If I Can't Have You (22 page)

Adriana rolled her eyes, and Maggie winked at Trevor, continuing her rapid chatter. “He’s gorgeous, and I do mean just about the most handsome thing I’ve ever seen. Don’t you agree, Stewart?”

“I see him in quite a different light, my dear.”

“Oh, you would, wouldn’t you?” Maggie stood on tiptoes and pecked her husband’s cheek.

“You don’t mind if we join you, do you, Adriana?” Maggie asked.

“Of course not.”

Lively companions and partying till all hours of the night had been at the heart of Trevor’s existence, but right now he didn’t want to be sharing the table or his evening with anyone other than Adriana. Even so, he pulled a chair out for Maggie and once again took his seat.

“Do you come here often?” Trevor asked, directing his words to Stewart.

“Not to this particular place,” Stewart answered.

“Oh, Stewart, must you be so precise?” Maggie
chastised her husband, but her bright, loving smile never dimmed. “We go dancing once a month,” Maggie stated. “I just love ballroom dancing, and Stewart is absolutely divine on the dance floor. I imagine you’re divine on the dance floor also, Mr. Montgomery. You have that look about you.”

“You’ll have to excuse my friend,” Adriana interrupted. “She has a nasty habit of saying exactly what’s on her mind.”

“It drives Adriana absolutely mad,” Maggie continued, not the least put off by Adriana’s words. “But she’s a dear, and we’re the best of friends. Have you known each other long, Mr. Montgomery?”

“It’s Trevor. And it’s been just a few days. We’re still learning each other’s secrets.”

‘That’s lovely. Stewart and I learn something new at least once a week. Keeps things exciting, doesn’t it, sweetie?”

Stewart grinned, shaking his head as he leaned over and kissed his wife. Their attraction amazed Trevor. Stewart appeared to be the type of man who’d show disdain toward a woman like Maggie, but he seemed utterly and completely enthralled. Maybe the man had a few redeeming qualities after all.

Catching the waiter’s attention, Trevor asked that more glasses be delivered to his table.
“You will join us for a drink or two?” he asked.

“Oh, I’d love to,” Maggie gushed, then looked at her husband, her crimson fingernails trailing down his arm. “You don’t mind, do you, sweetie? Just one, maybe two little ones?”

“I’m the one with the problem, my dear. Not you.”

“Thank you.” She kissed Stewart’s mouth, leaving a trace of red lipstick
b
ehind. “Stewart’s a recovered alcoholic,” she whispered to Trevor.
“He
hasn’t had a drink in eight years. Isn’t that right, sweetie?”

Stewart smiled indulgently. “Eight years, three months, and
 
...” Stewart shrugged. “I’m sure Mr. Montgomery doesn’t want to hear this story, and Adriana knows it by heart.”

Trevor poured champagne into Maggie’s glass when it was placed in front of her. Adriana’s was still full—she hadn’t touched a drop. He refilled his own, then leaned back and sipped the bubbly liquid, once again ignoring Adriana’s frown. He planned to change his ways, but he’d take it one step at a time. He’d deal with the self-absorbed part of his character first, then he’d concentrate on the drinking.

Suddenly, a hand clamped down on his shoulder and he jerked his head up, staring into the face of a middle-aged stranger. “Hello, Mr.
Dorn
,” the man said, a scowl marring his face.

Trevor caught Stewart’s dubious stare out of the corner of his eye. The last thing Trevor needed was to be mistaken for someone else.

“Mr.
Dorn
?” Trevor questioned. “I’m sorry. You must have me confused with someone else.”

The stranger laughed.
“
Trying to pull
fast one again?”

“I honestly don’t know what you’re talking about,” Trevor said.

“You look exactly like someone my mother used to know, but...” The man shook his head and shrugged. “Maybe I’m wrong. Sorry to disturb you.”

Adriana studied Trevor with frowning eyes as the stranger walked away, but Maggie lightened the moment by turning the attention to herself.

“Isn’t that the funniest thing? I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve been mistaken for someone else. They say we all have a twin roaming around somewhere. I do think it would be terribly interesting to meet mine.”

“There couldn’t possibly be two women just like
you,” Stewart said. “I believe I was lucky enough to find the one and only.”

“Oh, you’re such a sweetie.”

Maggie sipped her champagne and watched the dancers, her index finger bouncing through the air in time with the music.

“You know, Trevor,” Maggie continued, “I’ve tried to coerce Adriana into going out on the town at least half a million times, but she constantly turns me down. It’s delightful to see that someone’s finally charmed her into loosening up.”

“He hasn’t charmed me, Maggie.”

“But he has, darlin’. Why, you’re absolutely dazzling tonight. I see those little sparkles in your eyes light up every time you look at this gorgeous creature you’re with.”

Maggie leaned toward Trevor. “She doesn’t care much for men, you know. Doesn’t care much for drinking, or dancing, or anything of that sort, either.”

“Maggie, dear.” Stewart put a hand on his wife’s, but she brushed him off with just a glance.

“She’s much too uptight. Dressing like Greta Garbo and acting out the life of a recluse has gotten completely out of hand. Isn’t that right, darlin’?”

Adriana’s cheeks pinkened. “I rather like being a recluse.”

“No you don’t. It started out as a way to hide from those nasty photographers, and then you figured out how to make it help in your work. Just like Stewart. Work, work, work!”

