ICE PRINCESS, page 18
Her heart was beating so hard, she wasn’t sure she heard him.
"It wasn’t sex for me." Zach turned her palm over and traced the underside of her wrist. "It was making love for me. No doubt about it."
"It was for me, too." Her voice was barely above a whisper. "I love you, Zach."
He kept his gaze on her wrist, tracing the delicate blue veins with careful precision. "I want to believe that. God knows, I want to believe that. I can’t stand thinking you might not. But, sweetheart, sex is a powerful emotion. It’s been ten years for you. How do you know it’s love and not sex? Especially, when the sex is so very, very good."
Claudia tried to keep her mouth shut, tried to keep the laughter from bubbling up. It was no use.
"Oh, my, but we do have an inflated opinion of ourself, don’t we?" Clutching her sides, she doubled over while tears of laughter filled her eyes.
Zach stretched to his feet and stared down indignantly at her. It made her laugh all the more.
"Nothing like having your masculinity insulted by the woman you love." He snatched up his duffel bag. "Show me where the bathroom is so I can shower."
Still holding her midriff, Claudia pointed. "It’s right down the hall. You can’t miss it. We passed it on our way to the bedroom."
"Oh no…show me." He grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet.
With her free hand, she wiped the tears from her eyes. "Now why do I suspect an ulterior motive?"
He waited as long as it took to reach the bathroom, then pulled her into the room with him. "Because you’re generally a suspicious woman?"
Before she could answer, Zach pressed her against the wall. As his mouth devoured hers, Claudia heard the door click shut.
Claudia tugged the shirt from his trousers and dusted her nails across his belly. His muscles contracted with his sharp intake of breath. Emboldened, she flicked open his button fly, then wiggled his zipper down.
Zach caught her wrist in a gentle hold. "Not yet. If you touch me now…"
The words died as she wrapped her hand around her target. He bit back a groan and nuzzled his face into the folds of her robe. Shoving aside material, he closed his mouth over her nipple.
Claudia tossed back her head in wonder and shrugged free of the garment. He was tenderness personified, caressing her to a fever pitch until all she wanted was to be possessed. Inch by inch she stripped his body nude.
Zach pulled back. "Is it safe?"
"The apartment is small. They’ll hear."
"That’s not what I mean. Even we can be quiet. I mean…is it safe? I don’t have anything with me."
Finally, she understood, and gave a single nod.
She watched with breathless anticipation as he twisted on the water, then stepped into the stall. Like a prince offering a carriage to his lady, he extended his hand to her.
Claudia stepped into the warmth of the spray. He eased her against the tile, and shoved himself before her open thighs, big and bold, ready to take what she offered.
His lips took hers once more, probing deeply until her breath was ragged and shaky. Then he slid downward, to the well at the base of her throat, across to her collarbone, then further on.
Her nipples, already hard, aching points were next. He flicked them mercilessly beneath his tongue until she was senseless to everything else. He traveled onward, teasing her navel, the flat of her stomach, shoving her thighs wider still. Angel kisses fell upon her inner thighs. Claudia quivered in response. Then she felt his hot breath against her.
"Zach, n…"
The protest was futile. She clutched the towel bar for balance as he closed his mouth over the most intimate part of her body. Steam rose around them in great clouds. With each fold explored, Claudia felt the tension rise. And with its release, she wanted to melt to the bottom of the shower stall.
Zach held her in place, bracing one strong arm around her waist while he lifted one of her legs over his hip. Claudia watched the tenderness in his eyes, in the way he took her. It couldn’t have been easy for him to hold back, and she reveled in it.
His movements were slow, bringing her to a fever pitch once more until it was she who set the pace. Shudders of pleasure drifted through his body over and over again. It was enough to bring her with him. They tensed together, straining to the end, then collapsed, exhausted against the wall under the onslaught of the shower spray.
