Stephan-3
1119 Words
Ming didn’t believe her. Anxiously, he probed her head, and then her arm, finally forcing his way under it. He whined, snuffling her face, begging for reassurance.
She wrapped her arms around him. “Ah, Ming, it’s okay! I’m all right!”
“Fortunately,” observed the man dryly. “Careless move, wasn’t it—or was it meant to be?”
She shot him up the briefest of impatient glances. “Well, of all the stupid things to say! I’m not about to kill myself over anything—or anyone . . . yet!”
“That’s telling me!” He knelt beside her, keeping an ever-watchful eye on Ming. “I am right—you are Tami, aren’t you?”
Thomi gave him no answer, nor any other indication she’d heard him. Intrigued though he might be with the radiance and thickness of her true black locks—for even in the shadow of the impending storm, he could detect the blue highlights in them—he desired her complete attention, and he meant to have it. With imperative fingers, he made her look up.
In her eyes, of an emerald green, glinted a measure of resentment and a certain hauteur. “I am Thomasyna! Or Thomi!” she informed him coldly. “Sometimes Syna! Don’t call me Tami—or Tami Lynn!”
Taken aback, he uttered, “There’s a name you don’t hear every day!”
“Yes, I do!”
He laughed. “I meant in the general way, it’s not a common name!”
“Take it up with my father,” she told him. “He named me—and all my sisters!”
“I’ll look forward to doing that,” he said smilingly. “I’m Stephan Deverill!”
Replied Thomi, unimpressed, “Yes, I know. Chucklehead’s cousin!”
It surprised a laugh from him. “You’re better off without him, you know!”
Thomi hadn’t the least desire to discuss her affairs with him. “Yes, I know that, too!” She stared at him broodingly a moment, then bluntly stated, “She said she was better off without you, too! That why you’re making a gift of her to him?”
“Oh, I’m infinitely better off without her! No one special, believe me!”
Must’ve been true. He displayed no hurt, no anger or resentment, nor even any disappointment. Well, hadn’t Charley mentioned his cousin’s wedding was just around the corner? Despite his claim right now, he must have loved her in the beginning to have considered a marriage with her. Thomi marveled at his supreme indifference. Must be handy to be able to do that!
Oho, but what was this look coming into his eyes? A look like this could only start trouble. Her regard turned both suspicious and apprehensive. He’d come expressly to see her, and not, apparently, to bribe her, nor even to discover what she might have known about this affair between Charley and his fiancée—whatever her name was. Aveleen, was it? Charley’d generally referred to her as Stephan’s Latest.
For what then?
“Thomasyna, have dinner with me.”
The unexpected request, sincerely delivered, startled even Heart—who betrayed her earlier resolve, wanting to give in to the sweetness of his smile, the lazy warmth of those oh, so blue eyes, and the glory of his chestnut curls. Although, by far, Stephan Deverill’s most dangerous quality was his deep liquid voice, its hypnotic effect lulling the best of defenses. Nothing like it had she ever heard before. Beside it, Charley’s voice seemed now heinously ordinary! It wanted to suck her under just as those waves had.
Hastily, she rose up, backing away from him, stumbling over Ming close beside her. “Not on your life!” Her voice choked with suppressed emotion.
“No,” he agreed, rising up with her. “On yours! Because I’ve saved it!”
Thunder cracked, and twin forks of lightening lit the sky. But that didn’t cause her to catch her breath as did those words. Oh, she couldn’t allow him to hold this circumstance over her. One dinner could lead to the very situation she vowed to avoid—for life if possible. At least for the next ten years!
“So, I’m supposed to fall at your feet, and swear myself your most loyal slave forever!”
“I’d be honored!” he answered simply.
“Oh, please!” with great skepticism, and she turned abruptly to leave.
Stephan prevented her. His fingers closed upon one of the most tender of the bruises Charley had inflicted, and she involuntarily cried out. Ming swiftly revealed his opinion of that move. Stephan swiftly released Thomi. Her sharp command prevented disaster. Just barely.
Assured that Ming wouldn’t finish the attack unbidden, Stephan watched her gently massage the arm he’d just released. He said contritely, “I’m sorry! I hadn’t the intention of hurting you!”
Unthinkingly Thomi uttered, “Ah, it wasn’t you who did!” Her bitter tone piqued his interest, but she put up a defiant chin. “You’ve no right to be here! Leave—please!” Her please decidedly more a command than a plea.
“Such a small favor I’m asking,” he said mournfully, showing no inclination of obeying her.
Her eyes narrowed. “Don’t do that!” she warned him. Lightning illuminated the gloom. In the same instant, so did a certain revelation. “But that’s what you came for–isn’t it? To get me to go out with you! Why? Because he took Whatsherface so you think you’re entitled to me? I don’t think so!”
“Tami—” It flamed her anger, and he corrected hastily, “Thomi! Thomi . . .! I’m sorry—Thomi! But Charley always referred to y—”
“So? I don’t want to hear those names again! Thank him for that!”
“I promise; I’ll never make that mistake again!”
“You won’t have the chance!”
In his eyes, she read otherwise. With annoyed indignation, she demanded, “Oh, look, why would you want to? Your father would disown you as fast as Charley says your grandfather disowned his father—faster!” There was that in his manner, in his gaze, and the way his mouth tightened for just that instant. “Ah, no! Come on! You actually want some kind of revenge!” Her emotions raced through stages of anger, incredulity, and frank bewilderment. “What makes you think he’ll care?”
“Long before they reach L.A., he’s going to realize what he’s left behind and want you back. Charley has an aversion to winter, and he’s making the trip with the Snow Queen!”
It gave her pause. Could that have been Charley’s purpose yesterday? To beg forgiveness of his brutal treatment of her? Of having used her for whatever the relationship might gain him. Was it possible he would at some point return to beg for it again? Even claim his love for her still burned? Actually expect her to run right into his open arms?
Oh, no! No, I couldn’t handle that!
To Stephan, she replied obnoxiously, “So, let him suffer! Why should I care what happens between them? And don’t look at me like that! You’re all the same! Always wanting something! Somebody’s body or else their money—or both! Never a real relationship!”
His hand shot out as she backed another step away, but dropped back to his side at Ming’s response to the action. Thomi’s cynical gaze conveyed plainly that she wanted this time to be the last time she ever saw him. With a curt word to Ming, she set her back to him, and went off down the path opposite the one he had come by, disappearing directly through a slight gap in the thick hedges that hid from sight much of the high white stone wall that surrounded the house.
Pushing open the thick wooden door in the wall that gave entrance to the property, Thomi waved her dog through. “Ming,” she said, locking the door behind her, “if he’s stupid enough to come back—I won’t mind if you charge him an arm and a leg!”
No worries, though. Who’d come back after a reception like that?
- Writer
