Anywhere You Are
Page 26
As the thought raced through his brain, Jack felt a rush of emotion come alive that he had believed dormant within him. He realized he wanted this night to be special for more than Mairie. He also wanted it for himself. He had spent so much time alone in the last ten years, needing to separate from society and its demands, satisfying himself only with women who understood he was moving on. Now he wanted something more… he wanted to feel vital again, to know intimacy with this remarkable woman who had fallen into his life.
He dressed deliberately, ensuring every seam and crease was exact.
Now for the tie.
He'd always had a problem with these and felt they were too similar to a noose. Nor could he understand why something so confining was still in fashion. However, the white shirt collar folding down was much more comfortable than the raised stiff collars he was accustomed to wearing. He placed the narrow silk tie around his neck and began the procedure of folding and knotting. It took three attempts before he was successful.
Looking into the mirror, he wondered why the clerk had assured him this outrageous colorful design would impress his lady. My lady. Those words resounded in his head.
Yes, he thought, looking into the mirror, he believed he would like Mairie Callahan to be his lady. He reached behind him for his suit coat and slipped it on. Buttoning the double-breasted jacket, as the clerk had called it, he stood back and surveyed his reflection.
He wanted everything to be just right.
The dark blue suit fit as if it had been tailored for him. The shoulders tapered to his waist and the material hung perfectly to his upper thighs. He saw how the contrast against his white shirt set off the swirling colors in the tie. The clerk had been right, and Jack thought he did resemble the pictures he had seen in the store of a properly dressed gentleman of 1999. He fit right in; no one would know he was a recent arrival to this century.
Except for his hair.
He pulled it back and saw he looked much better, more in keeping with others he had seen. He went to the closet and picked up his worn old boots. Untying the short black leather lace above the heel, he brought it with him to the mirror. He gathered his hair at the nape of his neck and looped the lace once around before pulling it taut.
A satisfied grin reflected back at him.
Yes. All he needed now was that fancy toilet water he'd been talked into purchasing by the clerk. Bvlgari. He couldn't even pronounce it. Made by someone called Chanel. Well, Chanel must be a wealthy person, for this small bottle had cost him over seventy dollars.
Splashing a little on his hands, he patted his face and neck and thought he was finally finished. Until he looked down to his feet. Those shoes… Mairie had insisted he needed a new pair and when he asked her which ones she liked, she picked out the soft shiny leather moccasins with tassels. He bought them.
Slipping his feet into them, he had to admit they were comfortable, almost like wearing slippers… and they did look smart with his attire.
All right. Back to the mirror.
Again checking his reflection, Jack was finally satisfied. More than satisfied. Even though he'd almost choked when he had to pay over six hundred dollars for this ensemble, right now it was worth every nickel. He looked… modern. And he eased his conscience by telling himself he not only needed a proper suit, but he would have it for the next twenty years. Mairie was right. Everything cost a fortune here.
Tonight was not the time to be miserly. Tonight he was courting his lady.
Listening to Mairie in the bathroom, and the sound of the device that blew out hot air to dry one's hair, he knew he had some time yet before she made her appearance. He stood in front of the mirror and practiced how he would greet her.
"Good evening, Miss Callahan," he whispered with a smile. "Your radiance all but dims the stars in the velvet desert sky."
He scowled and shook his head. "Good evening, Miss Callahan," he began again. "I am honored to accompany such a vision of loveliness." That's better, he thought. Now he was ready to court her. Still he didn't want his greeting to come out sounding like a bunch of posies.
"Flowers!" How could he court his lady without them?
His mind went blank until he suddenly remembered the flower shop in the hotel lobby. Glancing back to the bathroom door, he could still hear the contraption whirring and knew if he rushed he could make it back before she was finished.
Grabbing a fistful of money, he jammed it into his pocket and hurried to the door.
When Jack Delaney courted a woman, he courted her.
Mairie patted her hair in place and assessed the style in the mirror. Since her black hair was straight, she didn't try and fight it by attempting something curly. Better to stay with smooth, shiny and elegant … but she did pull one side behind her ear to expose one of the tiny pearl studs she'd purchased. It was a good imitation. Now for her makeup.
Applying a razor-thin stroke of eyeliner to her upper lid, she realized she hadn't felt this kind of excitement in a very long time. Probably not since before her marriage. She remembered the desire to look beautiful, to impress, to seduce. Strange, how what she was feeling now was different, even heightened.
"Maybe because you love the man," she muttered to herself.
Jack had already seen her at her worst. He was her friend, her partner. They had made an intimate connection that usually took months to achieve. They had shared so much, as if they'd been an established couple, and now was their first date? Everything was in reverse.
Why didn't that surprise her? Was there anything about her relationship with Jack Delaney that was normal?
She picked up the slate eyeshadow and lightly defined the crease at the top of her eyelid, then brushed a soft cream color onto her lids and under her brow. The effect was exactly what she wanted, she thought as she stroked the mascara onto her lashes. Softly dramatic. She wondered if Jack would think so, since she figured only flamboyant women in his time painted their faces. Well he would just have to get used to it, she decided and then remembered how he seemed to appreciate her without makeup.