Chapter 14
* * *
Zach stood on what little piece of patio Claudia had, letting the night chill and the wine in his hand shock him back to his senses. Who was he kidding? Women like Claudia didn’t fall in love with men like him. He knew that from the minute he first met her. But that hadn’t been enough to make him stop wanting her…then and now.
He loved her all right. With a passion that drove him crazy. All she had to do was crook her little finger and he’d be her slave for life. And he’d take it.
One day she’d realize that it was just sex for her, and she’d be gone. Until then he’d take the time with her, call it special, and pray to God her departure didn’t kill him. He loved her that much.
So much for bringing me to my senses.
The sliding glass door opened, bringing a touch of warmth to his back. He hoped it was Claudia, then was disappointed to discover Phillip.
"You want to share that?" Phillip shoved a glass his way, and when Zach poured, braced his arms on the iron railing to stare into the play of streetlights on the light fog.
"Can’t sleep?"
"No," Zach muttered in response. And I don’t feel like talking either, so shut up or go away.
"So now what happens?"
"I’ll wake her in a little bit and we’ll head to the airport."
"That’s not what I mean."
Zach covered his eyes. There was no getting around this. "I know how I feel. I’ve let her know that. Look, Phillip, this isn’t your normal relationship we’re talking about. Most romances evolve. You date, have sex, live together, then get married. We’ve gotten it all backward. I don’t know what to do here, and I’m sure Claudia doesn’t either. Just…just give us some breathing room and back off…please."
Phillip slugged down the wine like a shot of whiskey, then moved toward the door. "All right. This is me…backing off."
Left alone again with his thoughts, Zach wasn’t any happier than before Phillip had intruded. What would happen once Sunline’s murderer was caught? Claudia had her own life to live. Why give it up for him? She would want to return to that life, to a normal relationship. They would date, see each other, share a bed. But they were already married. What about that? He didn’t want to corner her, but he couldn’t bear to have her go so soon.
He eased open the door, snagged the telephone, and pulled it onto the patio. It wouldn’t be the first time a Taylor son had called home in the middle of the night. His mother answered on the first ring. His apology was brushed aside. Without prompting, he unburdened his heart.
"I wasn’t aware you had psychic abilities, Zach," his mother said when he finished.
"I don’t understand."
"How can you assign feelings and emotions to Claudia she has not expressed? How can you know what’s truly in her heart? Don’t put words or thoughts in her head that don’t exist. Goodnight, sweetheart."
He could almost see his mother’s smile as she hung up. She was right, but it didn’t quell the fear in his heart. It only made him more cautious about expressing it aloud.
Zach raised the bottle to pour the last glass. It shattered in his hand. Glass exploded behind him.
Vic bolted upright from where he slept on the couch. "Get in here now! Everyone stay down."
A stupidly obvious remark. Zach punched in 9-1-1 while he hunkered down behind a large decorative planter. With one foot he shoved open the remains of the door, and eased over the pile of glass. He spied Claudia, belly-crawling along the hallway. Once he spit instructions to the operator, he waved her back.
"Start packing. We’re leaving now. Once the police get here, we’ll have them give us an escort to the airport."
"No." She crawled forward. "Come into the bathroom. There are no windows there. We’ll be safe."
"Damnit, Claudia, I said—"
"You’re hurt. You’re bleeding."
Zach glanced down. A gash along the underside of his hand oozed blood.
The police arrived while she bandaged him. Both he and Claudia strained to pick up pieces of their conversation with Vic. The officers were noncommittal in their responses, and after careful evaluations, they came up with one conclusion—a random act of street violence. They’d even managed to find the weapon, but no shooter.
It was too much of a coincidence. Zach let Vic argue with them. His goal, his only concern, was to get Claudia out of there. Since the police refused to ensure their safety to the airport, Zach decided to take advantage of the distraction their presence created to leave.
Two hours later when the plane was airborne, they were finally able to relax. He waited until Claudia was asleep, then allowed himself to do the same. He jerked awake when the tires bounced onto the tarmac in Palm Springs.
