Safari Moon

by Rogue Phoenix Press

  “Probably not.”

  She wanted to ignore him, let him go off without a goodbye from her but she decided against it. So, throwing common sense away she started after him.

  Solo stood by the jeep, staring down the long drive at nothing, but when Nyssa paused and listened she heard the steady thrum of an engine. Her fingers tightened around the quilt and she suddenly felt very naked.

  Nyssa watched, horrified, as a car approached and she could see the passengers inside.

  The car stopped abruptly in front of them, mud splattering in all directions. The driver’s door swung open.

  “What is the meaning of this?” Robert’s agitated voice demanded an answer but his furious scowl was directed at Solo, not Nyssa. Suddenly Robert’s hands balled into tight fists.

  “I told you before, they’re married.” Sarah stepped lightly from the passenger side of the car. “Aren’t they the sweetest couple?”

  Robert spun around and an instant later he slammed his fist on the roof of the car.

  “If you’d calm down, we’ll tell you everything.”

  Solo gave the appearance of cool sophistication, and Nyssa marveled at his poise because she was quaking.

  “Grandmother,” Solo said, “you need to rest. I’ll take your suitcase and you can go lie down awhile.”

  “Nonsense. I feel fine and besides, I don’t like leaving Nyssa out here with two wild animals.”

  “Nyssa and I need to speak with Robert--alone.”

  Sarah glanced at Robert but she must have decided Solo meant what he said because she smiled and did exactly what her grandson asked. She went into the cabin.

  Robert had composed himself and although he stood stiff-legged, he’d managed to fake a stoic mask over his previously scowling features. From the absence of sound, it appeared Robert planned to at least listen to the farfetched story Solo was about to tell.

  “We are married.” Solo paused. “In name only.”

  Robert’s mask of indifference slipped a fraction, his forehead wrinkling slightly when he turned his attention to her.

  Solo continued in a moderate voice, his hands in his pockets. “Sarah’s dying and--”

  “Impossible.”

  There was another long silence while she thought over Robert’s one word. Her brother had told her the same thing.

  The worst scenario had happened. Both Robert and her brother knew about the wedding, both believed a wedding, staged or real, was forever. Solo moved closer to her, offering her his strength, but she refused to lean on him. She was as much a part of the lie as he was. She’d agreed to everything Solo had suggested, eagerly at times, and now the moment to deal with the consequences had arrived.

  “I’d like to hear what Nyssa has to say.”

  Robert had never lost his patience, never resorted to anger, but at the moment his voice escalated to fury. The composed expression slipped farther and the frown lines deepened.

  “Sarah is much better now,” Nyssa said.

  “Haven’t you realized the truth yet? Are you so naive you can’t see that this spoiled mama’s boy wants one thing from you, and he’ll try anything to get you into his bed?”

  Solo hands pressed down on her shoulders, his fingers tightening. She pulled the quilt snug while she wished she had something else besides her white lingerie on beneath the meager covering.

  “That’s not fair,” Nyssa said. “Solo is not spoiled and he doesn’t want me--not that way.”

  “You’re wrong Nyssa. He wants you anyway he can get you. Even if he has to lie. Solo St. John has taken advantage of you from the first day he met you and that’s a fact. You’re too gullible by far and this wildlife shoot is a travesty.”

  “I’ve never done anything with her she hasn’t agreed to,” Solo said, in a soft, dangerous voice.

  Nyssa touched his hand, and wished he’d keep his mouth closed because that last statement could be construed a million different ways, none of the connotations ones she wanted to acknowledge.

  “Stop this,” she said to both men. “I did think she was dying. When I saw her the first day, Sarah looked so frail and she clung to the Colonel’s arm. Solo’s grandmother would never resort to something so underhanded.”

  Robert murmured something under his breath that sounded like hogwash but Nyssa wasn’t sure.

  “So you married Solo because his grandmother wanted you to?”

  “The Colonel did--arrange everything.”

  “Why would the Colonel do that? You told me he doesn’t like you. If you’ve slept with St. John, our marriage is off.”

  “I haven’t, I--”

  “What Nyssa and I do together is none of your business--and Grandmother is ill despite what you may think. So for the moment it’s important we make her believe we’re married and in love, otherwise she’ll never believe we’re trying to get pregnant.”

  “Pregnant!” Robert lost all composure. “Do you expect me to claim the child, too?”

  “We’re going to pretend,” Nyssa said.

  “Fake pillows under the dress--that’s real good. How long do you think it will take her to guess the truth? A day? Maybe a week? And then what?”

