When the phone slapped down in Clarissa’s ear, her entire body jerked in reaction to it. If she didn’t know better, she could’ve sworn she was talking to a different man.
For the fifth time since she’d sat down at the table, Capri’s eyes slid across the dining room. She’d been waiting for Pepper who was having lunch with her. Unfortunately, Capri had arrived early and discovered that Tiberius was there as well. Each time she looked up he was watching her.
Though she hated how edgy he was making her feel, she knew she couldn’t leave. All she could think of was that morning in his house. The memories kept her glued to her chair.
Capri was angrier with herself than anyone else. She hated the fact that she’d shared some of the most private things about life with Tiberius. She’d completely lowered her defenses and lost control. Still, she had no regrets. He was what she’d wanted then. Who was she kidding? He was what she wanted now.
Clearing her throat, Capri reached for her glass of tea. She drank the entire glass and munched on the small square cubes of ice at the bottom.
Tiberius, who had been having lunch with a few colleagues, was wrapping up his meeting. When he shook hands and waved off the other three doctors, he tossed back the rest of his drink. Then he headed across the dining room.
“We’re gonna be grandparents.”
Capri set her glass down and looked up at Tiberius. Her lovely face was a picture of confusion. “Excuse me?”
Tiberius pushed one hand into the pocket of his maroon trousers and smiled. “Droopey’s expecting.”
“Expecting what?” Capri asked, still dumbfounded. That, plus the fact that she couldn’t believe she was talking to him after so many days.
“Droopey’s pregnant.”
Capri’s dark eyes lit up at the news. “Lewey and Droopey made babies.”
Tiberius’s hazel gaze grew more intense as he watched her. Pulling his hand from his pocket, he took a seat at the table and noticed the bright smile on Capri’s face leave, to be replaced by a look of uncertainty. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
Capri swallowed and held her hands out. “I’m sorry about this. I should’ve kept him better restrained.”
Tiberius frowned a little and shrugged his shoulder. “Ah, don’t worry about it,” he said, with a careless wave. “Restrained or not, he wouldn’t have been able to resist my girl.”
Capri laughed. “No, I think you’ve got that backwards. See, it’s Droopey who couldn’t resist my big guy.”
Tiberius’s deep laughter rumbled to the surface and, for a moment, they teased each other about whose dog was more irresistible. Unfortunately, the laughter soon ceased and silence settled between them.
“Capri, about what you saw—”
“Tibe, please, you don’t have to.”
“I want to. I need to talk to you about this.”
Capri took a deep breath and lowered her eyes to study the table. “Tibe, I really can’t talk about this with you now.”
“When then?” he asked, upset by her unwillingness to hear him out.
Capri twirled a lock of hair around her finger. “I don’t know, Tibe, but I can’t talk about it now because I’m meeting Pepper for lunch.”
Tiberius turned around and followed the line of Capri’s gaze. He saw Pepper heading toward the table and gave a disappointed smile. “We can’t keep ignoring each other, Capri.”
Capri looked right into his light eyes but couldn’t respond.
“Hello, Tiberius,” Pepper said as she stood next to the table.
Tiberius got out of the chair and held it for Pepper.
“Good to see you, Pepper.” He gave her a dazzling dimpled smile. Turning back to Capri he nodded. “I’ll be seeing you.”
“I know I just interrupted something. What was it?” Pepper asked, as soon as Tiberius walked away.
Capri pressed her palm to her forehead and sighed. “I guess he took our argument more seriously than I thought. He slept with another woman.”
Pepper’s mouth dropped open. “What?”
“Her clothes were draped over his stairway.”
“Oh,” Pepper softly replied. “Well, you never know. He still might have a good explanation—though I have no idea what it could be. Still, maybe you should hear him out.”
“I don’t know.”
“I assume he was trying to explain before I got here?”
“You assume correctly.”
Pepper frowned. “Well?”
“Well, what?”
“You’re not giving me anything here.”