"If you’d like, I’ll drive us home," Claudia told him.
Zach nodded. Two nights without sleep had finally caught up with him. He was out again before she could leave the parking lot. The next thing he felt was her gently shaking his shoulder.
"Hold your temper. This shouldn’t take long."
He squinted into bright daylight, then gave her a look that screamed of treachery.
Claudia arched her eyebrow. "Yes, the Naval Hospital. You need stitches, and you’re going to have them."
Hard to argue when she had already alerted the medical staff.
Claudia slid into the molded plastic chair while Zach was hustled into the examining room. The attempt with the car was scary enough, but to come so close to losing Zach was frightening beyond belief. It seemed too pat to be gang related, especially since there had never been any activity of that nature in her neighborhood.
This went way beyond a warning, or an accident. Even if they were to turn back now and let Vic take full control of the investigation, the murderer—Hanson or Sinclair—would never allow them to be free. They were in this for the duration. Now all they had to do was survive it.
"Mrs. Stuart?"
Claudia looked up at the Navy corpsman, and got a clipboard shoved under her nose.
"Your husband is being most disagreeable. If you would fill out these forms, we would appreciate it. How did he cut himself?"
It’s quite simple. You see, a killer is after us. He decided to use my husband for target practice.
"A glass bottle shattered while he was holding it. I cleaned the wound immediately, but it took me this long to convince him stitches were required."
"Very good. It shouldn’t be long."
At least the man didn’t hover over her while she wrote. There was a ton of information she didn’t know. Height, weight, date of birth, Social Security Number. As far as she was concerned, they could yank the information out of Zach later.
She slid the clipboard across the counter to the corpsman, daring him to say something. The look she gave must have kept him quiet. Claudia returned to her seat undisturbed.
By the time Zach was finished, she was ready to get back to the comfort of bed and a long sleep. By his droopy eyes and sour disposition, she could tell Zach was too. Six stitches were hidden beneath a mound of gauze. A small bottle of pain pills rattled in his other hand.
Without a word, he walked to the Jeep and crawled into the passenger seat. "I hope you’re happy," he grumbled.
Claudia smiled. "Ecstatic. I’m sure if the situations were reversed, you would have done the same. Deny it and I’ll call you a liar."
He tucked his arms over his chest, shutting out further discussion.
She resisted the urge to laugh at him. Had their situations been reversed, her behavior would have been no better. The least she could do was humor him, and see he got some well-deserved rest before they moved the belongings Phillip was bringing from her apartment.
He drifted off once more before they could get home. Claudia hated to wake him. She didn’t have to. His eyes flashed opened the second she turned into the driveway. A muttered curse set her heart to leaping. Martin Sinclair cut across the street toward them. He hailed them with a wave and a fixed smile.
Zach jerked open the Jeep door and jumped down, intercepting Sinclair’s path. "What can I do for you this morning, sir?"
"I came over to invite the two of you to a barbecue this afternoon at my house."
"All depends. Who’s cooking and who will be there?" Zach shot back.
Sinclair’s humor faded, but his smile remained fixed. "Friends, neighbors, office personnel. I do the grill work. Allison takes care of the kitchen. Only proper way to do it. Shall I count on the two of you?"
Zach was a breath away from refusing until he felt Claudia’s fingers against his back.
"That’s very kind of you. But we’ve had a long, exhausting weekend and just want to spend the day resting. We’ll see you tomorrow for Monday night football."
"Suit yourself. If you change your mind, come on over. There’s plenty for everyone."
"Yeah, we’d love to have you poison us," Zach muttered under his breath once Sinclair was out of hearing range. "The guy has balls, asking us over after that performance at Sunline’s funeral."
"Yeah, and I’d like to cut them off and shove them down his throat."
Chuckling, Zach pulled her arm through his. "Now that’s something I’d really like to see. Come on, Princess. Last one to sleep is a rotten egg."
