The Tawny Gold Man (10 page)

Glancing around, she saw Jud again moving toward her and with a hurried, "Excuse me, I must go check on the food," she slipped out of the room.

Moving quickly, Anne went through the dining room, casting a cursory glance at the buffet, and on through the kitchen and out the back door. The enclosed garden at the back of the house was quiet and very dark. Not stopping until she was at the very back of the garden, Anne stood trembling with reaction. Jud's face had been so hard, his eyes blazing with fury. The brief glance she'd had of him before she'd fled had filled her with something very much like panic.

"Who are you hiding from, Salome?"

The softly sardonic words coming out of the darkness startled Anne so badly she jumped, and with a gasp she turned on her tormentor.

"I'm not hiding from anyone, Jud. I just wanted some fresh air." Fighting to control her trembling breathlessness, she snapped, "Why did you follow me? What do you want?"

"I followed you because I'm curious." The disembodied voice blended into a blurred form as Jud stepped closer to her. "What exactly was that performance on the dance floor for? Was it simply a come-on to John? Or were you trying to get at Andrew by showing him what he'd given up?"

The suppressed rage in Jud's tone sent an arrow of fear zinging up Anne's spine and in an effort to hide it from him she laughed lightly, if a little shakily.

"Maybe a little of both." She heard his sharp intake of breath and added impishly, "Do you think it was effective?"

The next instant she was wishing she'd held her tongue, for his hands grasped her arms and pulled her hard against his chest.

"I think," he gritted through clenched teeth, "there was not a man in that room who didn't feel the effect. Myself included."

His hands loosened their painful hold on her arms, only to move up to clasp her face tightly.

"There are times, little girl, when you infuriate me." He drew her face so close to his she could feel his breath against her skin, could smell the fumes of the drink he'd had. "Then there are the other times, like now." His tone had dropped to a low rasp that sent tiny darts of excitement into her nerve ends.

"What do you mean?" she whispered.

"The answer to that is the same as the answer to what I want."

His mouth was almost touching hers and Anne felt a shock ripple through her when the tip of his tongue touched her upper lip.

"I want what was offered to me ten years ago," he murmured huskily. "I want what should have been mine before any other man's."

Anne gasped and would have denied his inference, but he wasn't finished, for he added harshly, "I want you."

His mouth crushed hers, his lips forcing hers apart, while his hands moved from her face to her back to pull her roughly to him. Struggling was futile as his arms tightened, holding her still, and as his kiss deepened she gave up the pretense. With a soft sigh she relaxed against him, savoring the possessive sweetness of his mouth. As her body softened, his seemed to grow harder, the muscles in his arms, shoulders, and thighs tautening in urgency. His mouth released hers, slid slowly across her cheek.

"Annie, chicken, come with me now," Jud urged.

"Come? Where?"

"Anywhere," he husked. "My room. Your room. The car. I don't care as long as I can have you to myself awhile."

"But, Jud, we can't We have a house fall of people. Andrew, John, Lo—"

"The hell with Andrew and John," he gritted savagely. "The hell with all of them."

His mouth caught hers again, sensuously, lingeringly, until he felt her begin to tremble. His hand moved slowly over her ribcage, then her breast. Her small gasp was smothered by a swift hard kiss.

"Annie, come with me to my room," his softly purring voice enticed. "I don't care anymore what happened before. I don't care about Andrew or any others that may have been before him."

In between the whispered words his lips had moved over her face, down the side of her neck to explore the hollows at the base of her throat, while his fingers caressed and teased the growing fullness of her breast. Almost beyond sanity, on the verge of agreeing to anything he wanted, Anne felt a chill spear through her with his last words.

"Jud, you—

"I think you'll find," he continued as if she hadn't spoken, "I'm just as competent at pleasing you as they were. You may even find I'm better."

The chill nosedived into a frigid cold and, not unlike the first day in his office, she pushed at him, tore herself out of his arms. Hurt and angry, Anne was past caring what she said.

"You overbearing clown," she snapped furiously. "Are you trying to drive me away?"

"Anne, what the hell—'

"If you are," she interrupted, "you don't have to humiliate and insult me to do it. Tell me you want me to go and I will. Gladly."

She moved to walk around him, but he caught her at the waist, pulled her so hard against him the breath was knocked out of her body.