“Pepper I just don’t think I have the nerve to talk to him. I was standing in his bedroom with some other woman’s lingerie lying all around and even then I didn’t believe what I was seeing, that he would do that. Stupid, huh?” Capri felt her lashes flutter at the memory.
Pepper leaned back in her chair and regarded her best friend with a thoughtful stare. For the first time in a long time, she had no clue what to say.
Chapter 18
“Wow! What’s all this?” Capri wondered using her hand to brim her eyes against the sun when she jumped from the Navigator.
Tiberius took in all of the hubbub when he left the driver’s side. “No idea. Felicity didn’t mention anything when I called about coming out.”
Capri stood in awe of all the people mulling about the property. She and Tiberius had returned to Alan and Felicity Thomas’s Key Biscayne estate against their better judgment, but they had a job to do. Grimacing, Capri turned to fix Tiberius with a soft look.
“Look, thanks for coming out here. I know you hadn’t planned on this, but I really think we’ll benefit from a second visit.”
“I still don’t see the point of looking for more photos when the hospital’s got plenty already.”
Capri was already nodding at his point. “I’m looking for intimacy.”
Tiberius blinked. “Did you say intimacy?”
“I did.”
“You’re gonna have to explain that one.”
Capri stood on the Navigator’s step rail in order to face him more directly. “What I’m looking for are photos that say something about his life, his family, his hobbies, his passions…the things that make it all worthwhile.” She spread her hands across the roof of the SUV. “The hospital shots speak to his passion, of course, but the photos I want now will speak to his soul.”
“Learn somethin’ new every day, I guess.” Tiberius grinned and smoothed the back of his hand across his jaw. “I truly had no idea that so much thought went into choosing a picture.”
“What can I say? It’s a science.”
“And you’re an extremely talented scientist.”
“I do what I can.” Capri shrugged, and slanted him a saucy wink before she jumped off the step rail.
Tiberius maintained his stance near the Navigator. His gaze was focused and probing as he studied her, admiring her skill as much as he admired the sparkle in her dark eyes when she spoke about her work.
“Tiberius? Capri? Oh I’m just tickled y’all could make it out!”
Felicity Thomas hurried down the white brick steps leading onto the horseshoe drive. She clapped and giggled so enthusiastically that Tiberius and Capri exchanged glances and silently decided she was just a bit too thrilled by their arrival.
“I’m afraid I wasn’t very up-front with you earlier, Tiberius.”
“Is that right?” Tiberius leaned down to kiss the woman’s cheek.
Felicity’s vibrant blue stare narrowed playfully. “I did have an ulterior motive for wanting you two back out here again.”
“Such as?” Capri asked when it was her turn to kiss Felicity’s cheek.
“I don’t think I told you that Al and I are celebrating our golden anniversary this weekend.”
Capri scanned the sea of bodies roaming the grounds. “And all these people are preparing for the party?”
“Bingo!”
“Felicity—”
“Now I won’t tak
e ‘no’ for an answer. You two are here and here you’ll remain until the last bottle of champagne is drained.”
For a sixty-eight-year-old woman, Felicity Thomas was formidable when the issue of partying was at stake.
“Well, we’ve got nothing to wear,” Capri tried, glancing down at her hip-hugging beige short suit and then over at Tiberius’s sagging jeans and throwback Dolphins jersey. “We can’t go like this.”
“No worries, darlin’. Why, there are plenty of sweet li’l shops right here in Biscayne, isn’t that right, Tiberius?”
Felicity’s enthusiasm was apparently contagious, for Tiberius was grinning almost as broadly as she was. “That’s right.”
“But—”
“Now now, Capri. Technically you’re here on business and that’s what expense reports are for, right?”
“Right.” Capri’s response was low. While she rarely passed on a chance to shop, she didn’t know how eager she was for an impromptu trip right on the heels of the Keys. It all may turn out to be a bit more than she needed.
