Touch the Heavens (17 page)

A sadness filled Chris as she gazed up at Dan. She moved into his arms, sighing as she pressed her body against him. “It sounds bizarre,” she whispered, closing her eyes, relishing his nearness.

Dan placed a series of small kisses on her neck, jaw and finally, on her waiting lips. His mouth moved with sureness and tantalizing slowness across her lips, feeling her respond fully. Finally he pulled away, gazing down at her. “I never did hold with that kind of lifestyle,” he murmured. “I was a black sheep from the day I was born into this family. I want to know that the woman I marry loves me and doesn’t want to have a series of other bed partners. I want her to know that she is my whole life, not just an extension of myself like my parents are to each other.” He frowned, caressing her cheek. “I guess I require loyalty from the woman I love.”

Chris trembled within his arms. The warming silence grew between them, and she felt the heavy, steady beat of his heart against her breast. Reaching up, she touched his face, feeling the roughness of his skin. “I may not have had parents, Dan, but I grew up knowing I wanted the same thing.” She shook her head, mystified. “And here I thought it would be so great just having parents. Maybe I wasn’t so badly off as I thought.”

Dan claimed her lips in a lingering, exploratory kiss. “The grass isn’t always greener on the other side of the fence, Raven. Believe me.”

Chris lay down for a short nap and was roused by the maid an hour later. It was dark, the music of crickets floating through the balcony doors.

“Captain Mallory, Mrs. McCord said to bring this up for you to wear. I’ll just put it in the closet over here for you, ma’am.”

Chris slowly swung her legs over the bed, groping to wake up. She had changed into a set of jeans and a tank top after taking a welcoming shower. The bed had looked inviting, and she had given in to the urge to sleep. Gathering her scattered thoughts, Chris gave the young Mexican maid a confused look.

“I didn’t ask for a dress.”

The maid curtsied shyly. “Mrs. McCord instructed me to bring this up, ma’am.”

“Okay...thank you.”

The girl dipped her head. “Yes, ma’am. If you need anything else, just ring this bell.”

Chris stretched fitfully after the maid had left. She walked over to the closet, fingering the silver lamé dress that looked sinfully skimpy. A slow anger fanned to life within Chris as she stood there. Vanessa couldn’t trust her to come down dressed well enough so as not to embarrass her in front of her rich friends. With a sigh, Chris turned away. Had Vanessa tried to run Dan’s life in the same domineering manner? She thought so, truly beginning to understand why Dan had escaped the oppressive atmosphere of his mother’s controlling hand.

It was nearly nine-thirty when Chris heard a knock at the inner door. She checked her hair one more time before skipping across the room in her nylon-clad feet. Dan stood there, his eyes lighting up in appreciation as his gaze swept over her. He gave a low whistle of appreciation, stepping into her room.

“Lady, you’re going to cause a riot down there,” he breathed softly. “God, you look beautiful.”

She blushed fiercely, giving a nervous laugh. She wore a simple lavender dress to match the color of her violet eyes. The silky material fell in graceful lines over her body, emphasizing her small bust, slender waist and hips. The knee-length gown was held in place by small spaghetti straps that tied in a bow at the back of her neck. With her black hair down, falling softly across her shoulders, she felt incredibly feminine. Dainty earrings of amethyst emphasized her lustrous eyes. She made a nervous gesture, walking over to slip into the elegant high heels of pearl gray that matched her small purse. “I’m nervous enough without you looking at me like that!” she said, laughing.

Dan shook his head. “Raven, you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. I never realized—”

“Hey, you know we Air Force jet jockeys clean up pretty well,” she teased, leaning upward to lightly kiss his mouth. Before Dan could trap her against him, she slipped away, laughter in her eyes. “You don’t clean up too badly yourself.”

Dan shrugged, looking devastating in the brown slacks and pale-pink long-sleeve shirt and light brown corduroy sport coat. The tie at his throat was a dark rust color, matching the color of his hair. “I suppose Vanessa brought you a dress to wear?” he asked, sliding his hand beneath her elbow and leading her out the door.

“How did you know?”

Dan grinned. “Because she sent the butler up with a tuxedo for me. I guess she feels we won’t dress correctly for her guests.”

Music and laughter floated up from below as they traversed the hall, stopping at the top of the stairs. Dan captured her firmly against him, giving her a reassuring kiss on the cheek. “Just remember,” he murmured, “we’ll be gone early tomorrow morning.”