“If it wasn’t for all that work, work, work,” Stewart said, “you wouldn’t be wearing those feathers, you wouldn’t be dancing here, and you wouldn’t have two homes and three sports cars.”

Maggie appeared contrite for a moment, but the humbled look melted away in an instant. “I compensate for all the hours he’s away from home by
doing extra special things when he’s around. It’s the way of the world, I imagine. For better, for worse. That was the vow—I just learned how to turn the ‘worse’ part into something nice.”

Maggie wove her fingers through her husband’s. “I feel such a need to dance, sweetie. Indulge me?”

Stewart laughed and let his wife tug him from the table.

“How about you?” Trevor said to the beautiful lady sitting across from him. “Care to indulge me a bit?”

Adriana hesitated, then smiled slowly.

Trevor slipped his hand around her waist as they walked out to the floor, and as if she’d done it a thousand times before, she moved into his arms and let him lead her to the music.

“Maggie’s a jewel,” Trevor said, as he waltzed Adriana through the crowd.

“She has a heart of gold. Of course, she rarely thinks before she speaks, but I suppose that’s one of the things I love about her.”

“I take it you’ve been friends a long time.”

“Since she met Stewart. Thirteen years ago—right about the time my father died.”

“She must be half his age.”

‘Twenty-four years younger, but does age really matter?”

“To some people, but not to me.”

“She was accused of being a gold digger, out for Stewart’s money. It wasn’t true, though. They love each other.”

“It’s amazing what prying busybodies will say without knowing the truth. You know, things like how a man’s seduced a thousand women.”

“It isn’t the truth?”

Shaking his head, he smiled into her questioning eyes. “I’d be dead, Adriana. Suffice it to say, there have been more than a few, far fewer than a thousand,
and”—he lightly caressed her cheek—“I only plan to seduce one more.”

The fear popped into her eyes again, but it flickered away into something close to desire. Lord, when Adriana decided it was time, he was going to be much more than ready.

The song was too short, and Trevor would have kept on holding Adriana tight, but Stewart tapped him on the shoulder.

“Mind if we switch partners for a moment?”

“Yes, please,” Maggie pleaded. “I told Stewart I just
had
to dance with you.”

How could he possibly turn Maggie down?

One moment Adriana was warm and innocent and perfect in his arms, the next a dynamo was clutching his hand and leading him into the crowd.

“Stewart tells me he’s not too certain you’re a proper acquaintance for my Adriana. Is it true?”

“You don’t pull any punches, do you, Maggie?”

“Not where Adriana’s concerned. My husband’s a very cautious man who checks out anything and everything. In spite of all my efforts, I’m afraid he’s going to be putting you and your life under a very intense microscope.”

“That doesn’t surprise me.”

“He does have an air about him, doesn’t he. Grand Inquisitor and executioner rolled into one,” Maggie quipped. “Underneath the exterior, though, is a man who cares deeply about certain people. Adriana’s one of them.”

“I can understand the feeling.”

She studied his eyes and smiled slowly. “I like you, Trevor. I’m a good judge of character, and you seem rather nice. I must tell you though, you’re a little worldly-wise for my Adriana. She’s not used to men like you. Actually, she’s not used to men at all.”

“I get the feeling she’s been shut away from the world most of her life.”

“More like she’s found more comfort in a make-believe world than the real one. Go easy, Mr. Montgomery. You’re not a dream, and she’s been hurt more than enough by the real thing.”

“Just one more dance?” Trevor urged, looking down at Adriana with those smoldering brown eyes that had burned into hers most of the night.

“It’s late. We really should go,” Adriana protested, as she scanned the ballroom and noticed that most of the tables had emptied.

“It’s not quite two,” Trevor said. “For me, that’s early.”

“If s a long drive home. I have to work tomorrow.”

Trevor shook his head and pulled Adriana up and into his arms. “One more dance. That’s all.”

How could she possibly turn him down, especially when it felt wonderful being held so close?

They moved together slowly and rhythmically, a warm hand against the bare skin of her back, the other holding her fingers so snug against his chest that she could feel the steady beat of his heart.

“The music sounds familiar to me,” he whispered. “I’ve been in this hotel dozens of times before, still, everything’s changed. Sixty years ago I could dance like this every night of the week, not just on weekends or special occasions.”

Adriana felt his hand pressing her closer, holding
her as if he was afraid she’d disappear the same way his old life had.

“I don’t know if I can get used to all the changes,” he said. “I miss the elegance of the thirties.”

“But it’s not gone completely. You were able to recapture some of it tonight.”

“It’s not the same. I didn’t know a soul, except you. I wonder if my old friends found the change as difficult.”

“They probably didn’t notice. Things changed gradually, not overnight, like they did for you.”

“I doubt my old friends would even recognize me if I paid them a visit. Who knows, they might not even remember me.”

“I’m sure they would. But...” Adriana hesitated, knowing her next words were ones he wouldn’t want to hear. “There aren’t many left to visit.”

Trevor stopped in the middle of the dance floor. She could see the hurt in his eyes as he understood the full impact of what she’d said. He sighed, resting his forehead against hers.

“Is Tyrone Power still alive?” he asked, his words little more than a whisper.

He could feel the shake of her head. He didn’t have to hear her words to know his old friend was gone.

“What about Janet Julian?”

He looked at her this time, but instead of seeing Adriana, he saw Janet’s pretty blue eyes, her innocence, her sweetness.