Edge of Time (Langston Brothers Series) (16 page)

“There isn’t anyone else, at least not anymore,” Marissa
explained
, drawing him from the troubled direction of his thoughts.

“Were you married?”

Her ebony gaze flicked to his, secrets brimming at the surface, her internal war with what to
divulge
evident
.
“I was engaged.”

Understanding hit instantly and Craig relaxed, giving her hand a compa
ssionate
squeeze.
“Was it the war?”

*
             
*
             
*

The simple
gesture nearly broke her heart. Craig’s
kindness was
a trait
Brian lacked.
She shook her head.
“No, it wasn’t the war. In fact I think Brian would be the last person in the world to take up arms.”
She
raised her eyes to Craig
,
a
ll of
the shame of rejection she’d experienced
when Brian had told her she just didn’t measure up
welling up in her chest all over
, she wasn’t what he wanted. “It was another woman. He announced one morning, out of the blue, that he’d fallen in love with someone else. Her name is Marne.” Marissa crinkled her nose and let the name roll distastefully off her tongue. “
Marne
is tall and
raven-haired
, and beautiful, and everything I’m not.” Convulsively she swallowed back an onslaught of tears. Once started, the flow could be unstoppable.

“Every
thing you’re not!” Craig scoffed, incredulous.
“Marissa you are perfect.
” He stopped then, turning to face her, gently taking her face in his hands, threading his fingers through her hair.
“
You’re beautiful and intelligent and if that
bastard,
Brian
,
couldn’t see that then he didn’t deserve you.”

Tears welled in her eyes, but not for Brian… Craig’s declaration meant more to her than she could ever put into words.

“Christ.” Craig stepped back, hands c
lench
ed
into fist as if h
e wanted to pound the man who’
d hurt her.
Marissa was infused with
warm
th
as she looked at Craig’s strong jaw clenched in anger over her being jilted.
Neptune? Apollo? Why he’s not a god, he’s my knight in shining armor
.

And she fell in love with him just a little bit.

Oops…

Marissa couldn’t remember the last time she’d spent so much time looking in the mirror. She’d never been one to spend hours primping or worrying over the place of every hair on her head, she’d even considered herself
pretty enough
, but Carolyn was a miracle worker. After the last four hours of washing, curling and setting, Marissa hardly recognized herself. She looked every bit the Southern belle and could have stepped out of a scene of
North and South.
“Are you sure I’m still in there?” she breathed turning eyes of amazement to Carolyn.

“That is all you, darlin’,” Carolyn drawled with a grin. “You will be the belle of the ball and Dr. Langston will never know what hit him.”

Marissa’s heart fluttered thinking of her last encounter with Craig. The officers’ ball was the sort of e
vent that little existed in 2012
and in spite of herself she was excited, almost giddy about the prospect. A little maliciously, Marissa couldn’t wait to see the look on Kirsten Jamison’s face when Craig claimed her for the first dance. It probably wasn’t fair to think that way, but it would somehow feel the ultimate revenge on Brian and Marne
—
yes, definitely a little perverse. Or, maybe not, considering the way Kirsten had cornered her
at the hospital
the other day and
t
old her
,
“
Dr. Langston
is
mine.
”
Not hardly.

“You girls both look radiant.” Genie entered the room looking no less than beautiful in pale blue herself. “Are you ready?”

The younger women nodded with barely concealed excitement and the trio set off for the ball, each with her own need for a night of distraction and happiness.

*
             
*
             
*

Craig paced the perimeter of the ballroom, growing more impatient by the second.
The party was well underway
and Marissa still hadn’t arrived
. His gaze skimmed the large hall. Ribbons and colorful drapes decorated the walls and chairs, and f
resh flowers dressed every table
. T
he Confederate stars and bars hung above the doorway flanked by several regimental flags. A small band made up of three uniformed men and two ladies
played
festive music while
several couples
spun happily around the room. He would gladly join them if only Marissa would get here.

