No easy way out (13 page)

What was so wrong with a woman being the aggressor? Where was it
written that only men could be bold and adventurous? If a man was
so insecure that he couldn't accept a woman who spoke her mind and
handled her own destiny, who needed him?

Virginia also began to value her own intelligence. Why should
she depreciate her God-given talent? She had already contributed to
society and felt fortunate enough to have the capability to give
even more. No more apologies for her brains, for her inventiveness,
or for her discoveries. Women weren't relegated to home and hearth
anymore. Equality was going to have to be accepted and
embraced.

As for Alex? Despite the sun an icy chill permeated her thin
beige T-shirt. Bumps prickled her skin, sending her back toward
shore. Alex. He had been the major stumbling block for the last
seventy-two hours.

Virginia used her big toe to carve his name into the wet sand
just a hair's breadth out of reach of the tide. Out of reach? Yes,
that was Alex. And when he knew the truth-would he feel ridiculed,
betrayed, outraged, fooled? All of those? And why shouldn't he?

But she had never set out to fool him. From the beginning she
was driven by initial attraction and infatuation, then later desire
turned into something deeper. Love? But love had always been
elusive, and there was no reason to think fate would smile this
time.

Virginia decided to go back, confront Alex, and let him decide.
If he found it too difficult to work with her, if the sight of her
made him sick, she would have Briarcliff send a replacement. She'd
go back to Florida for a much-needed rest. She'd always have Alex.
Vivid, rich, tangible-indelible memories that stained her life for
all time.

A squadron of sea gulls broke form, hovered, then glided down on
the sand around her. Their curved beaks intently assaulted the tide
for minute plankton to satisfy temporarily their never-ending
hunger. Watching them, Virginia realized she too could use a bite
to eat, although lunch at the inn would be considerably more
appetizing.

She picked her way through the pearl-gray scavengers, who
staunchly refused to acknowledge her presence. Then, quite
suddenly, the air exploded with black-tipped wings and raucous
cries. Quickly she turned to see what had frightened the feeding
gulls. Virginia found it was Alex.

She stared at him, swallowing convulsively, sea blue eyes locked
onto gray ones. Alex looked quite invincible and formidable, very
much the Bandit, his lean muscular physique cloaked all in
black.

"Diane told me where to find you." He readily provided the
answer to one unspoken question.

Her tongue circled her teeth trying to find enough moisture to
wet her lips. She wondered just whom Alex had come to see? No! The
pretending had to stop. Anger replaced anxiety; Virginia found she
was quite defensive. "Well, Alex, you lucked out-you've found both
of us at once."

"At last!" His words were tinged with relief.

"Oh, no. No!" Her eyes widened, then narrowed into piercing
sapphire slits. "You mean you've known all along?"

Alex smiled and nodded. "I've known from the very beginning." He
crossed his arms over his chest, amusement registering in his eyes.
"Although that first night," he shook his head, scratching his chin
reminiscently, "you really stunned me. When I left you in the lab,
you were a serious, dedicated brunette -all work and no play. A few
hours later I had a sensuous, fun-loving blond bundle catapulted
into my arms." Alex smiled at her again.

Virginia's fingers curled into impotent fists. "You knew all the
time," she repeated again, still not believing his confession. "And
I've been worried sick that you'd think I was playing you for the
fool. And all the while ..." Her voice trailed off miserably.

"I enjoyed every minute of it," he told her, his deep voice
quite serious. Alex pushed a wind-whipped blond curl off her cheek.
"I had never been seduced before. I found it quite enjoyable."

"Of all the low, miserable, conniving, cheap, dirty, disgusting
... ugh...." She slapped his hand away, her bare foot stomping the
wet sand in anger.

"Don't you think that's like the pot calling the kettle black?"
Alex arched a dark brow, studying the range of emotions displayed
on her sun-kissed features.

She drew herself up, her body rigid with indignation. "Alex
Braddock, you don't deserve either one of us." Virginia turned on
her heel and stalked up the beach.

"Wait a minute!" Alex shouted, hastily catching up with her.
"Virginia." His long legs easily matched her angry strides. "Let's
be sensible and talk about this."

