Making love to Diana had resulted in exactly the effect he’d half feared. It had deepened his need for her rather than slaked his thirst.
Why had she said no when he’d asked her to move in with him? They were already sleeping together. It seemed ridiculous not to share one house for the summer. He didn’t think she was the type who would care what a townful of strangers thought about her living arrangements, but then, maybe she was.
There was a lot he didn’t know about her yet. Colby was just beginning to realize how badly he wanted to know more, now that he had established the physical bond.
The compelling curiosity he was experiencing bothered him. In the first place, it wasn’t like him. In the second place, she wasn’t even his type. Diana was too self-contained, too confident of her own ability to take care of herself, too focused on her career. A regular twentieth-century amazon.
All in all, there was something about her that let him know she didn’t really need a man in her life. A man had to work damned hard at convincing her he had his uses, even if only in bed. Diana was certainly different from every other woman he had ever known.
But in some ways he couldn’t quite define, Colby sensed she was also a little like him – self-reliant, accustomed to making her own rules in life, opinionated. She would never expect anyone else to step in and clean up any mess in which she happened to find herself. She had obviously been taking care of herself for a long time.
There was an underlying feminine pride in her that he knew was ultimately bound to clash with his own masculine confidence.
But he had discovered to his profound satisfaction that he could make her shiver in his arms.
“Damn it to hell.“
He was going to drive himself crazy if he kept thinking about her. He had a chapter to finish today. Colby punched the key that would save the paragraphs on the screen and then got to his feet. He’d been working since six. It was almost time to get the mail. If he got to the post office around ten-fifteen, he would probably run into Diana and they could have coffee together. Then they could make plans for the evening.
Twenty minutes later he grinned briefly to himself as he pulled into the small post office parking lot. Diana was already there. His smile faded as he remembered the letter she had collected yesterday. He hoped there wouldn’t be another one from her boss. Colby had read enough in Crown’s letter to know he didn’t like the guy.
He didn’t like any man who thought he could write to Diana in such friendly, familiar terms. The jerk had been pleading for Diana to come back to her old job, and there had been something in the tone of that plea that had really annoyed Colby. Aaron Crown had made it sound as if he had a claim on Diana, as if he had rights over her.
Colby vaulted from the Jeep and walked past Diana’s sedate four-door Buick. Specter glared at him from the front seat.
“Forget it, you big ugly mutt, there’s nothing you can do about it. I’m here to stay.“
Specter growled just loud enough for Colby to hear.
“Hey, Savagar!“
Colby turned at the familiar voice. Eddy Spooner was hailing him from across the street. Colby waved a hand in acknowledgment. “Morning, Eddy. How’s it going?“
Eddy glanced casually up and down the quiet street and then trotted across it. He was wearing his usual outfit, a faded pair of combat fatigues and heavy boots. He had a billed cap on his head and he was wiping his hands on an oily cloth. There was a hopeful smile on his face as he joined Colby.
“Can’t complain,“ Eddy said. “Been waitin’ for you to come into town this morning. How about havin’ that beer you and I talked about?“
Colby sighed inwardly but told himself he really couldn’t put it off any longer. Twenty years was a long time but he couldn’t ever forget that Spooner had once been the closest thing to a friend he’d ever had in Fulbrook Corners.
“Sure, Eddy. Sounds good.“
“Come on out to the house this evening. I get off work at five.“
The last thing Colby wanted to do was waste an evening drinking with Eddy Spooner. He had far more interesting plans for tonight. “Uh, I’m busy this evening, Eddy.“
“That Prentice broad, huh? Can’t say I blame you. She looks real slick. Real cool in those fancy clothes, but I bet she’s probably a real hot piece of…“
“Don’t say it, Spooner.“
Spooner blinked at the blunt warning. Then his grin widened and he held up both hands in a placating gesture.
“Okay, okay, I get the picture. No offense. So, when do you want to get together for the beer? We got a lot to talk about, old buddy. Tomorrow’s my day off.“
He’d better set a time and get it over with, Colby decided. “Right. Let’s make it tomorrow. I work in the mornings. Ill come out to your place in the afternoon. I’ll bring the beer. That work for you?“
“Sure, Colby. That’ll work just fine,“ Spooner agreed happily. “See ya.“
“Sure.“ Colby watched Spooner make his way back across the street. Everyone in town had said Eddy Spooner wouldn’t amount to much. They’d said the same thing about Colby Savagar.