Chris grimaced. “Frankly, I’d rather be flying with Brodie right now than facing this.”

Dan laughed as he guided them down the stairs. “You’ll be doing that as soon as you get back, Raven. And don’t worry, this isn’t a firing squad. Just leave the maneuvering to me and be my ‘co’ on this flight.”

She smiled secretly at his lingo.
Co
was another word for copilot. She placed her trust in Dan completely, allowing him to guide her through the groups of beautifully sleek guests. It was a night that Chris would not forget. She had never rubbed elbows with the rich or the jet set. And before it was all over, she understood Dan’s desire to escape the cloying atmosphere of the hangers-on, fawners and doting, plastic people who orbited the McCord power structure.

Vanessa fluttered over, her eyes widening as she looked at Chris, disbelief written in her features. She cooed over both of them and congratulated Chris on her dress. Slipping her hand around Dan’s free arm, she dragged them from one pedigreed, cluster of well-bred guests to another. On several occasions, Chris met beautifully appointed women who made subtle passes at Dan. And each time Dan remained a gentleman, introducing Chris at his side. Each of those women would stare at Chris and then murmur polite words to Dan and glide off, drink in hand. More than once, Dan took her out on the floor, dancing to escape Vanessa’s matchmaking efforts.

They danced as one, the rhythm of the music invading their souls, stirring their hearts and rekindling their passion for each other. Dan held her close, molding her against his lean body, moving her effortlessly in time with the music. To him, it was just another provocative form of making love to her. He had known instinctively that, with her hands and feel for flying, Chris would be a good dancer. Dancing meant subliminally turning the music into form; changing the rhythm into a flow of expression by the human body. She followed him effortlessly, with complete trust in each of his guiding movements, a melding union taking place.

With Chris’s head nestled against his chest, he inhaled her special female fragrance, feeling his body tighten with desire. She was so special in so many ways. One of a kind. A woman of rarity that would never be found again in his lifetime. Dan pressed a kiss to her brow. “Lady, I’m falling in love with you....” Before Dan realized it, he had uttered the words close to her ear. The need to admit it to her was overpowering and as Chris looked up to meet his eyes, his heart contracted with overflowing happiness. She had heard his softly spoken words; he could see it in her shining violet eyes.

Her lips parted in response, and Dan held her a little tighter. The music was ending, but neither realized it. They finally slowed to a halt, oblivious to everything surrounding them. Chris gazed up into Dan’s darkened blue eyes, aware of some invisible joy that seemed to reach out and smother her with happiness. “And I love you...” she whispered in response, losing herself in his tender, returning gaze.

Dan captured her face between his hands, leaning down, sealing those promising words upon her full lips—lips that were warm and giving beneath his mouth. Raising his head, he stared intently into her eyes. “I need you, Raven,” he whispered huskily, “forever.”

Her heart pounded painfully in her breast as she responded to his highly charged emotional words. “Oh, Dan—” she whispered.

“Daniel!” Vanessa’s voice cut through the aura that surrounded them. In moments, Vanessa had propelled them off the emptying dance floor, chatting airily about meaningless subjects that interested neither of them.

Near midnight, Dan escorted her upstairs. Vanessa had pouted beautifully when he firmly told his mother they were calling it a night. He stopped at the bedroom door, opening it for Chris. Placing his hands on her bare shoulders, he smiled down at her.

“You’d better get some sleep, Raven.”

She nodded, excitement coursing through her body. She hungered for his nearness, needing to talk to him further of her feelings for him. It was as if Dan had read all this in her features because he leaned over, kissing her reassuringly.

“Not here,” he murmured. “We’ll have time at the ranch to do some more talking. Go on, beautiful lady pilot, before I lose all my control and follow you in there.”

Chris nodded, stunned by the culmination of events. “All right. Good night, Dan....”

“Good night, Chris. I’ll wake you up at six o’clock sharp tomorrow morning. Sweet dreams, honey.”

The morning was a whirlwind of activity. To Chris’s delight, Dan took a small single-engine Cessna from the hangar at the McCord Estate and flew the two of them fifty miles north to Howard McCord’s huge cattle ranch. Emerging from the Cessna on an arid strip, Chris met the man whom Dan loved like a father. Howard McCord came forward, a burly man of six-three and two hundred pounds. He gripped Chris’s hand in a shake that bruised her fingers.

