Annie's Rainbow - Fern Michaels [142]
“You just uttered the magic word, Clay Mitchell. Race you to the door!” Annie grinned.
For a taste of another delicious novel by Fern Michaels, turn the page . . .
CHAPTER ONE
Kristine Kelly propped her chin on her elbow to better observe her husband’s slick, naked body. She felt a second burst of passion but knew she had to squelch it. Instead, she stared boldly at Logan’s hard, wet body, aware that he was staring just as boldly at her. How was it, she wondered, that after twenty years of making love to the same man, she could feel exactly the same as she had felt on her wedding night? She was about to voice the question aloud when Logan said, “Was it as good for you as it was for me?” She squirmed closer, savoring the slickness of their two bodies meshed together. Was it her imagination or did Logan’s words sound practiced, rehearsed, even flat? Where was the light teasing banter that was always present after one of their marathon lovemaking sessions? Why wasn’t Logan lighting a cigarette the way he usually did? A cigarette they both puffed on. According to Logan, a cigarette was the ultimate conclusion to a satisfying session of lovemaking. She didn’t know if she agreed or not. If the choice was hers, she would opt for serious pillow talk and a second round of lovemaking: The cigarette was always better the second time around. She waited.
“Well?”
“Of course,” she said, offering up her standard response. “I feel like crying,” she blurted.
“Are you going to cave in on me now, Kris? We’ve been over this a hundred times. You said you were okay with it. The kids said they were okay with it. Thirty days is not an eternity. You’ve been a model military wife, so don’t go all wimpy on me now and screw it up. We’ve always gone by the book. It is not the end of the world. When you return to the States you will be so busy you won’t have time to miss me. You need to register the kids for school, get the farmhouse ready, buy a car, get ready for the holidays. It’s the way it is, Kris. What is your problem?”
Kristine picked up on the impatience in her husband’s voice. So it wasn’t her imagination after all. Logan was annoyed with her, and he wasn’t bothering to hide his feelings. She felt the urge to cry again and didn’t know why. No matter what she said or how she said it, her voice was going to be defensive-sounding. She struggled for a light tone. “I guess it has something to do with your long career coming to such an abrupt end. Twenty years is a long time, Logan. I think we handled it well. Like you said, we went by the book and never complained. We were a family of good little soldiers. I wish for your sake that you could have gone all the way and made general because I know it’s what you wanted. I have to take issue with the medical board. Why does having just one kidney prevent you from getting promoted and staying in for thirty years? You never faltered, you did your job, you went by the book, and we all played by the rules. It’s not fair. I know it’s bothering you because it’s bothering me. I don’t like it when you pretend, Logan.”
“I don’t want to talk about it, Kris. It is what it is. I’ll muster out in two weeks and two weeks later you’ll see me driving up the road. Make sure you have a big, four-layer chocolate cake and a very large pan of your lasagne waiting for me. Two bottles of wine. Good stuff now. One for you and one for me. After that, if we’re still standing, we’ll make love all night long. How do you feel about that?”
“It sounds wonderful, Logan. I wish I could turn off my emotions the way you can, but I can’t. The truth is, I’m going to miss you terribly because you’re going to be half a world away. Figure it out, Logan, how many miles is it from Leesburg, Virginia, to Bremen, Germany?”
This time the impatience in her husband’s voice was more noticeable. “The mileage isn’t important. I’ll call and write. I’ve never let you down, so where are these negative feelings coming from? Are you telling me now that you