Crazy for You (26 page)

At the very least he’d been determined. He’d
set his goals and put his analytical mind to work for him, just as
he’d done in any other aspect of his life before this. He’d pushed
the emotion out of his body and concentrated solely on the tasks at
hand. He tried all the obvious things first, the phone, tracing the
airline ticket, inquiring at the resort—but without luck. He’d
faced a roadblock at every turn.

So he’d developed a plan:

A. Find Tasha

B. Make love to her until she was either
convinced that he loved her, or until she was too exhausted to
fight him about it anymore.

It was that simple.

But in case that didn’t work, he also had
Plan B. He hadn’t quite worked out all his strategy to that one
yet, but he was damned close. Closing the real estate deal today
was the first step. He just needed her cooperation.

The problem was, there was no guarantee that
it would work. Well, then he’d just have to keep his hopes up. He
would never give up.

He’d lost out most of his adult life because
he’d put relationships on hold due to “business” —he’d be damned if
he’d waste any time building a life with Tasha. He’d waited and did
that with Diana. He’d not make that same mistake again.

Leaning back in his chair, he let his head
fall back and his eyes close. Every time he did that he saw her.
Eyes flashing, hair billowing out about her as they swam that day.
Then later, as they made love in the rain forest. The ache in his
heart tried to take over, but he wouldn’t let it. Not until he saw
her, then he’d let it pour out of him.

He pushed it all aside and sat erect in the
chair. Reaching up, he straightened the red, green, and purple tie
at his neck. He was restless. He had to get out of here.

But then again, he had only two more weeks to
go until he kissed this place good-bye forever. He stood to go.
Before he left though, he reached over and flipped open the
tattered piece of stationary he kept tucked into his desk pad and
read the note one more time, as he did several times each day. At
times, it was the only thing that kept him going.

Dear Andrew,

I know that I’m doing the wrong thing,
leaving like this, but I’m frightened. I couldn’t say the words
last night because they wouldn’t be true. I don’t want to ruin your
life. We could never make it together. Don’t love me, Andrew. Find
someone else to love you. Find someone else to give you that picket
fence. You would never be happy with me in the end.

Love, Tasha

“You’re wrong, Moontasha Begonia Smith.”
Andrew stared past the note for a moment, then folded it and tucked
it back in the corner of the desk pad. “I will be very happy with
you for the rest of my life. And I’m going to prove that to you
very soon.”

Thirty-six

Portland International Airport

Tasha adjusted the jacket of her navy suit
then bent over to flick away a piece of grass on her new navy
pumps. Glancing up, she read the sign-board over the flight desk to
check on her flight. No news. There was a problem with the plane
and she was going to have to layover in Portland for probably
another hour.

Or more.

She leaned back into her seat. It had been a
long day. She was ready to get to Seattle, check into her hotel
room, and start the search for Andrew. She didn’t know the name of
his firm, but she figured she could call every pharmaceutical
company in the book until she found the one who employed him.

That would be the easy part.

The hard part would be facing him once she
found him. But it was something she had to do. Even if he told her
to turn around and head back to the mountains. At least then, she
would know.

She’d gone shopping the day before. The suit
and pumps had felt uncomfortable at first, but she was getting used
to them. Her mother had laughed, then hugged her. It was her first
attempt to fit into Andrew’s world. Maybe it wouldn’t be as
difficult an adjustment as she originally thought.

A hunger pang stabbed at her belly.

Rising, she searched to her left and spotted
a food stand. She had plenty of time to grab something, perhaps she
should do it now.

She ordered an iced tea, slipped a straw into
the center hole in the plastic lid, and took a sip. She waited for
her sandwich. After a minute, she took the small bag from the young
boy behind the counter and turned back toward the waiting area.

She took another sip of the drink and plowed
directly into the man standing behind her.

“Oh, excuse me.” She glanced blindly at him.
The only thing she noticed was the Co-Ed Naked Volleyball shirt he
was wearing.

Wait a minute.

Was that a Club Regale, Co-Ed Naked
Volleyball t-shirt?

“That’s all right,” the man said.

Tasha stepped back. The voice was familiar.
She looked up into his face.

The hair was longer, mussed.

The t-shirt, denim shorts, and Nike
basketball shoes were quite different from the apparel she was used
to seeing him wear.

And he looked infinitely more relaxed.

But it was him.

Her insides wanted to melt into a puddle.
Right there. On the floor. The vibes were spinning webs around
her.

There he was. Smiling. Andrew.

“I spotted you from across the way. I hardly
recognized you.” Andrew reached out and flicked at her lapel. “Nice
threads.”

