Come Home To Love (Harlequin Signature Select)

by Joan Hohl

  His soft, sarcastic tone flicked her on the raw and she retaliated in quick anger. "That would be perfect for your plans, wouldn't it? Save you the bother of all the pretense."

  "What are you talking about?" he snapped.

  "Oh, stop it, Matt, I know all about you and DeDe."

  "Me and DeDe?" His voice held unmistakable incredulity. "Explain that remark, Katherine." Her anger had dissipated into deeper weariness, she was just not up to fencing with him. "I overheard Beth and DeDe yesterday." At his raised eyebrows, she inserted, "I did not mean to eavesdrop."

  "I didn't think you did." He emphasized his words with a sharp shake of his head. "Go on."

  "They were discussing your plans to divorce me, take Jon from me." Trying to hide the sudden catch in her voice, she added bitingly, "You'd better get cracking, Matt, DeDe wants a spring wedding." His eyes narrowed on her face, his voice took on an edge. "I haven't the vaguest idea what you're talking about. I don't know what you think you overheard and I'll say this one time. I have never thought of DeDe in any way other than Beth's friend."

  "I don't think I heard anything. I know what I heard." She brought her cup to her lips with a jerk, anger again aroused.

  "Or are you laying a smoke screen?"

  "What do you mean?" she mumbled around her cup. He turned away to snub out his cigarette. His casual tone and seeming change of subject threw her into confusion. "So you went out with James to help Carol and Paul celebrate, hmm?"

  "Yes, I told you I would," she replied unsteadily.

  "And I understand the celebration lasted a few nights?" he went on smoothly.

  His attitude, at variance with the watchfulness of his eyes, started a crawly sensation up her arms.

  "Yes, we were out three nights."

  "I see," he murmured. "You enjoy James' company?"

  Small signals of alarm gave her the first inkling of what he was getting at. "What are you trying to say, Matt?"

  "I wasn't sure I'd find you alone up here."

  Eyes beginning to widen with the instinct of coming shock, she cried, "What are you accusing me of?"

  Cold, hard, sharp as the tip of a whip, his words lashed her. "Are you sleeping with my brother?"

  The expected shock struck, leaving her rigid, eyes filled with horror. Unable to move, barely able to breathe she stood as if carved from stone while his words echoed and re-echoed in her mind. Slowly, then with increasing speed, the echo set off a spark of anger that swiftly flared into a red hot flame. She actually saw red. Never in her life had she felt such fury. Suddenly she moved as if propelled across the room by an explosion, at the same instant one word was expelled through her stiff lips. "No." Her sudden movement, coming after her total stillness, caught him off guard. And caught off guard he took the full force of her blow, palm to one cheek, back hand to the other.

  Ignoring the pain that shot into her hand and up her arm, she spat, "How dare you accuse me? You, with your tramp installed under the same roof as your wife." Then, with a small gasp, she stepped back, the red haze evaporating under the icy glitter of blue-gray. Vision clear, she saw the muscle jumping spasmodically along his clenched jawline, the two white lines of fury etching his hard, compressed mouth. In cold fear she backed away from him until she felt the side of the bed against the back of her legs. His arms hung stiffly at his sides, his hands clenched into tight fists, the knuckles hard and white. Terrified at the savage look of him, Katherine watched Matt fight for control. After endless minutes

  the struggle was won. His ragged breathing became more normal, the muscle calmed along his tension-eased jawline. She exhaled slowly, then winced as he made a sudden move, bringing his hand up to draw the back of it across his mouth. He hadn't missed her wince, however, and his voice rasped, "You came very close to getting raped, Katherine. I wouldn't advise you to try that again."

  She had had it. If she was close to the edge before, the tension of the last half hour gave the final nudge over. Her shoulders began shaking moments before the racking sob was torn from her throat. Her hands flew up to cover her face as she sank slowly to the edge of the bed. "Oh, God, I can't bear any more of this." In crushing defeat she felt sure Matt's plan was to charge her with adultery and gain custody of Jon. Crying openly, she begged, "Matt, please, please don't take Jon from me. I'll do anything you ask, I won't try and fight you. I'll agree to any conditions you want, but please don't take him from me."

