Wish on the Moon (16 page)

Still, she would have given up Oreos for a
year rather than admit she was dancing for Mitch, trying to tempt
him out onto the floor with her. Laura Marie Applegate Sanders
wouldn't stoop to such tactics.

The devil in her knew better.

***

Mitch's emotions simmered under the surface
as he drove home from the party. Laura's display of sensual
dancing, her quick laughter, her easy rapport with Carey didn't
matter. Okay, she aroused him, nothing more. That condition wasn't
fatal. As for Carey...

Jealousy was his middle name when it came to
Carey. He'd been jealous of his brother's relationship with their
father. He'd been hurt by it. But that was the past. And now? Carey
would be gone as suddenly as he'd arrived, just like Laura. Life
went on. There was no reason to get riled by either of them.

When they reached Ray's, Carey roared away on
his motorcycle. Laura exited the car without saying good night to
anyone. Puzzled, Mitch found her in the kitchen pouring herself a
glass of milk. In some ways she was so damned wholesome. She hadn't
looked wholesome when she was dancing! The memory brought an almost
painful arousal.

She took a swallow of milk and set down the
glass, a white mustache hanging on her upper lip. Then slowly and
deliberately, she poured a second one. "Maybe a good night's sleep
will sweeten your disposition," she said in a sugary tone, offering
him the milk.

She was taunting him and he knew it. He
should go into Ray's quarters and lock the door. He moved closer to
her, removed the glass from her hand, and calmly set it aside. "You
put on quite a show tonight. I don't think it's what Ray had in
mind when he suggested you go."

Her cheeks grew rosy underneath the cat
whiskers. "I was having fun. Something you apparently don't know
how to do."

He took two steps closer until he stood in
front of her. "Just like I don't know how to be human?" He hadn't
realized how deep that jab had cut until this moment.

"Exactly." Her gray eyes dared him to
react.

His restraint snapped. He didn't plan it; he
didn't think about it. He pulled her to him and crushed his lips to
hers. And in that instant he knew. This was what he'd wanted to do
from the moment she'd opened her door. He'd kissed enough women in
his life to know what he was doing. The problem was those women
hadn't been Laura. They hadn't been fiery and passionate and
totally captivating.

Bolts of heat shot through him like night
lightning flashing across a humid August sky. His mouth twisted to
take hers, then twisted to take more. The storm inside him
thundered and threatened to erupt. He wanted to plunge into her,
mold to her, until her joy and spontaneity became his. He needed
that part of her to complete himself.

Laura's arms went around Mitch's neck as if
they belonged there. She leaned into him, aware of his arousal, the
dangerous thud of his heart and just let herself feel--his desire,
her need, the hard power of his thighs, the strong tightness of his
arms, the pads of his fingers on her neck, the exciting sensuality
of his body pressed against hers.

Mitch's mouth was bold and demanding. He was
so big and imposing. So male. The vibrations between them were pure
electricity. Man meeting woman. Man wanting woman. Woman wanting
man. He ground against her erotically. She'd pushed him too far,
but she didn't care. This was what she wanted. His passion. His
feelings. His strength.

But Mitch apparently had different ideas.
Pushing her away, he dropped his arms as if she'd scorched him. He
took a long, deep breath and closed his eyes. Opening them, he
said, "I'm sorry."

Laura was stunned. "Sorry? What for?"

"I usually think before I act, especially
about consequences. The consequences of this can only mean
trouble."

The piercing intensity of his blue eyes
pinned her to the spot. She could still feel the heat from his
body. It beckoned to her as much as his expression told her not to
get close. "Trouble isn't always something to avoid," she said,
stepping closer.

He looked as if he wanted to reach for her
again, as if trouble could be worth what they could find in each
other's arms. But then he tensed, and whatever he used to protect
himself took over.

"In your world, Laura. Not mine," he said
grimly and with a last long look disappeared into Ray's
quarters.

Tears flowed to Laura's eyes along with the
emptiness his retreat caused. She brushed away a stray one and bit
her lower lip.

