“What’s going on?” Henry asked.
“Must be the baby shower.” Caleb grinned, handing him some fishing poles to carry. “Why don’t you ask those women what you asked me earlier? Seems you’d get a whole variety of answers. One of them might be the right one.”
If he only knew… Henry glanced at them all, seated in chairs around Pearl whose round belly rose above the gifts stacked at her feet. Rose and her mother were here, along with Sadie’s mother. He recognized some employees from the plant, too.
But his gaze returned to Sadie. She wore a light-pink sweater, tight enough to display her breasts. His palms itched to test their weight against the soft fabric. Strip them bare. Suckle her generous nipples until he…
Henry slammed his heel down on his other foot before he had another accident in his overalls.
Caleb touched his arm. “She’s here, isn’t she?”
“I’m not going to answer that,” Henry muttered, shaking his throbbing foot.
But he didn’t have to. The truth displayed in his brother’s pale eyes.
Sadie drummed her fingers on the arm of the metal lawn chair on Pearl’s deck. Her cousin sure had a lot of gifts to open. At this rate, they’d be here the whole day. Watching a grackle strut across the lawn interested her more than the party.
She hadn’t done any work for Rockfield’s in two days and missed it. She’d thought about her time with Henry in the office all weekend. The sensation of his finger inside her haunted her night and day, making her belly and thighs twitch with need. Maybe that was her problem. She missed him as much as the work. More.
He’d faced her as he plied her breasts and core, gazing at her with desire. Exactly the way she needed. The demanding way he’d stated he’d make love to her sent a shiver through her. Where would they do it? Work was too dangerous. Anywhere was dangerous, she reminded herself.
She should say no and limit herself to business, but climaxing in his arms had flipped a switch inside her. She needed to see that desire burning in his eyes as he slipped between her thighs. Just once.
For this man, she’d risk rejection.
The women made sounds of delight, pulling Sadie out of her lustful reverie. With dismay, she realized her panties were soaked. Luckily, she’d worn a heavy cotton skirt.
Pearl held up a stuffed animal shaped like an oyster, which explained why everyone chattered more than a flock of magpies.
“I made it myself.” Slender and pale in her flowered dress, Rose looked like a flower herself. She’d kept her hair short with a stylish permanent wave.
“I love it,” Pearl exclaimed. “Caleb will, too.”
Pearl looked the most beautiful of all. She wore her hair long and loose with a ribbon tied across the top of her head. Her yellow dress was smocked under the breast to accommodate her condition. Most of all, she glowed with happiness. Why wouldn’t she? She was married to the man she loved and expecting his child.
What would Henry’s child look like? Would he have the same peaceful eyes and tousled hair? Sadie dismissed the notion.
At least Cali, the woman who’d worked in the kitchen at the old art school, wore a brown dress. But even that managed to set off her amber, cat-like eyes.
Face it, Sadie told herself. Despite the feminine, pink sweater she barely still fit into, she was the plainest woman here. She was also the worst off with men. Most of these women were married.
Cali was a widow, but losing a husband to death was more honorable than being walked out on. Earlier, Rose told her the woman couldn’t stand the city, so she’d moved to Pearl Point to shuck and do odd jobs.
Mama clapped a hand over her drumming fingers and shot her a warning glare. How much more of this could she stand? Walking out in the middle of Pearl’s shower would be very rude. To distract herself, she focused on the business records she’d work on tomorrow. Henry seemed inclined to give her more and more power. Maybe he’d eventually let her run the entire plant.
If only she could jump up and tell these women how important she was. How smart she was. How much power she’d gained and how much more she could seize. That their silly husbands and babies didn’t matter to her. She was meant for something better.
Pearl opened the gift from Sadie and Mama next. Mama leaned forward because Sadie hadn’t showed it to her before wrapping it.
“It’s a layette,” Pearl exclaimed, holding up the small baby clothes. “They’re divine. Thank you both so much!”
A smile of satisfaction spread across Sadie’s lips. “You’re welcome.”
“Where did you get that kind of money, girl?” Mama whispered, jabbing her in the shoulder.
“Working,” Sadie whispered back.
