Still The One

by Joan Reeves

  When he kissed her, she didn't resist. Instead, she poured her heart into the kiss. She kissed him as if she'd never stop. His breathing became ragged.

  "I want you," she whispered. "I need you so much, Burke."

  "And you can have me," he whispered roughly.

  She felt the hard evidence of his desire. He still hadn't said what she needed to hear. What she must hear before she could give herself to him again.

  "Burke, please," she said, intending to beg him to tell her how he felt.

  "I will please you, Ally," Burke promised, his voice hoarse with desire. "I'll please you more than any man ever has.

  Ally's eyes snapped open. "What did you say?"

  "You heard me, sweetheart." He kissed her hair and then the dimple at the corner of her mouth. "Only I can pleasure you the way you need."

  His mouth slid down her throat to the tender cord at the side. He kissed her there and then nipped lightly with his teeth, making her cry out her need.

  "I'll make you cry out in joy like that," he whispered against her throat. "Just like the other night. I'll love you so thoroughly that you'll never remember how it felt to be in another man's bed."

  She pushed at him. He stumbled back and fell into one of the deck chairs.

  "What?" He looked up. "What's wrong with you?"

  "You're not crazy for me. You're crazy period. All you want is this deal to go through. You don't care about me except as something to own. A toy to keep all to yourself. You have a nerve." She was in a towering rage. "Another man's bed?" She snapped, tapping her foot angrily. "Why don't you explain that comment?"

  Burke cursed beneath his breath, emotionally wrung out and wanting her so much he ached from it. "I'm not the one who bragged about my conquests," he parried.

  "Back to that again? I didn't brag. And they weren't conquests," Ally defended.

  "Right. Let's see, how did you phrase it? Your active social life?"

  "Yes, I do have one. That's not the same thing as nailing every man in sight."

  He snorted. "I'll just bet. How many more men do you have sniffing around your skirts in Dallas?"

  "You're being obnoxious." Ally willed the anger to rise. It was so much better than the hurt that waited for her.

  "I am, huh? What kind of fun and games do you and your friend Preston indulge in?" Burke seemed hell-bent on lashing out at her. "What have you been doing with him while you've been hiding from me?"

  "You are also being crude," Ally said.

  "I know a hot babe when I see one, and I'm looking at one now. You dressed for seduction in that dress, so don't bother denying it."

  "You're also as dense as a fence post." Ally whirled.

  Frustrated at her continued rejection, Burke grabbed her arm. "I'll be damned if I let you carry on with him under my roof so don't even think about trying to smuggle him into your bed to satisfy the need I created in you."

  Ally jerked her arm from his grasp. "Don't come near me again, or I'll make sure you can't satisfy any woman for a long while, Burke Winslow."

  * * *

  Preston and Tiffany stayed silent, huddled in the shadows behind the big oak tree until Burke adjusted his trousers and returned to the party. Now was not the time to chase down Ally and offer her comfort. Or to confront Burke and pound some sense into his hard skull.

  "I tried to tell Ally," Tiffany said. She stared up into Preston's eyes.

  "Tell her what, love?" Preston kissed the end of her nose.

  "That Burke must still be in love with her. Why else would he be using me to make her jealous?"

  "How did he do that?"

  "Burke and I have never had anything beyond friendship between us, but he suggested to Ally that we were lovers. Think back to the restaurant when you were sitting with Ally. Remember how strangely Burke was acting?"

  "Strangely?"

  "Yes, whispering to me. Laughing with me. True, I was flirting with him, just to get back at Ally. But he'd never acted like that before with me. He was playing up to me just to make her jealous. Even I could see that. When all the time, he was only telling me dumb jokes he'd got off the Internet."

  "Jokes? Why I thought he was saying wicked, sexy things to you." Preston kissed her eyes closed.

  "Burke?" Tiffany's nose wrinkled. "I'd be surprised if he even thinks about sex."

  "Oh, trust me, he does," Preston said, molding her lips to his. Then they forgot the other couple.

