“Care to dance with me?” he asked, holding out his hands.
Billie knew the smart thing to do was to climb in the car, shut the door, and wait for him to drive her home. But her heart overruled her head.
“I’d like that,” she said in a low voice she barely recognized as her own. Zane swept her into his arms as the singer on the radio crooned “The Very Thought of You.”
While a soft spring rain fell around them, Zane danced her around in circles, humming along to the song. Billie wondered if he had any idea what he was doing to her or the damage the romantic song combined with the even more romantic moment was inflicting on her heart.
“It’s just the thought of you,” he whispered as the singer sang the last line of the song.
One moment they were dancing and the next Zane had bracketed her face with his hands and was kissing the rain drops from her eyelids, her cheeks, her lips.
The second his mouth brushed hers, Billie felt the impact of the touch throughout every cell of her body. When he wrapped her in his arms and lifted her up, she slid her arms around his neck and gave herself over to the passionate exchange.
Oh, the man could kiss! His lips tantalized hers in a dance far more exquisite than any their feet might have executed. And he tasted heavenly — rich, dark, and decidedly decadent.
In that moment, Billie knew she was lost. Lost to emotions she hadn’t anticipated, to a love she’d most certainly not expected. Lost to the possibilities of what the future might hold with Zane by her side.
Finally, he lifted his head and grinned at her. The dimples popped out in his cheeks and his teeth gleamed in contrast to the tan of his skin. “That was the best dance I’ve ever had, Billie, girl.”
She felt heat burn her cheeks as she thought about how she’d been behaving, but she couldn’t muster enough guilt to truly care. Zane was still leaving tomorrow and this might be her only opportunity to experience such bliss.
“Shall we take another spin,” she asked, pressing her lips to his before he could answer.
Several minutes later, he raised his head again, but continued to clasp her against him. He held her gently, but with a fierce possessiveness that stole her breath.
“I better get you home, Billie, or I might decide to keep you out dancing in the rain all night.” He spoke close to her ear, stirring the curls with his breath while stirring her heart with the temptation to cast caution aside and fall completely, irrevocably in love with him.
But she couldn’t.
It was going to be hard enough to tell him goodbye as it was without spending more time with him. Reluctantly, she nodded and he kissed her cheek. He carried her over to the car and set her inside before he jogged around and got behind the wheel.
A fire smoldered in his eyes, one that made her blood zing through her veins. “What are you doing all the way over there?” he asked with a smirk as he faced her.
Before she could reply, he’d tugged her so close the warmth of his thigh seared against hers. “That’s better.” He winked at her then put the car in gear. He took his time driving her back to the rooming house. The little rain storm had passed and a rainbow popped out in the evening sky.
“That’s beautiful,” Billie said, pointing to it as he parked in front of the rooming house.
“So are you, Billie, girl.” Zane took her hand in his and brought it to his lips, kissing the backs of her fingers with such deliberate care, Billie thought she might melt into the leather seats.
“Zane,” she said in a pained voice full of longing. Longing for things she couldn’t have. Longing for things better left alone.
“I sure hate to say goodbye to you, Beautiful.” Zane’s thumb traced a circle around and around on the inside of her wrist, causing sensations Billie had never experienced to weaken her knees. “You have my address, though. Will you promise to write to me, even if you don’t hear from Rock?”
“I promise,” Billie whispered, wanting Zane to hold her again, to kiss her like he had at the park.
The reality that she may never see him again crashed around her. Heedless to what Miss Burwell might think, Billie wrapped her arms around his neck once more and pressed her cheek to his. “I’m so glad I met you, Zane West. I’ll think of you often and always keep you in my prayers. Be safe and promise you’ll look me up if you ever get back to Portland.”
“I promise, Billie. I promise.” Zane burrowed his hands into her hair and she heard him inhale a deep breath before his lips touched hers in a gentle, reverent kiss. “I better let you go. Walk you to the door?”
