Seaspun Magic (16 page)

The ordinary routine of going to work, the comfortable aura of the shop and Orly's kind face helped put her back on a more even keel. It wasn't the end of the world, after all, although it came awfully close to it.

"Didn't you tell me Leo's back?" Orly asked her when it was nearing five o'clock. "We're in for a treat, Arianne, here come Doom and Gloom."

"Good afternoon, ladies." Arianne smiled as the two elderly women entered the shop. "What can I get for you today?"

"I want half a pound of that almond paste that's on special. And half a pound of this white-chocolate almond bark." Doom tapped the glass showcase. "A quarter pound of banana chips and a pound of mixed peel. Oh, and some of—"

"Just a minute, please." Arianne was rushed to keep up. Doom knew very well she was being annoying. The old woman smiled in a tight-lipped, satisfied way.

Turning back to her friend with the mustache, she went on, "And she said without a word of a lie that there were fourteen huge bags of groceries. Fourteen! Being delivered this very afternoon! Not to mention three cases of liquor and a box from the meat market!"

Arianne wondered who they were talking about this time. Obviously they didn't know Leo was back, because they weren't talking about her. She strained her ears a little more.

Gloom was stroking her upper lip. "Sounds like a whole tribe moved in. It's been a long time since that old fort was used."

"No, no, no, no! All that is going to one house! Yes, indeedy! The admiral's house, the one at the end on the beach. 'Admiral Lyndon Thrush' was the name of the delivery slip."

"You don't say! The town will be overrun by them young bucks in uniform. They'll be screeching up and down the street in their old jalopies all night! Young folks these days have no thought for their elders. A disgrace, I always say. It's a terrible shame that—"

Arianne busily weighed out a quarter pound of banana chips and the pound of mixed peel. The navy was moving back into the old fort. Well, well, well! This was news to her. She was doubly glad now she hadn't fallen into Leo's arms last night. He hadn't come to see her— no, he'd come back on some purpose of his own, and his purpose had something to do with that old fort. It must have. She wondered if she really had seen him there almost two weeks ago now, slipping around the side of the lovely old residence down on the beach....

Her curiosity to know what was going on was certainly growing. She decided to put a few delicate questions to her guest at dinner that night. Now what would a travel agent want with an old fort, she pondered.

Hadn't he said he was looking for a spot to put a convention center? Of course; the old fort would make a marvellous convention center. Lots of land, private beach; most of the buildings there could be renovated. Maybe Admiral Thrush had come to handle the sale of the property. On second thought, that did sound a little ridiculous. Arianne didn't think admirals handled that sort of thing. She would try to worm more information out of Leo.

By the dinner hour, Arianne had also had time to do some thinking. She'd come to the monumental conclusion that she wanted Leo Donev and now that he was here again she wasn't going to let the opportunity slip away without doing something about it.

He had been honest; he had warned her that he was short-term only. She'd come to the conclusion she was going to take what she could get. After all, life was short. She had better accept what happiness came her way, whether it was forever or not. At least he was man enough to admit he was going to love and leave her!

She formulated her plan. It was as simple as simple could be—seduce Leo Donev and do so without him catching on. She would slowly, subtly drive him crazy, until he couldn't resist her, until he broke down her bedroom door if he had to. She would use every trick, every feminine wile, whatever it took. The situation was explosive. But with a slight push here and a little shove there, she could see things tumbling her way. The one rule was, not to let him catch on to the fact that he was being stalked with single-minded feline intent. She had to be careful, because he was quick and alert and sensitive, too.

That night she spent more time on her appearance than she did on dinner. She even painted her toenails, something she hadn't done in ages. The tiniest bit of perfume scented the inside of each wrist. She chose her clothes with the greatest deliberation, donning a very plain black shirtdress that showed off her curviness. She put her hair up with a pair of finely scrolled silver combs that Mikey had brought back for her from a trip to Mexico. Sheer black stockings and her pink slippers, of course, were the final touch.

Leo shouldn't have an inkling of anything different. Yet at the same time he should notice her... every square inch of her....

"The navy's moved back into the old fort down the hill," Arianne said conversationally, passing Leo the asparagus spears.