Before Mama returned her attention to Pearl, something rare glowed on her face.
Approval.
Sadie glanced at the dock when she heard an approaching boat engine. A boat with two men pulled up. Her heart nearly pounded out of her chest when she spotted Henry.
“Ah, the men are back,” Pearl said. “I have a craving for fish. I hope they caught plenty.”
Sadie had a craving, too. For the man with unkempt hair under his jaunty cap. His wind-burned face glowed even more than Pearl’s. He clearly loved the sea. If she didn’t get seasick, they could sail away together somewhere romantic. The way Caleb had whisked Pearl off to a romantic little island in the river and made love to her in the sand.
Suddenly, she was a vulnerable woman again, knowing her world would collapse when he stopped wanting her. She pursed her lips so hard, the blood left them.
“Are you all right, Sadie?” Pearl asked.
She looked up, realizing every pair of eyes focused on her.
“I’m fine. Just excited about the baby.”
“Me, too,” Pearl replied. “I’m also nervous about the birth and raising him or her.”
“The second part is gonna be hard,” Mama agreed. “Gotta give that child a lot of love because things won’t be easy for him.”
“She’s right about that,” Rose agreed.
Even though Pearl faced hard times raising a biracial child, Sadie would trade places with her in a heartbeat. She glanced around at the beauty of Pearl Point in the baby leaves and flower buds.
But she wasn’t Pearl, she reminded herself, and never would be. Her strength was business, not being a wife. She’d already proven that. And the blessing of motherhood would never be hers.
Next week, she intended to work twice as hard at Rockfield’s and become as powerful as Henry would let her. In the end, it would probably be all she’d have.
* * *
At work Monday morning, Henry walked into Sadie’s office, resembling a proper businessman. His hair was even damp and combed. She preferred the rugged fisherman she’d seen yesterday. They hadn’t spoken at the baby shower. As soon as the boat had docked, he’d walked to the parking area and driven away without so much as a wave.
Obviously, he’d changed his mind about making love to her. She could kick herself for even being surprised about it. Focus on the business, she reminded herself.
“Yes, sir?” she asked, keeping her attention focused on the papers in front of her.
He gripped his suspenders. “This room looks neat as a pin. You cleaned it up too fast.”
She’d straightened the place like a madwoman this morning. What else could she do to keep her mind off her churning emotions?
“That’s all right,” he said next, staring at the floor. “I’ll tell everyone you’re my secretary or something.”
“But don’t you already have Mrs. Tucker?”
He shrugged. “I’ll tell everyone I need another secretary.”
Morning sun streamed in through the small window, but it didn’t lift her mood one bit. Why wouldn’t he look at her? Curse him, anyway. She was one breath away from returning to the hell of oyster shucking. How could he want her so badly one day and look away in disgust the next? She might get used to steady rejection, but this back and forth business drove her over the edge.
“What are you working on today?”
“Overhead costs.” Unable to stop herself, she threw an eraser at him. It hit him in the ear.
“Ouch.” He picked it up from the floor and placed it on her desk. “What did you do that for?”
“No reason.” Why give him the satisfaction of understanding her feelings? “Would it have killed you to say hello to me yesterday?”
“I’m sorry. I was very messy from fishing.” For some reason, he cast a wary glance at his crotch. “And with those other women around, I wasn’t comfortable.”
“No need to be uncomfortable,” she said, tapping her pen. “I knew you’d change your mind.”
He cocked his head. “Change my mind about what?”
Lord, give her patience. She swore the man acted dense on purpose sometimes.
“About what you suggested.” Did she have to spell it out? “Friday, you know, after work.”
His body jolted as he stepped forward. “No, I still plan— That is, if you…”
She folded her hands on the papers. “Yes, I think we should. Location?”
He glanced toward the door as if worrying about who might overhear. “My place.”
“Date and time?” she asked next.
He wanted her! Handling their tryst as a business transaction was the only way she could keep her roiling emotions from turning her into a madwoman.
“I need to buy some things first.” He cleared his throat. “How about Tuesday?”
Unfortunately, her body’s cycle had other plans. “Saturday evening would be better for me.”
