by Cherry Adair
"No," both men admitted in unison.
"Fine." His tone indicated he was done with the conversation. "I'm on my way to the airport. When I get back from Russia I'll give her the deed."
"Jess going with you?" Simon asked.
"No. I'm not taking her on this trip. The schedule is too grueling, and I don't think she's getting enough sleep as it is. Keep an eye on her while I'm gone, will you, Simon?"
"If I can convince her to make the time to see me," Simon said dryly from across the room. "Every moment she isn't with you is spent at your house. Gives her more time to fool around with that mausoleum you live in and fiddle around in your garden. Never seen her happier."
"Is that enough for her?" Joshua asked, recapping his pen and sticking it in his pocket.
"She enjoys being an interior designer, but I've never gotten the impression she's a career woman. Despite the way she looks, Jessie is a homebody." Felix slipped the paperwork into Falcon's personal file. "Hate to rush you, Joshua, but Simon and I have a date with a racquetball at three, and you said you had a plane to catch."
Joshua glanced at his watch. He had plenty of time to get to the airport. He rose, shaking hands with Felix and resting his hand on his uncle's back as he passed Simon's chair. Clearing his throat, he said briskly, "Bring Patti for dinner next week so you can both see the house. Jessie will have everything finished by then, no doubt." He smiled. "Anyone else would take a year to do what Jessie does in a week. She really has a damn fine talent. I'll have her call Patti to set it up." He turned to Felix. "Rustle up one of your attractive blondes and come, too." He coughed dryly before opening the door.
"Sounds like you have a cold there, son." Simon rose, slapping the magazine he'd been pretending to read on the coffee table.
"Allergies," Joshua dismissed. "I'll see you both sometime next week. Thanks for taking care of this, Felix." Joshua indicated the desk where he'd signed several dozen business contracts and his wife's bills. "Oh, by the way," Joshua turned and said casually to Felix, "where is Vera living now?"
Felix's gaze shot to Simon, then back to Joshua. "Uh… Phoenix, when last I heard. Why?"
"Get her number, will you, Felix? I'd like a word."
The moment the door closed behind him Felix turned to Joshua's uncle. "Holy hell, Simon. What was that all about?"
"God only knows," Simon said with a frown. "We've told him for years how much Vera loves to travel. He'll buy that she's on another trip. An extended trip."
"For how long?" Felix asked. "I'm a lawyer, Simon. Joshua is my client. I could be jailed for conflict of interest here. Or worse."
"Never happen." Simon waved away the possibility.
Felix's expression was serious as he said to his best friend, "If he ever finds out what the hell you and I are doing, he's going to have our asses in a sling, you know."
"By then he'll be so madly in love with her he won't be able to see straight, let alone care one way or the other." Simon shrugged on his jacket, loosening his tie.
"Then why are we doing this?" Felix demanded.
Simon scowled. "Just in case he doesn't see the treasure stuck under his nose. There're five months left. If—and I say if, mind you—Joshua is going to give Jessie her walking papers, she'll have a nice little nest egg to tide her over."
"She most certainly will." Felix grabbed his sports bag from the credenza and flicked off his desk light "I received the copy of her portfolio from the brokerage house last week. Hell, I never expected that Senses stock to split so quickly. So far we've almost doubled her money. We're up to six million dollars for Vera."
"Close, but no cigar," Simon reminded him. "We decided on ten."
"You decided on ten." Felix hefted his bag on his shoulder. "I hope to hell you're working on how we're going to explain to Jessie why we ignored her instructions and continued taking money every month from Joshua, long after she told me to stop."
Simon opened the door for his friend. "And to think she's been slavishly depositing hefty chunks of her pay checks to pay him back. What she's scrimped and saved will be a mere drop in the bucket." He gave a quick nod of the head. "If he does leave her, I have no doubt she'll be dammed grateful to have financial security. She won't give a damn where it came from."