  * * *

  Ally made it to her bedroom without anyone witnessing her stricken expression. She'd had her second chance, but she hadn't been able to rekindle the love Burke had once felt for her. All she'd elicited had been desire. Lust. And she wasn't willing to settle for that.

  With shaking hands, she studied her appearance. Other than being a bit pale, she didn't look like a woman whose heart had broken into pieces.

  Maybe maturity brought some kind of acceptance and wisdom. At least she'd learned that life did go on. Somehow, you functioned and eventually healed.

  She loved Burke. That was a fact that would always be a part of her. But he didn't want her love. He didn't want marriage to her. He only wanted two things from her. One was to stamp his male brand on her for Preston to see. The other was for her to convince Sakamoto of his trustworthiness and stability as a married man.

  Perhaps, if she didn't fall apart at the seams, she could help him successfully conclude his business deal. She loved him enough to try. She feared his business would be the only thing that would ever matter to him so maybe it was fitting that she help him however she could.

  Ally took a deep breath and prepared to give the performance of her life. At least she could give Burke the Sakamoto deal as a parting gift.

  Chapter 16

  For the next few hours Ally acted a part that would surely have won her an Academy Award, she thought, pausing for breath.

  She had regaled Sakamoto-san and Nishi-san with anecdote after anecdote, all designed to point out the stable relationship she and Burke possessed. Maybe she should write fiction, she thought bitterly, laughing at something Nishi said.

  The housekeeper came over to consult with her. Ally excused herself and followed Deirdre to the kitchen. From the corner of her eye, she saw Burke approach Sakamoto. Good. Let him finish the play-acting, she thought.

  "Should we open any more champagne, Mrs. Winslow? It's getting rather late, and I presume everyone would be leaving soon."

  Ally looked at the tub of iced down bottles. "Sure. Why not? Open all of them. In fact, I'll have a bottle all my own," she said.

  "Very well," Deirdre said primly.

  Evidently, she disapproved. Good, Ally thought. Let the Drill Sergeant disapprove. She didn't care. She waited while the waiter filled a tray of champagne flutes.

  "I haven't had a thing to eat or drink tonight," Ally said. "So it's time for me to eat, drink, and be merry." She lifted a glass and handed it to Deirdre. "Drink up, Mrs. Henry. You're behind. And so am I."

  With that, Ally downed the entire glassful.

  Deirdre Henry stared at her aghast. Then to Ally's astonishment, she downed her glass in the wink of an eye.

  Ally whooped with laughter. "Way to go, Mrs. H." She grabbed two more glasses from the waiter's tray. "Here, have another."

  When Deirdre raised it and began gulping it, Ally reached out and stopped her. "Better take that one slower," she advised.

  Deirdre mumbled. "Yes, you're right. Thank you."

  Ally smiled and patted her on the shoulder. "My pleasure." She turned to go then stopped. Turning back she said, "By the way, you did a great job. This was quite a party."

  The woman blushed crimson. "Thank you, Mrs. Winslow. I'm glad you noticed." The woman's gaze met Ally's then moved away. "By the way, there's something I should probably tell you."

  Ally smiled. "Hold the thought. We'll talk later. I need to get back." She hurried from the kitchen. The glass of wine she'd tossed back had warmed her considerably so she drained the one she he
ld to keep the heat going. The champagne-induced warmth felt much better than the icy self-restraint that had permeated her entire being since she'd left Burke on the patio.

  She strolled around making sure everyone was having a good time. She really should eat something she thought, but she just wasn't hungry. She lifted another glass of champagne from the waiter's tray and watched as he made his way through the room.

  When the waiter reached Burke and Sakamoto, she was gratified to see each of them take a glass. Perhaps they were going to toast their successful deal, she thought, feeling only emptiness at the prospect.

  Burke and his guests settled into a quiet corner. She watched and was rewarded to see their faces wreathed in smiles. Suddenly she saw Burke lift his glass in salute to her.

  * * *

  Burke's hand was sweaty on the glass. So Ally thought that the only thing he wanted her for was to close this deal? He'd show her how wrong she was.

  "My wife is very beautiful, isn't she?" he asked.

