Wise Folly (19 page)

Mrs. Frank gave a call for breakfast and Dianna stepped to the door to relay the message, only to halt
unobserved. Noah was scraping the razor down his face as Tabby, head tilted, watched with fascination. When he was finished he took the towel and wiped the remaining lather from his face, looking clean shaven and . . . very male. He slapped on after-shave, then turned to help Tabby down, holding her in midair for just the time it took to plant a quick kiss on the tip of her nose. Dianna’s heart turned over, the resemblance between the two striking her forcibly. Her mind balked at the thought.

“Hey, you two! Breakfast.”

“Coming.” Noah reached for his shirt and began dressing as he entered the bedroom behind Tabby. He smiled slowly at Dianna, taking in her dark blue
slacks and matching top
and white, low-heeled shoes. The outfit was crisp and neat- looking, but lacked the polished sophistication of a Neiman-Marcus ensemble.

“All that shopping and no new
clothes
for your mother?”

Tabby looked as shocked as her new father. 
“
Honest, Daddy.
I told her to buy some with that plastic card, but she said
no
.”

“Perhaps while you’re in the hospital
getting all better
I’ll take her shopping.”

“Good
.
After all, she ought to look as pretty as
me
.” Tabby looked down in admiration at her new
lace
-trimmed blouse, only to look up again in confusion when both adults burst into laughter. What was so funny about looking good?

Mrs. Frank’s voice could be heard from the open kitchen door and Tabby’s eyes lit with expectation. “Mrs. Frank promised to make French toast this morning!” She whooped in delight, scooting out the door and down the hallway, completely ignoring her mother’s protests concerning
hurrying
.

Dianna turned and reached for her watch
.
She didn’t want to acknowledge Noah’s presence directly behind her but knew he was buttoning his shirt with deft fingers. Her own were suddenly all thumbs as she tried to fasten the clasp of her watch with one hand. His>warm breath fell softly on her neck.

“And how is Mrs. Weston this morning?” he murmured huskily
, brushing a wisp of hair away from the curve of her neck.
.

His touch was needed.
Every time
he did that, he helped heal her.

No matter what happened, she'd thought she was damaged goods, worthless to any
self-respecting
male. She'd withdrawn and only came out of her shell in an extremely safe area. But slowly, she was finding herself changing, rearranging
,
creating new
thoughts and deeds.

She refused to believe he gave her safety, but she did feel safer. She refused to believe he gave her confidence, but she felt more
self-assured.
She refused to believe he could personally make her carefree, but she felt as if she could cope with more than she could before. She refused
to
giv
e
more thought to all that was happening except to
keep moving on.

She turned to face him, holding out her wrist “
I'm n
ervous. Can you do this for me?”

His touch sent tingles up her arm as he bent over her hand, a frown on his brow. “When did you get this relic?”

“It was a high school graduation present from my parents.” Her eyes focused on his dark springy hair, clean and still glistening from his shower. He was so distinguished, so handsome. . . .

He looked up, smiling boyishly
and gaining a twinkle in his deep gray eyes
. “My, that really dates you. I’d have guessed that marvelous antique piece at thirty years if a day—until I look at the owner.” His hand held hers in a warm clasp, bringing it to his chest “Don’t I even get a reward for being Johnny-on-the-spot?”

“Is your name Johnny?” she teased, excited by his nearness.

“No, but I’m damn well on the spot” His mouth was so close to hers. All she had to do was stand on tiptoe and she could touch his lips with hers. He waited, his eyes inquiring if she had enough nerve to carry through. Slowly, slowly, she stood on tiptoe and placed her mouth on his. His arms encircled her waist pulling her so close she could feel his hard male outline. He didn’t move until she tried to pull away, then his grasp tightened and his lips opened invitingly.

Dianna stiffened for only a second before giving in to his touch. His other hand came down to claim the curve of her hip as he moved against her, making sure she understood his unspoken question. Her blood soared with unbidden memories of his body close to hers, doing wonderfully demanding things that blocked out everything except him.

Her arms crept around Noah’s neck, pulling him closer, then traveled down his back and over his muscled shoulders to his chest She
splayed her fingers on
his
soft silk shirt. Her body molded closer in sweet intensity, and yet it was not enough. She was doing the leading now—pressing, touching, moving, feeling
.
A
hum
escaped her throat to be answered by his own as
his
hand curled around the
swelling softness of her breast. For this moment
Dianna felt empowered and cherished, safe and treasured
in
Noah
's arms
.
It was a heady feeling that bonded, that trusting to another. To a male.

His hands left the firm swell of her hips only to entwine about her waist to pull her
st
ill closer. She arched her back to accommodate him, loving the feeling of being held against
his body
and wishing their clothing wasn’t a barrier. Then all thought was obliterated as her need for him escalated to wanton passion.

“Mommy,
Mrs. Frank says the Fre
nch toast
is getting cold
. Do you have to kiss so long?” Tabby stood in the bedroom doorway, a quizzical expression on her face as she watched with apparent interest
.
Dianna bur
ied her head in Noah’s shoulder.

