Dusky Rose

by Joanna Scott

  "David! You promised to behave. Now here you are teasing me before we've even left the city."

  "Can I help it if you're just so teasable?"

  "I'm beginning to think I made a mistake coming with you today. Maybe you'd better take me back home, I don't want to spend the day arguing with you."

  "I can't take you home, we're practically on the bridge."

  Laura looked up and saw that it was true; they were climbing the ramp leading to the Golden Gate Bridge. The early morning fog had not yet burned off and it hovered between the bridge cables while the rising sun slipped through the fog and glinted off the swiftly moving car.

  Laura looked at David. "Will you please try to remember your promise. I really could use this extra work, and you did promise to be on your best behavior."

  "Very well," David said. "A promise is a promise. I'll have to find some inoffensive topic to discuss with you."

  "Why don't you tell me about yourself? I don't even know your last name."

  "My name isn't important and my life isn't mine to call my own. I owe everything to Lattimer Corporation, so you might as well think of me as being part of that giant octopus. It seems to be my whole life these days. Why, you wouldn't even be here with me today if I hadn't gone in to take care of some mail two weeks ago."

  "But I already know you're not a mailroom worker," Laura said, eyeing his expensive worsted trousers and heavy Shetland sweater. "Whatever you do, it must be pretty important if you can drive an expensive sports car like this."

  "I never lied to you about my job. Lattimer Corporation pays me well, so I devote my entire life to the needs of Jonathan Lattimer and his company. I never made any bones about that. It would be nice if you could develop a more friendly attitude toward Mr. Lattimer and his company."

  "I told you, I'm very grateful to Lattimer Corporation for the work it has given me. However, my relationship with the company is strictly business and does not include being friendly to Mr. Lattimer. I told you before, I'm not his type."

  "And I told you that you were certainly not qualified to make judgments about a person you've never met… Do you think you're my type?"

  "David! You promised to behave and now you're teasing me again. I only came along with you today because you said I might get some new business. You know how desperate I am to keep the business going after Midge gets married."

  "Laura, my dear, your attitude is all wrong. Why don't you try being nice to me? Then I might marry you and take you away from all the entrepreneurial problems you're facing."

  Laura sighed in exasperation. "You're incorrigible! You refuse to take anything I say seriously. Just keep your eyes and mind on your driving. It doesn't seem that we'll ever be able to hold a normal conversation as long as you're so set on getting me all worked up."

  David's mouth widened in a gleeful grin. "Have I gotten you all worked up? Maybe our relationship is becoming serious at last."

  Laura glared at him and slumped deeper into her seat, while David's face maintained its complacent smile. Then he suddenly turned off the highway into the parking lot of a restaurant that was built on a barge which floated on the water.

  "Let's stop here, they have a great Sunday breakfast."

  "I had my breakfast before I met you," Laura said.

  "Okay, you have lunch; they also have a great Sunday lunch," said David, as he opened her car door and waited for her to get out. Placing his hand on her waist, he guided her into the restaurant. He requested a window table and Laura was able to watch the gulls swoop down to the water, looking for table scraps or small fish.

  "May I order for you?"

  Laura nodded her okay, and David ordered fresh crabmeat crepes with sliced avocado. Then he looked at Laura.

  "I'm going to order some Chablis. Will you join me in half a glass?"

  "No thanks, I think I'd better have iced tea. This is a working day for me and I can't risk drinking even half a glass of wine."

  She picked up a breadstick and twisted it in her hands. "Now, David, why don't you tell me something about yourself?"

  "I told you, there's not much to tell. I graduated from Stanford and went to work for Lattimer Corporation immediately. That's been my whole life, until I met you."

  "Stop saying things like that, David! You don't mean them. Don't forget I saw the girl you were dating last week."

  "Maybe I was just taking that girl out for Jon Lattimer. He might have been out of town and unable to keep his date. I told you, there's nothing he wouldn't ask me to do. She did seem more like Jon Lattimer's type, didn't she?"

  "She was so beautiful that I think she'd be any man's type."