"I hope you're right about this, Simon." Felix crossed to the elevator beyond his office and pressed the down button. "The more I know Jessie, the more I realize she doesn't give a damn about material things."
"She sure as hell likes not working," Simon told him. "They all like not working, Felix. As soon as Jessie has that money in her hands, she won't feel as bad. You and I have had her best interests in mind ever since that farcical wedding, for God's sake. Joshua wouldn't care or even miss the money. To Jessie, it could be a life-saver."
"I'm betting on a wedding in the very near future. Hell, he's given her the Tahoe house. You know how much he loves that place. You know I wouldn't do anything to hurt her. I love that girl as if she were my own daughter. And I know women." Simon laughed, slapping Felix on the back as they stepped into the elevator. "Hell, I had my share of lady friends before I married Patti. Trust me on this. I really know women."
* * * * *
Jessie yanked a navy velour robe off its hanger and pulled it on over her naked body. Its soft folds engulfed her, surrounding her with Joshua's scent. She rolled up the sleeves and tugged the belt around her waist before going downstairs to wait for him.
Too tired to bother eating, Jessie flopped down on the new sofa in the family room. She tried to read. Even the latest terrifying vampire novel couldn't keep her awake. After laying the book on her lap, she channel surfed and found an old movie. She tried to concentrate on Fred and Ginger, pulling down the soft folds of Joshua's robe to cover her bare toes.
He'd gone to Russia this time. As usual, she'd overdone it while he was gone. Sick of the sterility of his house, she'd persuaded Joshua to let her do something about it while he was away.
Conrad and Archie had been so good to give her a job when she had no experience years ago. This commission would balance things out. And the money meant nothing to Joshua, so for once she had no compunction about spending some of it. At least it was for him.
She had adamantly refused his offers of money and expensive gifts for months. She'd refused money, the car, a condo and a hundred other perks he'd offered. When he realized she was in deadly earnest, he'd started giving her beautiful costume jewelry. It was obviously expensive, but at least she wasn't having sleepless nights worrying about losing it. She had to admit she loved the clothes he insisted on buying for her. Things she could never have afforded herself. Things she would never have needed. He moved in elite circles. To him, the designer gowns and jewelry were part of her uniform. She hadn't been able to refuse, given his logic.
Little did he know that most of the clothing she had was from her college days. College and clothing he had paid for. That was why she'd worked so hard to pay back every cent he'd given her as Vera. She refused to be bought and paid for. No matter how this relationship progressed, she didn't ever want Joshua to think he'd had to pay for her services.
She couldn't stop thinking about their trip to his cabin last month. It had been a magical time. For both of them.
But it had made her reluctantly reassess what she was trying to get out of their relationship.
They had been sleeping together for months and she was still not pregnant. Each month the crushing disappointment had warred with a strange feeling of relief. The relief that the gods were giving them a little more time together.
That weekend had nudged a little place in her mind that said perhaps what she felt for him was more than the need to cold-bloodedly procreate. She'd been struggling with the decision for weeks.
She'd originally decided that having the baby alone, raising it alone, would be ideal. However, the better she got to know The Glacier the more certain she was that she would never walk away from him once she was pregnant with his child. She was
positive now that Joshua would track her down to the ends of the earth if he ever found out she had stolen something so precious from him. Because, even if he didn't know it himself, Joshua would make a terrific father.
Once he forgot about his image and they were alone, he could be tender and demonstrative. The man had potential. They deserved the opportunity to explore this relationship. He made her happy. She made him laugh. Surely, there was more to what they had than just sex?
Jessie wanted to find out.
She had shed a bucket of tears before going to the drugstore. She had spent a whole day packing all the baby things and putting everything in storage.
Luckily Joshua was on one of his long trips. For days she had been alternately weepy and then optimistic. Finally she had become sick of the inactivity. The decision had been made.
The small pouch wouldn't fit into her little purse because of the divorce papers. In a moment of indecision she looked at the papers, then at the birth control packet. There was room for only one in her purse… and in her heart.
