Seaspun Magic (18 page)

A few minutes later she realized only silence met her ears. Wiping her hands on a towel, she went to find him. He wasn't in the hall, and she hurried a little more, to stop abruptly in the living-room doorway.

Leo usually went out again right after dinner; therefore she was surprised to see him stretched out on the rug in front of the fire, playing with Rae's building blocks. Rae was gleefully absorbed in this new game of your-turn-my-turn building, and when Leo paused in the sequence, the baby prodded him by presenting him with one of the blocks.

Arianne went back without interrupting the two-some by the fire. She finished up in the kitchen and then, wondering whether Leo was going out this evening at all and feeling a frisson of excitement because it appeared he wasn't, she joined the still contentedly playing pair. By this time the joint effort was nearing massive proportions. She dropped down on the rug next to them, admiring the multihued edifice, and received two gratified grins for her effort.

Finally every last building block had been incorporated into the structure. The fantasy of design was enjoyed only for a few minutes, though, for Rae dove into it, scattering building blocks in every direction. As he was pelted by blue and red and yellow cubes, Jinx leaped off the hearthstone in a fright.

Down on hands and knees, everybody participated in picking up the toys, although the cat sat back and watched as if he thought them insane. Naturally Rae preferred to take the toys out of his toy box, not put them in, so he wasn't a great help. While Leo dug some blocks out from under the couch, Arianne went around the back and scouted there for strays, and when she came around to the front she met Leo practically in a head-on collision.

It was difficult to be either serious or practical down on hands and knees, but so easy to laugh. And having started laughing, it was easier yet to lean forward that extra inch required for a kiss. The softest kiss ever, their lips hardly touching.

But it was the kind of kiss that said they had before. They had to have kissed each other before to be able to kiss each other like this now. A slow, perfect five-second kiss, light as air and yet erotic dynamite.

As if nothing happened, Arianne immediately continued picking up blocks, but the divine kiss had made her head dizzy and her limbs weak. She felt like lying down right where she was and taking Leo along with her. But that would be much too direct, so...

"Where's Rae?" she asked, turning around suddenly. "I don't hear him."

A metallic banging in the other room identified him as being in the kitchen, bashing the pots and pans about, a favorite pastime and one that could entertain him for long periods at a stretch.

They both relaxed again, and Arianne found that picking up the toys was not as important as it had been just minutes ago. She sat down on her legs, leaning against the couch, and Leo, on his knees, his hands full of blocks, emptied them into the toy box.

Then he simply reached over and, with an arm sliding around her ribs, swung her down to lay her on the floor. Her hair spilled on the braided rug and glinted blue-black in the fire's glow. Leaning over her, a hand planted on either side, he smiled faintly into her eyes with a look that matched the kiss just shared but carried a little more promise.

The feathery touch of his fingertips began to meander over her sweater, calling up a deep sensuous shiver. The sensitive wandering fingers rose to follow the swell of her breast and lingered to trace the roundness again and again. And when the tip slowly grew taut under his tender caressing, he bent his head to take it between his teeth. The gentle nuzzling through fabric, the moist heat of his breath had a soft moan escaping from her. She was scarcely aware of anything but the tingle of her skin under the hot pursuit of his mouth.

Sliding his hand underneath her shoulder, he lifted her against him while his mouth continued its persuasion on the susceptible curve of her throat. She instinctively touched underneath his shirt to feather around his waist just above the belt. Then sharply pointed white nails delicately traced over the same route. In the flicker of light from the fire he raised his head just a bit to look into her face, and his hand moved up again to cup her nape.

Tipping her head back and lifting her chin, he held her in this compromising position while a little more of his weight pressed into her and his lips at last, definitely and with no hint of apology and no suggestion of accident, claimed hers.

The first eager kiss precipitated instant fusion. They drew together in passionate reunion, craving the other in a mad, glad tide of aching need and sweet fulfillment. But just as he bent his head again to touch her red lips with his they both realized Rae was being too quiet.

He was not too far away on the rug, actually; he had just lain down with Jinx, the green crocodile and a three-quart saucepan. He was watching the fire and was almost asleep.

