Night Whispers (17 page)

When Brian cued her, she leaned back toward the microphone. “Welcome back to
Night Whispers
. Tonight we’re talking about relationships. Let’s skip forward a little, past that initial sensual cloud lovers wrap themselves in. When passion leads to love, how do you make it work? Maybe the person you’re passionately involved with isn’t right for you, or thinks you’re not right for him. How do you move past the obstacles and work on creating something that might actually last?”

The show sped by quickly. Most callers understood exactly what she was talking about and gave tips to others, or else sought commiseration. They discussed marriage and breakups, passion and tenderness. Kelsey wondered why she didn’t feel any better, knowing so many other people were in the same boat she was: in love with someone who thought she was wrong for him and wanted her to change.

“Well, friends,” she said as she glanced at the clock, “we’re coming to the end of another
Night Whispers
. It’s been an interesting night. Do you feel better? I’ll be honest. I don’t. Sometimes, relationships just stink.”

On the other side of the booth, Brian began gesturing. Kelsey noticed there was another phone call. She frowned. She’d already passed the point when she accepted calls, but he looked insistent.

“Well, it seems we have one more late-night caller,” she murmured. Punching the connect button on her console, she said, “Good evening, caller, you’re on
Night Whispers
.”

“Lady Love? I’m in desperate need of help.”

A sudden rush of warmth flooded Kelsey’s entire body
as she recognized Mitch’s voice. “How can I help you tonight?”

“I’m afraid I’ve gotten myself in a bit of mess with a woman I’m absolutely crazy about.”

She smiled, deciding to make him sweat. “Oh? Done something terribly stupid, have you?”

“Uh-huh. Terribly. I made her think I don’t want her exactly the way she is. She believes I want her to lose the very qualities that attracted me…until I thought I’d go out of my mind wanting her.”

His voice rolled over her entire body and Kelsey nearly curled up in her seat. “And you don’t?”

“Absolutely not,” he said vehemently. “She drives me crazy, she takes risks, she’s outrageous and flamboyant. But, oh, Lady Love, she brings out something in me I thought I’d lost a long time ago.”

“What’s that?”

A short silence ensued before he replied. “Passion. Passion for life, for pleasure, for everything around us. Sorry to tell you this, Lady Love, but this woman knows more about it than you ever will.”

Kelsey laughed softly into the microphone, saying, “Does she know how you feel?”

“Sure, she knows I’m in love with her.”

Kelsey sat upright in her chair, bumping her knees on a shelf under the console.
He loved her? He was telling her he loved her? Now? On live radio?

“Are you sure she knows that? I mean, have you told her that?”

“I’ve told her in every way possible. I mean, she’s very intelligent—she doesn’t need things spelled out.”

“Yes…she…does,” Kelsey muttered tightly.

She heard Mitch’s soft chuckle, then he fell silent.

“Sometimes even a woman as sublimely intelligent as yours needs to hear these things said out loud once in a while,” she prodded.

“I love you?” he said with a scoffing laugh. “But that just doesn’t begin to express it. Besides, like I said, she knows.”

Kelsey gritted her teeth. “How?”

“How could she not? She knows me so well. She anticipates my moods, lifts my spirits with one smile, makes me laugh with a word. She can cause me physical pain if she cries. Every minute we spend together is more precious than the previous one. She has awakened me. She has helped me become a man with a future, instead of a man with promise. She’s shown me I can have everything I ever wanted, plus all the happiness I ever dreamed of.”

Tears gathered in the corners of Kelsey’s eyes as Mitch spoke.

“She is my first thought every morning, and my last wish every night. She is my past, and she is my future, and she’s everything in between.”

A long moment of silence hung heavily on the air, and Kelsey could not make her voice work. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks. Finally she breathed deeply and said, “I love you, too.”

K
ELSEY COULDN’T REMEMBER
the words she used to wrap up her show. By five after two, she was in her car, driving through the dark streets of Baltimore.

When she arrived at the brownstone, she hurried to the front door and let herself in. The foyer was dark, and she felt a moment of misgiving. Then she sensed him. Her
body reacted with the same instinctive longing she always felt when Mitch was near.

“Mitch?”

“I’m here, Kelsey.”

And suddenly he was with her, wrapping his arms around her body. Welcoming her home. He lifted her in his arms and carried her into his apartment, kissing her face again and again. Kelsey ran her hands along his shoulders and arms, to be certain he wasn’t a dream.

