Damon, Lee (46 page)

Purposely searching now, her eyes roved over the dancers until she spotted the lieutenant governor and his wife. Good. They looked happy enough. Her gaze was caught by the congresswoman who, with her husband, was occupying the best suite. She seemed to be enjoying herself, but her husband was about one drink away from tripping over his own feet, not that he was all that graceful to begin with. Not like
that
one, she thought. Now there is a man I would not mind at all directing in a few activities. Except that I doubt if his very handsome wife would put up with it for a minute. Come to that, I can't imagine him looking at anyone else. I haven't seen one of them without the other all week, and most of the time they don't even seem to know anyone else is around. Yike! Just look at that smile. Wonder what she said to him. Lordy, if a man ever smiled at me like that, I'd never let him out of my sight again.

"O'Mara. Darling beast. Oh, you wretched tease, if you don't get your sneaky fingers out of there, you're going to disgrace us both!" Kitt's attempt at indignant protest collapsed into a knowing chuckle under his blatantly sensual smile. She could feel her nipples hardening as the backs of his long fingers, tucked under the edge of her halter, stroked the outer curve of her breast.

"Mmmmm, but you're so tempting, my Kitt," he whispered in her ear, flicking his tongue around the rim and then turning his head to look into the smoky blue eyes that were promising retaliation.

"If I were not a proper married lady..." Her voice trailed off in a teasing threat and the wide mouth curved with delightful purpose as she shifted her hips slightly, and on the next step pressed one firm, slender thigh between his.

"Witch," he groaned, his arm tightening around her waist to hold her in place. "It's a good thing that skirt is full."

"And the lights are dim," she murmured, laughing softly.

She nestled her cheek against his and moved her arm further around his neck. "You," she whispered, "are in a very sexy mood tonight."

"I'm always in a sexy mood with you," he whispered back, "or have you forgotten some of the places... and times... we've made love?" His feathering kisses along the sensi- five skin in front of her ear were sending the familiar moth wings fluttering in her belly, while the vivid memory of certain of their passionate encounters heated her cheeks. His low chuckle told her plainer than words that he knew exactly what he was doing to her. She smiled to herself at the knowledge that she was doing the same thing to him.

They didn't talk during the remainder of the waltz. Totally aware of each other's arousal, they silently agreed, in their special form of communication, to keep their fire turned low for a while longer. Kitt moved her arm back to curve around his shoulder, her fingers resting lightly on the silk of his midnight-blue dinner jacket. Relaxing the tension of his tight hold, O'Mara slowly stroked his warm hand over her bare back. It was a gentling touch rather than one of arousal, and the looks they exchanged were a mixture of understanding and promise. The music swept to its climax, and they turned to walk the length of the room, arms loosely around each other, to their table in the lounge. They were completely unaware of the number of admiring and envious eyes that watched their progress.

The pretty activities director, paralleling their course toward the lounge, watched them with a longing envy, wishing she could meet a man who could bring that certain look to
her
face. She still found it hard to believe that he was Michael Talbot. Somehow, a best-selling author should be older and shorter and maybe balding, she mused, not tall, dark and possessing the wickedest blue eyes she'd ever seen. She sighed resignedly over the fact that his flashing blue glances were all directed at his wife. Pausing at the entrance to the lounge, she studied the tall, exotic-looking Mrs. O'Mara and decided that it was easy enough to see what attracted him. They are really something special, she thought, and if they had the idea that using the name O'Mara was going to make them less conspicuous, then they've obviously never seen themselves together in a mirror! I wonder if they have kids. If they do, I'll bet they're handsome.

"Another glass of wine?" At Kitt's nod, O'Mara beckoned to a waiter and ordered two glasses of white wine. He shifted his chair closer to hers and reached for her hand. "Are you enjoying your surprise, love?"

"It's marvelous, and you are still the most devious man I know!" she said, laughing and squeezing his hand. "And I fell for it. Why did I believe your agent wanted to meet me?
Does
he have a place on Cape Cod?"

