A Walk In The Wilderness (25 page)

     “He did that.  You did nothing wrong.”  he argued stringently.

     “But you pay the price, David.  Every time.”  she emphasized.

      He sighed.  “Caitie.  I’ll do whatever I have to do for your sake.” he advised. 

     She crumbled into tears again, and he pulled her into his arms.  He kissed her temple and stroked her head as she cried.  His eyes were closed, feeling her pain and uncertainty.  He sighed again.

      “Do you want to go home?” he asked quietly.

     “Oh, David.  Do you think it would be best?”  she asked uncertainly.

     “I don’t know.  Perhaps for you, and that’s what concerns me most.  I’d love to keep you here with me, but I don’t know if you can take it.  Skyler may react to all that happened tonight, the same way that he did before.  I don’t know.  If he does, it will no doubt traumatize you.  But I really don’t want to let you go.”  he whispered.

    Caitlin looked up at him with hope in her eyes.  “Oh, David.”  she said brokenly.  “Do you mean that?”

    He nodded his head and smiled down at her.  “Without a doubt.” he confirmed.

      She waited breathlessly, but it appeared that he wasn’t going to kiss her.  So, she bit back her disappointment and cuddled herself in his arms.  She could be satisfied with that, for now.

     David’s phone rang at ten the following morning.  It was Will.  “David?  We need to talk.”  he insisted harshly.

     David sighed, and covered his eyes with his hand.  He was still half asleep.  “Back off, Will.”  he said tiredly.

     “I will not!  You are begging for trouble and you’re going to get a lot more if you don’t get that woman on a plane – today!”

    “Why do you insist on telling me all the time what I have to do with my personal life?”  he grumbled with a sigh.

     “Because you don’t seem to be able to figure it out for yourself.  You’ve got trouble, and it’s affecting your performance and Skyler’s.  You have got to face facts!”

      “She didn’t do anything wrong.”  David snapped. 

     “She creates havoc whenever she’s around.  David, you’re a single man.  You can’t have hot babes in adjoining hotel rooms and follow them into Ladies’ wash rooms and knock out your opening act!”

     David drew a deep breath, looking for patience.  “Why don’t you get Skyler out of the way, then?  He’s the one with the problem.  I’m not sleeping with Caitlin, but I will defend her with my life.  I’m not going to shoulder all this when he is the one in the wrong.  If I want to have a guest with me in Paris, it shouldn’t be anybody’s business.”

     “Well, I hate to inform you, David, but people are interested.  You’re a Christian recording artist, and people do watch.  Will you please put her on a plane for someplace else?”  Will lamented.

      “I am thinking about it, for her sake.”  David admitted slowly.

      “Whatever it takes.  Just get her out of here, David.”

      David sat up and hissed angrily.  “I’ll tell you what, Will.  Watch your mouth or you’ll be finding yourself shy one piano player.”  he said angrily.  He snapped the phone to the hook and then buried it in a pillow.

    Caitlin woke up at eleven, and stretched.  She could smell through the adjoining door that David had just showered.  She smiled and then frowned, as she thought about all that had happened the night before.

      David poked his head in, and entered the room when he saw her eyes open.  “Good morning.”  he said, toweling his hair dry.

     She smiled and pulled the covers up well over her chest.  “Hi.”  she said shyly.

      “Sleep well?”  he asked lightly.

      “Yes, actually.  I did.  Isn’t that amazing?”

      He laughed.  “A bit.” he sat on her bed and dropped the towel.  “So, what do you want to do today?”

     She turned her eyes away.  “Well;  I don’t know.  Do you think I ought to go home?” she blurted.

      David met her eyes frankly.  “That’s really up to you, sweetheart.  If you want to stay here, I’ll back you and take out whoever gets in the way.  But if you’re not up to it, I’ll understand.”

     “Don’t you think for the sake of your tour that it might be best?”  she asked in a small voice.  “I mean, this is only temporary.  The tour will be over in a few months, and then this won’t be a problem anymore.  But for the sake of your career …”

    David sighed.  “Well, I suppose that there is … some merit to what you’re saying.  It would help keep the peace, I suppose.”  he agreed slowly.  “I just don’t like to have to be without you because Skyler pitches a fit.  It sends me, to tell you the truth.” he growled.

