Six
“Where are we staying?” Heather asked, once they were in a cab and headed away from San Antonio International Airport.
“I have a suite at one of the hotels along the River Walk.” He told the driver the name of the hotel.
“River Walk is in the heart of downtown San Antonio, not too far from Kingston Estates, where Miranda lives.” He knew how much Heather loved plants, and he tried to explain what the River Walk looked like. “You’ll see. We’ll tour it a little once we’re settled in.”
“The Alamo’s nearby, isn’t it?” she asked, recalling that the area had deep ties to America’s history.
“Within walking distance.” He reached over and clasped her hand. “Would you like to see it?”
“Oh, yes!”
Her face lit up, and Justin’s chest tightened. He wanted to lean over and kiss her luscious mouth right then and there, but stopped himself short. Take it slow. He had to give her time to adjust to the changes they were going through.
Him? Well, hell, he didn’t need to adjust to anything where she was concerned. He’d always thought she was beautiful, so much so that he had trouble breathing around her. While they were married, he’d tried to make her happy, but it had been hard to let down the walls around his heart—even with her. Was that where he’d gone wrong?
Had he changed enough to save his marriage?
“Then we will,” he said. “That’s a promise I can keep.” He winked at her, playing with her, and she gave him a full smile that reached her eyes and made the corners crinkle. “I haven’t forgotten anything we discussed, sweetheart.”
Sweetheart. He hadn’t called her that in…so long Heather couldn’t even remember the last time. She couldn’t even recall the last endearment he had used for her. She remembered only the silence, the emptiness that had consumed her, the feeling of being so terribly alone.
He gently squeezed her hand, as the cab pulled to a stop in front of the hotel entrance. Then he got out, went around and opened her door.
Heather glanced around her. It was early afternoon. They’d had an unexpected short layover in Chicago. She felt tired and exhausted. Sighing heavily, she wished for a few minutes to rest.
She waited as Justin made arrangements to have their luggage brought to his suite, then walked inside the hotel with him.
The hotel boasted a large yet welcoming lobby, a lavish area with shiny tiled floors. Her sandals made a clicking sound as she crossed to the elevators. After a few moments, the doors opened and they stepped inside. She wasn’t surprised when Justin punched the button for the top floor.
Her heart started beating faster, as if to keep pace with the elevator as it raced upward. When the doors opened, there were two hallways.
Curious, she asked, “How many suites are on this floor?”
“I’m not sure. But they’re pretty big. And very private.”
Which explained why he was staying at this hotel, she thought. He’d never liked crowds, preferred to keep to himself. While they were married, they hadn’t really made many friends, and they rarely went out with anyone, unless it had to do with business.
She trailed slightly behind him as they approached his suite. He slipped a magnetic card into the lock, then turned the knob at the sound of a click. Standing aside, Justin ushered her in, then followed. He tossed the hotel room card on a nearby table.
Heather glanced around the sitting room. It was much like a luxurious apartment, with an overstuffed sofa and a matching chair in front of a television, a couple of tables and lamps and a decent-size desk. On the left was a beautiful glass table with matching chairs. There was also a kitchen area, complete with a microwave and coffeepot. Over in the corner she spotted a wet bar.
“Are you tired? Hungry?”
She turned her head in his direction and realized he was watching her. Licking her dry lips, she confessed, “To tell you the truth, I am a little tired.”
“The bedroom’s this way, if you want to rest a bit,” he said, motioning for her to follow him.
She started in the direction he indicated, but was brought up short when she spotted the huge hot tub in the corner of the room. It was a sunken one, and the surrounding walls were mirrored. Her eyes opened wider.
“It came with the room,” he explained, shrugging as he lifted his eyebrows.
“Have you used it?” she asked, curiosity getting the best of her.
“Often. It’s nice. Feels good to relax after a tough day,” he admitted.
An image of him lying back in the hot tub, naked and wet, sent a spark of awareness through her, tightening her breasts and causing a tingling sensation between her legs.
“The bedroom’s in here.”
Heather was jarred from her thoughts by his voice. She slowly walked to the door and peeked inside. Spacious was an understatement. There was a large armoire, which she assumed held another television. Wide, plate-glass windows filled one whole wall. There was a door off to the right, which she suspected led to the bathroom.
And right smack-dab in the middle of a long wall was a king-size bed.
“This is your room?” she asked, and frowned at him.
Justin looked amused. “Our room,” he corrected. Taking her hand, he pulled her farther inside.
Heather tugged her hand free. “What do you mean, ours?”
He had known this was coming, so he was prepared. “This is where we’ll be sleeping.”
“There isn’t another bedroom?” Her questioning look challenged him.
“Sorry, honey, no.”
That endearment didn’t earn him any points. “Then, get me another room.” It sounded like a demand. She didn’t care. Stalking to the window, she looked out at the city of San Antonio, the tall buildings; the cars and people looking small and insignificant beneath them. Then she swung around to face him, her eyes flashing annoyance.
“There’s no way I’m agreeing to that.” He kept his tone even, not wanting to irritate her any more than he already had. “We can’t work on our marriage if we’re not living together.”
