Plain Jane in the Spotlight (14 page)

Suddenly it was intolerable. He ran swiftly through a list of female names, seeking one that would do. The problem was that there were so many that would ‘do’. Too many.

His choice fell on Susie. They were old friends and she liked nothing better than to have a good time, with nothing serious on either side, except a generous gift to finish the evening. He picked up the phone.

As soon as she heard his voice she cried, ‘
Darling!
It’s been a long time.’

‘How about we put that right? Are you free this evening?’

‘I am for you. Where shall we meet?’

‘Why don’t you come over here?’

She gave a knowing laugh. ‘That sounds lovely. Who needs other people?’

They understood each other perfectly.

* * *

Charlene’s evening out was short-lived. The play was poor, the acting terrible. In the interval she and her friends poured out and headed into the nearest restaurant.

‘Hey, look who’s there!’ exclaimed a young woman. ‘Penny Danes. She’s the TV star in
The Man From Heaven.
Who’s that handsome guy snuggling up to her?’

‘His name’s Lee Anton,’ Charlene said. ‘He’s just started in the series.’

Cameras were flashing on the theatrically loving couple. Penny stretched out her hand, flaunting a ring, then kissed Lee, waving the ring again.

‘Looks like they’ve got engaged,’ someone observed. ‘Do you know him, Charlene?’

‘No,’ she said quietly. ‘I don’t know him.’

Soon after that she discovered that she was tired. Bidding goodnight to her companions, she slipped quietly away and went to stand outside the restaurant, looking in at Lee and his new lover.

It should have hurt, she thought wryly, but that was all over. Now she had a new life, thanks to Travis, with his gift of touching her emotions. Their relationship might only be friendly, but so few people had ever bothered with her emotions in the past that it could be dangerous if she wasn’t careful.

But I am careful
, she thought.
Careful is my middle name. He’s my dear brother, and I won’t let anything spoil it.

She turned and went to hail a taxi. Nothing appeared and after a while she thought of going back inside. But when she turned, Lee was standing there.

‘Fancy seeing you! Come in and meet my fiancée.’

‘Thank you, no. But I wish you every happiness, Lee.’

‘You don’t blame me, then?’

‘Why should I blame you? There was nothing really between us.’

She had the feeling that this didn’t please him.

‘Anyway, I hope Travis doesn’t hurt you too much when your break-up comes. And it will. He’s not known as a faithful guy. The girls love him, but he doesn’t love them. Since he linked up with you they say he’s a reformed character.’ He eyed her hilariously. ‘But I guess you’d know about that.’

‘I see a taxi,’ she said hurriedly. ‘Goodnight, Lee.’

She couldn’t get away from him fast enough.

It was dark when she reached home. She let herself in quietly, meaning to tiptoe to her room, unnoticed. But the door to Travis’s bedroom was ajar, and from behind it she could hear a woman’s voice.

‘Oh, darling, you’re so sweet. If only other people saw the real you—knew you as I do—’

Silence. Charlene was tense, waiting for his voice, wondering what he would say.

‘It’s better if they don’t,’ he said at last. ‘Let’s keep it our secret.’

‘Oh, yes, of course you’re right. This is special to us—’

Charlene flattened herself against the wall, her eyes darting frantically from side to side. There was no way to reach her own room without passing the open door, and the thought of being discovered like this made her quail.

But the alternative was to stay concealed, effectively spying on Travis.

Help!
wailed a voice in her head.
I can’t handle this.

‘I’ve really missed you,’ came the female voice again. ‘And you’ve missed me. I can tell. You have, haven’t you?’

Heart pounding, Charlene waited for his answer, but instead of words there came only a
Mmm
sound, suggesting a prolonged kiss.

‘Travis—’

‘Wait.’ That was his voice.

He was moving about the room. Charlene held her breath as she sensed him grow nearer. Even so, she wasn’t prepared for the moment when he came into sight. The door was open just wide enough to show the whole of him, naked except for a pair of black briefs, so tiny they were almost non-existent.

She drew back into the shadows as far as she could go, unable to take her eyes off him. That a man so tall and lean should yet have such perfectly formed muscles, such a hint of restrained power, such beauty. She could hardly believe what her eyes were telling her.

