Margaret Allison – At Any Price (страница 2)

“I swear, Jack,” she said, trying to loosen his grip on her. “If you so much as get my little toe damp, I’ll…”

“You’ll what?”

They were eye-to-eye. The world once again faded away. It was just she and Jack, together. “I’ll, well, I’ll…”

“Idle threats,” he said, his mouth so close she could feel his breath. He paused, then leaned forward as if he was about to kiss her. She closed her eyes, waiting. Maybe not so much as waiting, but willing. Kiss me, she thought. Kiss me, Jack Reilly.

But her fantasy was dashed with the rush of icy water. “Jack!” she yelled as her rear end hit the creek. When he yanked her back up, she pulled him toward her and stuck out her knee, tripping him and sending him into the cold stream.

“There’s no escape,” he said, pulling himself out of the water. As Katie reached the beach, Jack tackled her. He straddled her on the sand, holding her arms above her head. “Give it up, Devonworth.”

Suddenly, Jack paused. He leaned over her, his eyes full of fire as he gazed at her as if for the first time. He stared at the wet T-shirt that clung to her like a second skin, revealing the shape of her breasts. “Katie,” he said hoarsely.

She did what she’d been wanting to do for years: she kissed him. He responded hungrily, his tongue exploring her mouth as his hands slipped under her shirt. She could feel his raw energy press against her as his fingers gently touched her erect nipples. Although she was a virgin, she was not frightened. She wanted Jack. She needed to feel him inside her, making love to her. She was ready. Her hands clutched the top of his jeans as she fumbled for the snap.

Then, as fast as their passion flared, it banked. Jack pulled away and sat up. “What are we doing?” he asked, running his hand through his thick hair.

She was silent for a minute. Then she said, “I love you, Jack. I always have.”

He didn’t answer. Instead, he stood up and shoved his hands in the pockets of his wet jeans. Without saying a word, he walked away.

Katie heard a noise and turned. Matt was standing behind her, his arms crossed. She looked away, ashamed that he had witnessed such a personal humiliation.

“It’s okay,” Matt said. “I know you love him. I’ve known for a long time. Everyone has. Everyone except Jack.”

Katie could still remember the terrible feeling that engulfed her. Everyone in Newport Falls knew. Knew that she suffered a case of unrequited love.

Matt held out his hand. “Come on,” he said. “I’ll walk you home.” She accepted his hand and he pulled her to her feet. He said, “You should know that he doesn’t love you. I mean, he cares about you, but not like that. He never will.”

And Matt was right. Because as soon as Jack was able, he left Newport Falls.

Katie went on to college locally, and when her father died, she took over his struggling newspaper. Then she did the only sensible thing left to do: she married Matt.

“Ms. Devonworth?”

Katie snapped back to reality to see a beautiful blond woman standing in front of her. “Mr. Reilly will see you now,” the woman said.

Katie felt a surge of jealousy as she wondered if the blonde was dating Jack. But so what if she was? Jack was nothing to her anymore. Nothing.

Still, her heart was pounding so loudly she was certain the woman could hear.

She walked through the open doors and into a set from Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. Jack’s personal office was every bit as impressive as the building. Huge, with floor-to-ceiling windows, it had a sitting area with a couch and chairs, and a meeting area with a large conference table. The centerpiece of the office, however, was the elaborate, hand-carved desk that sat like a throne in front of a spectacular view of Central Park.

Jack sat at his desk, his back to her. He was facing the window, one hand behind his head as he spoke on the phone.

Being within arm’s reach of him after all this time was enough to take her breath away. But apparently she had little, if any, effect on him. He appeared unaware that she was standing there, and continued talking on the phone as if she was invisible.

She stood for a few minutes, twitching her fingers nervously. Why had the secretary told her to come in if he wasn’t ready? And how dare he treat her as if she was some sort of nobody! She was Katie Devonworth. She had beaten him in almost every game of chess they had ever played. She knew that he was the one who had broken Mrs. Watkins’s window. She knew that he had cried when his father had been sent to jail. She knew—

Jack spun around to face her. He smiled as he hung up the phone. He had changed little in the past nine years. His eyes may have had a few more wrinkles and his hair a few streaks of gray, but the effect was every bit as devastating as it had always been. He was still the most handsome man Katie had ever laid eyes on.