Heather stared at him, her temper simmering. She hated that his reasoning made sense. “Justin, you promised—”
“No sex,” he interrupted, not looking at all happy about it. “You didn’t say anything about not sleeping together.”
“You knew that’s what I meant!”
His lips turned up in an engaging smile, flashing his dimple. “No, you said exactly what you meant. No sex. I agreed to that. Now I’m asking you to honor our agreement, as well.”
She looked as if steam were going to rise out of her at any moment. He approached her and stopped just short of touching her. “I promised not to make love to you, and I won’t, until you’re ready. But I intend to sleep in that bed with you. Every single night for the next two weeks.”
Until you’re ready.
Frustration swept through her as his words reverberated in her mind. He was essentially telling her they would be making love; it was only a matter of time. Well, what had she thought? That she’d come to Texas with him and nothing would happen? Well, maybe she had known they’d end up making love at some point, and she had to admit to herself that her attraction to her husband grew every moment they were together. If she were honest, she’d have to confess that she missed making love with him also. Justin had been an exciting and demanding lover, arousing her in ways she’d never known possible.
But sleeping together? She hadn’t thought they’d be sleeping together. Not this soon. Not tonight!
Glaring at him, she crossed her arms over her chest. “I want the side by the window.”
Justin’s grin was easy and agreeable. “You’ve got it.” Even pouting, she was beautiful. “Now that we have that settled, do you want to get something to eat?” He figured he’d opt for food rather than ravish his wife, which was all he’d been able to think about since they’d walked into the suite.
“I’d rather take a short nap,” she admitted. “
I don’t know why I’m so tired.”
Putting his arm around her, he led her toward the bed. “Go ahead and rest. I’ve got some work to take care of. When you wake up, we’ll have a nice dinner somewhere.” He started to let her go, but he just couldn’t. Wrapping his arms around her, he hugged her to him. As he rested his cheek along the side of her head, he inhaled the rose-sweet scent of her. “I’m glad you’re here,” he whispered huskily.
Heather felt her entire body go weak. It was so good to be held by him. He had a tender side she’d rarely seen during their marriage, but to her surprise and fascination, he’d given her several glimpses of it since he’d walked back into her life.
She put her arms around his waist and hugged him close, and his warmth surrounded her. At that moment, she thought of how wonderful it would be to stay in his arms, to lift her face and taste his mouth on hers. His hand caressed her hair, then slid down the length of her spine, leaving heat and awareness in its wake. Heather automatically pressed closer.
“Heather.”
She lifted her head, bringing her mouth near his. His breath tickled her lips, which parted in anticipation of his kiss. It was only a fraction of a second before he lowered his mouth.
A loud knock on the door stilled his movements. Justin stared at Heather—the trace of desire in her eyes, her sensuous lips, the tiny throb of her pulse at the base of her neck.
“Damn,” he muttered. “It’s probably our luggage.” He didn’t release her.
“Probably.” She dropped her arms, freeing him to move.
The knock came again.
Justin kissed her mouth briefly, cursed under his breath and let her go. “Damn poor timing,” he muttered. Stopping at the door, he turned to face her. “Go ahead and get some rest.” Then he was gone.
Heather smiled to herself, not even sure relaxing was even possible now. She was tingling all over. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she slipped off her sandals, then dug her toes into the plush beige carpet beneath her feet. Looking around her, she fell back on the bed, bracing herself with her elbows.
She heard Justin talking to bellman, then heard the door close. Her heart thumped, and she realized she was waiting to see if he would come back and pick up where he’d left off. But he didn’t.
And despite her decision not to make love with him, she couldn’t help feeling disappointed instead of relieved.
Justin set his laptop on the desk near the window, but his thoughts were not on his work. He breathed deeply and exhaled, trying to bring his libido under control. He’d accomplished one goal—getting Heather to come to Texas with him. A sigh of satisfaction escaped his lips as he flipped open the laptop and hit the power button.
That she lay sleeping in his bed played havoc with his emotions. He wanted nothing more than to join her there and tease her with slow kisses and warm caresses. His body throbbed from thoughts of making love to her. It was agony thinking about how long it had been since he’d touched her.
But he had given her his word, and even if it killed him, he’d keep it.
He glanced toward the bedroom as he hit a button for his e-mail. Anticipation filled him as she slept. They’d only just arrived, and he couldn’t get enough of her. Unable to sit and work, Justin got up and stretched. He turned off his computer, sat on the sofa and switched on the television, keeping the volume low so as not to wake her.
He was tempted to go in and lay beside her, but wasn’t sure if it would be a good move on his part. She’d agreed to stay after realizing they’d be sleeping together, and he didn’t want to push his luck. He wanted her to feel comfortable with him. He knew it was going to take time.
The problem was, he only had two weeks.
Heather opened her eyes and felt disoriented as she took in her strange surroundings. Finally her mind cleared, and she realized where she was.
With Justin. In Texas. Without Timmy.
Timmy!
She’d meant to call her mother upon her arrival. How could she have forgotten? Ah, yes, she thought, her skin tingling. Being held by Justin had apparently distracted her.
