Touch Me and Tango (15 page)

“Hey, you.” His voice had that exaggerated seductive ring.
Some men like Parker have a quiet sort of confidence. Then there were the cocky
types like Mark who enjoyed flaunting it.

She snapped out of her thoughts and greeted him with a peck
on the mouth and fast squeeze.

Guilt assailed her. The strange part was that she felt like
she was cheating on Parker rather than the other way around. She and Mark had
always indulged in extra-curricular activities, and she doubted Mark had any
intention of curbing his after they were married. Heck, she guessed her
laissez-faire attitude on this subject was probably one reason he thought she’d
make a good wife.

“What’s with you?” he asked. “For a second there you didn’t
look too happy to see me.”

“Sorry, but I didn’t expect you here. I also had a little
boating accident yesterday and wacked my head.”

“Ouch.”

“Yeah. I’m still sort of out of it. Come on in.”

She introduced him to her mother and Joel, who sat watching
a tennis match in the TV room, Oscar curled on the floor next to the sofa. She
cringed as her mother took her time looking him over. How could she not approve
of this smooth, reeking-of-success article with the Ryan Reynolds good looks?

Eva extended her arm in a dramatic gesture as if she
expected Mark to kiss her hand. “I’ve heard awwwwl about you. You’re just as
handsome as I imagined. But it’s too bad you work for one of those dreadful
chemical companies spreading toxins all over the earth.”

Mark’s grin froze on his face. Tanya wished she’d never told
her mother what he did. Not that she liked the company’s less-than-responsible
practices either, but geeze.

Mark recovered and said, “Hey, I’ll sell anything to
anybody, if the money’s right.”

Tanya took his hand and led him back into the hallway. “Want
lunch?”

“Had some.”

The moment she stepped into the small sunroom he pulled her
close and planted a deep kiss on her mouth. And Mark Litchfield knew how to
kiss. In fact, he was a world-class sexual athlete who never disappointed.

Tanya sank into his arms and savored his attentions. Or
tried to. She couldn’t seem to relax into it. Or to feel that tinge of arousal
he usually brought out in her. She told herself it was because her head hurt.
And her whole body still felt sore from yesterday’s intense shoveling session,
not to mention her life-threatening struggle in the water. Hey, what did she
expect?

She eased herself out of his arms.

He kept hold of her waist. “You were supposed to be back in
London to celebrate our engagement last weekend. Instead you tell you’re not
coming and then stop answering my texts? What’s up?”

A part of her melted at the romantic thought that he’d put
aside his usual high stakes business dealings and crossed an ocean just to
claim her. “Sorry if I worried you. I hope this doesn’t mean you had to cancel
anything important.”

“No way. Got a flight to LA tonight for a huge powwow with
Sturch Consolidated. Figured I’d make a little stopover out here and surprise
my dream babe.”

Nix that romantic notion. But then, they’d never had that
kind of relationship anyway.

Mark draped his arms around her in a grisly bear hug and
growled,” Suuur-prise.” He pulled her down to the cushy yellow flowered love
seat and started nibbling her neck.

Tanya stroked the back of his head. He really did have a
sexy, cuddly, all-male appeal. “How long will you be there?”

“Two weeks. Got meetings all over. Nevada, Arizona, Southern
Cal. Pick you up on my way back to the UK. We’ll start planning a wedding.”

A rush of panic seized her. Suddenly her body hurt all over
and it seemed like there was no air in the room. “Mark. Can I ask you a
question about us?”

“Anything babe. Especially if it’s about you and me.”

“Why can’t we keep things the way they were? Both of us
value our independence. We’re both always on the go. You travel, I tour…”

“Hey, none of that has to change.”

“Are you sure you’re grandfather won’t give you the money
unless you marry?”

“Afraid not. I already tried twisting the old guy’s arm, but
he won’t budge. It’s tie the knot or the bucks stop there. C’est la vie, babe.”
He panned the room. “By the way, nice house, but what’s with all the boxes? And
it looks like you’re missing furniture in some of the rooms.”

