Lake Effect (14 page)

“Are they really okay? Will they really be all right?”

He nodded and pulled her in close to him. Bending his head, he kissed her long and deeply and knew that he never ever wanted to see her hurt again. In that moment he realized how deeply in love with her he was. They fell asleep right there on the floor and slept until the morning light woke them both at the same time.

• • •

Shelby slowly stood, stretching her stiff body, feeling lightness in her heart at having shared her story with Wyeth. She turned to him and walked willingly into his embrace.

“Thank you.” She whispered it quietly in reverence to the quiet of the house and the earliness of the hour.

“For what?” He put his fingers under her chin and lifted her face to look up into his.

“For letting me share my story with you last night, for not feeling sorry for me for what I've been through, for not looking at me with sympathetic and sorry eyes. You don't know how awful that part is, to have people look at you with sympathy when all the while you know they're thinking thank God it isn't them.”

He leaned in and kissed her then. Not a chaste kiss but a kiss of passion and depth, a kiss that said
let's make you forget, if even for a moment
.
And forget she did. She leaned into his body and again felt how perfectly they fit. Her body responded when he captured both of her wrists in his and held them up.

“Raise your arms up,” Wyeth whispered in her ear as he pulled the sweater dress up and over her head, running his hands back down her sides as he went. Carefully he slid the black tights off and stood back as she looked at him.

She saw his eyes darken as he looked at her breasts. “You're perfect,” he said as he ran his finger over the top of a very pink bra trimmed in black lace and held her back to see the panties that matched. “Sweet Jesus, you're wearing the good stuff. Yes,
please.”

She giggled and quickly divested him of his shirt and pants, then slowly lowered his boxers. “Good morning, you!” she said as she sprung him free. His breath hitched as she wrapped her palms around his very much at attention appendage.

“Shelby.” Slowly, he pulled her hands back up and turned her around to face the wall.

“God, woman. I have never wanted anyone more in my life.” Wyeth kissed the back of her neck, sending a thrill through her. His hands made quick work of the hook of her bra and she felt his touch as he skimmed her back and then came around, his touch resting for a moment on her stomach before traveling up and onto her breasts.

He continued to whisper in her ear, telling her in detail just what he had in mind for their morning. He slipped the bra straps off of each arm slowly, paying homage to each of her breasts in the process. A delicious shiver drove through her and she tried to turn around so she could touch him as well.

“No way, my beautiful girl — this is about you right now. I want to touch and feel and taste every part of you.” Shelby closed her eyes and felt her skin ignite everywhere he touched her.

While Jack had been no slouch when it came to lovemaking, Wyeth was in an entirely different league. She and Jack had learned together and over a space of time. Here, however, Shelby felt like she was the clay and he the artist, his hands sculpting and molding as they went, creating something entirely new.

She could feel his erection on her back as he once again brushed his thumbs up and over her breasts before moving his hands ever so slowly downward toward her center. His breath and kisses were warm on her ear and neck. She pressed herself back into him, longing to feel him fill her like he had before.

“Patience, my love, patience.” His hands found their mark and she felt herself melt against his touch.

“Oh, so ready, Miss Aylesworth.” Shelby gasped as he sunk to his knees, all the while kissing her. Ever so slowly he turned her around and made good on his promise to
touch, feel, and taste
every part of her.

• • •

The soft moan that escaped her lips was almost his undoing. Two more times, he coerced her into making the sound again. After the third time, he could wait no longer. He trailed his kisses back up the front of her, stopping to spend a few more heavenly moments on her beautiful breasts.

She made short work of the condom he'd laid on the desk before she'd stripped his clothes off and then wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. He took her then, her back against the wall. He sunk deep into her and enjoyed the way she rode, kissing him back and pulling his hair. He waited to feel her quickening, using every ounce of control he had before he too let go and they fell apart together.