“No. Let’s make this goodbye.” She opened the door and started to get out, then looked at him. She trailed her hand over his firm jaw, committing everything she could about him to memory, convinced it would be the last time she ever saw him. Before she flung herself into his arms, she jumped out of the car, dashed up the walk and hurried inside without looking back.
“Who is that man?” Miss Burwell demanded before the door clicked shut.
Billie spun around, not in the mood to deal with the crotchety busybody. “No one,” she said and ran up the stairs to her room.
Hours later, long after she should have been asleep, Billie sat with a book on her lap, staring at the pages but unaware of the words. Devastated by the thought of never seeing Zane again, she wanted to pout and fuss. And cry. Oh, how she wanted to cry.
However, she wouldn’t indulge in the luxury of tears. From the start, she’d known Zane would leave. Known it was foolhardy to allow feelings for the handsome soldier to escalate like a blazing wildfire the last two days. Billie should have stuck to her rule of never, ever letting a man in a uniform turn her head.
Yet Zane had. There was no use in denying it. Denying the stirrings she felt in her heart, in her very soul for him.
With her heart aching and her thoughts muddled, she didn’t hear the quiet knock on her door until the knob rattled. Billie had locked it earlier to make sure Miss Burwell left her alone, not that it would stop the woman since she had keys to all the rooms.
Quickly unfolding her legs, having tucked them beneath her in the overstuffed chair, she hurried to the door. Expecting to find Miss Burwell standing there, she was taken by surprise when Peggy and three other girls pushed past her and plowed into the room.
“What’s going on?” she asked as her friends hustled over to the window. Peggy pushed it wide open and waved her hand at someone outside.
“There’s a certain handsome man down there quite eager to see you,” Peggy said with a grin. She motioned for Billie to join them at the window.
Shocked, Billie wasted no time in leaning out the window between the girls and peering down in the darkness to see a man in a uniform looking up at her from the backyard. She waggled her fingers at him and he waved back, then jumped up and caught a hold of a limb in the big old white oak tree that grew near the house.
“Is he climbing up here?” Peggy asked, slipping an arm around Billie’s shoulders and giving her a squeeze. “Gracious, but he’s intent on seeing you. He’s been throwing rocks at windows for half an hour, trying to find you. He woke up Suzie, Marlene, and Joann, hitting their windows with rocks. My window was open and the rock he tossed in hit me on the arm. When I got up to see what was going on, he asked if I’d come get you.” Peggy’s grin broadened as Zane continued climbing the tree. “He’s absolutely marvelous, Billie.”
“We all think so. Not only is he dreamy, but romantic!” Suzie said, holding her hands beneath her chin with a giddy look on her face.
“Hush, or you’ll have ol’ burr-under-her-blanket Burwell up here,” Peggy cautioned the younger girl.
The five of them lingered in the window as Zane continued up the tree. When he reached a limb close to Billie’s window, he held his arms out to his sides for balance and deftly walked to the end of the thick, sturdy branch.
Just watching him made Billie dizzy. All five girls sucked in a gasp when he leaped off the limb and grabbed the edge of her windo
wsill.
“Are you crazy?” Billie asked in a soft voice as Zane pulled himself inside.
“Just for you, doll,” he said with a teasing smile as he swung in his legs and landed on his feet.
Billie fisted her hands on her hips, trying to appear stern. “You’re going to get me kicked out of here, you know.”
“Oh, I don’t think so. Your friends are all good eggs. They’ll keep the warden occupied for a few minutes.” Zane offered charming smiles to the women. “Won’t you, girls?”
“Of course,” Peggy said, herding the other three girls out of the room. “But I’m leaving the door open.”
Billie absently nodded to her friend as she stared at Zane. He wore the same clothes he’d had on all day, although he’d removed his tie. His shirt was wrinkled and his hair looked as though he’d forked his hand through it multiple times, but he appeared so appealing and handsome, it was nearly more than she could handle in her current frame of mind.
