Tender Touch (20 page)

“I seem to be in the way here.” Kathy got up
and blocked Jade’s exit. “It has been very enlightening observing
you in action. Sorry to interrupt your important work,” she said in
a soft voice.

“No problem. Drop by anytime.” Jade did not
want this woman to be her foe.

“Yes, I plan to.” Kathy stared at her for a
few seconds then faced her husband. “Remember we’re meeting the
Richards for dinner at six-thirty.”

Lang seemed relieved that she was leaving.
“Of course. I’ll be home by six, and we will drive over to the
restaurant. Now bye, dear.” He cupped her elbow and guided her down
the hall.

Jade took a deep breath. Before she could
leave, Lang came back to her office.

“I hope my wife wasn’t rude to you, Jade.”
He came in and closed the door.

“Oh, no, Bill. Just small talk.” Jade tried
to make her response casual.

Lang gave a slight shake of his head.
“You’re very gracious, but I know my wife. Look, you and I are
going to be working very long hours in very close quarters. We
might as well get this out on the table. Kathy is very jealous—and
for no reason, I can assure you.” He ran a hand over his neatly cut
hair. “I’m sorry for anything she might have done.”

“She wasn’t out of line, honest.”

“But she was questioning you, admit it.”
Lang eyed her.

“She asked about routine department
business.” Jade lifted a shoulder. “Very harmless stuff.”

“But she wanted to know if you were
qualified or were just window dressing. She’s caused me no end of
grief with her obsessive suspicions. But if she ever upsets you,
let me know.” Lang wore a look of concern.

“She wasn’t that bad.” Jade felt a twinge of
guilt talking about Kathy this way. Not to mention her desire not
to get involved in her boss’s marital strife.

“But she did take a few digs at you?”

“Listen, I—”

“I knew it.” Lang took a deep breath. “I
really care for Kathy, but her behavior has begun to worry me. I
want to help her. But I spend most of my time defending myself or
apologizing to her.”

Jade shifted from one foot to the other. She
wasn’t sure what to say, but she tried to think of some way of
getting out of this discussion. “Well, things can get rough in a
marriage. I hope you can work it out.”

“Sometimes I just don’t know,” Lang said in
a quiet voice. “Thanks for being so understanding.” He squared his
shoulders. “I’m sorry for dumping my chaotic personal life in your
lap. You certainly didn’t sign on to be my therapist.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Jade thought of how
she’d felt when her marriage began to shatter. Lang looked so worn
down, very much unlike the usual dynamo filled with purpose and
confidence. “Hang in there. Like the song says, trouble don’t last
always.” She gave him a pat on the arm.

“Thanks.” Lang gave her a weary smile.
“Guess I better get over to the capitol to meet Mike. I’ll see you
this afternoon.”

“Okay.”

Jade watched him leave. Poor guy had his
hands full with such a paranoid wife dogging his footsteps. Jade
knew the heartbreak of an unhappy marriage all too well. Unhappy?
Miserable was more accurate. Angry, ugly fights that led to nowhere
only made going home a dread. Instead of love and refuge, there was
resentment. Yet thinking about it didn’t cause the sharp ache it
once did. Now she could look forward to the sweet embrace of a
wonderful man. Damon brought her a kind of peace and calm that no
man had ever inspired. His slightest touch was like a full body
massage. Tension melted away at the soothing sound of his rich,
deep voice—and soon they would go on their first trip together. She
intended to make it very special, too. Jade’s mood became bright as
she thought of her plans to be with him. Bill’s marital woes
slipped from her mind.

* * *

Lanessa came into her living room with a
glass in her hand. She moved with deliberateness as though afraid
she would trip. When the doorbell rang, she jumped. “Damn, it’s six
already. Gotta get rid of this.”

She darted into the kitchen and started to
pour the liquor out. After pausing for only a second or so, she
downed the rest of her drink and put the glass in the dishwasher.
The doorbell sounded again.

“Just a minute,” she called out. She went to
the hall bathroom on her way to the front door and sloshed
mouthwash around in her mouth before spitting it out. “I’m
coming.”

Alex stood at the door with an impassive
look on his nutmeg brown face. “Hello, Lanessa.” He made no move to
enter the hallway.