The decision was remarkably easy. She tossed the papers into the back of a drawer. The birth control fit just fine in her purse.
She'd packed a small bag and had been at Joshua's since.
Redecorating his house into a home had been exactly what the doctor ordered. The busier she was, the less time she had to think. In the last ten days she had supervised painters and wallpaper hangers, had furniture and live plants delivered and generally had a wonderful time changing the house into the home she'd always wanted. Except, of course, she'd never, even in her dreams, pictured a home quite so grandiose. And it was the first time she'd approached a job with her teeth gritted for battle and her brain conjuring up untold fairy tales.
She was worn to a nub, she thought with sleepy satisfaction, letting her head fall back on the plump pillows. The room still smelled faintly of paint She smiled.
Not a trace of his corporate colors survived. Instead, she had filled his home with light. Beautiful fabrics and textured wall coverings, flowers and wonderful antique accent pieces had brought it all together. She'd rearranged his priceless art collection, consigning the boring pieces to the attic.
The house had been crawling with people for days, sending Joshua's security staff into fits.
Jessie rested her eyes. She wanted him home, sitting beside her, rubbing her feet as he sometimes did. Or making love to her over there on the floor by the fire-place where he'd filled the missing gaps in her education with alacrity. Telling her what a shamelessly slow learner she was, so she had to keep practicing until she got it right.
Making love with Joshua was the best experience she'd had in her life. Dashing to the bathroom first was going to take some of the spontaneity away.
It was those quiet moments with him she cherished most: Listening to music. Watching an old movie. Talking. It was amazing they had so much to talk about, considering they hardly agreed on anything. But, no matter what the subject, they were both fascinated with looking up strange facts in Joshua's extensive library. When she came up with some off-the-wall question, Joshua would laughingly look it up in one of his many books or on the Internet.
He seemed more relaxed. He laughed more. He seemed to like her touching him even when they weren't making love. And Jessie touched him whenever she felt the urge, which was often. She loved the feel of his dark hair between her fingers. She adored the scrape of his rough jaw under her mouth as she snuggled against him on the sofa. He didn't push her away. If he didn't enjoy the cuddling as much as she did, he didn't show it. He seemed perfectly content to let her tumble against him at whim like a pesky kitten.
Most of the time, if she didn't dwell on not conceiving, she was happy.
His control was phenomenal. Jessie had never seen anything like it. Conrad had been right. It was hard to tell if Joshua ever got really ticked off. She'd learned the angrier he was the quieter he got. Thank goodness he'd never been angry with her.
Their lovemaking was spectacular. Jessie could never have imagined two people being more in tune, more compatible than she and Joshua in bed. Or on the floor. Or on a chair. They were both insatiable. He taught her to be uninhibited and inventive. Jessie blushed at some of her choice locations. She would never be able to look at the stairs again without remembering the rug burns she'd had on her butt the next day.
Jessie had practiced the wind sprint required to get to the bathroom, get prepared, and then get back to the bed. She had practiced until she was fast.
She sighed contentedly and slid down into a more comfortable position on the sofa. Even Fred and Ginger waltzing around the ballroom couldn't force her eyes to remain open.
Joshua come home.
* * * * *
Joshua could hear the TV as he let himself in and set his garment bag by the foot of the stairs to retrieve later. A strong smell of paint permeated the air. She'd left the front hall light on for him as she always did when he was late. A small thing, but something he always noticed the moment he walked in.
She'd placed an enormous, and rather ugly, vase on the half-circle table against the far wall. The smell of the massed fresh flowers vied with the unmistakable odor of paint and lemon furniture polish. She'd probably worked his staff mercilessly. To them Jessie could do no wrong. They all adored her. A small, satisfied smile tugged at Joshua's mouth.
He loosened his tie and top button, his eyes gritty with exhaustion as he walked down the short hallway to the family room in back of the house.
"Jessie?"
He didn't remember being this tired in his life. Although his business had gone well, he'd missed Jessie more than he'd thought possible.
