Somewhere in His Arms (36 page)

             
Alec scooped up the meaty goodness and forked a mouthful. He nearly fell off the bench at the taste; it was just as good as mum’s. He'd been missing good English food. “Yum!” he grinned licking his lips. “How did you know?”

             
She rested her elbows on the table and gazed lovingly at her husband polishing off his pie and shook her head when he offered her some. “I asked Rudy what you might like. I know you're tired of Yankee food.”

             
He swiped his lips with a napkin. “I never said no such a thing!”

             
Lucy laughed again and went to fetch dessert.

             
“There's
dessert,
too?” he blurted in disbelief. He'd been happy with the pie. His eyes widened at the small plates she placed on the table. “What are those?” he asked in curiosity at the small mounds of chocolate.

             
She opened a pint of vanilla ice cream and put a scoop on the top of each mound. She pushed his plate to him. “Have a taste and then I'll fess up.”

             
He eyed her suspiciously and took a fork full. Alec was immediately assailed by melting chocolate oozing over his tongue. He thought he could also taste a hint of brandy. “What
is
this?” he demanded.

             
“Like?” she grinned knowingly and cut into hers. “Oh my, that's good! I was afraid it wouldn't cook all the way through.”

             
“The suspense is killing me, wife!”

             
Lucy giggled again. “It's a chocolate fondant!”

             
“Well, I'm gobsmacked,” he said, scraping up the last of the chocolaty puddle. “You should be a chef!”

             
“Nah, I wouldn't want to do it for a living.” She rose and gathered their plates. “I only cook for you.”

             
“You better!” he grinned, and helped her load the dishwasher. “Want to see a movie?”

             
“Sure,” she said, sponging off the counter. “But I think we've seen just about everything.”

             
“No,” he scratched his nose self-consciously, “I mean go out...to a movie.” He cleared his throat awkwardly. He was failing miserably at this.

             
Lucy smiled softly at her husband's boyish attempt at romance. She tossed the sponge into the dishwasher and turned it on. “Alec, are you asking me out?”

             
“Huh?” he squawked and then got hold of himself. He straightened himself to his full height. “Why yes,” he said firmly “Yes, I am!”

             
She went to him and slid her arms around his waist. “I'd love to.”

             
“You would?”

             
“Uh-huh.”

             
“Well, the Victoria Theatre is having a Frank Capra festival and I thought we could make a night of it. We could stay in a posh hotel and have breakfast by the bay.” He peered down at her quizzically “What do you think?”

             
She nuzzled his chest and rose on tiptoe to kiss his scruffy cheek. “I'd go anywhere with you!”

             
“Really?” he asked almost shyly. “Well, that's great!”

             
Lucy laughed and he gave her a bear hug, lifting her clear off the floor. “Alec!” she giggled, her feet dangling in the air. “I'm afraid of heights!”

             
Chuckling, he set her down gently. “Pack light. We won't be back till late tomorrow.”

             
“Okay!” she skipped to her room and took out her overnight bag. She tossed in whatever was clean and bemoaned the fact that she didn't have a decent dress to wear if Alec decided to take her to dinner.

             
She added a few toiletries and looked around for her compact. Lucy found it odd that she couldn't find the silver engraved mirror that Rudy had given her for her eighteenth birthday. She knew she'd placed it on the dresser and now it seemed to have vanished into thin air. “That's really odd!” she muttered to herself. She was about to check under the bed when she heard Alec calling her.

             
Sighing in frustration, she turned off the lamps and joined him in the living room. He was busy turning off the TV and frowned when he saw her face. “What's wrong, love?”

             
“Oh, I can't find my compact,” she sighed.  “You know the one Rudy gave me?” He nodded. “It's gone! I can't find it anywhere!”

             
“I'm sure you just misplaced it, love.”

             
“I guess so.”

             
“It's not that expensive is it?”

             
“No,” she shook her head and frowned. “It's more a sentimental thing. It was a birthday present.”

             
“Well, in that case,” he grinned and picked up her bag, “I now know what to get you for Christmas!”

             
“I think I'd much rather have a ring,” she hinted and held out her hand. “I could use one, don't you think?”

             
Alec took her small hand in his and raised it to his lips. “I think that can be arranged,” he said huskily. “What kind would you like?”

             
Lucy pretended to think it over. “Something big and shiny!” she said impishly. “I think it should be seen from outer space.”

             
“Cheeky monkey!” he chuckled and escorted her out to the truck. “I don't think they make stones that big!”

             
“Oh, yes they do!” she informed her husband. “You're forgetting about the Hope Diamond.”

             
His eyes widened in mock horror. “Isn't that thing cursed?”

             
“Those stories were concocted to raise its monetary value.”

