by Andrea Kane
Celeste poked her head in, her nose wrinkled in apology. "Forgive me, sir, but I completely forgot to mention to you that Ms. Talbot would be stopping by before nine. She said she didn't need to see you, that she could leave Brian's work with me. But since she is Brian's teacher, I thought you should know that she's here, and ..."
"Send her in," Connor interrupted.
Celeste started, then glanced at the mayor for corrob-oration.
Stephen gave it with a nod. "Go ahead, Celeste."
He waited until she left, then sent a sidelong look at Connor. 'This should be an interesting soap opera. Julia and you, slugging it out. Then Dad will arrive. All that's missing is the popcorn."
"Cute." Connor was scowling. "Did you expect her?"
"No. I didn't ask for Brian's work. I thought I'd wait till he and Nancy were settled. Does Julia know you're here?"
"Hell no." Connor rubbed a palm across his chin. "Or she'd never have come."
A corner of Stephen's mouth lifted. "You really have it bad, don't you?"
Connor wasn't even listening. His eyes were on the door.
An instant later, it opened, and Julia walked in, a shopping bag draped on her arm. "Excuse me for interrupting, Mayor Stratford, but . . ." She saw Connor and stopped, a glimmer of pain flashing in her eyes. "Oh, I didn't realize there was anyone in here with you."
"No problem," Stephen assured her, coming to his feet. "This is my attorney, Cliff Henderson. And you know Connor."
"Yes." Her tone was clipped, and she averted her gaze from Connor's as she shook hands with Cliff.
"My secretary said you brought Brian's work?" Stephen asked, puzzled.
"Yes, a week's assignments." Still ignoring Connor, Julia walked over and handed Stephen the shopping bag. "Mr. Billard thought you might want to send it to Brian in California." She looked as if she might choke on the lie. "That way, he won't be behind when he gets home."
Stephen took the bag, genuine gratitude flickering across his face. "Thanks.- To you and Jack. I'm sure Brian will appreciate it."
"How is he?" Julia blurted out, as if she couldn't help herself. "We miss him. Class isn't the same without him. And the baseball team is hurting."
"I miss him, too," Stephen replied. "A lot."
The sentiment had barely been uttered when the door flew open, and an imposing man with graying temples, a custom-designed suit, and an implacable expression strode in. "Good morning, gentlemen." A slightly surprised glance at Julia as he tossed a leather briefcase on the desk. "And ladies."
Julia was already easing away. "I'm interrupting a meeting. I apologize, Mayor Stratford. I'll be on my way."
"I'll see you out." Connor moved so quickly that there was no time for Julia to refuse. He reached her side, gripping her arm tightly enough so the only way for her to shake it free was to make a scene—something he knew she wouldn't do. "Hi, Dad," he greeted Harrison Stratford. "Good to see you. This is Julia Talbot, Brian's teacher."
"Really." A glint of interest flashed in the ice-blue eyes. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Talbot."
"Thank you, Mr. Stratford. It's nice meeting you, too." A cordial nod. "You have an exceptional grandson. I'm sure you're very proud of him."
"Indeed." He was still studying her, his gaze flickering to Connor's viselike grip on her arm. "Does your being here have anything to do with Brian?"
She hesitated, and Connor read her thoughts as clearly as if she'd spoken them aloud. She wanted to do what was best for Brian. At the same time, she had no idea how much his grandfather knew. And she had no desire to walk this minefield.
Connor let Stephen take the lead on this one.
"Ms. Talbot dropped off some of Brian's work," Stephen supplied briefly, keeping the explanation short and sweet. He rose from behind his desk. "Glad you could make it, Dad. Can I offer you something?"
"Just some black coffee." Harrison Stratford snapped open his briefcase, gave a curt nod to Cliff, then turned his full attention to Stephen. "We have a lot to discuss."
That was Connor's cue.
"I'll see Ms. Talbot to the elevator," he announced, leading Julia to the door. "I'll be right back."
The minute they were out in the hall, the door closed behind them, she yanked away her arm. "I know the way."