“Oh, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph,” she whispered and laughed at the same time. Her laugh shot straight to his heart on a bolt of light. It was so beautiful. She was beautiful. Wyeth rested his forehead against hers and allowed his breathing to still. Slowly, she pulled away from him, the loss of her heat immediate.

“I've never, that was … ” She laughed again when the words failed her.

“Me too.” He kissed her check and then helped her collect the clothing they'd strewn across her living room.

“I'll race you to the shower.” Her giggle reached his ears a second before her hand swatted his bare backside and raced past him up the stairs.

• • •

The next month passed in a blur. James and Janele headed for home along with Olivia and both children. James Jr. had cried when he'd had to say goodbye to Norman and was only appeased when Shelby promised him that Norman could come and visit. Shelby worked at the manor house almost every day, taking measurements, painting and Wyeth's favorite part, practicing her recipes in the kitchen.

“You're going to get fat,” Wyeth teased her, as he stole up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. Shelby was practicing yet another version of cinnamon rolls, this one with chopped pecans.

“And if I do, will you discard me and find a thinner, more beautiful business partner? And before you answer, remember I'm holding a very large knife in my hand.”

Wyeth kissed the side of her neck and whispered in her ear. “I'd never trade you in. I'll just get fat too.”

Shelby leaned back into him and closed her eyes for a brief moment. How wonderful was this? To feel so secure and so loved, it was a feeling she hadn't had in so long. Why then, did she find herself waiting for the bottom to drop out? She straightened back up and resumed her chopping. “I think you'll just have to start running with me.”

His cell phone rang and she felt a sudden loss as he stepped back to answer, no longer holding her. “You've got to be kidding me,” he said into the phone. Shelby turned around and watched as Wyeth ran his hand through his hair. He looked at her and she knew that whatever he was being told wasn't good.

“I'll be there as soon as I can.” The color had drained from his face and Shelby held her breath.

“Is it the baby?”

“No, not that, I'm sorry.” He pulled her close to him and hugged her tight. She could feel the tension. “It's business — I've got to get back to New York, today.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

“No. Yes. Shelby, over the next couple of days there will be a lot of press about me. You're going to hear a lot of things and I need you to believe me when I tell you, they're not true.”

“Of course. Can you tell me what's happening?”

“I'm being accused of insider trading.”

Shelby felt her heart speed up and her stomach start to churn. She took a deep breath, refusing to give into the panic that was welling up inside of her.

“You would never do that.” She felt his arms around her once again as he kissed her neck and held her closely. If he was feeling anxious, she couldn't tell.

“Tell that to the SEC. That was James on the phone; they're going to formally charge me tomorrow.” He turned her around and bent his knees so they were eye level. He took a deep breath in as if what he was about to say was not going to be pleasant.

“It's going to get very public and very ugly for a bit. I don't want you exposed to any of that. Promise me you'll stay here? And I need another favor too.”

“No. I'll promise no such thing, but I can do you a favor, what is it?”

“I need to get off the island unnoticed. The company plane will be too obvious if it lands here. According to James, the press has been swarming around Packard headquarters. If they figure out I'm here, they'll descend on the island like a swarm of locusts. I need to give them the slip. Can you help?”

“It's going to be that bad, huh?”

“Afraid so.”

“How soon do you want to leave?”

“Within the hour. James is having the pilot standby out of Cleveland for me. I don't think anyone will expect that.”

Shelby took a deep breath. “Okay. I'll clean up here, you pack, and we'll be on our way.”

Wyeth came back down the steps with a worried look on his face. “It appears the word is out, Shelby. We may be discovered before we even leave the island.” He explained that Cheri Beauchamp had just called him to say there were some reporters asking about him in the store. Len was keeping them amused, allowing her time to slip back and call him.

“Listen,” Shelby told him, “I've got a plan if you don't mind being a little bit cramped.”

