Forbidden (34 page)

His brows rose as he searched for the memory. “Then I
wasn’t dreaming. You were at the hospital. Did Fitz phone you?”

“Yes. You’d been calling my name. I stayed at your bedside all night, until dawn, when the doctor said you were out of danger.”

Leaning back into the corner of the couch, he shifted her until she was almost lying atop him, her mouth a breath away from
his. “And what did you say to me?”

She hesitated, never having said those three important words to a man, not a completely conscious one. Richard had never asked,
and she’d have felt a hypocrite saying them, though she’d cared for him in her own way. Finally it was time. “I talked on
and on, about the things we used to do together, the fun we’d had. I begged you to come back to us, that we needed you. Mostly
I said that I loved you, that I’ve always loved you, that I always would, even though I knew I should not feel that way.”

His hands on her tightened. “And now? How do you feel now?”

“The same. I love you, Adam. I will die loving you.”

He felt tears scald the backs of his lids as he closed the gap between them and kissed her. His heart hammered against his
ribs as he struggled with emotions so strong, they nearly overwhelmed him.

His mouth made love to hers as her hands moved up to slide into his hair. Passion bubbled to the surface, sweeping Liz along
in its powerful grip as she tried to show him what was in her heart. His tongue tangled with hers, and a shudder ripped through
her.

Blood pounded in Adam’s head, then pooled in his loins. He felt the fierce demand of sexual desire, and for the first time
in months, his arousal strained against the zipper of his slacks. “Mmm,” he murmured, adjusting her body to his more comfortably,
aligning her more perfectly.

Liz felt the heat throb against her and knew exactly where this would lead if one of them didn’t keep a cool head. On a
wave of reluctance, she pulled back. “No, Adam, please. We need to stop. We need to wait until you’re legally free.”

He struggled with the frustration, having guessed she’d say just that, wishing she hadn’t. Breathing hard, he nodded. “I know.
Don’t worry. I just want to show you something.” He took her hand, eased it between them, and placed it over his erection.
Instinctively her fingers closed around him, and a soft moan escaped her. “Can you tell how much I want you?” He hadn’t been
able to rise to the occasion in a long time and had been more than a little worried. He should have known, he thought. Love
made the difference.

He angled his head until he could see her eyes. “I love you, Liz.” His mouth moved to capture hers in a soul-wrenching kiss.
“I want to stay with you tonight, but now that I know how you feel, I can wait.” He set her back and rose reluctantly to his
feet. “Drive me to my hotel?” He’d made a reservation at a small out-of-the-way place where he wasn’t known. He didn’t want
to run into any of the governors who’d probably be staying at the Del, where tomorrow night’s meeting would be held.

As reluctant as he, Liz stood. “It won’t be for too much longer, I hope.”

He slipped his arm around her waist. “I’ll be back just as quickly as I can.”

Adam walked briskly down the hallway of the Senate office building, whistling under his breath. He felt good, better than
he had in years. He wished he could have stayed in California another day or two to be with Liz, but instead, after meeting
with the governors, he’d caught the red-eye back to Washington. He wanted to get started on his plan.

It was early, and many of the offices were all but deserted. He wanted to check with his staff on a number of things, so he
headed to their department first, hoping to catch someone in. Just outside the door, a file he was carrying slid out of his
grip. As he bent to retrieve it, he heard a familiar voice just inside the office.

“I’ve had my sources on Adam since your call,” Barry Rider said into the phone, “and they haven’t been able to track him.
We know he landed in San Diego day before yesterday, but he didn’t order a limo or a cab or contact his office in town. I’ve
checked the usual places he stays and come up empty. However, he did attend a governors’ dinner at the Del and then disappeared
right after.” Barry coughed nervously as he swiveled his chair around to face the window. “Have you tried Fitz?”

“Sugar,” Diane drawled, “Fitz wouldn’t tell me where his brother was if Adam was bedding down the Dallas cheerleaders in front
of his very eyes. The man’s got to be
somewhere,
and I pay you to know exactly where.”

“Listen, Diane, I can only do so much. Apparently Adam didn’t want anyone to know his whereabouts this time. Sit tight. Last
time I checked, the airline said he’d booked passage back tomorrow afternoon. You can grill him yourself when he comes home.”
Barry was getting exasperated with her and with himself. The money was good, but Diane was getting more and more demanding.
“I’ve got to go. People are due in any minute.”

