by Joan Hohl
“Yes.” Jonas also sighed. You irascible idiot, he berated himself, are you trying to drive her away again? Moving slowly, he walked across the room to her. “I can’t find a damned thing.” He indicated the room behind her. “Those kids Loretta sent to me just messed everything up in there. And that phone never stops ringing.”
Just then, as if to prove the truth of his complaint, the phone rang shrilly. Without a word Valerie walked to his desk and lifted the receiver.
“Jonas Thorne’s office,” she said briskly.
There was a pause, and then, “Valerie?” Charlie McAndrew exclaimed into her ear. “Is that you?”
“Yes, Charlie, it’s me.” Valerie smiled.
“Thank God,” Charlie said fervently. “Maybe now the cracker will calm down and put the whip away.”
She laughed wryly. “Don’t hold your breath, Charles.”
“I think I could,” he returned seriously. “Does Janet know you’re back?” he asked.
“Yes, as a matter of fact she drove me in this morning.” Valerie could feel Jonas hovering behind her. “I’ll see you later, Charlie, here’s Jonas,” she said, handing the receiver to him.
“What is it, Charlie?” Jonas asked, then paused to listen.
Valerie closed the door quietly and went to the desk that had once been hers. Everything was indeed a mess, and the files were in a positive shambles. With a sigh of acceptance, she got to work on the confusion of papers on top of the desk. Where, she asked herself two hours later, had Loretta found the girls she’d sent up—in a nursery?
Jonas had been on the phone for the majority of those two hours, with long distance as well as local calls. As yet he had not called her back into his office, either for dictation or anything else. Valerie couldn’t decide if that was a good or bad sign.
She was working on the last of the file drawers when Janet sauntered into the office.
“Is Legree going to let you go for lunch, or should I bring you a sandwich?” she drawled.
The dry voice that answered came from the doorway to Jonas’s office. “You can have someone in the cafeteria bring up two sandwiches, and a pot of coffee,” Jonas ordered quietly. “And two pieces of apple pie, if there is any.”
“What kind of sandwiches?” Janet glanced from Jonas to Valerie.
A wry smile curving her lips, Valerie attempted to let Janet know she had not yet found the courage to do any straight talking with Jonas. “Chicken salad,” she murmured tonelessly. The matching smile she received from Janet told her her meaning was taken.
“I’ll have the same,” Jonas said in answer to Janet’s questioningly raised brows. The slant of his own brows made Valerie uneasy. Could he possibly have read her meaning? Valerie glanced at him quickly, but his expression was unreadable. “Come in and take a break,” he invited after Janet had sauntered out again. “We could both use one.”
Valerie followed nervously at his heels, wondering if she had the courage to confront him. What was she going to say to him? Everything had seemed so clear-cut way down in Australia, but now that she was here, well, this was for real. Valerie suddenly felt actually sick. Positive she would not be able to handle it if he told her there was no hope for their marriage, Valerie went weak with relief when the phone rang again.
“Oh, hell,” Jonas muttered, indicating that she should answer it on his phone. “I’m not in,” he added tersely.
Valerie answered the phone, then, placing her hand over the mouthpiece, said softly, “It’s Edouard Barres.”
Jonas cursed again but took the receiver from her to say in a surprisingly pleasant tone, “Hello, Edouard, what can I do for you?”
Once again Valerie retreated to the front office. Jonas was still on the phone when the girl from the cafeteria brought a tray bearing their food. Relieving her of her burden, Valerie carried it to his desk just as he was saying, “Right, Edouard, within the week. Of course, hold on and I’ll have the call switched to his office. You bet, good-bye.” He punched out the numbers to transfer the call, then said, “I have the boss on the line, Jean-Paul. He wants to talk to you.” He listened a moment, then hung up. Standing up, he took the tray out of her hands and strode to the white couch. “We may as well be comfortable while we eat.” When she hadn’t moved by the time he set the tray down he shot her a questioning glance. “Are you coming over?” he asked very softly.
“Y—yes, of course,” Valerie answered nervously, running suddenly damp palms down over her hips.
“Relax, Val,” Jonas advised softly. “I’m not going to jump on you.” You stupid fool, he accused himself at the nervous flicker of her lashes, now you’ve put her on guard. What would she do, he wondered, if I grabbed her and took her here and now? Although he would have liked to do just that, Jonas cautioned himself to go slowly. Don’t spook her now, go easy, he told himself. She’s showing signs of fright, and you don’t want to put her on the run again. With cool deliberation he dropped his voice to a soothing tone. “Come sit down, Val. I give you my word that I won’t touch you.”