“So you’re the pretty young filly Dan’s been tellin’ us about. Proud to know you, Chris. Just call me Howard and forget standing on formality around here. This is family.” He grinned fully, his parched, leatherlike skin crinkling like old paper. He released his grip and then strode around the small plane, gripping Dan by the shoulders and giving him a huge bear hug.

“Dan! You son of a gun. Damned if you don’t look the best I’ve ever seen you, son.” He gripped Dan’s shoulders, holding him at arm’s length, his dark eyes narrowing. “That filly of yours must be doing you some good, eh?” he asked, grinning fully.

Dan slapped Howard on the back. “She makes me pretty happy, Dad.”

The rancher smiled as he put his arm around each of them and escorted them to the Jeep in the distance. “We’ll get you young ‘uns settled back at the homestead. Melvina’s dying to meet you, Chris,” he whispered in a conspiratorial tone. “My missus thinks the world of this boy of ours, and she’s straining her corset to see who Dan finally settled on.”

Chris shot Dan a distraught look. Dan grinned happily, giving her a wink. “Why do I have the feeling I’m getting railroaded?” she asked, trying to halt a smile of her own. Howard helped her into the back seat of the Jeep.

“Naw, Dan don’t railroad anybody, Chris,” he corrected, starting the Jeep up. “Vanessa and Preston do, but this boy escaped their clutches in time. He always says ‘please’ first before he shoves somebody into a mud puddle. Ain’t that right, son?” He chuckled.

Chris couldn’t halt her grin. “I have a feeling I’ve lost both the battle and the war with you two around.”

Howard’s big Texas laugh boomed across the dry sagebrushed land. “You’ll find out something real quick, pretty filly. The McCord’s always get their way.” He drove off at high speed, the Jeep bouncing and jerking along, kicking up a high cloud of yellow dust in its wake.

The ranch house, nestled among cottonwood trees, was a sprawling affair fashioned out of adobe brick, set off with a red Spanish tiled roof. Chris felt free there and marveled at the difference in lifestyles between Dan’s parents and his uncle. There, she felt relaxed; as if she could be herself, and no one could tell her any different. There it didn’t matter what she wore. What counted, as Dan had said earlier, was the genuineness of the people.

Melvina McCord stood awaiting their arrival at the front-porch door, her chunky fists embedded deeply into her fleshy hips. Chris smiled brightly as the woman of some sixty years of age broke into a wide, welcoming grin.

“Ain’t she purty!” Melvina crowed, throwing her arms open to envelop Chris. “Dan, you outdid yourself!” she cried, hugging her until Chris thought she would lose her breath. “Why, child, you are even prettier than what Dan said. Let me take a good look at you.” She put Chris at arm’s length, her watery blue eyes dancing with pleasure. She cast a dirty look at Dan who stood there grinning. “She’s too skinny, Dan!” Melvina returned her attention to Chris, eyeing her shrewdly. “Child, what you need is some good home cooking to put some meat on those bones of yours.”

Chris managed a warm smile. “Really, I’m fine, Mrs. McCord —”

“You call me Aunt Melvina or auntie. None of this formality. That’s for the birds. And you noticed
they
ain’t bowing and say’n how’d you do to each other.”

Laughing, Chris obeyed. “You got a deal, Aunt Melvina.”

“That’s better,” she said gruffly, moving over to Dan. “Now you, you young upstart of a pup, come here.”

Chris felt tears coming to her eyes as Melvina embraced Dan for a long, long time. She cast a glance over to Howard, whose face had suddenly softened.

“Why ain’t you been home lately?” Melvina asked, brushing a tear from her plump, ruddy cheek. Her frizzy black-and-gray hair was all over the place, but it seemed to fit Melvina’s spunky image.

Dan wiped tears from his own eyes, keeping his arm around his aunt. “Got tied up with another class coming in, Mom.” He cast a meaningful glance over at Chris. “Besides, I met a pretty wonderful lady, and she’s taken up all my spare time.”

Chris smiled warmly over at Aunt Melvina. “I’ve probably seen him about as much as you have,” she replied in good-natured defense.

Melvina chuckled, patting Dan lovingly on the shoulder. “He was always known to tell a few white lies to cover his tracks. Both of you, come on in. I got hot coffee brewin’ and fresh-baked cinnamon rolls. We’ll just get your luggage moved in and settle down for a chat.”