“I love you,” he said as he sat her gently on the sofa.

“Well, it took you long enough to say it!”

He laughed aloud and caught her mouth in a deep kiss as he pulled her jacket off and warmed her with his body.

“Did you really mean it?” she asked after they ended their kiss. “You want to make this work between us? Because I want that more than anything, but I’m not willing to let fear drive me away from
Night Whispers
.”

He nodded. “I know. I’m always going to worry about you, Kelsey. But I recognize that
Night Whispers
is a part of you.”

Leaning down to press a kiss in the hollow of her throat, he whispered, “A very naughty, delicious part.”

She savored the rough feel of his cheek on her skin. “I’ll be extra careful at work. I won’t take any chances.”

“We’ll deal with whatever happens.”

They kissed again, long, deep and wet. Kelsey shifted on the couch, wanting to have nothing between them, particularly her clothing. He slowly began unbuttoning her blouse and she loved how his eyes darkened while he looked at her.

“You’re sure you won’t mind not having a safe, respectable, responsible, pearls-wearing literary wife?” she whispered.

“Wife?” he asked, looking at her in wide-eyed innocence. “Was that a proposal?”

She pushed him off her until he slid to the floor in front of the couch. Luckily, he landed on his knees.

“No, big guy, it wasn’t. I am not going to make
all
the first moves in this relationship!”

“You’re not? There’s a change,” Mitch said with a grin.

She glared at him, but he took her by the hand and kissed the tips of her fingers. “I love you, Kelsey. And I don’t just
want
you to marry me, I am begging you to. After all, who else is going to give me a kick off the straight and narrow when I need it?”

Sliding to the floor in front of him, Kelsey pressed against his body, knees to shoulders, and looked up into his eyes with every ounce of the love she felt for him.

“Sounds like the perfect job for me,” she murmured.

He grinned.

“And Lady Love.”

“G
OOD EVENING
, B
ALTIMORE
, and welcome to a special edition of
Night Whispers
.

“This is Brian filling in for Lady Love tonight. Our
Night Whispers
hostess is celebrating a very special event. This afternoon, Lady Love married the man of her dreams and yours truly was in attendance. Ready for the dish?

“First of all, the bride wore white. Now, skeptics among you, stop your tittering. She was utterly gorgeous, a picture of elegance in a floor-length Belgian-lace dress. For those among you who can only see sexiness in red or black lingerie, stretch your brains and visualize the power of purity. High collar, long sleeves, perfectly fitted to her figure, with pearl buttons running from her neck all the way down her back. Imagine the anticipation of a groom slowly slipping each button free and I’m sure you’ll understand the appeal.

“Speaking of the groom, if there was ever a man born to wear a formal black tux, it’s him. Ladies, he looked like a fantasy man, tall, lean and powerful. And the look of adoration on his face when he saw our lady walking down the aisle was something no one in that church will ever forget.

“The ceremony was traditional, and everything went smooth as clockwork, though the mother of the bride cried
enough to leave black streaks down her cheeks. Always remember, please, waterproof mascara for these occasions.

“During the vows, steam came out of the bride’s ears when the minister said the word ‘obey.’ The groom and the best man, the bride’s brother, laughed loud enough to be heard in the back of the church. Lady Love didn’t realize they’d put the minister up to it until he winked at them. The groom got a sharp-knuckled little punch in the upper arm before he swept his bride into his arms for an oh-so-passionate kiss.

“The reception was held at a hotel near the Inner Harbor. In keeping with Valentine’s Day tradition, red velvet bows decorated every table and the hall was packed with well-wishers.

“There was not a dry eye in the place when Lady Love stepped out onto the dance floor with her father, and they were joined by the groom and the bride’s mother. The two couples shared the moment, eventually changing partners and then coming together for a group hug at the end. Another Kodak moment.

“Of course, the real fun started after the bride and groom departed for their honeymoon to the Caribbean. One of the ushers, an old college buddy of the groom, had too much to drink and got a little too friendly with the maid of honor. Her boyfriend, one of the other ushers, decked the guy, knocking him into the champagne fountain. The best man, who’d been fending off every unattached woman in attendance, broke up the fracas and was last seen disappearing into the elevator with a lovely redhead.

“We have to pause now, for a commercial break. I’ve got lots more juicy details on Lady Love’s wedding day, so be sure to come back for more
Night Whispers
.”