Yesterday's Bride

by Susan Tracy

  Taut with resolution, she asked Smitty, "Where's Jody?"

  "At the Penders. Betty came for her after lunch to spend the afternoon."

  "When are Bob and Clare supposed to get here?"

  "Should be in the next few days. I expect they'll cable when they've got a flight."

  "Do you think you could handle Jody as well as your work here until then?"

  "If I had to." Smitty tensed with suspicion. "Just what are you planning, Leigh?"

  Leigh couldn't meet her eyes. "Since Jody's parents will be here soon, then I've finished what I was asked to do." As she rose from the chair, she tried to smile, to hide the pain in her heart.

  "I think I'll go upstairs and wash off some of the grime of the trip."

  Smitty let her get to the swinging door before she spoke. "You're making a mistake."

  Leigh swallowed hard. "Well, it won't be the first time, will it?"

  Her decision made, she felt calmer. The tears that had threatened all day didn't come. Maybe I've just reached the bottom of my emotional barrel, she told herself as she turned the shower on full blast, as if she could wash Jason Randall out of her mind with the stinging spray.

  She put on the white toweling robe that was hanging on the back of the bathroom door and hefted the suitcase she had brought from downstairs up onto the bed.

  No sense in unpacking it, but maybe she could fit in a few more items. She was leaving here with more than she had brought, literally as well as figuratively.

  She had started on the second bag when the door opened.

  "Just what do you think you're doing?" came Jason's harsh voice.

  After a slight start at the sight of him, Leigh continued to fold a flower-patterned scarf.

  "What does it look like I'm doing?" she countered coolly as she placed the small square of silk in the bag.

  A glance at Jason showed her that he had moved inside the room, standing stiff and straight.

  "So you're running away again?"

  "No," she said, going over to the bureau near the window and opening a drawer. "I'm doing exactly what you yourself told me to do. I'm getting out of your sight."

  With that, she made herself ignore his sudden indrawn breath and dipped into the drawer for a stack of blouses and tops. She didn't realize that he had come up behind her until he spoke.

  "Don't go," he said.

  "Wh—what?" Leigh whirled around, the pile of tops falling to the floor unheeded.

  "Don't leave me." His dark eyes were burning into hers, pleading, and she had to station herself against the bureau to remain upright.

  "If you leave, I don't think I can make it without you. You'd walk away from half a man, because you'd be taking my heart with you. I love you, Leigh."

  Half afraid she was dreaming, she went to him and put her hands on each side of his face, trying to read the message in his eyes.

  "Jason," she whispered, going into his arms with a glad cry, as all the pent up hunger between them was released in a flood of passion. He held her as if he would never let her go, raining kisses on her eyelids and cheeks before his mouth claimed hers with an ardor that possessed and promised.

  Too soon he held her away from him to look soberly down on her. "I owe you an apology for all the brutal things I said to you last night. I was crazy with jealousy. I wanted to strangle Morgan and the only way I could keep my hands off you was to get you out of there. I thought you were going to leave me and I didn't want to hear you say it. Then this blasted business at the warehouse came up and I knew I'd never be able to concentrate with you around, so I left you at the hotel, figuring we could straighten everything out later." Tenderly he brushed the soft clinging silver hair away from her face. "I know I hurt you and I'm sorry. I never want to hurt you again, Leigh."

  "Jason, about last night…" she began, but he silenced her with a finger on her lips. "I know, Leigh. You had nothing to do with Morgan showing up at the hotel. I had a little talk with Paula. That's why I went back to the office this afternoon." His face was suddenly stern. "Paula's in the market for a new job."

  "Oh, Jason, you didn't fire her for that!"

  He shrugged. "Why not? Seeing Morgan in your room took ten years off my life. Besides, Paula seemed to have a few mistaken ideas about me and she was getting to be a pest."

  Leigh laughed shakily. "You have no cause to be jealous of Dan or any other man, Jason. I love you. I think I always have."

  "You do!" he cried exultantly, enveloping her in a swift hug. "Then why didn't you say so?"

  The smile she gave him was dazzling. "Because I didn't think you cared."

  He groaned. "Not care! God knows, I tried not to. How I tried! The trouble was, ever since I saw you at your grandfather's funeral I haven't had a moment's peace. My dreams kept being invaded by a tempting blonde. I would find myself thinking about you at odd times of the day and night. That's never happened to me before. I cursed myself for being all kinds of a fool, but it didn't matter. I still wanted you."

  Leigh cuddled up to him. "You certainly hid it well," she teased.

  He pulled her over to sit on the bed, keeping her close in the circle of his arms.

  "I was scared," he admitted. "I didn't want to let myself in for what my father had suffered, putting my happiness in the hands of a beautiful woman." When he paused, Leigh nodded to let him know she understood about his father. Her fingers went up to tenderly cup his cheek.

  "You were right, you know," he said slowly. "I didn't love you when I married you. Oh, the germ of attraction was there, but I was looking for a docile wife, one who wouldn't make demands. When you ran away, I was furious, but decided I was better off without you. Then I saw you again and got knocked for a loop." His eyes dwelt lovingly on her radiant features. "Your wanting an annulment gave me the perfect excuse. When I forced you to come here to take care of Jody, I intended to get you out of my system once and for all. Instead, you wangled into my heart. The way you cared for Jody, taking an interest in that old cottage." Wryly he shook his head. "You are some woman, Leigh. I was hooked but I didn't know how much until Dan Morgan appeared and tried to talk you into going back to New York with him. When I thought I might lose you, I realized how much I love you." She trembled in his arms.

  "I had to make you stay—I couldn't wait for you to fall in love with me. But you had to stay willingly, because once I took you, I'd never let you go."

  "My darling," she breathed, kissing him lightly, "this is too wonderful to be true."

  "Believe it. It's true all right." Fiercely he pulled her to him. "As soon as Bob and Clare have taken Jody, we'll go away—to an island somewhere. It's time we started our life together," he said huskily.

  Pressed so close to him she could feel his heartbeats, Leigh couldn't have agreed more.