Chapter 11
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"I think I'll start shopping around for firewood. I've seen several ads in the newspaper. Cooper and I thought we'd buy a cord and divide it. One of these evenings, it'll be cool enough for a fire." Jace munched on an English muffin and sipped scalding black coffee while Katherine fed Allison her morning ration of cereal and strained fruit.
When she didn't respond to his attempted conversation, he persisted. "What do you think?"
His easy chatter annoyed her now as it had done all week. Ever since the day her new, wonderful world caved in and left her desolate, he had behaved as if there were nothing wrong between them.
She wished he would shout, throw something, have a temper outburst, anything but maintain this pleasant congeniality. "Whatever you think," she murmured as she wiped Allison's cereal- smeared mouth with a damp paper towel. A week ago she wouldn't have believed they would still be living together by the time the weather turned cold, and now, he was talking about stocking up on firewood.
He had almost broken her implacability the evening he came home and casually announced that the well they had been drilling had come in.
"Why, Jace, that's wonderful!" she exclaimed before becoming irritated with herself for the genuine joy she felt at his good news.
He looked at her quickly and grinned in sheepish pleasure. "Yeah. Katherine" – he rubbed his hands together excitedly – "I never get used to it, you know? I mean each time we strike oil, even if I'm positive before we drill that it's down there, it's like ... like—" He broke off as he held his palms up and shrugged helplessly. He laughed boyishly. "Well, it's like nothing else."
She wanted to share his happiness, his enthusiasm. She longed to hold him, congratulate him, but he rushed on. "I thought maybe we could go out tonight. Leave Allison with Happy and go out to dinner and—"
"No," she interjected sharply. The temptation to accept was strong. "I ... uh ... I typed for hours today and I'm tired."
His disappointment was apparent, but he smiled kindly and said, "Okay. Some other time."
"I guess I'd better be going," Jace said now as he stood up and stretched, raising his arms high above his head. "I'm glad I bought that bed when I did. It crowds the room, but it's worth it." His smile was dazzling, devilish. She tried to ignore him.
He leaned down and nuzzled the back of her neck. "All it needs to make it perfect is for you to be with me." His lips nibbled at the sensitive skin on her neck, and Katherine's hand shook as she determinedly shoved another spoonful of peaches into Allison's dodging mouth.
Jace's hand slipped under Katherine's arm and covered a breast, squeezing it gently. His hand scorched her skin through the thin cotton of her T-shirt. She dropped the spoon, stood up, and wheeled around to face him. "Don't do that." She strove to control her quivering voice and said more forcefully, "If you want to ... to play with someone, go play with Lacey." She was encouraged to see his lips compress in irritation. "Besides, her figure is much more ... generous ... than mine," she said scathingly.
The metallic coldness in his eyes left no doubt that she had finally succeeded in sparking his anger. His jaw worked in vexation, and he held his whole body rigid as though trying to keep a rein on murderous impulses.
The victory didn't go to Katherine, however. Insolently, he raked her body with those glinting eyes and drawled, "Yes, it is. Much more generous." Then he turned and left the kitchen. A few moments later Katherine heard the front door slam behind him.
Miserably, she slumped down in the chair and gave vent to her tears. "Oh, Jace," she wept. Unconsci- ously, she placed her hand over the breast which had so recently thrilled to the warmth of his touch. "I miss you," she moaned before she lay her head on the table and sobbed.
She didn't have the luxury of self- pity for long. Allison had been cross and fretful for the past two days. Her usually hearty appetite had waned. Her nose was stuffy, and, later that same day, she started coughing. As the day wore on, Katherine gave up trying to work. Her increasing anxiety over Allison's health prevented her from thinking clearly or generating one creative idea.
By late afternoon the baby was crying piteously and had developed a fever. Katherine paced the floor with her, trying to comfort her with pats on the back and soothing words. The congestion in her breathing passages became more pronounced, and the cough sounded harsher and deeper.
Unsuccessfully Katherine had tried to call Happy, and continued to notice that her car was still not parked in its usual place. When the telephone rang, she reached for it like a lifeline. Jace was calling to say he might be returning home late, but Katherine was so relieved to hear his voice she forgot her pride and resolve to shut him out and quickly told him about the baby's illness.
"Have you called the doctor?" Jace asked when she finished relating Allison's symptoms.
"Yes. He said to give her liquid fever reducer, watch her closely, and call him if she gets any worse."
"When was that?"
"Early this afternoon."
"Well, I think I'd better call him and have him meet me there. Are you okay?"
"Yes," she said anxiously. "But, Jace, it's just that she was so little when she was born, and her lungs—"
"I know, darling, I know. You sit tight, and I'll be there as soon as possible."
Katherine replaced the telephone receiver and felt a glow of love spread over her heart. Jace was coming to help her. Everything would be all right. Jace would be home soon. She whispered such to the crying, coughing Allison as she continued to pace with the infant or rock her in the wicker chair.