“I had to see you again, just for a minute,” Zane said, taking a step forward. He opened his arms and Billie was instantly in them, pressed against the solid warmth of his chest. For the first time since her parents died, she felt like she belonged, like she’d found her home. But how could that be? Zane was a soldier, here today and gone tomorrow. She’d never have a future with him. Not ever. But right then, tomorrow seemed so distant and Zane was so enticingly real and near.
Determined not to think about the future while she was captivated at that moment, she squeezed him a little tighter.
She felt his kiss on top of her head as he held her close. “I’m glad you came back even if Miss Burwell tosses me out on my ear.”
“She won’t. I promise,” Zane said, pressing a kiss to her temple. “I thought I’d never find your room. I’ve been out there for half of forever tossing rocks at windows. I figured I’d either break out a piece of glass or find someone awake who’d be willing to come get you. The first two girls who stuck their heads out their windows should be more careful about what they say to strange men.” His tone held a hint of disgust and censure. “I sure was glad when Peggy came to her window.”
Billie tipped back her head and smiled at him. “Peggy is a good friend. In fact, right now, I’d say she’s the very best.”
Zane smiled, dimples dancing enticingly in his cheeks. “I’d have to agree.” He loosened his hold and took a step back, giving her room a cursory glance before turning his attention back to her. “I know I shouldn’t be here, Billie, but I just needed to see you one last time.”
“I’m glad you came, Zane,” she said, then decided she needed to end whatever little fantasy the two of them had created the past few days. “It’s been grand spending time with you and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it, but...” She hesitated, uncertain what to say.
“But what, Billie, girl?” Zane asked, giving her a pleading look. “If you’re gonna tell me it’s been swell getting to know you but not to start planning the wedding, I was thinking I should say something along those lines, too.”
Relieved, yet oddly upset by his words, she nodded. “Oh, good. No hearts will be broken and no expectations will go unmet. We’ll still be friends, though, right?”
“Absolutely, doll. Meeting you has been one of the nicest, best things that’s happened to me in a long time.” A teasing gleam glimmered in his gorgeous blue eyes. “But just because we’re friends doesn’t mean you won’t give me a goodbye kiss, does it?”
“I think one last kiss could be arranged.” She stood on her tiptoes and slid her hands along Zane’s muscled arms. Heat radiated from him as his lips hovered just above hers. She knew she was playing with fire, but she didn’t care. Not when thoughts of Zane’s kisses chased every bit of sense right out of her head.
What might have happened next, she’d never know because Peggy rushed through the doorway, wide-eyed and out of breath from racing up the stairs. “She’s coming. Hide!”
Zane started toward the window, but Billie pushed him in the direction of her bed. “Climb under there and be quiet.”
Although it was a tight squeeze, he somehow managed to wedge himself beneath her bed. She kicked at his left foot as it stuck out from below her ruffled floral bedspread. He yanked it underneath the cover and Billie plopped down in her overstuffed chair. She whipped open the book she’d been unable to concentrate on earlier, then realized she held it upside down. Quickly righting it, she willed her pounding pulse to steady.
Peggy leaned against the doorframe, as though she’d dropped by to chat, and caught the emery board Suzie tossed her as she raced past on her way to her room. With slow, lazy strokes, Peggy brushed the board back and forth over her nails and snapped a piece of gum.
“What are you girls doing up? It’s past time for lights to be out and you know I don’t like you talking this late at night.” Miss Burwell stood in the doorway, hair tightly bound against her scalp with little curlers that looked like rubber plugs. The disapproving sneer on her face matched the imperial gleam in her eyes as she glared from Peggy to Billie then back to Peggy.
“I’m sorry, Miss Burwell. It’s my fault,” Billie said, rising to her feet as her landlady marched into the room and looked around, as though she expected to find the girls engaged in a questionable activity. She walked over to the window, slammed it shut and locked it, then whirled around, glowering at Billie.
“See that it doesn’t happen again. Now, Peggy, get yourself to your room and the two of you get some sleep. Aren’t you both scheduled to work early tomorrow?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Peggy said, pushing away from the doorframe and giving Billie a wink once Miss Burwell’s back was turned. “Night, Billie. See you in the morning.”
