Chapter 14

My dreams were full of Mark that night. And when I woke to the rumble
of thunder and the sound of raindrops, I had a vivid picture of myself
lying in his big arms while his mouth burned my skin. It was
embarrassing enough to make me late for breakfast. I didn't think I
could have looked at Mark without giving myself away.

But my worries were not needed. Mark had already left to go to the
office when I came downstairs to find Melissa sitting by herself at the
breakfast table.

"Good morning." Melissa said. She had on a yellow blouse and skirt.
She looked slim. She eyed my jeans and sweater with disgust. "You
don't believe in fashion, do you?"

"In my own home, no." I replied looking for cream to add to my coffee.

She watched as I added two teaspoons of sugar to my coffee. "Don't
count calories either, do you?"

"I don't need to." I said quietly, refusing to display my irritation.
Where in the world were Brenda, Glenn, and Mr. McMahon?

She watched me raise the cup to my mouth, and her eyes rested on my
slightly raw lower lip, which was throbbing this morning - a painful
reminder of Mark's shocking intimacy.

"You and Mark were downstairs together a long time last night." She commented.

"We...had some things to discuss." I stuttered back. I didn't know what to say.

"You missed Mark this morning. He asked me to come down when the alarm
went off so that we could have breakfast together." She told me with a smile. I felt like clawing her eyes out personally but I managed to keep my wants under wraps.

"How nice." I turned and noticed a malicious smile on her lips.

"He was anxious to leave before you came down. I think he was afraid
you might have read something more than he intended into what happened
last night."

"W-what? He told you?" I was surprised. Why would Mark tell her what happened?

"Of course, darling. He was bristling with regrets, and I just let him
talk. It was the dress, of course. Mark is too much of a man not to be
swayed by a half-naked woman."

"I was not...!"

"He makes love very well, don't you think? He's such a vibrant lover;
so considerate and exciting..." the older woman said. "You do realize
that it must not be allowed to happen again? I quite realize the reason
Mark hasn't told you the true reason I came over here with my father,
but..."

I stared at her, feeling my secure, safe little world dissolving around
me. It was like being buried alive. I could hardly breathe for the
sudden sense of suffocation.

"You mean...?"

"If Mark hasn't told you, I can't. He didn't want to make the
announcement until his family got to know me better." She said, looking at her fingernails.

I couldn't manage words. So that was how it was. Mark planned to marry
at last, and this blond barracuda was going to swim off with him. And
after last night, I'd actually thought...What did it matter, anyway?
Mark had always been like a brother, despite his brutality last night.
And that had only been to warn me, he'd said so. He was afraid I'd read
something into it, was he? I'd show him!

"I see you understand. You won't let Mark know that I said anything
will you? He'd be so unhappy with me..."

"No, of course not. Congratulations."

Melissa smiled sweetly. "I hope we're going to become great friends.
And you mustn't think anything about what happened with Mark. He only
wants to forget it, as you must. It was just a moment out of time,
after all, nothing to be concerned about."

Of course not, I thought, feeling suddenly empty. I managed a smile,
but fortunately the rest of the family chose that moment to join us,
and I was able to bury my grief in conversation.

Chapter 15
Later that afternoon I went to the airport to pick up Jeff.

When we walked outside it was raining cats and dogs. It was hard to see
the other cars, despite the lights.

"I didn't bring it with me." Jeff said, looking at the storm outside.

"I hope it let's up." I had to go across two bridges to get back to
Greyoaks. When flash floods come, the bridges sometimes are underwater
and impossible to cross.

"You know your way around pretty good." Jeff said.

"Yes, I used to come here every weekend." I said not mentioning that I'd never done it alone or that I was doing this without Mark's permission. Brenda and Glenn had protested but never stopped me. I could still see Melissa's smug expression and my pride felt wounded. If he was involved with the blonde, he should never have touched me...but, then, I provoked him. He'd accused me of it, and I couldn't deny it. All I didn't know was why.

The rain and winds got worse as we continued to drive and talk. I was
so scared. I drove on trying not to let Jeff see it. If only Mark were
here!

We made over the first bridge, where the water was a couple of inches
below it.

"It's about twenty miles to the next bridge." I told Jeff.

"I hate to mention it but what if we can't get across the second." Jeff
said quietly.

"We'll have to go back to King's Fort and spend the night in the hotel," I told him thinking of Mark's fury when he caught up with me. "But the river shouldn't be that high yet. I think we can make it."