Miss Kitty opened one eye as they walked through the door, offered a half-hearted meow, then rolled her back to them and went back to sleep. The answering machine greeted them more enthusiastically. Its red light flashed persistently.
There was a message from Zach’s mother wondering if he was all right. One from Rowan to call when they arrived, and that Phillip was on his way. Vic called as he and Phillip passed Bakersfield reporting no sign of trouble. Four were hang-ups. And lastly a series of calls from what had to be everyone in Zach’s family welcoming Claudia to their ranks. Each ended with, "See you at Thanksgiving."
Zach buried his head in his hands and braced elbows on knees.
"You told your family we were married?"
"My mom."
"I see, and may I inquire as to why?"
"Ah…no. Conversations between a mother and son are private."
She lifted a brow. "I see. I take this as a rule of marriage. Very well. This Thanksgiving thing. I presume it is a family gathering."
"Everyone will be there."
"I see. And can I also presume that my procreation potential will be evaluated?"
Zach tossed back a laugh. "Must you be so precise and formal?"
"Reply to the question."
"Yes, yes, yes. They are going to size you up. They are going to inundate you with warmth and love and smother you until you can’t stand it. The children will want you to play catch and chase and tie shoes. And above all they will all look at you as the hope and salvation of the Taylor clan."
Wrinkling her brow in confusion, Claudia cocked her head to one side. "Why so?"
Zach caught her waist and drew her astride his lap. "Because, Princess, there hasn’t been a girl born to the Taylor clan in four generations."
Her muscles tensed. "A heavy responsibility."
"Very." He drew circles along her ribcage with his thumbs. "I’m not going to lie to you. There have been enough barriers between us since we met. No more. Here it is."
Pulling in a deep breath, he went on, "I love you, Claudia. Honest to God, love you. I always have. From the second our lips touched under that mistletoe. I want nothing more than to see our child growing in you. To feel it move beneath my hand, to pamper you throughout the whole ordeal. Hell, right now I’d lay the world at your feet if that’s what it would take to make sure you stay with me always. My brothers would call me a crazy fool in love. Well, I might be crazy, but I’m no fool."
"Zach, I’m not ready for children."
"And that’s fine with me. You tell me when it’s not safe and we’ll take precautions. What I’m trying to say is that, I don’t want anything to make you feel compelled to stay here. We have a backward relationship here. Once this other business is taken care of, if you want to start from scratch and build…"
She covered his mouth with her hand. "Shut up and stop thinking, Zach. You married me. You’re not going to get rid of me that easy. Now call Rowan, call your mom, and I’ll whip up a breakfast that will knock your socks off."
* * *
"Paella!" Cruz Montoya scooped a healthy portion onto his tortilla, then took an equally healthy bite, and rolled his eyes heavenward. "Delicious! What else is there to eat?"
Claudia lifted the lid on another pot. She liked this man, his sense of humor, the way his eyes laughed. "Seafood gumbo and sourdough bread."
Closing his eyes, Cruz inhaled the aroma. "A woman after my own heart. Wouldn’t you say, Kurt?"
Kurt smiled and cocked his head to one side. "Definitely one to be admired."
Cruz’s eyes sparkled as he smiled down at Claudia. "If you ever decide to give Zach the boot, let me know."
Zach raised his hands. "All right, gentlemen, that’ll be enough. Kurt, don’t you have a self-defense class to teach?"
"I do. I have quite a crowd of women waiting for me in the backyard including the wives who came tonight for football. Obviously, they are more intrigued with developing a strong right arm than watching a bunch of sweaty guys in tight pants throw a ball and pat each other on the butt. Come on, Claudia." He motioned to her to follow him.
"Coming, Allison?" Claudia asked.
"I…couldn’t. My clothes—"
"Easy. Run home and put on some sweats. We’ll wait."
Sinclair pushed his way to the stove and snatched the lid from the gumbo. "Allison doesn’t own sweats and she doesn’t want to roughhouse."
Tension crackled in the atmosphere. No matter how nonchalantly Sinclair may have presented the words, menacing control seeped through.