"I realize that." He blocked her path. "You have two choices. Either let me show you to the elevator, or scream rape. It's the only way you're going to get rid of me."
Julia's jaw dropped. "Are you insane?"
"Probably. Going without sleep long enough will do that to you." He folded his arms across his chest, awaiting her decision. "Well? Which is it going to be?"
"Fine." She threw up her arms. "Show me to the elevator. But no discussions. I'm not up for them."
"Fair enough." Connor gestured, and the two of them walked down the hall, weaving their way through the thin stream of city employees they passed.
They rounded the corner and reached the cluster of elevators.
As Connor had suspected, the corridor was bustling. No surprise. It was nine a.m.
He kept right on walking.
Julia stopped. "We're here," she said, keeping her voice low so as not to make a spectacle of herself.
"Wrong elevator." Connor took her arril again, knowing she wouldn't pull away in public. "Come on."
"Where are we going?"
"To an elevator that's more direct"
He led her to the back of the building and down the corridor that housed the service elevators. Excellent. Only two of the three were in use.
He headed toward the idle one.
When Julia realized what he was doing, she started trying to tug herself free. "Have you lost it entirely?" she bit out. "Let me go."
"In a minute." Connor pulled her into an empty elevator and jabbed the button that said shut. .
The doors slid closed.
Connor angled his head toward her. "I didn't plan this, any more than I planned taking you to bed the other night. That was fete. So is this. I couldn't have plotted this elevator excursion. I didn't even know you were coming here today. Just like I didn't know Nancy was leaving. Sometimes things just happen. Other times, we seize the moment. Like I'm doing now."
He punched the big red button that brought the elevator to a grinding halt.
Immediately, the emergency bell started ringing shrilly.
"Connor." Julia was staring at him in shock. "What do you think ..."
"Shhh. You said no discussions, remember?" He pulled her into his arms, tilting back her head and covering her mouth with his before she could catch her breath. "We've only got a minute" he murmured, savoring the feel and taste of her. "But I need you to know how wrong you are. To remember how right it was. Don't fight me, sweetheart." He caught Julia's arms, which were trying to shove him away, and brought them around his neck. "For the few seconds we've got before the mechanics show up to fix this thing, don't fight me. Don't fight either of us."
Julia opened her mouth to protest, and Connor took full advantage. His tongue slid inside, entwining with hers and stroking- it in slow, sensual motions that made lust pound at his brain. He knew he was using her desire for him as a weapon, but he didn't care. Not if it brought her to her senses, shocked her into seeing what was real. Besides, having her back in his arms was like a jolt to his own established reality—at least, the reality he'd known for thirty-five years. He was in deep. Really deep. And he had no desire to get out.
He waited only until he felt Julia respond, sinking, almost against her will, into the kiss, before he backed her up to the elevator wall, lifting her until their bodies fit, then pinning her to the wall with his weight.
"You make me crazy," he muttered into her parted lips. "I lose my mind when I touch you. I could forget the whole damned world and make love to you right here, right now, even if the entire maintenance staff finds us." He worked up her skirt, wedging himself between her thighs and pressing his erection into the notch between them.
Julia whimpered, her reaction instant if involuntary. She arched to deepen the contact, her body softening against him in unmistakable need.
Connor had to fight the urge to tear off her panty hose and finish this. He wanted her so much he was shaking with it. But that's not why he'd brought her there. He'd brought her there to make her face the truth.
"Julia." His voice was a husky whisper, barely audible above the piercing emergency siren. He raised his head, his fingers tangling in her hair. "How can you doubt this is real?"
Tears glistened on her lashes. "I don't. But what does it prove? That we want each other? I knew that already."
"It proves more." His fingers tightened. "Tell me you believe I didn't use you."
She stared up at him, her features strained, dark circles of fatigue shadowing her eyes. "Fine. I believe you didn't use me. That doesn't mean I believe you wouldn't use me. Connor, please, let me go. What I need ..." She swallowed hard. "... you're just not capable of giving."