Seeking refuge in the mundane, Laura carried
her glass to the table and sat. Kissing Mitch was as glorious as
she'd expected it to be. And yet there was something else her
feelings and desire for him triggered. Suddenly, she realized what
it was. Guilt.

Why? Because she still felt married to Doug?
She'd always be connected to him. She'd never forget him. There was
a special niche in her heart filled with him and pictures of their
life together. During lonely nights, her heart had ached for him.
But the aching was almost gone and in its place had come peace and
the knowledge he'd want her to get on with her life. She knew that
intellectually, and she'd never felt the need to test it
emotionally. Until now. Until Mitch.

Even with Doug, the attraction hadn't been
this strong. They'd started out as friends who'd shared dreams and
a zest for living. With Mitch... Were they friends? Sometimes she
thought so. Other times the attraction seemed to get in the way. It
was weird. Mitch was fighting it. Until tonight, she'd been
fighting it. Because of Doug? Because of her father? Because of the
business? She'd always run towards life, not away from it. Maybe if
she embraced what was happening, Mitch could do the same. Maybe
that would relieve the tension between them.

Maybe it would make it worse.

She heard noise in the hall and wondered if
Mandy had gotten awake and needed something. But it was Nora who
came into the kitchen, not the four-year-old.

She pulled the belt on her chenille robe
tighter. "Did you have a good time?"

"I danced quite a bit," Laura hedged.

"With Mitch?"

"Mostly with Carey."

"That boy knows how to have a good time. He
learned early from his father. Sam was lots of fun when he was
young and sober."

"Mitch needs to learn how to let go."

Nora pulled out a chair and sat down. "He
never had the chance. Too much responsibility too soon because
Carey didn't do his share. Truthfully, he made the burden worse. He
was older and should have known better. But he learned Sam's
tricks."

Carey was trying to change his life. He'd
sounded desperate for Mitch's help. Laura hoped his desire to
change could weather a refusal from his brother. Still, she was
more concerned about Mitch than Carey.

"Mitch doesn't trust easily."

"No. But he trusts your father."

"He told me about Denise." Laura didn't feel
guilty for fishing.

"She was too much like he is. You know,
organized, settled. No zip between them. Now, you and Mitch..." Her
voice faded.

"There is no me and Mitch. He doesn't want
it. I'm not sure I do either. We'd be asking for
complications."

"You can't always plan these things out with
your head, can you?" Nora asked dejectedly.

Laura suspected Mitch's mother was talking
about herself. "You and Dad seem to get along well."

Nora picked up her glasses lying next to the
lead crystal salt and pepper shakers and toyed with the side
piece.

"He likes your company," Laura added. "Last
night he told me he's never met a better domino player."

"We come from different worlds. He's ten
steps above me."

Laura patted Nora's hand. "That's not true.
You're as good as he is."

"He's always had money. He's educated."

"Education doesn't always come from going to
school. He'd be the first one to say hard work is more important.
You've worked hard, Nora, and I'm sure he respects that."

"You're not against me and Ray
being...friendly?"

"Of course not."

Nora put down the glasses and stood. "It
would never work. I'm not good enough for him."

"Why do you think that?"

She sighed. "I just know I'm not."

"Nora--"

"Don't you worry about me. You concentrate on
teaching Mitch how to have a good time. I'm going to bed. Good
night, child. I hope your dreams are pleasant."

Laura sat in the kitchen a while longer
absently toying with Nora's glasses. Teach Mitch how to have a good
time? Maybe if she bought Disneyworld and held him captive there
for at least a month.

Putting Nora's glasses on for fun, she made a
face at herself in the oven window, then noticed something odd. She
was no optometrist but she'd swear Nora's lenses weren't
prescription.

Why would Nora wear spectacles that were
clear glass?

CHAPTER EIGHT

"I like flying in airplanes," Mandy
concluded, popping a cracker into her mouth as she peered out the
window.

"You're getting to be an experienced
traveler." Laura uncrossed her legs, trying to stay closer to Mandy
than Mitch. He took up his whole seat and then some. She was
constantly bumping his arm or his foot and pulling back. She
remembered their plane flight to York after they'd just met. The
sizzle between them had gotten much worse!

