Deadly Games - Cate Noble [62]
The same rancher who’d apparently loaned her father large sums, due soon. “As long as you marry before Christmas, I’ll be fine,” her father had said.
Gena had refused, tried to tell her father about Rocco. “I’m in love with someone else, Daddy.”
“Who? This mysterious man you’ve supposedly dated for two years, but is never around,” her father had said. “How convenient for him.”
But her father’s tirades grew nastier. And when he threatened to cut her off financially and emotionally, she’d fled Texas, certain her father would come to his senses.
He didn’t. Instead he’d rescinded her credit cards. And last week, when her monthly trust transfer was typically made, there had been nothing.
Gena had talked with the bank officer, who had been sympathetic while explaining that her father controlled the trust fund her mother had left and could basically do as he chose with the funds.
In the end, the officer told Gena to cut her expenses and move. “You can’t afford to live in the city on your salary.”
One option, to get a roommate, was unacceptable; when Rocco was in town they hung out at her place. But maybe they’d have to start going to his place more. He had a town house in the suburbs that she’d visited once. “A place to store clothes,” Rocco had joked.
Would Rocco consider a roommate? Like her for example?
“Men don’t marry women they can sleep with for free. Or the ones they have to pay,” her mother had once warned. “They marry the ones who play hard to get.”
Marriage. She and Rocco had never discussed the subject, but Gena assumed it would be the next logical step. Certainly before having babies.
God, she really didn’t need to deal with this right now. Not with everything else. Maybe she should wait a week and retake the test. Those drugstore kits weren’t infallible. But neither was birth control.
When her gynecologist had switched her pill prescription, Gena had been warned to use condoms during the first month, which they had. But when the new prescription made her drier than usual, she’d bought a sexy lubricant. Only to learn later that that particular lubricant wasn’t safe to use with latex.
She checked her appearance one last time, then returned to the living room. Rocco was ten minutes late. Restless, she inventoried the kitchen once more, her eyes lingering on the bottle of wine. Of all the times she could really use a drink!
She wandered through the dining room. Panic set in as she eyed the table.
“The flowers!” Rocco always brought her flowers! How could she forget that? She grabbed the arrangement and carried it into her guest room.
Just in time. The doorbell rang.
Rocco.
She looked out the peephole and felt a smile lift her mouth. No matter what came between them, or how long they were apart, her heart would always belong to this man. She opened the door wide.
“Miss me, princess?” he asked.
Gena leaped into his arms and began to kiss him.
“I take that as a yes,” Rocco said between kisses.
“I always miss you.”
He carried her inside, pausing long enough to shut and lock the door. Then he pressed his lips to the side of her neck. “God, you smell delicious.”
“Define delicious. I’m the French Jasmine. Steak tips in a portobello sauce is dinner.”
“I pick jasmine. Always.” He grasped her wrist, brought it to his mouth and spread a line of kisses to her elbow. “Who needs food when I’ve got you?”
Gena’s eyes grew moist. It’s going to be okay. “I’ll get you a drink while you put your bag in the bedroom.”
As soon as she said it, she realized he’d come in empty-handed.
“About that.” Rocco’s smile faded and he caught both of her hands in his and squeezed them. “I can’t stay. I shouldn’t be here to begin with. I’ve got less than two hours to get back to Dulles.”
She shook her head. “But I haven’t seen you in six weeks.”
“I know. It sucks for me, too. Unfortunately, it’s going to suck another six to eight weeks. Hey! What’s with the tears? Please understand, this mission is important, or I’d never leave you.”
“And yet you do.