Dusky Rose (15 page)

David's eyes traveled the length of Laura's body as she sat silently next to him. His intense inspection made her feel extremely uncomfortable as she realized the revealing nature of her attire. He continued his penetrating appraisal of her as if he had the ability to mentally strip away her flimsy silk pajamas and view the soft curves of the slender body beneath them. Then, raising his voice and looking directly into her eyes, he reached into his pocket and drew out a small green velvet box.

"I realize that this has very little meaning for you, except perhaps for its salability, but I believe a married woman should wear a wedding band. I know you refused to wear the one we were married with," he said, looking down at the snakelike ring which once again adorned his own powerful hand, "however, I trust that you will be more possessive toward this one. I would not feel kindly about having a second ring thrust back in my face."

Laura looked at him as he took her hand in his and removed a small gold ring from the box. No diamonds or other jewels adorned its surface and Laura admired the simplicity of the ring he slipped on her finger. She was speechless as he gently held her hand in his, gazing at the ring and caressing her small, trembling hand with the muscular strength of his own. He seemed deep in thought and continued to stare down at the ring which now circled her finger. Laura longed to explain that she hadn't realized he had given his own ring to her in marriage. She loved him so much that she would never have returned anything he had given to her. If only she could put into words the intense yearning for him that was exploding in her heart, then perhaps David would realize she didn't want his money and only longed for his love. She placed her right hand above his hands as they caressed hers and pronounced the only word her dry lips seemed capable of forming.

"David…"

He looked at her, silently, gently… hands still clasping hers within his own.

"Yes, Laura?"

"Nothing…just, David…" Her eyes moved longingly across his face. Desire flamed in the depths of his obsidian eyes as they met hers with the same intensity that had dominated their very first meeting. One hand left hers and went around her waist. The other came up and raised her chin, gently bringing her lips ever closer to his. He drew her to him and pressed his lips down onto hers, probing deeper and deeper, parting her lips in his desire to become one with her. His hand left her waist and roamed over her body, molding it to his, stroking her tender flesh beneath the flimsy silk pajamas.

Laura raised her hand to his head, her fingers lovingly combing the short, softly curling hairs along the nape of his neck. Her body answered his as she pressed herself against the hardness of his thighs, rejoicing in the loving warmth his body sent coursing through her veins. She felt his arms go under her legs and effortlessly lift them from the carpet, depositing her on the soft, velvety cover of the bed, while his lips still clung ferociously to hers. His probing hands parted the lacy neck of her pajama top and caressed the tender welcoming skin, while his lips moved lower to kiss the softly pulsating hollow of her neck. Laura's fingers were curling through his hair, pressing his head deeper into her breast when the shrill ring of the telephone vibrated through the room.

David raised his head very slightly, so that she could feel the warm moisture of his breath against her flaming skin as he spoke.

"Let it ring… Let the damned thing ring," he said, raising his head and pressing his questing lips to hers once more.

Laura tore herself away. "No, we'd better answer it. It might be something important."

David pushed her back down into the pillows. "Nothing could be more important than what I'm doing now."

But Laura had already reached her arm out toward the phone and was lifting the receiver. David continued nuzzling her skin as she spoke into the receiver. "Lattimer residence."

"Well, if it isn't the little plant lover. Quite the sly cookie aren't you?" Laura tensed and drew away from David's caressing lips. "Who is this? What do you want?"

When David heard the tone of Laura's voice and noticed the tension building in her body, he sat up and took the receiver from her hand. He listened silently for a minute and then spoke angrily. "I told you not to call here," he said into the receiver. "I can't discuss the situation with you right now, Amanda. I'll call you back later and we'll speak about it then." Then he hung up. By now Laura had left the bed and was standing in front of the window. David came over to her and gently placed his arms on her shoulders. She flung them away, angry and hurt.

"Get out of here. Don't think you can come in here whenever you please and then continue your relationship with your mistress!"

David grasped her shoulders firmly. "Stop this, Laura! There's nothing between me and Amanda Tate. I told you not to believe everything you heard. If I had wanted to marry Amanda, I would have asked her years ago. I wanted you and I
still
want you. Can't you understand that?"

But Laura was too incensed to hear anything he said. "Get out of here," she screamed. "I never want to see you again. I hate you."

"You don't mean that, Laura. I know you feel something for me. I've held you in my arms and felt the warm response of your soft lips against mine. Don't tell me I mean nothing to you."

Laura looked at him. Shame welled up in her as she realized that she had fallen prey to his tactics once more. Did he really expect her to believe him? She was determined that he would never know the true depths of her passion for him. She would never let him make love to her and then go off to romance Amanda. If he really loved Amanda, then let him satisfy himself with her. Laura was not going to be his
eager
plaything while his heart belonged to the cold blonde beauty who apparently still had him under her spell. She held back her tears and steeled herself as she spoke.

