It Takes a Hero

by Gina Wilkins

  Her office was getting crowded, she thought, looking at the gifts Perry had sent her. Surely he would stop soon. But she knew she would be quite disappointed when he did.

  8

  PERRY SAT IN HIS WASHINGTON, D.C. office, a half-dozen files stacked in front of him, a graph of recent poll results on his computer screen and a pile of phone messages at his elbow. He had a great deal of work to do that afternoon.

  Someone tapped on his office door and he looked up from the list he had been studying. “Come in.”

  Elspeth entered, carrying a stack of bound reports. “Perry, I need...”

  “What else brings luck?” he interrupted, still lost in his own thoughts.

  She paused. “What are you talking about?”

  “Lucky things,” he repeated. “You know, like four-leaf clovers.”

  She nodded in sudden comprehension. “Oh, you mean charms. Like rabbits’ feet.”

  “Did that. What else?”

  “Um—lucky pennies?”

  “Did it.”

  “My father has a pair of lucky socks,” she offered. “He wears them every time he plays golf.”

  Perry frowned. “Lucky socks? Whoever heard of lucky socks?”

  He couldn’t send socks to Kristin. Not only were they completely unromantic, she’d never understand the purpose.

  “What exactly do you need this for, anyway?” Elspeth asked curiously. ”Do we have a superstitious candidate I don’t know about?”

  “No, uh...” Aware that he’d been spending a bit too much time on his ”lucky list” when he had so much else to do, Perry cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck. “It’s a, um, personal project,” he said, setting the list aside.

  Elspeth studied him intently. “Does it have something to do with Kristin Cole?”

  He cleared his throat and avoided her eyes. “Maybe. What of it?”

  He heard the amusement in her voice when she replied, “Oh, nothing. Just curious.”

  He rolled his pen between his fingers. For some reason, he felt compelled to say something more. “She’s been having some problems with her writing. I’ve sent her a couple of things to cheer her up.”

  “Mmm. I’ve heard about some of the rather interesting packages that have gone out of here lately.”

  He scowled. “Who’s been talking about my personal business?”

  “Everyone,” she answered cheerfully.

  “Oh, great.” He tossed his pen down in disgust. A guy couldn’t even get to know a fascinating woman around here without everyone whispering about it behind his back.

  Elspeth laughed. “Can you blame us? You’ve hardly been acting like yourself lately. You’re distracted, kind of moody. You keep trying to arrange time off—which you have to admit is unusual for you. And you were spotted holding a romance novel yesterday during Senator Buckle’s speech.”

  He felt his cheeks grow warm. “Mary Alice brought me a couple of Kristin’s books. I want to read them, but I haven’t been able to find the time yet.”

  “You really like her, don’t you, Perry?”

  “Of course I like her,” he answered lightly, picking up his pen again.

  Elspeth shook her head. “It’s more than that. You’re besotted. Big time.”

  “I don’t know that I’d put it that way,” he protested, uncomfortable with her phrasing.

  “I would. If you’d devoted this much time to Jennifer, you’d be a married man now.”

  Perry grimaced automatically. He didn’t even want to think about that scenario. Though he’d once considered Jennifer the perfect political and social mate, he couldn’t even imagine himself married to her now.

  He refused to picture himself married to anyone else in particular.

  “What can I do for you, Elspeth?” he asked, deliberately changing the subject.

  She hesitated only a moment before following his lead. For the next fifteen minutes, they talked business. Elspeth paused on her way out when the conversation was concluded. “A horseshoe,” she said.

  “A what?”

  “A horseshoe. They’re lucky.”

  “Oh. Yeah, I’d forgotten about that one. Thanks.”

  She smiled. “Anything for such a good cause.”

  Perry stared at his door for several minutes after Elspeth dosed it behind her. He had managed to keep his mind on business for a few minutes, but now his thoughts were filled with Kristin again.