“Good night, Peggy. Have a pleasant night, Miss Burwell.” Billie offered the older woman a repentant look.
“Humph!” the woman said, then made her way down the hall to the stairs.
Quietly, Billie closed her door and waited a few seconds before opening it to make sure Miss Burwell hadn’t crept back to it. Assured the woman made her way down the stairs, Billie shut the door and hurried to her bed. “You can come out,” she whispered.
Zane tried to scoot out, but remained trapped when he couldn’t angle free from the bed frame. Finally, Billie dropped to the floor and hefted one side up until he could squirm out.
“Whew, that was close,” he said, sitting beside her with a goofy grin on his face that she found particularly endearing.
“You’ve got to go, Zane. If Miss Burwell comes back up here, she’ll…”
Zane silenced her. Much to her surprise, his lips settled over hers in a sweet, tender kiss. The next thing Billie knew, she was sitting on his lap, arms around his neck, while his masterful kisses blocked every thought from her mind except how much she wanted to be with him. Only him. Forevermore him.
Eventually, Zane lifted his head and smiled. “Kisses like those are definitely worth getting stuck under your bed. In fact, I’d crawl all the way here from the train depot on my hands and knees with a bed on my back, in a blizzard, for another kiss like that.”
Billie buried her face against his neck, breathing deeply of his unique, masculine scent. His fragrance made her think of open range, wild horses, and summer sunshine. “I’m going to really miss you, Zane. Promise you’ll write?”
“I already told you I would. I don’t break my promises.” Zane gave her a kiss on her nose then set her on her feet and stood. “But I better get out of here before you really do get in hot water with your landlady. From what I saw, the ol’ gal could teach Hitler a new way to dance a jig.”
Billie giggled quietly and he grinned, brushing his thumb across her cheek. “I just had to see you one more time before I left in the morning.”
“I could go with you to the train,” Billie offered. She’d have to find someone to cover for her at work for an hour, but it was doable.
“No, Billie. I know you have to work and I’ve already wrangled up enough problems for
you.” Zane’s hands burrowed into her hair then slid around to the back of her neck where his thumb gently brushed over her skin, making a shiver of delight trickle down her spine. “I’m sure glad I met you, though. Be a good girl and stay out of trouble?”
“Without you here, what trouble will there be for me to get into?” Tears burned her eyes, but she willed them away. Suddenly wanting to give Zane something to remember her by, she opened a drawer and dug through the contents until she found a photograph Peggy had talked her into posing for last autumn. Her hair had been shorter in the image, but it looked nice, and she wore one of her favorite dresses. Quickly, she wrote a message on the back of the photo then tucked it inside a cardboard photo holder.
From another drawer, she pulled a green silk scarf she’d saved weeks to purchase and handed it, along with the photo, to Zane. “I want you to have these, so you won’t forget me.” She shrugged. “Maybe the scarf will be like a good luck charm or something.”
“I could never forget you, Billie Brighton. Not in a million years.” He glanced down at the photo and grinned. “Thank you.” He wrapped the scarf around the photo and tucked it in his pocket and stepped over to the window, but jerked back.
“Well, that’s not going to work,” he said, pointing outside, careful to remain unseen from below.
Billie leaned over and looked out the window. Miss Burwell stood in the middle of the lawn, staring up at the bedroom windows, as though she knew something was amiss.
“Come on.” Billie grabbed his hand and led him out of the room and down the hall. She stopped and tapped on a door near the stairs. Peggy poked her head out, then grinned when she saw Zane.
“Making an escape?” she whispered.
“Trying. Burwell is on guard out back so he can’t leave the way he came in,” Billie said as Peggy left her room and crept with them down the stairs. “Can you watch her while he sneaks out the front?”
“I’m on the job,” Peggy said. At the bottom of the stairs, she offered Zane a snappy salute then hurried through the dining room to the library where she could keep an eye on Miss Burwell.
Dream of Her Heart Page 6