  "Most beautiful," Nishi was quick to say.

  "There's only one problem," Burke said. "She's not really my wife."

  "Your wife is not your wife?" Sakamoto questioned, sitting straighter.

  "Well, she is my wife, but we got divorced. Six years ago. Except she never filed the papers, so we're still actually married."

  Burke felt a huge weight being lifted from his shoulders. If this would win Ally back, then the twenty million dollar gesture would be worth it.

  Sakamoto said something in Japanese to his son.

  "And you see Miss Estes over there? My business partner?" Burke pointed to where Tiffany stood arm in arm with Preston Kesey.

  "Yes," Sakamoto said, "A very nice young lady."

  "She and I were engaged."

  "What?" Nishi and Sakamoto asked in unison.

  "Well, we were until Ally showed up."

  Furious Japanese flowed back and forth between Sakamoto and his son.

  Burke began to relish this destruction of what amounted to a year's negotiation. If you were going to crash and burn, he thought, you might as well do it in a big way.

  "And you see the man she's standing with?"

  At their nod, he said, "That's my wife's boyfriend from Dallas."

  "What is the meaning of this?" Sakamoto senior asked, jerking to his feet.

  Burke sipped his champagne. Time to get it over with. It was close to midnight, and he was beginning to turn into a pumpkin.

  Chapter 17

  Ally said warm farewells to the two Japanese gentlemen. She was grateful that they finally departed though their rapid-fire Japanese comments, not to mention their strange glances at her, left her puzzled.

  After that, the guests began to trickle away in twos and threes. She sighed gratefully when the door closed behind the last one.

  "Well, Mrs. Henry," she said, tiredly, "as the old song said, 'the shindig is over.'"

  Deirdre frowned. "I don't remember those exact words."

  Ally waved her hand airily. "Different words. Same meaning. I'm going to call it a day. This bottle of champagne and I have a date." She grabbed a half-full bottle and a glass and headed for the stairs.

  Climbing the stairs was as difficult as scaling a mountain, she thought, when at last she reached her bedroom. She stumbled inside and locked the bedroom door. She didn't want to make it easy, in case her husband wanted to discuss conjugal rights.

  She was exhausted. She peeled her dress off and the black corset beneath. Somehow, she found the energy to wash the makeup off her face and brush her teeth. But she was simply too tired to shower and shampoo the hair spray out of her upswept hair style.

  Ally turned back the covers on the bed and crawled in. Then she reached for the bottle of champagne. She'd never swigged champagne straight from the bottle before, she thought, rebelliously tipping the bottle back.

  Yuk. It didn't mix well with the taste of toothpaste at all. But it should work great as a sleeping aid. She took another swig then set the bottle on the bed table and slid between the sheets. With a soft sigh, in a moment, she was asleep.

  * * *

  Sometime, it could have been an hour later or eight hours later, she roused. Something had woken her. Some noise.

  "Ally? Ally, let me in. We need to talk."

  "Talk. schmalk," she mumbled. She knew what Burke had on his brain and it had nothing to do with talk. She pulled a pillow over her head and shut out his voice.

  To her surprise, she awoke at dawn. Golden rays of light slipped between the slats of the wood blinds and slanted across her bed.

  Ally groaned and sat up, wide awake, but with a headache ferocious enough to bring low the strongest man. Her mouth tasted like the bottom of something she didn't wish to contemplate. Yet, for reasons unknown, she was as alert and full of energy as if she'd had a restful eight hours of sleep.

  She stretched and contemplated how to bring sanity back to her life as soon as possible. She shoved the covers aside and swung her feet to the floor. She was only a little wobbly as she staggered to the bathroom. Not bad for a woman who'd been up nearly twenty hours without any sustenance other than champagne.

  She could do this, she decided, ducking under the shower spray. It was easy. All she had to do was not think. She'd be like Scarlett O'Hara and think about things tomorrow. That philosophy had served old Scarlett rather well. Of course, not thinking about Burke took some doing, she discovered as she prepared to leave. But she'd have plenty of time to master the skill.