Allison became more agitated with each passing minute. Katherine's anxiety turned into terror when the baby's breathing became labored. She emitted a harsh, grating sound from deep in her throat. Her cough sounded like something out of a nightmare. Katherine was reminded of baying hounds.
She was frantic by the time she heard someone on the stairs and rushed to the door, flinging it open with the baby still clutched in her arms. Jace was running up the steps two at a time with Dr. Peterson, Allison's pediatrician, in tow. Jace halted mid-stride when he saw Katherine's wild eyes, but then leaped up the last few steps into the room.
He looked down at Allison as Katherine blubbered, "She can hardly breathe. Listen to her. She's going to die. I know it. Her lungs—"
The doctor and Jace all but ignored her as they looked at Allison. Dr. Peterson heard the hard, wracking cough and said hurriedly, "Into the bathroom."
Jace shoved Katherine toward the specified room. He seemed to know what to do, for he reached for the hot water tap in the bathtub before Dr. Peterson had time to follow them in and close the door behind him.
"What—" Katherine started, but Dr. Peterson interrupted with, "Do you have any Mentholatum, Vaporub, anything like that?"
Katherine nodded dumbly and pointed toward the medicine chest behind the mirror. The doctor grabbed a jar and started liberally spreading the pungent gel on Allison's throat.
Meanwhile, the bathroom was becoming like a steam room with the hot water tap running full strength in the tub. Jace took a towel off a rack and held it under the faucet in the sink, soaking it in warm water. He rung all excess water out of it and placed it gently over the small chest.
"I should have known—" Katherine began apologizing for her own ignorance.
"Not if you've never had a child with croup before." Dr. Peterson interrupted her again. "It's one of the most alarming things to experience. It sounds a lot worse than it is." His voice was reassuring, and Jace placed a supportive arm around Katherine's shoulders. Unmindful of the schism between them, she leaned against his hard strength gratefully as the doctor replaced the warm, moist towel over Allison's chest.
He continued his patient ministrations as the minutes ticked by. The three adults in the cramped space were dripping with perspiration when, finally, Allison coughed long and hard. Katherine reached for her, but Dr. Peterson put out a restraining arm. "This might be it," he said.
A bubble of thick mucus sprouted from the baby's nose at the same time she coughed chokingly and spat out what had given them all such grief.
"There we go," the doctor cried cheerfully. He wiped Allison's nose with a tissue and cleaned out her mouth with a gentle, probing finger.
Almost immediately Allison's breathing returned to normal. She lay back sleepily and closed her eyes. For the first time in hours she wasn't crying.
Jace restored the ravaged bathroom. Katherine hovered over Dr. Peterson as he carried Allison into her room. He laid the baby down gently in her crib and pulled out a stethoscope, placing it on the rising and falling chest.
When he straightened up, he said, "Just as I thought. Her lungs are clear. She's probably had a viral cold for the past several days, and got a little clogged up. The harsh breathing and coughing came from her throat, not her lungs."
"Thank you so much, Dr. Peterson, I was so scared."
"I know you were. Just remember the old bathroom trick if Allison or future children ever get croup." He glanced down at Allison and, deciding to give her some medication, administered it into her mouth with an eyedropper.
"That's a mild decongestant, but even so, it should keep her under for the rest of the night." While he filled out a prescription blank he said, "Have this filled tomorrow. You can give her liquid aspirin if she runs any fever and call me if she's no better in a day or two. Do you have a vaporizer?"
"Yes," Katherine answered, aware that Jace had joined them.
"I'd keep it going in her room for a couple of days. it'll relieve her congestion."
"Thank you, Doctor," Jace said, extending his hand for the doctor to shake. He led the pediatrician to the front door.
Katherine was leaning over the crib, stroking Allison's back when he returned.
"She gave you quite a scare, didn't she?" Jace whispered.
"Oh, God, Jace. I was so frightened," Katherine said tremulously.
"I know. I'm glad I called and was able to be here with you." He placed both hands on her shaking shoulders and massaged them comfortingly.
"Thank you," she said softly. Then remembering how expert he had been during the crisis, she asked, "How did you know what to do?"
He laughed softly then said, "When you're on a drilling site out in the middle of nowhere, you learn to be a lot of things. Sometimes we have to act as nurse for one another. One night a man in my outfit got choked up like that and Billy instructed us on what to do."
"Tell Billy I'm forever in his debt."
"He'll like that," Jace said wryly. "Hey, are you hungry? We skipped supper, you know."
"And lunch," Katherine said. She patted Allison's bottom one last time before turning around. "But I hadn't even thought of it."
"Why don't you lie down for a while and let me run out for some hamburgers."
"I hate for you—"
"No problem." He interrupted her on his way out the front door.
Katherine sank down onto the sofa and rested her head on the back cushions, closing her eyes. What a day...
That was her last conscious thought until she awoke to feather-light kisses on her cheek. She opened her eyes and saw Jace bending solicitously over her.
"Did I go to sleep?" she asked drowsily.
"You could've fooled me. Unless you were checking your eyelids for holes," he smiled. "How would you like a picnic?"