Leo helped her up. Then he picked up Rae, crocodile and all. "Kiss him good-night, then I'll take him upstairs." When Arianne hesitated, Leo added, "I have four nieces and five nephews, and I've put them all to bed at least once."

His calm assumption of his place in the household caught her by surprise. He might still be only a guest, but he certainly wasn't acting like one! Waiting for him to come back downstairs, alone, she collected the rest of the building blocks and toys and stowed them in Rae's box.

Leo took quite a while bedding down her son; he obviously wasn't hurrying through the procedure. Arianne paced about, wanting to go upstairs and join them, but not wanting Leo to think she was one of those overly protective mothers, continuously clucking and fussing, unable to trust anyone else with any of the care.

Rather than fidgeting, she pulled the big box of Christmas decorations out of the pantry and brought it to the living room. Soon she had the refectory table organized from end to end with assorted glitter, and when Leo came down, he found her wearing the strings of tinsel like a feather boa because she'd run out of space on the table.

Without preamble he gathered her in his arms and started to kiss her, and Arianne's arms went around his neck. She clung to him while his strong embrace fitted her intimately to his lean length, so solid, so hard, so real against her. After a week of longing for his touch, his passion was a searing heaven. After waiting so long, his thirsty lips turned her molten at once. She'd never been kissed in quite such an inflammatory way before.

A passionate and physical man, it was fortunate, perhaps, that he had the ability to keep such wealth of emotion in check... when he wanted to.... But now his desires were loose and running free, and the heated encouragement of her supple body and willing lips made the ever-present pagan glow between them a wild conflagration.

There couldn't have been a worse time for the door knocker to sound, demanding their attention. As Leo swore softly under his breath, Arianne groaned her inner dismay. His hands, sliding down her back before releasing her, transmitted an impatient message.

"Do you want me to see who it is?" he murmured against her hair.

"That's all right, I'll go." Arianne slid out of his clasp.

It was Larry. Her dismay became acute. A little of it must have shown, for he said quickly, "I know it's late, but I was next door meeting Don and I thought I'd drop in to ask you out tomorrow night. I won't stay." He came in, handing her a small bouquet of pink roses.

Arianne didn't have a chance to say anything.

"Jill told me your B-and-B man is back. Arianne, I'm surprised at you, taking him in again. I thought you said you didn't like the whole idea. What's he doing back again, anyway?"

Arianne realized Larry expected Leo to be out. And if he expected him to be out, then he must know that he usually was out at this time of day. Jill must have informed him of the schedule. How else would he know? Annoyed, Arianne tried to say Leo was home, but Larry grasped her hands in concern.

"Arianne, you have to stop this. I don't like it. Can't you get rid of him?"

"No, Larry—"

"He's got to go. Oh, that reminds me... the second ring? Well, mosquito doesn't work. It's got to be something else."

"Wha-at?" Arianne stared askance at Larry.

"You remember you told me the first password was 'bobsled' and the second was 'mosquito.' The first ring opened, but not the second. You've got to try again."

"Sure, fine," she exclaimed, quickly making up a false answer, "it's 'retarded'!"

"'Retarded'?"

"Exactly."

"You're sure?"

"Positive!" she cried, looking at him doubtfully. She couldn't believe he'd come knocking on her door this late, for such a silly reason. She would make sure he would continue to be disappointed in her powers. She knew that people expected ESP not to work, and when it didn't, all that happened was they were proved right, so they went away satisfied, anyway. "All I can do is try, Larry, and if I'm wrong, then I'm wrong. There's no such thing as a one hundred percent sure bet when you're dealing with ESP."

"Clairvoyance, I think what you're using is clairvoyance mixed with telepathy," the officer mused. "Documented cases have proved—"

"Larry—"

"Yes, I know, I'm going. Listen, I just wanted to say that if you've taken that guy in 'cause you need the dough, why not come to me, instead? It's not like I'm a stranger around here."

