Belinda (18 page)

“That’s really very kind of you, Belinda, but
I’m going to shower and head straight to the office.” She sat
there, still smiling. “I usually shower alone, but I’ll share the
bath with you if you like. It wouldn’t be much different from
sharing my bed.”

“Oh.” She turned six shades of red, and
jumped up like her coattail was on fire. “No, of course. I’ll just
go back downstairs and tell Quincy not to save breakfast for
you.”

“Nor dinner either. I’ll be working late
tonight.” Belinda was still blushing, and he seized the upper hand.
“Of course, if you want to share my bed again tonight, you’re more
than welcome. I promise to stay on my side.”

“No, that’s okay.”

As she hurried from the room, he
congratulated himself on talking back control – until he fell back
against the pillows and smelled roses. Not just roses, but a sweet
musky scent that could only have come from Belinda’s gorgeous,
silky skin.

He ripped back the covers and stalked into
his bathroom. His nanny was going to drive him crazy.

From: Belinda

To: Janet, Bea, Catherine, Clemmie, Molly,
Joanna

Re: The Perfume Ploy

I think the perfume is working! Reeve has
acted like a sore-tailed tomcat ever since he came back from Paris,
and I noticed he won’t let Quincy change his sheets! Oh, and by the
way, Quincy took me to get my driver’s license!

Xo

Belinda

From: Joanna

To: Belinda, Janet, Bea, Catherine, Clemmie,
Molly

Re: Strike Now!

You’re got him on the ropes, Belinda! Go for
the knockout punch!!! Get in the car and go to Tunica! Make sure he
knows where you’re going!

Big Hugs!

Joanna

From: Molly

To: Belinda, Bea, Janet, Catherine, Clemmie,
Joanna

Re: Go for it!

Wear your most seductive outfit! Make sure he
sees you! Be sure to say you’ll be
gambling!

Much love,

Molly

From: Clemmie

To: Belinda, Bea, Janet, Catherine, Molly,
Joanna

Re: Car

Do you want to borrow my car? I can even go
with you in case you have any trouble driving.

Xo

Clemmie

From: Catherine

To: Belinda, Janet, Bea, Clemmie, Molly,
Joanna

Re: Darned tests

OMG, this is wonderful – and it’s working! If
I didn’t have so much studying to do, I’d drive up and watch the
grand finale!

XO

Catherine

From: Janet

To: Belinda, Bea, Clemmie, Molly, Joanna,
Catherine

Re: All right

Color me
wrong!
I’ll be the first to
admit it. Love trumps common sense. The mere thought of it scares
me to death. Thank God, I have my internship to get through. But if
Mr. Right ever does show up, I’m glad to have you guys in my
corner.

Still, may I remind all of you that we are
independent women,
and will remain that way even after the
wedding ring!

XO

Janet

From:Bea

To: Belinda, Janet, Catherine, Clemmie,
Joanna, Molly

Re: Celebrating

Looks like you’ve just about let that man
chase you till you catch him! Wait till I tell Mother. Glory Ethel
loves
being right. God bless her. If she weren’t such a
sweetheart, I’d resent that.

Yee Haw, Belinda! I’m going to celebrate your
almost victory
by riding a mechanical bull. If somebody
doesn’t discover my Virginia soon, it’s liable to be the only thing
I ride.

XO

Bea

o0o

Reeve could hear Belinda already awake in the
bedroom next door. Her fragrance wafted up from his sheets, and he
rolled onto his stomach, smothering his groans in his pillow. He
didn’t have the least idea what he was going to do about her.

He couldn’t remember the last time he’d
thought of Belinda as his children’s nanny. He couldn’t bear the
idea of not having her in his home, in his life. Furthermore, if he
didn’t let Quincy wash these damned sheets, she was going to give
him what for. She was one of the wisest women he knew. The last
thing he needed was for his housekeeper to get on his case.

He dressed quickly and headed down the
stairs, hoping to sneak off and hole up in his office without
seeing her. He knew it was an act of desperation and cowardice, but
at this point, he didn’t know what else to do. Sleeping on sheets
that smelled like Belinda had him so muddle-headed it was a miracle
he could conduct business. Nobody should expect him to make
life-changing decisions, least of all, himself.