  Even as he scribbled the word horseshoe on his list, he heard the echo of Elspeth’s unsettling comment. If you’d devoted this much time to Jennifer, you’d be a married man now.

  KRISTIN SAW THE PHOTOGRAPH of Perry only an hour or so after her daily package from him arrived.

  This time he’d sent a brass oil lamp, like the one in the Aladdin story. Maybe it doesn’t hold a genie, but it’s guaranteed to brighten a dark day, Perry had written on the card.

  Kristin realized she hadn’t had many dark days since she’d met Perry. His visits had entertained her, and the whimsical gifts he’d sent had given her something to look forward to when he was away.

  She wished he would call, she thought, looking a bit longingly at the telephone. She missed him.

  That thought sobered her. Her smile fading, she set the lamp on a shelf and turned away from it. She was trying so hard not to start weaving unlikely daydreams around Perry Goodman. She wanted to be realistic in her expectations.

  Sure, he was paying a lot of very flattering attention to her now. She was a novelty to him. A woman who hadn’t fallen at his feet in gratitude that he’d even noticed her.

  Or was she being unfair? she couldn’t help wondering a bit guiltily. Perry had given her no reason to think he was that arrogant. Could it be that she’d formed an opinion about him without really getting to know him? She hated it when people stereotyped romance writers; but maybe she’d been guilty of doing the same to people who made their living in the political arena.

  And then she saw his photograph in the newsmagazine that had arrived in that day’s mail.

  He’d been captured at a fund-raising event in Texas, a barbecue hosted by the governor. On his arm was a tall, beautiful blonde Kristin recognized. The small print beneath the snapshot identified them as “Perry Goodman And His Associate And Frequent Companion, Elspeth Moore.”

  Elspeth was his friend, Kristin reminded herself. His co-worker. She’d been very pleasant to Kristin on the night of her first date with Perry.

  Frequent companion. Just how much time did Perry spend with Elspeth? And how could he be with her and not notice that she was drop-dead gorgeous in addition to being intelligent and charming? ?

  Kristin closed the magazine. She didn’t like the way seeing that photograph had made her feel. The sensation was uncomfortably close to jealousy—and that was an emotion she had dealt with far too painfully in her last relationship.

  She set the magazine aside, telling herself to put the photo—and the past—out of her mind and get back to work. She needed to make some notes for the next chapter. She pulled a legal pad out in front of her and picked up a pen. She’d written only a couple of words when the pen ran out of ink.

  Sighing in frustration, she tossed the disposable pen aside and searched her desk for another. Not finding one immediately, she opened a drawer of her desk and rummaged around in it for a new package of pens.

  She was going to have to clean out her desk, she thought irritably. It was a mess. Stuffed with unfiled contracts and correspondence and...

  She went suddenly still, looking down at the sheet of paper she’d pulled out of the drawer. It was a child’s drawing, rendered in brightly colored crayon, depicting three awkwardly proportioned people holding hands and wearing huge smiles. The figures had been labeled Daddy, Kristin and Me. The “me” was Jim’s eight-year-old daughter, Kimberly.

  Kristin touched a finger to the funny little face in the drawing. She had once hoped to become Kimberly’s stepmother. She still didn’t know for certain whether sh
e’d fallen more seriously in love with Jim or with his daughter. She had missed Jim a little when he’d dumped her so abruptly—but she had grieved for Kimberly.

  She had believed every word Jim had told her. He’d sounded so sincere. He’d seemed so genuinely smitten with her. And all the time he’d been begging his ex-wife to take him back. A request she had finally granted.

  Kristin stuffed the drawing back into the drawer and closed it with a loud snap. She would work later, she thought, pushing away from her desk. For now, she needed to get out of this house—away from her memories, away from Perry’s gifts, away from her fears. She needed to be with people who accepted her and made her laugh. And the best place to find that was the soda fountain downtown where the locals hung out for ice cream sundaes and idle conversation—both of which she needed badly today.