“Saturday evening sounds just fine,” he replied.
He almost looked relieved they had to wait so long. And what did he plan to buy, anyway? Did he want her or not? If not, why go through with it?
“Sadie, it can only happen once, you understand, to get it out of our systems.”
“That’s wise.” At least she wouldn’t have to worry about him getting tired of her. After only one time, he wouldn’t get the chance.
Because she’d rather die than have another man walk out on her.
Chapter Eight
After lunch, Henry paced his office. After being on the river yesterday, staying cooped up in a building was even harder to tolerate. Rainy, gray days like today were the hardest because he loved the water most when it was unpredictable and harsh.
Like Sadie. Knowing she sat across the hall kept his blood on a slow simmer. Especially when he recalled what they’d done in there last Friday. On Saturday night, he’d finally have her. The thought made his hands shake. What if he couldn’t live up to her expectations? He planned to buy what he needed tonight after work. The evening had to be perfect.
His cock swelled in his undershorts as he pictured her dark beauty in his narrow bed. He hoped she wore the tight sweater again so he could peel it off her. Why was she making them wait so long? At this rate, his crotch would stay harder than concrete.
When the phone on his desk rang, he grabbed it. Perfect timing to distract him from Sadie and her tempting body.
“It’s Caleb. Are you sitting down?”
“What’s wrong?” Henry sat and gripped the desk, not liking the tension in his brother’s voice. “Is the baby coming?”
“No, Henry. I’ve heard a disturbing rumor today. Someone may be stealing our oysters.”
“Oh hell.” Anger prickled across his shoulders. He’d planted Rockfield’s beds and tended them like plants.
“You need to hire someone to investigate and plant more beds in safer locations.”
“Like Pearl Point.”
“Exactly,” Caleb said. “Henry, don’t delay. If the rumor is true, we’ll both be out of business.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it.”
After he hung up, he stared out the window. As usual, the sea mocked him with the old waterman’s life he couldn’t have anymore. It wasn’t much different from his forbidden attraction to Sadie.
The idea of someone stealing the Rockfield oysters he’d planted made him feel erased from the face of the earth. When the last oyster was gone, he would be, too. If he couldn’t ride the waves anymore, he might as well be dead. After staring at the chair that had become his prison, he shoved it until it fell over.
He’d take care of the problem, all right, but not the way Caleb expected him to. If he didn’t go out there himself, he’d go crazy. To hell with running the plant. After locking his office door, he changed into his waterman’s gear—overalls, boots, a long-sleeved undershirt, and a battered jacket stiff with salt. He even plunked the fishing cap on his head.
When he walked into Sadie’s office, her mouth dropped open at the sight of him. Desire flickered in her intense, dark eyes before she looked away. Wearing his sailing clothes made him feel even more primitive than usual. He almost forgot about the oysters as he pictured her naked and willing on top of the desk.
“Why are you dressed like that?” she asked.
“Someone is stealing our oysters.”
She frowned. “That’s terrible. Who?”
“I plan to find out.” He looked helplessly around the room. Why wasn’t Sadie a white man? Then she could take over his miserable desk job so he could do what he was meant to do on the sea.
Why couldn’t she be a white
woman
, for that matter? So they could court openly.
He liked her exactly the way she was, though. She knew his business better than anyone except Caleb, and he trusted her more than all his white employees put together. Besides, he’d only be gone the rest of the day. He’d investigate the theft and go from there.
“Take care of things while I’m gone,” he ordered.
She nibbled the end of her pencil. “How exactly do you mean that? I’m just a secretary, remember?”
“Do the best you can as a secretary without riling the supervisors.”
Before he could change his mind, he rushed down to the dock.
* * *
Sadie did her best to mind her own business the rest of the afternoon. Knowing Henry had informally left her in charge made her grin a lot. Not that she could’ve refused. A team of horses couldn’t have kept him away from the water.
He sure looked appetizing in his waterman’s garb. She hoped he caught the oyster crooks. If she didn’t suffer from seasickness, she’d love to see it. What would he do to them? Bash their heads together? He was so mild-mannered most of the time—on land. Maybe his balls came out when he was at sea.