  “Robert...”

  “I don’t know you at all, Nyssa. How could you be so selfish?”

  Nyssa didn’t hear the door of the cabin close nor the tap, tap, tap of Sarah’s shoes against the porch. None of them did.

  “Did you settle everything?” Sarah asked.

  “What?”

  “I said, are all your differences resolved? I warmed up some muffins and made a pot of coffee if anyone is interested. A discussion always sounds better on a full stomach. And Nyssa--perhaps you should put some clothes on.”

  Nyssa wiggled beneath Sarah’s scrutiny but then blessed her for stepping in and taking control. She wanted nothing more at the moment than to get dressed.

  “Thank you,” Robert said in a tight cautious voice.

  Sarah linked her arm through Roberts, drawing him and the others back to the cabin.

  “Well,” Nyssa said after emerging from the bedroom in jeans and a warm sweater. “I’m sorry you made the trip for nothing. As you can see Solo and I are happily married.”

  They all sat around the kitchen table and Sarah poured the coffee, a plate of muffins in front of them. Robert leaned back in his chair and caught Nyssa’s gaze with his.

  “I like it here, the air is fresh and clean. Think I’ll stay awhile.”

  Chapter Eleven

  “You can’t.” Nyssa stood abruptly and coffee splashed in one big sloppy mess from her mug. “There’s no room.” She patted the stain with a paper napkin while she shot Solo nervous looks, and wished he’d say something--anything that would make Robert leave.

  Robert glanced lazily at the sofa. “I’m sure with a warm blanket and a soft pillow I’ll find the accommodations to my liking. Besides, I want to ride with Solo to the wolf site and conduct a little research on my own. Wild animals and their habits have always fascinated me.” Robert finished the sentence with a pointed look at Solo.

  “You can’t go to the site.” Solo’s voice assumed a hard edge, and his fingers drummed against the white linen cloth on the table. “Excuse me.” Solo pushed away from the table.

  “Of course I can. What’s to stop me?”

  To Nyssa, the situation had reached a catastrophic climax and threatened to explode in her face. The problem was that Robert had every right to stay since she was Robert’s fiancée and not Solo’s wife. But she was Solo’s wife so she couldn’t be Robert’s fiancée.

  About then Solo strode from the room, his face a blank picture. The screen door quickly creaked open then slowly back, followed by a penetrating silence.

  “I’ll get my suitcase.” Robert pursued Solo out the door and Nyssa prayed to heaven for divine guidance and intervention.

  Sarah smiled benignly at Nyssa and for one frantic moment Nyssa felt sure Sarah knew about the charade.

  “Robert is a nic
e young man but I can’t figure out why he’s here. Perhaps you could tell me.” Sarah filled Nyssa’s cup to the brim and Nyssa wondered if she could drink this coffee without spilling it or choking on it.

  Before she left for the kitchen, Nyssa bent her attention to the stain and mumbled about ice maidens that didn’t know what they were getting into when they promised hot blooded males they’d help them out of a tight spot. As she walked back to the table, Sarah slanted her a curious look.

  To Nyssa, “Are you alright? You look a bit ragged around the edges. But you are newly wed and I’ll bet my grandson kept you up most of the night.”

  Saved from an answer by Robert’s appearance at the door, Nyssa watched the last remnants of brown sludge vanish from the cloth. With that done, she sat down and a few minutes later, she ventured a timid glance at Sarah.

  “Where should I put this?” Robert dropped a backpack onto the couch, his hand resting on the top while he waited for directions.

  “In the car,” Nyssa said.

  Sarah and Robert both shot her a curious look, “There’s no need to be rude. I know this complicates your honeymoon. Why with me in the loft upstairs and Robert on the couch, you don’t have a bit of privacy. But just think, we’ll leave in a day or two and you’ll have Solo all to yourself.”

  Sarah winked at her and Nyssa wanted to fade into the wall.

  Robert chose that moment to clear his throat, and when he spoke, the threat in his tone was clear. “I’m not sure when I’ll leave. I did take a week off work and I’d like to see some of Alaska before I return.”

  “Both of you will have to go home as soon as the Colonel gets back from his business trip. I’m up here to work not play.” Solo strode through the door, his presence intimidating. He carried an arm-load of cameras in one arm and had a bag slung over the other shoulder.

  With Solo’s words, Robert stiffened and he too tried for intimidation. His pose not as threatening as Solo’s but Nyssa saw a side of Robert she’d never known existed.

