by Webb, Peggy
For a moment he allowed himself to fantasize. Joanna by his side at Meadow Lane. Permanently. The vision gave him intense pleasure. He leaned back in his chair and smiled, watching Joanna and basking in the warmth of her presence. He loved the way she tipped her head to one side when she turned the pages, as if she were trying to peek ahead to find out what was going on before she could read it. When she did that, she exposed the soft hair at the nape of her neck. He felt such an urge to press his lips to that tender neck and soft hair that he almost left his chair.
Fortunately his common sense prevented him. Fool, he raged at himself. She’s even younger than Trixie. Wasn’t one mistake enough for you?
He sought a hold on reality by speaking to her.
“What are you reading, Joanna?”
She startled, and then she smiled.
“Steinbeck. East of Eden. It’s very good.”
“I know.”
“You’ve read it?”
He chuckled. “Does it surprise you that I read?”
“No. Only that you take the time.”
“I keep a book tucked into my briefcase to read when I’m flying.”
“I like to talk when I’m flying.”
“You would.”
“There’s always somebody with a fascinating story sitting beside me.”
Kirk laughed. “Even if somebody told you about the bandage on his sore toe, you’d find some reason to be fascinated. Life fascinates you, Joanna.”
“Yes, it does.” Shifting in her chair, she put her thumb between pages to hold her place and closed the book. “Am I bothering you, Kirk? I’ll leave if I am.”
“No. Go ahead with your reading.”
He picked up a report that didn’t make a damned bit of sense. Probably because his mind was still on Joanna. If she knew how much she was bothering him and in what way, she’d probably run from the room in sheer panic. Good lord! He raked his hand through his hair.
Joanna shifted in her chair, and the top of her robe gaped open. The view would make angels revolt. Black satin against silky flesh ought to be declared a lethal weapon.
He forced his attention back to his work. By dint of an iron will, he was able to shut Joanna out of his mind. For a long while, there was no sound in the study except the gentle rustle of paper and an occasional sigh from Joanna. When he looked in her direction again, she was slumped in her chair, fast asleep.
“Poor baby. I’ve worn you out.” She didn’t even stir. Kirk put his report into his briefcase and walked to Joanna’s chair. Smiling, he took the book from her limp hand and placed it on the marble top table beside her chair. He considered waking her, but finally decided to carry her upstairs to bed. He rationalized that his decision had nothing to do with his desire to feel her in his arms. He told himself it was the least he could do after keeping her so late at the office.
When he picked her up, the heavy terry robe slipped completely away from the satin. She made a stunningly sensual burden.
“Call me a voyeur, but I can’t help myself.” Kirk feasted his eyes on her, reveled in the feel of her. She was all soft womanly curves and enticing hollows. The fluttering pulse at her delicate throat begged for his attention. In spite of his mind screaming “forbidden,” he pressed his lips there. The delicious fragrance of jasmine wafted over him. He’d intended the touch to be fleeting, a brief stolen pleasure; but he couldn’t get enough of her. With his lips still burning against her throat, he inhaled her scent. His tongue licked at her sweet flesh. Taking a great ragged breath, he lifted his head.
“Why in hell couldn’t you be ten years older and anybody in the world except a Deerfield?”
“What?” Joanna’s voice was sleepy as she squinted up at him. “I must be dreaming.” Her right hand curved around the back of his neck. Closing her eyes, she pressed her lips against his. “Hmm, delicious,” she murmured.
Kirk knew he shouldn’t kiss her back. He knew she didn’t know what she was doing. His struggle with his conscience was brief and valiant, but in the end, he lost.
He took her mouth hungrily. The taste of her lips spurred him on. He felt like a starving man, too long denied sustenance. As he devoured her lips, he shifted her so that her breasts were pressed into his chest. Her satin gown enhanced the sensuality.
Desire ripped through him. The hot sweetness of her lips unleashed a primitive beast in him. He wanted her. Now. On the floor. On the sofa. Anywhere. His urge was elemental and as old as time. He simply wanted the delectable woman in his arms.