"That's awfully kind, Larry, but I can look after myself, thank you." He really was trying to be nice, so Arianne felt a little bad about getting more annoyed every time he opened his mouth. Not only that, but she wanted him out of the house just as soon as possible. She had to keep the two men apart; she knew that much. If she could get Larry out before he even realized Leo was home... And hopefully, Leo had missed most of the conversation, since she and Larry were confined in the front hall.

"About tomorrow night, doll, I'm coming back this way, so I'll drop in around eight or nine, okay?"

"Uh-huh, good night, Larry." Arianne put her hand on the doorknob, not closing the door on him but suggesting that she might soon do so.

"Say, you must be decorating the place for Christmas!" Rather than stepping out the door, he fingered an end of the tinsel rope that hung round her neck. "Are you sure you don't want me to stay and help? You might need a hand for anything high up—"

"Oh, no, that's all right. She's got me to help." Leo came strolling out into the hall, smiling genially, his hands in his pockets. "Evenin', Larry."

Larry's confusion was almost comical, and Arianne felt sorry for him. He had himself in hand, though, a split second later and suavely returned the greeting while continuing to hold the tinsel. She stepped back, forcing Larry to let goof it.

"Aren't you inviting the officer in, Arianne?" Leo inquired pleasantly.

"I can't stay—not tonight," Larry returned smoothly, as if there had been other nights when he had stayed.

"What a shame," Leo commiserated. "I suppose duty calls?"

"That's right." Larry smiled, too. "I'm sorry to hear your headaches are back."

Everybody was being so nice to everybody else that Arianne could only wonder at the plethora of supercivilized behavior.

"It's stress," said Leo, nodding, "the pressures of running a business."

"I wouldn't know about that." Larry sighed, his smile perpetual.

"Of course not," Leo agreed.

"Seeing as how Jill is back next door and you originally booked with her, I'm surprised you're not staying with her. Arianne is not really running a bed-and-breakfast joint, you know."

"But Arianne said I was welcome to stay. In any case, that's hardly your concern." Leo's tone of voice was the friendliest imaginable.

Arianne smelled a rat. Something beyond mere jealousy was at work here. Glancing at Larry, she was mildly surprised to see a look of black antipathy on the officer's face, in his eyes, while his lips smiled and smiled.

Arianne felt as edgy as Jinx on his routine bathing day. There was something under Leo's easy manner that was downright menacing, and for this first round at least, Larry was backing down, but with a baleful gleam in his brown eyes.

After he left, Arianne turned questioningly to Leo, expecting some explanation, but to her utter amazement, he started putting on his boots.

"But where are you going?" she cried.

"Out. Don't wait up." Grabbing his jacket, he brushed his lips across her cheek, and then he was gone, out the door after Larry Barnes.

Arianne didn't know what to make of this. Of all things that could have happened, she hadn't given this possibility a thought. What the devil was Leo up to? Was he really following Larry? He must be; before the officer had intruded, he hadn't been about to go anywhere! Damn, damn, damn!

What was he going to do, follow Larry all night? If she wasn't supposed to wait up he must be planning on being gone at least half the night!

Trying to piece events into a coherent pattern only revealed more flaws, the most obvious being—why the dickens would Leo want to go out in the dark chasing after a naval officer? Why, indeed, when he could be here in front of the fire with her in her arms. To say her feelings were hurt was hardly enough…

***

Leo offered no explanations Saturday morning, either. He had been out most of the night, while she had been awake for hours after he left, unable to sleep. He handed her another week's pay in the usual envelope, and the money was suddenly another barrier between them.

She could see why Jill stressed not falling in love with B-and-B guests. It was very difficult to serve him breakfast the morning after she'd been slighted. She was not only hurt this time, but angry, as well. She felt helpless, too. What was she to do with a guy who kept on walking out on her in one fashion or another?

Leo appeared tired and preoccupied, and curiously remote, and that smarted worst of all. She had the day off and had she not been feeling so let down, she might have taken Rae over to Jill's for the day and taken Leo up to bed. Neither of them had had much sleep. But he would probably be going out soon. She stole a sidelong glance at him, not wanting to be caught looking. She almost asked him why the devil he'd walked out on her last night, but, too naturally reserved, she at last decided not to. She didn't want to appear shattered by his inattention.