His eyes flickered into hers and away. "Oh?"

"They came today."

"Did they?"

"Yes. An admiral and his cortege. The big house at the end is occupied now. Isn't it interesting? I wonder what they're doing here?"

"Judging by the way you've gleaned such a wealth of information, and so quickly, I suggest you'll find the answer to that soon enough. You wouldn't happen to know who—"

"Of course," she answered, laughing. "Lyndon Thrush is his name. Doesn't it even sound military?"

He was gazing at her mouth, and his pale winter-green eyes didn't meet hers this time. "Arianne, how did you come to know that? Have you been gazing in your crystal ball?"

She flashed him a grin quick as lightning. "No, Doom and Gloom were in the shop and they had the scoop. It hardly takes a detective to read the name of a grocery delivery slip.'' She smiled again. "Do you want the whole exciting story? Fourteen bags of groceries, a box of meat, three cases from the liquor store and a bouquet of dark-red carnations, the ones that smell so cinnamony. That's why he likes them so much."

Arianne stopped short. The carnations. Oh, no, she hadn't been told about those. In her mind she'd seen them in the back of the delivery truck, lying on top of a case of wine.

"Who likes them so much?" Leo put down his fork, staring raptly at her.

Alarmed, Arianne bit her lip. Dammit. She had put her foot in her mouth! She never did things like this around other people, so why did she forget herself with him?

"Who, Arianne?" Leo persisted.

"Oh, well, um, it's the admiral's order, so I guess they must be his," she said, trying to bluff her way out of it.

"Oh, no, you weren't guessing before. You knew! What I'd like to know is, how the devil did Doom and Gloom get ahold of that kind of information?"

Arianne was grasping at straws. "Oh, well, I—they might have heard it from the florist…" She shrugged and decided to change the subject in all haste. "How was your day, now that I've told you about mine?"

"We haven't finished with yours yet." He wasn't eating; his complete attention was fixed on her. "Arianne, I want a straight answer. Have you been crystal gazing?"

"I don't need a little crystal ball to—'' Arianne put her fork down, too. "What I meant was...don't be silly. Crystal gazing! It's a—bauble, a—a knickknack!"

"Then you didn't use it?"

"No!"

"What did you use?"

"Eat your dinner, Leo. It's getting cold!" He picked up his fork. "Well, Arianne? How do you know about the carnations?"

With her eyes sparking in annoyance, Arianne leaned back in her chair and surveyed the man across from her. "What do you care about the admiral's smelly old carnations?" she fenced, switching the direction of attack.

"Eat your dinner, Arianne. It's getting cold!"

She smiled slyly in triumph. He eyed her smile thoughtfully. For a few minutes the dinner table was quiet.

"Honey," he began in a reconciliatory tone of voice, "why won't you tell me how you know about the carnations?"

"Oh? Now it's 'honey,' is it?" Arianne returned tartly, and scoffed, "Hah."

"Succinctly put. You choose your words well, Arianne." His grin taunted her. "Am I to gather, from your reluctance to reveal your informant, that you used your ESP to come by that tidbit?"

"You can gather whatever you want."

"Did Larry tell you?"

"It's the other way around with Larry!" The second it was said she could have bitten her tongue. She wished that hadn't slipped out. Dammit! He had her spilling things left and right! What was it about him? Was it the way he asked his questions, or what he asked? He seemed adept at manipulating her. She took a deep breath and nervously moistened her lips. "What's it to you?"

"Handling you, Arianne, is like trying to cuddle up to a porcupine." His green eyes rested keenly on her. Gradually the amusement faded. He seemed transfixed by the soft glistening red of her full mouth. "I don't think I meant that," he murmured a moment later.

The jittery feeling evaporated under the delicious warmth of his regard. She shifted gracefully in her chair, aware that she held his interest, and with his eyes following her every movement, Arianne casually pulled a curl at her nape, and slowly her slender feminine hand circled the collar of her dress and slid down the open neckline.

"What's your interest in the fort, Leo? Do you want to buy it for your convention center? And do you know the admiral personally?"

His surprise was there and gone so fast she wasn't convinced of it, but she thought she might have hit a nerve. He leaned slightly toward her. "You answer my question and I'll answer yours," he teased silkily, and a corner of his mouth twitched with a return of amusement.