"Of course not." O'Mara chuckled. "Why ever would he want a place on the Cape when he's got a perfectly lovely summer home on Long Island? But I had to have some excuse for getting you down here, alone and unencumbered by kids. Incidentally, Mai does want to meet you, and I'm taking you to New York with me next month when I go down to sign the contracts for the film sale."

"The third one in a row," she mused, "and they've taken an option on your next one before you've even started it!"

"Don't complain," he said with a teasing grin. "If you keep having babies in pairs, we're going to need the money!"

"Please," she groaned, "The twins are only four months old. I don't want to think about going through all that again for a while longer."

His gaze sharpened and he examined her face intently before catching the twinkle in her eye. Still, he didn't smile when he asked, "Are you sure you're not sorry you got pregnant so soon? We could have waited a bit." Then the slow smile came as he added, "Although I have to admit it's done very nice things for your figure."

"Tomcat." She wrinkled her nose at him. "If you're trying to tell me that I'm coming out of the top of this dress..."

"Not quite, but you are definitely filling it out more than you did when I gave it to you." His eyes gleamed appreciatively as they lingered on the taut material over her breasts. "At least, now, you've stopped fussing about being too small. And, no, you still don't need a bra. I thought we ended that argument over a year ago."

She laughed at him and then let her gaze drift over the lounge, pausing on the wide archway to watch the dancers swirling around the ballroom. Sighing contentedly, she brought her eyes back to the long, lean figure lounging comfortably next to her. "You really are quite sly, O'Mara." It was still her favorite term of endearment. "Not only did you sneak this dress into your bag when I wasn't looking, but you've even come up with an outfit that's almost a duplicate of that first one." She ran calculating eyes over the deep blue silk tux and the pale lemon silk shirt. "I must say, this one fits you better. Tailor-made, I bet. Hmmm? I thought so. You really have been pussy-footing around behind my back." There was a tease in her voice and her smile. "How long have you been plotting all this?"

"Since last year, just after we were married. I tried to get reservations for the end of August, but they were filled up and had been for months. This is the most popular weekend of the summer except for Fourth of July. So I called in September and made them for this year, crossing my fingers that you wouldn't be in the last months of pregnancy or just getting back on your feet from same. Of course, I had no way of knowing that you, with your clever sense of timing and extraordinary forethought, had already managed to get pregnant so as to keep all the birthdays in May."

"Ah, yes, and I did it all by myself," she mocked. "You, of course, merely sat on the sidelines and applauded."

His deep laugh attracted the attention of nearly everyone in the lounge, and many smiled at the aura of happiness and loving closeness surrounding the handsome couple.

"Little braggart. As I recall, I was a much more active participant than that. In fact, very active, and willing, and inventive... and—"

"Shhh. Devil! You pick the damnedest places to start these things," she moaned. The deep, seductive purr, combined with his finger stroking her palm and the heated look in his eyes, had her wriggling in her chair.

For a long minute, he held her increasingly smoky eyes captive with his, aware of her tautening breasts and rising heat. "Oh, love, I would so like to kiss you right now; but if I do, we'll probably end up on the floor, and that would really make this a ball to remember!"

It was enough to relax their tense awareness of each other, and they sipped their wine for a few moments, watching the dancers and deciding, simultaneously, to discuss other things for a while.

"I wonder if the twins miss us. Do you suppose they're old enough to realize we're not there?" Kitt asked.

"When are they going to have a chance to miss us? With Ez, Midge, Gus and Andy all deluging them with attention, we'll be lucky if they even remember who we are! Oh, and let's not forget Hero. That dog is the most efficient nursemaid since Peter Pan's Nana."

Laughing, Kitt corrected, "Not Peter Pan's. Nana belonged to Wendy, John and Michael. Did you ever see anything like Ez with those babies? He looks so funny sitting in that big leather chair with one twin in each hand, talking away to them as if they were the least bit interested in knights and castles."

"Don't knock it. He was the one who got them to quiet down that night they were colicky. Remember? I think it's that rumble that does it. Sort of stuns them to sleep. Now what's put that dreamy look on your face?"