He seemed preoccupied with troublesome thoughts, which was strange if he was on the verge of making love to his companion. He turned, showing his body from a new angle, the gentle swell of his rear, the length of his thighs.

At last he moved away behind the door, and she seized the chance to creep to her room. She didn’t even put the light on. At all costs he mustn’t suspect that she’d returned. She could feel her heart beating so fiercely that she feared he must be able to hear even at that distance.

She undressed quickly and got into bed, diving beneath the cover as though seeking shelter. The whole world seemed to have rocked. It was disgraceful to have seen his near nakedness while he was unaware, but she couldn’t make herself regret it. Even now he walked through her thoughts, casually magnificent.

But he wasn’t alone. A young woman was with him, lying in his bed, waiting for him to approach her. Obviously he’d called her as soon as she herself had gone out for the evening.

Lee’s words came back to her.
The girls love him, but he doesn’t love them.

She had no right to complain. She’d promised to come in quietly in case he had a girl. But somehow she hadn’t really believed it, and the reality came as a shock.

She rolled over, burying her face in the pillow.

* * *

‘Don’t you care for me any more?’ Susie’s soft voice was petulant.

‘What do you mean?’

‘Usually by this time you’ve tossed me on the bed and—’ She finished with a significant little giggle.

‘A man learns patience as he gets older,’ he said with a touch of desperation.

‘But don’t I attract you?’

‘Of course you do,’ he said determinedly. ‘You’re as lovely as ever. It’s just that—’

He fought for something to say. Anything would do, other than the truth, which was that inviting her here tonight had been the biggest mistake he’d ever made, and he was paying for it. He’d watched as she undressed, waiting for the moment when his excitement rose, but nothing had happened.

Nor had it happened when she removed his own clothes. Her touch, her voluptuous charms left him unmoved.

Disaster!

If only he could banish the cheeky ghost that lingered in the apartment, a ghost who teased him as a sister, who’d shown him a whole new side of life, even made him see himself in a new light. A ghost with a tempting body that she kept concealed from the world so that only the privileged were allowed to discover it.

And who was out tonight—doing what? And with whom?

‘What is it?’ Susie demanded. ‘You suddenly jumped as though you’d seen a ghost.’

‘I think I did,’ he said, seizing inspiration quickly. ‘It’s Charlene—she could come back at any moment—’

‘But you said she’d be gone a long time.’

‘I could be wrong. I’m sorry, I’m not at my best. I think we should forget this.’

‘Well, really! What a way to treat a lady!’

He’d never seen Susie in a temper before, and it wasn’t a pretty sight. After spitting out a few curses, she declared significantly, ‘I don’t like wasting my time.’

‘Of course you don’t,’ he placated her, ‘but I have a present for you. Here.’

He took a bracelet from a drawer where he’d left it, awaiting the right moment to give it to Charlene. Mollified, Susie let him put it on her wrist.

‘That’s more like it,’ she said. ‘And next time maybe we’ll have more luck.’

There wasn’t going to be a next time but he was too wise to say so.

‘Goodbye, Susie.’

She stalked out of the bedroom towards the front door, which he held open for her. There she turned to give him a beguiling smile, to remind him what he was missing. But, to her annoyance, he wasn’t looking at her. His attention had been caught by something a few feet away, and it seemed to astound him.

‘Goodbye,’ she snapped.

He didn’t reply, merely closing the door without taking his eyes from whatever had caught them. Susie flounced on her way.

Travis was too dazed to move. What he’d seen had stunned him with its implications. There, on a small table, was Charlene’s purse.

She’d taken it with her. It shouldn’t be here.

But it was.

Which meant that she was here too. She must have come in while he was with Susie, and slipped quietly into her room, passing his bedroom door, which had been standing open.

And she’d seen—?

What?

After struggling with himself for what felt like ages, he tapped on her door.

‘Hello?’ came her voice.

‘It’s me.’

The door opened, revealing her in an all covering robe.

‘You left your purse out here,’ he said, holding it up.

