against the floor and the lively chatter of the crew, and she pulled away, laughing. “Hey, you are a crazy man.”
“Yup. Crazy. Wild. Wild about you! Can I take you home and nibble on your ear for a while? Just for a day or two?”
“No! Hush!”
“Okay, then how about your nose? Your lips? Your chin?”
Laurie’s soft laughter was edged with arousal. “Stop it, Banjo Man! Are you always like this after a show?”
Rick turned to the crew and flung out his arms in mock innocence. “Gang, am I always like this after a show?”
“Yes!” came the chorused reply.
“Don’t believe them!” He spun back and caught Laurie around the waist, almost lifting her off her feet. “No, it’s you. You have me flyin’ high, darlin’! Come on, let’s say good night to these traitors and head for my place.”
Before she could say a word, Rick had grabbed her hand and led her out of the theater.
The night sky was black and endless, pierced by a million pinpoints of starlight. It hung so close above the quiet city that Laurie was sure she could reach up and touch it. A perfect night.
They walked along in silence for a moment, Laurie’s hand curved inside Rick’s, enjoying this single point of contact, its innocence and promise.
Rick’s voice, husky with desire, broke the stillness. “Will you come home with me?”
Laurie didn’t answer.
“We could get a bite to eat. Sit and talk. Whatever you want.”
Silence. And the pounding of her heart in her ears.
“Laurie? What do you say, sweet thing?”
“I think I’d better get back to the apartment.” Her thin voice sounded strained and sad.
Rick was silent, his brain reeling off arguments, persuasions, often-used lines. He kept them trapped behind his tight, clenched jaw, wanting her, yet knowing how easy it would be to frighten her away.
“Rick, I really do have to go to work tomorrow. And it’s late—”
“I know, darlin’. Trouble is, part of me says, ‘Go slow, take it easy with her,’ and another part of me”—he licked his dry lips—“well, I’m dyin’ to take you in my arms and love you!”
The black night air pressed down, heavy and still, upon them. Laurie shivered. She tried to clear the cobwebs from her head, to still the feelings welling up within her.
“Rick, I can’t. I’m not ready.”
“I know.” He drew a deep, harsh breath, filling his head with the cool air, trying to get the earth to steady beneath his feet. “Okay, then, home it is! My Jeep’s parked around back. Just ten minutes and you’re back safe in your ivory tower.”
“Rick!” There was no hiding the hurt in her voice.
“I’m sorry.” He squeezed her hand tightly, hating himself. “I
am
sorry, Laurie. It’s late, and I’m beat, and the show gets me wild sometimes.”
Leading her to a stripe of moonlight, he stopped, his gaze resting on her face. “Sometimes you haveto listen to my words with half an ear, and to my heart for what I’m really saying. ‘Always interpret everything in the most favorable sense.’ Isn’t that a kind of convent maxim, or something?”
“I’m not sure, but I’ll take your word for it.” She grinned, knowing she was being teased. She cocked her head to one side, meeting his dark glance and feeling the immediate quickening of her pulse. Impulsively she added, “The one thing I do know for sure is that you were great on that stage. I loved the show, Rick; it was wonderful! In fact,
you’re
wonderful.”
Rick looked down on her face long and hard, his eyes tracing the moonbeams as they played across her smooth cheekbones and danced in the shadows of her hair. The restraint in his voice was tinged with a low and sensual desire. “That is exactly what I intend to prove to you, sweet thing, and not on any stage, either!”
Five
“A guinea pig! A porcupine!” Laurie snapped, glaring at the window in the senator’s office.
“What? On Independence Avenue? I don’t believe it.”
“No, Paula.” Laurie
“Yup. Crazy. Wild. Wild about you! Can I take you home and nibble on your ear for a while? Just for a day or two?”
“No! Hush!”
“Okay, then how about your nose? Your lips? Your chin?”
Laurie’s soft laughter was edged with arousal. “Stop it, Banjo Man! Are you always like this after a show?”
Rick turned to the crew and flung out his arms in mock innocence. “Gang, am I always like this after a show?”
“Yes!” came the chorused reply.
“Don’t believe them!” He spun back and caught Laurie around the waist, almost lifting her off her feet. “No, it’s you. You have me flyin’ high, darlin’! Come on, let’s say good night to these traitors and head for my place.”
Before she could say a word, Rick had grabbed her hand and led her out of the theater.
The night sky was black and endless, pierced by a million pinpoints of starlight. It hung so close above the quiet city that Laurie was sure she could reach up and touch it. A perfect night.
They walked along in silence for a moment, Laurie’s hand curved inside Rick’s, enjoying this single point of contact, its innocence and promise.
Rick’s voice, husky with desire, broke the stillness. “Will you come home with me?”
Laurie didn’t answer.
“We could get a bite to eat. Sit and talk. Whatever you want.”
Silence. And the pounding of her heart in her ears.
“Laurie? What do you say, sweet thing?”
“I think I’d better get back to the apartment.” Her thin voice sounded strained and sad.
Rick was silent, his brain reeling off arguments, persuasions, often-used lines. He kept them trapped behind his tight, clenched jaw, wanting her, yet knowing how easy it would be to frighten her away.
“Rick, I really do have to go to work tomorrow. And it’s late—”
“I know, darlin’. Trouble is, part of me says, ‘Go slow, take it easy with her,’ and another part of me”—he licked his dry lips—“well, I’m dyin’ to take you in my arms and love you!”
The black night air pressed down, heavy and still, upon them. Laurie shivered. She tried to clear the cobwebs from her head, to still the feelings welling up within her.
“Rick, I can’t. I’m not ready.”
“I know.” He drew a deep, harsh breath, filling his head with the cool air, trying to get the earth to steady beneath his feet. “Okay, then, home it is! My Jeep’s parked around back. Just ten minutes and you’re back safe in your ivory tower.”
“Rick!” There was no hiding the hurt in her voice.
“I’m sorry.” He squeezed her hand tightly, hating himself. “I
am
sorry, Laurie. It’s late, and I’m beat, and the show gets me wild sometimes.”
Leading her to a stripe of moonlight, he stopped, his gaze resting on her face. “Sometimes you haveto listen to my words with half an ear, and to my heart for what I’m really saying. ‘Always interpret everything in the most favorable sense.’ Isn’t that a kind of convent maxim, or something?”
“I’m not sure, but I’ll take your word for it.” She grinned, knowing she was being teased. She cocked her head to one side, meeting his dark glance and feeling the immediate quickening of her pulse. Impulsively she added, “The one thing I do know for sure is that you were great on that stage. I loved the show, Rick; it was wonderful! In fact,
you’re
wonderful.”
Rick looked down on her face long and hard, his eyes tracing the moonbeams as they played across her smooth cheekbones and danced in the shadows of her hair. The restraint in his voice was tinged with a low and sensual desire. “That is exactly what I intend to prove to you, sweet thing, and not on any stage, either!”
Five
“A guinea pig! A porcupine!” Laurie snapped, glaring at the window in the senator’s office.
“What? On Independence Avenue? I don’t believe it.”
“No, Paula.” Laurie
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