Heart in the Field (13 page)

           
Nick kissed her mouth again. He was
stealing kisses when she least expected them. She was becoming breathless from
his seduction. His next kiss was a definite kiss that made him confident. She
gave in, and, longing to touch him, her hand moved across the space between
them. Closing her eyes, she let her fingers massage the taut muscle of his
thigh. Then she realized what she was doing and moved her hand, knuckles
brushing his groin.

           
He ended the kiss then, and he was
smiling and breathing hard at the same time. “Stop that.” He lifted his finger
and traced it over her lips. “You’re hot beneath that cool exterior. I like it.
What is your reason for being difficult?”

           
What could she tell him to make him
understand?
The truth?
“You remind me of my father.
That’s one reason.”

           
“Ah.” He looked surprised. “I must
say I’m flattered.”

           
“You shouldn’t be.”

           
“Oh, but I am. But now we’ve got him
out in the open it might do you good to talk about him. You must have read his
book.”

           
“No. I haven’t.”

           
“I’ll lend it to you if you haven’t
got a copy. I’m sure you would find things in it that would help you.”

           
“Help me with what?”

           
He caressed her spine. “Help you to
get a grip on what type of man he was.”

           
“I know what type of man he was. Now
let me go.”

           
“I might have to. There isn’t time
for hang-ups in the short time I have home.”

           
Thank goodness he understood. And thank
goodness he’d reminded her that he was only here indefinitely. Serena smiled
with relief. “Well, then. That’s it. We’ve come to a decision. No hanky-panky
between us.”

           
He chuckled. “What you want is
safety, isn’t it? You want to stay in your little cage and be secure. You’re
the last little patch of snow that the sun can’t melt because you remain in the
shade. You know, affairs are fun, Serena. You don’t have to involve your heart.
You just get together, go on a few dates and have great sex.”

           
“Is that your philosophy?”

           
“Yes. That’s my philosophy. That’s
what I offer up front.
A good time.
Would you go for
that? That way you remain in your safe little nest.”

           
“It wouldn’t be that way, Nick.
Every experience changes a person. Leaving any nest is difficult.”

           
“To some extent, maybe, but if you
go into the experience with a certain frame of mind, you can remain sane when
you leave it. Believe me. I’ve done it many times.”

           
Serena thought for a moment she saw
a little boy in front of her, stubbornly thrusting out his jaw in an effort to
be brave. Then she saw him grin. “You’re so tense, Serena. I could help.
Great sex.”

           
“Shut up about your great sex.” She
struggled away from him, but in the end there was no struggle because he moved
away. Now she missed his warm body and the possibility of feeling his mouth
upon hers again. How perverse?

           
Nick rose from the seat. “So that’s
my offer. No strings. You’d be perfectly safe. So if you ever feel the need
I’ll be willing. You really turn me on Serena Brown.”

           
He walked away from her with the air
of a man who was completely confident in who he was, who had no cares in the
world, who lived by his beliefs. And yet Serena felt haunted by that brief
vision of a small boy stubbornly being brave.

Chapter Eight

Serena picked
up Nick’s untouched brandy and sipped the fiery liquid.
Anything
to calm her down, she thought.

           
Pat slouched onto the opposite bench
seat. “You let Fraser loose and Juliette’s snagged him again.”

           
That news made her feel worse, but
it was
her own
fault. She could have had Nick. “What’s
the time?”

           
Pat checked his watch. “Ten past
midnight. Can’t you tell? Everyone’s hammered. Don’s already assigning beds and
sleeping bags.”

           
“Are you staying?”

           
“No. I like to go to my own place.”
Pat placed his arms on the table and leaned forward. “I know she’s not with me
at this moment, but I can tell Juliette still likes me. There’s something
there. Would you mind keeping Fraser occupied over these next few months? I’d
like a chance to work on her.”

           
Serena didn’t need this. “Pat. If
occupied means what I think
it means, I can’t do it
.”

           
“All you have to do is keep him
working hard so he hasn’t got time for play.”

           
“He’d find time for play. He’s only
been back since Wednesday and he’s on the hunt.”

           
“That’s why I’m worried. Juliette’s
an ideal short term toy for him.”

           
“I can’t stop Juliette.” Serena felt
very
strung out. She finished Nick’s brandy and lined
up the two bowled glasses beside one another.

           
“But you can hinder the progress of
an affair between them. It would hurt me greatly if they became a couple, even
for the short duration that Fraser is here. I couldn’t stand it, Serena.”

