by Judy Angelo
As the sun began to slide toward the horizon Indie went to the door and looked out. And there, striding toward her house, tall and dark with the setting sun to his back, was Stone.
At the sight of him her heart gave a flutter. Sure, she was expecting him and, of course, this wasn't their first dinner date. But still, she couldn't stop her heart from jerking in anticipation. Involuntarily she pulled at her dress, letting it fall softly around her legs, then she reached up a hand and smoothed her hair back and away from her face. The fluttery feeling in the pit of her stomach told her she was nervous as hell. Come on, Indie, you've done this before. Just chill out.
Stone was at her door now, and as he stepped forward she tilted her chin up, her face deliberately cool and serene, and accepted his peck on the cheek. He would never guess that her placid exterior was just a sham. Inside she was as jumpy as quicksilver.
“Now it’s my turn to welcome you,” she said with a soft smile as he stepped inside.
He didn’t reply but the intensity of his gaze was all the response she needed. He was taking her in, all of her, from the top of her head down to her sandaled feet peeping out from under the hem of her dress. And his eyes lingered in all the right places – the sweep of her collarbone, the slope of her neckline and all the way up that all-important slit in the side of her dress.
His glance slid back to her face and when he realized that she’d been following his eyes he straightened his back and cleared his throat. A hint of a flush told her he was embarrassed at being caught.
But she didn’t mind the attention at all. She welcomed it. It was a very encouraging sign.
“Make yourself comfortable.” She gave him a reassuring smile. “You must be thirsty after your walk. I’ll get you a drink.”
When she got to the kitchen she drew in a deep breath then let it out slowly. Staying in control was not going to be as easy as she’d thought. Having him so close – the woodsy fragrance of his cologne, the fact that he was sitting right there in her living room – was sending her pulse racing like she’d just done a five mile run. Even her fingers were shaking. Yikes! She really had to get a hold of herself or he’d think she’d gone batty.
She let a few seconds pass and then, pasting a smile on her face, she exited the kitchen carrying the two chilled glasses of wine. She was surprised when she saw that Stone had found the chess game that had been sitting on top of the bookcase. He'd opened the box and was laying out the pieces as she entered the room.
“You like chess,” she said matter-of-factly. It was not a question. He just looked like a man who would be good at that sort of game.
He shrugged and continued to place the pieces. “I’m competitive. What can I say?” Then he looked up at her and grinned. "Want to play?”
She gave him a crooked smile. “I don’t know…” He looked like he could give her a good whipping and she didn’t know if she wanted to lose to him tonight. Maybe some other time but tonight she wanted to be a winner in every sense of the word. She handed him his glass of wine and went over to sit on the seat across from him then she slid back in the chair, relaxed, and took a sip.
“Chicken?” He gave her a cheeky grin.
“Never.” But still, she didn’t move closer to the board. “I’ll take you up on your challenge,” she said, “after dinner.” With any luck after dinner they’d be too occupied to even remember about a chess game.
Stone seemed unperturbed. He shrugged his broad shoulders and lounged in the sofa, watching her over the rim of his glass as he sipped. With his brown eyes near golden and the dark-brown hair framing his rugged face he could have been a lion basking in the warmth of the South African sun, casually regarding his prey. But she was the hunter, not the hunted. She didn’t like feeling like prey.
“Let’s head for the dining room before our food gets cold,” she said and stood up so he would, too. He complied and followed her out of the living room.
When Stone saw the romantic setting, the meal laid out, the tiny vase with bright orange daisies in the middle of the table and the stout red candle beside it, he whistled.
That brought a blush to Indie’s cheeks. Had she been too presumptuous to make this look like a real date? The man was her employer, after all.
But no, he was looking at the table then at her with nothing but appreciation.
She relaxed then, and they sat down to a meal punctuated with laughter and ribbing until Indie couldn’t even remember what she’d been uptight about.
After that they moved to the living room where Indie was able to convince Stone to try Monopoly instead of chess. With that game choice, she thought, she would have some hope of winning. No such luck. Stone whipped her three times in a row till she threatened to confiscate the board and send him packing.
He only laughed. “Now it’s time for you to pay,” he growled and moved closer to her on the sofa.
“Pay?” Her brows shot up and her eyes widened. “I didn’t know there was a penalty for losing.”
“There is,” he said, his tone unapologetic.
“Since when?” She gave him her sternest look. She was not used to being bullied, especially not by a man.
“Since now,” he said, his voice a sexy whisper.
Indie’s breath caught in her throat. Stone Hudson was trying to seduce…her.
She had no time to dwell on that thought. He was reaching for her and her body, eager as it was for his touch, was leaning toward him, betraying the depth of her desire. And then she was in his arms, her breasts crushed against his rock-hard chest, her lips pressed against his.
Stone kissed her urgently, plundering her mouth, wiping from her mind everything but the feel of him, the taste of him, the scent of his cologne.
And as urgent as he was kissing her she was kissing back. Indie wrapped her arms around Stone’s waist and held on as they rode the waves of passion together.
When Stone released her lips he was breathing hard. “I want you, Indie,” he said in a ragged whisper. “I want you so bad.”
