by Julie Caille
“Last night, actually. I wanted to surprise Alicia, but it was too late to call so I took a room at the Marriott.” Easton cast a curious glance over Luke’s shoulder. “I take it she’s not here?”
Luke wished he could say she was. He wished they’d just finished making love when the doorbell rang. He wished she’d come down the stairs right this instant wrapped in his bathrobe and that Easton would see and realize he was not wanted.
“I don’t know. I just got up.” Too late, Luke realized that made him sound like a couch potato. “If she was here,” he said curtly, “she’d have answered the door.”
“Of course.” Easton flashed another smile. “Any idea where she might be?”
“She might be anywhere. I was asleep when she left.”
“Would you mind checking to see if she left a note?” Looking apologetic, Easton added, “I’ve come rather a long distance to see her, you understand.”
“Yeah, sure. Come on in,” he added, his tone rather grudging.
“Thank you.” Easton followed him into the house and down the hall to the kitchen. “Nice place,” he remarked.
Luke shot him a suspicious look, but there was no trace of condescension in either his tone or his expression. “Thanks.” On the kitchen counter lay a sheet of paper. He picked it up, observing that she’d printed rather than written the message, but in his current state of mind he knew better than to try to decode it. Instead, he pretended to read it, then passed the note over to Easton.
Easton scanned it. “Well, if she left at nine, she ought to be back soon, don’t you think?”
Luke shrugged. “It could be awhile. I’ll tell her you stopped by.”
“Would you mind if I waited?”
Damn right he minded. He didn’t want the guy in his house any longer than necessary. But common courtesy precluded his saying so; after all, Easton had done nothing to warrant such rudeness. Even if he had come to court Alicia, Luke knew she wasn’t interested. At least he didn’t think she was. Then he recalled her odd behavior last night, and a new seed of doubt sowed itself in his mind.
“Suit yourself,” he said with coolness. “You can have a seat in the living room while I, uh, finish getting dressed. Put the TV on if you want.”
Easton thanked him and went into the next room.
Luke departed for the upstairs bathroom. Shutting the door, he risked a glance in the mirror. Lord, he looked awful.
Keeping an ear out for Alicia, he splashed cold water onto his face, combed his hair and shaved. Then he went and put on a clean shirt and his newest pair of jeans. As he tucked in the shirt, he noticed that a missing button had been sewn on. He paused, staring at it with surprise and gratification. That was just like Alicia, to do something for him and never mention it. She’d ironed the shirt, too, he realized. What a sweetheart.
His sweetheart. His woman.
A surge of primitive possessiveness rushed through him, altering the tenor of his thoughts. Easton would be a fool not to want her; pure common sense told Luke it was why the man was here. Easton was his foe, his rival, and the knowledge filled him with the barbaric urge to go down and beat the fellow’s face into a pulp.
“Yeah, right,” he muttered beneath his breath. “That would sure win me a lot of points with Alicia.”
Still, the primeval desire to lay claim to the mate he wanted, to do physical battle against his adversary, did not abate. The mere idea that Easton might have touched Alicia, kissed Alicia, ignited a red haze of anger in his head.
Fingers curled into fists, he stalked back down the stairs, determined to be no more than civil. To his annoyance, he found Easton poking through his CD collection. “Looking for something special?” he asked through gritted teeth.
Easton glanced over his shoulder, unfazed by his host’s tone. “Not really. I was just curious to see what you had. It’s an interesting assortment. We share a liking for Rachmaninoff, among others. ‘Prelude in C-sharp Minor’ is one of my favorites.” He straightened his posture, adding cordially, “The cabinet was open so I didn’t think you’d mind if I took a look.”
“No, I don’t mind.” For a moment Luke couldn’t think what else to say. “Would you like something to drink?”
“Sure.” Easton grinned.
Ah, heck, no wonder Alicia liked the guy. Easton was nice. Luke could feel his antipathy thawing as he led the way back to the kitchen.
Nice or not, he wasn’t going to let Easton steal his lady. Alicia was his, damn it. However, beneath this conviction ran a chilling wave of uncertainty. After all, if it was Easton she wanted, there wasn’t a lot he could do about it, was there?