    He looked at her with her hair all over the pillow, and her soft lips parted invitingly.  He grinned widely, and shook his head.  “And I’d better get out of here before I do something that wouldn’t be advisable.  Get yourself up and we’ll eat, and shop, and talk this over.   What do you say?”

     “All right.”  she agreed meekly.  She pondered what David had meant as he went to his own room.  What did he want to do?  Kiss her?  Climb in bed with her?  she wondered.  Though perhaps not advisable, both ideas gave her a  shiver of delight.  But alas, David had not yielded to the temptation, whatever it had been. 

     They ate a brunch and shopped downtown a bit.  Caitlin found a leather shop and darted in, pulling away from David’s arm.  He raised his eyebrows and followed her, with suspicion and dismay in his eyes.  Caitlin in a leather shop could be a very dangerous thing.

     She looked like a kid in a candy shop, and he didn’t have the heart to argue with her.  He just watched her, and found his imagination running wild.  The girl was sadistic. 

     She went into a changing room with a number of outfits that put a choke in David’s throat.  She emerged wearing a mixed suede and leather dress in white that hugged her body in diagonal stripes.  The lump in his throat grew.  She found a jacket with long fringe to match that was simply smashing.  Then she came out in a red dress that turned his blood to fire.  It, too, was fitted to the point of indecency.  Then came a dress and coat in royal purple.  David was blushing.  It was very hot in that shop.  The last was a black dress with a zipper up the front, very low cut. 

     Caitlin looked at him expectantly, and shrugged when he just looked at her with heavy-lidded eyes.  She went back into the room and came out wearing the black dress again. This time, the clerk had gotten her some boots to match, and the effect was quite startling for David.  The dress was fairly short, and the boots just enhanced the stretch of her long, slender legs.  It molded against her body as only soft leather can, and the zippers made a man’s imagination go off the Richter. 

     It appeared that she was buying the white dress and jacket, too.  And some white boots with clear, acrylic soles and heels.  Very sexy.  David sighed and walked to the counter.  Added to the white came the red dress and the purple ensemble.  He tried not to look as a skirt and matching corset in embossed royal blue leather landed on the counter in front of his eyes.

     “I’ll take care of the bill.”  he said firmly in French.

    “Tres bien, Monsieur.”  the clerk said, pushing Caitlin’s currency back at her.  David handed over a credit card, and it was done. 

      Caitlin looked up at him impishly, and smiled.

     “If you’re going to drive me insane, it’s the least I can do.”  he said without looking at her.

      She smiled and took his arm.  “Poor man.”  she taunted.

    He hazarded a weary look at her.  “You have no idea.”  he assured her evenly.

    Caitlin pursed her lips and stared up at him pensively.  “I will take the dress off if you would prefer that I not wear it.”  she offered sweetly.

    “You’ll be lucky if I don’t take it off for you.”  he countered in a low voice.  He shot her an unreadable glance and put an arm around her as they left the shop.

     “Is that a threat?”  she teased in an outraged voice.

     He set his jaw and put her packages under his arm.  He didn’t look down at her.

     “David, I’m teasing.  Have I upset you?”  she asked worriedly.

     “Don’t worry about it.”

     She looked up at him, her cheeks flaming.  She didn’t know what to say.  He seemed angry, not tender and romantic, not sweet (as he always was), except when she wore leather. 

     “I’m sorry.”  she said immediately.  “David, I’ll take them back.”

     “No.”  he said, shaking his head.  “I think I’d hate that even more.  Just …”  he laughed shortly.  “Please forgive my short patience.  It’s not your fault.  I’ll deal with it.”  he assured her tightly.

     She put a hand on his arm and looked up at him beseechingly. 

    “David,”  she begged.  “I really don’t want to do anything that displeases you.  It’s just that I love leather.” 

    He smiled and actually looked into her eyes.  “It doesn’t displease me.  It pleases me far too much, actually.  And I can’t do anything about it.  That’s all.  I’m sorry.”

