Wise Folly (18 page)

“You
sh
ould have left that for Mrs. Frank.”
His tone was low, sexy, and he was wearing a smile that warmed her.

“I can clean a dish or two without soiling my newfound reputation as a
wealthy
lady of leisure,” she
said, rinsing
the sink and sponge
as
he
c
a
me up
to stand
behind her.
Her pulse quickened instantly with his nearness.
Did his lips brush her hair? She wasn’t sure, but her
ner
ves told her he was too close for comfort

Turning her head, she looked into his dark gray eyes. “Did you want something?” Her voice sounded breathless to her own ears.

His eyes gave an unspoken answer before his hands went around her waist and he drew her back against him. “Do I still scare you
or did you just decide to hate me outright
?”

She took a breath before answering.
“
I
haven't
decided yet. Y
ou’re a formidable opponent”

He chuckled.
“
Welcome to my world.
So are you. You throw such powerful darts, but when I want to retaliate
,
all I see is your vulnerability.” H
e tightened his
grip on her waist
as he turned her around in his arms and looked
into her eyes
.
“If that’s not frustrating, I don’t know what is.” His eyes crinkled in a sad smile. “Poor Dianna. Is it so hard to give our marriage a try without looking for problems under every tree and rock?”

She was surprised that he saw that.
“
You run off after a woman who was your mistress
and that's
what you think
I'm
doing?”

“
You know she doesn't mean a thing to me other than a business investment I take care to keep. So, a
ren’t you
being spiteful to be spiteful
?
So far, you've taken everyone else's word over what I say. Why would I lie and why would they be telling the truth?
” His hand cupped the nape of her slender neck, stroking her smooth skin softly and at the same time urging her
face
to tilt up to his.

Dianna gave a slow sigh.
“I
don’t
know
,
”
She finally admitted in a low whisper.

“
Can
we start from the beginning again, Dianna? If we both try to understand one another then perhaps
neither of us wo
n’t be jumping to
w
rong
conclusions.
” His thumb rubbed the tender skin just under her ear
l
obe. “For
our own sakes as well as
Tabby’s
?
”

“Tabby?” Her thoughts were incoherent His hands
along with his
low, husky voice were w
eaving
a languorous spell on her. He was too close—much too close.

He nodded. 
“She wants to be part of a family as much as I do. If we have you in our comer we
all
just might get our wish.” His voice grew even
huskier
. “Gi
v
e us a try?”

Her heart opened at his words.  There was nothing more she could ask or want than to be with Noah and have her child brought up in a loving, kind atmosphere. Nothing.

Dianna slowly nodded her head, looking at the dark hair curling
out of his partially opened shirt.
He tilted her chin higher and captured her eyes with his, sending silent messages of a happier future.
"We can try," she finally said.

"Thank God," he muttered, then s
uddenly his mouth descended, teasing hers with leashed passion. Invading the moist warmth of her mouth, he sent a bursting heat through her lower limbs, making her weak and dizzy. His arms tightened, holding her so close she
felt his speeding
heartbeat against her breast
s.
It felt good,
-
right
. But
as his arms tightened,
a dark invading panic overwhelmed her and she began to fight
,
dragging his arms away and pushing against his chest “No, don’t Please!”

He smothered a
groan,
dropped his hands
and stepped back, his chest still
heaving. ‘
I'
m sorry. I scared you, didn’t I?” Noah reached for a glass and turned on the tap for water, not looking at her until he drank it down. “Tell me something, Dianna. Is it me or a bad memory?” he asked quietly.

“I—I don’t know. Sometimes it’s Charles.”

“And the other times?”

“I don’t know.”

He sighed heavily. “We’ll work it out in time.
I'll give you sp
ace, Dianna until you're
ready." He took another step back and gave a cockeyed smile.
"
Just don't forget to tell me when that is."

She closed her eyes for a second, then look up at him. "Give me time, Noah."

He
nodded
. "I will." He planted a soft kiss on her forehead and walked out.

Dianna
w
alked
slowly through the living room and out to the patio
overlooking the lights of the city twinkling below
, making Dallas look like a brightly lit Christmas tree. The sounds of traffic wafted through the air, but she didn’t hear
it
.
Her thoughts were attempting to wrap around her biggest problem; and that was if s
he and Noah would
really
ever work it out

She didn't have the answer.

****

Tabby was scheduled to enter the hospital on
Wednesday
afternoon.
Tuesday
morning Tabby and Dianna dressed in time to have breakfast with Noah. The child was in love with the idea of having a family and was constantly giving both of
them
instructions on what
to do and
what not to do
. As
far as
Tabby
was concerned, she was the only person in their threesome who knew
exactly
how a family should be
have
.

