And another.
His control nearly at the breaking point, he wanted to give her pleasure and delay the satisfaction for both of them as long as physically possible. But it was difficult when she was so responsive. He wanted to undress her and savor every delectable inch. The curve of her breast warmed to his touch; through the thin silk, the damp nipple puckered under his mouth. She gasped when his hands reached under the hem of her skirt.
Everywhere he touched, she responded. Long and slow, the seduction went on. He removed her skirt, then the lace-edged camisole top, and felt her shock when cold air struck her naked breasts. The day was gray, but her skin glowed, all dewy pink and white. And finally, nothing lay between them.
They were both exposed.
He searched for words to make this right, but all he found was, “I want you.”
In surrender, Olivia whispered back, “I want you, too.”
His eyes grew tender. He kissed her mouth softly, barely touching his lips to hers. Only one mystery remained. A whisper of breath held her apart. He took her gently, aware that this was new for her. He felt her tension. It built, then exploded, all around him. And finally, he let go, taking his own pleasure. Bound together, they lay in a tangle of sheets.
Drew held her close to his heart. There were no words to describe how he felt.
In the morning, sunshine streamed through lace-dressed windows. Awake first, Drew ordered room service.
Hearing him on the phone, Olivia awoke. She stretched luxuriously—before she realized something was missing—her nightgown. She blushed rosily.
Drew laughed, leaning down for a kiss. “Morning.”
“Um, hi.” Olivia borrowed Drew’s discarded white shirt.
Breakfast arrived.
“I’m starved,” she murmured when the waiter was gone. She reached for a croissant.
With a lazy smile, Drew let his gaze drift over her. “Do you ever forget about food?”
She smiled. “Occasionally.” Feminine and enticing in the masculine attire, she sat in a chair, her bare limbs exposed under the edge of his shirt. With her hair tumbled and her eyes still slumberous, she looked exquisite. He wondered what she was thinking. He knew every inch of her, but he had no idea.
“So what’s the next step?” Drew had no intention of letting her evade the question. “We have a few minor details to discuss.”
She spread raspberry jam on the flaky pastry. “I don’t know what you mean.” She took a bite. “This is delicious.”
“For one thing, where are we going to live?”
“We?” Olivia responded weakly, not quite sure she’d heard him correctly. “Isn’t that an awfully big step?”
“In case you’ve forgotten, we just shared a bed. Unless I’m wrong, the enjoyment was mutual. Or was it just sex for you?”
“Of course not, but that doesn’t mean we have to actually live together.”
A dab of raspberry jam lingered on her lips. He leaned forward and kissed her mouth. With the tip of his tongue, he removed the jam from the corner of her mouth. She gasped.
With a gleam of satisfaction, he released her. “My dear Olivia, I have no intention of setting this relationship back. We need to think about the future.”
She nodded slowly. “All right.”
“We are married, in every way. Apart from the personal side, we need to make a success of this business venture. If we don’t present a united front, people will draw their own conclusions and know the marriage is a sham.”
Faced with a decision, Olivia set the remainder of her uneaten pastry aside. “I assumed our living arrangements would remain the same. I don’t see why our sleeping under different roofs should matter to anyone but us.”
“Ah, but it will. Henderson is a small town. As it is, I’ll have trouble gaining back people’s trust. It won’t help if my marriage appears to be falling apart from day one.”
“I see.”
“Do you?” he questioned. “Let’s not play games—after last night, we both know we’re going to share the same space.”
Shaken by his intention to turn the honeymoon into a marriage, she said slowly, “Then what do you suggest?”
“We could live at Oakridge.”
His suggestion shocked her. She’d never given any thought to moving out of Stone’s End. How could he ask when he knew how much it meant to her?
“But part of the house was destroyed years ago,” she said. “And the fire damage was never repaired.”
He smiled. “Right. Stone’s End it is.”
How could she argue his logic?
They arrived at Stone’s End in the late afternoon. The rain had finally stopped, and the sun was setting in a pink-tinged sky. An oak tree stood in front of the house. The limbs were stripped bare, autumn’s last phase before winter. Yet miraculously trapped and dormant within all that bleakness lay the seeds of spring.
Drew dropped Olivia off. He had to go back to Oakridge. “I have to make a few arrangements, pack some of my things. I won’t be long.”
She reached across and kissed him. “I’ll see you later.”
It all felt so normal. She waved as he drove away.
Once his car was out of sight, her hand fell.
Inside, the house felt cool. Olivia removed her jacket, grateful for the extra warmth of her cloudy-blue sweater, which matched her wool slacks. She’d only been gone a couple of days. It seemed longer. Her entire life had changed almost overnight.
Olivia ran her hand along the smooth marble top of the sideboard. The house was filled with furnishings. There were a few antiques, but none were truly valuable—except to her.
She went upstairs and unpacked, then prepared the spare bedroom for Drew. It had belonged to Jared at one time. Her only other choice was Ira’s old bedroom. And somehow she couldn’t put Drew there.
