A Walk In The Wilderness (24 page)

     David gave her a steady, hard look.  “Talk like a lady, Lynn.” he suggested evenly.

     Lynn looked squelched, but quickly covered it with a cheeky look.  “Excuse me.”  she begged lightly.

     David looked at her for a moment longer before he turned his eyes back to Cait.  “I’m going to want a shower before the action starts.  Mind if we go downstairs?”

     “She can stay here with us, David.”  Peggy suggested hopefully.  “We’ll keep an eye on things.”

     David gave a low chuckle, and shook his head.  “I don’t think so.”  he refused.  “That would make Skyler’s day, and I’m not in the mood to deal with the aftermath.  Thanks but no thanks, the lady goes with me.”  he settled it firmly.

     Lynn and Peggy gave Caitlin surprised and titillated smiles as David and she turned to leave.

    When they were alone, David growled and grumbled out a few words that Caitlin couldn’t make out.  “What?”  she asked curiously.

    “Oh, nothing.  I just get tired of people and their curiosity.”  he sighed, unlocking his dressing room door.  “I suppose it’ll get worse before it gets better.”

     “Hmm.”  she agreed.  “They do wonder.  First there was Skyler bringing me around, then the blowup with Connie, and now I’m here with you.  And people don’t know what to make of it.  It’s natural, I suppose.”

     David gave her a long, smoky look as he took off his shirt.  “I’ll bet they’d all give quite a bit to know what you mean to me, wouldn’t they?” he asked softly.  He walked over to her and laced his fingers behind her back.  She was acutely aware of him, with his warm, brown skin staring her in the face.  She blushed.

     “They do seem to be curious.”  she admitted, putting her hands on his arms uncomfortably.

      “What do you think I should say?”  he asked softly.

      She looked up at him and knew that her heart was in her eyes.  She swept her eyes to the carpet bashfully, and shook her head.  “I hardly know, David.”  she stammered.

     He chuckled, and pulled her against his bare chest.  It felt very intimate and sexy.  Her back was bare, and her face was against his bare chest.  His hands were warm and strong.  “It gets very old, dodging questions.  But I suppose that’s the way it has to be, for now.”  he said lightly.

     Caitlin couldn’t look up at him, but she would have loved to see what was in his eyes as he spoke.  What could he mean?  Was he giving her a message?  Was she letting her feelings show?  Did he want her to back off?  If so, why was he holding her this way?  Why did he insist on being alone with her?  Oh, it was driving her crazy.  Simply mad.

     He showered, and came out of the washroom smelling like fresh soap and cologne.  His hair hung in ringlets, curling onto his shoulders, into his eyes.  He was in his jeans and a white shirt with no collar. 

     He looked at Caitlin and smiled.  She blushed, and wasn’t sure why.  There was just something in his eyes, something in his touch.  She was off balance, always uncertain.  She didn’t know what David might be feeling, didn’t know how to act. 

     She found it impossible to act sexy, as Grace had intimated she should.  She didn’t know how to.  She could only respond as David moved closer.  If he ever would do something really definitive, Caitlin knew that she would respond.  There was simply no question.  She was madly in love with him.

     “What’s on your mind?” he asked with a teasing glint in his eyes. 

     “Nothing, really.  Why?”

     He smiled and cupped her jaw with his hand, looking down at her.   “You’ve been very quiet.  I always know when something’s not right, Caitlin.”  he warned her softly.  “You’re not comfortable for some reason.  What is it?”

     Her heart pounded.  “No, I’m fine.  Really.  Skyler just makes me nervous.  And people, asking about things.  It’s really nothing, David.  It’s just life.  You know?”

    He sighed, and smiled.  “You mean, people asking you about us?” he hazarded knowingly.

     She blushed.  “Something like that.”  she admitted.

    “Maybe we should give them something to talk about.”  he suggested in a low voice. 

     Caitlin looked up at him with round eyes.  He was watching her intently, with a smile that made her think that
he knew
.  Her eyes were betraying her heart to him, surely.  Why else would he look at her that way, with such purpose in his eyes?

     She opened her mouth, but couldn’t think of a thing to say.  David chuckled deep in his throat, and moved closer.  Caitlin looked up at him incredulously.  She saw in his eyes that he was going to kiss her.  She was almost certain.

