She pulled away from him, reaching for his hand to pull him inside. He always knew what to say to her, how she didn't know, and she was too tired to think about it much. She was about to ask him what he wanted to drink when his cell phone rang. He answered it, his gaze flicking to hers. He gusted out a long breath then told the caller he'd be there in ten minutes.
"What?” she asked as he ended the call.
"That was the police. The security system at my studio was tripped. It's waking up the neighborhood. The police have checked and nothing seems out of place. My landlord can't get the alarm turned off because he doesn't have a keycard and the police are none too happy about that.” He kissed her. “I'll be back. All I have to do is swipe the card to reset it."
"I'll go with you.” She reached for her purse. “Are they sure no one was inside?"
"They're sure. You stay and take a shower and unwind. I won't be long.” With that, he was out the door. She stood at the door and watched him drive off.
A hot shower sounded wonderful. She didn't waste any time getting undressed and under the relaxing spray. She lathered her hair once, not because it needed washed, but because it felt so good to massage her scalp. The shower made her feel human again, and she slipped into a lavender teddy.
Barry might think she needed sleep, and she did, but she needed him more. The lacy teddy showed off her attributes in their best light. The five pounds she'd dropped didn't hurt any, either. The other five she'd gained after her divorce could just stay where they were. She actually looked better with them and she knew it. Some of her clothes were fitting better, too.
The last few years of her marriage had taken a toll on her. She'd been a long time getting back to where she could sleep through the night. She developed an ulcer while gathering her nerve to serve the divorce papers on Wayne. Some new miracle drug had cured that. After the divorce was final, and she was blissfully free, the sheer joy of being able to eat a meal and not feel queasy had led to those ten extra pounds.
Well, she'd earned them. And the sky hadn't fallen because of them, either.
She meandered to the kitchen and loaded the coffee pot for the morning. The timer was set to start brewing at seven. She moved that back half an hour. They could use the extra thirty minutes to stop and grab a fast food breakfast. She'd even buy if she didn't have to cook first thing in the morning.
She poured herself a small glass of wine and curled up on the sofa in front of the television. She'd never been overly interested in television. Most of the time, when it was on, it was background noise. It was something to do in the middle of the night when sleep failed her. The program running was more interesting than most and she was quickly absorbed by modern day explorers in the mountains of Peru.
The eleven o'clock news came on before she realized how much time had passed since Barry had left. By the time the news went off at eleven thirty, she was feeling uneasy.
Wonderful. Here she was without her car. She couldn't drive over there and see what was going on. She could call for a taxi to take her out to the Victorian so she could get her vehicle, but if she did, she was sure Barry would show up and find her gone. That was the way things seemed to work.
At midnight, she couldn't sit still and dialed his cell phone number. It went immediately to his voice mail.
He would not have deliberately turned his phone off. She'd noticed that he rarely, if ever turned it off. Even these last nights, when they'd been together, he'd carefully placed his phone where he could reach it. She'd not questioned him on it. She had family, too.
A more probable explanation was the battery was low or his service was down again. He'd made a few comments about switching to a more reliable provider. It would certainly explain why he'd not called her.
It didn't explain why he'd not used the regular telephone at the studio. He knew she would worry when he didn't return quickly.
By one o'clock, she was dressed and pacing the floor. She knew beyond the shadow of doubt that something more than the security system malfunctioning had happened. Her imagination would run wild if she'd not firmly reined it in. Even with a firm hold on it, she couldn't quiet the voice of fear. Her gaze fixed on the clock as the minutes ticked off.
At five minutes to two, the bright beam of auto headlights streaked through her living room. She ran to the door, flinging it open. Her brother stood there.
"Neil! What's happened?"
He looked her up and down, shaking his head.
"I guess I'm not up-to-date on what's new in your life, sis."
"Then call me occasionally! Why are you here?” She grabbed his shirt. He was her big brother but she was ready to swat him—or pass out. It was a toss up.