           
His last words were like an aching
cry, and Serena realized how very much Pat did love Juliette. It would also
hurt her greatly if Nick had one of his affairs with Juliette, although she
wasn’t going to admit that. So she nodded.
“All right.
I’ll keep him busy. But not the way you mean.”

           
“That’s fine. You don’t have to go
to bed with him, but you can keep him interested. He’s already interested. I
can see that. So keep him chasing you.”

           
“What if he catches me though, Pat?”
That scenario was a very distinct possibility. How much strength of will did
she actually possess?

           
“You won’t allow it to go that far.
You’re known as the Ice Maiden.”

           
Serena gazed at Pat in shock. “I
am?”

           
Pat shrugged. “Yes. Some guys even
think you prefer women.”

           
“This is my reputation?” She poked
her chest with her finger.

           
“Yes. It’s not discussed at great
length, but guys have said things when I’ve been around.”

           
“What do you think?”

           
Pat shook his head in a way that
said he wished he’d never begun this topic. “If I didn’t care about Juliette so
much I’d go for you.
How’s that?”

           
“Not good enough. The gossip has to
be stopped. It’s not true.”

           
“Then keep Nick Fraser interested
and away from Juliette. That will disprove the rumors.”

           
How was she ever going to do that?
Serena saw Nick and Juliette dancing together. Juliette sort of plunged her
body against men when she danced with them. Nick was probably aroused at this
moment, and, having been turned down for great sex by Serena, was contemplating
where he was going to take Juliette in the next five minutes.

           
Feeling as unhappy as Pat was
looking, she wondered if she did have it in her to give Nick a
chase?
He didn’t have to catch her. She could keep him happy
with a few crazy kisses like the one in the kitchen. She knew how to keep
herself distant from emotions. She’d kept distant from her father all of her
life. She’d just have to use the same tactics when she dealt with Nick.
Actually, when she thought of him in comparison to her father, she didn’t care
for him much anyway. It might be easy, and it would give Pat a clear field to
Juliette and, in the process, banish her own strange reputation.

           
However, she couldn’t begin tonight.
No way could she walk up to the couple dancing on the grass and demand a dance
with Nick. No way could she loll up against Nick’s body the way Juliette was
doing, especially in front of her colleagues. She might think she could do this
for Pat and her reputation, but she might not be able to put the action into
practice. Although she had sat at this very picnic table and kissed Nick. Had
anyone seen that? Could they tell where her hand had strayed? So what? If her
reputation was the way Pat intimated then maybe her interlude with Nick, if it
had been observed, might stop the rumors.

           
Feeling utterly confused, Serena
excused herself from Pat and walked to the house. She needed some time away
from the throbbing sound and the sight of Nick and Juliette laughing into one
another’s eyes.

           
Don intercepted her on the way.
“Haven’t seen you all evening, Serena.
Where have you been
hiding?”

           
He slurred his words and his breath
smelled strongly of beer. Serena averted her face. “I haven’t been hiding
anywhere.”

           
“Well, let’s say, then, that you
haven’t been conspicuous. Everyone has the idea that Fraser and Marshall are
the hot couple of the moment, not you and Fraser.” He tried to focus his eyes
upon her.

           
Serena wished that all this Nick and
Juliette stuff would disappear into thin air and leave her alone. She longed to
return to the other day, before the phone call in her car from Don. She’d been
ecstatic at the school opening ceremony, with the prospect of her new show
ready to start with John.

           
“I can’t help who Nick likes.”

           
Don put his arm around her shoulders
and turned her into a huddle.
“Except I want him to like you.
Now I would have been happy with John Duncan. I could have lived with him. But
we haven’t got him anymore. Nick Fraser makes John look like a dink. Let’s face
it. John’s a pretty face without much between his ears. Nick Fraser, and I hate
to say this, is like your father. He’s got it all.”

           
Serena disliked it when men got
drunk and got serious at the same time. And why was everyone suddenly bringing
up her father? It was as if Nick Fraser had stepped into the picture and,
bingo, Stuart Redding Brown had been brought to life. “That’s another thing,
Don.
My father.
You told Nick who my father was.”

           
“He would have guessed anyway.”

           
“Maybe.
But
I go on my own merit. You know that.”

           
Don crowded her even more. “I also
know that your dad was a great news guy. Like Fraser.”

