Winds of Fortune (14 page)

“Go ahead.”

“It’s probably not what you want to hear, but I think if she wants to go back, you need to let her. It may be the only way she can feel whole again.”

Tory blinked at the sudden and frightening rush of tears that filled her eyes. “I don’t think I can. I don’t think I can stand it.”

Nita regarded her seriously. “Yes you can. I only had to see you together for a minute to know how much you love her. And that’s what love is all about, don’t you think? Helping the person you love be who she really is?”

“Even if you lose her?” Tory nearly choked on the words.

“Even then.” Nita took Tory’s hand. “I’m sorry. I’m not helping.”

“No. It’s okay. You are.” Smiling tremulously, Tory brushed her fingers over her eyes. “It actually helps to talk about what terrifies me. I just can’t imagine a day without her. Do you know what I mean?”

“I thought I did, once.” Nita rose, her expression carefully blank. “But I was wrong.”

Nita took off her lab coat and draped it over her chair. Beneath that she wore a pale yellow short-sleeved blouse, tailored sage cotton slacks, and brown flats. “The nice thing about this town is you can get from one end of it to the other in ten minutes. I’m going to drive by the real estate office and see if anyone’s around. And if I can push the closing back even an hour or two tomorrow, I will. Just to give you a little extra time.”

“Thanks. And Nita, thanks for the advice too,” Tory added softly.

“You’re welcome, although I’m not sure how much stock you should put in my opinion.” Nita smiled wryly. “I’ve got a lousy track record with women.”

*

Nita dashed across Bradford in the light rain that had been falling all afternoon and hurried up the three steps to the small porch of Provincetown Realty. Not surprisingly, the door was locked, and when she peered through the large picture window next to the door, the interior was dark. She
was
over an hour late for her six o’clock appointment, and even though she’d gotten the answering machine when she’d called from the clinic, she had taken a chance that someone was working late just the same. Disappointed, she turned away and smothered a small cry when she discovered Deo standing on the steps. Her black sleeveless T-shirt and bleached-to-nearly white jeans were soaked through in patches from the rain, and her hair was even wetter. Her boots were dusty and a long scratch on the outside of her left upper arm appeared fresh. She looked like a woman who’d worked hard all day and, Nita had to admit, the look suited her. She was sexy as hell.

“Something I can help you with?” Deo asked.

“How is it that I’ve been in town six weeks and until four days ago I’d never seen you before. Now every time I turn around you’re there?”

Deo grinned. “Fate?”

“I don’t believe in it.”

“Lucky coincidence, then, I guess.”

Nita stepped back under the sheltering roof as the rain picked up. “You’re getting drenched.”

Deo tilted her face up to the sky and shook her head like a dog coming in out of the surf. “Feels great. I spent most of the day on a roof. In the middle of July it’s about a hundred and ten degrees up there.”

“What happened to your arm?”

“Huh?”

Nita frowned and pointed. “You’ve got a pretty nasty abrasion there.”

Deo followed her gaze. “Oh. That. Some idiot didn’t bother to pound a nail all the way in.”

“When was your last tetanus shot?”

“You’re kidding, right?” Deo laughed. “This kind of thing is pretty much business as usual.”

“Save me the macho line. That’s a setup for infection. I don’t suppose you stopped to wash it out, did you?”

Deo pointed to the sky. “God’s taking care of that right now.”

“More likely St. Jude,” Nita muttered.

“You don’t like me much, do you?” Deo said amiably, climbing the stairs. She leaned against the post and watched Nita with a half smile.

Nita took a slow breath. “I’m sorry. I don’t know you and I’ve been rude.” When she started toward the stairs, Deo sidestepped just enough to block her way. Nita stopped abruptly a breath before their bodies touched. The hairs along her arms stood up as if the air were rarefied. She wondered inanely if Deo was throwing off some kind of an electric charge, because every time she was anywhere near her, her skin tingled. She felt her pulse racing. “That’s exactly the sort of thing that annoys me about you.”