‘Oh, I…didn’t notice…’ She seemed as distracted as himself. ‘Thank you.’

He waited for her to stand back and invite him in. But she didn’t.

‘I wasn’t expecting you back as soon as this,’ he said lamely.

‘The play was a disaster. I came home early.’

So she was pretending not to know about Susie, he thought. But he wasn’t fooled. There was no way she couldn’t know.

‘I had a friend over,’ he said casually.

‘Good. I hope it was fun. I expect you’re worn out now.’

Clearly she thought he’d been making love to Susie, and equally clearly it didn’t bother her.

That was good, he admonished himself.
Brother and sister. Don’t forget.

‘No, I’m not worn out,’ he said. ‘It wasn’t
that
much of a fun evening.’

After a brief pause, she asked, ‘Really?’

‘Really,’ he said firmly.

She managed a faint smile. ‘I’m disappointed in you.’

‘So was the lady. I don’t think I met her expectations. Suddenly I wasn’t interested, and there are some things that…well, you just can’t pretend.’

It hurt her to see the strain in his face.

‘It’ll be better next time,’ she murmured. ‘There are so many other girls.’

‘When you’re young and stupid perhaps. But in the end it has to be the right one.’

‘But you are young. You aren’t thirty yet.’

‘Suddenly I don’t feel young any more. Hey, guess what! Maybe I grew up. I wonder what made that happen.’

Travis was on the edge of a precipice, saying things he should never have dared say to her, but he didn’t know how to stop.

‘Don’t listen to me; I’m talking nonsense,’ he hurried to say.

‘That’s all right. You can say anything to your big sister.’

As often before, she reached out to lay a gentle hand against his cheek. Travis laid his own hand over it but didn’t look up to meet her eyes. His gaze seemed fixed on his feet.

‘It’s late,’ he said at last. ‘Time we were getting some sleep. I’m sorry I disturbed you.’

‘Yes, of course,’ she said, disappointed. ‘Goodnight.’

She closed the door. Whatever he’d been about to say would not now be said. What he might have done would be left undone. She sighed.

Travis stood in the dark hall for a moment, then backed away, knowing he must get as far from her as possible and silence the raging tremors that went through his body. What Susie’s flaunting sexuality had failed to do, Charlene’s lightest touch on his cheek had done with ease. For the second time that night his mind said
Disaster
, but for a different reason.

When he remembered how he’d admitted his own failure to her he wanted to vanish into thin air. Instead, he curled up in bed, pulled the covers over his head and tried to pretend he didn’t exist.

In her own room, Charlene got slowly into bed, disturbed by a thousand conflicting instincts. But she couldn’t cope with them. She must try to escape into sleep. She closed her eyes and headed for the safety of oblivion.

Looking back at what happened next, she supposed she should have seen it coming. It was as inevitable as the rising of the sun, but she didn’t understand that at the time.

Her dreams were vague, just impressions floating through her mind, until suddenly Travis appeared.

Time had turned back and they were talking together in warmth and friendship. He touched her cheek, a sign of warmth that they frequently exchanged. It was the lightest gesture and she had responded to it happily—laughing, pleased but unruffled.

But now that touch was happening again in her dreams, and her flesh was reacting as it hadn’t done before. Suddenly she was responding with all her heart, relishing their emotional closeness and understanding, but above all rejoicing in his touch.

It was there again, his hand moving softly against her skin, tempting her to reach up, clasp it, drawing it further down. His eyes were telling her that this was what he wanted, if only she—

Charlene awoke with a cry, finding herself sitting up in bed, staring into the darkness, appalled at herself. Everything she remembered, the urgency in his caress, the vibrancy of her response—
these things hadn’t happened!

Except perhaps deep inside, hidden out of sight in some remote place where neither her mind nor her feelings were in control.

Mysteriously, her body had stored up the memory, waiting until she was ready to confront it, then releasing it now, when her heart was suddenly open to him and she had no defences to protect her from its dangerous message.

No,
she told herself, trying to be firm.
I’m imagining things. Just a pathetic fantasist telling herself what she wants to believe.

Travis’s voice came from behind the door. ‘Charlene—Charlie—? What’s happened?’