Enthralled (20 page)

"And he did
find the right one," Chazz said from the doorway, making Teel jump and
Tilda laugh.

"How many times have I
told you not to creep up on people in that fashion?" she scolded her
nephew, her eyes crinkling in amusement as he came over to Teel, bent down, and
kissed her with an intensity that demanded a response.

Teel kissed him back with all
the love she could never express directly until, through a warm haze, she heard
Tilda chuckling. "Stop it," Teel gasped, pulling her mouth free and
hiding her face in his shoulder. She felt Chazz's warm mouth on her neck.
"Chazz, please behave," she told him, not really meaning it.

"Let's get married
tonight," he murmured into her ear.

"What?" Teel
exclaimed.

Tilda chortled. "I knew
he wouldn't be able to wait once he'd made up his mind."

"We can't," Teel
whispered, reeling.

"Why?"

"Shower." Teel
blinked, feeling anesthetized under his probing gaze.

"What does she mean?" Tilda continued
to sketch as she questioned Chazz.

He laughed "She means that a friend of
hers has arranged a shower for her tomorrow evening in Selby, and she has to be
there. Is that right, love?"

Teel gulped and
nodded, wishing with all her heart that they could get married that very
minute. Was she really going to marry him at all? It seemed impossible, yet
Chazz had a talent for making things happen the way he said they were going to.

Chazz sighed. "All right.
I'll wait until next Thursday when we can get married in that little church
with your Aunt Tessa in attendance"—he smiled gently—"even though you
don't practice that religion any more."

"Chazz," Teel began,
an idea flashing through her head that surprised her, "I'm going to ask
the rabbi from Temple Beth David to take part in our wedding service."

Both Tilda and Chazz looked
startled.

"Don't be so
shocked." Teel felt laughter bubbling up inside her. "You've taken
complete charge of this wedding—and—well, I want to do this for you. You don't
mind, do you?"

"No, I don't mind, love.
I'm glad you've reconciled yourself to the fact that you belong to me."
Chazz frowned for a moment. "I wasn't raised in any religion. My parents
wanted me to choose when I reached an age when religion would interest
me." He shrugged, a half smile on his face. "I guess I was too busy
to bother." "I should have made him go to the Episcopal Sunday school
at least." Tilda tapped the sketching pencil against her cheek. "You
know, Chazz, I think having the rabbi there is what your father would have wanted."

Chazz looked at his aunt for
long, pensive seconds, then nodded. "Since we're being married by a
priest, which would have suited my mother's wishes, it does seem fitting."
He smiled at Teel and pulled her close to him again. "Thank you, love.
That was very thoughtful of you."

Teel smiled back, heaving a
big sigh. She felt Chazz's lips feathering her temple and closed her eyes. She
felt safe. Maybe she really
was
going to marry him.

"I'm taking my lady out
to get her some of that food you have there. Then I think we'll leave. Teel has
to get up early tomorrow and fly back to Selby."

Wrinkling her nose at him,
Tilda put down her pencil and rose to her feet. "I suppose you're hinting
that I'm ignoring my guests." She held up a hand palm outward as Chazz was
about to speak. "Don't try to excuse your-self, nasty boy. I shall come
out with you and sample my own food." She smiled up at Teel, who was
molded tight to Chazz's side. "I'll enjoy painting you, my dear. You have
the most expressive eyes."

"She's beautiful, isn't
she?" Chazz said proudly. Teel's heart seemed to soar on wings of
happiness.

When they re-entered the
lounge area, she hesitated for a moment, reluctant to encounter Ben Windom.

"He's gone,
darling. I kicked him out." Chazz spoke mildly, but Teel detected the gold
fire in his eyes. "The word is out that I don't want Ben Windom around
you— or near me. He won't bother you again." A muscle jumped in Chazz's
cheek. "I had to hold back to keep from breaking his jaw. The thought of
him touching you made me sick."

"Thank you," Teel
whispered, slipping her hand into his.

