An Engagement in Seattle - Debbie Macomber [33]
“Do you plan to talk this over with Alek?”
She hadn’t thought of that. “It…won’t be necessary. He’ll get the picture once he hears from you.”
“I won’t do it.”
Her brother’s refusal caught her attention as nothing else could have. “What do you mean, you won’t do it?”
“First, I won’t have you treating Alek as though he’s…some pest you’re trying to get rid of.”
“It wouldn’t be like that,” she insisted, realizing even as she spoke that Jerry was right. She couldn’t treat Alek this way.
“Secondly,” her brother said, “it’d be crazy to throw everything away now. You think that just because you’ve passed some interview with an Immigration official, you’re in the clear. Think again, Julia. That’s exactly the kind of thing the government’s expecting.”
“They won’t know.”
“Don’t count on it. They make it their business to know.”
“Jerry, please.” She rarely pleaded with her brother. “The man’s impossible.… I’ve done my duty. What more do you expect of me?”
“Alek is your husband.”
“You’re beginning to sound just like him! He frightens me.… He makes me feel things I don’t want to feel. I’m scared, Jerry, really scared.” Close to tears, she covered her mouth, fearing she’d break down.
“I don’t know what to do,” Jerry said with a sympathetic shrug. “I wish I did, for your sake. Alek’s, too.”
With nothing left to say, he returned to his own office.
Her mood didn’t improve when two hours later Alek unexpectedly showed up. He walked into her office without waiting for her assistant to announce him. Julia happened to be on the phone at the time and she glanced up, irritated by the intrusion. Alek glared at her, and every minute she delayed appeared to infuriate him further.
He began to pace, pausing every other step to turn and scowl in her direction.
Julia finished her conversation as quickly as she could without being rude—and without letting him believe he was intimidating her.
“You wanted something?” she asked calmly as she replaced the receiver.
Anger was etched on his features. “Yes, I do. I understand you spoke to Jerry this morning about one of us moving. I want to know what’s going on in that head of yours.”
Julia folded her hands on her desk. “It seemed the logical thing to do.”
“Why?”
She stood, feeling at a distinct disadvantage sitting. “It makes sense. The only reason we were living together was for show because—”
“We’re living together, my dear wife, because we’re married.”
“In name only.”
He muttered something blistering in Russian, and Julia was grateful she couldn’t understand him.
“You deny your vows. You abuse my pride by involving your brother. You ask for patience and then stab me in the back.”
“I…explained on our wedding day that I need time. I let you know you were being cheated in this marriage. You can’t say I didn’t warn you.” Contacting Jerry had been wrong, she saw now. But she was frightened and growing more so each day. No longer could she ignore the powerful attraction she felt for Alek. No longer could she ignore his touch. He was chipping away at the barrier she’d erected to protect herself from feelings. From love. He was working his way into her life and her heart. She had to do something.
“You are my wife,” Alek shouted.
Julia closed her eyes at the anger in his voice.
“I’m not a very good one,” she whispered.
“We are married, Julia. When will you accept that?” He turned away from her and stalked to the door.
“I…don’t know if I can.”
At her words, he spun around.
They stood no more than a few feet apart, yet an ocean might have lain between them. He was furious with her and she with him.
“I may never be your wife in the way you want.” Julia didn’t know what drove her to say that.
And yet, at the same moment, she realized she wanted him. Needed him. And that frightened her half to death.
“You’re afraid, aren’t you?” he asked as if he could read her thoughts. “Afraid you aren’t woman enough to satisfy me. That’s what’s behind all this, isn’t it? That, and the fact