Because he'd pulled back from their explosive
kiss? The four days since Saturday night had dragged long and slow.
It was evident he wanted nothing to do with her. He'd avoided her
both at home and at the store. She thought she knew how much
rejection hurt. After all, she'd had practice with her father. But
Mitch's rejection took the pain to another level.

"Mommy, can we get a camera and take pictures
of clouds when we come back?"

"Honey, we have a camera at home."

"But we need one here."

"She has a point," Mitch agreed.

"Excuse me? Did you say something?"

He misunderstood her irritation. "I
understand you can't buy Mandy everything she wants, but pictures
of the pueblo and the jewelry could be useful. Ray would be
interested."

"I suppose it would be a good idea," she
agreed grudgingly.

"Can I take pictures?" Mandy asked with hope
in her eyes.

"Sure." Mitch smiled one of those smiles that
turned Laura's heart upside down because they were so rare. "You
can even help me pick out a camera. I could use a new digital with
a better macro."

Laura felt her irritation subside. Mitch was
trying to make her daughter happy.

Mandy's grin said she liked Mitch as much as
Oreos. Stuffing the ziplock bag into her pocket for safe keeping,
she plucked her favorite storybook from the pocket of the seat in
front of her, leaned toward Mitch and asked, "Will you read this to
me?"

Mitch didn't hesitate. "Sure."

He never refused Mandy anything and seemed to
enjoy every minute he spent with her. He was a gentle man who chose
the best way to talk to a child to be understood. He'd make a good
father. Laura didn't need a genius IQ to realize where that thought
was leading. She lifted Mandy onto her lap but Mandy insisted on
settling in Mitch's. Laura watched her daughter curl into the crook
of Mitch's arm and lay her head against his blazer. Mitch gave her
a quick hug, opened the book and began to read.

Laura listened to The Velveteen Rabbit. Mandy
knew the tale by heart. But Mitch's deep baritone gave the poignant
story new meaning as he related the hopes and dreams of a velveteen
bunny who was sad because he wasn't plush or furry. Mitch told how
a stuffed bunny became "real" from a boy's love.

When Mitch finished the last sentence, Mandy
turned to Laura and said, "The boy's love hurt the rabbit because
he loved him so much he rubbed the bunny's fur off. George said
Grandpa hurt you. Was that because he loved you so much?"

Laura blinked. And she thought Mandy had
asked tough questions before. To give herself time to form an
answer she asked, "When did George say that?"

"When you were packing. He told Anne he was
afraid Grandpa would hurt you again. Will he hurt me, too?"

Mitch frowned, both of his arms sheltering
Mandy. Instead of defending Ray as Laura thought he would, Mitch
asked, "Is that why you're afraid to be alone with your
grandpa?"

Mandy bobbed her head.

Laura leaned close to her daughter. "Grandpa
would never hurt you, sweetheart. George meant..." She was still at
a loss to explain something so complicated.

Mitch stepped in. "Grown ups argue sometimes.
Their feelings get hurt. That's what George meant."

"Did Grampa's feelings get hurt too?"

Amazing how children could cut anything down
to the bare essentials. Laura answered, "I guess they did."

Mandy absorbed that. So did Laura until she
realized leaning closer to her daughter had moved her closer to
Mitch. She could smell his aftershave, feel his intent gaze...

Squirming from Mitch's lap, Mandy asked, "Can
I go to the bathroom?"

Laura smiled. The small cubicle had
fascinated Mandy from the first time she'd visited it.

A flight attendant coming down the aisle must
have overheard. She said, "I'll take you."

Laura checked with her daughter. "Would you
rather I come?"

Mandy looked at the attendant and her
friendly smile. "No. I'll go with her."

Laura watched her daughter sashay down the
aisle, holding the attendant's hand.

Mitch said, "You're lucky. She's a wonderful
child."

"I know. And you're perceptive. I hope Mandy
won't be afraid of Dad now."

"I think she understood."

"George is usually more careful. He probably
didn't know she was there."

"Probably."