"It wasn’t sex for me." Zach turned her palm over and traced the underside of her wrist. "It was making love for me. No doubt about it."
"It was for me, too." Her voice was barely above a whisper. "I love you, Zach."
He kept his gaze on her wrist, tracing the delicate blue veins with careful precision. "I want to believe that. God knows, I want to believe that. I can’t stand thinking you might not. But, sweetheart, sex is a powerful emotion. It’s been ten years for you. How do you know it’s love and not sex? Especially, when the sex is so very, very good."
Claudia tried to keep her mouth shut, tried to keep the laughter from bubbling up. It was no use.
"Oh, my, but we do have an inflated opinion of ourself, don’t we?" Clutching her sides, she doubled over while tears of laughter filled her eyes.
Zach stretched to his feet and stared down indignantly at her. It made her laugh all the more.
"Nothing like having your masculinity insulted by the woman you love." He snatched up his duffel bag. "Show me where the bathroom is so I can shower."
Still holding her midriff, Claudia pointed. "It’s right down the hall. You can’t miss it. We passed it on our way to the bedroom."
"Oh no…show me." He grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet.
With her free hand, she wiped the tears from her eyes. "Now why do I suspect an ulterior motive?"
He waited as long as it took to reach the bathroom, then pulled her into the room with him. "Because you’re generally a suspicious woman?"
Before she could answer, Zach pressed her against the wall. As his mouth devoured hers, Claudia heard the door click shut.
Claudia tugged the shirt from his trousers and dusted her nails across his belly. His muscles contracted with his sharp intake of breath. Emboldened, she flicked open his button fly, then wiggled his zipper down.
Zach caught her wrist in a gentle hold. "Not yet. If you touch me now…"
The words died as she wrapped her hand around her target. He bit back a groan and nuzzled his face into the folds of her robe. Shoving aside material, he closed his mouth over her nipple.
Claudia tossed back her head in wonder and shrugged free of the garment. He was tenderness personified, caressing her to a fever pitch until all she wanted was to be possessed. Inch by inch she stripped his body nude.
Zach pulled back. "Is it safe?"
"The apartment is small. They’ll hear."
"That’s not what I mean. Even we can be quiet. I mean…is it safe? I don’t have anything with me."
Finally, she understood, and gave a single nod.
She watched with breathless anticipation as he twisted on the water, then stepped into the stall. Like a prince offering a carriage to his lady, he extended his hand to her.
Claudia stepped into the warmth of the spray. He eased her against the tile, and shoved himself before her open thighs, big and bold, ready to take what she offered.
His lips took hers once more, probing deeply until her breath was ragged and shaky. Then he slid downward, to the well at the base of her throat, across to her collarbone, then further on.
Her nipples, already hard, aching points were next. He flicked them mercilessly beneath his tongue until she was senseless to everything else. He traveled onward, teasing her navel, the flat of her stomach, shoving her thighs wider still. Angel kisses fell upon her inner thighs. Claudia quivered in response. Then she felt his hot breath against her.
"Zach, n…"
The protest was futile. She clutched the towel bar for balance as he closed his mouth over the most intimate part of her body. Steam rose around them in great clouds. With each fold explored, Claudia felt the tension rise. And with its release, she wanted to melt to the bottom of the shower stall.
Zach held her in place, bracing one strong arm around her waist while he lifted one of her legs over his hip. Claudia watched the tenderness in his eyes, in the way he took her. It couldn’t have been easy for him to hold back, and she reveled in it.
His movements were slow, bringing her to a fever pitch once more until it was she who set the pace. Shudders of pleasure drifted through his body over and over again. It was enough to bring her with him. They tensed together, straining to the end, then collapsed, exhausted against the wall under the onslaught of the shower spray.
Chapter 14
* * *
Zach stood on what little piece of patio Claudia had, letting the night chill and the wine in his hand shock him back to his senses. Who was he kidding? Women like Claudia didn’t fall in love with men like him. He knew that from the minute he first met her. But that hadn’t been enough to make him stop wanting her…then and now.