Her lips came alive under his, responding with a wild passion that was delicious madness. He couldn’t have stopped if he had wanted to. He pulled her so close he could feel her nipples through their clothes. They were tight, hard buds that seared his chest. With an agonized groan, he parted her lips, plying that honeyed territory with his tongue, thrusting in a steady rhythm that imitated lovemaking. She opened for him, drawing him deep into her mouth.
There was no sound in the room except their harsh breathing. For once in his life, Kirk lived for the moment. Yesterday was forgotten, and tomorrow was still a dream. Without thinking of the consequences or propriety or control or anything else that ruled his life, he took the pleasure that Joanna offered.
In the hallway the grandfather clock struck twelve. The dramatic marking of time brought a sense of reality back to Kirk. He jerked his head away from Joanna.
“Oh, God, baby. I didn’t mean to do that.”
She tenderly cupped his face. “Don’t look so stricken. I enjoyed it.”
“You knew what you were doing?”
“Not at first, I think. I’m not sure. Maybe I did.” She smiled up at him. “Anyhow, it didn’t take me long to wake up. You sure can kiss.”
“Please don’t mistake what it was.”
“What was it?”
“Temporary insanity.”
“Maybe you should strive to make it a permanent condition.”
“I’m glad you can make jokes.”
“I wasn’t joking; I was serious.”
Behind that bright smile, he couldn’t tell whether she was serious or not. He hoped she was being her usual teasing self. He’d never forgive himself if he hurt Joanna. Gently he set her on her feet.
“Joanna, what happened here tonight won’t happen again. I promise you that.” She looked so young standing before him, her face flushed and her hair disheveled. He wanted to reach out and smooth that soft hair back from her face. But touching her once more would be a mistake. He wasn’t sure he could let her go again.
“Are you sorry it happened?”
The question was a double-edged sword. Either answer would be wrong. Yes would imply he hadn’t enjoyed it, and no would seem callous. He reached for her hand.
“Joanna, you’re a beautiful woman who deserves a very fine man. And I’m convinced you’ll find that man and be extremely happy. That’s what I want for you. Happiness.”
She smiled. “Well, I’m working as fast as I can to get it.”
“Good.” He released her hand. “And now that you’re fully awake, you can get to bed under your own steam.”
“Party pooper. I like being carried around.”
“Then you’ll have to find someone else to carry you. I’m bushed.”
“Poor old honey bear.” Standing on tiptoe, she kissed his cheek. “Good night, Kirk.”
He was too busy cursing himself to reply. As the door closed behind her, he realized that he was a lucky man. Joanna had handled the awkward situation in an easy manner that had let him completely off the hook. She hadn’t held him accountable for his rash behavior, nor had she tried to read romance into it. She’d shown more maturity than he had.
He locked his desk drawer and turned off the lights, thinking all the while that he’d lost control with Joanna tonight. As he left his study, he vowed it would never happen again.
o0o
Joanna heard his footsteps as he passed her bedroom. She felt like crying. Downstairs, for one br
ief moment she’d thought Kirk might actually care for her as a woman. But when he’d looked so stricken, she’d realized her mistake. He’d probably been using her as a substitute for Marsha. Or maybe he was just so tired he hadn’t known what he was doing. She hoped she’d saved face for both of them by making light of the kiss. One thing was certain: if she wanted to forget about falling in love with Kirk, she’d darned sure better stop kissing him like that. She’d thought she could exercise more control. Then at the first opportunity she was all over him. The thought of letting him go made her feel as if a stone had been laid on her heart.
She’d never known that falling in love could hurt. The magazines didn’t tell you that. They didn’t tell you what to do if you were attracted to the wrong man. They didn’t say how to handle loving a man who didn’t love you back.
Chapter Six
Kirk had already gone to work when Joanna got up. There was a note on the kitchen table telling her to take the other car.
When she arrived at work, Karen was waiting with a full list of instructions from Kirk.