     Tears welled up in her eyes and she blinked them back.  David’s arm went around her and he kissed her brow.  “Will you have a little mercy?”  he chuckled.  “You’re tearing me apart, Caitlin.”

      “Why?  I don’t understand.” she railed. 

     “I know, and I can’t think of any way to explain it to you.”  he sighed.  “Just don’t think that I’m being critical of you.  I’m just trying hard not to fall on my face.”

    Caitlin was baffled, but she nodded anyway.  Whatever trials David was facing, she had to maintain her peace.  She knew enough to know that she didn’t dare kiss him, or make any such move.  He was not that kind of man. 

     She was certain that he cared for her, that he was attracted to her.  And he respected her, obviously.  She had to just simply pray that he would get around to it.  It was all she could do.  She didn’t understand at all why he couldn’t indulge himself.

    When they got back to the hotel, she suggested a swim.  David looked strained, but he agreed.  They went to the pool without many words, and dove in gratefully.  It was a nice distraction from the morning’s tension to feel the cool water swirl around them.

      Caitlin surfaced and felt David’s arms close around her. 

      “I’ve been a bear to you, haven’t I, dear?”  he asked with a rueful smile.

     “No.”  she denied, putting a hand on his cheek.  “I knew you didn’t want to see me in leather.”  she admitted.  “I just couldn’t help myself.”

     “I do want to see you in leather.  That’s the problem.”  he assured her with a laugh. 

       She sighed.  “I guess that I just don’t understand the problem.”

       He smiled.  “I know.  I will explain, when I can.”

       “Why don’t you see about putting me on a plane?”  she asked impassively.

     He looked at her with narrowed eyes.  “Is that what you want?” he asked hesitantly. 

     “No, David.  I’d much rather be here with you.  But under the circumstances, I do feel that it would be best.  For you.  You don’t need any additional aggravation just now.  I think your path will be smoother if you can concentrate on your work, and avoid further difficulties with Skyler and Will.  I am only adding to the strain you’re under.”

     He shook his head.  “What about for you?” he challenged.

    “I have had a good vacation here with you.  Perhaps it’s time I go on home.”  she suggested.

      “Mother is no doubt missing you, but not as much as I will.”  he sighed.

      She looked at him with longing stabbing out of her eyes.  “And I will miss you.”  she assured him softly.

      “Will you, Cait?”  he asked hesitantly.

      “You know I will.”  she said.

     “Then it will make coming home to you very sweet.  I hate to send you, but it was foolish of me to bring you here, I suppose.”

     “It’s been the adventure of a lifetime.  But Skyler is unpredictable.  You know it’s best that I go.”  Her fingers dared to trace along his cheek lightly.

      He sighed.  “I’ll see what I can do.”  he agreed unhappily.  She imagined his eyes darkened in color, in response to her caress -- but he turned away, so she couldn’t be certain.

     Caitlin was extremely puzzled by David’s attitude.  She never knew what to think.  At one moment, she could see passion in his eyes, and she was certain that he was ready to kiss her.  The next, he was running as though his life depended on it.

CHAPTER SEVEN

     Caitlin was trying to decide what to wear that evening, and smiled.  The white leather would make an impression, she knew.  But she didn’t want to distract David when he was working, in all honesty.  And she didn’t want to raise his ire. 

    So, she chose the deep green velvet with the bolero jacket in silk and synthetic suede, and wore heels with it.  She took some time with her hair and had it cascading over her shoulders in a sophisticated style.  She was gratified when she saw David’s reaction.  He looked stunned.

      “What?  It isn’t leather.”  she teased.

      “It may as well be.  My heavens!  You’re impossible.”  he grumbled.

      “Why, David.  Should I dress like a bum when you bought me all these lovely dresses?”  she asked sweetly.

     He laughed.  “God help me, I did this to myself, didn’t I?  Caitlin, you’re impossible and incredible.  How can you look so lovely and tempting?”

      She smiled and for once, did not blush.  “You tell me and we’ll both know.”  she teased.  “You’re the man with the taste in clothes.”

      He groaned and rolled his eyes.  “I can’t argue with you, because I distinctly remember picking this out.  Do you know what it does to your eyes?”  he lamented in seeming pain.