Jared’s old room wasn’t very large. The walls were painted warm ochre. The floor was polished oak, with a leaf-patterned hooked rug in shades of willow and brown by the bedside to provide some warmth and contrast. She placed fresh linens on the single bed, added an extra blanket for warmth, then fluffed up the pillows. Next she cleaned out the closet.
Her bedroom was just across the hall.
With a pensive frown, Olivia wondered if she was putting enough distance between her and Drew. Just because they were married and they’d made love once or twice—three times counting this morning’s scene in the shower—didn’t mean he could take control of every aspect of her life. Did it?
When Drew reached Oakridge, he saw an unfamiliar car parked in the driveway. He parked his Blazer beside it, then got out.
The front door opened.
His sister stood there. While their mother was small and fair-haired, Abby was tall and slender. She’d inherited her dark hair and pale skin from the Pierce side of the family. Her hazel eyes reflected her every mood.
Unsmiling, she spoke first when he didn’t. “Hi. You don’t seem very pleased to see me.”
Drew smiled warily, unsure why she’d come. “I’m just surprised. How did you know I was here in Henderson?”
Abby slipped her hands into the slit pockets of her tailored wool slacks. “Actually Seth called me. I wanted to see you, so I came.”
Drew climbed the porch steps. “It’s been a long time.”
She watched him with serious eyes. “Too long.”
Drew corresponded with Abby in prison, but he hadn’t seen her in five years. Drew was aware of her hesitation and wished it wasn’t there. Abby was younger by eight years. When last seen, she was still awkward and shy, with the promise of beauty to come.
He didn’t really know the woman standing before him. Another huge shock, another adjustment. “You’ve changed since I saw you last. You’re all grown up.”
She let out a small laugh, then choked on a sob and ran into his arms. “I missed you. I was so worried.”
He held her. “God, Abby! Don’t cry.”
She buried her face against his ch
est. “I wanted to come and see you, but you refused to let me. Why?”
“I’m sorry.” Drew hugged her tightly. He’d forgotten how emotional she could be—though she hid it well behind a reserved exterior. She was the only member of his family who had cared enough to stay in touch. “I didn’t want you to see me in a place like that.”
“Was it so awful?”
“It was no picnic,” he said. “But I’ve put it behind me where it, belongs.”
Wiping a tear from her cheek, she gave a wobbly smile. “That sounds wise.”
“No one’s ever accused me of that before,” he said, hoping to ease the moment. “So how are Mom and Dad?”
Abby followed his cue. “Dad retired last summer. They’re finally taking that cruise Mom was always talking about. It’s sort of a second honeymoon.”
“I’m glad.” Drew meant it. His mother had raised a family of four. She deserved the leisure.
“Evan is managing everything while Dad’s away.”
“Naturally,” Drew said wryly. His older brother was a model of perfection—honest, generous, hardworking. No matter how much he’d tried, Drew couldn’t even resent Evan for it. “And what’s Cal up to these days?”
“He finished college and joined the Peace Corps.” She added a few details. “The last time I heard, he was in South America.”
Drew chuckled. “Lucky Cal.” The youngest of four, Cal had always managed to go his own way. “Now, can you tell me what you’re really doing here?”
Abby smiled ruefully. “Am I that transparent?”
“You may have changed on the outside, but I’ve never known you to act on impulse.”
“I wanted to see you,” she said, then admitted, “But I also needed to get away for a while. With a small casual shrug, she changed the subject. “Why did you stop answering my letters?”
“There was nothing to write about. You said Seth contacted you. Is he the reason you came home?”
Abby blushed. “Please don’t read anything into it. I’m not sure he even likes me at this point.”
“Trust me—he likes you.” Drew’s tone was dry.
“Seth said you were planning to get married.”
Drew’s eyes narrowed. “Ah, is that why he sent for you?” He took a deep breath, then slowly released it with the words, “Olivia and I got married two days ago.”
His sister’s eyes rounded in shocked disapproval. “When has a Carlisle ever brought good fortune to our family? Have you forgotten that Jared testified against you?”
“That’s a separate issue. Olivia wasn’t part of that period of my life,” he said, aware that he wasn’t being completely honest with himself. Any connection with the Carlisles had only brought him grief in one way or another.
Abby folded her arms crossly. “Exactly how long have you known her?”
“Long enough.” Drew wanted Abby to accept his wife. “If you just give Olivia a chance, I think you’ll like her. You might even find you have something in common.”
Abby looked doubtful. “What’s she like?”
The thought of his bride’s complex and confusing personality brought a smile back to his lips. “She’s artistic, practical, funny and sweet. And stubborn, just like all the Carlisles.”
Abby shook her head in open dismay. “Oh, Drew. What on earth will people say?”
“It’s bound to be a nine-day wonder until they find something more exciting to gossip about.”
“If I remember this town correctly, that could take years,” she said ruefully. “I’ve just got one question—are you happy?”
“Happy?” Drew tested the word on his tongue. It felt new and foreign. Freedom meant more than the absence of walls; it meant whatever a man dared to claim for his own, and that included a wife. Olivia was his. She just didn’t know it yet.
Convincing her was going to be a real challenge, but he had a lifetime to work at it. Was he happy?