He reached for her again and just like last time he dragged her onto his lap but this time his lips skimmed past hers and slid down the length of her neck to her collarbone and then to that sensitive valley between her breasts where his hot breath tickled and tantalized till she arched up to meet his mouth.
Yes, he wanted her. She could hear it in the heavy thumping in his chest, see it in the perspiration that beaded his brow and feel it in the hardness that pressed up into her thigh.
And she wanted him. And when his lips slid even lower to kiss the top of her right breast, she reached up to pull his head down, urging him on, wanting more.
When Stone slid his lips lower and captured her nipple, Indie gasped.
A jolt ran through her body and then she was melting inside as pure pleasure flowed from his lips. She sank against him, her body weak and pliable in his arms. And when his hand slid down to the slit in her dress and slowly ran up the length of her thigh she could only moan at his sweet seduction.
Indie was floating on air when Stone lifted his head then slid his arm behind her knees. He got up from the sofa and, in one smooth move, he had lifted her into his arms and was striding out of the room.
“What?” Confused, Indie clung to his shoulders but when she looked up into his face what she saw left her in no doubt as to his intentions.
In just a few purposeful strides Stone was in her bedroom and then he was laying her gently on the bed. He lay down beside her and his golden-brown eyes flashed as he gazed down at her. “You know what I want, Indie,” he said, his voice hoarse, “but do you want this, too?”
“I…” She swallowed. What should she say? The question wasn’t if she wanted him – there was no doubt in her mind about that – but would he want her? How would he react when she told him she was, at almost the grand old age of thirty, still a virgin?
“I…” She tried again, but no words came. For a woman who was used to being in control it was as if she’d lost the po
wer of speech. The sad thing was, when it came to sex she was out of her depth.
“It’s okay,” Stone whispered. “If you’re not ready I can wait. I want this to be your decision.”
A wave of embarrassment washed over Indie. She ducked her face and pressed it against his shoulder. Oh God, this was awful. Should she tell him and risk being laughed at or should she remain silent and leave him thinking she was being a tease?
She gritted her teeth and reached out to cling to him. Then she drew in a deep breath and took the plunge. “I’ve never done this before. This would be my…first time.”
Stone went still. Even his breathing stopped. Then he reached up and loosened her fingers which still clutched his shoulders. He pulled back and looked into her face. “Your first time?”
She dropped her gaze, her heart aching at the incredulity she’d seen on his face. She nodded then waited for the anger. Or the ridicule.
But none came. Instead, she was shocked when he pulled her into his arms and gave her a sweet, gentle kiss on the forehead. “Thank you,” he said softly as he held her close.
Indie frowned. Of all the things he could have said she was not expecting a thank you. She pulled back and peered up at him. “For what?”
He reached up a hand to stroke the strands of disheveled hair away from her face. “Thank you for telling me.” He smiled. “Your first time…it has to be special. And it will be, but not tonight. I will wait till the time is right.”
At his words Indie closed her eyes and laid her head on his chest. She’d waited so long to share that special moment with the man of her heart. Now that she’d found him how much longer would she wait? When the time was right, he’d said. She prayed it would be sometime soon.
CHAPTER EIGHT
It was now nineteen days to Indie’s deadline and although her relationship with Stone had progressed, with him checking up on her at least twice a day, she was still nervous. A lot could happen in nineteen days. And on the other hand, nothing could happen. Had she come this far only to fail?
But who was she kidding? Where on God’s green earth did two people meet, fall in love, and get married in thirty days? Not counting Las Vegas. Maybe she should have gone to Vegas to do her manhunt.
But seriously, was this a lost cause? She looked again at the calendar on the wall, at the big red X’s marking off the days, and she heaved a sigh. Somehow she had to find a way to speed things up…without Stone noticing, of course.
Ever since he’d found out she was a virgin he’d backed off. It wasn’t that he was ignoring her. He came by the school every day and greeted her with a warmth she should have no complaints about. Except that it wasn’t warmth that she wanted. It was passion, craving and even…love. But was she destined to ever find that elusive prize, particularly within the next two and a half weeks?
She set her lips in a determined pout and got up from behind the desk. If anything was going to happen she would have to make it happen. She’d always believed in creating her own destiny and she wasn’t going to stop now. She marched out of the cottage, intent on finding Stone. She had no idea what she would do when she saw him but whatever it was, it was going to take her a whole lot closer to getting married than where she was now.
But when she went to Stone’s cottage he was nowhere to be found. She went in search of Jenna.
“I’m sorry, Indie. He was called suddenly to the HBC office in Johannesburg. He wanted to tell you before leaving but you weren’t in your office or at the school.” Jenna gave her an apologetic look. “He asked me to tell you but I was swamped this morning. I didn’t get a chance to come find you.”
“No, that’s okay,” Indie said, her thoughts scattered. “I understand. I know you’re busy getting ready for the baby.” She bit her lip. She would just have to be patient. Stone would be back soon enough. Johannesburg was only two and a half hour's drive away. She turned back to Jenna. “Did he say what time he’d be back?”