“My mom’s having some money problems, so we had a sale.
That’s the main reason I’m still here. I can’t leave her until things are
settled.”

“Well, once we get hitched I’ll take care of that. No
problumo.”

Tanya sighed. That “Special Bonus” light was flashing again.

***

Parker walked ten feet off the ground all day, thinking of
Tanya. He told himself not to get carried away. It wasn’t like either of them
made any promises.

But he could feel it. He could feel that she was in love
with him. Just like he’d known it back when they were nineteen-year-olds. She’d
refused to admit it then. And maybe that was just as well. They’d both needed
to grow up.

She was different now. Sure, she still had that stubborn,
demanding streak, but there was almost a world-weariness to her that tamed what
used to be a sarcastic arrogance into something vulnerable, deep and even more
beautiful.

He smiled to himself. It was like he could finally breathe
fresh air after being stuck in some suffocating hole for so many years. She
loved him. Yesterday, being scared and wounded had made her vulnerable enough
to let it show.

His 4X4 turned onto the dirt road past the Gentilliano gate
that seemed to be left open all the time now. Broken. Maybe he could figure out
what was wrong and fix it for her.

The whole truck smelled of lilacs. His bushes bloomed today
and he made a lavender and white bouquet for Tanya. Parker took it as one of
those signs that nature gave him.

Leaving his truck in the front drive, he grabbed the
flowers, loped up the porch steps and rang the bell. Knowing Tanya, she’d be
out of bed and getting around today. That same old anticipation filled him to
bursting. He couldn’t wait to see her.

The door opened. “Can I help you?”

WTF
?

The two men eyed each other, a slight hostility in the air.
Dude’s good looking. In shape too. Obviously
trains hard. Dresses like a business guy
. And Parker would bet this wasn’t
some long lost cousin come to visit. Not when he was looking at him like a dog
protecting his territory.

The guy glanced at the truck and his expression relaxed.
“Oh. You’re the gardener.”

“Yeah. Parker Richardson.” He held out his free hand. “And
you are?”

“Mark Litchfield.” He shook his hand.

When he didn’t say more, Parker asked, “Are you the cousin
who—”

“I’m Tanya’s fiancé.”

It felt like a fist to the gut. Parker nodded, fighting to
keep his face neutral. His trick to make the guy say more about who he was
worked, but he almost wished it hadn’t.

Mark pointed to the bouquet. “These for Eva? Poor lady,
hobbling around on those crutches.”

“Yeah.” Parker handed him the flowers.

As he turned to go, Mark said, “Don’t forget that spot over
by the pool. Lots of weeds there. Tidy it up a bit.”

They humbled Tanya. Talk about making lemonade. There wasn’t
an ounce of self-pity out there on that floor. These people were all warriors.
Everybody could learn something from watching them defy their limitations,
expressing themselves as if they had wings to fly.

Tanya had taught wheelchair ballroom classes in the UK and
Europe, but after three classes with this group at the North Cove Performing
Arts Academy she could tell they were going to be great. For one thing, there
was Billy.

Being the instructor, Tanya needed to assign him another
partner at this point. But she wanted him to have someone special. Luckily,
Jenna had volunteered to be a partner for one of the other dancers on wheels.
And tonight she’d brought another ballerina with her to class. Monique, a
leggy, blonde beauty with a slight French accent. From Montreal by way of
Manhattan. Tanya paired her with Billy. And boy, did they hit it off.

Tonight the class worked on basic moves for the foxtrot,
tango and a waltz. But she always liked to end with a longer, dancier variation
so they could get into that wonderful flow of movement. Now she stood at the
front of the main studio with Julio and Casey, watching and calling out counts
as her students performed the variation.

Casey gave Tanya a pleading eye. “I have a few groups of
dancers performing in the North Cove Memorial Hospital fundraiser. I’d love to
include yours. Any chance you could have some kind of short performance ready
in ten days? Or at least some kind of demo with this class?”

Tanya gazed across the floor at the line of six wheelchair
participants with their standing partners. From the get-go the looks on their
faces told her they were eager. “I think so,” she replied. “But let’s see if
they’re willing.