He loved her all right. With a passion that drove him crazy. All she had to do was crook her little finger and he’d be her slave for life. And he’d take it.
One day she’d realize that it was just sex for her, and she’d be gone. Until then he’d take the time with her, call it special, and pray to God her departure didn’t kill him. He loved her that much.
So much for bringing me to my senses.
The sliding glass door opened, bringing a touch of warmth to his back. He hoped it was Claudia, then was disappointed to discover Phillip.
"You want to share that?" Phillip shoved a glass his way, and when Zach poured, braced his arms on the iron railing to stare into the play of streetlights on the light fog.
"Can’t sleep?"
"No," Zach muttered in response. And I don’t feel like talking either, so shut up or go away.
"So now what happens?"
"I’ll wake her in a little bit and we’ll head to the airport."
"That’s not what I mean."
Zach covered his eyes. There was no getting around this. "I know how I feel. I’ve let her know that. Look, Phillip, this isn’t your normal relationship we’re talking about. Most romances evolve. You date, have sex, live together, then get married. We’ve gotten it all backward. I don’t know what to do here, and I’m sure Claudia doesn’t either. Just…just give us some breathing room and back off…please."
Phillip slugged down the wine like a shot of whiskey, then moved toward the door. "All right. This is me…backing off."
Left alone again with his thoughts, Zach wasn’t any happier than before Phillip had intruded. What would happen once Sunline’s murderer was caught? Claudia had her own life to live. Why give it up for him? She would want to return to that life, to a normal relationship. They would date, see each other, share a bed. But they were already married. What about that? He didn’t want to corner her, but he couldn’t bear to have her go so soon.
He eased open the door, snagged the telephone, and pulled it onto the patio. It wouldn’t be the first time a Taylor son had called home in the middle of the night. His mother answered on the first ring. His apology was brushed aside. Without prompting, he unburdened his heart.
"I wasn’t aware you had psychic abilities, Zach," his mother said when he finished.
"I don’t understand."
"How can you assign feelings and emotions to Claudia she has not expressed? How can you know what’s truly in her heart? Don’t put words or thoughts in her head that don’t exist. Goodnight, sweetheart."
He could almost see his mother’s smile as she hung up. She was right, but it didn’t quell the fear in his heart. It only made him more cautious about expressing it aloud.
Zach raised the bottle to pour the last glass. It shattered in his hand. Glass exploded behind him.
Vic bolted upright from where he slept on the couch. "Get in here now! Everyone stay down."
A stupidly obvious remark. Zach punched in 9-1-1 while he hunkered down behind a large decorative planter. With one foot he shoved open the remains of the door, and eased over the pile of glass. He spied Claudia, belly-crawling along the hallway. Once he spit instructions to the operator, he waved her back.
"Start packing. We’re leaving now. Once the police get here, we’ll have them give us an escort to the airport."
"No." She crawled forward. "Come into the bathroom. There are no windows there. We’ll be safe."
"Damnit, Claudia, I said—"
"You’re hurt. You’re bleeding."
Zach glanced down. A gash along the underside of his hand oozed blood.
The police arrived while she bandaged him. Both he and Claudia strained to pick up pieces of their conversation with Vic. The officers were noncommittal in their responses, and after careful evaluations, they came up with one conclusion—a random act of street violence. They’d even managed to find the weapon, but no shooter.
It was too much of a coincidence. Zach let Vic argue with them. His goal, his only concern, was to get Claudia out of there. Since the police refused to ensure their safety to the airport, Zach decided to take advantage of the distraction their presence created to leave.
Two hours later when the plane was airborne, they were finally able to relax. He waited until Claudia was asleep, then allowed himself to do the same. He jerked awake when the tires bounced onto the tarmac in Palm Springs.
"If you’d like, I’ll drive us home," Claudia told him.