"What?" she asked struggling to sit upright. "Oh, Jace!" she exclaimed when she saw the hamburgers, french fries, and malteds spread out on the candlelit coffee table in front of her.
"Milady's dinner is served," Jace said with a swooping bow.
For the first time in weeks Katherine laughed out loud at his clowning. That set the mood for their cozy dinner. He regaled her with stories of his ventures abroad. His description of a sheikh who had fancied him as a husband for one of his twelve daughters caused tears of mirth to roll down Katherine's face.
"You're laughing, and I barely escaped with my virtue intact," Jace said with feigned indignation.
Katherine stood up and began gathering the paper plates and cups. Her hands came to a complete standstill when Jace grasped her around the waist and turned her to face him as he sat on the sofa.
Exercising no will of her own, she followed his lead and was drawn closer. His hands ran up and down her back as he stared into her eyes.
"No bra today," he whispered roguishly, flashing that mischievous smile she had come to adore.
Holding her eyes with his, he reached under her T-shirt with caressing hands. Her own eyes swam with emotion as she felt his tentative fingers on her flesh. She didn't deter him. She wanted this. She would review her regrets later. For right now she gloried in his touch.
He raised the shirt and slipped it over her head. Honey- colored hair tumbled down around her shoulders. The candles were the only illumination as he viewed her body. The flickering candlelight shaded and highlighted the hollows and planes in a study of sculpture.
Jace buried his face between her breasts and kissed the soft flesh. His words were muffled. "Katherine... beautiful...sweet..."
He kissed her breasts tenderly, almost reverently. He pulled back and worshiped them with his eyes as his fingers paid homage. Then he kissed them again.
Looking at him from this angle, Katherine saw that his black eyelashes were thick and spiky. His nose was perfectly shaped – long and straight and aristocratic.
He clasped her behind the knees and moved his hands up the backs of her thighs. Her heart pounded in anticipation. Spontaneously, she placed both hands on his head and bent hers over it, draping that beloved head with her hair.
His hands circled her waist then moved to her stomach. He unsnapped her jeans and slid the zipper down her abdomen. Slipping both hands into the opening, he settled them on her hips.
"Katherine," he breathed, "your complexion is golden and beautiful all over." He nibbled her stomach. The stubble on his chin abraded her skin, but it was a pleasant sensation.
His hands clenched her tighter as his mouth encompassed her navel. He took it leisurely, nibbling it with his teeth and exploring it with his tongue. He attacked it, made love to it. It was a warm and possessive and totally sexual assault.
Katherine's breath was coming rapidly. Small explosions of sensation erupted from her throbbing femininity and suffused her with fire. She had too much blood for her veins to contain, and it flooded riotously through her body.
Jace pulled back and studied the lacy elastic band on her bikini panties. He hooked his finger under it and traced a mesmerizing line first to one side of her abdomen, then to the other. His finger came back to its starting point just under her navel. With slow precision he began to lower it.
Just when Katherine thought she would cry out with suppressed emotion, Jace withdrew his hand and stood up abruptly, nearly unbalancing her. He cradled her face between his palms and hungrily sought her mouth. "I can't take this anymore," he muttered thickly. He extinguished the candles quickly and propelled her into the bedroom with him.
Tossing back the covers with an impatient carelessness, he eased Katherine onto the bed. She didn't hesitate to remove her jeans and panties while he flung off his clothes, hissing deprecations to contrary buttons, buckles, and snaps.
When they were both naked, he covered her body with his. He rained fervent kisses on her face and threaded his hands through the golden strands of hair fanning the pillow.
Desperately he whispered, "Katherine, don't deny me this. Please. I want you. I need..."
Her body answered for her. It was unreservedly acquiescent to his demands. Her hands smoothed over the broad expanse of his back, down over his hips, and as far as she could reach on his thighs. It was longing frustrated by abstinence that compelled her to meet his passion equally.
They became one without pause. Jace ceased his frantic kisses and lay his dark head beside hers on the pillow, breathing deeply. Katherine rested her hands on the lean muscles of his hips. They were content to savor the sensation, the satisfaction, the bliss of their bodies being joined in this timeless intimacy.
After long moments Jace supported himself on his elbows as he gazed down into her face. "I knew you were ready or I never would have—"
"I know," she whispered back, brushing back the raven waves that lay damply on his forehead.
He traced the features of her face, sliding his finger across her cheekbones, down her nose to her lips. His lips followed the path.
"Being like this with you ... it's ... oh, Katherine, kiss me," he rasped. She could feel that his body was demanding more now that the initial frustration had been appeased.
She drew his tongue into her mouth and then searched the depths of his with her own curious exploration. He drew apart from her slightly and cupped a breast in each hand, pushing them upward to meet his eager lips. His velvet-rough tongue painted each rosy crest with a warm wetness before it was suckled with his mouth.
Katherine cried his name joyously as she lost all consciousness of anything except Jace's body bringing her to fulfillment. No small component of that fulfillment was hearing Jace call her name in his own crescendo of ecstasy.