“Princess,” he said softly from the doorway.
Her head shot up and she looked at him. Her expression cut him to the quick; she looked as if she were anticipating a blow. And why not? He had been delivering little else lately.
“Heath,” she said, putting aside the gift. “I didn’t know where you were.”
“I came back last night but left again before you woke up this morning.”
“I didn’t expect you to come back.”
He nodded dismally. “How are you feeling?”
“All right.” She seemed surprised that he had asked.
“You said you were dizzy last night.”
She appeared confused. “But I thought that you didn’t believe me.”
Heath leaned against the doorway and closed his eyes. “I believe you, Ann. I think some part of me always has. Are you sure that you’re feeling better now?”
She nodded, clearly bewildered by his solicitous attitude. “I was too nervous to eat all day before the party, that’s all. I wanted the evening to go well.”
“It did go well, until I blew it at the end with my big mouth, of course.”
“Nobody heard that, Heath. Nobody but Joe, and he’s not going to say anything.”
He stared at her in amazement. She was still worried about him even though he didn’t deserve it.
“Princess, I’m sorry,” he said.
“It’s all right, Heath. Forget it. I guess we were both tense last night. It’s over now.”
“I’m not talking about the incident with Ben Rowell. I’m talking about the way I’ve acted since we met again last month—the way I blackmailed you into marrying me and have used your brother’s situation to keep you with me ever since.”
Ann was so stunned she couldn’t reply.
“I knew that I couldn’t keep this charade going much longer. I think these irrational outbursts, like the one last night, were just reflections of my confusion.”
“What charade?” Ann said softly.
“Pretending that I didn’t care about you, that my only objective was to use you in bed and extract revenge for the past.”
“You convinced me.”
“I know. I’ve been a brute to you. Just thinking about some of the things I’ve said and done makes me cringe.”
Ann stared at him for a moment, then said, “Why this change of heart now, Heath?”
He sighed, not surprised that she didn’t know how to respond to this turnabout in his attitude.
“Ann, I know that the story you told me about your father prosecuting me for rape is true. Last night I talked to a cop who was on the Lime Island police force when your father was inquiring about assembling a case against me.”
Her lips parted and he held up his hand. She waited breathlessly, watching him.
“I want you to understand that even before I spoke to him I knew that we couldn’t go on like this. Torturing you wasn’t as much fun as I’d thought it would be. In fact, it wasn’t fun at all.” He ran his hand through his disordered hair, then added, “I’m letting you out of the deal. You’re free to go whenever you want and I’ll make you a generous settlement. And as far as your brother goes, I’ll continue to do everything I said I would with no strings attached. He’ll stay out of jail and I’ll pay the attorneys for his trial. I’ve already bought up the stock in ScriptSoft and I’ll oversee the company’s recovery.” He expelled his breath in a rush. “I guess that’s all I have to say.”
Ann swallowed hard, her expression unreadable, her body motionless.
“I’m going to leave for a couple of hours so you can make up your mind whether you want to stay here or return to New York. I’ll clear out if you want the house until the divorce is settled. I’m sorry about the timing of this, Christmas and all, but it couldn’t wait. I’ll be back around three. You can let me know what you want to do then. I know I’m springing this on you suddenly. Is that enough time for you to decide? I just want to get this over with and not prolong the agony.”
Ann nodded wordlessly.
Heath walked out of the den and Ann heard him leave.
She put her head down on her cradled arms and slowly closed her eyes.
* * * *
The afternoon of Christmas Eve was the longest period of Heath’s life. He had no idea what to do with himself so he drove to the mall on Big Palm and sat on one of the stone benches, watching the tardy shoppers hurry past him. The kids were hysterical with pre-Christmas excitement and the parents rushed and preoccupied. He was oblivious to the Christmas carols blaring over the intercom and the advertisements for the last-minute sales while his whole history with Ann played itself over in his mind like a newsreel. He had surely blown his last chance with her and that knowledge made him want to beg her to stay with him. But some warning instinct told him that she had to bring up that possibility herself.
He was through trying to force her into his mold. The idea must be hers.
When he got back to the house, the sun was beginning to decline in the winter sky and he found Ann sitting in the living room, waiting for him. She was dressed exactly as she had been when he’d left and there were no bags in the hall.
Ann’s eyes flooded with tears when she saw him.
He stared back at her, a muscle jumping along his jaw.
“Come here,” she said.
Heath sat next to her on the loveseat near the window.
“Do you want me to go?” she whispered.
He bent his head.
“Do you?”
He shook his head mutely, unable to look at her.
Ann tipped his chin up with a forefinger and forced him to look her in the eye.
“I’ll never leave you now, Heath. We’ve wasted far too much time already.”
He closed his eyes, the spider web lashes sweeping his cheeks.
“I love you, princess,” he said huskily. “I always have and I know I always will.”
Ann leaned forward to put her arms around his neck and he gathered her to him, exhaling a long breath that caught in the middle like a sob.
“Why don’t you take me into the bedroom and prove it?” Ann whispered into his ear.
He swept her up into his arms and carried her out of the living room. Ann buried her face on his shoulder, sure that this time she would not be left alone when his passion was spent.