Hell. What if she’d decided not to come? He’d thought they’d made a break through the other day, but she
had such a tendency too…

Craig
stopped short, placing a hand over his heart sure
it had stopped cold in his chest when Marissa entered the room.
She was stunning. A
vision in emerald green. The color contrasted brilliantly with her pale skin and deepened the rich hue of her dark eyes.
Thick buttery curls spilled along her bared shoulders and h
er lips looked perfectly red and ful
l as they curved in amusement as
her cousin whispered in her ear
. G
azing at the tantalizing curve of her lips the word
ripe
came to mind. He was more than ready to sample their sweetness. Setting off to claim her, he was totally oblivious to the woman who’d positioned herself directly in his path.

“Dr. Langston,” a sugary voice crooned, and Craig groaned inwardly as he
glanced down at
Kirsten Jamison.

“Good evening, Miss Jamison.” He forced a polite smile and glanced impatiently toward Marissa, longing to be at her side.

“It is a wonderful party isn’t it, sir? Why a lady could wear out her shoes dancing on a night like this.”

Craig blatantly ignored his cue to ask her to dance. “It’s very nice, indeed,” he replied distractedly.
God, but Marissa looked gorgeous tonight.
“If you’ll excuse me, Miss Jamison.”

*
             
*
             
*

Marissa’s
breath caught as she took in
the overall splendor of the room.
She
felt like a new person standing in the beautiful room
… garbed i
n a
fancy
gown.
Genie and Carolyn
glided
further
into the hall
, but Marissa held back, h
er eye
swe
e
p
ing
the room in nervous excitement, silently searching out one tall form in particular.

Marissa
’s gaze collided
almost instantly with
Craig making his way toward her, smiling. Her heartbeat quickened and as always she was struck by what a magnificent specimen of masculinity he was. The gray dress uniform fit his frame like a second skin, and the decorative gold embroidery left the man gleaming from his perfectly shined black boots to the glittering blue of his eyes. Watching the crowd part like the Red Sea as he passed, Marissa was convinced he was the most handsome man in the room.

He stopped before her, giving a slight bow,
and
lift
ed her hand enticingly.
“I believe the first dance is mine.”

Marissa’s eyes widened and her heart fluttered as he led her onto the dance floor. Never had she imagined such a romantic moment. Never had a man looked at her that way or made her feel so...
desired
. When he swept her into his arms for the waltz
—
thank God I know how to waltz
—
she felt as though they were the only two people in the room, and when he looked so attentively into her eyes and asked, “How are you this evening, my dear?” she knew it.

She felt it to the depths of her soul.

She was in love with Craig Langston.

How could she have let herself fall in love with him? Briefly she closed her eyes, considering, but she couldn’t deny it. The gaping holes in her soul weren’t just healing, they were sealed
. G
one. Without a doubt she’d fallen hopelessly in love with him. It was a sensation deeper than anything she’d felt for Brian and a flight of nerves assailed her so profoundly that it took a moment to form a reply. “I’m fine, Captain, thank you.”
Captain?

“Captain?” C
raig’s word echoed her thoughts.
“I had hoped you’d keep calling me Craig.” His smile was easy, friendly, genuine, and she felt herself relaxing under his familiar gaze.

“I’m sorry, Craig. It’s the uniform. You look so official in it that I can’t seem to help myself.”

“Then we’ll just have to get me out of it so you can feel more comfortable.”

It took a moment for the full meaning of his words to hit home and when they did she blushed feverishly. “
My apologies, Marissa, that was a crude joke
.
It
isn’t what I meant.”

Recovered, she laughed, her
eyes dancing.
“I am quite sure
that
is
exactly
what you meant, but it’s all right, I forgive you.”
She flashed a wicked
smile
, leaning in
to whisper, “Mind you, if we sneak off now we’ll never manage to get my hair back into place, and then we’ll have a
real
scandal on our hands.”