He opened his mouth to reply but never got the chance.
From overhead, the sound of pounding footsteps intermingled with the blaring of the alarm.
"Hey!" a voice bellowed. "Is anybody down there?"
Connor reacted to the panic-stricken look on Julia's face. He stepped away, letting her feet slide to the floor. Then he walked over and punched the red button again.
The siren stopped.
The car continued its descent, moving away from the mechanics above.
"I'm all right" he called back, his voice easily heard now that it was quiet. "Sorry about the noise. I leaned against the button by mistake, and it jammed. I just un-jammed it. I'm on my way down now." He purposely said nothing to contradict the impression that he was a delivery man with every right to be using the elevator.
Apparently, his ruse worked, because there was a brief silence, followed by: "Okay, but next time be more careful. You got the whole place in an uproar."
"Sure will." Connor turned to Julia, who was adjusting her skirt. "Are you all right?' he asked quietly.
She nodded, combing her fingers through her hair. "I'm fine. But I've got to get to school. And you've got to get back to whatever deal you're cooking up with your father and brother." A sad smile. "I guess that says it all, doesn't it?"
As if on cue, the elevator stopped on the ground floor, and the doors glided open. Julia poked her head out, relief sweeping her face as she saw the hallway was temporarily empty. She paused, turning to look back at Connor as if she had something more she wanted, needed, to say.
Whatever it was, she changed her mind. Straightening her shoulders—and, Connor suspected, her resolve—she walked away.
Tempted though he was, he didn't go after her. Not now. Not when she had a classroom of kids to see to and he had Stephen's ass to keep out of the fire.
But later—later would be different.
The timing might be wrong, but the two of them were right.
Connor knew it.
And by the time he was finished, so would Julia.
* * *
22
The tension in Stephen's office was so thick you could cut it with a knife.
Connor walked in and shut the door behind him, sizing up the situation. Cliff was pacing around, thumbing through some papers as if he were looking for data to report. Stephen was seated behind his desk, the essence of a calm and commanding leader. His posture was straight, his expression was confident, and his fingers were steepled in front of him, as if he were about to issue a proclamation of some sort. It was a look he had long since perfected, a look their father expected of his political prodigy.
As for Harrison Stratford, he was in his usual confrontational stance—poised at the edge of his seat, inching forward one impatient, aggressive increment at a time. Like a damned German shepherd crouched in the attack position.
"So what did I miss?" Connor asked lightly, crossing over to pour himself some coffee.
"Nothing much," Stephen assured him. "Just going over the latest polls."
That was odd. Connor would have bet his bottom dollar that their father would go straight for the jugular: the issue of Nancy and Brian. He made split-second eye contact with his brother and saw that the same question was on Stephen's mind.
"How are the numbers looking?" Connor sipped at his coffee, wondering when their father was going in for the kilt and what was stopping him.
He soon found out.
"The numbers are strong" Harrison announced, swiveling around to pin Connor with an icy stare. "Up through yesterday, that is. I can't vouch for what will happen after the press has a chance to put some spin on the fact that Nancy's gone cross-country for God knows how long. Nice of you to join us, by the way."
Ah, so that was it. He wanted Connor present for the inquisition.
That meant that today's agenda involved either big money or a big issue.
A family issue.
Given everything that was going on, it didn't take much to guess it was the latter.
Connor steeled himself for a bigger boom than expected to be lowered. "I had some elevator trouble," he replied. "Besides, I'm not good at second-guessing the press about potential spin. So I wouldn't have been much help."
"Elevator trouble?" That raised Stephen's brows. "The racket down the hall was you?"
"Yup." Connor's expression remained unreadable. "A jammed emergency button. No harm done. Sorry about the noise."
Stephen's lips twitched, an obvious sign that he'd read between the lines and that what he'd deduced had supplied welcome comic relief. However, out of respect for Connor's privacy, he didn't pursue the subject.
Their father harbored no such reservations. "What about Ms. Talbot?"