Again she recalled standing between his legs and touching his hair. It hadn't been planned, yet he'd looked so flustered by her appearance in his T-shirt, that she wanted to reassure him with a gesture of compassion.
Compassion was becoming a desire for intimacy. She had felt it in her body as it responded to the electricity coming from his. The nearness of him had been almost overwhelming and she had to fight the urge to bend down and place a kiss on the top of his head. Dear God, how she wanted to feel his arms around her again.
Sighing, Mairie decided she was becoming a wanton where Jack Delaney was concerned. She applied blush, a faint lip liner, and a mocha-colored lipstick. Standing back, she looked at her reflection and smiled. Clad in her new black demi-bra and slip, she adjusted the underwires and thought how uncomfortable wearing a bra was since she'd spent so much time without one. She looked to her dress hanging on the back of the door and decided to forgo the sheer black pantyhose she'd bought. Way too hot in the desert, and she didn't want to sweat tonight. Spraying herself lightly in strategic spots with the small bottle of perfume, she whispered, "Tonight must be perfect."
Tonight was her first date with the man she loved.
She unzipped the garment bag and pulled out her dress. It was so beautiful. The perfect black dress, bias cut georgette with fifteen tiny covered buttons down the front. Slipping her arms into it, she started buttoning when she heard someone knocking on the door.
"Jack," she yelled out. "Would you see who that is?" She fastened another button and added, "Be careful."
The knocking continued. "Jack?"
He didn't answer her. Alarmed, she opened the door and stuck her head out. "Where are you?" she asked the empty room.
She heard a mumble from the other side of the door. Stepping over to it, she looked through the peephole and saw him standing there. "What happened?" she asked through the door.
"I forgot the key."
"Mairie?"
She heard his muffled voice call out her name and answered, "Yes… I'll be right there." What was he doing in the hallway? This was not the way she wanted to make an impression. Rushed and flustered.
Taking a deep breath, she patted her hair one final time and opened the door.
Ready, or not, it was time to begin…
Chapter 16
He took her breath away, and her ability to speak. Standing there, looking so handsome and classically dressed that he could have graced the cover of GQ, he held a gardenia in his hand and smiled.
"How lovely you are," he paused for a moment of appreciation. "Simply exquisite."
"Jack," she quickly recovered. "You look so… handsome." She stepped back from the door and smiled. "Come in."
"Mairie, you are more lovely than this blossom. Truly." He returned her smile. "Even it fades before your beauty," he added, handing her the corsage and closing the door behind him.
"Thank you, Jack." Feeling a blush of pleasure rise to her cheeks, she looked down to the fragile blossom and whispered, "How did you know this is one of my favorite flowers?" She grazed the soft petals across her lips and took in the scent.
Mairie stepped back into the room and he followed her. She sensed his presence like an irresistible attraction she was helpless to fight any longer. Standing before the window, she turned to him.
"Would you help me put it on?"
"Certainly, Mairie, I would be honored."
He didn't take his eyes off her as he joined her. Mairie found herself following the way his body moved, the elegant way he carried off the sophisticated suit, how his hair was pulled back, making him appear contemporary. He looked so… so different, almost altered, yet preciously familiar. It was as though she had always known him, yet was now recognizing him for the first time.
As she extended the flower, his hand gently wrapped around her fingers and lingered for an instant. He drew the stem from her hand and removed the stick pin. She felt him tremble slightly when he placed his fingers beneath the thin material at her neckline, and she shivered deep inside with the intimate contact of skin to skin.
"Ouch!" Feeling the stick of the pin, she flinched and then laughed.
"Oh, Mar. I do apologize… it's been quite some time since I—"
"It's all right, Jack." She looked back up into his eyes. "You didn't hurt me."
"I would never hurt you, Mairie." As soon as he returned her gaze the intensity came back with a powerful merging. "You're my partner. I… respect you."
It was as if nothing else in the room existed at that moment, except his vision penetrating every barrier of doubt or resistance she ever had in her life. It was as though he could see beyond all of it, into her mind, her heart, her very soul. She felt a tug from the center of her breasts as she fell into his soul-filled eyes.
"I trust you, Jack."
His smile was tender. His expression held a hint of something she was almost afraid to identify, in case she only imagined it.
"You are safe, Mairie," he said in a low, rough whisper.
It was a moment frozen in time as the words from the postcard seemed to whisper through her mind.
Go beyond reason to love. It is safe. The only safety.
Could this be happening? Could the messages she was receiving be true? She only knew for certain that she had never wanted another as she wanted this incredible man who stood before her.
He reached up and his fingers gently, ever so gently, caressed her face in a silent, urgent plea. "Say something… please."
It was so clear for her now, and her answer was so simple.
"Yes."