"Sensible!" Her voice was shrill, her lips curled in contempt.
"I'm surprised you think I could ever be sensible or rational"-her
legs increased their speed -"or reasonable or normal." Her toes
spewed little clumps of sand in her wake. "I was beginning to doubt
my own sanity." Virginia all but shouted at Alex's jogging frame.
"And for what? This . . . this utter humiliation!"

"Virginia, please." His large hand was finally able to secure
her flailing arm.

She stopped and twisted free. A maelstrom of emotions whirled
inside of her. Virginia looked at him, her breasts heaving beneath
the thin cotton shirt. "For two cents I'd tell you exactly what I
think of you, Alex Braddock." She turned and mounted the
ocean-carved rock steps leading to her cottage.

Virginia found an unfamiliar suitcase had invaded her cabin. Her
fingers curled around the black-leather handle, but as she moved to
toss it out the still open door, Alex's rugged physique blocked her
efforts.

One large hand plucked the valise from her numb fingers; the
other thrust two copper images of Lincoln under her nose. She
stared at the coins for an interminable length of time, their
images becoming distorted by the tears that stung her eyes.

The pennies tumbled to the multicolored shag carpet. The
masculine hands that had held them slid around her waist, drawing
her trembling body against his rock-hard strength.

"In your rush to toss out my suitcase," Alex's voice was low and
comforting against her ear, "you failed to notice the eight white
roses in the vase on your dresser." His thumb and forefinger
captured her chin, lifting her face level with his own. He smiled
into her liquid eyes. "Each white rose breathes the gift of
love to every letter of your name." He closed her eyelids with a
kiss, his lips tasting the salty tears that dribbled down her
cheeks.

Eight roses-eight letters in Virginia. Not red for passion, but
white for love. Her lashes fluttered open, her arms wrapped tightly
around his waist. "Alex," Virginia sniffed, her puddled blue gaze
brimming with unspoken questions, "I . . . you ... we ..." She
swallowed the nonsensical words, her shoulders slumping under a
mixture of confusion and uncertainty.

"Dr. Farrell." He sounded quite exasperated, but the arms that
held her, the hands that caressed her, told a different story. "I
love you to distraction. You are the essence of everything that I
want, everything that I need. I feel extremely fortunate to have
found a composite of all women, packaged in perfection." Alex
lowered his head, his mouth seeking to possess hers, when Virginia
suddenly pulled away.

She dropped to the edge of the bed. "What must you think of me?"
Virginia looked up at him, then down at her hands, her fingers
twisted around one another. "What kind of woman must you think I
am? I hardly knew you, and I carried on like a ... a ..." She
couldn't even bring herself to say the coarse names lodged in her
throat.

Alex rested his palms on her shoulders, then pushed her backward
onto the mattress. "I know all I need to know about you." The anger
glittering in his gray eyes matched his harsh tone. "I know that
you are the best thing to ever happen to me." His voice softened:
"And I know that I'm not going to let you go."

Her hands cradled his face; her body lifted to press against the
virile length stretched out across her own. "Alex, I love you." Her
hands slid around his neck and pulled his head down. Her lips
touched his. "It was love that gave me the strength to show you my
true feelings."

"I certainly wouldn't mind if you gave me another
demonstration," he whispered. But Alex couldn't wait-his mouth
crushed hers with a savage urgency that negated all remaining
doubts.

His kisses and caresses sent those familiar sweet sensations
moving through her blood to her heart. She savored the loving
feelings, with the knowledge that Alex shared them making them
infinitely more satisfying.

Virginia found she was suddenly quite impatient and annoyed with
the clothes that prevented a more intimate union. Her hands tugged
his knit shirt free, pulling it up toward his shoulders. Alex sat
up, taking Virginia with him. With obvious reluctance he broke
their embrace. But after he finished disposing of his shirt he was
delighted to find she had done the same.

They played a little game of quid pro quo-"something for
something." Prairie skirt covered twill pants; ruffled slip drifted
over shoes and socks; briefs laid claim to apricot satin
panties.

Slowly they drew together, Virginia's silken curves conforming
against Alex's muscular physique. The fusion of their bodies
ignited the persistent embers of passion, flaming them into the
essence of love.