"What about her?"
"Was she in this elevator trouble with you?"
Connor's jaw set. He wasn't going down this path. He knew his father's mind and how it worked. The son of a bitch was trying to figure out where best to use Julia as a pawn in bis power game. He wanted to know her opinions and relationships with their family, what she might or might not know about Brian's absence, and how her image as Brian's lovely, wholesome teacher could be exploited so the Stratfords appeared in the best possible light.
Connor could already smell the apple pie baking in his father's manipulative mind.
"Yes, Dad, she was there," he supplied in clipped tones. "Now she's on her way to school. And I'm here. So let's get back to business."
"She is business," Harrison countered. "She's my grandson's teacher. And she didn't look too happy about this sudden trip his mother took him on. He's missing school. That can't be going over well."
"Not to worry," Connor assured him, a biting edge to his words. "Julia's dedication to her teaching has no impact on her opinion of Stephen. She told me herself that she voted for him for mayor, and she plans to vote for him for senator. So no holes to plug up there."
Harrison gave a hard nod of approval. "You're sleeping with this woman," he concluded. "Good. That'll stop her from spouting negative publicity. On the other hand, keep it low-profile. The last thing we need is for the press to take this and run, making it out to be some kind of incestuous affair. You know, 'The mayor's son's teacher beds down with his brother,' that kind-of thing."
Connor had never been closer to telling His father to go to hell.
Before he could do so, Stephen jumped in to do damage control. "Relax, Dad. Julia's fine with Brian's trip. She was just dropping off his work. As for her and Connor, that's their business. Besides, they're both single, well respected, and squeaky clean. That might sound appealing to you, but it's too boring for the media to do much with."
From across the room, Cliff cleared his throat. He looked decidedly uncomfortable, although Connor wasn't sure whether his discomfort stemmed from the conversation or from whatever information he'd just found. "I don't know if news of Nancy's trip leaked out before today's paper came out. It's possible, but I don't have any feedback, negative or otherwise. That co
uld be because there is none. Or it could be because I was at client meetings most of yesterday and didn't check. Do you want me to?"
"No." Harrison rose. "I want you to excuse the three of us for a few minutes. Take a time-out from your watchdog duties. I need to speak with my sons in private."
A startled nod. "All right." Cliff gathered up his file and headed for the door.
"Don't go far," Harrison advised. "I have a few things to go over with you before I leave."
The door clicked quietly shut.
"That was tactful," Connor observed dryly.
"It wasn't meant to be. Now, suppose we dispense with the bullshit." Harrison slapped his palms on the desk. He leaned forward, his stare lethal, fixed on Stephen. "Where did Nancy really go and why? Is she leaving you?"
Not a flicker of reaction marred Stephen's political face. "What makes you think she's not in California?"
"Because I called her sister in LA. She's a lousy liar, by the way. You prepped her well enough for the press but not for me. She fumferred her ass off. Nancy's no more there than I am. So where is she?'
So this was the bomb their father had been waiting to drop, Connor mused. Okay, now the ball was in Stephen's court.
He eyed his brother, waiting to see how he chose to play this. That would decide the particular backup that was needed.
Unblinking, Stephen made a casual sweep with his arm. "Fine. Nancy and I are having a few problems. She needed time to think. I'm not sure where she is. She said she'd call. I didn't think you'd want that published in the papers. Was I wrong?"
Harrison ignored the sarcasm. "And has she called?"
"Not yet."
"Great. Who did you hire to track her down?"
"No one. Nor do I intend to." Now Stephen was angry. He came to his feet, glaring at his father across the desk. "She's my wife, not an escaped con. I'm not going to hunt her down and drag her home. When she's ready, she'll come back on her own."
"And what about your son?" Harrison fired back. "Where does he fit into all this?"
"He's with his mother."
"How touching. In case you've forgotten, Nancy's not the one running for senator. You are. You need Brian here with you. And Nancy, too, for that matter. She can disappear for a few days if she has to, but no more. Not with the election less than six months away."