Chazz looked down at their
clasped hands, then back to her face. "For what, my angel?"

"For exorcizing my ghosts
tonight. I don't just mean Ben. I mean for making it possible for me to do the
impossible, play in front of so many people." She smiled up at him as they
stood apart from the people at the long buffet table. "I don't suppose
I'll ever really enjoy playing in public, but I don't think I'll ever be so
afraid of it again. Thank you."

"You're welcome,"
Chazz said simply, and he leaned down to kiss her again.

"Chazz, old man, not only
do you monopolize the girl all evening, but you don't stop kissing her,"
Trevor complained, coming up to them holding a plate laden with shrimp, pate,
and flaky dinner rolls.

"Wait until it happens to
you," Chazz murmured, his eyes never leaving Teel's face.

Trevor shook his head and
offered some of his food to Teel, who assured him she was about to get her own.

"I will never be as bad
as you, old man. No one could be." Trevor guffawed and sauntered away.

It surprised Teel to see red
stain Chazz's face and neck. It gave her a funny surge of power deep within
her.

He looked down to catch her
interested stare and gave her a wry smile. "Trevor talks too much."
He guided her to the stack of dishes at one end of the long refectory table and
placed one of the hand-painted plates in Teel's hand.

"These are too lovely to
use," said Teel handling the translucent china with care.

"When we come again, I'll
show you Aunt Tilda's collection of Sevres plates. They were given to her by an
admirer and are beautiful."

Chazz encouraged
Teel to try everything and added more food to her plate when she would have
passed it by. She laughed as the two plates became piled high with food.

They found a small table and
chairs in a corner. "This is too much. I'll never be able to sleep
tonight," Teel protested.

"Good. I
wasn't planning on letting you anyway." Chazz grinned when she blushed.
"Tell me about your modeling here in New York."

Teel tasted a
shrimp and closed her eyes, savoring her favorite fish. She looked up to find
Chazz watching her. "I could eat shrimp every day of the week. I love
it." She reached over and speared one of his with her fork and popped it
into her mouth, grinning at him with her mouth full.

"Devil." Chazz
leaned over her, his tongue licking her lips. "You left a little hot sauce
on the corner." When Teel fumbled for her napkin and glanced about to see
who had noticed, he laughed, seeming to enjoy her confusion.

"Stop it." She
looked away from a woman who was watching them. "People are staring at
us." Teel tried to smile at the woman. "You've been kissing me all
night," she hissed from the side of her mouth.

"And I intend to keep
right on kissing you," Chazz hissed back. "And for stealing my
shrimp, you get extra kisses." He leaned down again and kissed her full on
the mouth.

"You're acting like a
schoolboy instead of an executive of several successful firms," Teel told
him, feeling giddy.

"I
know," Chazz agreed. "You bring out the craziest feelings in me. I'm
not the same man I was when we first met." He stared at her. "Colors
are more vivid, grass is greener, flowers have a stronger scent, the air is
fresher, birds seem to sing louder. It scared me at first, but now I accept
that you have a powerful effect on me, lady."

"Check the exhaust on the
Rolls. You're probably inhaling monoxide gas," Teel retorted, unable to
suppress a happy laugh.

"Brat. Making fun of me
when I'm waxing poetic."

"No doubt
it's just indigestion." Teel retorted, a heady happiness ballooning
through her. For a fanciful moment she thought she might have his words carved
in wood so that she could keep them forever. But, no, there was no need for
that. She would never forget anything Chazz Herman had ever said to her.

Chazz rose. "Time to
go," he said, taking her plate and stacking it with his on the sideboard.
Teel got up and opened her mouth to speak but Chazz covered her lips with two
fingers. "Don't say anything, love," he whispered.