"Barry McWaters has been arrested. He thinks you'll post his bail.” Neil grinned. “Dad is gonna love this."
Courtney closed her eyes and applied pressure to the bridge of her nose.
Yes, Judge Nichols was sure to find this less than amusing when he learned of it.
Chapter 22
Neil argued with her the entire drive to the police station. Barry was his new hero. Courtney called them both idiot males high on testosterone. She was still insulting Neil when they walked into the quiet entrance hall at the precinct. Barry was sitting on a bench under the watchful eye of the amused Officer Bob. He greeted Courtney.
"Ms. Nichols."
"Officer Bob.” She glanced at Barry, who was sitting calmly on the bench, one ankle resting on a knee. “Has he behaved for you?"
"Yes, ma'am. You need to know that assault charges have been filed against him."
"By my ex-husband?"
"Yes, ma'am. Although I was a witness to the altercation.” He shot a quick glance at Barry. “I'd have hit Collins harder, myself."
"Thank you so much for offering that opinion, Officer Bob. Who do I make the check out to, and for how much?"
Officer Bob slid a paper to her. “It's on there."
Courtney snatched the paper and scanned it. She was aware of Neil sitting beside Barry and shaking his hand. She looked up at the officer.
"All right, Officer Bob, what happened? I hope this story is a good one."
"Collins was rather insulting. McWaters took it for a while. I'd have punched when he'd called my manhood into question, but he,” Officer Bob jerked his head in Barry's direction. “He let that slide. I regret having to say this to you, and I don't believe it, Ms. Nichols, but your ex-husband expressed a rather low opinion of your actions with McWaters."
Courtney held up her hand. “And that's when Barry hit him."
"Yes ma'am. A perfect right to the chin. Dropped him like a rock.” Admiration for the quality of the punch was obvious in his voice. Courtney was not amused.
"I'll take his wallet, keys and cell phone now.” She ripped the check out of her checkbook and handed it over.
"I'll get you a receipt. Be right back.” Officer Bob nodded to her again, and walked away, humming. Courtney closed her eyes and took a deep breath before turning to Barry. He grinned sheepishly at her.
Damn him for being so charming.
"Thanks, Neil. I think I can take it from here."
Neil stood and gave her a quick hug. “Anytime, Sis. This has been a lot more fun than listening to Julie not snore."
"I'll tell her you didn't say that.” She hugged him back.
"And I want a phone call tomorrow, Courtney. You have to tell your big brother what's going on here. Just think, I read that piece in the society column and never put you and Barry together out of that."
"Yeah? Well maybe a lot of other people won't either."
"Looks like maybe Wayne did."
"Thanks for that bit of cheer, bro.” She gave him another hug, holding him longer this time. She had to make it a point to see more of Neil. They'd drifted apart in the last few years.
She watched him walk jauntily away. That was her brother. He found the humor in every situation.
Maybe it was funny. She'd give a lot to have been able to see the look o
n Wayne's face right after Barry did the deed. Not that she was ever going to admit to that. She turned back to Barry. He hadn't moved and he still had that sheepish look about him.
"Hi, babe."
She put her hands on her hips and glared down at him.
"Don't you ‘hi, babe’ me. I was worried about you! I thought you'd been in an accident or something. But nooooo. You're here entertaining the troops!"
"Are you going to drive me home, or do I have to call a taxi?"
"I haven't decided. Why don't you start by telling me just what the hell happened? Start to finish, in sequence, and do not leave anything out."
He stood and took her by the elbow and edged her toward the door. “Let's talk in the truck, which Officer Bob was gracious enough to allow me to drive here myself. He's quite smitten with you, you know."
"Stuff it, McWaters. He's a nice guy. I guess he thinks you mean something to me.” She opened the driver's door of Barry's truck.
He reached for his keys and she snatched them away.