Eyeing him warily, Valerie crossed the luxuriously thick carpet and seated herself on the opposite end of the couch. Even with five feet of couch between them she didn’t feel any too safe. There was silence for several minutes, as both of them discovered exactly how hungry they were. Glancing up to feast her eyes on him, her gaze collided with the sensually warm one he was casting at her, and Valerie felt every one of her senses go haywire. With sudden clarity she heard again Charlie’s words of early that morning, “Maybe now the cracker will calm down and put away the whip.” Could it be possible that Jonas cared for her? The thought was a heady one, and her mind whirled with visions of what life with him would be like if he did. The “if” in her thinking was the only thing that kept her from sliding down the length of the couch and into his arms. If, if, if. How do I go about finding out? I can’t just look him in the eye and say bluntly: Do you love me?
Meanwhile, Jonas was having similar thoughts about her. Why this sudden shy attitude? Even at the very beginning of their relationship she had revealed no shyness. Anger, disapproval, yes. And on their honeymoon, she had shown real fear—but shyness? Is it possible she feels something for me? Is that why she came home?
During the long afternoon the air in the two offices was heavy with tension. As the day wore on Valerie became more and more edgy, certain that something was about to happen. And while she sat beside him taking dictation the atmosphere was so heavy she felt stifled and breathless.
What was going through his mind? That question plagued her all afternoon. His voice was cool, his manner quietly polite, and yet his eyes were telling her things she was afraid to believe. It was nerve-racking…but it was also exciting.
Late in the afternoon Janet called her and asked with absolutely no tact at all, “Has he cornered you yet?”
“Of course not!” Valerie exclaimed indignantly. “This is a business office!” Her indignation was completely false. Actually, the idea of him seducing her held an inordinate appeal. “Jonas wouldn’t dream of doing that.” Darn it.
“Oh, no?” Janet laughed. “If Thorne decided he wanted to badly enough, he’d take you anywhere he pleased.”
Sounds interesting. Valerie shocked herself with her own suddenly erotic thoughts. Reminding herself that this was indeed a business office, she said, coolly, “Look, Janet, I’m very busy, why did you call?”
“I already told you,” Janet teased. “I was curious as to whether you were still dancing around each other, or if you had decided to waltz together.”
“Good-bye, Janet,” Valerie said repressively. As she hung up the receiver she heard Janet chuckle.
Unknown to Janet, her call had achieved her intended purpose—it made Valerie wonder if both she and Jonas weren’t behaving a little childishly. Why couldn’t they discuss their relationship, past and present, rationally? Why couldn’t she make the first move? What did she have to lose? Pride? What good was salvaging her pride, if she los
t him?
Quitting time came, and went, and Jonas kept working. By seven o’clock Valerie decided enough was enough, and gathering all the courage she possessed, she covered her typewriter, straightened her desk and strolled into his office.
“Are you going to buy me dinner or not?” she asked, dropping into one of the chairs in front of his desk.
Jonas glanced up sharply at her aggressive tone, his eyes narrowing on her tiredly slouched body. “Of course I’ll buy you dinner…if that’s what you want.”
“Am I to infer from that that you are willing to buy me anything I want?” Valerie asked softly.
“Yes.” Jonas’s tone was equally soft. “If you’re willing to provide me with what I want.”
“A…and that is?”
“You know damned well what that is.” His eyes raked the length of her body. “I want you, now, on that couch.”
Straightening her shoulders Valerie stood up slowly. “It’ll cost you,” she murmured, starting to unbutton her blouse.
“You’re serious!” A small smile tugged the corners of his mouth, changing his rather harsh expression to one of devilment. “You’re willing to take all your clothes off here—and now?”
“It’ll cost you more,” Valerie warned, an answering smile pulling at her own lips. She had never indulged in this kind of sexual teasing, and excitement made her feel a little light-headed.
“I can afford it,” he assured her, beginning to loosen his tie. “Name your price.” The tie dropped onto his desk and his fingers went to work on his shirt buttons.
Valerie went cold. Name your price! What was she doing? This wouldn’t solve anything! Would it?
“Val?” Jonas’s voice, sounding strangely strained, drew her startled eyes to his equally strained face.
“Jonas…I…”
“Name it,” he ordered tersely.