    “David,  Skyler’s half done.  You need to be ready in ten minutes.” Will said from the doorway.

     David looked at him coldly.  “All right, Will.”  he said evenly.

    Caitlin blushed, and turned away.  David watched her with ire burning in his eyes.  He sighed, and put his hands on his hips. 

    Another knock came on the door, and David answered it himself.  It was the make up artist and hairdresser, Muriel.  David sat in the chair at the mirror and patiently allowed her to do her job.  Caitlin paced at the window.

    “There you go, David.”  Muriel said in a satisfied voice.  “You’re going to look fabulous tonight in that Royal blue.  You always look so clean and striking.  You have wonderful taste in clothes and color.”  She ran a comb through David’s hair and set it with some spray.

     “Thanks.”  David responded unenthusiastically.

     “My pleasure.  Have a good night now, and I’ll see you tomorrow.”            

     “David!  Time to go.”  Will called through the intercom. 

     David looked at Caitlin with chagrin clearly etched in his face.  “Oh, well.”  he sighed expressively.  He held an arm to Caitlin and she went forward to join him silently.  She was so aware of his arm around her as they went upstairs, and the tension in the air. 

    She slipped a tentative arm around him and smiled up at him when they reached the wings. 

     “David.”  she said softly.  He looked down at her with shuttered eyes.  “Play your heart out.” she encouraged.

     He snorted and closed his eyes.  “That will be easy.  I always do when I’m completely frustrated.”  he answered.  He gave her a crooked smile and a hug, and left her in the wings.

     As he went out of range, Skyler made his appearance.  He walked boldly up to Cait and towered over her.  “You slut!  How dare you show your face here, you little bitch?  How dare you come to Paris with him, and rub my face in it?  How dare you hang on him and fawn over him, and stare up at him with lovesick eyes?  I’ll kill you!” he seethed.  “You think you can just treat me like dirt under your feet?  You’re not so bloody special!  You make me sick!  Your little friend Patricia was quite willing to satisfy me any time, place and way I wanted, and I’ll tell you one thing for sure, you can bet she was better than you are, you simpering, slimy, stuck up excuse for a princess!”

    The three guards were staring at Skyler incredulously.  It seemed that they weren’t sure just what to do.  David had gotten almost to the curtain when Skyler appeared. 

     Skyler had been just a bit too quick to approach Caitlin ... David had heard, and David was not yet on stage.  He turned around and came stalking back.  With his jaw set and fire in his eyes, he spun Skyler around and exploded a hard fist in his face.  Skyler went reeling, and fell hard.  Everyone came running, gasping, and the three security men huddled around David and Caitlin menacingly. 

     Skyler got up, and charged at David like a mad bull.  David laid him out a second time.  He was a powerful man, and a very skilled fighter.  He hadn’t lied – he'd clearly been very well trained to protect himself.  This time, Sky didn't get up.

     “Skyler, leave Caitlin alone.  I mean it.”  he warned.  “My performance won’t stop me.  I’ll come back here and mop the place up with your face if you so much as look at her.  Get lost!”

    Roland was helping Skyler up, his face red and flustered.  “Skyler will be leaving the building.  Excuse us.”  he said worriedly. 

     David rubbed his knuckles.  His eyes were glittering like blue diamonds.  “By all means.  Get him out of here, and keep him away.”  he agreed.  He glared after the two until he was sure they were not coming back.

     “David!”  Will whined.  “What the heck are you doing?  Have you injured your hand?”

      “No.”  David denied woodenly.  “I’ll be fine.”

     “That’s good, because they announced you five minutes ago.”

     David gave the manager a cold, burning look.  “Shut up, Will.”  he said without hesitation.  He gave Caitlin a critical look; and once assured that she was all right, he turned back to Will. 

    “You go someplace else for the night, too.  If I see you hanging around, I’ll give you a fat lip.  I've had it with rudeness and disrespect!  Anybody on this team who can't behave like a professional and mind their own business, had better walk out of here right now.” he warned coldly.  “I'm not tolerating any more!”

     He turned threateningly toward the guards.  They all took a step back.  “You three stay with the lady, and don’t you ever let
anybody
talk to her that way again.”  he threatened smoothly.  The security guards nodded nervously.