* * *
Alicia smiled and thanked the young man who’d loaded her groceries into the back of the Silverado. Gallantly claiming that it was his pleasure, he winked at her and swaggered off.
Amused, she slid into the driver’s seat and started the engine. “Still like ‘em?” she teased Ronnie, who had stuck his feet up on the console, the better to admire his new Nike athletic shoes.
“They’re awesome!” he assured her. “Totally radical. Can I call Brian when we get home?”
“I don’t see why not.”
As the busier streets gave way to rural country roads, she wondered whether Luke was up yet. It was unusual for him to sleep past eight, but he had a valid excuse. He’d been working long hours the past few weeks, too long, perhaps. And he had gotten in so very late last night.... At once she walled off that line of thought. What Luke did was his business and none of hers.
Still, she couldn’t help wondering how he’d behave today, whether he’d tell her anything about his evening, about Christina. She didn’t expect it. He hadn’t last night, had he? Just as she’d predicted, he’d said he had to go see a “friend” who was in town on business. He’d even looked a bit furtive, as though he’d known he had something to hide.
She hadn’t quizzed him about it. That would have been foolish as well as demeaning. Nor would she ply him with questions today. If he wanted to tell her, he would.
Her jaw lifting to a proud angle, she pushed down on the accelerator, as though by pushing it she was letting off steam. Too late, she saw the nail-studded plank in the road. She felt the tire bump over it with a thud. She pumped the brake, slowing the vehicle just as she would have done on an icy surface.
“What happened?” Ronnie asked. “Why are we stopping?”
After the truck came to a halt, she glanced at him and sighed. “It’s okay. I ran over a piece of wood, that’s all.”
Climbing out of the vehicle, she walked around to check the right front tire. Unfortunately, it had sprung a leak. Air was hissing out at an alarming rate.
Her spirits sinking as fast as the tire, she walked back to retrieve the plank and tossed it into the back of the truck. Lord, what would Luke say? What a dumb thing to do. If she’d only been paying attention, she could have avoided this. Kenny would have skinned her alive, told her how stupid she was, how incompetent.
“We’ve got a flat tire,” she told Ronnie. “But we’re almost home so we can walk.” She looked up and down the empty country road, but no white knight loomed on the horizon. “Uncle Luke knows how to change tires. Don’t worry, all right?”
“Okay.” Ronnie looked relieved.
Alicia turned on her blinkers, shoved all but one of the grocery bags inside the front cab and locked the doors. She then took the last bag of groceries, the one with the ice cream and cold cuts and started down the road. Ronnie trudged happily at her side, humming the Power Rangers theme song under his breath.
Twenty minutes later, they reached Luke’s driveway and saw the Lincoln. Alicia’s steps slowed. “I wonder whose car that is,” she said, unnerved to discover that Luke had a visitor. What if it was Christina? If so, she couldn’t go in there. She just couldn’t, not like this, looking all hot and sticky and mussed. She hadn’t even washed her hair this morning.
“Come on,” Ronnie urged. “I want a drink.”
<
br /> Alicia shifted the bag of groceries from one arm to the other. “Okay,” she said in a weak voice, “I’m coming.”
Her heart thumped as they entered the house. This was going to be the bitter moment of truth, the closing act on her own fruitless fantasy. She was finally going to get to meet the woman with the violet-blue eyes.
As they walked toward the kitchen, she heard Luke’s voice. “Didn’t put him in until the top of the eighth inning.”
Alicia took a deep breath, moved forward...and almost dropped the groceries in astonishment. “Nick!”
The two men were seated at the kitchen table, each of them nursing a can of soda.
“Surprise,” Nick said with a smile. Rising, he came over to her, his intent blue eyes scanning her face. “Luke invited me to wait for you. I didn’t mean to shock you.”
Gathering her wits, Alicia shook back her hair and set the bag on the kitchen counter. “No. I mean— No, I’m not shocked. But I am surprised. What in the world are you doing here?”
