LITMIR.BIZ

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recent dose of lemon oil, testament to the faithful attention Jessica awarded everything in their home. He ran his fingers over and over the light pine surface, as he had been doing for some time now, when he wasn’t lifting the near-empty tumbler of scotch to his mouth. No housekeeper or cleaning woman for them, no sir. No matter how often he suggested it to her when she occasionally broke down and complained about a touch of arthritis or her overscheduled life, Jess didn’t believe anyone could care for their possessions the way she did, and he knew better than to argue when she made up her mind about something.

      But they definitely would end up arguing if he didn’t get his ass up to bed. It was—he did a double take as he noticed the time—late. For that matter, where was she? It was well past time for her to be home. Had he forgotten some special thingamajig again? With all he had on his mind tonight, it wouldn’t surprise him.

      He tried to remember her schedule. Wednesdays…It had been Republican Ladies night. Except that once a month she missed that session to attend Split Creek Gardeners. No, the gardening club met just a few days ago…didn’t it? Either way, no social gathering lasted this long.

      Moaning, he rubbed his face. He should call her on her cellular, but how could he in his condition? She would know something was wrong straight off. He hoped to hell she hadn’t had car trouble and needed a lift. After polishing off his fifth scotch, the last thing he needed was a summons to collect her.

      He was reaching for the switch on his amber-screened desk lamp when he heard a sound in the hall. Damn, he thought, self-consciously touching his sore right hand. He hadn’t even heard the garage door open.

      Seconds later, Jessica tall, slim and elegant even in designer sweats, leaned in to his study. Her intelligent brown eyes immediately settled on the crystal tumbler before shifting back to him. “What’s this? You should be fast asleep by now.”

      “On my way. I was just…making some notes for Commencement exercises.”

      This time her gaze dropped to the cleared blotter, but her smile was sympathetic. “You always do a marvelous job, Mr. Perfectionist. I don’t know why you drive yourself crazy worrying so much.”

      She waited for him to come to her, then offered her cheek. Jessica was an attractive woman at any time—forty, with vibrant hair every bit as rich as the lustrous walnut door, perfectly coiffed into a smooth swept-back style that framed a strong forehead and high cheekbones. Her somber eyes embraced him, but he didn’t miss their canniness. Jess loved hard and long—but not carelessly. Most of the time her dedication to him and his career left him beyond grateful, almost humbled. Sometimes, however, he struggled with a feeling of suffocation.

      What he felt tonight, though, wasn’t her fault. No, not tonight. Not in a while. It was his doing. All him.

      “How’d it go?” he asked, suddenly noticing her clothes were paint-stained. “What did you do, start early on the Christmas parade float and lose track of time?”

      She lifted precisely tweezed eyebrows. “I figured you would forget—and after I only told you three times!”

      “Sorry.”

      “How many of those scotches did you have?”

      Her Dallas-bred, SMU-educated drawl showed up most when she was ready to fuck or fight, and he gestured helplessly, wanting neither. “You threw me, that’s all. That’s not what you usually wear to a meeting of any kind.”

      “I wasn’t at a meeting.”

      Shit. What did I miss? “Well, Deirdre Collingwood phoned to ask about the University Women thing.” He wasn’t about to admit that he couldn’t remember squat about that one, either.

      Jessica slipped her hand inside the open V of his dress shirt. “She’s been out of town. I’ll call her in the morning. What’s wrong, Garth?”

      “Nothing.” But when she tugged lightly at his chest hairs, he knew evasiveness wasn’t going to work. He decided on a portion of the truth. One truth. “Waylan Ivens.”

      “That’s old news. You matched that other school’s offer to Coach Ivens. Don’t tell me he’s trying to blackmail you to up the ante.”

      She was his biggest fan, proud to have brought him to what had been her grandparents’ property, although they’d leveled the house and rebuilt; proud to parade her celebrated “super-jock” husband around town, and claim the prestige that won them in the community. For the past twelve years she’d made sure they built on that celebrity status, to the point where he only half joked when saying that after he died, he would be lucky if she didn’t bronze his balls to display at parades and during town elections.

      With his left hand, he lifted her fingers to his lips. “I don’t deserve you.”

      “Agreed. Now answer the question. Is he?”

      Since it wasn’t the primary concern preying on his mind, Garth had to think a moment. “Not him. Them. The other school has made a counteroffer. No way am I going to be able to go that high. We’ll lose the bastard—and after he gave me his word that he’d stay at least five years!”

      Jessica freed herself to touch his cheek. “What will you do?”

      “Try to be a good sport and wish him the best.” Growing comfortable with the story, Garth shrugged and allowed some embellishment. “It ticks me off that he’s doing this to us now, though. How am I supposed to find somebody equal to his talent and reputation at the end of the school year? Hell, football practice starts again in seven weeks!”

      “Something will come up. Everyone loves to work for you.”

      “Obviously not.”

      At his droll reply, Jessica began to mimic his earlier caress. It was then that she noticed his bruised hand. “What have you done to yourself?”

      “It’s nothing.”

      “Every knuckle is bloody and bruised. Your fingers will be swollen to twice their size by morning. Please tell me you didn’t do something foolish to Ivens.”

      “Ah…no. Actually, it was something more asinine. When he left my office, I punched the wall.”

      “You poor idiot.” She slipped her arm around his waist and directed him toward the stairs. “You need a warm shower, and then I’ll put some medicated cream on it.”

      “Sounds tempting, but it’s already so late.”

      “You’re tight enough to snap. You won’t sleep unless we get you relaxed.”

      Despite his preoccupation and fatigue, he experienced a twinge in his groin, helped, of course, by her hand sliding down over his ass. Amazing, he thought. “What did you have in mind?”

      They’d reached the top of the stairs. She directed him through the white-on-white bedroom, which in the glow of the bathroom night-light looked far more inviting than on bright summer mornings when the sun drilled him awake. The king-size bed called to him—but not as clearly as did Jess’s eyes.

      “What’s my lover’s favorite thing?” she murmured, stopping him in front of the double-sink vanity in the bathroom. Not waiting for an answer, she reached for his belt.

      Garth watched, bemused. Before she had his zipper opened, he was erect. “I don’t deserve you,” he said again. But he also urged her to her knees.

      It was better this way, he thought. No explanations, no burdening her with his messes. Of course, he was only buying time. In the back of his mind, he’d always understood and accepted that. But as her mouth closed on him, he shut his eyes and blocked that out for one more night—blocked out everything but the pleasure.

      11

      4:12 a.m.

      Michaele couldn’t sit for more than a minute or two at a time. Ever since Jared had left, she’d been moving from room to room, window to

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