  "Beauty is only skin deep. Besides, I know for a fact, she doesn't know how to talk to plants," David said, as his mouth widened into a broad grin.

  "You're never going to let me forget that silly incident, are you?"

  "Never!" David said, still smiling as he threw some money on the table to pay the check. Standing up, he came around to Laura and, brushing the top of her hair with his lips, he held her chair away from the table.

  "Um," he said, "you smell as good as you look."

  At the same time, Laura's nostrils were filled with the spicy male scent of David's cologne, his nearness strangely agitating her. Grabbing her shoulder bag from the back of the chair, she slipped in front of him and ran out the restaurant door. The cool sea breeze caressing her skin helped to calm her racing heart and she felt in better control of her emotions when David came sauntering slowly through the door.

  "Laura, my dear, you're a hard girl to keep up with. You'll have to take pity on a tired old businessman like me. I'm not used to chasing after sweet young things. I fear I'm too old and out of condition to keep up with you."

  Laura laughed as she looked at his tall, lean body, and taut muscles. "David, you look as if you could run in the Olympics, let alone keep up with me."

  "Well, be that as it may, my life would be a lot more placid if you'd stop running away from me all the time. I never know when you're going to disappear from sight. I tell you, it's downright frightening."

  He gripped Laura's elbow and led her to the car.

  "Now stay put," he said, as he went around to the driver's side and turned on the ignition. "We'll never get to Stinson Beach if I have to keep chasing after you."

  Laura sank back in the seat and closed her eyes. She didn't want to risk any further conversations with David until she had regained better control over her emotions. It would never do to let him know the effect his nearness was beginning to have on her. She hated herself for having agreed to come with him today.

  David apparently thought that Laura was napping and didn't attempt to speak to her for the rest of the trip. By the time he stopped the car and came around to open her door, Laura felt capable of controlling her reactions.

  "Well, here we are. What do you think of the place?"

  Laura looked around her. Tall pine trees reached toward the sky, blocking the golden rays of the mid-day sun. The land was naturally wooded as far as the eye could see. In the midst of this forest wonderland stood a small, redwood chalet. The weathered wood of the small cabin blended with the rustic atmosphere of the forest. The road leading from the main highway to the house was paved with red gravel chips, making it difficult for the eye to separate the chips from the layers of pine needles which covered the land.

  "It's beautiful, I could never do anything to improve the natural landscaping of this area. Doesn't your friend realize what a beautiful piece of paradise he has here? It would be awful to change one inch of this property."

  "I'm glad to hear you say that. I feel the same way. But I wanted to get a professional's opinion. I'm sure the owner will be happy to hear that you recommend leaving it just as it is. I don't think he wanted to make any changes anyway. Would you like to see the inside of the house? I have a key with me."

  Laura nodded her head warily, a bit surprised that the "friend" wasn't home, and followed David up the woo
den steps to the front door. The inside walls were paneled with the same redwood that covered the exterior of the house. The large main room served as a living-dining room combination and was dominated by a huge flagstone fireplace that covered an entire wall. All the furniture was upholstered in warm earth tones of brown and white. The small kitchen was crammed with every labor saving device it could possibly hold. David explained to Laura that there was a large bedroom upstairs but he made no attempt to show it to her. He seemed to know instinctively that she would feel uncomfortable about going upstairs with him. Instead, he drew her attention to the large glass wall at one end of the main living area, taking her hand and leading her to the sliding glass door which opened onto a huge redwood deck. The view from the deck was unlike anything Laura had ever seen before. Just enough pine trees had been cleared to give an unobstructed view of the rocky beach with its turbulent green waters. The foamy waves splashed against the cliffs and sprayed the piney air with their salty dew.

  Laura turned to David breathlessly. "It's beautiful."

  "I thought you'd like it. Come on, let's walk down to the water."