             
“Well, I'm not buying my wife an evil diamond. You'll have to settle for something a little more safe.” He winked at her. “Like cubic zirconia.”

             
“You wouldn't!” she gasped in shock. “Is that all I'm worth to you?” she said, doing her best impersonation of Vivian. “I certainly think I'm worth a pearl or topaz at least!”

             
“I don't know, wife.” He cocked his head to one side and pretended to consider this. “Didn't they used to put rings in Cracker Jack boxes?”

             
“I
want
a divorce!” she teased and punched him playfully on the arm.

             
He laughed at his wife and opened her door. “Ladies first,” he said gallantly and swatted her bottom in retaliation.

             
“Ow!” she pouted jokingly. “Watch where you put that thing! I'm very delicate you know.”

             
“Yes, I know,” Alec grinned wickedly and fastened her seatbelt. “You were very delicate last night.”

             
“Alec!”

             
“And the night before and the night before that. I could go on.”

             
“I didn't hear any objections,” she retorted and mussed his hair. “Or would you like me to be Xena?”

             
This time
his
mouth dropped open. “Hold your tongue, wife!” he admonished lightly. “That woman was a barbarian. I'm surprised she didn't club me over the head and drag me to her cave!”

             
“Would have served you right!” she giggled. “Do you want me to try that on you next time?”

             
“Corporal punishment has no place in a loving relationship,” Alec told her gruffly. “But if you
want
to dress up like Xena, that's an entirely different matter.” He leered at her.

             
“Alec!” she scolded, blushing furiously. “Stop looking at me like you see my knickers!”

             
“Oh, but I already
know
what you look like without them!” He chuckled at her shocked expression and closed the door. He whistled as he loaded the truck and hopped in. Fastening his seatbelt, he glanced over at his wife who was a very delightful shade of pink. He smiled to himself. At least their marriage would never be boring. “Ready?” he asked.

             
Lucy nodded and then she remembered. “Hell!” she swore and fumbled with her seatbelt.

             
“What is it?”

             
“I forgot about the dishwasher!”

             
“It'll turn itself off, love.”

             
“I set it for a full cycle. I'd better make sure, we wouldn't want to come back and have to be rescued by the Coast Guard!”

             
He nodded and began unfastening his belt. “No, it'll only take a minute,” she told him. “Give me the key.”

             
He handed it to her and Lucy jumped out and unlocked the door. She rushed into the kitchen and turned on the oven light. The dishwasher was going through its drying cycle.

             
She supposed she had overreacted but she didn't want to cause any damage to the little cottage. The more time they spent here, the more attached she got.

             
Feeling hungry, Lucy opened the refrigerator for something to nibble on in the truck. She found some apples and goat cheese and placed them in a baggie. Then rummaging around in the drawer for a small butter knife, she heard someone behind her. Thinking it was Alec she turned around, and came face to face with the devil.

Chapter Twenty-three

Alec checked his watch again. Lucy had been gone all of five minutes and should have been back by now. He killed the engine and listened. Aside from a slight breeze ruffling the leaves on trees, it was quiet--
too quiet.
He hopped out and reached for his pistol. But he second-guessed himself on that, remembering the last time he had overreacted and nearly shot his wife. He thought better of it but approached the cottage with every sense heightened on alert.

             
The door was slightly ajar and he eased it open carefully. It was dark inside the cottage, and Alec felt every hair on his head, stand on end. There was a faint light coming from the kitchen and strange muffled sobs. It sounded like Lucy and she wasn't alone.

             
Alec swore silently and bent low to remove the pistol from his ankle and tucked it into the waistband of his pants. He yanked his shirt down to hide it and bent down again to remove his shoes. Whoever was in there with Lucy shouldn't know he was coming.

             
His eased himself quietly toward the kitchen and stopped at the shutters separating the kitchen from the living room. Alec's breath came in short halting gasps, and he winced when he heard the sound of a hand meeting fragile skin.

             
“Shut up!” a male voice growled. “Where's your little friend?”

             
Alec could hear Lucy weeping softly and his blood ran cold. Suddenly he knew
who
was in there with her, and his mind ran the gamut of numerous scenarios in which Lucy was either shot or stabbed because of his stupidity. He thought quickly and reached up to muss his hair as if he'd just woken up. Then he unbuttoned the first few buttons on his shirt and took a deep breath and strolled casually into the kitchen as if he'd fallen asleep on sentry duty and needed a drink.

             
He opened the refrigerator nonchalantly, as if he hadn't noticed his wife gagged and tied to a chair with a gun pointed at her head. Alec reached for the orange juice and began to guzzle it greedily, trying to think how the hell he was going the get the bastard away from Lucy. His spine stiffened as he was noticed.