"Nope. It's my turn to drive this fancy rig. I earned it tonight. I paid for it tonight. Two thousand dollars for bail. Jesus, McWaters."
"You'll have the money back by noon. I'll even pay you interest because punching Wayne Collins in the nose was worth twice what you forked over to spring me."
Courtney started to giggle. She couldn't help herself. Barry was right. It was worth every penny. She slipped her arms around his waist. His arms came around her.
"This will be in all the newspapers, Barry. Your neighbors will have a field day."
"Free publicity. Amazing what a little scandal can do for sales.” He tipped her chin up. His eyes were shadowed despite his light tone.
"I'm sorry I worried you, Court. I'd hoped you were sleeping. That's why I called Neil. He was supposed to drive by your place and only stop if the lights were on. I guess they were."
"I guess so. Did you have to hit him?"
"I guess I did. I could ignore him insulting me. I've heard it all before. He didn't come up with anything new. But when he started insulting you, it was just too much. He had it coming at that point."
"Did you have to do it in front of the police?"
"Well, I didn't think to ask them to look away first."
"What the hell was Wayne doing at your studio, anyway?"
Barry looked at her, disquiet in his green eyes. “That is the question, isn't it? He said he was just driving by and decided to see for himself what the commotion was."
"Did you believe him?"
"As far as it goes. Someone tried to pry open a window. Forensics dusted for prints but didn't turn up any."
Courtney thought about that for a moment.
Barry had some valuable art in his studio as well as some expensive computer equipment. He kept about a hundred dollars in cash to pay for parcel deliveries and such. That was a lot of money for some people—worth the risk of breaking and entering.
Wayne would not have wanted anything inside the studio. He had plenty of money. If he'd wanted a print, he'd have had his secretary call and purchase it. No, he really could have been in the neighborhood and simply been curious when he realized the police were at Barry's studio. She hated to have to defend her ex.
"He probably was just being nosey. If he'd been cheating on Crystall, he'd never have stopped. And breaking and entering isn't his style."
"You're probably right. Maybe he'll think long and hard before he's nosey again."
She squeezed him, reluctant to release him and get in the truck.
"I'll call him and see if he'll drop the charges if I cancel the restraining order."
"No! Stay out of it, Courtney. You did the right thing to protect your business. He doesn't have the right to waltz into your place of business and berate you in front of your clientele. Just leave it alone. He'll drop the charges when my lawyer sends him a nice little letter about slandering me."
"Dream on.” She finally pulled away from him. “Get in the truck. Let's go."
He held her door until she'd climbed in, closing it behind her. When he was in and buckling his seat belt, she turned to him again.
"You're very blasé about this whole thing."
"No, I'm not. I'm having a hard time with the fact I allowed him to goad me into punching him. I lost my temper. I should have walked away."
"You're still my knight in shining armor.” She patted his knee.
"Aye. Right. And my damsel in distress is rescuing me.” He turned a baleful eye to her as she hit the ignition.
"You should have called me, Barry. Why didn't you?"
"I told you. I hoped you'd gone to bed and were sleeping.” He draped his arm across the back of the seats, resting his hand on her shoulder. “I didn't particularly want to call Neil, but I didn't want any of my buddies barging in on you in the middle of the night.” He sighed. “And I knew if I called one of my buddies to bail me out, and not you, I'd be sleeping alone again for a while."
Courtney snorted. “You are sleeping alone for what's left of tonight. We're going to get my car. Then you're going to your place, and I'm going back to mine. Then you, if you're still a free man, are going to bring dinner to the Victorian at seven this evening."
"God, I love a take charge woman. I'd argue with you but I'm too tired."
Courtney didn't respond. Barry was in a lot of trouble. He didn't know Wayne the way she did. No attorney in the world could convince him to drop the charges, not if he could draw blood.
His head dropped back against the seat, his hand gently squeezed her shoulder. He didn't say anything more until she pulled in the drive at the Victorian.