“Good morning, Joanna. Mr. Maitland told me to give you these reports to read.” She handed Joanna a stack of papers that would have stretched from Tupelo to Natchez. “He’s also set up a meeting for you at three with the marketing-and-development department. Grace Crebbs, who heads that department, will explain its work to you. And Mr. Oakland will be taking you to lunch.”
“That’s nice.” Joanna smiled. “Has Alfred been by this morning?” Yesterday she’d seen him only briefly as she’d passed through the accounting department.
“No. Mr. Maitland arranged the luncheon.”
“It’s a business lunch, then? Who else will be there?”
Karen quickly consulted her calendar. “There are no business lunches scheduled for today. I can only assume that Mr. Maitland is making sure you’re properly taken care of. He considers you top priority.”
He was throwing her at Alfred, Joanna thought. She squelched the urge to storm into Kirk’s office to do battle. Instead she took a deep breath and smiled at Karen.
“Thank you, Karen. I know you have a lot of work to do without having to take care of me.”
“Teaching you is a pleasure, Joanna—and an unexpected one, at that. The thing that makes this job so exciting is that it never stays the same. Mr. Maitland is a brilliant man. He’s always coming up with new ideas. You read the file on the Granlan Company yesterday?”
“Yes. Kirk’s planning to acquire that company, isn’t he?”
“The merger is already in the works. It will expand Deerfield’s operations to the Western states.”
“We’re primarily a Southern company now?”
“Southeastern. We have branches in twelve states.” Karen pulled a folder out of the files. “Here. Look through this when you have time.”
Joanna glanced from the folder to the stack of reports Kirk had left for her to read. “There’s so much to learn.”
“Be patient, Joanna. Rome wasn’t built in a day.”
By lunchtime Joanna was certain that Rome wasn’t built in a thousand years. She figured it would take her at least that long to know what was going on in Deerfield Manufacturing. When Alfred stopped by to pick her up, she was more than ready to leave.
“I have a staff meeting at one, so my lunch hour will be strictly that. Is the company cafeteria all right with you, Joanna?”
“Yes. I ate there with Karen yesterday. The food is excellent, although I can’t say the same for the decor.”
They selected a table in a small alcove.
“I understand this is a command luncheon date.”
Alfred laughed. “The boss must have read my mind. I had every intention of calling you for a lunch date.”
“But not today?”
“No. Tomorrow, when I don’t have to be back at one. How about it?”
“If you don’t mind listening to a recital of woes, you’re on.”
“You have woes, Joanna? Nobody would ever guess by looking at you. You’re the picture of sunshine and happiness.”
“All I need are a few bluebirds over my shoulder and you could put me in a Walt Disney movie, huh?”
“Something like that. I suppose Deerfield Manufacturing has overwhelmed you.”
“In some ways it has. I don’t believe my mind is geared for big business, and I certainly don’t have the background for it.”
“You studied in Spain. Art, if memory serves me.”
“It serves you very well. Not only did I acquire a taste for Picasso and Goya and Velazquez, I also acquired a taste for the siesta. I was so tired last night that I fell asleep in my chair.”
“It’s no wonder, if you tried to keep up with the boss. Kirk Maitland can work circles around all of us.”
Joanna gave a dramatic sigh. “All Kirk thinks about is work. That and getting me properly paired with you.”
“I don’t object. Although it might be more fun to do it my own way.”
“What way is that?”
“I believe you put in a request for hearts and flowers and violins. I was thinking in terms of a serenade beneath your window. You could lean out and throw roses at me. Or rocks. Whichever is appropriate.”
Joanna laughed. “You’ve made me forget my problems.”
“I’m glad.” He reached across the table and took her hand. “Now, would you mind telling me what my reception would be if I appeared beneath your bedroom window.”
“It sounds wonderfully romantic, Alfred, and I love music.”
“But?”
“I didn’t say that.”
“I distinctly heard reservations in your voice. It’s my nature. I have an eye and an ear for subtle detail.”