"All right." She accepted his challenge, "Yes, I know about the carnations through clairvoyance. And that's how I know the admiral likes their cinnamon scent. It just came to me. So there!"

His eyes had darkened and all trace of amusement was gone. It seemed to her he had to gather himself together to make good his part of the bargain. "I am interested in the fort for the convention center, yes. It—it's an ideal location, et cetera. And I am personally acquainted with the admiral. But, Arianne, it's vital that not a whiff of this gets around, now more than ever!"

He was very earnest, and Arianne had an almost overwhelming impulse to reach out and run a soothing fingertip over his frowning brow. Instead she said lightly, "You're safe with me, remember? We've each got something on the other that guarantees our secrets."

"What I don't understand is, why are you so afraid of your power?"

"I'm not afraid of it. What I am afraid of is people's reaction to it. I'm tired of being either a guinea pig and/or a money tree!"

One dark blond eyebrow lifted up. " 'Money tree'?"

"You're the first person who hasn't rubbed his hands together and immediately suggested we repair to the races!" She handed him the salt and pepper.

"Why did you do that?"

"But—but you asked for it. You said, 'Pass the...the...'"

Slowly he shook his head. "No, I didn't say it."

"Oh, Leo! You tricked me! That's not fair! Not you, too!" Suddenly her eyes were awash with tears. She couldn't explain it, but she just wanted to get away from him as fast as possible, especially before he saw her tears. She rose from the table. "Heavens, I forgot the horseradish!"

But Leo got to the dining-room door before she did. One of his arms blocked her path, and when she turned away, his other one swung her back to face him. The tension between them crackled like electricity. As she searched his face for motives, his other hand slowly came up to touch her cheek and he stepped closer, so close she could feel his body heat. His breath was a little ragged; she couldn't breathe at all with the sheer unspeakable tension that bound them together.

Then, as she closed her eyes, the tears spilled over, and ever so gently he brushed them away. "Oh, Arianne, I'm sorry. Don't cry, don't cry just because I'm such a clumsy fool." His deep whisper was almost a groan as he fiercely gathered her up against him.

His strength all but crushed her small fragility, but she did manage to wind her arms tightly around his neck. This was precisely what she wanted, and it hadn't taken all that long; it had been accomplished practically by accident, a sure sign he was out of his mind if he thought they could share the same roof and not the same bed! But she didn't argue with him; she simply clung to him, instead, greedily absorbing the wonderful feel of his body taut against her.

"Arianne?" he asked after a moment.

"Mmmm." She was intoxicated with the pounding of his heart against her breast. She could feel it racing along with hers.

"Arianne, are you still crying?"

She shook her head, and kept very still.

Disentangling her arms from around his neck, he said briskly, "Very well, then, sit down and finish your dinner."

She couldn't believe it! She wanted to scream at him for being such a fool. But she went and sat down, anyway. Patience was a virtue, she had been told. He sat down again, too.

"I am sorry about the salt and pepper, Arianne. That was very clumsy of me. I suppose I didn't really believe you'd pick up on it."

"If something's directed specifically at me I usually do." Determinedly she picked up her fork, although her interest in the meal was gone.

"Eat!" he prompted. "You've lost weight, and there's not too much of you to begin with...." Hastily he cleared his throat, and then said in a more amiable tone, "Those are lovely combs in your hair, very unusual."

So he wanted to make conversation, did he? Arianne gritted her teeth, but she explained pleasantly as soon as she was able to, "Mikey brought them back from Mexico for me."

"I've been thinking about what you said on the beach that day."

"Yes?" she breathed hopefully.

"You said there wasn't a guy in sight. Seems to me there's a lineup. Mikey, Orly, Larry, for instance."

Arianne laid down her fork. "Mikey's my best friend and I love him dearly, for your information. I give him a hug and a big smack on the cheek every time I see him. And I'm very fond of Orly, and I know he's very fond of me, but what I had in mind for him, actually, was to introduce him to my mother, even though he hasn't the sight." She smiled cheekily. Then she continued with a sigh, "Larry, we-ell..."