Ten minutes later, Wyeth was folded into the back of her Kia. She'd moved the driver's seat up, allowing him as much room as she possibly could, then, for good measure, she brought Norman along. Of course, Norman thought it was all a grand adventure until he realized they were going on the ferry, and then he slunk down on top of Wyeth and whimpered.

“Oh, I should've warned you, Norman can't stand the ferry. Wow, you owe Cheri big time — there are reporters hanging out here watching all the boats.”

She waited in line with the others and slowly pulled her car onto the ferry.

“I'm going to get out now so as not to arouse suspicion. Norman won't move, I promise you.”

“Why is that not comforting.” His muffled reply came from the floor of the back seat.

Carefully and with no sense of urgency she exited her car and stood at the rail with a few others, waiting for the boat to pull away. Poor Wyeth! As if being crammed in the back of her Kia wasn't bad enough, he had to put up with a hundred pound collie clinging to his back. She smiled at the thought and lifted her face to the sun and the beautiful breeze coming off Lake Erie. As they neared the mainland she began making her way back to her car. If she could just get off the boat without incident they'd be home free.

“Shelby! Yooohooo!”

Damn, damn, damn!

Of all the people for Shelby to run into on the boat, why did it have to be Margie Ryan, island gossip? She'd keep her talking for a day and a half, and if there were any reporters on this ferry there would be no doubt that Margie, who spoke decibels above the level of any normal conversation, would draw them to her like flies to honey. Good grief, she was headed right for her. She'd walk up, see Norman, then Wyeth, and their carefully planned escape would crumble.

Thankfully, the pilot chose that exact moment to blow the horn signaling their arrival to the mainland. Shelby waved to Margie and made a beeline to her car, thankful that Margie's was more toward the back.

“We just dodged a major bullet. Are you okay back there?”

“I'll live, I think, although my back may never be the same again. You need a bigger car and a smaller dog.”

Shelby laughed, as much from the relief of driving off the boat as from his remark. Once onto the mainland, Norman perked back up to his normal self, and Shelby drove another few miles before pulling into a grocery store parking lot.

“C'mon bud, you get the back seat now.” Wyeth held the door open and waited while the collie made his way out and back into the car.

“Shelby, I'm done discussing it.” Wyeth kept his voice as level and calm as he could.

“Discussing? You call this discussing? I call it dictating and I'm going to tell you something, I don't care to be dictated to. You can't do this to me.”

He could hear the hurt in her voice but he knew his decision to break their contract was a necessary one. “Shelby, I'm done arguing with you. I have the ability to make the contract null and void. You gave me that power and I'm invoking it. Every penny you've invested will be returned to you.”

“Wyeth, I don't give a damn about the money, you know that. I can't believe you're being so pig headed!”

“Pig headed? Really, that's the best you could come up with?” He knew he was goading her. He also knew if she were mad at him, it would make the next part of this conversation bearable.

“Oh, don't tempt me to come up with a few other names. There is no reason for you to do this. I understand you think you're protecting me but you're being ridiculous! We can discuss this when I get to New York.”

“I don't think you should come.” There, he'd said it, and as he suspected, the news was met with complete and total silence. He waited. He could see her in his mind's eye: green eyes flashing, a faint blush rising up her neck to her checks. He couldn't take the silence any longer. “Shelby, you don't get it. If they find me guilty of this, they could seize my property. I'm not putting you in that position. You've been through enough. I can't step outside my door without having my picture appear in the papers and on the web. I'm not putting you through that.”

“Do not treat me like I'm some wilting lily, Wyeth. What I have or haven't been through in my life has zero bearing on the matter.”

Wyeth held the phone away from his ear and listened to her rail at him for another few minutes.

“It's a done deal, Shelby. As of this morning, the manor house property is my sole responsibility. I'm sorry. I've got a meeting in a few minutes with my board of directors. I don't need to tell you how much fun that's going to be. Having you here will be one more thing for me to worry about. No one knows you yet. By staying on the island you maintain that anonymity.”