She brought her eyes back from the dancers to meet his questioning look. "Oh, I was just thinking how lucky I am. And how happy. I've got you, and you'd be a whole life for anyone. But you brought me Gus and now the twins and, oh, it's just so much." Her voice broke on the last words, and she saw him through a blur of tears.

"You beautiful idiot," he said tenderly, leaning close to brush the tears away. "Besides, you've got it all mixed up. Don't you know you're the center of all our lives? What's between us, alone, can't even be put into words, but, added to that, you've given meaning to everything I do. I've never worked better than I have these last months—despite those many long and fascinating interludes when you've enticed me away from the typewriter."

"O'Mara, you know I never interrupt you when you're working," she protested.

"Watching you walk across a room is all the enticement I need," he said ruefully. "If you didn't spend half your days in the shop, it would probably take me at least two years to write a book. Oh, yes, it would," he stated firmly as she laughed and shook her head at him. He studied the wine remaining in his glass for a moment before returning his thoughtful gaze to her face.

"It's true, you know. We all do revolve around you. Andy was a bit worried that you might want to get involved in running the house and she wouldn't have enough to do, but she calmed right down when she found out that you'd much rather work in the shop or romp around with me than vacuum rugs. And, now, just when Gus was growing out of being dependent on her, you've produced not one but two babies for her to fuss over." Laughter gleamed in his eyes. "You may not be ready yet, but Andy can't wait for the next batch."

"Please," Kitt groaned, "will you stop talking in terms of batches? I'd just as soon extend this family one at a time."

"I'll do my best for you." His voice was a seductive tease, and he grinned as he watched the flush of color in her face.

She took a hasty swallow of wine and groped for a change of subject. "Ah... Gus seems to have adjusted very well to the competition. In fact, he's so proud of
his
twins that he keeps the whole town informed of their progress. Perfect strangers come into the shop and ask after Jason and Jared. By name, mind you, and they know all about their routine, diet, sleeping habits and personality quirks. Incredible."

"Not really, love, when you consider how Gus feels about you. He may adore the twins, but he thinks the sun rises and sets on you. Ever since the Battle of the Beach, you've been Wonder Woman, Cheryl Tiegs and Super-Mom all rolled into one."

"Cheryl Tiegs?! Come on, now," she exclaimed disbelievingly. "He's not old enough to—"

"He's his father's son and knows a sexpot when he sees one," O'Mara intoned pontifically. He tried to keep a straight face, but at her startled expression he broke up in laughter. "Don't worry, love. At this point, he just recognizes one; he doesn't know what to do about it yet."

"Lord, let's hope not! However, I'm keeping my eye out for a large broom. The way the girls are beginning to look at him, we're going to need one soon to sweep them off the steps."

"Oh, I wouldn't worry too much. Between Ez and myself, he's got two prime sources of experience to call on in learning how to handle women." O'Mara watched her with an expectant gleam, his lips twitching with suppressed laughter.

Kitt choked on a swallow of wine and gasped. "And you called me a braggart! Perhaps Midge and I ought to tape one of our strategy sessions, and you two would find out just how much handling you really do!"

He leaned over and kissed the indignant look off her face. "Believe me, we're well aware of just how often you two wind us around your delicate fingers. On the other hand, we've managed to surprise you a time or two."

"Mmmm. Too true," Kitt agreed with a reminiscent grin. "Ez certainly did when he greeted us back from our honeymoon with the news that he and Midge were getting married the next day, and it was damn lucky we returned on time, or he wouldn't have had a best man! I knew he was serious about Midge, but I didn't think he'd move quite that fast."

"I did," O'Mara said smugly, and then chuckled. "What surprised me was that he quit teaching to take over running the bookshop."

"Now, wait a minute!" she exploded. "You know perfectly well that Midge and I do most of the 'running,' while Ez lolls around upstairs reeling out those wickedly sexy historical novels. I can't believe how fast he does it, either. Four in less than a year, and the one that's already out is on its way to being a best seller!"

"Why not? He's damn good, and he doesn't have to do much research on that period. He already knows it backward and inside out. You, of all people, shouldn't have been surprised, love. Others may look at him and see an easygoing bear, but you've always known that he was absolutely brilliant."