The Glory Game (62 page)

Luz's lips twitched with the smile she tried to contain. “Connie, this is Raul Buchanan. Our hostess, Connie Davenport.”

“I swear I'm going to start attending the polo matches at the club. I feel like I'm the only one who didn't know who you were.” She hung on to his hands with her pudgy fingers.
“Oh, Luz, no wonder you kept him hidden away all this time. He's wonderful!”

“You are very kind, Mrs. Davenport.” Raul gently pulled away his hand.

“My God, that voice.” Connie shivered in exaggerated reaction. “It makes me feel like the creamy center of a bonbon.” The doorbell rang, announcing the latest arrivals. “I'm sure you know everyone here, Luz. I invited Drew, but he called and begged off at the last minute. He couldn't find a sitter. Isn't that hysterical? At his age!” She backed toward the door. “Remember the rules of the party. If you're on a diet or restricted foods, you must leave immediately. Everything here is full of calories and cholesterol. The eggnog, I promise, is made with pure cream. Enjoy!”

“She means it,” Luz warned in an undertone as she linked her arm with Raul's and started toward the main room. “Everything here is probably a thousand calories a bite … or swallow. Food is her passion—the richer the better. She's the only woman I know who comes to a party and wants to take the leftovers home.”

Christmas decorations adorned the large room, dominated by a huge tree with gingerbread men and candy canes hanging from its silver-garlanded branches. Candy dishes of every shape and size, mounded with a multitudinous assortment of confectioneries, sat on every flat surface in the room except the floor. Guests crowded the room, sitting or standing in clusters, the sweet temptations around them.

As Luz and Raul entered the room, a tall, thin woman in a beaded green dress that appeared to weigh more than she did immediately stopped them. “Luz, darling. Should I dare ask where you've been keeping yourself?” Her throaty greeting was accompanied by a slyly knowing look.

“Hello, Veronica. I'm surprised Connie allowed you to come.”

“I explained that the doctor said I had to gain weight, and she loved the idea of fattening me up.”

“I don't believe you've met Raul,” Luz began.

“Actually I have, although I don't know if he remembers me.” She placed her long, bone-thin fingers in his hand. “It was last year at Chet Martin's party when he won the Kincaid Cup. I'm Veronica Hampton.”

“Of course.” Raul bowed slightly over her hand, his expression polite, but showing no recognition.

“It was prophetic, wasn't it?” she said to Luz. “When you decided to stay so long in Argentina, I guessed the reason. Who wouldn't if you had a chance of bringing home something like him? I won't ask if you enjoyed yourself.”

Luz chatted for a few minutes more with Veronica, then made an excuse to move on. “Raul and I haven't been to the bar yet for our cup of Christmas spirit. We'll talk again later.”

“Better keep an eye on him,” Veronica warned.

As they moved away, Luz leaned close to Raul and murmured, “I hope she does listen to her doctor and gain some weight. Otherwise she is going to prove that
the
is part
of diet.”

She was aware of the heads turning to look at them. Inwardly she was pleased at the stir she was creating with Raul at her side. She knew she was smiling like a contented cat. Which was just the way she felt. When they neared a small group of guests standing by the buffet table, Luz recognized the flaming red hair of one of them.

“There's someone I want you to meet.” She gave a little pull on Raul's arm to alter his direction. “Billi Rae, how are you?”

The woman excused herself from the group to come hug Luz. “You look wonderful, Luz.”

“You look …” “Laughing, she shook her head as she stared at the bold red satin dress that made such an arty clash with her hair. “I don't know how you do it. The combination is terrible and you look stunning in it.”

“It's called guts—and a little theatrics,” she admitted huskily, the heavy mask of her makeup disguising the fact she was fifty if she was a day. Billi Rae's green eyes darted to Raul, then back to Luz. “He's the one, isn't he?”

“Yes. Billie Rae, meet Raul Buchanan. This is Billi Rae Townsend. She owns an art gallery on Worth Avenue.”

“It's a pleasure to meet you,” Raul said.

“It's all mine,” she assured. “The gallery is a hobby. You see, I love beautiful things. I understand you play polo.”