Zach nodded. Two nights without sleep had finally caught up with him. He was out again before she could leave the parking lot. The next thing he felt was her gently shaking his shoulder.
"Hold your temper. This shouldn’t take long."
He squinted into bright daylight, then gave her a look that screamed of treachery.
Claudia arched her eyebrow. "Yes, the Naval Hospital. You need stitches, and you’re going to have them."
Hard to argue when she had already alerted the medical staff.
Claudia slid into the molded plastic chair while Zach was hustled into the examining room. The attempt with the car was scary enough, but to come so close to losing Zach was frightening beyond belief. It seemed too pat to be gang related, especially since there had never been any activity of that nature in her neighborhood.
This went way beyond a warning, or an accident. Even if they were to turn back now and let Vic take full control of the investigation, the murderer—Hanson or Sinclair—would never allow them to be free. They were in this for the duration. Now all they had to do was survive it.
"Mrs. Stuart?"
Claudia looked up at the Navy corpsman, and got a clipboard shoved under her nose.
"Your husband is being most disagreeable. If you would fill out these forms, we would appreciate it. How did he cut himself?"
It’s quite simple. You see, a killer is after us. He decided to use my husband for target practice.
"A glass bottle shattered while he was holding it. I cleaned the wound immediately, but it took me this long to convince him stitches were required."
"Very good. It shouldn’t be long."
At least the man didn’t hover over her while she wrote. There was a ton of information she didn’t know. Height, weight, date of birth, Social Security Number. As far as she was concerned, they could yank the information out of Zach later.
She slid the clipboard across the counter to the corpsman, daring him to say something. The look she gave must have kept him quiet. Claudia returned to her seat undisturbed.
By the time Zach was finished, she was ready to get back to the comfort of bed and a long sleep. By his droopy eyes and sour disposition, she could tell Zach was too. Six stitches were hidden beneath a mound of gauze. A small bottle of pain pills rattled in his other hand.
Without a word, he walked to the Jeep and crawled into the passenger seat. "I hope you’re happy," he grumbled.
Claudia smiled. "Ecstatic. I’m sure if the situations were reversed, you would have done the same. Deny it and I’ll call you a liar."
He tucked his arms over his chest, shutting out further discussion.
She resisted the urge to laugh at him. Had their situations been reversed, her behavior would have been no better. The least she could do was humor him, and see he got some well-deserved rest before they moved the belongings Phillip was bringing from her apartment.
He drifted off once more before they could get home. Claudia hated to wake him. She didn’t have to. His eyes flashed opened the second she turned into the driveway. A muttered curse set her heart to leaping. Martin Sinclair cut across the street toward them. He hailed them with a wave and a fixed smile.
Zach jerked open the Jeep door and jumped down, intercepting Sinclair’s path. "What can I do for you this morning, sir?"
"I came over to invite the two of you to a barbecue this afternoon at my house."
"All depends. Who’s cooking and who will be there?" Zach shot back.
Sinclair’s humor faded, but his smile remained fixed. "Friends, neighbors, office personnel. I do the grill work. Allison takes care of the kitchen. Only proper way to do it. Shall I count on the two of you?"
Zach was a breath away from refusing until he felt Claudia’s fingers against his back.
"That’s very kind of you. But we’ve had a long, exhausting weekend and just want to spend the day resting. We’ll see you tomorrow for Monday night football."
"Suit yourself. If you change your mind, come on over. There’s plenty for everyone."
"Yeah, we’d love to have you poison us," Zach muttered under his breath once Sinclair was out of hearing range. "The guy has balls, asking us over after that performance at Sunline’s funeral."
"Yeah, and I’d like to cut them off and shove them down his throat."
Chuckling, Zach pulled her arm through his. "Now that’s something I’d really like to see. Come on, Princess. Last one to sleep is a rotten egg."
Miss Kitty opened one eye as they walked through the door, offered a half-hearted meow, then rolled her back to them and went back to sleep. The answering machine greeted them more enthusiastically. Its red light flashed persistently.