Heath set her on the edge of the bed and unbuttoned her blouse. “You looked so beautiful last night, you took my breath away,” he said, bending to kiss the smooth shoulders he had exposed. He unhooked her bra and discarded it, undressing her carefully and gently until she was naked. Then he undressed himself, dropping his clothes on the floor and joining her on the bed.
“I’m going to make you forget everything except how much I love you,” he said.
He did just that.
* * * *
Later that afternoon Ann woke with Heath’s arm flung across her, his head pillowed on her breast. Her previous awakenings had always been marred by finding him crowded over to his side of the bed- careful, even in his sleep, not to touch her. Now she ran her fingers through his hair and dragged her nails lightly across the nape of his neck. He stirred and his lashes lifted.
“Hi,” she said.
He smiled and she was perfectly happy.
“Do you know what tonight is?” he asked, stretching and yawning elaborately.
“The first night of the rest of our lives?” she asked, and he laughed.
“Well, that, too,” he said. “But it’s also Christmas Eve.”
“Aha! That’s why that gigantic tree is standing in the front hall. I was wondering about that.”
“Let’s go Christmas shopping.”
“I’ve already been shopping, Heath.”
“Well, I haven’t. The personnel office takes care of corporate gifts, but I want to get something for you, and the Jensens, and Daniela and Victor and lots of other people. I’m in a benevolent mood.”
“Do you know what the stores will be like tonig
ht, Heath? Are you planning on bringing your Uzi?”
“Come on, where’s your Christmas spirit? Fighting your way through the throng is half the fun.”
“I’ve already fought my way through several throngs. Pritchard’s last week looked like the Roman triumph crowd scene from Ben Hur. I half expected to run into Charlton Heston and his chariot in the luggage department.”
Heath chuckled. “But you’ll brave it all again for me, won’t you, darling?” he said.
She sighed. “Do I have a choice?”
“No. And I am going to make a reservation at Lusardi’s for a late dinner this evening to celebrate our—” he stopped.
“What?”
“Rapprochement,” he said, and she smiled.
“Say what?” she asked.
“Don’t laugh at me,” he said, throwing off the sheet and going into his closet, emerging with his robe belted around his waist. “I am determined to put some flesh on those bones. You are going to have a stuffed artichoke heart, a Mediterranean salad, three-cheese lasagna, and tiramisu for dessert.”
“I am not going to have anything, Heath—you’ll never get a table for Christmas Eve at this late hour.”
“I’ll get one,” he said firmly. “I’m going to see if Daniela left us any coffee. Be right back. Don’t go away.”
Ann fell back against the pillows contentedly, drawing the sheet up to her neck. She was remembering his caresses with satisfaction when the phone at her elbow rang shrilly.
Ann lifted the receiver on the night table and said, “Hello?”
“So you survived the party,” Amy said.
“Barely. I’m afraid to leave the house, I might trip over a dead body in the driveway.”
“How’s Heath?” Amy asked cautiously.
“Heath is just the most wonderful man in the world,” Ann replied, a smile in her voice.
“What happened?” Amy asked sharply.
“Rapprochement,” Ann answered.
“What the hell is that?”
“Kind of like detente, except between people instead of countries,” Ann said.
“Holy smokes.”
“Yup.”
“You have to give me all the details.”
“Not now,” Ann said. “Heath is home.”
“He came home early for Christmas Eve?”
“He didn’t go to the office today. There’s a reform movement under way.”
“Oh, I see.”
“I am now considering having about six of his children. Maybe seven.”
“That must have been quite a post-party turnaround.”
“It was.”
Amy chuckled wickedly. “Leave it to Heath. When he turns on the charm, he takes no prisoners.”
“I believe he really wants to make it work, Amy,” Ann said seriously.
“I’m sure he does. I’ve never doubted that he loves you, Annie. He’s just always been.. . difficult.”
“We talked about the past and got things straightened out, but I’ll tell you all about it later. Right now I have to get dressed. Heath wants to go Christmas shopping.”
“Tonight? That’s a death wish. Good luck. Wear your flak jacket.”
“By the way, why did you take off last night?” Ann asked. “I didn’t know you were staying at the inn until after you were gone. I wanted you to spend the night here.”
“I figured you and Heath were better off left alone, and wasn’t I right?”
Ann laughed. “What are you doing for Christmas?”
“Going to my mother’s. Have you heard from Tim?”
“Yes, he’s spending the holiday with his college roommate in Massachusetts.”
“Thanks to you. Otherwise he’d be spending it in a less congenial place.”
“Thanks to Heath, you mean.”
“Well, I’ll let you go. Merry Christmas. From what you’ve told me, I’m sure yours will be very merry. I’ll be at my mother’s until Thursday. Give me a call later on in the week.”
“Okay. Bye-bye.”
Ann hung up the phone and got out of bed, walking naked to the bathroom and turning on the shower. She was standing under the rushing water, soaping herself with fragrant lather, when the frosted-glass shower door slid back and Heath stepped in behind her.