“That is true.”

“It's a physically demanding sport. You must be in superb condition.” Billi Rae looked him over, then glanced at Luz. “Now, if I had a nude of him in my shop, it would sell.”

Luz laughed at the remark. “I've been meaning to stop by your gallery. While I was in Buenos Aires, I saw some wonderful work done by local artists. I have business cards from two of the places. I thought you might want to look into it.”

“I will. Come by the shop soon,” Billi Rae urged.

“I promise.”

They were waylaid before they reached the bar, then again after they had gotten their drinks. Luz's smile widened as more envious looks were cast her way, if not envious comments. It took nearly two hours to make the rounds and see all the guests. Luz got so much satisfaction from watching their faces when they met Raul. With the circuit made, they looked up their hosts and took their leave of the party.

Outside the house, Luz was consumed by a sweet, heady feeling. It was like being drunk, and she was walking on air. She'd gotten her retribution, and it was glorious. She hugged Raul's arm tightly and stifled the impulse to laugh out loud.

“I'm so glad we came.” She kissed him when he opened the car door for her, then slid inside.

Vaguely impatient, she waited for him to climb behind the wheel. She moved over to sit close to him, turning slightly sideways so she could look at him, too. The rumble of the engine matched the purring sensation she felt inside, all because of him.

Shifting, she tucked a silk-clad leg beneath her while Raul maneuvered the car out of the parking space and onto the street. Leaning toward him, she bent her head and nibbled at the sinewy cord in his neck, following it down to his shoulder, then working her way back up to his ear. His clean, warm skin tasted good to her.

“Luz, I am trying to drive.” The sternness of his voice didn't deter her, although she drew back.

She slid her hand inside his jacket and tried to unbutton his shirt so that she could feel the hard muscled flesh of his chest. His hand firmly gripped her wrist and pushed her hand back to her side.

“We're almost there.”

“Home. We're almost home,” she corrected him, then rested her chin atop his shoulder and drew an imaginary line around the opening of his ear with the tip of her fingernail. Raul turned his head away from the feathery touch.

When the car turned into the driveway, Luz swung away from him, straightening in her seat and leaning against its back. She ran her fingers through her hair, her smile still in place. “It was a wonderful party,” she mused aloud.

Raul parked the car in front of the garage, then came around to open the door for her. She climbed out and waited while he shut the door. He turned and headed in the opposite direction from the house. Startled, Luz watched him take a step away.

“Where are you going?”

“I noticed a light was on at the stable.” Raul paused. “Someone may have left it on.”

“There's no need for you to go.” She moved toward him. “We can call Jimmy Ray from the house and have him check.” She slipped her arms around his neck and linked her hands behind it while she arched against him. “I had a glorious time tonight. Thank you.” Luz started to force his head down so she could kiss him.

His neck muscles stiffened, resisting the pressure as his hands came up and pulled her arms from around his neck, then pushed her away from him. She was stunned by his rejection and the coldness she now saw in his face.

“What's wrong?” She frowned.

“Tonight you paraded me around your friends as if I were some new stud you'd bought. You do not own me, Luz.” His low voice vibrated with anger.

Stung by his reaction, her temper flared in defense. “Is that the way it looked to you? Well, maybe I was guilty of showing you off to my friends, but it so happens I was proud to be seen with you! I thought you would see that! And I am not interested in owning you! Thanks for spoiling what had been a glorious evening!” She started to walk away, then hesitated a second. “I've changed my mind. I think it's an excellent idea for you to go check that light in the stables.”

Raul's anger was expelled in a heavy breath as he watched the sequins flash on the skirt of her dress when the cloak billowed from her rapid pace. Her strident denial made him doubt that his accusation was just, but his irritability remained. The way the guests had regarded him at the party left a bad taste in his mouth. Perhaps Luz wasn't to blame for it, but at the moment, it was a grudging concession.

Raul struck out for the stable, where the tack-room light
gleamed in the night, intent on walking off his annoyance. The breeze was cool against his face, the smell of horses and hay mixing with its tangy fresh ocean scent.