Tiberius, however, was quite sold on the idea of staying simply because he craved the time alone with Capri. “This could be just what you need.”
Capri spared a quick look at Felicity before glaring at Tiberius. “What I need?”
“Photos with intimacy?” he reminded her, and moved around to the front of his truck. “Weekend like this’ll give you a lot of photo ops, won’t it?”
Capri closed her eyes, unable to argue his point. “Good thing I never leave home without it,” she said as she grabbed her camera bag from the backseat.
There were indeed several photo ops, and Capri began shooting the moment they headed toward the house.
“Felicity, I don’t know how you do this, organizing parties almost right on top of one another.”
“Oh, honey, I enjoy it so. Always have.”
Capri captured a shot of an elaborate ice sculpture. “I’d go crazy trying to organize all this.”
“Life of a doctor’s wife, sweetie.” Felicity gave a surprisingly youthful twist of her hips. “You’ll find that out soon enough.”
Capri was struck silent then and ceased working with the lens of her wide angle. She risked a glance a Tiberius and celebrated the fact that he hadn’t heard the remark.
The threesome headed inside the house with Capri snapping shots the whole time. She’d taken almost a full roll by the time they were ascending the magnificent spiral stairway. Felicity chatted nonstop and even mentioned the weather, noting a tropical storm in the forecast that might set down upon them.
“Might make your party a little difficult,” Tiberius warned.
“Oh no. If anything I’m looking forward to it even more. There’s somethin’ cozy about partying in the midst of a torrential downpour.”
Capri shook her head, though she adored the older woman’s strong romantic streak.
“Yes, I do enjoy overnight affairs.” Felicity sighed, still surprisingly energetic once they’d cleared the staircase. “The idea of having my guests under the same roof makes the evening more magical. Now let’s see…”
Tiberius and Capri followed along like obedient children as Felicity seemed to decide on and change her mind against entering at least three doors. Clearly having certain guests in the same room made the lady of the house feel wonderful as well, for she settled Capri and Tiberius in a breathtaking suite. The lavish digs came complete with a stunning view of the Atlantic.
“Now the party will get underway around seven-thirty or eight. Tiberius knows where all the shops are.” Her eyes were full of devilment as she watched them. “You two have fun. I’ll see you later.”
“Not very subtle, is she?” Capri spoke some forty seconds after the door closed behind Felicity.
Tiberius massaged his neck. “She never has been. Capri, I’m sorry about this. I can easily snag another room—”
“No don’t.” Capri shrugged the camera bag strap from her shoulder. “I don’t mind. Really.”
Tiberius winced. “Yeah, but that sofa across the room isn’t gonna suit me and there’s no way I’m gonna let you sleep on it.”
“We can share the bed, you know?”
Tiberius felt his jaw drop to the floor. “Share it?” He massaged his forehead as she nodded.
“Oh, Tibe, please. We’re adults. I think we can share a bed.”
“You’re serious, aren’t you?” Tiberius watched in disbelief as she coolly set out to inspect the room. “Do you know what’s bound to happen between us in here? What sure as hell will happen if we’re in the same bed?”
“It’s happened before…” Capri let out a whistle at the walk-in closet. “Several times.”
Tiberius groaned. Closing his eyes, he was desperate to put distance between them.
Realizing that the conversation had no hope of reaching a satisfactory conclusion, Capri set out to inspect her camera bag. When she looked up after a few moments, Tiberius’s gaze was focused right on her. She thanked the clap of thunder that tugged his attention away from her momentarily.
He jingled keys in his pocket. “We better bounce if we plan to shop before this storm hits.”
Several guests had arrived in the time it took for Capri and Tiberius to shop for their outfits and other necessities for the overnight stay. When they returned to the Thomas’s estate, Tiberius was immediately pulled aside by his colleagues and Capri socialized for a moment before deciding to make her escape to the bedroom where she planned to take advantage of the privacy and try on her gown again.
The dress fitted like a dream and Capri celebrated her luck—a new frock out of the blue, and charged to Grant and Sheilds, no less. Life was good.