"Andrew was not your lover?"

Strangely his tone was soft.

"That's none of your business," she hissed.

"Answer me, Anne."

A command, Jud was again the boss.

"No." Her voice was low, but emphatic.

"After being engaged for three months? I find that a little hard to believe."

Anger mounting, Anne struggled to free herself, but his arms tightened to make her sure he'd crack her ribs if she moved.

"I don't give one damn what you believe," she whispered harshly. "Andrew never made love to me. And there were no others."

Although his hold did not loosen, he went completely still, not even seeming to breathe; then his breath relaxed in a long, slow sigh.

"It seems I owe you an apology again."

"Keep your apologies," Anne replied wearily. "They come too fast and glib after your insults."

"Annie, I said I was sorry. I mean it." The purr was back in his voice and against her will Anne felt her anger dissolving. "I wasn't trying to insult or humiliate you. Good Lord, woman, I know myself and had I been Andrew you would not have been able to answer no."

"Anne—Jud, are you out here?" Todd called from the back of the house. "Anne, Mother's looking for you, and Jud, Lorna's looking for you."

Anne stirred feebly against him.

"Jud, we must go—oh!"

His mouth touched hers, covered it fully in a short tender kiss. As he lifted his head, he murmured, "Don't be angry with me, little girl. For if you're angry, you won't let me kiss you. And I sure as hell don't want that."

Flustered, Anne could find nothing to say and with a soft laugh he released her, all but her hand which he grasped firmly until they reached the back door.

The rest of the evening was a confused blank for Anne. Unable to erase the feel of Jud's mouth, his arms, and his perplexing words, Anne laughed and joined the conversation and could not remember afterward a single word that was said.

* * * *

Anne slept late and woke to a June morning dark and overcast with storm clouds. Praying the weather was not a harbinger to what the day had in store for her, she went in search of the twins.

She found them at the breakfast table, slightly hung over, discussing the party desultorily. Receiving only nods and grunts to her bright "Good morning" Anne seated herself and picked at her breakfast in silence. When Todd and Troy left the table and headed for the stairs, she slipped out of her chair and followed them. When she reached the door to her room, they were a few steps ahead of her and she called softly, "Troy, Todd, I want to talk to you."

"Oh, Anne, must it be now?"

"Later, maybe, I have a rotten headache."

"I'm sorry, but it can't wait any longer." Turning the knob, she pushed the door open and, before they could object further, she nodded her head at the room. "Now."

They grumbled something about bossy older sisters, but they followed her, Troy dropping onto her small, padded chair, Todd flopping onto the bed.

"I think you know what this is all about," she began, then proceeded to outline what Jud had said to her, omitting that he had asked to buy her stock.

"Dammit, Anne, we told Jud weeks ago we wanted no part of this."

Troy sprang out of the chair and walked around the room impatiently. Todd merely grunted his agreement with Troy and massaged his temples.

"But I think he's right," Anne argued. "It is time for expansion, for moving ahead. If we stand still, we'll stagnate, become second-rate."

"God, she sounds like Jud's echo," Todd told the ceiling disgustedly. Then, giving her a sharp look, rapped, "Whose side are you on, anyway?"

"Oh, Todd," Anne sighed wearily. "You sound like a little boy. I want what's best for the business, because in the long run it will be best for you two."

"Anne, listen." Sensing her growing impatience with them, Troy spoke soothingly. "We've talked to a lot of people in the mill this last week. Most of them agree with our opinion that we just can't handle a contract of this size. Regardless of what Jud thinks. The general consensus seems to be that if we take it on it will be the end of us."

"Honey," Todd began as soon as Troy had finished. "There is one thing you're forgetting. Jud is for number one, first, last, and always. I don't know what he is planning here, but you can bet he won't come out the loser. We will."

"But—"

"No buts," Troy stated firmly. "We're not going into this, Anne. That's final. And the sooner he's told the better. Maybe, if he's convinced he's not going to get his way, he'll get the hell out of here, go back to New York. He's in the library, why don't you go and brighten this dull day for him?"

His last words were delivered in a malicious way and Anne found herself asking him the same question she'd asked Jud weeks before, only in reverse.

"Do you hate Jud, Troy?"