There was a message from Zach’s mother wondering if he was all right. One from Rowan to call when they arrived, and that Phillip was on his way. Vic called as he and Phillip passed Bakersfield reporting no sign of trouble. Four were hang-ups. And lastly a series of calls from what had to be everyone in Zach’s family welcoming Claudia to their ranks. Each ended with, "See you at Thanksgiving."
Zach buried his head in his hands and braced elbows on knees.
"You told your family we were married?"
"My mom."
"I see, and may I inquire as to why?"
"Ah…no. Conversations between a mother and son are private."
She lifted a brow. "I see. I take this as a rule of marriage. Very well. This Thanksgiving thing. I presume it is a family gathering."
"Everyone will be there."
"I see. And can I also presume that my procreation potential will be evaluated?"
Zach tossed back a laugh. "Must you be so precise and formal?"
"Reply to the question."
"Yes, yes, yes. They are going to size you up. They are going to inundate you with warmth and love and smother you until you can’t stand it. The children will want you to play catch and chase and tie shoes. And above all they will all look at you as the hope and salvation of the Taylor clan."
Wrinkling her brow in confusion, Claudia cocked her head to one side. "Why so?"
Zach caught her waist and drew her astride his lap. "Because, Princess, there hasn’t been a girl born to the Taylor clan in four generations."
Her muscles tensed. "A heavy responsibility."
"Very." He drew circles along her ribcage with his thumbs. "I’m not going to lie to you. There have been enough barriers between us since we met. No more. Here it is."
Pulling in a deep breath, he went on, "I love you, Claudia. Honest to God, love you. I always have. From the second our lips touched under that mistletoe. I want nothing more than to see our child growing in you. To feel it move beneath my hand, to pamper you throughout the whole ordeal. Hell, right now I’d lay the world at your feet if that’s what it would take to make sure you stay with me always. My brothers would call me a crazy fool in love. Well, I might be crazy, but I’m no fool."
"Zach, I’m not ready for children."
"And that’s fine with me. You tell me when it’s not safe and we’ll take precautions. What I’m trying to say is that, I don’t want anything to make you feel compelled to stay here. We have a backward relationship here. Once this other business is taken care of, if you want to start from scratch and build…"
She covered his mouth with her hand. "Shut up and stop thinking, Zach. You married me. You’re not going to get rid of me that easy. Now call Rowan, call your mom, and I’ll whip up a breakfast that will knock your socks off."
* * *
"Paella!" Cruz Montoya scooped a healthy portion onto his tortilla, then took an equally healthy bite, and rolled his eyes heavenward. "Delicious! What else is there to eat?"
Claudia lifted the lid on another pot. She liked this man, his sense of humor, the way his eyes laughed. "Seafood gumbo and sourdough bread."
Closing his eyes, Cruz inhaled the aroma. "A woman after my own heart. Wouldn’t you say, Kurt?"
Kurt smiled and cocked his head to one side. "Definitely one to be admired."
Cruz’s eyes sparkled as he smiled down at Claudia. "If you ever decide to give Zach the boot, let me know."
Zach raised his hands. "All right, gentlemen, that’ll be enough. Kurt, don’t you have a self-defense class to teach?"
"I do. I have quite a crowd of women waiting for me in the backyard including the wives who came tonight for football. Obviously, they are more intrigued with developing a strong right arm than watching a bunch of sweaty guys in tight pants throw a ball and pat each other on the butt. Come on, Claudia." He motioned to her to follow him.
"Coming, Allison?" Claudia asked.
"I…couldn’t. My clothes—"
"Easy. Run home and put on some sweats. We’ll wait."
Sinclair pushed his way to the stove and snatched the lid from the gumbo. "Allison doesn’t own sweats and she doesn’t want to roughhouse."
Tension crackled in the atmosphere. No matter how nonchalantly Sinclair may have presented the words, menacing control seeped through.