  WHEN HER DOORBELL RANG the next afternoon, Kristin was certain it was another delivery from Perry. And even though she had spent twenty-four hours trying to convince herself she really should put an end to this, she was still smiling in anticipation when she opened the door. She wondered what he had sent her this time.

  She was both stunned and delighted that this time he had sent himself.

  “I hope that pretty smile is meant for me.” Standing on her doorstep, looking better than any man had a right to in his tailored dark suit, crisp shirt, silk tie and sexy suspenders, Perry reached out to touch her cheek with his fingertips.

  She felt her smile widen. She couldn’t hide the surge of pleasure she felt at seeing him. “Hello, Perry.”

  “It’s good to see you again, Kristin.”

  Shaking off her surprise, she tried to sound stern when she spoke again. “I thought you were going to call first this time.”

  “Sorry. I forgot.” He tried to look repentant but didn’t pull it off very well. He held out his left hand, offering her a small, wrapped package that just fit his palm. “I brought you something.”

  “Another gift? Really, Perry, you have to stop this.”

  He smiled ruefully. “I know. I’m running out of ideas.”

  That wasn’t what she’d meant and he knew it. She looked at the package in his hand another moment, then stepped back, resisting the impulse to grab it. “Come in.”

  He moved past her, then waited until she closed the door before pressing the package into her hands. “Consider this a souvenir from Texas.”

  Since there seemed to be nothing else she could do, she took the gift and nodded toward a chair. “Have a seat,” she offered, even as she settled onto the couch.

  Rather than taking one of the chairs, Perry sat beside her on the couch. “How have you been?”

  “Fine, thank you.” She toyed with the ribbon tied on top of the small box, but made no effort to open it. “How was Texas?”

  He smiled. “Hot. But other than that, everything was fine. And your book? Is it going well?”

  “I’ve made some progress.”

  His dimples flashed. “So maybe something I sent brought you luck?”

  Her eyebrows rose. “Or maybe I just worked past the rough spot on my own?”

  He chuckled. “That’s a much more likely explanation.”

  Kristin sighed and wrinkled her nose. He’d gone to a lot of trouble to send her those gifts. The least she could do was act appreciative, especially since she really had enjoyed them. “But your good-luck charms didn’t hurt. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” He touched the unopened package in her hands. “Aren’t you curious about this one?”

  She’d been stalling. She had a feeling that whatever he’d brought her this time was different from the frivolous little gifts he’d sent before. Moistening her lips, she tugged off the ribbon and peeled away the paper, knowing she couldn’t delay any longer.

  The box she revealed was obviously intended to hold jewelry. And that only made her all the more nervous. She swallowed hard before lifting the lid.

  Inside, nestled on a bed of snowy white velvet, was a gold link bracelet. The center link was shaped like a horseshoe, encrusted with diamonds.

  “I’ve been assured that horseshoes bring good luck,” Perry said, watching her face.

  She couldn’t think of anything to say. The bracelet was lovely—but she wasn’t at all sure she should accept it. This was different from the other gifts. The others had made her smile. This one made her nervous.

  “You really shouldn’t have done this,” she said.

  “I was going to bring you a real horseshoe, but the horse wouldn’t cooperate. Did you know those suckers are nailed on?”

  She didn’t smile at his lame joke. “Perry, I can’t accept this. It’s too much.”

  “It’s just another good luck charm.”

  She shook her head. “This is jewelry.”

  “And that makes it different?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why?”

  She bit her lip. “I don’t know, but it does,” she said after a moment.

  “Kristin.” She wasn’t looking at him, but she heard the smile in his voice. “That isn’t very logical.”

  “I can’t help it.” She wasn’t able to resist touching her fingertip to the little horseshoe. It was such a pretty bauble. And then she made herself close the box. “Thank you, but you’d better take it back.”

  “I can’t.” He held up his hands so she couldn’t put the box in them. “It was on sale. No returns.”

  “I don’t believe that.”

  He only smiled at her.

  “Then give it to one of your other lady friends,” she insisted.