Not waiting for her reply, he hung up, turned around to check the doorway, and saw Adam. With a face starkly pale against
his dark beard, Barry tried to gauge how much Adam had overheard.

Adam walked in and closed the door quietly. He wouldn’t have put it past Diane to spy on him, but Barry? The man had been
with him since the early days. He stopped in front of his desk, looking as disappointed as he felt. “What made you do it?”

His face ashen, Barry slumped onto his chair, realization slamming into him. “Money. I… I got a little behind at the track.”

A man with a habit—gambling, drugs, or heavy drinking,
women on the side—was a weak link in any chain. Adam almost felt sorry for Barry, then forced himself to face the fact that
he’d been ready to sell out an old friend for a few bucks. “How long’s this been going on?”

Barry eyed his cigarettes, dying to light up, then decided this wasn’t the time. “A while.”

“How long?” Adam asked, louder, his voice cold as ice.

“About ten years.”

Adam’s jaw clenched. That would have been even before they’d left California. “Clean out your desk. I’ll have payroll notified
to have your final check cut.” He started for the door.

Barry straightened, hating to beg but needing to try to salvage something. “Give me another chance, Adam. I swear it’ll never
happen again. I… I really need this job.”

Adam turned. “You should have thought of that before you sold me out. You’ve got an hour.” He left the room, shutting the
door emphatically behind him.

Diane held the phone in such a tight grip that her knuckles had turned white. “I knew I could count on you, sugar.”

Harlan searched his desk drawers, looking for a package of Twinkies he’d stashed away last week. There’d be hell to pay if
someone had grabbed it. “Now that you know, you want me to back off or move in for the kill?”

Forcing her fingers to relax, Diane shook her head. “Don’t do anything yet. It ain’t over till the fat lady sings, sweetie.
I’ll call you when I’ve figured out my next move.” She hung up, feeling cold all over.

So the bastard had been with Liz Fairchild. Harlan had called in assorted favors and finally hit pay dirt. She’d picked up
Adam in her snazzy white BMW at the San Diego airport, bold as you please. They’d driven off together, and since Adam hadn’t
checked into one of his usual hotels or gone to their La Jolla beach house, Diane was pretty certain he was spending his nights
in Liz’s bed, banging away. Perhaps
his days, too. He’d turned from her touch repeatedly, but he’d risk everything to crawl into bed with that bitch.

Diane crammed an Eve into her gold holder with trembling fingers just as the key turned in the lock. Well, well. Apparently
the wandering lover had cut his playtime short. Blowing smoke at the ceiling, she waited.

Adam walked in, set his briefcase next to the door, and stopped when he saw his wife. At almost eleven in the morning she
was lounging on the couch in that gauzy pink robe she loved, sipping coffee and smoking up a storm. She looked composed, but
he could see her eyes simmering with repressed anger. Apparently she was annoyed that her hired spy hadn’t come through for
her.

He’d planned to approach Diane on a friendly basis this evening, explain how it was time to end this marriage that was making
them both unhappy, hoping they would not part enemies. Now he could scarcely stand to look at her.

Silently he turned and went into the bedroom.

Diane saw red, literally. How dare he ignore her! she thought, jumping from the couch. She followed him and saw he’d thrown
his largest suitcase onto the bed and was tossing clothes inside. “Do you think you might just possibly owe me an explanation
regarding your whereabouts the past several days?” He’d left a terse message on their answering machine, saying he’d gone
to California on business and wouldn’t be back until Friday. She’d been suspicious from the moment she’d heard it.

Adam didn’t want to quarrel with her, so he slipped another couple of suits off their hangers and dropped them in his bag.

“Adam! I demand you answer me!” She was so angry, she was trembling. The sonofabitch was acting as if
she
were at fault.

Wearily he turned and looked down at her. “You can cut the act. I walked in on your conversation with Barry.” He
watched the blood drain from her face as she took two steps back.

From years of practice, Diane recovered quickly. “I know where you’ve been,” she bluffed. “You’re making a fool of yourself,
sugar. And of me. Did you expect me to just sit by and watch?”

