“She’s been staying with Nick since Derik’s been gone.”
“Clarissa!” Guy and Keely sounded in unison.
Natasha went suddenly pale and placed her napkin beside her plate. “I see.”
“No, you don’t. I was just lonely for some...uh, company and...”
“You decided to shack up with the first dick that came along.”
She stood and turned to glare down at Keely and continued before anyone could stop her.
“I raised you better than that, Keely. You are not a common whore.”
Nick couldn’t stand one more minute, he stood, throwing his napkin on the table. Clarissa watched the whole process with a gleam in her eye while Guy leaned over and whispered in her ear. Nick couldn’t hear what it was, but he saw her shush him and continue to watch the spectacle taking place.
“No, you raised her to be a mistress to a very rich man and quite frankly she’s old enough to make her own choices about who she wants to be with and who she doesn’t.”
Nick got the full brunt of the ice in Natasha’s eyes now as she turned them full focus on him.
“My daughter does make her own choices and if she’s been telling you differently, she’s been lying to you.”
“You’re daughter isn’t a liar and she hasn’t told me otherwise. But being around politicians my whole life, I’ve learned to spot lies even when people don't know they’re telling them. Your daughter is miserable and if you were half the mother you pretend to be, you’d see that.”
Keely reached her hand up and took Nick’s, obviously trying to pull him back down beside her.
“Nick.”
Her tone begged him, but he couldn’t stop, now that he’d started.
“Keely is the most amazing woman I’ve ever met, she could be anything, and mistress is what you chose for her? Are you so short-sighted or do you just hate her that much?”
“Mr. Chilton, I think I know my own daughter just a little bit better than you and all she wanted growing up was to play house with someone. She had white picket fence fantasies and she wasn’t domestically inclined.” She rolled her eyes to the ceiling. “You should have seen her room. Any doubts on whether she could tend a home or not would have been answered in a heartbeat. I gave her the best compromise available.
“She has a home, all the money she could want, and man who cares for her. She would have made a terrible mother, she’s too forgetful, so it’s just as well she never had children. I know her strengths and her weaknesses. I know her.
“You apparently don’t.
“I’m sure her sexy little body has served you well, Mr. Chilton, but cut bait while you still can and God help you if you are harboring any white picket fantasies where my daughter is concerned, she won’t be available for at least four years and possibly not even then.”
For the first time she turned her attention to Keely who was staring at her plate.
“Derik and I have begun discussing the possibilities of marriage. You’d get your settlement, plus a stake in his estate. California is a community property state you know.”
Nick felt the words as much as he would have a physical punch to the gut. Keely got up and ran from the room. Nick was about to follow her when Clarissa stopped him. She grabbed his arm and whispered, “Let me. You slay the dragon.”
Nick watched Clarissa leave the apartment, Guy close on her heels. Nick didn’t want to waste his breath on the woman in front of him, he wanted Keely, but seeing how things had worked out.
Slay the dragon.
How?
He took a deep breath. He’d never lost his temper with a woman in his life, he would keep it now if it killed him.
“Mrs. Thornhill, you are by far the rudest, most arrogant, heartless woman I have ever had the misfortune to meet. You have two incredible daughters and from what I’ve heard a pretty incredible son. Although from what Rissa says, Keely’s responsible for that and not you.
“I don't know what your problem is, whether you’re narcissistic, delusional, or just plain ignorant, but if I have anything to say about it, you’ll never speak another hateful word to your daughter again.”
He started to leave, then turned back.
“I’ve asked Keely to marry me. Originally I told her I’d take care of you, as well. I have since had a change of heart on that matter. You’ll get what you deserve, a life alone.”
Nick couldn’t waste another breath on the woman, so he ran after Keely.
By the time he reached his car, Keely was leaning against the hood, Clarissa was saying something to her, and Guy was standing obtusely in the background. He ran to her side, rubbing both arms with his hands.
“Baby, are you all right?”
“Can we please just go home?”
Nick unlocked the car and she slid in without a word to anyone. Nick pulled Clarissa aside before getting behind the wheel.
“That woman’s a damn viper. I don't want her anywhere near Keely ever again.”
She held her hands up.
“I just needed you to see it for yourself. I knew you wouldn’t believe how bad it was if you didn’t. Your problem now is Keely, because she doesn’t see it, never has. She’ll be sitting in there right now thinking she deserved everything Natasha said.”
“She’s not stupid. How could she?”
Nick rubbed the top of his head, disbelief churning in his gut. That woman shouldn’t have been allowed children.
“Conditioning. Mom...” she shook her head as a look of distaste washed over her. “Natasha’s good at it.”
“Clarissa, we need to get rid of your mother, then you need to lie down.” Guy called cautiously from a few feet away, clearly not sure how to handle his strong willed woman. Also just as clear, he loved her. Nick smiled at them both and squeezed Clarissa’s arm.
“I’m resourceful, I’ll figure something out. ‘Night, Guy.”
He held up his hand, the man waved back. Nick gave one last smile to Clarissa before she moved up onto the curb then he slid behind the wheel and headed for home.
