that matters."
"I know. But I don't want to make trouble for you," Callie said.
He would have kissed the words away, but the doorbell rang. A second later Jason yelled out, "It's Joey's mom, Uncle Richard!"
Callie broke away from Richard's embrace. "Now what?"
"Let's find out." He took her hand and led her into the foyer.
Gerri stood just inside the door. Her hair and makeup were impeccable, her casual suede jacket sinfully expensive and her expression daunting. The grim fine of her mouth said she was an angry unhappy woman. Not even the pouty peach lipstick she wore erased the impression.
"Good," Gerri said crisply. "I think Callie needs to hear the truth, so I'm glad she's here. I recognize, Richard, that you are a diplomat, a man with beautiful manners. I know that you don't want to hurt my sister's feelings in what must be an increasingly intolerable situation for you. You've been very kind about this. Far too kind. But she's been here far too much, annoying you, so I'm sure - "
"Callie does not annoy me," Richard broke in, his blood pressure rising swiftly. Callie stood next to him, surprisingly silent.
"Maybe not." Gerri smiled archly at him. "My sister can be charming when she wants to be. But people around here are noticing her presence and saying less than acceptable things about it. It's reflecting on her. It's reflecting on me. And on you, something I'm sure you don't want. I've tried to tell her several times that she's behaving foolishly, but she won't listen. Now she's wormed her way from being a nanny for you into this job, or whatever she now claims she's doing here. I know there's a...convenience in this situation. You're a man. I understand that. A very kind man. I know Callie is not the kind of woman with whom you'd form a long-term relationship, but it seems you're far too polite to tell her that yourself. I don't want to see her hurt, but it's become ludicrous for all of us. I think now if you just tell her the truth..."
The more she spoke, the more Richard gaped. He could feel his jaw dropping farther and farther in astonishment Finally he found his voice and roared, "Are you nuts?"
Gerri's eyebrows shot up, and she backed away a step. "I...I..."
"You have to be," he said, stopping her stammering. "How you can think that load of nonsense is beyond me. I love your sister. Love. She's here because I want her here. Want. I don't give a damn what you or anyone else thinks in this neighborhood. If you've got nothing else to do with your life than be jealous of Callie, then too bad, only, butt out of my business."
Gerri stared at him, wide-eyed.
"Your sister sacrificed herself for her family. You had it easier than she did. Far easier, but you don't give her a break. Did you know she lost her job?"
"Mom said something about it - "
"And did you offer her any help whatsoever?"
"Well, no." Gerri looked helplessly at Callie.
Callie said, "Richard, it's okay."
"No, it's not okay," he said to her. "Your sister ought to be ashamed of herself, coming in here and accusing you of a bunch of crap like that. They usually shovel it out from under an elephant's backside." He hardly sounded diplomatic, but he didn't give a rat's behind. To Gerri he said, "All I've got to say to you and any of the other people around here is, get a life and stay out of mine. Got that?"
Gerri nodded. Suddenly she burst into tears.
"Jeez," Richard said, totally disgusted.
Gerri wailed even louder, then turned and ran out the door.
Richard grinned. "Good, now she knows/'
"Knows what?" Callie asked, glaring at him.
Richard stared at her in shock, realizing she was angry with him. "Callie, you can't tell me you were buying into those
tears. Or anything else."
"You didn't have to be so...harsh to Gerri."
"Harsh? Callie, she shredded you like a cabbage for coleslaw. Stop making excuses for her."
"I'm not making excuses. Yes, what she said was stupid, but you should have let me handle it in my way. I better go after her."
Callie started toward the door. Richard put his hand on her arm, stopping her.
"And what way is your way?" he asked, growing nearly as angry with her as he was with her sister. "Running after her like you're her mommy to sooth her hurts? Someone starts minding my business, and she's going to be told to knock it off, especially when she's attacking someone I love. I don't care who she's related to. That was all nonsense, anyway. No one in this neighborhood gives a hoot about me or my family. Or you. Not even Gerri."
"Clearly Gerri believes they do. I know she's self-centered, but she means well."
"She means well? Your sister means well like a cobra about to strike means well. She's selfish and nasty. I'm sorry, but she is. This tirade of hers was all about hurting you, not what people are saying. I can't believe you're still making excuses for her."
"I'm not, Richard."
"Sounds like it to me. No wonder you're the way you are. Your family's got you wrapped around their finger.
They insult you, and you're ready to forgive and forget."
"It's not that...."
"Then what is it? Because it sure sounds that way to j me. I love you, but I'm not fighting with your family for you. Not when you're letting them walk all over 1 you."
"I'm not letting Gerri walk all over me."
"Right." Richard let her arm go. "Go on. Get the mother hen out of your system."
Callie's eyes shimmered with unshed tears. "Please 1 understand, Richard."
He thrust out his jaw, refusing to speak because he understood all too well. She was choosing family over him. He had lost a brother and a beloved sister-in-law, leaving him to know better than most how important I family was. But Gerri's behavior was inexcusable, and Callie shouldn't be talking like this. Not after he had been defending her to the woman. The notion infuriated him.
Callie headed into his office. She came out with her coat. Richard's heart sank, but he refused to allow it to show.