He pulled her
behind him as they wandered from group to group, saying good bye. Chazz didn't
hurry, but he didn't pause for long conversations either. "Come on, we
have to pick up Darby in the kitchen. He'll be stuffing himself with the food Monroe will have made for him." Chazz retrieved Teel's velvet coat, studying it with
narrowed eyes. "You won't let me buy you furs, but I intend to indulge
myself by buying you other things."

Teel looked at him over her
shoulder. "I—I don't want to be spoiled, Chazz.''

"Impossible." He
kissed her nose.

"You know what I mean. I
don't want a—a meaningless collection of expensive trivia."

"I know exactly what you
mean, love."

Darby glared at them when they
entered the kitchen. "You're early." He lifted a forkful of pate into
his mouth. "You wanta give me an ulcer, do ya?"

"That'll be
the day," Chazz said drily. They watched the smaller man clean the
mountain of food from his plate, delicately mask a burp, rise, and give an
offended Monroe a pat on the backside. He pushed his chauffeur's cap to the
back of his head. "I'm off, darlin'. Give my love to herself," he
said to the stern-faced Monroe.

Teel bit her lip
to keep from laughing at the way Darby gestured for Chazz to get moving, then
chided him for being slow. Darby winked at her and continued to berate Chazz as
they headed out the back and down the walk to the parked Rolls.

"Why don't I fire
him?" Chazz asked once they were seated. He sighed and leaned back against
the plush upholstery enfolding Teel in his arms.

"Because you trust
him," she answered, gazing into the gold eyes so close to her own.

"How clearly you see
things, my own," Chazz murmured. "God, I'm on fire for you."

All Teel's protests became
meaningless as he began nuzzling her neck with his mouth.

"I almost went
through the roof tonight when I removed your jacket and saw that dress,"
he said. "Lord, it was all I could do not to throw the coat back on
you and
my jacket as
well." He loosened her coat, letting his mouth curve downward. "I
have never felt like that in my life." He lifted his head, a rueful smile
on his face. "I was ready to punch Trev in the nose. He knew it too. He
told me I looked at every man in the room as though he were my enemy. I can't
believe it." He looked down at Teel's mouth, his voice thickening.
"But I don't deny it."

"I stopped necking in a
car when I was a teenager," Teel told him, in what she hoped was a
withering tone, but her voice came out. as a whisper.

"I like
it," Chazz murmured close to her ear. "After we're married, I'm going
to take you out to the park once a week and we'll neck."

Teel tried to smother a laugh.
"You fool."

"About you I am."

Chazz cursed under his breath
when Darby stopped in the underground garage. "Of course he wouldn't dream
of letting us off at the front entrance. He thinks this is more
efficient." Chazz glared at a bland-faced Darby as he helped Teel out of
the car.

"And so it is more
efficient. Good night, Darby." Teel detected a thread of nervousness in
her voice even though she smiled at the elfin man.

"Good night, Terese
Ellen. I will see you at the wedding, if not before."

"Who says you're coming?" Chazz
glowered at him.

"I'll be there, Chazz, my
boy." Darby flipped his hand in a good night salute.

Silence fell between Teel and
Chazz as the elevator sped them up to the apartment. One light burned in the
private foyer as Chazz locked the door behind them.

"I have a key to the
apartment for you, love," he told her as he ushered her inside and removed
her coat. "Would you like a drink?"

"No—no, it's late."
She watched him. "I have to get to sleep."

"Right." He took her
arm and led her up the curving stairway to the second floor.

"Where are you sleeping?" Teel whispered.
"With you," Chazz whispered back.

"What about Mrs. Pritchett?" Teel
protested, grasping at straws.

Chazz raised his eyebrows. "She would only
crowd us, darling."

"You know what I mean," Teel hissed,
trying to shake off his arm as he led her into a room she had never seen
before, a huge circular bedroom with many doors opening off it. A huge bow
window opened onto a terrace and revealed a spectacular view of Manhattan and the Hudson River. The bed was round and pulled Teel's eyes to it. "A
seducer's camp cot if I ever saw one," she whispered, her lips numb.