“Katie,” he said, walking around the desk to greet her. He held out his hand. “It’s nice to see you.”

She felt a charge as he touched her. The physical connection, no matter how innocent, was enough to make her heart skip a beat. “And you,” she managed to say, pulling her hand away.

“I was surprised to hear from you.” His tone was chatty, as if seeing her again was the most natural thing in the world.

“Yes, well,” she said, trying to match his attitude, “I was going to be in New York, anyway, so I thought, why not call Jack and see if he can meet for lunch?”

“I’m glad you did.” He paused for a moment, studying her. “It’s been a long time.”

She shifted her gaze. What was it about him that made her act like a nervous schoolgirl?

He nodded toward the door as he grabbed his coat. “Let’s go.”

They walked through the lobby, pausing to retrieve her coat before heading toward the elevators. “It’s all so impressive,” she said, stumbling to make conversation as he helped her on with her coat.

“Thanks,” he said. He pressed the button for the elevators, and they waited in silence while Katie racked her brain for something to say. Everything she came up with she rejected out of hand. Too obvious. Too stupid. Too boring.

When the elevator arrived, it was empty. They stepped inside, both of them keeping their eyes focused on the doors as they shut.

This was a mistake, said the voice in her head. I can’t even make small talk with him anymore. How can I ask him for a million dollars?

“So,” he said finally, “what business brings you to town?”

“Meetings with advertisers,” she said, the lie just popping out of her mouth. The doors opened and several people came inside. All nodded and said hello to Jack.

“How is the paper doing?” he asked.

“Okay,” she said, staring straight ahead. It wasn’t exactly a lie. The reporting had never been stronger. It was the circulation that was suffering.

The elevator stopped at another floor and several more people crowded in, pushing her and Jack to the back. They were so close, their arms touching, she could smell his musky scent. She closed her eyes. For a moment she was back at the creek and Jack was on top of her, his hand caressing her breast. She could feel his tongue inside her mouth….

“Here we are,” Jack said as the door opened. He put his hand on her back as he steered her out of the elevator. “I’m not sure what you had planned, but I’m afraid I don’t have much time. There’s a little Italian restaurant down the street, if that’s all right with you.”

Katie agreed. She was glad she didn’t have the responsibility of picking a restaurant in a city she knew little about. They walked down the street without talking. Jack led her to a small gray building with red shutters. “This is it,” he said.

They walked in and were greeted effusively by the manager, who seemed to know Jack very well. He showed them to a cozy booth in the corner. As they perused the menu, Jack said, “The chicken piccata is very good.”

But Katie preferred more basic food. “How’s the spaghetti and meatballs?”

“Some of the best in the city,” he said. “That’s what I’m getting.”

“Me, too,” she said, setting down her menu. As the waiter approached, Katie wondered if conversation with her old friend was doomed to be shallow and superficial. Perhaps they no longer had anything in common but their choice of entrée.

“So,” Jack said, after they had ordered, “how is everything in Newport Falls?”

“Fine,” she said.

“I was so sorry to hear about your mom, Katie. She was a great person.”

She wasn’t expecting him to mention her mother, who had died nearly ten years ago. She had adored both Jack and Matt, and had long predicted Katie would marry one of them. When she found out she had a fatal illness, she encouraged Katie to marry quickly, so that she could attend her wedding. It was one of the main reasons Katie had agreed to marry Matt.

Fortunately, her mother had not been there to witness the demise of the marriage she had inspired. But Katie and her mother had been extremely close, and her death had left a hole in Katie’s heart that would never heal. “Thank you for the flowers you sent.”

“Of course,” he said. He glanced away. At first she had been devastated when Jack didn’t call after her mother died. But slowly the pain had given way to curiosity. Matt had a theory for Jack’s disappearance from their lives. Jack had recreated himself. He didn’t want anyone around who remembered him for who he was and how he had grown up.