Quiet Walks the Tiger (12 page)

His hand ran along her leg, causing her to shake uncontrollably. Her slip wound around her waist; his hand found the elastic of her panties, and she gasped at the surge of desire awakened within her at the touch of his fingers so low on her abdomen, a touch which caused her to inadvertently strain toward him.

Then the ultimate warning in her head finally sounded. He was still clothed, but his knee was wedging firmly between hers, and his hand was subtly but surely exploring further. Bracing herself firmly, Sloan finally found her voice, begging him to stop.

At first she was totally ignored. Terror that she had played too closely with fire surged through her, and she gripped her fingers painfully into his hair. “Please, Wesley!” she sighed. “I beg you!” Tears formed again in her eyes and cascaded down her cheeks. “Please!” she whispered.

Wesley went rigid; his harsh breathing gave her the answer that he had at last heard her plea.

He didn’t speak as he lifted his weight from her and tossed her discarded clothing into her lap. He didn’t even look at her until she had reclasped her bra and slipped hurriedly back into her black silk dress.

Then he sat beside her, and she knew when he probed her face with an icy green stare that he was angry. But he didn’t yell, he didn’t make recriminations. He sat with folded arms and demanded, “Why?”

“I—I just can’t!” she croaked shamefully.

“Go on,” he prompted grimly.

Her abject misery was not, at the moment, a performance. Her hands were trembling so badly she could barely get a sip of sorely needed brandy to her lips. Yet still, her mind was ticking away with all speed. Her answer would have to be good. Looking tentatively at Wesley, she shivered and her eyes fluttered closed.
Think!
she told herself. She had everything at stake in the next few minutes.

“Please, tell me what’s wrong,” he persisted, and she chanced another glance into his probing jade orbs. He had gentled, his voice had become the kind one she was accustomed to hearing.

Taking a few deep breaths, she decided she could almost be honest. Looking straight into her brandy, she plunged ahead with a shy, very convincing explanation for her behavior which bordered on truth.

“I’m frightened, Wesley. I don’t know what impression I give, but I’ve been alone for a long time.” She knew she was blushing profusely. “The only man I’ve ever known was Terry, and—well, we were married. I know that sounds ridiculously old-fashioned, but...”

Wesley emitted a strangled sound, and Sloan glanced at him, cringing, fearing she had pushed his patience too far. But he was no longer angry, he was chuckling.

“What’s so funny?” she queried with piqued exasperation.

“Nothing, darling, nothing,” he assured her. He sat beside her again, ran his fingers through his dark hair, and took her hand to idly massage her fingers. “I don’t think you’re ridiculously old-fashioned. I’m kind of glad. I’d be insanely jealous if I had to learn about your other lovers. I’m even jealous of Terry, although God knows I can’t begrudge the man a thing. He had heaven on earth and he had to lose it.” His eyes met hers. “I laughed because you had me frightened too. I thought you might have a serious hang-up about
me.
If marriage is important to you before making a sexual commitment, I can honor that. That is”—he chuckled again, the throaty sound that was deep and endearing—“as long as you are sure that you do want me when we are married and as long as we do hurry with the wedding!”

Sloan stared at him with wide, blank eyes. “I do want you, Wes, I want you more than I’ve ever wanted another human being.”

“I’m all yours, darling,” he swore, with a light kiss on her forehead. “But I’d better get you home, because I want you to be all mine. All of you,” he added, running a finger along the flesh of her bare arm. “Every delightful inch!” He kissed the tip of her nose. “Just one week...”

Sloan continued to shiver all the way home. Just one week. Then it would be pay-up time. And she had the strange feeling that, once she had legally sold herself to Wesley Adams, there would be no backing down.

Ever again.

S
LOAN CALLED IN LATE
on Monday morning, and within an hour she and Wesley had filled in all the necessary papers and taken blood tests. Wes suggested they stop for a bite to eat before she went in to work as there were a few things he wanted to discuss.

“I’ve got to drive home for a few days,” he told her as he folded his menu and handed it to the waitress. At her look of surprise he continued, “We’ll be going on a honeymoon. I need to cover myself and get back to Kentucky and check with my brother on the farm. I also want to tell him about us firsthand and talk him and my sister-in-law into coming up for the wedding.”