“Would I invite you up to my bedroom? The answer is—”
“Joanna. Alfred.” Both looked up to see Kirk approaching their table. “Enjoying your lunch?”
“Certainly. Joanna makes everything enjoyable.”
“Do I get a gold star if I say yes and a demerit if I say no?” Joanna felt a little breathless with Kirk standing over her. She could also feel her heart racing. Two signs of love, according to Super Romance magazine.
Kirk laughed. “I’m glad to see you feeling so spunky today.”
“Is there any reason why I shouldn’t?”
“You did fall asleep in your chair.”
Kirk gave her a long look that fairly sizzled. Was he remembering what had happened afterward? she wondered. Worse yet, was he seeing in her eyes that she wanted it to happen again? She’d read in Psychology of Our Times that the eyes were the windows to the soul. She thought she’d better pull the blinds down over her windows, but she couldn’t. Just looking at Kirk gave her intense pleasure.
“Dozing in the chair is hardly strenuous. And it’s certainly nothing to lose sleep over.”
“Then you slept well?”
“Like a rock. And you?” She wasn’t about to admit that she’d tossed and turned so much she thought she’d have to cut her way out of the sheets this morning. She could be as cool and sophisticated as Marsha when she put her mind to it.
“I’ve trained myself to sleep well, no matter what happens. Loss of sleep cuts down on work efficiency. You two have a good time.” He wheeled around abruptly and left.
Joanna felt like throwing her water glass after him. Instead she balled her napkin into a wad in her lap. “We’ve been commanded to have a good time, Alfred.”
Alfred made a steeple of his hands as he watched her across the table. He seemed to be in deep thought. “Joanna, what’s going on between you two?”
“I’ve told you. He’s issuing commands. It seems he’s determined to throw me at you.”
“Yes, I’m aware of that. I think there’s something more. I saw the way he looked at you.”
“How’s that?”
“With desire, Joanna.”
Suddenly she felt hot and flushed. “How can you tell?”
“You can tell by looking in a m
an’s eyes. Or a woman’s. When a long, deep look is exchanged between a man and a woman, it usually indicates sexual attraction. Or at least interest.”
“You must think I’m very dumb.”
“No. Charming.”
Joanna sighed. Propping her elbow on the table, she cupped her chin. “I don’t know what’s going on. Sometimes I think I’m falling in love with Kirk. Other times I’d like to box his ears for being so bossy. Most of the time I’m totally confused.” She reached across the table and took his hand. “I’m sorry you’re right in the middle of all this.”
“Don’t be. Otherwise, I might not have met you.”
“You’re a good friend, Alfred. You always make me laugh.”
“That’s a start, Joanna. Although Kirk Maitland is powerful competition, don’t count me out of the game yet. I don’t give up easily.”
“I’m not a prize to be given to the highest bidder.”
“Perhaps you won’t go to the highest bidder, but you are a prize.” He glanced at his watch. “I hate to be the one to spoil a party, but it’s almost time for my meeting.”
“Thanks for the lunch, Alfred. You’ve been very comforting.”
“Tomorrow I’m going to try for devastating.”
On the way back from lunch, Joanna mused that matters of the heart were extremely complicated. Alfred wanted her and she wanted Kirk and Kirk wanted... Who knew what the devil he wanted. What he needed, though, was to be taught a lesson. He’d meddled in her affairs today. She had to let him know, once and for all, that she’d handle matters her own way. She smiled as a plan took shape.
o0o
Joanna left work early. Getting home before Kirk was crucial to her plan. She made a quick stop by Wal-Mart, then headed for Meadow Lane. The first thing she did was find Rose.
“Rose, I need your help.”
“I’ll do what I can.. .as long as it’s legal and doesn’t run counter to Mr. Maitland’s orders.”
“It’s neither illegal nor contrary to Kirk’s orders. Before you go home, I’d like you to set the table for an intimate dinner for two. Use the best china, crystal, silver, the works. We’re having a guest.”