Keely didn’t say a word all the way back to the apartment—not in the elevator, not on the way to the door, not once inside, not once in bed. Nick was so worried his stomach felt like it was filled with golf balls and they just kept rolling around and around and around. Pacing back and forth in the small kitchen, he thought about making her some tea. But she never seemed to drink it unless he made it for her, so he wondered whether she really liked it or not. He went for a bottle of wine instead.
Not knowing what he would face, he entered the room to find Keely snuzzling Sophie while Spud played with her toes, which she was wiggling for him under the blankets. From the doorway he held up the bottle.
“Want some?”
“Oh God, yes!”
He poured her a glass and handed it to her. He ran his fingers slowly along her hand as she pulled the glass from his. “You okay?”
She swallowed and closed her eyes. “For now. Can we talk about it later?”
“Are you planning to sneak out in the night?”
“Not at the moment.”
She stared him straight in the eye and he read the unspoken message clear. That could change. He got undressed and climbed into bed, pulling her close. Thank God, she melted against him as if nothing had happened. He was shaken to the core and she acted fine. That’s when it really hit him, tonight wasn’t out of the ordinary for her, that was her life.
“I TiVO’d that Lucille Ball special. Wanna watch it?”
“Mmmm, yeah. Now, that would be great.”
“We didn’t get much dinner. Want me to order a pizza?”
She started to laugh and he wasn’t sure if that was good or bad.
“Should I take that as a yes?”
“Extra ham.”
He knew that was bad but he smiled at her as he reached for the phone. For the next hour and a half things were peaceful again, as if tonight had never happened. They drank wine, ate pizza and watche
d a recounting of the amazing love of Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball. At times she cried, but he knew it was over the show and not her mother. Towards the end of the show she sighed contentedly in his arms.
“They really loved one another, didn’t they?”
“They seem to have. They kind of remind me of my friends Matthew and West, they got love like that.”
“Mhmmmmm. That’s nice.” She sank deeper into his arms as she sighed. “Tell me about them.”
He laughed as he thought about their reactions to him laying in bed with a beautiful woman talking about them. He’d never live it down. He brushed a kiss across her head and wondered where to start.
“Well, West met Frannie when he talked me into taking him and Matthew on my honeymoon cruise.”
She sat straight up and spun her head around fast. “What?”
He laughed, it seemed like a lifetime ago now. At the time it didn’t seem so funny though.
“Well, it worked out, although for a time I thought myself half in love with Frannie. She’s very special and the best thing that ever happened to West.”
She cozied up against him again.
“Even though he was a great friend, he was kind of a loner and king of one night stands. Frannie changed him practically overnight, but he didn’t realize it until she nearly died in a car accident a few months later.”
“That’s terrible. Is she all right now?”
She entwined the fingers of one of her hands with his and started running the fingers of her other hand over them. It was soothing and tender. He wonder if she had any idea how much it meant to him?
“Uh, yeah.”
She was starting to short circuit his brain with her feather light touches.
“What about Matthew and...Sasha?”
Her head dropped against his shoulder as she continued to hold his hand in her lap.
“Yeah. Matthew met her kind of how I met you, running. Only he was a stupid jack-ass and left her because she wasn’t what he thought he wanted.”
She pulled her glass from the bedside table and finished the wine in it.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, she’s only twenty, for one thing, and Matthew’s two years older than me. Her age threw him. Also, she’s from a small town and he’s from DC. He’d always dated high society women, well-educated ones...”
“But he never fell for any of them. That should have told him something right there.”
He laughed at her astuteness and kissed the bridge of her nose.
“Where were you when he needed you?”
She let out a long sigh. “At Derik’s, no doubt.”
Nick decided to go back to telling Matthew and Sasha’s stories, because thinking of Keely with Derik was getting harder and harder. He did, however, pour them each another glass of wine.
“Well, the problem was that even when he did come to his senses, her father was a real number and I had to threaten him to leave her alone so she could leave with Matthew. Considering she was carrying his twins at the time I thought it was a good plan.”
He tipped his glass to his lips, remembering with pleasure the confrontation between himself and Frank and Calvin Green.
“You threatened the man?”
“Well, it wasn’t entirely a threat. I didn’t threaten anything I couldn’t have done to him. They were trying to sell her babies.”
“They? I think I’m getting a slight headache trying to follow this story.”
“Mmm-hmm. They. Her father and the old coot he married her off to when he found out she was pregnant. It’s really a long story.”
“I guess. But they’re happy?”
“Yeah, and so are Frannie and West. They live in West Virginia now and have a baby daughter. West never had much of a family of his own and Frannie’s got plenty to spare, so I think it worked out good for him, but boy did he fight it.”
“Why?”
“Because he was like you. He didn’t believe in love, and he didn’t trust women. Can we talk about something else?”
She put her glass back down on the table beside the bed and looked up into his eyes.
“Sure, what?”
“I don't know...” he made an attempt. “your mother?”
“Off Limits.”
Her tone brooked no arguments so he swallowed the rest of his wine and tried to think of something else. While he was doing that she laid across his lap and stared up at him.