“Good morning, Reeve.” He jumped when he
heard her voice. She was smiling when he turned and saw her in the
doorway to the den. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“You didn’t startle me. I forgot my car keys,
that’s all.” He patted his pockets in a big show of finding his
eyes. What was that she was wearing? Good God, it had so many
sequins you could see her a mile. Everybody in Lee County would be
gawking. And, boy, was there plenty to gawk at!

“I see you’re dressed for a day off.”

“Yes. I’m going on a little outing.”

“That’s nice.” He didn’t sound the least bit
sincere. She was going to be suspicious as hell.

“I hope so. They say Tunica is a great place
to visit.”

“I’m not sure I heard you correctly. Did you
say Tunica?”

“Yes. I’m going gambling.”

It took him a full two minutes to get himself
under control.

“Well, you have a nice time, then. I’ll see
you when you get home.”

How he managed to walk past her and climb
into his car was one of life’s small, everyday miracles. Still, he
couldn’t back the car out for a full minute and half. He just sat
there like a crazy man.

Reeve wasn’t even going to think about
Belinda sitting at a slot machine, surrounded by men gaping at that
outfit and getting ideas.

o0o

“Quincy, do you mind if I borrow your
car?”

“Of course not. But if you want to see the
sights, tell Mr. Reeve. He’ll take you.”

“Didn’t Sunny ever go on outings?”

“Shopping, mostly.” Quincy got her keys out
of her purse and handed them to Belinda. “But she didn’t call it an
outin’.”

“Well, I don’t like to shop. I like outings.”
Holding the key made her think about the long drive ahead, more
than fifty miles, and that made her sweat on her sequined top.
“Will you see that the children have snacks while I’m gone?”

“Don’t I always take care of them like they
was my own? I smell somethin’ rotten here, and it’s not
Denmark.”

“If I’m not back by five, you may call Reeve
and inform him of my whereabouts.”

“And whereabouts would that be?”

“I’ve already told him I’m going over to
Tunica. In case he forgets, you can remind him.”

“You’re goin’
gambling?”

“Yep. Maybe carousing, too! You never can
tell about me, Quincy.”

“Lordy have mercy. It’s a wonder he didn’t
have a conniption fit.”

“If he did, I couldn’t tell.”

“That man’s buttoned up as two-piece suit.”
Quincy grabbed a dish cloth and started wiping down the kitchen
counters. “You be careful now, you hear. I don’t what we’d do
around here without you.”

Belinda left before Quincy could say anything
else. She wasn’t all that sure about her plan in the first place.
It wouldn’t have taken too much talking to convince her not to go.
But she
had
to go. She had to make Reeve see her as an
independent woman who might just spread her wings and fly out of
right out of his house and his life.

She climbed into the car and squared her
shoulders. She could drive and she was going to have a great time.
Then Reeve would sit up and notice.

o0o

“Carousing?” Reeve glared at the telephone as
if it had struck him.

“That’s what I said,” Quincy shouted on the
other end of the line. She abhorred phones and always considered it
necessary to shout in order to be heard. “She said she was going
gamblin’ and maybe carousin’ too and she told me to call you if she
wasn’t back by five, but I didn’t want to cause no
disturbance.”

“I’ll be right home,” Reeve said.

Panic hounded Reeve all the way home. It was
six-thirty. What could have happened to Belinda?

For the sake of the children, he acted as if
their nanny had indeed merely gone on a small outing. But by the
time he had tucked them into bed, he was almost ready to call the
police. Visions of Belinda lying crumpled in a ditch haunted him.
Or worse. Somewhere in a cheap motel with her throat slit.

Quincy kept the vigil with him, wringing her
hands and moaning. “Oh, Lord, I never shoulda loaned her my car,
and her barely knowin’ how to drive.”

“Belinda can’t drive?”

“I’m not deaf, Mr. Reeve.”

“I’m sorry, Quincy. It’s not your fault.”
Reeve ran his hands through his hair. “I didn’t know she couldn’t
drive.”

“I guess there’s lots of things you don’t
know about her.” Quincy rose on her still old legs. “I’m goin’ to
bed and I’m fixing to pray to the good Lord that no harm come to
Belinda. Lordy, she’s just a sweet little thing.”