"Just in case what kind of temper does your guardian have?" Jeff asked, worried.

I gripped the steering wheel without answering and drove on.

As we got to the second bridge two cops were just putting up a
roadblock.

I rolled down my window so one could talk to me. "Ma'am you'll have to
go back to King's Fort. The river's up over the bridge."

"But it's the only road to Greyoaks."

"Yes ma'am I'm afraid it is. But there's no way across until the water
drops. I'm sorry." he said and then to make my day worse he added, "The
telephone lines are down to so you can't call home. One, way or
another, it's been a rough day. I wish we could help you."

I rolled the window up and turned to go back to King's Fort.

"I feel bad about this." Jeff said.

"Don't be silly it's all right. We'll just be...a little late getting
home that's all."

"I'll explain it to him."

I nodded, but under my brave smile I felt like a naughty student on my
way to the principal's office. Mark wasn't going to understand, and I
sincerely hoped the river didn't go down until he cooled off.

I pulled up in front of the King's Fort Inn and turned off the car. I
sat there for a minute with my hands clenched to the wheel.

"Well, we tried. I hope my insurance is paid up." I told Jeff.

"Will he really be that mad?"

I took a deep breath. "I didn't have permission to come after you. I
think I'm old enough to do without it. But Mark doesn't."

He patted my hand. "I'll protect you," he promised smiling.

I couldn't return the smile. The thought of Jeff protecting me against
Mark was almost funny.

The rain was still coming down as we ran into the hotel, and I held up
my raincoat. I laughed as we stopped under the awning to catch our
breath.

He grinned at me. "Fancy meeting you here."

"Not very fancy I'm afraid. I must look like a witch."

"Lovely as always."

"Thank you kind sir. It's the only hotel in town and I'm sure we're
going to cause some comments, but just ignore the stares and go ahead.
We'll pretend we don't see any familiar faces."

"This town isn't all that small."

"It's not. But the headquarters of one of Mark's businesses is here,
and the family is pretty well known. Let's go in, shall we? You can get
your bag later."

As I walked in I stopped completely.

Jeff looked at me with a puzzled frown. I was staring at a big, dark
man who was sitting in an armchair by the window reading a paper. He
seemed as if he'd been in that chair for a very long time. Even at a
distance he looked threatening. He put down the paper and began to walk
toward us.

Jeff knew who he was without even being told. "Mark, I presume?" he
murmured to me under his breath.

My hands clenched my pants. I couldn't get the words out.

Mark put his hands into his pockets, towering over me expressionless.

"Ready to go home?" he asked.

"How...did you find me?" I whispered.

"I could find you in New York City at rush hour." Then his eyes went to
Jeff.

"Jeff isn't it?" He asked, with gritted teeth.

"Y-yes sir." Jeff replied. So much for him protecting me.

"The bridge is underwater," I said softly

"I know." He walked toward the exit, leaving us behind.

"What about my car?"

"Lock it and leave it. We'll send back for it when the river goes
down."

"I'll get my suitcase out and lock the car for you," Jeff said.

I stood beside Mark, miserable and shivering from the chill of the rain.

"Why?" he asked, just that one blunt word made me want to cry.

"It was only a short drive." I tried to tell him.

"With hurricane warnings out."

"How are we going to get home?"

"I ought to let you and your boyfriend walk."

I looked down at my wet shoes and then back up at him. He was only
wearing a lightweight jacket with trousers, and no raincoat.

"Don't you have an umbrella?"

He shifted his shoulders, not looking at me. "I didn't take the time
to look for it." His eyes glittered down at me. "Have you any idea how
long I've been sitting here wondering where you were?"

I reached out and touched his sleeve. "I'm sorry, Mark, really I am. I
wanted to call, but I was afraid to take the time..."

I suddenly noticed the new lines on his face, the bloodshot eyes. "Were
you really worried?"

One big hand came out and ruffled my hair with rough affection. "What
do you think?" he asked. Something in his face seemed to relax as he
looked down into my eyes. "I've been out of my mind, Jaime," he
whispered, with such emotion in his voice that my heart seemed to lift
up and fly.

"Mark..."

"Here I am!" Jeff said, joining us with his suitcase. "All locked up."

I folded my arms across my chest and tried to stay calm. "How are we
going to get across the river?"

"I got a helicopter." he said with a smile.

I smiled. Leave it to Mark to make the biggest problem simple.