"Come on now, David. Don't tell me you fell for my little act again. I thought you knew better by now. I don't love you any more than you love me. I'm just toying with you, waiting for you to decide to pay me off so I can take my alimony and marry Roger or some other man of my own choosing. Now why not be decent about it and leave my room?"

David glared at her, the hurt look in his eyes quickly changing to the blazing fire of hatred. "I'm sorry. I keep forgetting what a superb actress you are. Rest assured, I'll seek my satisfaction elsewhere from now on. But as for you taking my money and running off with Roger, forget it! You're mine and what is mine I keep until I decide to get rid of it. So sleep well my dear. The game isn't finished yet."

Then he slammed out of the room. Minutes later, Laura heard him rummaging about in his own room, opening and closing his closets and drawers. Then she heard the door to the apartment open and close with a thunderous crash. She knew that David had gone to seek affection from more willing quarters and she flung herself on the bed and cried as if her heart were breaking, which indeed, she realized, it was.

The next morning, Laura awoke to the sound of a vacuum cleaner humming in the hallway and realized that Jeffry and Mrs. Thompson must be back on duty. She stared up at the ceiling, recapturing the events of the past evening: the sweet touch of David's lips on hers and the comforting glow of security she had felt within his strong arms. Then the brutal reality of the situation, as it had been brought home to her by Amanda Tate's phone call, startled her out of her reverie. Much as she might desire David, he was not to be hers. He had married her in a moment of intoxicated passion and any feelings he had for her were now colored by his low opinion of her morality. Perhaps she could do nothing to force him to release her from this travesty of a marriage, but she
could
show him that she would not be subject to his merely physical desires, not while he reserved his true expressions of love for another woman.

She reached for the bedside telephone and dialed Midge's number, hearing it ring twice before she heard Midge's bouncy voice announce, "Plant Lady, Midge speaking."

"Midge, it's Laura. Look, I've been thinking, with your wedding only a few days away, Aunt Estelle must be terribly busy and you have so much to do at the plant shop that you won't be able to offer her much help. I'm not really needed around here so why don't I go to Carmel and see what I can do to help her out?"

"Laura, that's a wonderful idea. But what about David? Doesn't he have any objection to you going off like this?"

"Don't worry about David. He won't miss me for a few days. In fact, I'm sure he'd want me to go."
How true that is
, she thought. "He did offer you his assistance, didn't he?"

"Yes," Midge said, "but I don't think he intended for you to go off to Carmel on your own."

"Well, don't worry about it, I'll handle everything. I'm really looking forward to seeing Aunt Estelle and everyone else back home. I'll leave as soon as I can pack."

Laura hung up the telephone, bounded out of bed and showered and dressed. She donned one of the new jean and T-shirt outfits she had purchased yesterday and suddenly felt almost like her old self again. Then she remembered that she had no luggage in which to pack her clothing so she walked into the hall where Jeffry was gathering up some of David's clothing to be sent to the dry cleaner.

"Jeffry, I'm leaving for Carmel to help with the preparations for my sister's wedding. But I can't find any luggage, and Mr. Lattimer neglected to tell me where it was kept before he left for work this morning."

The butler looked at her with a hint of disdain in his eyes. "Mr. Lattimer spent the evening at his office. He was not here for breakfast this morning. He did not mention that you were leaving for Carmel. However, I will see about locating some appropriate luggage for you."

In a short while he returned with several tan cowhide suitcases of varying sizes. "I hope you will be able to satisfy your needs with these," he said, as Laura looked at the luggage.

"I'm sure I will. Thank you, Jeffry."

She closed her bedroom door and began to fold her clothing into one of the suitcases. When she had completed packing, she called a cab to take her to the plant shop. Then she quietly left by the back entrance, much to the chagrin of Mrs. Thompson. She took the cab to the plant shop, where she said goodbye to Midge, then stowed her luggage in the bright blue van parked out front. She turned the key in the ignition and felt the sweet glow of freedom as she headed for the peninsula and the spiraling coastal highway leading to Carmel.

The road was virtually clear of traffic, except for a few trucks that had decided to forego the conveniences of the new highway cutting through the San Joaquin Valley. Laura sighed as she passed the turnoff for Hillsborough and remembered the sheer beauty of the house that was waiting for Amanda Tate's final stamp of approval. She dispassionately put all thoughts of David and Hillsborough out of her mind and concentrated on the business of the trip before her.

The Pacific Coast Highway, bordering the turbulent gray-green waters of the Pacific Ocean, was one of California's most famous tourist attractions. Sheer granite cliffs dropped steeply to the churning waters below and Laura hugged the side of the road as she drove through the corkscrew curves. There were no swimmers to be seen in the foaming waters off the few rocky beaches which the road overlooked; the waters of northern California were cold and forbidding to all but the hardiest of swimmers. Nonetheless, Laura felt that there were few sights in the world that could equal this majestic view of the mighty Pacific.