“Hi there. Well, don’t just stand there—come
on in.” Lanessa swung the door wide.

He walked past her into the spacious living
room done in warm beige, green and red. The room was made even more
inviting by the fire that filled the fireplace. Lanessa moved with
practiced grace, a sensuous sway in her hips. The satin lounge
belted jumpsuit she wore was ocean blue with the Victoria’s Secret
emblem stitched on the chest pocket. Though it fit loosely, the
lush curves of her body were clear beneath the fabric. Alex sat
down on the large sofa.

“Can I get you something?” Lanessa stood
poised to serve him.

“No, thanks.” He gazed up at her then looked
away. After several seconds, he cleared his throat. “So how’ve you
been?”

“Okay, I guess. You know the drill, work all
day and crash at night.” Lanessa sat down next to him. Alex seemed
about to move away then stopped.

“Yeah, same old treadmill of the working
masses.” He gave a hoarse chuckle that sounded more like a
cough.

“What about you?” Lanessa relaxed against
the sofa pillows. She stretched an arm across the top of them.

“No different. We’ve taken on a new contract
with the state to develop a financial application to handle
purchasing, payroll, contracts—the works. We’ll be working
twenty-four-seven for at least the next nine months.” He pulled at
his tie. “I’ll be really busy.”

“I see. No social life for you, eh?” Lanessa
clucked her sympathy. She rubbed his shoulder. “Poor thing.”

“Yeah, well I’m pretty used to it.” Alex
went rigid when she touched him. “But it’s great for business.”

“Wonderful.” Lanessa moved closer to
him.

This time Alex did inch away from her. “But
I’ve got an early day tomorrow. Uh, what was it you wanted to talk
over with me?”

Lanessa smiled. She seemed not to notice his
reluctance to be near her. “Last time we were together, we parted
on a sour note. I don’t feel like we really talked.”

“I think we did.” Alex did not look at her.
“We’d been talking for months, Lanessa.”

“That’s not true. You lectured me for
months,” Lanessa snapped. Seeing the reaction to her tone, she
softened her expression. “I mean, maybe we can take a different
approach this time.”

“Like what?” He looked at her.

“Listen, we all have our little faults. I
nagged you about wanting to go on nice trips to Houston or New
Orleans. I can’t help it if I love the theater, concerts and
exciting nightlife. You would, too, if you’d give it half a
chance.”

“I’m just not a nightlife kind of guy,
Lanessa. You’ve known that about me since we were both in college.”
Alex shrugged. “But that’s not—”

“Maybe I can compromise. I suppose I can be
a little selfish sometimes. We don’t have to go every weekend.”
Lanessa shrugged. “In fact, maybe nice quiet evenings along are
just what we need.” She slid up to him and rubbed her body against
his. “Used to be you couldn’t wait to get me alone.”

“Lanessa, it goes deeper than whether or not
we go out or stay in. You want the fast lane in everything.
Expensive nights out, shopping at Lord and Taylor’s, Neiman Marcus,
the best restaurants. I’m into the simple things.” Alex gripped his
knees with his large hands. He seemed not to be affected by her
provocative behavior.

“Baby, we can work it out,” Lanessa
whispered in his ear. Her hand moved up his thigh.

“We’ve been through this a hundred times,”
Alex said. “I’m willing to talk about us. But you know what I want
to hear first.” He stood up and looked down at her.

“What is it with you?” Lanessa jumped up to
face him.

“No games this time, Lanessa.”

“Who do you think you are anyway? Just
because you’re one of the famous St. Romaine clan, that makes you
better than everyone else? I don’t think so,” Lanessa said in a
scornful snarl. She paced in front of him.

“This isn’t about my family, and you know
it.” Alex’s eyes narrowed slightly at the veiled insult.

“Like hell it isn’t. As far back as I can
remember your family has been looking down their noses at
everybody, including me. Your sisters especially.” Lanessa hurled
words at him like arrows.

“I’m not going to cover the same old tired
ground.” Alex got up to leave.

“I practically beg you to come over here,
and now you want me to crawl.” Lanessa stopped pacing and faced him
again. “That’s what you want, isn’t it? Me on my knees? It’s
payback time.”

“You’ve lost me.” Alex stared at her with a
look of genuine puzzlement.