Drew laughed softly, realizing the unlikely truth for the first time. “Yeah, I guess I am.”
That morning, Olivia had agreed that Drew should live at Stone’s End, but she wasn’t prepared for the reality of his occupancy. When he arrived, he dropped his luggage and a couple of boxes by the back door. One box was filled with books. Another with tools. A chain saw stuck out at an awkward angle, steel teeth gleaming in the dimming light.
Olivia switched on a lamp.
Trying for some form of normality, she said, “We haven’t had a thing to eat since a late breakfast. You must be hungry.”
“I’m starved. Do you need any help in the kitchen?”
“Can you peel a potato?”
He frowned. “I’m not sure.”
With a firm, “I’ll teach you how—it’s easy,” she handed him the necessary items and sat him down at the table.
Drew gripped a potato in one hand and the paring knife in the other. He wondered which end was up. In any case, it appeared he needed to learn a few domestic skills.
Olivia prepared a simple scalloped-potato-and-ham casserole. With it, she served tossed salad and fresh wheat rolls. Over the meal, the tension eased.
Drew mentioned that his sister had turned up unexpectedly. “I don’t have any idea how long she plans to stay. She’s renting a room in town.”
Olivia toyed with her food. “I’d like to meet her. You should have invited her for supper.”
“She had a date with Seth.”
“The sheriff?” Olivia appeared highly intrigued.
“Half the women in town have a crush on the man.”
Drew dipped into his salad, forking a tomato wedge. “I hope you’re not including yourself in that number.”
Olivia said without hesitation, “He’s not my type.”
Under the circumstances, Drew didn’t ask the obvious question. If he himself wasn’t exactly her type, he didn’t want to know.
“Abby’s a few years younger than Seth, but she came home from her first year in college, and he flipped. They dated for a while,” Drew said, leaving out the reasons for the breakup. “Seth’s hoping to pick up their relationship exactly where they left off.”
“Do you think he has a chance?”
“I don’t know. Abby was barely twenty back then. She’s a grown woman now, with a strong will of her own.”
“I hope they work things out.” Chin in hand, Olivia smiled. Openly inquisitive about his past, she leaned her elbow against the edge of the table. “You never discussed your family. I’m interested, are there any more of you?”
“I have two brothers, one older and one younger. Simply put, Evan got there first. So I carved out a reputation of my own in town—the opposite of his.”
She teased him with “Hmm, the local bad boy?”
“Right.” His smile flashed. “Then there’s Cal. He’s younger by several years, so he avoided the sibling rivalry. He’s off in some South American jungle teaching the natives how to grow potatoes.”
“And your parents? What are they like?”
“They have a good marriage. Dad worked hard. His ambition extended to his three sons—which makes for some friction. My mother is the soft one, smoothing over the rough edges. She left a cushioned life in Boston to marry him. If she’s ever regretted that decision, she’s never wavered in her loyalty.”
“Are you close to them?”
He shrugged. “They haven’t forgiven me for messing up. Maybe someday. But first I have to prove a couple of things.”
“To them?”
“To myself. I’ve gotten a head start by getting married and settling down.”
“Do you think they’ll approve?”
He shrugged. “Probably—once they get over the shock. The second step is getting the mill operating.”
Olivia felt a sense of relief. The practical benefits connected to their marriage weren’t all one-sided. Drew had as much to gain as she did.
They were finishing supper when the phone rang.
Drew reached for it. “Hello.” He re
cognized Jared’s voice immediately.
As expected, Olivia’s brother didn’t sound too pleased at hearing Drew’s voice. “So it’s true. Bad news travels fast,” Jared said. “I was hoping the gossips had it wrong.”
“Does it have to be bad?”
Jared said harshly, “Could it be anything else?”
With no ready answer, Drew took a deep breath.
“Olivia and I are married. Can’t we bury the hatchet and try to get along for her sake?”
Jared shot back with a blistering “Not before I try and talk some sense into her.”
Without another word, Drew handed the phone to Olivia. “It’s Jared. Apparently he’s heard the news.”
She paled as she accepted the phone. “Hello, Jared.”
For the next few minutes, she carried on a stilted conversation with her brother. Finally she said, “I know this must come as a surprise. The wedding was very small.”
There was more as Olivia tried to explain the unexplainable. She’d married Drew in a matter of days after meeting him.
Drew looked across the table and met Olivia’s troubled frown. She didn’t look away. They’d made love. He’d felt the warmth of her touch, the seal of her lips, and knew there was more than a physical attraction between them.
After loving Olivia, there was no turning back. He could only hope she’d realize that what she felt was more than lust. Was she ready to accept their relationship? Did it go beyond contracts and bills of sale?
At length, she hung up.
“Jared and Rachel send their best wishes.”
Drew shook his head in disbelief. “What else did he have to say?”
“He’s teaching a class in wildlife at Cornell. He can’t come home until the end of the semester.”
Olivia got up and served dessert.
Neither said another word about Jared’s phone call, but it was there between them—like a chasm that neither could breach. Conversation slipped into more general areas.
The Wedding Bargain Page 12
