Part 31 (1/2)

”But what the heck, if you don't try you'll never know what you might be missing, right?”

”Right,” Nita said slowly. ”You're absolutely right.”

Now, more than two hours later, Nita still hadn't heard from Deo.

She hoped Deo wasn't still ferrying people back and forth in the harbor.

Growing more desperate by the minute just to hear Deo's voice, she nevertheless made mental notes on the plans being discussed. Deo was doing her job, and Nita needed to do hers.

”Reports from the head of the business bureau indicate that most of the tourists have already left or will be leaving in the morning,” Reese said to the group. ”If the forecast hasn't changed by midday tomorrow, we'll order a mandatory evacuation of all nonresidents. That should give everyone time to get off the Cape even though we antic.i.p.ate travel times could be close to twelve hours. That still gives us a twenty-four-hour window before the big winds and surf get here.”

Someone who Nita thought might be the head of the town council gathered up a pile of papers and said, ”Then I think we've done everything we can for the moment. Let's reconvene tomorrow morning at eleven for an update.”

Tory turned to Nita as the other members in the room began to leave. ”I've had Randy block out tomorrow afternoon for urgent patients. I can come to this meeting if you want to run out to Beech Forest in the morning and see how many residents are staying.”

* 220 *

Winds of Fortune ”That's fi ne. I'm available if you need me sooner.”

”Great, thanks. You should try to get some sleep while you can.”

”Yes,” Nita said, even though sleep was not what she wanted. She bid Tory and the others good night and fortifi ed herself for the short walk to her car.

Outside, the night was moonless, and shards of rain slanted beneath the inadequate cover of her umbrella and battered her face. Giving up on the hope of remaining dry, Nita slammed her umbrella closed and made a run for it. Once inside the car, she looked toward the harbor, wondering where Deo was. The visibility was so poor she couldn't see anything at all. Frustrated, she started her car, but instead of heading toward home, she drove in the opposite direction toward Deo's condo.

The parking s.p.a.ce in front of Deo's unit was empty and Nita pulled into the adjoining spot.

”Five minutes,” Nita whispered. ”I'll just wait for fi ve minutes, and if she doesn't come home, I'll call her again in the morning.”

When she realized she was staring at her watch, Nita tilted her head back and closed her eyes, trying not to silently count the seconds.

y As Deo jumped from her truck and made a dash for her condo, she heard a car door open and close nearby. Surprised that anyone was out in the middle of the night in the worst weather she could ever remember, she slowed and peered through the rain. A second later, she recognized Nita. Her swift surge of pleasure was almost immediately replaced by concern.

”Jesus, Nita,” Deo yelled, grabbing Nita's arm and pulling her under the shelter of the short roof that protected her front door. ”What the h.e.l.l are you doing out here? It's four in the morning!”

”I just stopped by to see if you were all right. I guess I fell asleep.”

Chilled from her sudden soaking, she cuddled closer to Deo as Deo fumbled with the lock. ”I should go so you can get some sleep.”

Deo pushed the door open and tugged Nita inside. She kicked the door closed with her foot, grasped Nita's shoulders, and kissed her hard. ”Don't be crazy. You're not going anywhere.”

Nita automatically wrapped her arms around Deo's shoulders and kissed her back. ”You've got to be beyond exhausted. Everything has * 221 *

RADCLY fFE just gotten so crazy so fast, I wasn't sure when I would be able to see you again.” She hugged Deo closer. ”Now I have. That's enough.”

”Maybe it is for you,” Deo murmured, kissing Nita's neck. ”But it isn't for me. I need a shower to get warm, and then I want to crawl into bed with you.”

Nita leaned back and smiled fl eetingly. ”What happened to your mandate about no s.e.x?”

”I didn't say anything about s.e.x.”

”Good, because you're going to sleep.” Nita grasped Deo's hand, guided by instinct and too tired to think of all the reasons she shouldn't be doing what she was about to do. She wasn't just tired-she was frightened, she was cold, and she was lonely. Life had turned upside down in twenty-four hours, and the one solid point in her universe was Deo. ”Would you mind very much if I shared your shower?”

Deo shot her a glance. ”Do I look dead to you?”

”No,” Nita replied throatily, ”you look...delicious.”

”Cut it out,” Deo said unconvincingly.

Nita laughed. ”Say that like you mean it.”

”I can't.”

”Good.”

When they reached the bathroom and Deo began shedding her clothes, Nita realized she'd made a mistake. What Deo needed was a hot shower and as much sleep as she could get. And Nita couldn't even look at her without wanting to touch her. She backed toward the door.

”On second thought, I'll skip the shower for now.”

Naked, Deo reached around her and held the door closed with her hand. Her body pressed against Nita's. ”Take your clothes off.”

”Deo-”

”Do it, Nita,” Deo whispered and moved in for a kiss.

”You said you weren't going to have s.e.x with me.” Trembling, Nita turned her head away so that Deo's kiss only caught the corner of her mouth. ”This is cruel.”

”You don't like the way you feel right now?”

Drawing a shaky breath, Nita shook her head back and forth. ”I don't like wanting you so badly it hurts and knowing I can't have you.”

She turned her head back, struggling not to cup Deo's b.r.e.a.s.t.s in her hands. ”I'm trying to give you what you want. You said you didn't want it to be just about s.e.x.”

* 222 *

Winds of Fortune ”What do you want, Nita?” Deo held still even though she wanted to rub herself over Nita's body. ”Forget about me and what I want or what you think I want you to be. Just say what it is you want.”

The silence grew until the air felt so heavy Nita didn't think she could pull it into her lungs. Her heart raced and her chest ached. She couldn't remember the last time she thought about what she wanted instead of what she couldn't have and shouldn't desire and didn't dare dream of.

”Tell me,” Deo said, her eyes boring into Nita's, her mouth just a breath away from closing over Nita's.

”I want...” Nita shuddered and gripped Deo's arms. Deo's skin was so hot she felt feverish. ”I want to make love with you and not be afraid you'll be gone as soon as you come. I want to see you on the street and not have you pretend you don't know me. I want...G.o.d, I want...”

”Go ahead,” Deo whispered. ”You can say it.”

”I want not to hate how much I want you.”

”Do you?” Deo inched away until their bodies didn't touch, but she cradled Nita's cheek in her hand, still watching her eyes. ”Do you hate wanting to make me come?”

”No,” Nita said breathlessly.