“I broke up with you over a year ago and
dated Maurice Whittington. Now you’re getting back at me, right?
The male ego can’t take rejection.”

“Don’t push your luck, lady.” Alex’s voice
was even, but his jaw muscles twitched. “I’ve taken crap off you
for a long time, overlooked a lot. But it’s never enough for
you.”

“Oh, please,” Lanessa snorted.

Alex reached out to touch her then jerked
back his hand. “Lanessa, I’ve cared for you since we were kids. But
you’ve always taken for granted that I’ll jump whenever you crook
your finger and whistle.”

“Yeah, make it all my fault.” Lanessa turned
her back to him.

“No, maybe a lot of it is my fault. You’ve
been under my skin for so long that taking you back was easy.”

“How noble of you to shoulder some of the
blame!”

“This isn’t some competition to prove who’s
righteous,” Alex shouted. “Everything gets twisted when it comes
out of your mouth. You don’t know the first thing about sharing
love with a man.”

“What does that mean?” Lanessa shouted back
at him. Her eyes blazed with fury.

“Swinging your butt and wearing tight pants
isn’t all there is to being sexy. That’s what I mean.”

“You didn’t complain all those nights you
climbed into my bed.”

“A real woman knows how to give, not just
take and take all the time. You’re always grasping for more of
everything.”

“Are you calling me a prostitute?” Lanessa
screamed at him. She balled her fist up so tight the knuckles were
pale.

“And as for my family, you love showing up
at all the best parties, hanging on to a St. Romaine. All I’ve been
to you over the years is a wallet and a trophy date. I want more,
Lanessa.”

“This is unreal! I’ve been better to you
than any woman.” Lanessa took a step back from him. “You should be
grateful—”

“You really don’t get it, do you?” Alex
said. He swung his arm out for emphasis and knocked over a row of
small African wood sculptures on the table behind the sofa. Both
were so angry, they did not notice the racket it made.

“How can you act like this?” Lanessa shouted
in a tearful voice. “I can’t believe it!”

* * *

Jade started up the stone walkway to
Lanessa’s front door. She was still humming a love song that had
played on the radio in her Camry. Loud voices made her stop for a
few moments. Was that coming from next door or from Lanessa’s
house? Then she recognized her sister’s voice raised in anger. A
shadow, it was a female form, moved behind the light beige panel
that hung between the drawn-back draperies of heavier dark green
material. A larger figure swung out in aggression. Jade did not
wait for more. She ran and pounded on the front door.

“Lanessa, are you alright? Open this door,”
Jade shouted. She pulled on the doorknob then struck the wood with
the flat of her hand.

“What’s wrong?” The man next door stopped in
the act of putting out the garbage. He dropped the bag then crossed
the lawn in long strides.

“I think Lanessa’s in trouble—” Jade’s voice
trembled “—maybe we’d better call the police. Something is very
wrong.” She banged on the door again. “Lanessa, can you hear
me?”

The door jerked open. Lanessa swayed just a
bit to the left then right. “What in the world is going on here?
Somebody get murdered or something?”

“Are you hurt?” Jade rushed forward and
examined her from head to toe.

“’Course not. Hey, Terry.” Lanessa waved at
her neighbor with a crooked smile.

“Hi, Lanessa. Party must have gotten out of
hand— again.” He shook his head then went back to his house. He
mumbled something to his waiting wife, and they both went
inside.

“I heard angry voices. It sounded like a
fight.” Jade looked around at the room. Her eyes narrowed when she
saw Alex picking up the table. “Just what happened in here?”

“A little spat that got out of hand,”
Lanessa muttered into a glass. She drank down the last drop and
went to the bar for more.

“How dare you!” Jade faced him. “Lanessa,
you should press charges against this—”

“Jade, you’ve got it wrong.” Alex’s eyes
went wide with shock as he realized what she was thinking.

“I don’t think so, Alex.” Jade pointed to
the windows. “The draperies were open. You hit my sister.” She
stabbed a finger at him.

“Forget it, Jade.” Lanessa rubbed her eyes.
She dropped her hand. Her eyes were red and glassy.

“Despite everything, I care deeply for
Lanessa. I would never do anything to harm her.” Alex stared at
Lanessa even though he spoke to Jade. “I never raised a hand to
Lanessa. Never.”