      “David …” Will complained incredulously.

     “Shut up, and leave.”  David said evenly.  His eyes told Will that he meant it.  Then, he turned and went out to greet his audience.

     “Perfect.”  Will said angrily.  He turned and glared at Caitlin.  “Just perfect.  I hope you’re happy.”  he said sarcastically.  Then he turned on his heel and walked out,  as the security guards moved forward to surround Caitlin.

      Caitlin sat down, feeling miserable and weak in the knees.  Her guts felt as though they’d been wrenched and twisted.  She bit back tears and tried to clear her face of the upset.  She knew that David could see her, and he did give a sharp look in her direction quite frequently.  So, she sat there, and tried not to think about Skyler or Will or David.  

    When David's performance was almost finished, she simply felt that she couldn’t take it anymore.  “I must go to the washroom.”  she advised.

     “Certainly.”  Andrew, one of the guards, answered.  She got up and left the wings with Andrew accompanying her.  When she reached the washroom, she went in and locked herself in a stall.  The sobs and the tears came spilling.  She just couldn’t help herself.  She was so upset, she simply had to let it out.

      Time must have gone by more quickly than she’d realized, because before too long, there was a male voice in the room. 

       “Caitie?  Honey, where are you?”  David asked quietly.

      She groaned, and put her head in her hands. 

    “Caitlin?”  he insisted.  “Don’t make me come looking for you, now.  You’re driving me wild with worry.  Come out, it’s all right.”

     She unlocked the door and blew her nose heartily before she left.  Then she walked out, with her head down.  David wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly.

     “Caitie, honey, I’m so sorry.”  he said, kissing her cheek.  “Please forgive me for bringing you here, where he could hurt you.  It was foolish and selfish of me.”  he pleaded.

     Caitlin burst into fresh tears at the stance that David had taken.  “Oh, David.  This isn’t your fault.”  she objected.  “I feel terrible.  I should have known he would be wretched, and stayed away.  Now, you’ve had to fight him and delay your concert, and upset your manager, and you had to hit him, and go out there upset, and …”

     David chuckled.  “Hey.  Listen to me.  I have wanted to deck him for so long that it was a pleasure to do it.  I know I shouldn’t feel that way, but I do.  I can’t help myself.”

     “And your manager?”  she lamented.

    David sighed.  “Will knows better. I've been thinking of making some changes, anyway.  Honey, stop this, now.  You’re beating yourself up for things that are simply not your fault.  Come on, let’s get out of here.”  he suggested.     

    Lynn and Peggy entered the washroom, and stopped short at the sight of David with Caitlin in his arms. 

     “Whoops.”  Peggy said in embarrassment.  “Excuse us.”

     “That’s all right.  We’re leaving.”  David said with a smile.

“Good job knocking him flat, David.”  Lynn complimented.  “I wondered how long you’d be patient with him.  How’s the hand?”

      David grinned.  “Fine.”  he assured her.

     “And how’s Caitlin?”  Peggy asked, concern in her voice.

     “A little bit shook up.  She’ll be all right.”  David assured them.

     “With your consolation, I don’t wonder.”  Lynn snickered suggestively.

      David put his lips against Caitlin’s ear.  “Let’s go.”  he insisted gently.

    Caitlin nodded, and they made their way out of the building.  David went straight to the car.  Once inside, he sighed and ran a hand over his eyes.  Caitlin just dropped her head in her hands and tried not to weep.

    “Caitie, love.  Listen to me, now.  I’m not going to let him hurt you.  Please understand -- I am so sorry that he said more ugly things to you, but he can’t touch you.”

     “Oh, David.  I know that.” she agreed.  “But it’s so horrible, having to watch you hit him.  Knowing that you’ve allowed him to hit you.  For my sake.  I feel like such a … a...”

     He laughed and picked up her hand.  “Caitie, I asked you to come here to keep me sane.  Having you here is like …” he sighed.  “It gives me such pleasure.  Please, don’t see this any other way.  You delight me.  You make me feel alive.  You’re here because I want you here.” 

     “But for the concerts to be disrupted...”  she objected, tensing up at the lovely things he was saying.