After they saw Noah off to work, it was time to go shopping for Tabby’s clothing. Tabby was so thrilled to be able to walk into Neiman-Marcus and pay for clothing with Noah’s small rectangular piece of plastic that Dianna received as much satisfaction from watching her reactions as she did from the relief of not having to worry about the cost or copying the styles to sew them at home. They bought jeans in blue, yellow, tan, and green. New tops were selected—some with pastel satin flowers to match her bright colored jeans. Sneakers and shoes were purchased—then came the underwear and
two
new dresses for her first term in school. Dianna had never seen Tabby so excited before and was tom between concern for her health and gratitude to Noah. It was he who had planned this shopping expedition so that Tabby would have her new clothes to look forward to after the operation.

After shopping all morning, they returned to the
penthouse
just in time for
a late
lu
nch with Noah.
He listened
to Tabby’s stories of the funny and pretty things she had seen and bought
, then
said exactly the right things to Tabby about her new wardrobe
.
But the morning’s shopping had taken its toll and Tabby
wound down right after l
unch. Her thin cheeks wore red banners and her eyelids drooped with weariness as she ate
half
the food placed in front of her.

Directly after eating
,
Tabby
took
a nap
. D
ianna and Noah spent a
little while
relaxing on the patio with coffee and easy, conversation. Dianna still felt shy with him, but they both made headway in learning each other’s likes and dislikes, thoughts and feelings. His relaxed manner helped break down the barri
e
rs that she had
erected
between them to protect herself. He had
n't
taken her into the master bedroom since their wedding night and she sensed
a
tension
about him, as if he was waiting for her to give him some sort of signal. As much as she wanted him, she just couldn’t do it—yet
, and had slept in the guest bedroom across from Tabby's room. She'd made the bed before Tabby and the housekeeper had seen her, and changed clothes when Noah was in the shower.

However, she knew the time was approaching and it heightened the already electric atmosphere between them. She remembered the light feathery touch of his hands, his slow, drugging kisses that wiped away every
thought but
be
ing with
him. During those moments together on the patio
,
vivid images of their lovemaking flashed through her mind and she held her breath. N
oah seemed to read her thoughts - and his expression changed to one of
the same emotional
hunger
she felt
. Her heart had
beat
so quickly she was afraid it would pound its way out of her breast
. B
ut she didn't have the courage to make the first move that would bring them together
- a
nd Noah obviously refused to do so. He was waiting
for her to make
the
next move. She could see it in his eyes, feel it in the controlled intimacy of his kiss as he left her to return to
his
corporate
office.
It made her frustrated both emotionally and physically.

She tried to ignore her body's responses while Tabby went through more tests that afternoon and chattered on about her new toys and clothes.  It didn't work.

***

Wednesday
finally came;
the day Tabby was scheduled to enter the hospital
. It
dawned clear and hot—another scorching Texas summer morning. The sun heat
ed
the living room before breakfast and the patio doors were already closed to give the air conditioning a chance to
cool
. For Dianna, who had never had money to buy more than one small window unit for Tabby’s room,
the
refreshing coolness in the penthouse was an unheard-of luxury.

Tabby dressed quickly and was knocking on
the master
bathroom door as Noah shaved and Dianna straightened their three bedrooms. He stood over the bathroom sink with chest bared and a pair of
tailor-fitted
black slacks
h
ugging his muscled thighs
while he hummed a children's son
g
he knew she liked.

He grinned at Tabby as she peered around the comer of the door,
looking a little like Alice in Wonderland with her hair straight and new purple hairband holding carmel colored strands
neatly hanging on both sides to touch the waistband of her new green jeans. “Did you come to watch or give me lessons?”

Tabby giggled as she perched herself next to his shaving equipment “Do you always have to do th
at
?” she asked, wonder in her little girl voice as she watched him hide behind the white foamy lather.

“Always.” He nodded. “Unless you’d like me to grow a beard?”

“Ugh, no! Men with beards look mean!”

He leaned toward her and pulled a face. She laughed delightedly before running a finger down
the
side of his cheek and placing the foam on the tip of his nose. “It looks
like
the topping Mommy puts on my
fruit
!”

Dianna
listened to the banter between the two of them as she slipped the bedspread over the pillow in Noah’s room. There was a warmth, an invisible rapport between
the two of them
that seemed
natural and grew
stronger with every passing day. She was glad she had called a truce between herself and Noah. It had made all the difference in the world in Tabby’s attitude. Thanks to Noah, Tabby had everything to look forward to. She no longer seemed to be at all hesitant about the operation. She had even wanted to enter the hospital early today so she could get well faster and live on the ranch quicker! Dianna glanced toward the open bathroom door to watch Tabby staring inten
tl
y at Noah as he shaved.