Reeve wanted to yell and ram his fist through
the wall. Belinda was an incredible woman—and now he had lost her.
He forced himself to act calm.

“Good night, Quincy. Don’t worry about a
thing. I’m sure she’s all right.”

After Quincy had gone, Reeve poured himself a
good stiff drink of scotch.

At ten-thirty Belinda came strolling in,
smiling.

“Hello, Reeve.” She tossed the car keys onto
the coffee table, then sank onto the sofa.

Relief made Reeve so weak he had to sit. He
couldn’t even speak for a while, just sat in his chair, staring at
her sparkling top and brooding.

“Did you enjoy your day off?” He lifted his
glass and stared at her over the rim.

“I had a blast!”

He didn’t even want to think what that
entailed.

“I’m glad.”

“You don’t look glad.”

“Looks can be deceiving.”

“They certainly can.”

She waited for him to reply, but he just sat
there nursing his drink and staring at her. Belinda felt like
screaming. Here she had spent the day off on her own, nearly run
over by two trucks and lost as a goose, to boot, and all he could
do was sit there and act like she barely existed.

She stood up, head held high and marched from
the room. When she was at the door, he called after her.

“Where are you going?’’

“Does it matter?”

Belinda hesitated in the doorway, torn
between wanting to turn around and run to him and not wanting to
make a fool of herself. A few long seconds ticked by, and then she
left the den and closed the door.

Reeve stared at the closed door for a long
time. Suddenly, everything in his household was falling apart.

o0o

From: Belinda

To: Janet, Bea, Clemmie, Joanna, Molly,
Catherine

Re: Gambling and Carousing

I went gambling in the sluttiest outfit I
could find and it got his attention. But not the kind I wanted.
He’s down there in the den madder than a hornet, and I’m up here in
my bedroom mad enough to spit nails.

Now what?

Belinda

From: Joanna

To: Belinda, Janet, Bea, Clemmie, Molly,
Catherine

Re: Go to the mat!

You’ve got him just where you want him. Get
back down there!

Joanna

From: Molly

To: Belinda, Janet, Bea, Clemmie, Joanna,
Catherine

Re: Knock Out

Wear plenty of perfume! He won’t know what
hit him.

Molly

From: Bea

To: Belinda, Janet, Clemmie, Molly, Joanna,
Catherine

Re: THE WIN

Your own private Santa Claus is not going to
hand Reeve to you on a silver platter. You’ve got to
grab what
you want.
Now get back down there and
kick butt
!

Bea

From: Clemmie

To: Belinda, Janet, Molly, Joanna, Catherine,
Bea

Re: Wedding

We can have the wedding in my backyard by the
gazebo!

Clemmie

From: Catherine

To: Belinda, Janet, Molly, Joanna, Bea,
Clemmie

Re: Paris

Make him take you to Paris on the honeymoon.
You’ve earned it!

Cat

From: Janet

To: Belinda, Molly, Joanna, Bea, Clemmie,
Catherine

Re: The Honeymoon

You’ve got him where you want him, Belinda.
Just remember, this is a man who has been alone for a while.
There’s no telling how many women he’s been with. Save it all for
the honeymoon, and make sure he’s been tested before you let give
him the map to Virginia! Then it wouldn’t hurt to make him wear
protection for while. Trust me on this. You don’t want to hear what
I’ve seen in medical school.

Now, get back downstairs,
stay in
control,
and kick ass!

Janet

Belinda powered down her laptop, then grabbed
her robe and flew down the stairs. Her color was high and her belt
was dragging on the floor when she flung open the den door.

Reeve was still sitting in his chair, his
hair disheveled and his tie askew.

Belinda barreled into the room, forgetting
every lesson he’d ever taught her on elocution and charm. But she
didn’t forget she was an independent woman, not for one second.
Thank goodness, she had friends who made sure she didn’t. And if
she made a fool of herself tonight, they’d pick up the pieces.

With her hands wadded into fists, she planted
herself in front of his chair.

“Here I’ve been, gone all day, and you didn’t
even ask what took me so long!’’

Reeve was having the devil of a time
maintaining his control. She had no idea how enticing she looked
with her robe hanging open or she never would have braved his den.
If the urge to hold her had been great when she first came home,
the passion to kiss her was overwhelming.