  Nyssa decided she didn’t want to find herself between these two bristling and posturing male animals. They had both assumed characteristics far different from their usual demeanor, and she wasn’t sure at all how to deal with them. Escape seemed preferable but there wasn’t the time or the means.

  Solo dumped his gear in the bedroom and when he sauntered back to the living room, he had a look on his face that said he’d won this round. He sat on the sofa, negligently propping his feet on the rustic table in front of him. His hands were crossed behind his head, and for the first time since Robert and his grandmother pulled up in front of the cabin, Solo smiled--smiled hugely.

  “Don’t let me stop you,” Robert said. “I’ll help if you tell me what to do.”

  “Make no mistake, I’d love to tell you what to do and nothing you could say would stop me, but I am on my honeymoon and guests or not, I plan to enjoy myself and my wife.”

  “Solo.” Nyssa wondered what on earth possessed this man to challenge Robert in such a tacky manner and imply so many things that weren’t true.

  “Pumpkin?”

  Nyssa gripped the arms of the chair and counted until her jaw hurt. Robert arched an eyebrow and Solo smiled again, a self-assured, cocky smile. If this kept up too much longer, she’d drive the jeep to the site and finish Solo’s pictures so she could go home--by herself. The last place she wanted to be right now was in this cabin with these two men and one sweet innocent grandmother who could offer no protection. The scenario reminded her too much of Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf, but in her case there were two wolves.

  “I’d like to speak to you. In private,” Nyssa said.

  Solo set his feet on the floor and Robert stepped in her direction.

  “Solo--I want to talk to Solo.”

  “After you.” Solo gallantly waited for her to enter the bedroom before he too walked in, and with a grin on his face closed the door behind him.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” Nyssa asked, by now thoroughly exasperated with Solo. “Everything you said is a direct challenge to Robert. I can’t believe you’d do this to me. Why?” When she finished she sat down on the window ledge, her hands in her lap. Then she waited for a response, an answer to the questions she’d flung at him, but all he did was shrug.

  “Are you purposely rude?”

  “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be impolite but our wedding means a great deal to grandmother. I can’t let her think our marriage is anything but real. Robert’s presence and the way he acts interferes with everything we planned.”

  Nyssa leaned back against the window and stared at the ceiling. The glass felt cold on her back, indifferent to her problems and the knotholes in the wood above her didn’t provide answers either.

  “What are we going to do? I can’t sleep in here with you while he’s out there on the couch.”

  “We don’t have a choice.”

  “Of course we do,” Nyssa said. “We just don’t know what those choices are yet.”

  “We don’t have to solve the problem this minute. I can sleep on the floor if you want me to.” Solo grimaced when he said floor and Nyssa thought she could have laughed at the face he made if the situation hadn’t been so dire.

  “You don’t have to be noble. We are two mature adults. We can share the bed without climbing all over each other.”

  “You’ve got to be kidding.”

  “I can keep my hands off you.” Nyssa sounded petty. She knew what she said wasn’t true but darn it anyway this was Solo’s fault. He had the nerve to walk in here and insinuate she wanted him.

  “Want to bet.”

  His words were slow and sexy and Nyssa didn’t mean to think of the implications. She didn’t need to bet either because without Solo’s help, she’d lose. Nyssa shook her head and mouthed the word “no” but her reply was drowned out by the loud obtrusive pound on the bedroom door.

  “I don’t want you in that bedroom with my fiancée.”

  Solo wrenched open the door and Robert’s hand, still poised in the air to knock, almost slammed into Solo’s nose before he drew his arm back.

  “My wife, and I’ll keep her in the bedroom with me whenever I damn well choose to do so.” Solo’s lazy drawl turned to a definite snarl when he spoke to Robert.

  “Your grandmother,” Nyssa said.

  “Gone for a walk,” Robert stepped into the room and made straight for Nyssa who still sat on the window ledge. She pushed back against the glass bewildered and frightened by Robert’s new persona. “And she’s not your wife.”

  “But I am. At least for a while.”

  “A short while.” Robert reached for her hand and held it possessively. “Although St. John doesn’t act like he’s in any hurry to annul the travesty, I am. I’m sure with my help you can fend his advances off until Sarah is well. Although I doubt she’s been sick a day in her life.”

  “Get your hands off my wife.”

  “Solo.” Nyssa rose from the ledge and untangled her fingers from Robert’s. “I don’t understand. Go on--both of you. Go burn some energy.”

  Although the two men glowered at each other, they left and Nyssa wasn’t sure where they went. When she drummed up enough courage to leave the bedroom, she discovered Sarah happily occupying her time with knitting needless and yarn.