  "Katherine, what in the hell is this?" His voice was laced with sharp concern and glancing up quickly she was sure her tear-blurred eyes misread his expression, for his face seemed pale, his eyes filled with an unfamiliar look not unlike fear.

  Her attempt to read his face was cut short as he moved across the room toward her with purpose. When his hands grasped her shoulders she cringed, crying out, "Matt, please."

  "Jesus H. Christ, you're damned near hysterical. Kate, I'm not going to hurt you." He was standing beside her on one foot, his other knee bent, rested on the bed. When he'd finished speaking in that strange pan-

  icky tone, he thrust his body up and across the bed, dragging her with him. She cried out again sobbing uncontrollably now and his hands released her, leaving her to lie where she was, her head level with his chest.

  He lay beside her quietly, not touching her, not even moving except to reach across the bed to her night stand, remove the box of tissues from the drawer and place it next to her. The storm of weeping finally abated leaving her weak, drained of all emotion. Still he waited several minutes before speaking and when he did, although his voice was gentle, he sounded as tired as she felt. "All right, Katherine, you can have your divorce. No strings this time."

  "Jon?" she asked tremulously.

  "Damn it, I have never even considered taking him from you. You're his mother, for heaven's sake, he belongs with you."

  "But I heard Beth and DeDe—"

  "Katherine," he cut in exasperatedly, "I told you I'm not interested in DeDe. Christ, if I'd wanted her I could have had her ten years ago. I didn't want her then and I sure as hell don't want her now. She's been too well used."

  Before she could think of a reply to that, he went on in a much harder tone. "James—do you love him?"

  "Yes, of course I love him." He grunted as if she'd struck him. "I see."

  "No, Matt," she said tiredly. "You don't. I love James in the same way I love Dan and Dave. I am not in love with him. There is a world of difference between the two as I tried to make him see when he asked me to go away with him."

  "He what?" Matt asked very softly.

  "He asked me to divorce you." She sighed. "Go away with him before you come home from Scotland."

  'That rotten bastard," he snarled viciously. "When I get through with him he'll consider himself lucky to get a job as day-laborer. That sneaky—"

  Katherine lay listening to Matt curse his brother obscenely until she couldn't stand the sound of his voice any longer and she almost screamed. "Matt, stop it. James is your brother and he loves you."

  "Yeah, sure he does."

  "He does, more than you could imagine. He told me he respects you more than anyone he'd ever met, but he couldn't stand by and watch—" She stopped, appalled at herself. What was she saying? What in the world had she started here?

  "Well, finish it," he ordered. "He wouldn't watch me do what?"

  She hesitated, then whispered, "Destroy me."

  "Destroy you? Is that what he thinks? Is that what you think? Kate, I give you my word, I never meant to harm you in any way."

  Beyond the point of thinking or caring about what she said, she murmured, "When a woman falls in love, she places the weapon of her own destruction in the man's hands. She has very little control over what he does with it."

  It was some seconds before she realized he had gone absolutely still, not even seeming to breathe. Then the content of her words struck her. Good Lord, she had just made him aware of the fact that he held that weapon. Wildly, she cast about in her mind for words
to negate what she'd said. Suddenly he jackknifed to a sitting position, grasped her shoulders, turned and drew her up

  along his chest as he slowly lowered his head to the bed. His upper arms resting on the bed, he held her effortlessly over him, her face inches above his own.

  "You love me?" he demanded. "You are in love with me?" She nodded mutely.

  "I didn't hear you."

  She shivered, but answered honestly. "Yes."

  Wild triumph vied with pure male supremacy in his gleaming eyes. In a tone of purring satisfaction he rasped softly, "All deals off. No divorce, Katherine. Not ever. You may run away, retreat as often as you like but I'll find you and bring you back, believe it. You are mine and you will remain mine for the rest of your life."

  He lowered her gently to his chest, then his hands left her shoulders to cup her head. Fingers digging into her mass of black, unruly curls he drew her mouth to his in a hard, demanding, totally possessive kiss.

  out being conscious of it her fingers began sliding through the tightly curled auburn mat.