"And French toast is your favorite," she said.

“We’ll be right there, Kitten. Keep Mrs. Frank company.” Noah’s voice was husky, his breath coming quickly as he watched Tabby leave. “You can come out now, Di. She’s gone.” He was looking down at her with a hint of laughter in his eyes. “Do you have an invisible button on you somewhere that you push when you can’t cope anymore?”

“If I did, I forgot to push it” She took a step back, unable to look at him, but his arm tightened, his hand continuing to tantalize her back.

“Every time I think it’s the beginning, it becomes the end,” he stated wryly. “But someday there will be no reprieve. Think you can handle it?”

Her head was bent, her own breathing slowing along with his. “Does it matter?”

“
Yes. I
t matters
.
I want you to want me as much as I want you
. I'm
not some kind of sex maniac that has to have you under any conditions!” He
became
silent, then
gave a sigh before conti
nuing in a softer voice. “I want the pleasure to be
there for both us it, Dianna
.”

“Noah?” she asked hesitantly, not daring to look directly at his face. Instead she played with a button on his shirt until his hand stilled hers, his thumb caressing her palm to send warm bursts of feeling through her. “
Please be honest.
Why are you so kind to—us?
To me?” She glanced up through her lashes and then down at
his hand
holding
hers
.

He studied her closely.
“Can’t you figure it out?”

“Is it because, because you want me?”

‘Yes.” His voice was quiet, but she could feel the deep rumbling of that
single
word beneath her hand. It seemed to vibrate through her body. “I want you in the dark warmth of night and in the cold light of day. I want you when
I'm
riding in an elevator, sipping a cup of coffee, standing in a crowded room
of businessmen discussing
the latest computerized gadget. I want you when we watch
TV
,
or
sit and
enjoy
a sunset,
"
he said. "
Yes. I want you.”

"Thank you for being so honest,"
She turned slowly, walking out of his arms and toward the door, her back ramrod straight
.
He didn’t try to restrain her, his hands falling away to relax at his sides as he silently stood where she had left him.

That was it
.
He wanted her. And
,
instead of happiness, the knowledge brought a co
ld, lonely sadness to her heart. He wanted her but obviously he didn't love
her
.
He never even mentioned the word "love" in any conversation. The
difference
between love and
wa
nt was huge. It was the difference between
only one
woman and
any woman for
the
short time
of fascination
.

The
noon day
sunlight made
short
,
narrow shadows of the tall buildings that formed the Dallas skyline. Dianna
and Tabby
left Noah discussing Catherine Sinclair’s upcoming trial with Philip on the telephone in his study.
They
met Jimmy,
the
chauffeur, in the lobby and
he drove them
to the hospital
, helped them with their one piece of luggage and made sure he had all the information the boss would need.
"
The
B
oss
"
was Noah's nickname
by
anyone who was attached to the
immediate
family
.

After another exam and several more tests to confirm the previous tests, they were finally allowed to
reach
Tabby's
room
.  Noah came to visit later that night, giving both Tabby and Dianna hugs. He read the little girl a story, kissed her and promised he'd be back tomorrow and be waiting for her to come out of surgery.

"Promise?"

"I promise, sweetheart.
I'll be here when the doctor puts you to sleep and I'll be here when you wake up. You're the most precious thing in my world, Tabitha.
I'll be right here.
"

The little girl's
smile was so big
,
it wiped away any remnant of fear she might have harbored.

Noah speaks and she listens, Dianna thought, but she was happy that he came and gave her those kind words. Every little girl seems to believe her Daddy could move the world to protect them, and according to Tabby's standard of family life, Noah was the top of the
list as a
Daddy.

Dianna walked Noah to the door, but
then
he took her hand and led her outside
, closing the door behind her. A light was bright in his eyes, but Dianne knew it wasn't because he was happy. 

"Thank you for coming," Dianne stated stiltedly, attempting to fend off his anger.

He ignored her words. 
"You left without letting me know you were leaving or
giving me the opportunity of going
with you. Don't
do that again. I'm your husband and I'm
now
Tabby's father. I deserve the treatment those titles hold."

"I'm sorry," she began, but he ran over her words.

"I'll be here early tomorrow
morning
and expect to sit with you while we go through this together. Understand?"

Her face flushed. "I'm sorry, but you were so busy on a conference call about your mistress, I felt it would be better if we just got out of
your
way."

"Cheap shot, Dianna."
His gray eyes became the color of
hardened
steel.
"You know nothing is as important as you and Tabby or I wouldn't have insisted on marriage."

"Mama?" Tabby called.

"I'll be right there, honey," she said through a crack in the door before shutting it again.

Noah let out a sigh. "We'll talk tomorrow.
C
all me if you need anything. Understand?

She nodded, unable to find a smart comment to throw out.
It turned out she didn't have to. His arms reached out and pulled her toward him for a kiss that would have been better in a bedroom. His mouth was soft, his touch stroked, his body bent into hers. Then he let go and strode away.