Playing for Keeps/A Tempting Stranger (37 page)

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Authors: Lori Copeland

Tags: #Fiction, #Romance, #General, #Contemporary, #Westerns, #test

BOOK: Playing for Keeps/A Tempting Stranger
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Page 76
''What happened last night? The only thing I remember is getting to the party. From then on, my mind's a blank."
Chandra felt a small stab of disappointment that he didn't remember anything of the night before, but then reasoned that she really hadn't expected him to. It was better this way.
"I hope I didn't make a fool out of myself," he was continuing morosely. "I should never drink that many martinis on an empty stomach." He paused and took a sip of the black coffee, then looked at Chandra pleadingly. "Well, did I?"
"Did you what?" she asked innocently.
"Make a fool out of myself, dammit!"
"Watch your language," she reminded sweetly. "No, I don't think so . . . unless you want to count the incident when you had Mrs. Rhodes down on the floor trying to Indian wrestle her"
"Oh, Lord!" A groan of agony erupted from Garrett. The look of sheer panic on his ashen face was too much for Chandra to bear. She broke out laughing, reaching over to give him an assuring pat. "I was only teasing youno, we left the party before anyone realized how much you had had to drink."
Garrett's blue eyes filled with gratitude as he caught one of her hands in his. "I suppose I have you to thank for that," he said gratefully.
The feel of his hand on hers was warm and reassuring, and Chandra treasured the loving feeling that swept over her. "I knew you had drunk more than you realized," she answered gently.
"You're quite a lady, do you know that?" His eyes still held hers tenderly.
"Thank youyou're quite a man," she returned truthfully.
"What fool's firing a shotgun this early in the morning?" he asked, changing the subject abruptly, his eyes still locked with hers.
Chandra smiled up at him sweetly, her eyes never leaving his. "No one, that's the coffee pot perking again."
He dropped his head back down into his hands miserably.
 
Page 77
''My head is splitting." The shrill ring of the phone caused him to bury his head even deeperhis face a mask of discomfort.
Chandra picked up the receiver hurriedly to ease his pain. The sound of Phillip's voice stunned her for a moment. "Hi, honey. Were you sitting right by the phone?"
"No . . . yes . . ." she stuttered uneasily. "Phillip . . . I wasn't expecting you to call until this evening."
At the mention of Phillip's name, Garrett raised his head to look at her.
"There's no law that says a man can't call his girl anytime he wants, is there?" Phillip said happily. "Miss me, honey?"
"Yes, I miss you, Phillip," she fibbed slightly. "Everything going smoothly at the office?"
"It goes smoother when you're here, but the business is still intact," he replied. "How are the wedding plans coming along? Have you got the invitations all mailed out?"
"I mailed them this morning. There's nothing left now but the last-minute preparations." Chandra felt strangely uneasy, talking with Phillip while Garrett was in the room. He was listening to every word she said.
"Just a few more weeks, honey, then we'll be man and wife. Does that make you as happy as it does me?"
Oh, Phillip,
she despaired quietly.
I don't know what to say to you. My thoughts are as jumbled as my life right now
. Trying to answer him honestly she replied, "Any woman would be proud to be your wife, Phillip."
Garrett's blue eyes locked momentarily with hers before he calmly walked over and poured himself a fresh cup of coffee. He leaned back on the kitchen counter and surveyed her casually as she continued her conversation with her fiancé.
"I'm a lucky man." Phillip's voice had dropped to that of a lover. "Do you love me?"
Chandra bit her lower lip. She did love him . . . but not the way she should. Oh, dear Lord! Was she really willing to admit that to herself? "Oh, Phillip, you know I do," she answered lightly.
 
Page 78
''Well, then say it!" he encouraged. "You're always saying I don't tell you enoughnow I want to hear you say you love me."
Chandra cleared her throat nervously. Phillip
never
was vocal in expressing his love. Why did he have to pick this time to ask her to declare hers? "I love you . . ." her voice trailed off weakly as she saw the blue of Garrett's eyes darken to a stormy coolness.
"That's better. Well, I got to run, honey. I'm due in court at nine. I'll call you later next weekI'll be out of town the rest of this one and part of next."
"Oh, yes, the Marcell case," she responded absently, remembering the hours she had spent typing the depositions on the case.
"Yes, I hope to wrap it up before the honeymoon. I don't want anything to spoil that time for us. I have tickets to most of the sporting events in Ontario that week."
"Oh, really. . . . How nice." She was trying her best to fake some sort of enthusiasm. "Well, call me when you get back."
After a few more personal remarks to her Phillip's end of the line went dead. She replaced the receiver in the cradle slowly, relieved that the conversation was over.
"I take it that was Philbert," Garrett issued tightly as he walked back over to seat himself at the table.
"Phillip," she curtly reminded him. "Yes, that was him."
"I suppose he's champing at the bit to get his little bride off on the honeymoon."
"That's right," she agreed pleasantly.
"I suppose he's everything a girl could want in a man," he continued almost to himself, "steady, wants a vine-covered cottage, kids, the whole shootin' match. A veritable paragon of virtue," he spat out.
"That's right," she agreed again. Phillip was all those things and those were all the things that Chandra wantedso why didn't they sound more ideal coming from Garrett's mouth?
The phone loudly signaled another caller as Garrett winced slightly in pain from the unexpected noise.
With a sigh Chandra picked up the phone once more. This time it was Sara Rhodes calling to say they would be by in an
 