           
She couldn’t dispute that remark.
She knew that Don had worked for her father once, when he was younger in the field
himself. “Okay. I admit he was a great news guy. But all this has nothing to do
with you manipulating Nick Fraser into being my co-host.”

           
“I did that because I know my stuff.
He’s the best one for the job. It’s like it’s meant to be. John Duncan gets sick.
Nick Fraser hops on his plane and gets here to save the day.”

           
“A real superman.”

           
Don smiled.
“Yep.
So make the most of this. It could set you up for an even bigger career.”

           
“I could also be overshadowed by the
great Nick Fraser.”

           
“Don’t even think it. You each
possess your own qualities. Together you will sizzle. Believe me.”

           
Serena did believe him. She believed
him because she had already felt the sizzle with Nick. She continued on to the
house to escape this madness.

           
The simplicity of the stone walls on
the exterior of the Steel home deceived the viewer into believing the interior
would be just as simple. Not so, Serena knew. The interior was cluttered,
cluttered with Barbara’s paintings and the original advertising art for Don’s
shirts, cluttered with Don’s penchant for strange sculpture, cluttered with
magazines, books and large screen TVs on the walls of every room. Serena knew
the kitchen was an absolute delight, with an island counter that contained an
extra oven and a vegetable cleaning sink. But it was also cluttered with copper
pots and pans and rows of china and canned goods. Barbara was a very
do-it-herself woman.

           
The small powder room Serena headed
for was occupied. She remembered there was another downstairs bathroom. As she
passed through a room she found Barbara sitting quietly on a scarlet velvet
sofa, bathed in the glow from a shaded lamp and sipping from a mug.

           
“Hot chocolate,” Barbara said. “Do
you want one?”

           
She couldn’t imagine downing hot
chocolate on top of the brandy she’d rather stupidly consumed. “No. I’m fine.
Thanks. Your small powder room was busy so I was going through to your other
bathroom.”

           
Barbara smiled and Serena thought
that her mother was wrong. Barbara had classic features that needed little
decoration.

           
“It’s been busy all evening. I
really hate these parties, you know, but Don’s father began the soirée and Don
has continued the custom. It’s good for morale I suppose, but I find my head
begins to buzz from all the noise and the activity.”

           
“I agree with you. Nothing against
the party, but I was hoping to drop in and leave early. Then I ended up coming
here with my mother, who likes to socialize.”

           
“Socializing is the nature of her
business, isn’t it? She’s a very successful woman. I’m just a more introverted
person who doesn’t mind being alone. You also came with Nick Fraser, didn’t
you? I’d never met him in person before.”

           
Serena perched on a footstool that
was covered in the same thick red velvet as the sofa. “What did you think of
him?”

           
Barbara took a sip from her mug.
“What do you think of him?”

           
“Intelligent.
Good-looking.
Smooth.”

           
“Not that smooth. I think he has
some rough edges. I only talked to him for a few moments but I’ve been watching
him. He’s sure of himself, but he’s cultivated that. He has an emotional depth
that he tries not to show. But it comes out in his news reports because he’s
emotionally involved with his job. He loves it.”

           
“You’ve obviously watched his news
reports.”

           
“I started to when Nick came to Don
about work. Don brought some videos of Nick’s news reports home with him. I
found I was fascinated by the man. Not only is he good at his work but he’s
also easy on the eye.”

           
Serena wasn’t surprised by Barb’s
observations of Nick. She had been to a number of Barbara’s art shows, and when
her work contained people they always showed a great deal of characterization
detail. She studied people. “You’re right.
Although I haven’t
really had the chance to work with him yet.
All we’ve had is one
meeting, which was really an introduction to one another.”

           
Barb nodded. “Did you like the
introduction?”

           
Serena ran the scarlet velvet nap
backward with her fingers. “I haven’t come to any conclusion.”

           
“He must have confused you then.
He’s quite a mixture of cool and emotion. But I believe that’s because he’s
nurtured the cool side. He’s either achieved the result to become excellent for
the medium of TV, or something happened along the way to hurt him and caused
him to build a shell around himself. Does he have a family?”

           
“He told me that his mother and
father live in Toronto
and that’s about it.” Discussing Nick this way made Selena think about the way
she had hardened her own emotions against pain because of her father. Was
Barbara right? Had Nick had something happen to him that had produced the same
result? She recalled the stubborn, little-boy look she’d glimpsed in him this
evening. Had it been real or her imagination?