Ann gasped as his hands enclosed her breasts and he pulled her back against him. She closed her eyes as his strong fingers moved over her, slick with soap, slipping smoothly over her buttocks and between her legs, caressing her until she turned restlessly in his arms and pressed herself against him.
“What do you want?” Heath asked. She reached for him, twining her legs with his as the water gushed over them.
“You know,” she moaned.
“Say it,” he said.
“Take me,” she whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck, both of them slick as seals and dripping with suds.
He lifted her and turned abruptly, pinning Ann against the wall and entering her in the same movement. It was quick and explosive, leaving them both drained and leaning against each other, laughing weakly.
“Heath, what are we doing?” Ann said, reaching for the taps and turning off the water. “This is dangerous, we could have slipped and been killed in here.”
“What a way to go,” Heath replied, stepping out of the stall and tossing her a towel.
“I think we should stick to the bed in future,” Ann said, wiping her face.
Heath sighed. “You’re so conventional.”
The telephone rang in the bedroom and Heath went to answer it before Daniela could get it in the kitchen. When Ann came in after him she saw from the expression on his face as he hung up the phone that it was not good news.
“What is it, Heath?” she asked. “What’s the matter?”
Heath looked at her directly. “There’s a bench warrant out for your brother’s arrest. The D.A. says he violated the terms of his bail by traveling to Massachusetts.”
Chapter 9
Ann looked stricken. “What do you mean? You said that Tim had been given permission to go!”
“Calm down, I’m going to handle it,” Heath said firmly.
“Obviously some wires have crossed somewhere. Harry Caldwell is going to straighten this out, pronto.”
“He won’t be in his office now, Heath!”
“I’ll find him wherever he is. For what I’m paying him, he’ll solve this little problem if he has to take a dogsled from Springfield to Boston.” Heath went to his closet and started to dress, pulling trousers off a hanger.
“I’m going with you,” Ann said, dropping her towel and walking past him.
“You are not. You almost passed out last night, and after this day, you’ve had enough stress for at least a week. I’ll go over to Caldwell’s office and you stay here and relax.”
“Heath, I can’t ask you to keep unscrambling my messes like this,” Ann protested.
“Why not? Wasn’t that our deal?”
“I thought our deal was off.”
“Not that part of it. Listen, you’re my wife. I have the ability to handle this and you don’t.” He grinned. “When I need a grammatically phrased letter I’ll let you take charge. Now, get out of my way and go and pick out an outfit for later. This will all be settled in two hours, I promise you.” He picked up his jacket and slung it over his shoulder, then kissed her on the cheek.
Ann stared after him as he left the bedroom, and she heard him speaking to Daniela in the hall. Then she dressed quickly and went out to the kitchen herself.
Daniela was washing dishes in the sink. The debris of the party was still visible, but reduced; Daniela had been busy clearing it away all day.
“Still at it, Daniela?” Ann said, walking over to the terrace doors and glancing outside. The furniture was stacked to one side and Victor was standing on a garden chair, taking down a string of colored lights.
“There’s a lot to do,” Daniela said, glancing at her and smiling. “You look so relaxed this evening.”<
br />
Ann smiled back at her. It was true. Despite Tim’s latest crisis Heath’s changed attitude was like a balm to her soul, giving her hope for the future and their life together.
“I guess it must be a relief to have the party out of the way,” Daniela said.
Ann nodded.
“Do you want something to eat?” Daniela asked.
Ann shook her head. “No, thanks. I’m having a late dinner with Heath.”
“You’re too skinny, Senora Bodine. Have a snack now. Mr. Bodine, he is always telling me to cook for you, fatten you up.”
“Always?” Ann said.
“Yes, since you got married.”
So while Heath was giving Ann a hard time to her face, he was sneaking around behind her back and telling the housekeeper to prepare special meals for her. Typical.
“Okay, I’ll have some toast,” Ann said, sitting down in the breakfast nook. Daniela went to get the bread, saying, “The party was a big success, senora?”
“Yes, thank you,” Ann replied, thinking about its lurid aftermath with Ben Rowell in the bedroom. “You and Victor were such a big help, Heath and I appreciate it. When are you leaving?”
“We were through at noon,” Daniela replied, “but I didn’t want this mess to greet me day after tomorrow, so we’ve stayed to get some of it out of the way.”
“You don’t have to stay any longer.”
“But, senora, the tables from the caterers have to go back, and the rest of the decorations—”
“Can all wait until after Christmas. Heath said that your daughter is coming to visit tonight and that should take precedence. Did Heath give you your bonus?”
Daniela nodded as she buttered toast and then put the plate in front of Ann.
“Then get lost,” Ann said, laughing.
Daniela was obviously pleased. “I hope the new year is a very happy one for you, senora,” she said, patting Ann’s arm and then walking out of the room.
That gave Ann pause. So Daniela and her husband had not been insensitive to the undercurrents of tension in the house. And Ann had tried so hard to pretend that everything was fine.
After Daniela and Victor left, a holiday hush settled over the evening, leaving Ann with nothing to do. She was too jittery to work and everybody she knew to call or visit was sure to be busy. Finally she could wait no longer and dialed Harold Caldwell’s office. She got a voice message saying that the office was closed.
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