Sloan was startled. She had almost forgotten that Wes had another home and a family. “When are you leaving?” she asked unhappily. She was surprised at how it hurt to know they’d be parted. In a short time, Wes had come to pleasantly dominate her life, and she hadn’t even realized it.

“Today,” he replied with a cross between a smile and a leer. “I won’t be back until Friday, which is probably best for both of us! I won’t be trying to attack you every night, and you won’t have to worry about fighting me off!”

“Oh, Wes!” Sloan murmured miserably.

“Hey! I’m teasing!” He chuckled, tenderly lifting her chin. “I have to take care of this now, though, because I don’t want to worry about anything after the wedding. Where would you like to go?”

“Pardon?”

“Our honeymoon, darling,” he said with a patient grin. “Is there anywhere particular you’d like to go?”

“Ah—no,” Sloan stammered. She hadn’t even thought about a honeymoon. In fact, she hadn’t really thought about anything beyond the wedding.

“Then I have a suggestion. I have a friend who recently bought a hotel just outside of Brussels. He swears it’s one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and he’s surrounded by hilly forests and sparkling little streams. We can spend a week there, and then a week in Paris. How does that sound?” Wesley sipped his coffee and watched her over the rim of his cup.

“It sounds lovely,” Sloan replied with a slow smile. Belgium and France! She had never been out of the eastern United States! Wesley was opening doors for her which she had never even dreamed existed. “But, what about the children?”

“Florence will watch them, of course,” Wes told her with a wave of his hand. “I’ll have her move her things into your house tonight so that she can get used to your routine. Cassie and George will be around if anything she can’t handle comes up, and hopefully, Dave and Susan will be here with their kids, and Jamie, Laura, and Terry can meet their new cousins and aunt and uncle. My sister lives in Arizona near my folks, so I doubt if she’ll be able to make it or my mom and dad for that matter.” He grimaced as he idly ran a finger over the top of her hand. “Dad has a heart condition, so he doesn’t travel frequently. We’ll fly out to meet them in a few months.”

Sloan’s head was reeling. There were so many things she hadn’t taken into consideration! A small chill knotted in her stomach. “Wes,” she said slowly. “What happens when we come back? Do we”—she licked dry lips—“Do we move to Kentucky?” Kentucky, away from everything she knew, away from Cassie and George. It almost sounded like an alien planet! And what about his family? What if they disliked her? What if they resented her barging into their lives with a household of children? What if they felt she were too old for Wes, too encumbered? His parents would want him to marry a younger girl, she was sure, one who would provide him with his own family.

Wesley’s hand was warm over hers. As usual, he was reading the worries she couldn’t voice aloud. “I promise you,” he guaranteed her softly. “You’ll love Kentucky. So will the kids. And my brother is a wonderful guy; Susan’s terrific. We’ll be in the same house for a while, but don’t worry, it’s huge. You don’t have to see anyone else if you don’t want to. I’ll have George put my house here on the market while we’re gone, but we’ll keep yours and spend as much time in Gettysburg as we can. Okay?”

The secure pressure of his hand filled her with contentment. “Okay.”

“And,” he added with a conniving wink, “we have several good, professional dance companies in the nearby cities.”

“Bribery will get you everywhere!” Sloan laughed happily. Wes
was
magic. He could work everything out.

Their sandwiches arrived, and Sloan found she had a good appetite for her ham and cheese. She was going to miss Wes terribly, but as he had said, his absence would be for the best. When he came back, there would be less than twenty-four hours left for anything to go wrong!

They discussed a few more details as they ate. The wedding would take place at Wesley’s house with just their families and a few close friends in attendance. Sloan was to cater whatever she wanted, as long as she didn’t put a strain on herself. After a quick reception, they would fly overseas right away.