  He guided her to the steps which led from the redwood deck to the cliff overlooking the swirling waters. As they stood gazing out at the endless expanse of the sea, Laura felt a sensation of peaceful serenity filling her heart. It was as if she and David were the only two people in this beautiful, unspoiled world. Suddenly, she felt David grasp her shoulders. Slowly and gently, he turned her toward him. His compelling brown eyes burned fiercely into hers as he tenderly placed a hand under her chin and lifted her mouth to meet his. Gently, he molded his lips to hers, increasing the intensity of his kiss until his lips were probing deeply, parting her own beneath his surging desires. Laura shivered with fear as she pressed her palms against his chest. Her heart begged him to continue, but a chilling unspoken fear made her push him away. Although his superior physical power would have made it possible for him to force his attentions on her, the pressure softened and he drew away. His arms dropped to Laura's waist as he held her away from him and his voice was strangely soft as he spoke.

  "What is it, Laura? Don't you want me to make love to you? You know how much I want you. What's wrong? Why did you stop me?"

  Laura turned her head toward the ground so that he wouldn't see the tears welling in her dark blue eyes. When she spoke, her voice was barely above a whisper.

  "I can't, I just can't. I told you, I'm not that type of girl. Please don't do this to me. I can't handle it."

  David lifted her face to his. He looked deeply into her tormented face and gently kissed the tears away from each limpid eye. Laura could see the desire glistening in his dark eyes, yet he was in such perfect control of the situation that he would not let his desire rule his mind. She realized that the man holding her in his arms had a will of steel and would never be subject to the whims of his emotions. No matter how strong his desires might be, they would never overrule what his mind had determined.

  "Don't be afraid of me, Laura. I would never do anything to hurt you. I won't touch you again until you want it as much as I do. I think I know what type of girl you are, and we'll try to do things your way from now on. Come on, we'd better get out of here fast. There's no sense in flirting with temptation."

  Laura waited in the car while David locked up the house. They made the trip home in total silence. When they reached Laura's house, she opened the car door and ran out without saying anything to him, but she could feel his eyes burning into her back as she fled into the house.

  The apartment was empty and she undressed quickly, not bothering to hang up her clothing. Then she threw herself on the bed and cried herself to sleep. She couldn't understand the emotions which David's kiss had stirred in her. But she knew that she had to fight them with all her willpower or she would be deeply hurt. She knew by David's arrogant, amused attitude that he was just looking for a casual affair and that wasn't enough for her. Marriage wasn't for men like David. He had told her that he wanted her and wanting someone was totally different from loving them. Why had she had the misfortune to meet him? Her life had been so peaceful until he came into it.

  She was still sound asleep when she felt Midge shaking her by the shoulders the next morning. "Laura, get up. Don't you have to meet Janine Hartmann at the Furniture Center today?"

  Laura watched Midge through sleepy eyes that were still puffy from crying. Her throat felt dry and raspy. She hoped she wasn't catching a cold.

  Midge's smiling face became instantly concerned. "Laura, you look terrible. Don't you feel well?"

  "I'm fine, Midge. It's just that I had a very busy day yesterday. I guess I'm still tired."

  "I don't like the way you look, Laura. I think maybe you're trying to do too much. Let me call her and cancel your appointment; I'll explain that you're not feeling well."

  "No, Midge, I'll be fine once I take my shower and get dressed. I'm just feeling the effect of a full day of fresh sea air. I guess I've been away from Carmel too long and I'm not used to fresh air anymore. I even have a tickle in my throat."

  "Well, you'd better take care of yourself. Remember, my wedding is only a few weeks away and I want a healthy and happy maid of honor."

  "Don't worry. I'll dose myself with vitamin C and be a specimen of perfect health in time for your wedding. I'll even try to catch the bouquet. Now, let me get moving or Steven will find that he's going to have to support two women when he marries you."

  Laura put on her robe and raced into the shower to let the warm water flow over her body while she collected her thoughts. She knew David desired her, but how could she explain to him that she would be totally destroyed when his desire for her had waned and he no longer wanted her? She had tried to tell him that she was the kind of girl who needed love before she could give herself to any man, and he was certainly not the loving, marrying kind. He was looking for a brief affair and Laura needed a lasting relationship. Theirs was a problem that had no solution.