Still, her ease faded a bit as she looked around the gorgeous room. Tiberius was right, she thought. There was no way they could be in the same room and not behave like two…well, adults. Capri cleared her throat and felt her legs grow weak at the mere thought of it. She’d certainly offer no protest were it to happen. There was still so much between them though, and the blame for it lay right at her feet. Before any adult activities occurred between them, there were other things that needed to be settled.
Capri was still admiring her dress when Tiberius walked into the room. It would have been the perfect time to delve right into the conversation they needed to have, but the opportunity didn’t have the chance to present itself. The door slammed behind Tiberius and seconds later Capri was in his arms.
His mouth came down upon hers hard in a thoroughly anguished kiss. Capri met the force of Tiberius with wild enthusiasm and curved her hands around his face and neck. Tiberius’s hands were everywhere, anywhere they could graze her bare skin. The cut of the dress provided plenty of that and then some. A row of tiny coral-colored buttons began at her hip and snaked up her side to disappear beneath her bare arm. Her other arm was covered by a long sleeve, the cuff shielding her wrist and half of her hand from view. The lace bodice molded to her ample bustline, baring a good portion to Tiberius’s gaze. His thumbs worked across her nipples causing them to strain fiercely against the binding material.
Reluctantly, Capri drew a hand from his soft hair to cover his where he’d begun to tug at the tiny buttons along the side of the dress. Breathing heavily, he pressed his mouth back on to hers and fought to calm himself.
“We should head back downstairs before things get too heated. Felicity…She, um…brought some albums down for us to look through. I’ll be in the den off the foyer when you come down.” He brushed a fast kiss across Capri’s mouth and left the room as coolly as he’d entered.
The lower level had settled down considerably when Capri descended the stairs fifteen minutes later. Everyone had apparently journeyed to their respective rooms in order to escape the approaching storm and the dark clouds and wind it had already produced. Everyone, that is, except for Tiberius and Capri.
She found him on a sofa in the den, frowning down into a page of a mammoth-sized album.
“Knock,
knock.”
Tiberius grinned but didn’t look up. “Dig in.” He waved a hand toward the other four albums and loose photos on the oak coffee table. “There’s plenty.”
Capri was ready to see what they had and eagerly joined Tiberius on the sofa. They worked in comfortable silence for a long while. Rain and a bit of lightning were soon coming down quite steadily but they simply made the atmosphere more soothing. Capri celebrated the fact that her hunch was correct, as the photos contained in the albums held the exact intimacy she was looking for. During her critical survey of the photos, however, Capri found herself surveying another image. This was a mental image, one she discovered she hadn’t observed with enough detail the first time around. More time passed and Capri found herself breaking the silence that surrounded them.
“I’m sorry, Tibe.”
He seemed to freeze at the sound of her words. More than a little confused, he remained focused on the photo in his hand, but he didn’t really see it.
Capri tossed the picture she held onto the coffee table. “I shouldn’t have made you think you owed me any explanations about your intentions or about my insecurities. Not when it was so obvious that Clarissa set the whole thing up.”
“Obvious?”
She graced him with her dimpled smile. “Tibe, I’m a photographer. I’ve staged enough phony love scenes for shoots to know the difference between what’s real and what’s not and still this got right past me.” Flopping back on the sofa, Capri shook her head. “She set it up. I couldn’t see it then but I think inside I knew almost from the minute I walked up the stairs.”
“I love you.”
Capri laughed, not hearing Tiberius. “I shouldn’t have taken so long to see it.”
Tiberius rolled his eyes and tapped a photo against his palm. “I love you.”
Sobering then, Capri studied him closely and understood that his declaration of love had nothing to do with her discovery of Clarissa Harris’s motives. “Tibe, you don’t have to—”
“I love you and I’m scared.”
This last statement threw her and the shock was etched in every angle of her expression.
The Doctor's Private Visit Page 17