Page 79
hour to show them the Miller house. Chandra had nearly forgotten their promise to take a look at it.
''What are we going to do about that?" she asked grimly as she hung up the phone. "They want us to look at the house this morning."
Garrett shrugged unconcernedly. "I suppose we'll take a look at it."
"What are you going to say when they practically throw the house in your lap? They want us . . . to have it," her voice trailed off in despair. She
would not
let herself think about what it could be like if she and Garrett were really married and looking for a home of their own. That thought was becoming too painful for her.
"I'll probably have to buy it," he said flatly. "I'll need somewhere to live. One place is as good as another."
"You'd want a big house . . . all by yourself?" she asked wonderingly, her eyes meeting his again.
"Who knowsmaybe you're right. I might decide to find someone permanent one of these days and bring her home to live with me." He straightened to leave.
"Just bring her home to live with you . . . no marriage." Chandra's tone of voice was flat. He was a hopeless case.
Garrett paused beside her, looking at her coldly. "Why worry about my affairs? I should think you would have your hands full planning your own wedding."
Chandra stared back at him, her pulse fluttering weakly. Even in this morning's disreputable condition, he was so handsome he took her breath away. She longed to put her arms around his strong neck and kiss away the pain of last night. If she could just feel his arms around her again . . . Her thoughts dwindled. She was chasing rainbows. Instead of looking at his fine points she was going to have to find something about him she didn't like.
"Garrett," she said firmly.
"What?" He was still looking at her as they stood in the doorway.
"Do you like sports?"
 
Page 80
Garrett's face turned a total blank for a moment. ''What?"
"Do you like sports," she repeated. "It's a simple question. Sportsyou knowfootball, baseball, bask"
"I know what the damn question was! What I don't know is how it came flying out of left field like that," he said disgustedly. "I thought we were discussing the house."
"Just answer the question," she returned curtly.
"No, I don't particularly like sports. I can take them or leave them. Sometimes I'm interested in who won or lostbut I can get that out of the paper. Does that answer your question?"
Chandra's face fell to the floor. There went that theory. "Yes, that answered my question," she said in a depressed tone.
"I'm going up to clean up before the Rhodeses come. Give me a couple more of those aspirins, will you?" Garrett asked her as he turned to leave the room.
Chandra shook the pills out into his hand once again, her fingers trembling slightly. It might take her a while to find something about him that she really didn't like, but she was determined she was going to.
The next few hours were the most exciting, yet depressing, Chandra had ever spent. The Rhodeses had taken them to the Millers' house, and Chandra had fallen in love with it immediately. Its spacious, Spanish-style construction won her heart before the door was unlocked. She had excitedly explored every room of the house, forgetting for the moment that she would not be living here. She had grabbed Garrett's hand and shown him the different parts of the house she was so thrilled with, exclaiming over all the beautifully draped windows. She had paused with him in front of the large master bedroom pointing out all its splendid features, blushing a soft pink when he had looked at her with a grin on his face. "I take it you like the house."
"Ohwell . . ." Chandra caught herself, trying to stifle some of her exuberance. "Of course, it doesn't matter if
I
like the house. . . ." Then her excitement broke loose again. "Oh, Garrett, I
love
the house. You will too," she promised eagerly. "It's the perfect house for you. Any girl you bring home . . ." She
 
Page 81
paused, fighting the jealousy that surged through her, then continued more sedately. ''Any girl you bring home would love this house."
Garrett smiled at her teasingly. "Now, be honest, Chandra. Do you like the house or not?" He was amused at the excitement she had radiated from the minute they had stepped inside the door.
"Oh, Garrett," she hung her head in embarrassment. "I know I'm acting like an idiot. Please, don't tease me. I love this house."
He tipped her face up by the chin with one of his long fingers. "Then I love it, too. I'll buy it on one condition."
"What's that?" she asked, drowning in his look.
"That you'll help me furnish it, before you cut out on me."
"Garrett . . ."
"No buts. What're a few more days going to hurt," he reasoned softly. "Satisfy Mrs. Rhodes's maternal instinct and let her help you shop for furniture. They'll be gone in a week, then you can get back to"his clear eyes grew cloudy"to your life," he finished gently.
"All right," she agreed reluctantly. She couldn't find the words to refuse him. She knew it was wrong, she knew that she would be the one to come out of this with the battle scars, but it suddenly didn't matter. If she could spend a few more days with him, she would. She'd pay the piper later.
"That's my lady," he told her huskily. His mouth descended to meet hers slowly. She moaned softly in her throat as their tongues met in sweet reunion, her arms going up around his neck. He pulled her tightly into him as he hungrily devoured the softness of her mouth. His kiss was different this time. It seemed to take on an urgency between them. He held her close, his large body nearly absorbing her slender frame. His hands moved restlessly across her back. It was as if he didn't want to let her go, as if there wouldn't be a next time for them.
The sound of the Rhodeses moving down the hall caught Chandra's ear, and she tried to pull away from his kiss. He caught her back to him roughly, murmuring her name once.

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