“He said he’d be gone three, maybe four days.”
Three or four days. In Indie's world that was a lifetime. She was already down to the wire and then to lose that many days? Her heart sank. So near to her goal and yet so far. There was nothing she could do but wait.
But Indie did not have to wait long before excitement hit the compound. The following day she was in the classroom with the ninth graders when Kirk rushed up to the door.
“My truck won’t start. Where’s the driver?” He was breathing hard as if he’d run all the way from his house.
“Fenyang is away on holiday. He went back to his township but Dominic should be around here somewhere.” Then, seeing desperation leap into his eyes, Indie got up from her chair and hurried to him. “What’s wrong? Is it Jenna?”
“Yes, and the truck won’t start and…and…I just have to find the driver.” Kirk looked just about ready to pull out his hair.
“Boys,” Indie yelled over her shoulder, “I’ll be right back.” She grabbed Kirk’s arm. “Come on. I’ll find Dominic. You go back and stay with Jenna. Don’t leave her alone.”
Kirk ran off across the yard and Indie headed straight for the kitchen. There were not that many places on the compound where a young man could hang out and the kitchen was a likely place to start.
And there he was, resting in the back while Cook and his assistants chopped carrots on the counter.
As soon as Indie explained the situation Dominic dashed off to get his Jeep and then he was off to Kirk and Jenna’s place. Minutes later the van roared through the gate of the compound to the cheers of the ninth grade boys who had sneaked out of their classroom.
After that exciting turn of events nothing happened. Three days passed and Stone did not return. Then it was four days and then five. Meanwhile, the clock kept ticking toward her deadline.
Six days into the wait Indie heard the roar of the Jeep and it was Stone, finally back from his mission in Johannesburg. He’d called a couple of times during his absence but how could a phone call from over a hundred miles away help her?
And then, when she went out into the yard and saw him striding toward her, she knew that it hadn’t just been about the marriage. It had been about Stone. She’d missed him terribly and now, at the sight of him, she wanted to run into his arms.
But she couldn’t. Instead, she waited until he was standing right in front of her. She looked up and to her relief she could see in his eyes that he’d missed her, too.
That look in his eyes spoke volumes. It was a look well worth the wait.
******
It was three days later when they got the call. Jenna had delivered a seven-pound baby girl.
Indie could only laugh when she heard the news. “Can you imagine, they tore out of here a week ago, all because of a false labor. But I’m glad they didn’t come back. Joburg was the safest place for Jenna to be.”
“Particularly since she needed a C-section,” Stone said, then he tilted his head toward Indie. “What do you think about you and me going to the city to meet this new member of the family?”
“I think that’s the best thing you’ve said to me since you got back.” Indie knew she probably looked like an idiot with the wide grin on her face but she didn’t really care. She was dying to get off the compound, and she wanted to see the new baby. And to take a trip to Johannesburg with Stone – what better way to spend some alone time with him? “When can we leave? Now?”
He shook his head. “First thing in the morning. We can set out at sunrise and have the whole day ahead of us.”
She frowned. She would lose a whole day waiting for tomorrow to come. “What about this afternoon? After lunch?”
He looked doubtful. “None of the drivers can take us this afternoon. I would have to drive us in that case.”
Even better. No driver to get in the way of their conversation.
“No problem, though,” he continued. “I’ve traveled that route so many times I know it like the back of my hand.”
She chuckled. �
�You’d need to have a very big hand to cover that terrain. Just make sure you travel with a map. Better yet, get Cook to draw you one. I know there are some sections probably not on a regular map.”
He shook his head. “So little faith in me,” he tut-tutted.
Indie rolled her eyes. “Just get the map.”
They ended up leaving the compound at a little past four o’clock. She had underestimated the time it would take to pack and be ready. Still, although they were heading out over an hour later than planned, for a journey of two and a half hours they’d be in Johannesburg by the set of sun.
Stone threw the bags into the back of the vehicle and Indie hopped into the passenger seat beside him. He looked over at her. “Ready to roll?”
She put her hand to her brow, and gave him a smart salute. “Aye, aye, Cap’n.”
They set off along the dirt trail, leaving a cloud of dust behind them. Indie relaxed into the seat, a smile on her lips. She and Stone would get a chance to talk along the way and maybe she would be able to convince him to spend a few days in Johannesburg.
She’d already lost so much time she was hoping that a change in environment, a return to city life, would be the catalyst that would push Stone over the edge toward a commitment. Indie sighed. It was going to be hard, if not impossible. How do you get a man to ask you to marry him…without asking him to marry you?
Stone glanced over at her. “You all right?”
“Yes,” she said, giving him a bright smile. “Perfect.”
But she was far from it. Now back to her musings – how to get a man to ask you to marry him? Outside of hypnotizing him or blackmailing him, that is. Or maybe she could just knock him out and get a minister to marry them while he was still out cold. She was almost muttering in her distress. Come on, brain, think. There’s got to be something I can do.
Indie bit her lip and looked away over the wide expanse of brown savannah. Stone was glancing over at her again. He must think she was going bananas. And rightly so. She was certainly acting like it.