  She didn't bother taking anything with her except her handbag. With the exception of the dress she wore by necessity, which Burke had purchased, she wanted no reminders of the time spent here. It would be easier that way.

  Mrs. Henry had been given the morning off so the house was quiet. Ally actually felt regret that she wouldn't have a chance to say good-bye to the old Drill Sergeant. She'd grown quite fond of the woman, she discovered.

  Hurriedly, she penned a note to Burke telling him she would leave the Jag at the park and ride lot closest to the airport.

  Weakness hit her then. She couldn't walk out without a last look around at his home. She hoped he'd be happy here.

  * * *

  Burke awoke to the ringing doorbell. He opened his eyes and looked around and discovered he was in his own bed. Alone. Damn! He'd planned to wind up in Ally's bed last night. Though he'd tried to rouse her several times during the wee hours of the morning, she'd ignored him.

  The bell rang again and again.

  "All right. All right. I'm coming." Blearily, he focused on trying to get his robe on. Eventually, he managed to stagger to the door and fling it open.

  "Tiffany. What do you want?" He blinked against the bright sunlight. "Do you know what time it is?"

  "Why, yes," she said, looking at her watch. "It's one in the afternoon."

  That woke him up. "It is?" How had he slept so late? And where was Ally? The house was ominously quiet.

  "I just had to come tell you the news. Nishi Sakamoto just called."

  "Yeah. I'm sorry about that, Tiffany. I'll make it up to you somehow. I know how much you wanted to make that deal work."

  "What are you talking about? They want to sign the papers as soon as we're ready."

  Burke shook his head as if to clear it. "I'm sorry. Something must be wrong with my ears. I thought you said they went for the deal."

  "They did." She frowned. "Although I don't understand their explanation exactly."

  "Why? What did they say?"

  "Let me see if I can remember his exact words. Nishi said that his father expected Americans to be highly individualistic, but that you worked too hard at it. But they figured if you could make your relationships work then you could certainly handle any business problems that arose." She frowned. "Does that make any sense?"

  Burke laughed. He laughed until he had tears running down his face. "Yeah. In a weird way, I guess it does."

  "Well, I'll leave you to celebrate with Ally." Tiffany he
sitated, "By the way. I'm taking a few days off. Thought I'd go to Dallas. Maybe take in some art."

  Burke remembered her and Preston with their arms linked. That made him laugh even harder.

  * * *

  He wasn't laughing two hours later as he retrieved his Jaguar from the park and ride lot at Hobby Airport.

  "Gee, I'm sorry, Mr. Winslow. I don't know how that scratch got on the hood," the manager said. "But I'm sure it was like that when it came in here."

  "Never mind. The car doesn't matter. Just gas it up for me."

  Fifteen minutes later, he was on the Gulf Freeway headed north. If Preston was right, and Ally went to her office first, he'd get to her apartment before she did. If he pushed it. Fortunately, though the Jag was a bit battered, its engine purred just fine. He could make the trip in record time if he didn't get stopped for speeding.

  This time, he'd teach Ally that running away wasn't the answer to their problems.

  Chapter 18

  Sighing with relief, Ally opened the door to her apartment. She was so tired that she wished she hadn't gone straight to the office. All those hours spent catching up on email and correspondence had drained her. She sniffed. That was odd. Her apartment smelled like fresh-brewed coffee. She tossed her purse on the chair in the small foyer then walked into the living room.

  "It's about time you got home," Burke said.

  Startled, Ally yelped. When she saw him sitting calmly on her couch, she sagged in relief. Her hand pressed to her chest to slow her racing heart.

  "What are you doing here?" she exclaimed.

  "Is that any way to greet your husband?" He rose from the couch and walked toward her.

  Ally backed away. "Don't come any closer." Her relief transformed to sheer panic.

  Burke stopped. His head slanted to the side and he regarded her with amusement. "Relax, Ally. You and I have some business to discuss."

  "Business!" She said the word as if it were something repugnant. "I've done all I can to help you with your business, Burke. I can't do any more. I can't be your wife any more."