“What do you want to do with your life, Nick?”
“You mean when I’m not working at Wal-mart, which I’m not anymore since I had to quit.”
Her head flipped up out of his lap and hair spilled over her eyes.
“Why?”
He pushed her hair back until he found her sweet face.
“Sweetheart, they weren’t going to give me three weeks off, spur of the moment, to spend time with my girlfriend.”
She giggled he figured it must be the wine.
“Am I your girlfriend, Nicky?”
“I wish you were my fiancée, but if you’re willing to go girlfriend...”
She held her finger up to stop him. “Only for another six days.”
Rage started to rise in him, he couldn’t understand why she would leave what they had.
“What kind of life do you have with him, Keely?”
She seemed to think about it for a long time, then answered with one word. “Pleasant.”
“Ooooh. That’s a strong indictment, and that’s enough for you?”
She sat up and crossed her legs in front of her. Her gaze seemed latched onto her fingers as she dug at her nails.
“It’s what I was given, Nick. I accept the lot I was dealt, it’s easier than fighting every second of every day. I’m too tired to fight anymore.”
He grabbed her by the shoulders. “Even for us?”
“I’m not right for you. Your father wouldn’t approve, and even if he did take leave of his sanity long enough to approve, you heard my mother, I can’t keep house.”
Nick fell back on the bed. “What the fuck does that have to do with it?” he raised his head just far enough to look at her.
“She explained that to Derik, that’s why he hired someone. A wife should be able to keep her own home. And I’m forgetful. What if I forgot to come home one night? And I’m flighty, I don't think she had a chance to get that far.”
“Your mother’s a bitch.” He sat back up.
“Nick, this isn’t helping.”
Within a half second he had her pinned beneath him. “Will this help?”
She moaned as he pummeled her mouth with kisses and caressed her breasts with hard hands and then moaned again as he took her nipple between his teeth and nipped it. She matched his fervor every step of the way. She bit his shoulder and he cried out. He wanted him with such intensity it was burning her up inside.
“Take me, Nick.”
She reached down and pressed her hand hard against his cock. It caused every part of him to sizzle.
“I can feel how much you want me. Just take me, damn it!”
He ripped the shirt from her body and she lay naked beneath him. He bit at her, sucked on her, licked her. His mouth made love first to one breast, then the other. He was going out of his mind and he was taking her with him.
Finally he broke off and stood away from the bed.
“God, Keely, you’ll be the ruin of me.”
He held the back of his hand over his mouth as he looked at her naked and still writhing on the now very rumpled bed.
“Marry me.”
He wanted to demand it. He knew he could make her happy, if she’d only let him.
Breathlessly she sat up, but didn’t cover herself.
“I can’t.”
He watched her for a minute. He’d had enough.
“Don't give me that load of shit. You could if you damn well wanted, but you don’t. God help me, but I can’t figure out why.” He came back down on the bed beside her. “I can give you lo
ve, but you’ll settle for security. I can give you companionship for you soul, but you’ll settle for polite conversation over a very polite dinner. I can give you passion Keely but you’ll settle for pleasant? What the fuck is that about?”
She shook, but he saw her fighting to cover it. Then she looked him straight in the eye. “You can’t possibly understand, so just leave it.”
He grabbed his robe from the bed.
“The hell I will.” He stalked out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
Chapter Nineteen
Nick slammed his foot down hard on the brake. The old car squealed its objections but stopped well behind the white line. He knew he was distracted, but he hadn’t even seen the light turn yellow. The strain of acting as if everything was fine for the last few days was catching up. To say it had been tense would be putting it mildly, but as if by unspoken agreement, neither of them had acted as if they’d noticed it.
Their days still started the same way, an early morning swim followed by breakfast. Although there hadn’t been as much laughter in the kitchen when they’d inevitably bumped into one another as they reached for this ingredient or that. Kisses, casual or otherwise, were way down—throughout the day at least—and even though they still ended their days with fireworks on the balcony, it seemed to him they didn’t sit as close. Yet he held onto her hand as if for dear life. The soft scent of her drifting across to him making it impossible to ignore that she was there, even if she didn’t seem all there.
He wouldn’t admit how much he’d been hurt when she wiggled her way out of their Disneyland trip even though he knew how much she’d been looking forward to it. He was sure she hadn’t any idea how much he’d been looking forward to it by how easily he let her back out of it.
He bristled as he made the last turn that would take him to the ocean and his destination. He flipped off the radio, nothing was helping him relax this morning. Keely had barely said a half dozen words to him in the past few days. Conversation may have been stilted, but the passion between them burned even hotter if that was possible.
It was as if the desperation mixed with the inability to connect on any other level made the white heat between them go supernova. They held off throughout the day by some other unspoken agreement, but after the fireworks all bets seemed to be off. They tore each other’s close off. He kissed her until his lips were raw. They were like animals and no matter how close he held her, no matter how much of her he touched, licked, bit or kissed, it wasn’t enough for either of them. The intensity of their passion was enough to singe the bedding most nights.
Anything She Wants Page 18