“Oh! One more thing,” Wesley added, his green eyes twinkling like gemstones as he reached into his vest pocket for a small jewel case. Flicking it open with one hand, he gently took her slim fingers with the other and slid the ring from the velvet box. “I’d like you to start wearing this,” he said, extracting first the plain gold band which had adorned her finger since the day Terry had put it on. Then his ring went on, and Sloan stared at her finger with a mixture of nostalgia and joy. Terry’s ring was gone. But Terry was gone, and somehow it didn’t hurt so badly anymore. Oh, his memory would always sadden her; he had been her youth, her first great love, the father of her three children. But nothing could bring him back. She would always remember him with love, but...her eyes widened with shock. Water filled within them, but she was laughing too, with pure happiness. The loss of her love didn’t hurt so much anymore because she had found new love without even knowing as it snuck up on her. She wanted to scream and shout with the joy of her realization, but Lord! Wes would never understand. Instead, she clutched his large hand in hers and covered it with tearstained, sloppy kisses. “Oh, Wes!” she murmured breathlessly, mindless if the other patrons of the coffee shop thought her crazy or not, “I do love you so!”

“And I love you, my dearest princess,” he whispered in return, taking her hands tenderly to his mouth to kiss them reverently. Then the teasing glimmer leaped back into his eyes as he studied the ring objectively. “Perfect, if I do say so myself.” It was a diamond, probably about two carats, Sloan judged, surrounded by a bed of sapphires. He traced the circle of blue stones with his fingers. “For your eyes, love. They match incredibly well.” He released her hand reluctantly. “You’d better get into work so that you can quit, and I’d better head out of town. Or else, darling,” he said huskily, one sensual dark brow raised in a rakish angle, “I shall carry you from this table and savagely ravish you in the back seat of the Lincoln.”

Sloan half smiled with a rueful quirk of her lips and angled a furrowing brow herself. “I don’t think I’d mind being ravished in the Lincoln,” she murmured in teasing reply, fully aware that she now meant her words with no qualms. Love may not conquer all, but it did sweep away her doubts and insecurities. “But I’ve got a problem, Wes. I can’t just quit my job. I’m a teacher. Jim can cover me for a couple of weeks, but I have to go back, at least until the quarter ends, which will be the end of summer. I have finals to give,” she apologized lamely, hoping he would understand her commitment.

“Sloan,” Wes reassured her quickly, sensing her distress, “the end of summer will be fine. I can set up an office in your house somewhere and catch up on paperwork. And phone calls. And I can fly in and out for emergencies. Just make sure they know you won’t be back for the fall term.”

Sloan smiled, astounded that he would so willingly arrange his life-style around hers. “Thank you, Wes,” she said softly. “I promise I won’t always be this difficult.”

He laughed. “I promise I won’t always let you be this difficult! Oh—one more thing,” he added quickly. “How could I forget. It’s about the most important thing!” He handed her a business card. “My attorney,” he explained. “I’ve drawn up adoption papers for the children. I don’t want to try to take Terry’s place with them, but they can take back his name as adults if they choose. It will be to their benefit to be my legal heirs, insurance and all that. If you have any objection, I’ll understand, but I knew we didn’t have much time, so I set the wheels turning last night. Hopefully we can get a judgment by Friday.” He grinned a little dryly. “Sometimes it helps to be well known.”

Sloan suddenly felt as if she were shattering, breaking apart bit by bit. She had been so strong for so long, and now it was all being lifted from her shoulders. She was off-balance with the weight of burden gone, stunned by the depths of caring Wes showed her with his every thought. Tears glazed her eyes; she didn’t deserve this wonder that she had schemed and deceived to bring about, but it was hers now, and she would cling tenaciously to it.

“Sloan,” Wes began, his brow tight and features tense as he misread her silence. “If you prefer that I don’t adopt the kids—”

“Oh, no!” Sloan protested hastily, shaking her head and squeezing her eyes tightly shut as she fought to weld the pieces of her self-control back together. “I think it’s wonderful that you thought of such a thing,” she said hastily. “I’ll see the lawyer today for sure.” She summoned up a sturdy smile. “And I’ll get Florence on to the moving, and get George on to selling your house. And”—her voice fell deep and husky—“I’ll have everything set for the wedding, and I’ll be missing you like crazy until Friday night!”

Their eyes met across the table, Sloan’s for once covered by no shields to hide deceit. They were star-glazed and incredulous...She had never known simple feeling and happiness could be so damned good.

A moment later she was kissing him good-bye, clinging to his powerful frame with the real pain of parting. “It will only be a few days, sweetheart,” Wes mumbled gently, his face buried in the silkiness of her hair. “Just a few days...”