Sitting up quickly, she jumped off the bed and padded barefoot across the room to the door. Her gaze searched the sitting area of the suite for Justin, then she spotted him lying on his back on the small sofa. He was asleep, his face resting against one of the floral-patterned throw pillows. He had removed his sport coat. One of his legs dangled off the end of the sofa, the other rested on the floor.
She smiled at the adorable picture he made. Then she laughed at herself. She’d never before used the term adorable to describe Justin. Driven, distant, powerful, sometimes even formidable, but never adorable. She quietly closed the door to the bedroom, then hurried to the nightstand. After glancing over the instructions for making a long distance call, she punched in the telephone number to her house.
Kathryn answered on the third ring, and they chatted for a few minutes. Heather was relieved to hear that Timmy was doing fine. Still, her chest tightened as they talked. Just knowing her mother was holding Timmy made her want to cry. Tears slid down her cheeks when she heard her son begin to fret in the background. By the time she hung up the telephone, she was a nervous wreck.
Shaking, she went into the bathroom to wash her face. She stopped as she entered, and stared. The large room was beautifully tiled in warm beige and blue. Gold fixtures accented the sink, as well as the enormous tub. Debating taking a bath, she went back into the bedroom and carefully opened the door leading to the living area. Justin was still asleep. Quietly, she walked over and retrieved her suitcases.
She went back into the bedroom and deposited the bags on the bed. Popping one open, she selected something to wear, then went into the bathroom to draw warm water into the tub. As it filled, she removed her clothes and stepped in, then lowered herself into the water as she pushed a button to start the jets.
Heather sighed as she leaned back and rested, letting the water ease the tension in her body. Justin hadn’t said what their plans were for the evening, but knowing him, he’d already decided where and what they’d be doing. She turned off the water. Her nap had helped to restore her energy, but did little to relieve her inner turmoil. She tried to relax as she began to bathe.
Maybe she never should have agreed to two weeks with Justin. Maybe she should have told him about Timmy.
Don’t go getting cold feet.
Okay, she’d stick with her plan, she decided, for a while longer. She finished her bath, combed out her hair and put on light makeup. Then she donned a green dress that brought out the emerald color in her eyes. She struggled for a moment with the zipper, then blew out a exasperated breath. A knock on the door stilled her movements.
“Heather?” Justin’s voice was followed by another couple of taps.
Crossing to the door, she opened it. “Hi. I took a bath while you were sleeping.”
“I wasn’t sure if I was intruding.” He leaned against the doorjamb and looked at her. Her face was flushed, and her skin glowing. His body tightened as her unique scent drifted to him.
“Of course not.”
“I heard you in the bath. Was everything all right? Is there anything you need?”
She shook her head. “No. That tub in there is lethal though.” His lips curved into a little smile that made her look quickly away. “I didn’t want to get out.”
His nostrils flared. The thought of her lying naked in warm sudsy water was almost more than Justin could stand. His appreciative gaze swept slowly over her. “You look lovely.”
“Thank you,” she said, and blushed with pleasure. “Um, would you mind?” She turned her back and lifted her hair. “I, uh, couldn’t quite reach this.”
“Not at all.” Justin moved into the room and stopped behind her. He slipped the zipper up, then slid his hands over her shoulders and rested them against her neck. Leaning down, he kissed her there, briefly, and felt a charge of awareness spark between them. Her head tilted slightly.
“Than
k you,” she whispered huskily, then turned to face him.
He winked. “You’re welcome.”
She stepped slightly away, feeling a tingle of pleasure where his lips had touched her skin. She had to prevent herself from lifting her hand to the spot. “What are our plans for tonight? I wasn’t sure how to dress.”
“I thought we’d have dinner at the Tower Restaurant. It’s a revolving restaurant that overlooks the city.”
She looked as if she didn’t believe him. “Really?”
“I promise.”
She smiled up at him. Another promise. “It sounds lovely. Since I don’t know anything about the city, I’m in your hands.”
Justin wished that were true. He wanted his hands all over her. He settled for kissing her briefly on the lips.
Much later, they were enjoying dinner at the restaurant Justin had described. It did indeed turn in a very slow circle so as to give them a view of the city from all angles. Heather stared out the large plate-glass window at the city night scene. Justin hadn’t been kidding when he described the view. It was magical. Lights glistened all over HemisFare Park, which had been built for the Texas World’s Fair in the sixties and was now a central point of the downtown area.
“It’s truly beautiful.”
Justin grinned briefly. “I thought you’d like it.”
Heather studied him, as he turned his head and looked at the view. Since they’d been together, neither had brought up anything about their separation or the problems of their marriage. She wasn’t sure why Justin hadn’t talked about it, other than that he wasn’t one to delve into his personal feelings. Anything she’d gotten out of him while they’d lived together had had to be dragged out of him.
She hadn’t brought up the subject because she was reluctant to change the easy mood between them. But she knew the longer they waited, the harder it would be. They were going to have to discuss what went wrong in order to be sure things didn’t go sour again.
Baby of Fortune Page 7