When the music ended, Tanya called for a team huddle,
bringing the twelve dancers to the center of the floor. She told them about the
possible show and was rewarded with an enthusiastic and unanimous yes.

After class ended, Billy stuck around to share a few words
with Tanya. “Thanks for setting this whole thing up,” he said. “I haven’t had
so much fun in years.”

“You’re welcome,” she said. “It’s fun for me, too.”

“And, um, one more thing.” He wheeled in closer and lowered
his voice to a confidential whisper. “I especially wanted to thank you for
teaming me up with that little French cutie. Whoa. She is like soooo beautiful.
A guy could get a crush on her.”

“Hmm. So I’ve been replaced.”

“No, no. Nobody could…”

She tapped his arm. “I’m kidding. And I love it. You and
Monique looked great out there. Work at it and you’ll make a great pair.”

“I like the sound of those words.”

They laughed, and Jenna came by. “How’s crankypuss?”

Billy looked offended. “I wasn’t cranky.”

“Not you,” Jenna said. “I’m talking about a guy Tanya is
having a thing with.”

“Yeah?” Billy wiggled his eyebrows. “Somebody from around
here?”

Tanya felt her cheeks flush. “Go easy on me, you guys. My
head is killing me.”

“I never heard what happened to you,” Jenna said.

“Boating accident. Concussion.”

Jenna studied her, puzzled. “Lots of people seem to be
getting concussions lately.”

Feeling guilty for being so circumspect, Tanya wondered if
she should come out and tell Jenna that Parker and she were involved.

Except they weren’t.

Whatever it was they’d begun was over already. He’d cut her
off with a final text the day after her accident, saying:
I’ll be handling the search by myself from now on
.

When he didn’t answer or return her calls or messages, she
waited at the marina for him on a few mornings. But he never appeared. She had
no way of knowing what days he might go to Rubikoff or if he’d changed to
another marina to throw her off.

She continued phoning and texting him, telling him she had
something important to report. She’d convinced herself the news that the
steamer trunk was not on the island was too secret to put into a text. But the
truth was it kept Parker and her connected. And she couldn’t bear to lose that.
Even if it meant letting him continue to search Rubikoff Island for something
that wasn’t there.

She could kick herself for being upstairs when he’d arrived
at the house with lilacs for her the day after her accident.

Her heart ached at the thought of Parker bringing those special
flowers for her and running into Mark. But what could she have done if she’d
been there? Pull Parker aside and say this was the guy she was living with in
London, but it didn’t matter because the two of them were basically selfish
users? That would’ve gone over big. Especially if she added the little tidbit
about the million dollar gift that had her actually considering a marriage to
Mark.

Parker no doubt thought she was the same selfish girl she’d
been when she’d hurt him in the past.

And maybe she was. Maybe she and Mark were a perfect match.

Whether they were or not, Mark had made it clear he wanted
an answer when he returned from the coast. Only nine days away now. Her stomach
clenched.

“Wow. You’re so tense,” Julio said. “You look like somebody
who missed their stop on the train and is on their way to points unknown.”

Tanya just answered with a weak smile.

Parker handed Louis a crisp twenty. The swarthy owner of
Sal’s Pizza rang him up and handed him the warm, toasty box. It felt good in
his arms. Anything to make the world seem less cold and bleak since his
encounter with Tanya’s future hubby a week ago.

Once again he was left with a sense of betrayal and that same
old unresolved bitterness. He’d already let her turn a good chunk of his life
to ashes. Tonight he’d wash down some slices with a six of Corona while zoning
out in front of the tube.

It was almost nine o’clock. The lonely clacking of his boots
was the only sound to break the silence as he walked along the shadowy
sidewalks of Old Providence Street. The North Fork could be a cold and empty
place at times. Parker straightened up. He’d be damned if he’d let her break
his stride any longer. There were other fish in the Sound. Besides, he wasn’t
the marrying kind anyway.

As he approached his 4X4, he noticed something odd about the
way his truck was sitting. His eyes panned down.
Holy shit
.

Heart racing, Parker circled the truck, inspecting each
tire. They’d all been slashed.