"Why don't we just stay here, babe? You've got to get some rest."
She nodded. She'd been thinking the same thing. Exhaustion was setting in. All she wanted to do was close her eyes and sleep. The morning could take care of itself. She shut off the engine and handed his keys to him. She walked toward the house then changed her mind, going instead to the courtyard and dropping onto one of the Adirondack chairs.
The night was warm. A million stars twinkled in a vast canopy over her head. She held out her hand as Barry sank into the other chair. His fingers laced with hers.
"I can't count the nights I waited for Wayne to get home. I knew he was with other women. The first few times it happened, I was so worried about him. I was sure he'd been in an accident. Then he'd come whistling through the door."
"Did you sit there and wonder if I'd stopped to see someone else?"
"Not precisely. I was angry with myself for worrying. I'd promised myself to never sit up in the dark and wait on a man again."
"Courtney, I've loved you since the day I met you. There isn't anyone else for me."
Tears burned her eyes. His declaration of love, spoken so softly and so sincerely, made her soul ache with joy. It was so matter-of-fact, which was so typically Barry, she didn't know whether she should laugh or cry.
"I'm such a mess, Barry. I can't even admit to myself what I want any more. Maybe I don't even know what I want."
"What's your heart say, darling? You can trust your heart."
"My heart says you won't hurt me the way he did."
There. She'd said it and her heart knew it for the truth.
She held Barry's hand and let go of the past. All the hurt, the anger and the disappointment of the failure of her marriage faded away, replaced by the love blossoming for the quiet, patient man sitting beside her.
"No, I won't hurt you that way. I can't promise not to ever make you angry or do something that hurts your feelings in some way, though."
She laughed, or choked. Her throat was so tight, she wasn't sure what that noise was. She just knew if she tried to say anything, the words would never make it out. Then she'd start crying, and she wouldn't be able to stand doing that.
"Will you marry me, Courtney?"
The tears that had only threatened overflowed and rolled down her cheeks. She leaned forward, resting her forehead on
her knees. He was suddenly there, kneeling in front of her, holding her.
Everything inside her shifted. She'd felt wrong somehow for so long that this feeling could only be called right. There were no doubts, no hesitations, nothing to second-guess herself over.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and slid into his embrace. Hope, buoyed by the joy of knowing with certainty that she loved him, suffused her whole being. Her voice wouldn't work. She nodded.
"Okay.” His voice was soft in her ear, but she heard the emotion in that single word. He held her tighter as she sniffled against his shoulder.
"I wonder if they'll allow us conjugal visits in the big house?"
She giggled. She couldn't help it. She pulled away enough to look at him.
"Only if we bribe the guards."
He grinned and wiped her cheeks with his knuckles. “You want to go inside? Maybe curl in bed together and get some sleep?"
"Sleep? You just asked me to marry you and you want to sleep?” She sniffed several times, rapidly, then gave up and took a deep breath through her mouth.
"Eventually."
He held out his hand to her and pulled her to her feet. She reached for him, needing the reassurance of his arms. He was there.
He put his arm around her, tucking her safely against him and guided her inside the house and up the stairs. They reached the bedroom and undressed each other, letting their clothing lay where it fell. Daylight would be soon enough to worry with such mundane things.
They settled in the middle of the bed. His hands were insistent, slowly moving over her in an easy caress. Already he knew where to touch lightly, what pressure points to massage. She stretched, full length, and watched him through drowsy eyelids as the heat in her belly swirled and gained force, swelling into a drumbeat that carried her to his waiting passion.
He trailed kisses down her belly, stopping when he reached the silky down that hid her body's secrets. He blew across her lightly, teasing her and bringing a smile to her lips. He came up over her, easing his body down to her welcoming embrace and nibbling along her jaw line until he found her lips. She opened her mouth to his and his tongue flicked to hers. Her legs rose to encircle his hips. He slid into her, burying himself fully, quickly rocking into her.
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