  “Can’t,” he said again. “I’m not on a gift-giving basis with any of my other friends who happen to be women.”

  “You aren’t on a gift-giving basis with me,” she reminded him firmly.

  His grin was purely wicked. “You’ve already accepted several gifts from me.”

  “But this one is different,” she insisted again.

  Perry laughed and reached for her. “This,” he said, pulling her into his arms, “could go on all day. And I can think of much more pleasant ways to spend the time than arguing.”

  She opened her mouth to argue, but he didn’t give her a chance. He smothered the words with his mouth.

  Kristin had two choices at that point: she could do what she should do or what she wanted to do. Because she so often chose the former and so rarely the latter, she indulged herself this time. She kissed him back with all the pent-up hunger that had been building in her since she had last seen him.

  Perry twisted so that his back was against the couch and Kristin was practically sitting in his lap. She didn’t know what became of the bracelet, but her hands were suddenly free. She took advantage of the opportunity to run her fingers through his thick, soft hair. His hands were all over her—her back, her hips, her waist, her thigh—and she almost purred in reaction to the petting.

  It had been so long since anyone had enjoyed her so thoroughly, and brought her so much pleasure in the process.

  “I’ve missed you, Kristin,” he murmured against her mouth.

  She murmured a response and kissed him again, wondering if any other man had ever felt so good to her.

  Somehow her shirt came unbuttoned. And somehow his hand found its way inside it, his thumb slipping beneath her bra to glide over her nipple. It hardened instantly.

  His kisses changed, from hurried and eager to slow and carnal. His tongue slipped between her lips, probing deeply, thoroughly. She welcomed him inside, engaging him in a seductive thrust and parry that eventually drew a deep groan from him.

  “Kristin,” he muttered, cupping her face between his hands. “If you only knew how many times during the past few days I’ve thought about kissing you again. If you only knew what it does to me to kiss you.”

  Since she was sitting in his lap, she knew exactly what kissing her did to him. And she reveled in the knowledge that she could make him want her so badly. It seemed like such a long time since any man had want
ed her. Since she had wanted a man in return.

  She drew back a few inches to look at him. He sat very still, letting her memorize his face with her eyes and her fingertips. Very slowly, she traced the arch of his eyebrows, the straight bridge of his nose, the dimples in his cheeks, the curve of his lower lip and the faintest of clefts in his chin. He didn’t feel like a stranger to her, she mused. When had he become someone she could recognize by touch alone? Why did it feel so right, so very natural to touch him? To kiss him?

  Why did it suddenly seem as if this had been inevitable from the moment he’d stepped into the spotlight on that stage in New York, giving Kristin little choice, it had seemed, but to bid on him?

  She knew exactly what she was doing at this moment. Exactly where this was leading. She knew if she was going to stop it, now was the time. Waiting any longer would be too cruel to both of them.

  But she knew with sudden certainty that she wasn’t going to stop it.

  Maybe it was because she’d been so lonely. Maybe it was because her mother had flown off on an exotic vacation with a handsome man, leaving Kristin feeling dull and unadventurous in comparison. Or, more likely, it was just because this was Perry. From the moment she had first seen him, she’d known she had to have him.

  Murmuring her name, he dragged a hand through her hair, gently pulling her head back to bare her throat to his lips. She shivered when he kissed the pulse in the hollow of her throat, and then used the edge of his teeth in a seductive nibble.

  “Maybe we should go out for dinner or something,” he muttered, lifting his head so slowly that she knew he was forcing himself to draw away.

  “I just ate lunch an hour ago,” she said with a tremulous smile.

  He couldn’t seem to resist another taste of her mouth. “Want dessert?” he asked, nibbling at her lower lip.

  “I don’t know.” Her voice had grown huskier. “What are you offering?”

  “Cake?”

  She unfastened the top button of his shirt. “No.”

  He deftly unsnapped the front fastener of her bra. “Ice cream?”

  She shivered as his warm breath brushed across her distended nipples. “No,”