“What?” Deo asked quietly, leaning closer still.

Deo’s mouth was so close to Nita’s ear that if Nita turned her head, her lips would brush Deo’s cheek. It was all she could do not to move. “You’re obviously used to having women fall all over you. You make assumptions that aren’t warranted.”

“The first time I saw you in the clinic,” Deo said, “I looked at you and saw a beautiful woman. I’m sorry I didn’t pretend not to notice. That pissed you off, didn’t it?”

Surprised at Deo’s perceptiveness, Nita nevertheless shook her head. “Believe it or not, that
wasn’t
the first time I’ve ever been cruised.”

“I’ll bet.”

“Let’s just say our styles don’t mesh and let it go at that.”

“So if it wasn’t something I
did
,” Deo pondered aloud, “then it must be something I make
you
do.” Deo grinned and snapped her fingers. “You want me.”

Nita snorted and despite herself, she laughed. “God, you are so arrogant!”

“Ah ha. You do laugh.” Pleased, Deo pressed her luck. “So, why won’t you go out with me?”

Nita rolled her eyes. “We’ve been through this already. I’m not interested because I already know how the story ends. Women like you aren’t interested in making a connection, you’re only interested in making a conquest.”

Deo’s eyes flashed as all traces of humor left her face. “Just what do you base that on? The fact that I’m single and don’t hide the fact that I like women?”

Nita flushed. “I apologize. That was absolutely uncalled for. I’m very sorry. I have to go.” She tried to sidestep Deo again and, again, Deo moved with her. “Please.”

“No you don’t.” Deo narrowed her eyes. “It’s not me at all, is it? It can’t be, since you’ve had your mind made up about me since the minute we met. So who was she?”

“I’m not going to have this conversation with you,” Nita said tightly. Deo was far too close to the truth, and not only didn’t she want to think about the debacle she’d made of her life, she didn’t want Deo to know. She didn’t want Deo to know just how susceptible she actually was to Deo’s brand of charm. God, how could she be so shallow to want that kind of attention? Why did she crave the intensity of Deo’s gaze, why was even Deo’s arrogant possessiveness exciting? Why did being anywhere near her make her feel as helpless as a reed bending in the wind. “I don’t owe you any explanation. My answer is no—today, tomorrow, and any time thereafter.”

“Okay,” Deo said mildly. “You don’t have to tell me.” She jostled the key ring hanging from her belt loop. “I was about to go inside. Do you need something?”

Nita blinked, trying to adjust to the sudden change in topic. Once again, Deo had her off balance. “I don’t understand. Do you work here?”

“My office—well, my desk—is inside. I rent some space from my aunt to take care of my billing, store my files, that sort of thing. I don’t need much.” Deo unhooked her keys. “What do you need?”

“Nothing. I was supposed to do a walk-through on the house tonight because the closing is tomorrow afternoon and I’m not going to be able to get away during the day.” She shrugged, frustrated. “But I didn’t get away in time today, either.”

“So, we’ll do it tonight.” Deo fit her key into the lock and looked over her shoulder. “Come on inside out of the rain while I find the paperwork.”

“Can you do that? I mean—”

Deo grinned. “Elana is my aunt. I stand in for her from time to time. It’s no big deal.”

“Well, it would help. Are you sure?”

“Yeah.” Deo held the door open with one arm and flipped a switch that lit the room with the other. “It’ll be fine. And then you won’t be pressured tomorrow.” Deo leaned against the door, holding it open with her back while she slowly met Nita’s eyes. “What do you say? Or are you scared that you might discover you’re wrong about me?”

“I’m not the one who’s woefully misguided,” Nita said sharply as she walked past Deo into the room.

Laughing, Deo followed and let the door swing slowly closed behind her.

“Here,” Deo said, handing Nita an industrial flashlight as they stepped into the wide foyer of what once had been a grand mansion standing on a rise above the harbor. The storm had heightened in intensity and precipitated an early dusk. “Watch your step. This house has been uninhabited for thirty years.”