They’d been wrong about Colby, and it looked like Eddy was at least managing to hold down a full-time job so maybe they’d been wrong about him, too. It was obvious Spooner wasn’t drawing an executive salary, but he wasn’t on welfare, either. Good for him.
Served the bastards right to be proven wrong. Neither Colby nor Spooner had wound up in jail or living on the streets despite all the predictions.
That kind of shared past produced a bond of sorts. He’d have that beer with Eddy Spooner. Maybe a couple of beers.
Diana was waiting for him inside the post office. She was just dropping a handful of letters into her big leather shoulder bag. Colby tried to see some of the return addresses, but he couldn’t get a close enough look.
“Hi, honey,“ he said walking straight up to her and kissing her full on the mouth in front of Bernice and a cluster of post office patrons. “We’ve got to stop meeting like this.“
Diana’s cheeks turned a soft pink. She knew what he was doing. He was establishing a very obvious claim on her.
If there was anyone left in town who wasn’t aware that Colby Savagar was probably sleeping with that Portland woman who’d taken the Martin place for the summer, he would certainly know it by this afternoon. Colby was satisfied with the faint blush that bloomed in his victim’s cheeks. He grinned.
“Hello, Colby,“ Diana said with deceptively bland politeness. “How are you this morning?“
“Take a guess,“ he invited, deliberately lacing the words with sensual satisfaction as he walked to the counter. “Hi, Bernice. Anything for me?“
“Right here, Colby.“ Bernice hastened to hand him a long white envelope that bore his agent’s return address.
A check. Colby wondered if he’d ever get over the sense of amazed exhilaration he experienced when someone actually paid him real money for a book.
“You’re in luck, Diana.“ Colby waved the envelope at her. “I think I can afford to feed you tonight.“ He started toward her with a wide grin and then halted abruptly as the post office doors swung inward, admitting two newcomers.
“Hi, Dad.“
“Brandon.“
Colby stared at the lean, dark-haired, brown-eyed young man in the doorway. His son was the last person he’d expected to see this morning. “What the hell are you doing here? You’re supposed to be working in Portland.“
Brandon Savagar moved a few steps into the room, his arm wrapped protectively around the shoulders of a strikingly pretty little blue-eyed redhead who looked about nineteen.
“Surprise,“ Brandon said with an almost aggressive cheerfulness. “There was a grease fire at the restaurant where I was working. Place is closed for two weeks. So I decided to come visit you. When I asked the guy at the station across the street for directions to the house, he said you were in here.“
“Yeah. Sure. Good to see you.“ Colby realized Diana was looking at him with obvious interest. He recovered quickly and made the introductions. “Diana, this is my son, Brandon. Brandon, this is Diana Prentice. She’s a, uh, friend of mine.“
“How do you do, Miss Prentice?“ Brandon said, exhibiting the manners Colby had drummed into him after reading a book on the importance of children learning proper social skills.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Brandon,“ Diana responded gently.
Brandon glanced at his father. “Dad, this is a, uh, friend of mine. Robyn Lambert. Robyn, I’d like you to meet my father.“
“I’m so excited to meet you, Mr. Savagar,“ Robyn said in a soft, shy voice. Her blue eyes were riveted on Colby. “I’
ve read all your books. They’re fabulous.“
Colby looked at her, aware of the peculiar expression of determination in his son’s eyes. His heart sank. A terrible premonition began to take shape. He fought it down. No need for panic. This was just another one of Brandon’s girlfriends. At least the kid had good taste in literature.
“Hello, Robyn. I’m glad you like my books.“ He glanced at Diana and saw the laughter in her eyes.
“Congratulations, Robyn, you said exactly the right thing,“ Diana remarked. “I’m afraid that when I first met Colby, I didn’t have the faintest idea who he was. I’d never read a horror novel in my life.“
“She still hasn’t,“ Colby put in. “She can’t seem to get more than halfway through
Shock Value.“
Robyn looked astonished. “But that’s one of his best.“
“That’s right,“ Brandon said seriously, his pride in his father very obvious.