His eyes searched hers, as though wanting to make sure, and Mairie did something that could only have been intuition. Slowly, with purpose, she reached up and glided her hands around the base of his head. Her fingers entered his hair and she heard his quick intake of breath. Gently, imploring consent with each fraction of motion she applied, she brought his face closer to hers. The magnetism between them grew stronger as they neared, like two powerful forces on a course that must be traveled, no matter the outcome. She felt something so intense, so compelling rushing through her body that she knew this moment was privileged, that nothing in her life had ever come close to comparing.
His eyes never broke contact as his face barely touched hers. She could feel his breath upon her skin while they stared into the depths of each other's souls.
Oh, what she saw nearly stopped the beating of her heart!
It was as though she had waited her entire life for this moment, this recognition.
"I want you, Mairie Callahan." He whispered the words into her mouth. "I want you so much I've got to tell you even though it may scare you and end this. I have never desired another woman as I thirst for you." His eyes held a look of wonder.
Her breath left her body in a rush that was almost surrender. She knew deep within her that if she proceeded, her life was again going to alter. A part of her held back, a tiny wave of uncertainty. Where she was about to travel was the unknown, for this was beyond anything she had ever known existed. This was undefinable. It could only be experienced. The uncertainty increased along with the intensity as he continued to hold her gaze, and she wondered how to trust the unknown.
Suddenly she remembered she had jumped from a plane, been thrown back in time, survived, and made it back somehow to her own time. It went beyond comprehension. She couldn't understand it or explain it to anyone else. She had done it.
Inhaling him, she closed her eyes and barely grazed the corner of his lips with her own. "Go beyond reason to love," she softly breathed against his skin, as she moved her lips over his mouth, along his nose, under his cheekbone, feeling the electricity between them build even more. "It is safe. The only safety."
He moaned in response. "Oh, precious lady… you are safe."
It started out as a gentle greeting of lips, a hesitant tasting, but soon it became a mutual supplication, a surrender, a homecoming. Jack quickly demanded a response and she gladly gave it—clinging to him, her heart singing with joy. She bonded to him, relishing the feel of his chest against her breasts, his hard thighs pressing hers, as his arms encircled her with a restrained strength.
Mairie was astonished by the ripples of pleasure that seemed to pulse from deep within her and race along her skin. Jack moaned again, as if he also felt this stunning sensation. The kiss became fast and hard, as if each couldn't get enough of the other, and when they broke away and again stared into each other's eyes, they were gasping for breath.
Without words they again came together, this time demanding more. His hands traveled over her back and into her hair, pressing her closer. Her body melted into his as her fingers clutched the fabric at his chest. They were hungry, starved for each other, and whatever barriers remained were dissolving.
It was frantic, and clothes became impediments that must be removed. She unbuttoned his jacket and pulled it over his shoulders and down his arms. Trapped for a moment, she lured him to her and kissed him again with a ravenous passion she never knew existed within her.
She stripped the jacket from his arms and threw it to the chair. He immediately reached for the buttons on her dress. "Help me, love, for I want you so desperately right now I might tear this from your body."
Her fingers fumbled along with his and the only sound in the room was their heavy breathing. When enough were unbuttoned, he slid his hands under the edges of the material and eased it off her shoulders. She brought her fingers to the middle of her chest, unhooked her bra, and allowed him to remove it. Mairie closed her eyes, threw her head back, and inhaled through her teeth as his hands produced currents of pleasure along every nerve
ending he touched. It was a slice of heaven… the feel of his touch… slowly, torturously slow, grazing only the tiny hairs of her skin with his warm hands along her sides and exploring the small of her back and hips. She shivered but gave no resistance and withdrew her limbs. The dress fell to the floor and Jack exhaled with a deep moan as he gazed at her body.
"Come with me, Mairie," he said in a low voice. "Come let me love you."
She only had to smile her consent. He picked her up, stepped over her dress and laid her gently on her bed. "What about dinner?" she whispered with a giggle.
"Do you care?" he answered with a sexy grin, as he stripped off his beautiful new clothes, threw them to the chair, and untied his hair.
Dear God, he was magnificent, she thought, shaking her head as his mouth captured hers once again and demanded her surrender.
This time she gladly gave it.
The setting sun cast fiery reflections across the room, as their lovemaking became feverish and hands became instruments of discovery and pleasure.
She felt the heat of his breath as he grazed down her torso with his lips. Like a cat he brushed his head and face back and forth across her. Her body became an altar, as his long hair caressed her skin and she arched her back in pleasure, offering herself to him. There wasn't a centimeter of her he did not worship and tears ran down her cheeks as she experienced an orgasmic flight beyond the limits of her body.
"You are exquisite," he whispered, gliding up the length of her body. The wonder on his face was now replaced with awe.
He slid his fingers firmly between hers and pressed her hands to the sheets, while gently covering her body with his. His lips found hers once more and Mairie thought surely this was heaven on earth, to be loved, joined, with another so gracefully. When he entered her body, her back again arched to receive him and the ancient, sacred ritual began, slow and deliberate, as Jack held her hands and captured her gaze.