Dutifully, Nita clicked on the flashlight and played the harsh white beam over the dark walnut hardwood floors. “It seemed very sound the day I saw it.”

“It probably is, but we’re going to check out a few places you probably didn’t go during the showing.” Deo slanted the beam from her light so that the edges bathed Nita’s face. In the pale light her skin took on a richer, earthy tone, and her features seemed almost exotic. She was beautiful precisely because her beauty was not conventional. Deo’s stomach tightened, but she steadfastly ignored the low-level pulse of arousal. “You can stay down here if you want, and I’ll go through by myself.”

“I thought this was just a rubber-stamp visit to be sure the roof hadn’t suddenly developed a huge hole or something.”

“Ordinarily it is, but I’m a certified building inspector and you might as well take advantage of me while you can.”

Nita almost laughed. “You are shamelessly relentless. What I don’t understand is why you’re expending the energy when I’m sure you could find company with no effort at all.”

“Maybe I don’t like people having unfounded impressions of me.”

“People?” Nita tilted her own flashlight and Deo turned her face away, but not before Nita saw the unhappiness in her eyes. “What people?”

Deo grabbed Nita’s hand and tugged. “Come on. Let’s check out the kitchen.”

Recognizing the avoidance ploy because she used it so often herself when there was something she didn’t want to discuss, Nita didn’t push. Deo was certainly entitled to her privacy, and besides, discussing personal matters wasn’t the wisest thing to do when she was trying to keep her distance. Whatever Deo’s troubles might be, they weren’t her concern.

The wide central hall was divided in the center of the house into two narrower passages by the take off of the central staircase that rose to a second-floor balcony level. As she recalled, the formal living room and dining room were off the right hallway, and the parlor and library were off the left. The large kitchen occupied the entire first floor rear. With only their flashlights to guide them, Nita felt the oppressive atmosphere of the long abandoned house closing in around her. Reflexively, she tightened her grip on Deo’s hand. Deo’s palm was slightly bumpy—work calluses, she presumed—and very warm. For a fleeting second she imagined how that rough, heated skin would feel chafing over her nipples. The unexpected image and the sharp stab of excitement that shot through her groin made her gasp.

“You okay?” Deo asked.

“Yes,” Nita responded sharply, aware that her voice sounded breathy.

“Even though the place has been closed up for years, it doesn’t smell damp or moldy,” Deo observed, stopping just inside the kitchen. She shone her light over the floor, walls, and ceiling first and then moved on to highlight the wood counters and cabinets. The appliances had all been removed long ago. “No evidence of water damage. That’s a good sign. The roof is likely sound and the window casements are probably in good shape.”

Nita extracted her hand from Deo’s, and immediately the tension in her chest eased. She took a deep breath and chided herself for her mindless response. She had gone far too long without any kind of physical intimacy. That’s all it was.

“So what do you think?”

“I’m sorry?” Nita realized Deo had asked her a question while she’d been analyzing her reaction to Deo’s touch.

“I was asking whether you wanted to convert the interior to something contemporary or go for a historical restoration.”

“If I’d wanted a contemporary house, I would have bought one.”

“Well, that makes sense,” Deo said, a note of confusion in her voice.

Nita flushed. She was making too much of a brief visceral reaction and allowing it to completely disrupt her control. It was ridiculous. “I want to renovate the house with materials and design that are historically suitable, within reason. I don’t intend to walk around the house at night carrying a candle.”

Deo laughed. “I think it probably would have been gaslights.”

“I consider flush toilets, electricity, central heat and air, telephones, and cable to be essential,” Nita said dryly.

“It’s going to cost you something to put in the air and bring the electrical system up to today’s standards,” Deo observed.

“I have considered that.” Nita saw no reason to explain that she had money. Her family would take nothing from her now and being single and having gone to medical school on scholarships, she had very little debt. The house was her indulgence.