“Shock Value
hit all the major bestseller lists. It was Dad’s big breakthrough book.“
“Enough,“ Diana cried. “I surrender. I admit I’m culturally illiterate when it comes to horror tales. I swear I’ll finish the book, even if it scares me to death.“
“Come on,“ Colby instructed, taking Diana’s arm. “Let’s get out of here. Brandon, you and Robyn can follow me out to Aunt Jesse’s place. I’ll be with you in a few minutes. I want to talk to Diana.“
“Okay, Dad. I’ll be in the car.“ Brandon nodded toward the sleek little two-seater Mazda Colby had bought for him when he’d gone off to college.
Colby frowned at Robyn Lambert’s dancing red ponytail as the girl walked toward the car with Brandon.
“Only a nineteen-year-old looks that good in a pair of jeans,“ Diana said laconically. “But don’t get any ideas. She’
s too young for you.“
“You can say that again,“ Colby muttered. “Too young for Brandon, too. Or else he’s too young for her. I’m not sure which.“
“They both look about the same age.“
“That’s the whole problem. They’re just kids.“ He leaned against the door on the driver’s side of the Buick and wrapped his fingers lightly around Diana’s forearms. “Now about tonight.“
Specter immediately began to grumble menacingly. The dog leaned over to stick his nose through the open window, which put his teeth very close to Colby’s thigh. Colby straightened quickly and stepped away from the car.
“Stupid dog.“
Specter growled again, pleased at having made Colby move.
“Now don’t you two start calling each other names,“ Diana admonished.
“Tell him that,“ Colby advised. “Listen, I wanted to invite myself over for dinner again tonight, but it looks like I’ve got company.“
“Brandon looks a lot like you. Except for his eyes.“
“He’s got his mother’s eyes,“ Colby said impatiently.
Diana snapped her fingers. “I knew they looked familiar. Margaret Fulbrook has those eyes.“
“Probably. Honey, I don’t want to talk about Brandon’s eyes. As I said, I was going to invite myself to your place for dinner…“
“As usual?“
“Right. As usual. But now we’ll have to change our plans.“
“I wasn’t aware we had plans.“
“Diana, don’t give me that wide-eyed, fuzz-brained look. It reminds me of your dog.“ Diana grinned and, exasperated, Colby bent his head to kiss the amusement from her soft mouth. “Now, then,“ he said a moment later. “As I was saying, we’ll have to alter our plans. Come over to my place tonight. Brandon and I will fix dinner.“
“Brandon knows how to cook?“
“Sure. I taught him how to read a cookbook.“
Diana smiled quizzically. “You know something, Colby – I think you must have been a very good father.“
“Sometimes the best thing you can say about being a father is that you survived and so did the kid. How about dinner tonight?“
“How can I resist letting you cook for me again?“ She kissed him lightly. “I was very impressed last night. You were right about the Caesar salad. Best in the world.“
“Told you so. See you at five. Leave the dog at home.“
Diana did as ordered and left Specter at the cottage. He had not been thrilled with the arrangement, and shortly after arriving at Colby’s place, Diana, herself, had begun to question the wisdom of leaving the dog behind.
Specter made a great conversation piece, if nothing else, and it was obvious to Diana that the small party needed something to distract it. A definite tension was building between Colby and his son. Robyn Lambert seemed nervous.
“Perfect tacos,“ Diana said midway through the meal as conversation came to a halt. She tried a woman-to-woman smile on Robyn. “Men are so well suited to the kitchen, don’t you think?“
Robyn blinked, her gaze uncertain as she looked at Brandon. “I don’t know,“ she mumbled, nibbling on a tortilla chip.
Diana tried again. “Brandon, this salsa is just right. Hotter than a sidewalk in August. Did you make it, or did Colby?“
“Dad made it.“ Brandon gave her a small, uneasy smile and gallantly tried to follow her lead. “He likes it hot enough to set fire to the bowl.“
“Brandon made the meat filling,“ Colby said quietly as he built another taco for himself. He took his time arranging layers of meat, cheese, lettuce, tomato and salsa. The words were his first in several long minutes.