  "Does it pay well?" he began, his lips making the slow run from her temple to the corner of her mouth. Then, "Ouch." Her little finger had tangled in the thick hair, but as she started to slide it away he murmured "No," his big hand covering hers, moving it sensuously over his chest. "Does it pay well?" he repeated, against the corner of her mouth.

  "Yes," she moaned, her body alive and aching for him.

  His tongue outlined the inside of her upper lip. Once. Twice. When he felt her shudder, digging her nails into his skin, he whispered, "You want me again, Kate?"

  "Yes. Oh, Matt, yes."

  Bliss. It was the only word Katherine could think of to describe the two days they'd been together in the mountains. And now, on the third morning, she stretched and purred like a contented, well-fed house cat. Matt was already up and out of the bedroom and she flung out her arms luxuriously, wriggling her body back under the warmth of the covers. She felt well, relaxed, all tension gone and drowsily she thought over the last two days.

  Matt had told the Darcys, that first day, to take a vacation and they had happily left to visit their daughter in Allentown. She cooked for him and picked up after him and, yesterday afternoon, had brought him sandwiches and a drink when he lay sprawled lazily in the huge armchair watching a football game on TV. At the start of the second half she had passed too closely to his chair with a carelessly asked, "Who's winning?" Moving faster than she would have believed possible, he caught her around the waist and pulled her down beside him, growling, "Who the hell cares?" He had made

  violent love to her on that chair, in broad daylight and instead of being embarrassed, she had loved every minute of it.

  She had called Tom, telling him without going into lengthy explanations that she was all right. Then Matt had talked to him. Forcefully at first. "I know she's your mother, Tom. But she is also my wife, and damn it, I'm your brother's father." Then more reassuringly, "Tom, I give you my word, there was not a word of truth in what you and your mother overheard. And I promise you those two half-witted cats will not hurt your mother again."

  He had carried her, protesting loudly, into the shower, soaping her body caressingly, ordering her to return the compliment.

  Katherine's cheeks went pink at that thought and her body tingled with remembered pleasure. Just then Matt strode into the room saying cheerfully, "Coffee's ready if you're—" he paused, a slow smile curving his mouth at the sight of her pink cheeks and heavy lidded sleepy eyes. "Pleasant thoughts?"

  The slow smile did crazy things to her heartbeats and her cheeks went a deeper pink. She held her arms out to him invitingly, for the first time obeying an impulse in regard to him.

  His eyes flicked, then in three strides he covered the distance between them, dropping full length on top of her, pinning her under the covers. His arms closed around her as he kissed her lightly, then lingeringly on the mouth. "You better be careful, my Kate. Or you'll be spending the better part of our last day here right where you are."

  Katherine's arms loosened around his neck, the thought of going back to the house a chilling one. Matt

  lifted his head to stare at her. "Don't withdraw from me again, Katherine. Not here, not when we get home."

  She moved her head agitatedly back and forth on the pillow. "Matt, I don't want to go back just yet, must we?"

  "You know we must. We have to spend some time with the parents, both yours and mine. And then there's Beth's funny little New Year's Eve party."

  "I hate Beth's parties," she cried almost childishly. "I'd rather go to Richard and Anne's."

  "So would I," he murmured soothingly. "But I told Beth we'd be there, and we will. I think it's time Beth and I had a heart-to-heart. I've spoiled her, Kate, now I have to try and straighten her out." He paused, then added, "I've also got a few words for James."

  Katherine felt a twinge of anxiety. "Matt, about James—"

  "It's all right, Kate. I'm not going to banish him from the earth or anything. I'm just going to lay a few facts on him. We'll work it out, so don't worry about him."

  He nuzzled the side of her neck and suddenly, even at the risk of ruining this new, more intimate relationship between them, Katherine had to have some answers. "Matt, will you answer a question for me?"

  "Yes. If I can." His breath was a cool caress on her skin and she was almost sorry she'd said anything.

  "Why?"

  "What?"

  "Why? I've been tormented for months by that word. Why? Why?"

  His head came up with a jerk, slanting a sharp glance at her, he said quietly, "Go on."

  She took a deep breath and plunged. "Why did you ask me to marry you? Why not a younger woman? Why

  me? Oh, your reasons at the time were perfectly logical but there's one catch. Except for that one short weekend here, I've never been asked to play the hostess. I've never been asked to play the companion. And the way I shared your bed, up until September, doesn't bear thinking about."