Her lips played with his; her teasing tongue darted into his
mouth. Her smooth fingernails delicately scratched her initials
into his chest.

Alex gave a low groan-his kisses became more than gentle. His
mouth plundered her soft lips, claiming ownership of her very
breath. His hands flowed down her spine and curved around her firm
buttocks.

Alex guided her back onto the bed, her body dissolving into the
mattress beneath his sinewy strength. "I love you, Virginia." His
words were whispered against her full breasts, as his mouth and
tongue teased and licked the taut peaks.

She moaned softly as he ventured lower. His lips and fingers
explored the feminine nooks and crannies. The sensuous stimulation
of his gentle probings created continuous ripples of ecstasy that
washed over her like a languid warm tide.

Virginia pulled his head back to hers. "Alex, I love you so very
much." The ache in her voice begged for their mutual fulfillment.
Her fingers snaked down his flat-bellied torso, her hand sculpting
across the lines of his body.

Alex crouched over her, his eyes locked into hers. He lifted her
hips. She eagerly received him-a more joyous connection could not
have been imagined. Their physical union formed a complete circle
of love.

Her long silken legs entwined around his powerful hips as the
intensity of his passion grew steadily stronger and deeper. Alex
knew when to be gentle and when to be rough. His lovemaking was
passionate and exhilarating. Her body vibrated with primitive
tremors of rapture, her own rhythmic movements synchronized with
his.

It was an illusion of unity: they were joined, but their
sensations remained their own. Fluttery, pulsating currents racked
her body. Passion erupted in a nerve-shattering explosion, and her
nails gripped Alex's flesh like claws.

He pulled her tighter, sealing her against him. His body
shuddered, the climax to his passion breaking over her like a
violent storm-a storm centered deep inside her. Alex rolled over,
taking Virginia with him, their perspiration-anointed, satiated
bodies still united in the afterglow of love.

"Telling you how much I love you seems very inadequate," Alex
murmured huskily, his hands settling low on her spine. He kissed
her nose, her chin, her lips. "You make me want to go out and
conquer the world. I've looked a lifetime for you." He smiled into
her passion-dark eyes. "Will you marry me?"

Virginia blinked at him. "Alex, I never expected ... you don't
have to ..." She stopped babbling and took a deep breath. "I
certainly will!" Her head collapsed against his chest. She felt
enormously happy and delightfully intoxicated.

He grinned and rolled her over. "Now that I can call both of you
mine," he growled into the softness of her throat, "I think I'll
just have to show you again how delighted I am with my fascinating
bride-to-be."

"Alex . . ." She peeked at him through fluttering lashes as his
lips lowered to her breast. Once again she abandoned herself to
Alex's devastating love-making.

The sun was a flaming orange ball, suspended low in the striated
blue sky. "We've loved the afternoon away." She yawned sleepily at
Alex.

"We still have time to catch a plane to Las Vegas," came his
succinct announcement. Alex gave her bare buttocks a playful slap
as he slid out of bed and began to hunt for his clothes.

"What?" Virginia sat up, a sensuous, flushed vision amid the
tumbled flowered sheets. "Alex, you're crazy!" She blinked in
astonishment, watching him pull on his navy briefs. "You want to
get married right now? Tonight?"

"Darling"-he walked back and perched on the edge of the bed-"the
next time I make love to you, you are going to be my wife." Alex
lifted her left hand to his lips, his eyes more eloquent than
words.

Virginia took another sip of the aged French champagne, placed
the crystal tulip glass on the tile shelf, and uttered her
hundredth contented sigh. "I married an incurable romantic." Her
head rested against his, blond curls embracing brown.

"A bride belongs in the bridal suite," Alex said
matter-of-factly. He picked up a large succulent strawberry, dipped
it in powdered sugar, and fed it to Virginia. "Tomorrow we head
back to reality." A chuckle escaped him. "I can't wait to see
Jerome's reaction when I tell him I'm moving in with my lab
partner, who is now my wife."

"Mrs. Alex Braddock." Virginia savored each word. To her they
were sweeter than the strawberries, more sparkling than the wine.
She sighed again, her soapy hand moving lovingly across her
husband's chest.