"Jessie?"
There was no response to his second louder call. For a moment he stood in the doorway. So much for fantasizing about her silky naked skin on satin sheets. He didn't have the energy right now anyway. He glanced at his watch. Well after midnight. She must have left the TV on and gone home.
The configuration of the room was different, the smell of fresh paint much stronger in here. His head throbbing, Joshua moved to turn off the TV before he went to bed.
The flickering test pattern illuminated Jessie asleep on the sofa, her neck at an impossibly uncomfortable angle, her feet tucked up under his robe. Her lashes cast intriguing shadows on her lightly tanned cheeks.
"Jess," he whispered with intense satisfaction. She was here. Crouching down, Joshua ran the back of his fingers across the silky skin of her cheek.
She slept as she did everything else. Totally. Nothing short of an earthquake would wake her. He took the book off her lap and marked her place.
She stirred briefly, capturing his hand under her cheek with a sigh. With a lightening of his spirits, Joshua bent and lifted Jessie to carry her upstairs.
He lay her gently on the bed, then stripped, settling under the crisp sheets beside her. The room was dark and warm, Jessie's scent tantalizing as she unconsciously snuggled against him. Before he could sleep, he wanted to feel her naked skin against him. He skimmed off the velour robe she'd appropriated and for a moment was tempted to turn on the light. She had a magnificent body and he wanted to see it. Was hungry to see it. But he could wait. Even with the brief glance he'd given the house when he walked through it, he could see she hadn't wasted a moment of the time he'd been gone. Jessie must be as exhausted as he was. She stirred restlessly as he slipped her arm out of the second sleeve, her silky hair frothing over his chest as he settled her against him.
Obviously they both needed to… Ah, hell! Jessie's open mouth found his naked shoulder and sharp little teeth took a nip before her lips trailed like liquid fire to the joint of neck and shoulder. Was she awake? Tired muscles electrified back to life as her tongue sent jolts bone deep.
He shifted to his side, his eyes adjusting to the darkness. Desire clenched in his gut Now that she'd aroused him, she damn well better be awake! His hand made a slow and thorough inspection of one plump breast, finding the nipple pebbl
e hard. As his body came wildly alive, he groaned aloud. He pressed her against the pillows and took her mouth. He could feel the firm curve of her breasts and hard points of her nipples now flattened against his chest. Catching a handful of springy hair in his fist, he nudged her head up so he could just make out the pale oval of her face.
"You'd better be awake, lady."
"Cyril?" Jessie whispered huskily, as her fingers climbed his shoulders.
Joshua fell on his back, taking her with him. He grinned up at her. "Cyril? You little wretch. How long have you been awake?"
"Since you started ripping off my clothes." Jessie ran her fingers through his hair, the tips lingering on his face. He needed a shave. "When did you get back?" She wriggled farther up his chest.
Joshua captured her hand and brought it to his lips, a feeling of profound… something pouring through him. He had no name for what Jessie did to him. He didn't even want to think about it. Her entire satiny length was pressed the length of his body. "Half an hour ago." His answer was muffled against the pulse in her throat.
Jessie's mouth blindly searched for his. His arms went around her. They kissed slowly, savoring the moment.
"I missed you." Jessie's voice was low, husky with need.
Joshua's grip tightened as she moved with catlike grace, her smooth skin skimming over his. He heard her sigh. Shifting her, Joshua ran his hand up her side, her skin shimmering under his hand. He found her breast and tended to it with infinite care.
He'd missed her, too. He hadn't wanted to. For days, the memories of this woman had colored his thoughts. It was unprecedented. It was unacceptable. It was. He nudged her knees apart and settled in the cradle of her thighs. "Show me how much you missed me, woman." He slid into the welcoming warmth of her. They made love slowly, savoring the closeness.
Suddenly her body stiffened. "Oh, damn… I forgot to… never mind."
As her body melted into deep sleep, he reached out and turned off the alarm.