  Matt rolled away from her, sitting up on the edge of the bed to light a cigarette, draw deeply on it. He was quiet so long Katherine grew nervous thinking, Oh, Lord, I have spoiled it. Sitting up in the middle of the bed, she drew her legs back and under herself, shaking fingers pleating then smoothing the sheer material of her nightgown. Her eyes followed him as he leaned to the night-stand, snubbed out his cigarette and immediately lit another. When he turned to her, his face was remote, devoid of expression. Reaching across the bed, he placed the cigarette between her lips, then trailed one long finger down her now paled cheek. Voice as flat and expressionless as his face, he said, "I'm going to tell you a story, Kate. I hope you're comfortable for it's a very long story." Without waiting for a reply, he asked. "Do you remember when I asked you to be my date for the prom?"

  The question threw her. What in the world could that possibly have to do with this? "Yes, but—"

  "No buts. Do you want to know what I did after I walked away from you that day. Don't bother to answer, I'm going to tell you anyway. I went out into our small field of corn, lay down between two of the rows and cried."

  Katherine's eyes widened in astonishment.

  "Yes, for the first time in many years, I cried." A small, crooked smile of self-mockery twisted his lips as, standing up, he picked up the ashtray, handed it to her, lit another cigarette, then went on. "I cried like a little

  kid whose favorite toy had been taken away." He paused to laugh harshly. "In a way that is what happened. I wanted you for a toy. At any rate I sure as hell wanted to play. And Kevin had taken you away. I knew, I had known almost from the first time I saw you, that you were for me. Why, I asked myself, didn't you know it? That was the first time I ever cried."

  "Matt," Katherine's voice was tremulous, her thoughts disbelieving. Surely he hadn't married her simply because he couldn't have her for a playmate all those years ago.

  His hand sliced through the air in a silencing motion. "I decided that whatever you an
d Kevin had going would eventually wear itself out. I'd bide my time, see what happened. I had things to do and I set about doing them. For two years, I worked and studied and worked and when I had a few free minutes I thought of you. Just before I started my third year at college, I had a day off at Labor Day, an unusual happening, I assure you. Mom sent me the papers regularly and I had a stack of them in my room. I settled down with them to catch up on the news from home and was just about halfway through the pile when I saw the write-up on your wedding. I never did finish those papers. I went out and got drunk. If I missed a few of the bars in that town it was not for lack of trying. At the last place I went in there was a dark-haired girl a few stools down the bar. I gave her the sign, she gave me the nod. She was with a man and when he left her to go to the men's room, I moved in. We were making our way out of the joint when he came back. He wasn't overjoyed with the idea of his girl taking off with me. He threw a punch, I threw a punch, a brawl started, spilled onto the sidewalk. At the first sign of

  sirens she dragged me away from the place. I was the cause of the damned thing and I was probably the only guy involved who didn't spend the night in the city lockup. She took me to her place and she took care of me. In every way. She cleaned up my cuts and bruises, she slept with me, then she mopped up the bathroom after I was sick all over it. I never got drunk again."

  He had been pacing the room restlessly as he talked and now he stopped, rubbed the back of his neck, and said abruptly, "Christ, I'm thirsty. Sit tight, I'll go get the pot of coffee."

  He was back in minutes carrying a tray which held the coffee pot, a jug of cream and two mugs. He sat the tray on the night stand, plugged the pot's cord into a socket in the wall and filled the two mugs, a small smile on his lips. As he handed her one of the mugs he murmured, "She was a nice girl. Bright but uneducated, with a lousy paying job. She still is nice."

  "You still see her?" Katherine's voice betrayed her feelings. Matt cocked a mocking brow at her. "Very often. But for business reasons only. She works for me, has since I bought my first mill. Makes a good salary. Worth every penny of it too." He lit a cigarette and sipped his coffee then mused, "Where was I? Oh, yeah, you married him. A fact of life that had to be faced. I did so, made up my mind to forget you and go back to work. I soon found that forgetting was not only hard, it was impossible. I lived with it. I managed. And as the years slid by it got easier. I could go weeks without thinking of you."