“I wanted to see you,” he explained, “so I canceled my flight to Boston and booked one to Houston instead. I thought we could go out to dinner or something.” He paused. “I got your messages, by the way. All of them.”
“Who’s he?” Ronnie demanded.
Flustered, Alicia introduced Nick to Ronnie, then turned to face Luke, still seated at the table. So far as she could see, he hadn’t moved a muscle. His face was a mask, his eyes unreadable. “There’s a little problem with the truck,” she said nervously.
“What kind of problem?”
“I, uh, ran over something in the road. The tire went flat. I left it a half mile or so down the road.”
Frowning, Luke rose to his feet. “You’re not hurt?”
“No,” she assured him. “I didn’t run into anything. There’s no damage to anything but the tire. I’m sorry. It was such a stupid thing to do—”
Luke came over to her, ignoring Nick as though he wasn’t there. “Don’t apologize, Alicia. It wasn’t stupid. It was an accident. As long as you and Ronnie aren’t hurt, that’s all that matters, okay?”
“Okay,” she agreed, her eyes searching his. “The rest of the groceries are still in the cab.”
He nodded. “I’ll take the van and get them. Then I’ll take care of the tire.”
“I’ll pay for the repair,” she offered.
He gave her a level look. “No way,” he said, and walked out of the room.
Nick regarded her with quizzical amusement. “Did you think he was going to beat you? You looked almost scared.”
“Well, Kenny would have thrown a fit. I guess I’m used to temperamental men.” Feeling foolish, she started to unload the bag of groceries.
“I see.” Nick came over and slid his arms around her waist. “I hope you’re not including me in that statement.”
“Of course not.” Alicia glanced around for Ronnie, but he had disappeared. Turning, she began, “Nick, I am glad to see you—” His hungry mouth silenced her.
It was not the first time they’d kissed, but it was the first time she’d been so conscious of his passion. Without question, his ardor had increased during her absence. Out of politeness and affection, she responded, but her heart wasn’t in it. It was a nice kiss, a pleasant kiss, delivered with polish and skill. It simply did nothing to fire her blood.
“I have a room at the Marriott,” he murmured. “Come back with me for the afternoon.”
“Nick, I can’t.”
“Why not?” He skimmed his lips along the line of her jaw. “I’ve missed you so damn much, Alicia. I didn’t think I needed you, but I do, I do.”
Grabbing the ice cream, she moved out of his arms, her face hot with embarrassment and distress. “Of course I’d love to spend time with you. It’s just that I’ve promised to take Ronnie swimming. And besides, how would it look? I have to set a good example.”
Nick lifted a brow. “No one would know what we were doing. Certainly not the child.”
“I can’t break my promise to Ronnie,” she pleaded. “He’s been through so much. You can understand that, can’t you?”
“Yes, of course I can.” He was silent for a moment. “Dinner then. We’ll make an evening of it.”
“All right. Dinner would be lovely.”
“Would six o’clock be too early?”
She gazed at him, at his tender expression and beautiful, grave eyes. What a truly good person he was, always so gentle and considerate and courteous. As her mother had pointed out, she could do far worse than encourage this man.
“Six o’clock would be perfect,” she said.
* * *
Luke loaded the remaining groceries into his van and climbed inside, hoping Easton would be gone by the time he got back. But the Lincoln still sat in the driveway, looking as out of place as a yacht in a swimming pool. The muscles in his jaw tightened. The guy wasn’t the turkey he’d been expecting, but just the same, he didn’t want him as a house guest.
He wished now he’d had the sense to kiss Alicia before he’d left; that would have put a roadblock into whatever plans Easton had in mind. On the other hand, if she’d pulled away, it would have been damnably embarrassing.
Easton and Alicia were still in the kitchen when he walked in. Ignoring them, he dumped the first two bags onto the table and went back for the other two. When he returned the second time, Easton was helping Alicia put the food away.
Luke gritted his teeth, wondering if there was any polite way he could throw the guy out of his home.
“Do you need any help with the flat?” Easton inquired. “I’d be happy to lend a hand.”