“Lynn has got to go,” Valerie blurted out, her eyes pleading with him to stop this farce.
“You’ve got it,” he promised. Swinging away, he strode to the desk. “She’ll be gone by tomorrow morning.” Snatching up the phone, he began punching out a number.
“Jonas! Darling, stop!” Valerie ordered frantically. She couldn’t go on with this game! She just couldn’t. To her surprise, Jonas froze in place. Then, very slowly, he turned to her.
“What did you say?” he whispered.
“I…I said…” Valerie faltered at the expectant look on his face. What had she said? “You don’t have to call her now, I mean…”
“Not that,” Jonas’s hand sliced the air, silencing her as he walked to stand mere inches from her. “What did you call me?”
“Dar…darling?” Valerie murmured, wetting her lips.
“Yes, darling.” Lifting his hands, he grasped her waist. “You called me that once before, at my command. I decided then that I didn’t want to hear it again unless you meant it.” Valerie bit back a gasp as his fingers dug into her flesh. “Do you mean it?” Jonas demanded harshly.
“Yes!” Valerie released that gasp on a strangled note. “I meant it then, Jonas!”
“Oh, God, Val.” Burying his face in the side of her neck, he slid his arms around her to enclose her in a rib-jarring embrace. “If you knew…” His groaning words were lost as his mouth came down on hers.
Which one of them made the first move? Valerie didn’t know, nor did she care. Within minutes, divested of her clothes, she found herself beneath him on the couch, wildly responding to his driving urgency.
“Darling…darling…darling!”
Later, when they lay entwined in one another’s arms, Jonas whispered, “Lord, that was good. It was never that good with any other woman.” She stiffened and his lips brushed her shoulder. “Easy, my love,” he murmured. Lifting his head, he smiled down at her. “And that’s the reason it was never as good. I didn’t love any one of them.”
“Oh, Jonas,” Valerie choked, clasping his face in her hands. “Do you love me, really? Because, if you don’t then don’t say you do. I couldn’t bear it if…”
“Will you shut up?” He grinned. Jonas could no more stop grinning than he could stop breathing. It was either grin, he thought wryly, or laugh like an idiot. With her big violet eyes staring up at me all misty with tears, I could easily whoop like a demented wildman.
“Yes, I love you.” The grin was gone, replaced by a look so intent Valerie shivered. “God, how I love you.”
As he lowered his mouth to hers, Valerie slipped her arms around his neck. His kiss was so gentle, so tender, that the hovering tears spilled over her lids and trickled down her cheeks.
“Now it’s your turn,” Jonas prompted as his mouth reluctantly released hers.
“I love you, Jonas Thorne. I didn’t want to, but I do.”
“You’re not sorry are you, Val?” Jonas frowned. “I mean that I forced you to leave the dead alone and join me in living?”
“No.” She smiled, then gasped. “Are you telling me every move you made was planned?”
“Most of them,” he admitted, shifting his weight so that he lay beside her. He drew her into his arms. “Of course, I hadn’t planned on your leaving me to go to Australia, or…” He became quiet.
“Or what?”
“Or for you to lose our child.”
“Jonas, I’m so sorry about…”
“Stop!” he ordered roughly. “It wasn’t your fault.” His arms tightened protectively. “Dear, God, you had me worried there, love. I was scared to death I was going to lose you.”
“But you didn’t, and you won’t.” Valerie drew a quick breath, then rushed on. “When can we start another baby? Did you have that planned?”
“How about in the next couple of minutes?” he teased.
“What’s wrong with right now?” she challenged.
“Right now, my love—” Jonas heaved his long frame off the couch “—I’m going to call and cancel my plane reservations to Australia.”
“Australia!” Valerie exclaimed, wide-eyed. “Jonas, you were coming after me?” A sensation of pure delight shot through her at his disclosure.
“You’re damned right I was coming after you,” Jonas growled softly, bending over to take a nip at her lower lip. “And if you ever take off to visit anyone again you’d better keep a sharp lookout over your shoulder, because I’ll be right behind you.”
The playful nip turned into a lingering kiss. Straightening slowly, he drew Valerie up with him.
“Why don’t you get dressed while I make my phone call?” The smile Jonas gave her set her pulses pounding. “Then we’ll go home to bed.”
eISBN-13: 978-1-4603-4553-5
Thorne’s Way
Copyright © 1981 by Joan M. Hohl
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