Part 18 (1/2)
”Hemorrhoid cream? That's a little more than I wanted to know about you, Lady Emma.”
”It's not-I don't actually have-Give that back to me!”
Ignoring her, he reached into the bag and pulled out a paperback book. ”Talking Back to Prozac. You be sure to let me know exactly what to say.”
”No!” She sprang forward as his hand closed around a plastic bottle. ”Give me-”
He held it just out of her reach and studied the label. ”Now, who would have imagined a member of the British aristocracy would have a problem with head lice?”
”It's seasonal,” she managed.
He pushed aside the Camels, the tabloid, and an early pregnancy test kit to pick up a series of small boxes. ”Sheik Lubricated, Trojan Ribbed, Ramses Extra, Cla.s.s Act Ultra Thins. I guess I know who to borrow from if I ever run out.” He pushed away a package of clothesline. ”I'm not even going to ask about that.”
Only one item remained in the bag. Maybe he hadn't noticed it. Maybe he wouldn't- ”Now, what do we have here?” He scooped it out and held it up. ”v.a.g.i.n.al moisturizer.” His eyebrows shot together. ”What in the h.e.l.l h.e.l.l is is this this for?” for?”
Her face flamed. ”Well, I don't know.... I would imagine it's for-”
”Now, this this is where I draw the line! It's bad enough everybody in town's going to be thinkin' I'm sleeping with a depressed, lice-ridden, hemorrhoidal foreigner who likes to be tied up and might be pregnant, although-since she's just about cornered the market on condoms-I don't know how that could have happened. But I will is where I draw the line! It's bad enough everybody in town's going to be thinkin' I'm sleeping with a depressed, lice-ridden, hemorrhoidal foreigner who likes to be tied up and might be pregnant, although-since she's just about cornered the market on condoms-I don't know how that could have happened. But I will not not-you listen to me, Emma!-I absolutely will not not have anybody thinkin' a woman of mine needs a have anybody thinkin' a woman of mine needs a v.a.g.i.n.al moisturizer v.a.g.i.n.al moisturizer, do you hear me?”
”It was-” She swallowed and tried to speak calmly. ”It was an impulse buy.”
He snorted.
”I told you Hugh's man was following me. He came in the drugstore, so I scrambled to buy all this.”
”He was in the drugstore?”
”He saw everything!” Her enthusiasm bubbled to the surface. ”I think this just might do it! Especially with what happened between us outside the drugstore. I know you weren't happy about that, but I'll explain to Francesca the next time we talk. Beddington's going to be appalled when he hears, and, by this time tomorrow, the engagement has to be over.”
”This is what your grand plan has come down to? Convincing the duke the two of us are having an affair.”
”It didn't start out that way. Honestly. But I need to work with what I have.”
”And I guess that's me.” Kenny transferred the v.a.g.i.n.al moisturizer from one hand to the other and looked thoughtful. ”Emma, you're making this way too complicated. Just call him up and tell him you're not marrying him. It isn't right the way you're letting him push you around.”
”I can't do that. If I make him angry, he'll close St. Gert's. I have to be subtle.”
”Subtle?” He shook his head. ”You sure do bring new meaning to that old song about being true to your school.”
”It's not just a school. It's my-”
”I know. It's your home. And excuse me for pointing out that's more than a little pathetic, although, after what you saw tonight of my family at dinner, I guess I don't have much room to talk.”
She hesitated. ”Peter really is adorable.”
He smiled. ”I have a couple of irons already cut down for him, just waiting till he's old enough to hit a ball around.”
”I'm sure he'll love that. Especially if you're with him.”
Silence fell between them. It was night and the house was quiet. Her gaze dipped to his mouth, and she remembered the kiss they'd shared. She wondered if he remembered.
”I'm going for a swim,” he said abruptly. ”I'll see you tomorrow.”
He began to walk away, then seemed to remember what he was holding and turned back to put the tube of v.a.g.i.n.al moisturizer in her hands. ”You'd better hold on to this just in case you completely lose your mind and decide to seduce Dexter O'Conner.”
Before she could reply, he disappeared.
Torie stood by herself on the patio smoking her last cigarette of the night. She kept telling herself she was going to quit, and this time she'd do it. As soon as her life settled down.
A light flickered on above her in Peter's room. Shelby had gone in to check on him.
Torie's heart shriveled with envy. Peter was so dear, so perfect. She loved him with all her heart, yet she could barely stand to look at him. Only once had Shelby broached the subject of Torie being his guardian, and that had been right after he was born. Torie had made certain it never came up again.
The door that led into the house opened. She looked up, expecting to see her father, but Dexter O'Conner emerged instead.
”What in the h.e.l.l are you doing here?”
”Your father let me in. I was invited for dinner, but I had a business meeting, and I couldn't get away.”
Shelby hadn't told her that Dexter was invited. One more betrayal.
He pushed his hands into his pockets and gazed up at the sky. She caught a whiff of his cologne. It smelled crisp and clean as the air. ”What a beautiful night.”
Something like awe resonated in his voice, as if the clear, starlit night was magical instead of something rather ordinary. She had to force herself not to look up to see what she'd missed. Instead, she crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. ”I'm getting sick of this, Dexter. There are laws against stalking.”
”I'm hardly stalking you, Victoria. I didn't know you were going to be at the Roustabout last night. And tonight I had an invitation.”
”Let me be a little clearer. I don't like you, and I don't ever want to talk to you again.”
”In point of fact, we're not well-acquainted enough for you to dislike me. You know, if you could stop being so frightened by this situation, our entire problem-solving process would be a lot easier.”
”Frightened? Of a dweeb like you? Don't flatter yourself.”
”If you weren't frightened, you'd be anxious to talk to me so we could get this sorted out.”
He was right, but she would never admit it. ”There isn't anything to sort out. I don't want to marry you! I can't make it any plainer.”
He looked up at the sky, then tilted his head as if he wanted to star-gaze from a different angle. She couldn't help but notice the clean, strong lines of his profile. He had a broad forehead, a well-shaped nose, and a mouth that was rather alarmingly sensual. The surprise of his mouth, combined with his composure in the face of her turbulent emotions, infuriated her.
”You know what I think? I think you cooked this whole thing up yourself. You want me, but you know I'd never look twice at a nerd like you, so you came up with this whole scheme, then convinced your father to go along with it.”
He looked mildly startled. ”Is that what you believe?”
”You're d.a.m.ned right I do.”
”Fascinating.”
As he wandered over to the banquette, she found herself studying the shoulders beneath that rumpled oxford s.h.i.+rt. They weren't overly broad, but they were solid-looking.
He turned back, and she had the weird feeling that he could read her mind. ”In fact, this was your your father's idea.” father's idea.”