Luke looked him up and down. “You’re not exactly dressed for that kind of work.”
“True, but it doesn’t matter. If you need help, just say so.”
Luke couldn’t deny that Easton had a kind of unpretentious appeal. If the guy hadn’t been sniffing around his lady, he would have liked him. Perhaps it was Easton’s straightforward approach, his failure to look down his nose at someone who was quite clearly not of his world. But he was after Alicia. Luke could see it in his eyes.
“No, thanks,” he replied. “I can handle it.”
“Okay.” Easton shrugged. “By the way, I was wondering if you could suggest a good restaurant. I’m taking Alicia out to dinner tonight, and we’d like some place...romantic. You know what I mean. A place with atmosphere. And fine dining, of course.”
Oh, of course, Luke thought with fury. A place where the entrées started at twenty dollars, a place with candles and white tablecloths and waiters in tuxedos. A place where you can impress the hell out of my woman while you play footsie with her under the table.
“Sorry,” he said brusquely. “I only eat at McDonald’s.”
“Luke!” Alicia cut in, sounding rather shocked. “That’s not true. What about that lovely place we went to—”
“I don’t think that’s the kind of place your friend has in mind,” he interrupted. “Why don’t you look in the phone book? I’ve got to get that tire changed and get to work.”
* * *
Alicia took a long, hot shower, hoping it would ease the knot of tension that had been building inside her all day. It didn’t. When she stepped out onto the fluffy blue bath rug, her insides were roiling as much as ever.
As she toweled her damp hair, she wondered why she felt so hesitant about going out with Nick. It wasn’t as if she and Luke had made a pledge to each other. No promises had been exchanged, no permanent commitment mentioned. And there was no way she could have turned Nick down, not after he’d come all this way just for her.
No, she was doing the right thing, and if Luke didn’t like it, well, that was just too bad. After the way he’d dashed off to be with Christina, he had no justification for his surly behavior.
Still, when she slipped into her newly purchased black dress a short while later, it was Luke’s reaction she envisioned, not Nick’s. Back in Boston, she’d chosen it specifically wit
h Luke in mind. Maybe it was foolish to wear it now, for the wrong man, but it might be the only chance Luke ever had to see her in it. And she was determined that he should, even if it was only a brief glimpse as she walked out the door with her hand on another man’s arm.
Sliding her feet into black high heels, she studied herself in the mirror. She wore only earrings; the dress required no other jewelry. In length, it came only to midthigh; its sleek lines clung to her figure, accentuating her curves. Two thin straps held up the bodice, whose scooped neckline exposed enough cleavage to bring a blush to her cheeks. Yes, without doubt it was a dress designed to allure the most jaded member of the male sex. Her pulse raced as she pictured Luke’s face when he saw her.
She glanced at the clock. Five-forty. As always, Nick would be punctual; she had a little time to kill. She swallowed hard. All right, then. It was time to go down.
Her heart in her throat, she descended the stairs. Luke and Ronnie were in the living room watching TV. Holding her breath, she moved down the hall until she reached the doorway, but to her surprise, Luke was alone.
“Where’s Ronnie?” she asked, grateful to have something innocuous to say.
Luke turned his head. And stared, though not in the way she had hoped. “What the hell are you wearing?”
Her head held high, she took two steps into the room. “It’s a new dress,” she said, spinning once around. “Don’t you like it?”
“You look like a hooker,” he said roughly.
Blood drained from her face. “What an awful thing to say.”
“You asked, didn’t you?” He sprang to his feet and walked toward her, fury and black lust blazing in his eyes. “You call that a dress? It looks like lingerie to me, Alicia. But I’m sure you know that without me saying so. Easton’s a lucky man. I got the virgin, he gets the vamp.”
Her mouth opened and closed, but no words came out.
He came closer, his eyes trailing over her in an almost contemptuous manner. “I guess the Lincoln did the trick, eh? It sure beats a truck any day of the week. I bet the guy can even read the menu on his own.” He reached out and fingered one of her shoulder straps. “Well, enjoy your fine dining experience. But then, it looks like you plan to.”