  She turned the shower off and dried herself briskly, trying to rub some life into her weary limbs. Then she put on the simple, apricot colored, linen dress she had bought last week. It had a deep V-neckline and buttoned down the front. Soft beige leather pumps and a small handbag completed the outfit. She swallowed two vitamin C tablets with a small glass of orange juice, told Midge that she'd have a cup of coffee at the Design Center, and ran out the door.

  By the time she reached the Home Design Center, Janine was already looking at some wallpaper to match the master bedroom spread and draperies.

  "Oh, there you are," she said as Laura walked through the door. "Don't you feel well? Your eyes are all puffy. Have you been crying?"

  "No. It's just that I went to the beach yesterday and I think I must have caught a chill. But I'm sure it's not serious. I took some vitamin C this morning and that usually helps."

  Janine reached into her handbag and pulled out a small plastic bottle of pills. "Try these; they're terrific."

  Laura hesitated. "I don't know; I hate to take medicine. I have a low tolerance for antihistamines; I get dizzy if I even think about them."

  "Don't be silly, these are harmless. You see them advertised on T.V.; they couldn't hurt a baby." Janine opened Laura's handbag, dropped in the vial of pills and refastened the clasp. Then, looking away, she raised her hand in greeting to someone who had just walked in the door.

  "Amanda, how nice to see you. Laura Canaday, I'd like you to meet Amanda Tate. In a way, you might say that we're decorating her house. We all assume that it's only a matter of time before Jonathan Lattimer announces his engagement to her."

  Laura looked up to see the beautiful blonde who had been with David at the restaurant. Her heart skipped a beat. Perhaps he had been telling the truth; maybe he had been just keeping a date for Jonathan Lattimer.

  "I hope you're right," Amanda said. "I've certainly been waiting long enough. He can have his fun with those little snips he likes to play around with, but he always comes runni
ng back to me when he gets tired of them."

  Janine raised her eyebrows. "Is he still playing around? You'd think he'd be willing to settle down by now. He must be planning on marriage, though. That house he's building is no bachelor pad like his penthouse in Pacific Heights. Has he taken you to see the house yet?"

  "No, I think he's waiting until it's all finished before showing it to me. As far as his little affairs are concerned, I don't think Jonathan will ever stop playing around. He's too virile to ever be satisfied by any one woman. But I'm not concerned. As long as he takes care of me, I'll be happy. He's got enough money to support an entire harem, so why should I worry about his extra-curricular activities, as long as I get to have mine, too?"

  Laura was astounded by the woman's cold, heartless attitude toward the man she intended to marry. If ever two people were meant for each other, she thought, it was Jonathan Lattimer and this beautiful woman with an iceberg where her heart should be.

  "I've got to run," Amanda said. "I have a hairdresser's appointment. Make my house beautiful, I don't want to have to make too many changes when I move in."

  Janine waved goodbye and turned to Laura. "What do you think of the probable mistress of the house we're decorating?"

  Laura wrinkled her nose. "I'd rather see her living in the Lattimer corporate igloo than in Hillsborough. How can he let someone like that live in such a beautiful home?"

  Janine laughed. "Try not to think about her. As long as Jonathan pays the bills, he can marry anyone he chooses. Let's finish up here and then I have to catch a plane for Los Angeles. I promised Jonathan I'd look at a new shipment of rugs which just arrived from India. Why don't you spend the rest of the week working on the atrium and I'll call you when I get back?"

  Laura was grateful for the opportunity to work on the atrium all by herself. The cold she had caught at Stinson Beach had grown worse, making her feel too defenseless to risk another encounter with David, and she hoped that by getting her work done during the week, she could avoid any chance meetings with him. Although she knew he had only been taking Amanda out as a stand-in for Jonathan Lattimer, she still had to contend with her own emotional weakness where he was concerned. After all, he had been honest enough to admit that what he felt for her was merely desire and had nothing to do with the love she was seeking from him.