Arriving at the stable, he opened the main door and stepped inside. A crack of light showed beneath the door to the tack room. He flipped on the switch to light the corridor and runway. A horse shifted in its stall, the straw rustling. Somewhere along the row, another one whickered softly, curiously.

As Raul approached the tack-room door, he caught the smell of something burning. He tried the door, but it was locked. He reached atop the doorsill, where he kept the key Luz had given him for the tack room. He heard a sound from inside as he turned the key in the lock. Pushing the door inward, he took a quick, long step into the room and stopped to face an equally startled Rob, whirling around and halting with his back to the workbench.

“Hey, man.” Rob laughed uncertainly. “You could scare a guy out of a year's growth barging in like that. What's the idea, anyway? You're supposed to be at a party.”

“We just came back. I saw the light and thought someone had forgotten to shut it off.” That strange burning odor was fainter, but Raul could still smell it. Frowning, he looked around the tack room, expecting to find something smoldering.

“Nobody forgot. It's just me. I was messin' around down here. You can go on back to the house now. I'll turn it off when I leave.” The quickly offered reassurance had a nervous edge to it, as Rob shifted and leaned back against the work counter.

“I smell something burning.” Raul eyed him suspiciously.

“I don't smell anything.” Rob shrugged, the offhand smile not matching the anxiously averted glance that darted all around Raul. “I know what it might be. I smoked a joint in the john earlier. Maybe you can still smell that.”

Raul slowly realized that Rob hadn't budged from the counter. “What are you working on?” He stepped forward, and Rob shifted to block his view.

“I don't think it's any of your business.” That nervous smile remained, but it was edged with defiance.

“What are you hiding?” When Raul took another step forward, Rob attempted to push him away. The movement
permitted Raul to see the drug paraphernalia on the workbench. Angrily he shoved Rob backward. “What is that? Cocaine?”

“What if it is? So maybe I decided to do a little celebrating of my own, have a little fun. It's got nothing to do with you. It doesn't affect the way I play polo, and that's your only concern,” Rob answered belligerently. “You may be shacking up with my mother, but that doesn't give you any right to tell me what I should or shouldn't do!”

Raul grabbed his shirtfront and pushed him backward, arching over the counter edge. “You will never speak of Luz like that again,” he ordered harshly and released his hold on the shirt to step away, disgust and anger trembling violently through him.

“She's my mother,” Rob declared. “And you had better not forget that.”

“Does she know about this?” Raul jerked his head toward the counter.

“Go ahead and tell her,” he challenged. “I'll deny it. I'll blame it all on Jimmy Ray. Who do you think she's going to believe? Me, that's who. So you'd just better keep your mouth shut. You go trying to make trouble and you're the one who's going to be in it.”

Raul recognized the truth in what Rob was saying. Where her son was concerned, Luz had a blind spot. She'd warned him before that she'd side with her son. And he knew she'd never thank him for telling her Rob was using cocaine. It wasn't his place. His involvement with Rob was strictly limited to the polo field. He had stayed out of the family disagreements in the past, and he'd stay out of this problem, too.

“This stays separate from polo, Rob. If you ever combine the two, you will have to answer to me,” Raul warned. “What you do in private is your concern. And what I do in private is none of yours. That includes your mother.”

“I knew you'd back down.” Rob grinned. “You don't dare open your mouth. I almost wish you would. I'd give anything to watch Luz show you the door.”

“If she is hurt by this, you will be the one who does it.” Raul turned and walked out of the room.

He shut the door behind him and put the key back in its place. Leaving the stable, he walked slowly toward the house, wishing he didn't share Rob's secret. Cocaine was an expensive
habit. Rob had the resources to support it, but sooner or later, Luz was going to find out. Raul dreaded that day, then was faintly surprised by the discovery that he expected to be there when it happened.

Returning to the house, Raul left the foyer light on for Rob and climbed the stairs to the master suite. He passed through the sitting room and entered the empty bedroom. The red sequined dress lay neatly over a chair back, but there was no sign of Luz. Frowning, he looked around the room.