Oddly there were only minor differences in the answer.

"Hell, no," he replied mildly. "He is my brother. If you'll remember, both Todd and I had a pretty bad case of hero-worship for him before he went away. The way he went, the fact that he never appeared again until Dad died, well, I resent it. And I just don't like him very much anymore."

"Ditto." This from Todd as he crawled off her bed.

After they left, Anne sat on the side of her bed, brow puckered in thought. Could they be right about Jud? She didn't want to believe it, but, then, what she wanted had very little to do with it. She had heard the rumors that had run like wildfire from the mill to the offices. One claimed that this other company was realty planning a takeover and that all the employees would lose their seniority. Another that Jud was deliberately taking on more than they could handle in order to run the company at a loss and thereby claim a tax write-off.

As always with scuttlebutt she had shaken her head and dismissed it Now she had doubts and she didn't like it. She had realized from the beginning that Jud was dangerous, ruthless, and bitter. But would he ruin the company his father had worked all his life to build? She couldn't believe it. She wouldn't believe it. At least not without more proof. And she wasn't going to learn anything sitting here thinking in circles. Jumping to her feet, Anne went to her dresser, brushed her hair, straightened her pullover T shirt and ran damp palms over her jean-clad hips. Giving one last nervous glance into the mirror, Anne grimaced, turned, and left the room.

When she reached the library, Anne hesitated; then, straightening her shoulders, she knocked on the door and pushed it open. Jud was speaking on the phone but he ended his conversation as she entered.

"Good morning," he murmured, before he went straight to the point. "Have you talked to Troy and Todd?"

"Yes." Anne sat down on the edge of the chair he nodded at before adding, "They were—ah—difficult."

"Tell me about it," Jud drawled.

Anne wet her lips and stared at him. It seemed he was going to be somewhat difficult himself.

"Jud, they absolutely refuse to consider it."

"You explained my reasoning?"

"Yes, of course. I—"

"Well?"

The tone of his voice warned her he was going to be very difficult.

"They've been discussing it with some of the mill employees this week and, well, it appears everyone is of the opinion that it can't be done."

Pale eyebrows shot up in a face turned cold and haughty.

"My dear Anne." The sarcastic note flicked along her nerves. "Company policy is not necessarily made on the workroom floor."

"Jud, they're afraid it's a takeover bid, or worse."

"Really?" he snapped. "And you?"

Anne was beginning to understand the feelings of a cornered animal.

"I don't know, I..."

She stopped and leaned back in her seat, for Jud stood up so violently she felt threatened.

"Come here."

Without taking his eyes from hers, he flipped open a folder on his desk. Before she could move, he was around the desk and in front of her, suppressed fury in his eyes.

"It's all in there," he indicated the folder. "Plans, proposed changes, approximate costs, minutes of the negotiations, everything to date."

He turned to the door as he added, "While you go over it, I'm going to hunt up some coffee. Do you want some?"

"Yes, please," she replied, then winced as the door slammed behind him.

It didn't take long. A few pages into the folder and Anne knew the twins and whomever they had talked to were wrong. She was still reading when Jud came back into the room, a mug of coffee in each hand, but she really didn't have to see any more.

Jud handed her a mug, then propped himself on the edge of the desk, his eyes glittering with anger.

"Are you satisfied?"

"Yes."

Anne bent her head to stare into the creamy brew.

"And are you going to sell me your stock?"

Her head jerked up and she had to grasp her cup to keep from spilling the hot liquid.

"Jud, I can't. You know that."

"Can't has nothing to do with it." The purr was back in his voice and Anne decided she'd rather hear the anger.

"What you mean is, you won't."

"Jud, please, try to understand my position."

"I understand it perfectly. You're afraid that if you sell to me I'll force them out. You refuse to trust me, refuse to believe I have their interests as much on my mind as you do."

He paused and Anne began to feel prickly under his brooding stare. What could she say? She wanted to trust him. But he was right, she was afraid. Even loving him as much as she did hadn't changed that.

His soft voice intruded on her thoughts. "I have an alternative, Anne."

"An alternative? What possible alternative could there be?"

Her mind darted back and forth but, for the life of her, she couldn't come up with one.

His softly purred words went through her like an electric shock.

"Marry me."