“I certainly didn’t expect you to hire one of my own staff to spy on me.” He walked past her to gather the rest of his things
from the bathroom.

Diane crushed out her cigarette, trying to organize her thoughts. “Just where do you think you’re going?” she demanded as
he walked back in and placed several items in his bag.

“There isn’t much left between us. No love, no trust, and now no respect. Isn’t it time we stopped hurting each other? I’m
leaving.” Suddenly he felt bone-tired as he closed his bag and clicked the locks in place.

“Leaving? You commit adultery and you make me out to be the one at fault? Listen, sugar, I’ve got friends in this town, and—”

“For your information, I didn’t commit adultery, so you’re going to have one hell of a time trying to prove I did.” He yanked
the bag from the bed. “I’m headed for my lawyer’s office now and filing for divorce. I suggest you call one of those friends
of yours to represent you.” He started for the door.

“Damn you, Adam!” she screamed, racing after him. “I’ll ruin you. If you walk out on me, I’ll call Palmer. He’ll toss you
off the ticket after I get through telling him everything.” She hated the shrill sound of her voice, but she was fighting
for her life here.

At the door, Adam turned. “Don’t bother. I’m having dinner with him tonight and telling him myself. If he wants me to resign
from the ticket, I will.”

That truly shocked her. “You can’t do that to me, to us. You’ll destroy everything we’ve worked for all these years.”
Her pride crumbled under the weight of her crushed dreams. Tears she couldn’t prevent coursed down her cheeks. “Adam, please
don’t leave me. I love you.” With all her heart she meant those words, now that there seemed little chance he’d believe her.

Adam remembered Liz’s definition of love, which she’d once mentioned to him: putting another’s happiness above your own. Slowly
he shook his head. “No, you love politics, the limelight, being a senator’s wife.” He reached for the doorknob.

Diane straightened, no longer trying to hide the agony she felt. “Tell me, Adam. Is she worth it? Is she worth throwing away
all your dreams for?”

Did she know, or was she guessing? He looked at her, wishing there were an easier way to part. However, he needed to let her
know it was final. “Yes, she is.”

Diane watched him go, heard the sound of the closing door. With a cry she grabbed the large crystal ashtray from the coffee
table and flung it against the door with all her might. But even the shattering crash didn’t relieve her angry frustration.

Palmer Ames set down his coffee cup and stuck a toothpick into the corner of his mouth as he carefully regarded the man across
the dinner table from him. Adam McKenzie, his vice-presidential running mate, whom all of his advisors had assured him was
solid as a rock, had just announced he’d filed for divorce this afternoon.

The election was less than three months away.

“I understand this is a shock to you, Palmer,” Adam said, “and there’ll be no hard feelings if you feel I should resign from
the ticket. I’m aware that the timing is lousy. My work is very important to me, but I’ve come to realize that my personal
life matters, too.”

Silently Palmer shifted the toothpick to the other corner of his mouth as he shifted his gaze to Adam’s brother. They
were in Fitz’s apartment in Chevy Chase because Adam had requested an ultra-private conversation. Palmer now understood why.
Fitz had scarcely spoken throughout dinner and was now toying with his teaspoon, looking no happier than he himself was over
this piece of news.

Palmer adjusted his tinted glasses and looked back at Adam. “Is there another woman?”

“I don’t care to discuss the personal details at this time.”

Yes indeed there was another woman. “Damn it to hell, son, you and I are going to be living in and out of each other’s pockets
if the good people of this country elect us to office. I’ve got to know what’s going on. One surprise is one too many.”

Adam gave himself a moment to consider that and decided he’d probably feel the same if he were in Palmer’s shoes. “Yes, there
is, but I want her kept out of this.”

“ ’Course you do.” Palmer leaned forward. “You been sleeping with her?” He saw the temper move into Adam’s eyes and held up
a hand. “Don’t go getting your dander up. I personally don’t care. I just want to know so I can figure out if you’ve left
a trail some smart media person can pick up and spread all over the damn papers.”

“No, I haven’t slept with her. We’ve been friends a long time. Whenever we’ve been together, there’ve always been others around.”
Except at Greentrees and her home, but nothing had happened.