Amazed, Tasha cleared her throat. “Yeah.” She
touched his chest. “Yours, too. What are you doing here?”

Glancing briefly away, Andrew shrugged.
“Catching a plane to Denver.”

“Why?”

“I’ve got a new job there.”

Tasha swallowed. “In Denver?”

He shook his head. “No, actually it’s outside
of Denver. Small town. Pinebow Springs. Ever heard of it?”

Tasha’s heart leapt. “Yes.”

“It’s a little different from what I did
before, but I think I can handle the position.”

“Oh?”

“Ummmm… Hmmmmm.”

“And what is the position?” She couldn’t
think of a thing in Pinebow Springs that she could see Andrew
doing.

“I bought a small farm there.”

“A farm.”

“Yeah. It was the weirdest thing. There was
this real estate ad in my mailbox one day. Mailed in a plain white
envelope. No return address. But it was postmarked Pinebow Springs.
Know anything about it?”

Tasha closed her eyes. Her mother? Mark? Were
they in cahoots? She opened them again. “I wish I did. I wouldn’t
have had the guts to do that.”

“You had the guts to get this far.”

The thought stung her. She had, hadn’t
she?

“What are you going to do with a farm,
Andrew?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Grow some vegetables. Some
herbs. Raise a cow or two, maybe some chickens. Probably end up
with a whole passel of kids, someday. I’ve been doing some research
about the medicinal quality of herbs and essential oils and I’ve
been thinking that I could market them nationwide—”

“Or you could sell them in my shop.” Tasha’s
voice was soft, quiet, as she stepped closer to him.

Andrew reached out and pulled her closer. He
threaded his fingers in her hair, tilting her face up to his. “Or I
could sell them in your shop,” he whispered, his lips dipping
dangerously close to hers. “I figure with your knowledge and my
sales experience...”

He stopped talking, staring into her eyes.
“I’ve missed you like crazy.”

It was warm where their bodies touched. Tasha
sighed as they made contact. “I was coming to find you,” she said
softly. “I was a fool to leave, but I was afraid. Forgive me?”

He nodded. “I was afraid I’d never see you
again.”

“Did you really quit your job?”

“It was those damned purple ties. The boss
didn’t like them. I figured clothes were just the outer trappings
of our society and what the hell difference did it make if I wore a
purple tie instead of black or gray or navy? The day I came to work
in blue jeans blew him away.”

Tasha felt fresh tears fill her eyes and she
laughed out loud. She loved him so.

Andrew threaded his fingers into the hair on
either side of her head as he searched her eyes. His lips took hers
quickly in a short, nibbling kiss. “I want to give you everything
you want, Tasha. I want to give you a life together. You, me, kids,
the whole nine yards. But I want to do it our way. And I wanted to
give you the picket fence. But that’s all, nothing else to resemble
the all-American, two-point-five kids, one dog, one cat, apple pie
family. I want us just to be us. I want and love you just the way
you are.”

“Our own world?” she asked.

Smiling, he agreed. “Our own world. By the
way,” he added, lifting a finger to her lapel again, “I’m not sure
I like your new look.”

Tasha glanced down at the dull navy. “When I
was shopping for it, I wasn’t having a good time. But you know,
somehow I ended up in the men’s department, fingering a Brooks
Brothers suit. That’s when I decided I had to find you. No matter
what. And if I was going to have to go the conservative route,
too—”

“It’s nothing but outer trappings, Tasha.
Didn’t you learn anything in Jamaica?”

“I was trying to fit into your world.”

He shook his head. “Don’t.”

“Really?”

“I’d rather fit into yours. In fact,” he
leaned closer, his lips grazing her ear, “I’d rather see you in
nothing at all. You know that farm I bought? We’ve got forty-seven
acres of secluded land, partly wooded, on which we can run around
naked, any time we want. I haven’t seen it yet, but they say
there’s a perfect spot for a house, high on a hill.”

Tasha pulled back, feigning surprise. “You
mean I can get rid of the suit?”

A house. Of our own?

“Darling, you can get rid of every stitch of
clothing you possess.”

Smiling wickedly, Tasha took off her jacket
and pulled her cotton shirt from the waistband of her skirt.

Andrew pulled her close and kissed her lips.
“Not now, honey. Later.”

She laughed, then grew serious. “I have to
say this, Andrew. Just this one thing. I’m sorry I left you the way
I did. I just didn’t think that we—” He silenced her with one
finger on her lips.

“There are only three words I want to hear
from you right now. Later, we can sort out all the rest.”

Tasha knew the words by heart. She’d
practiced them since she’d left Colorado. “I love you, Andrew.”

He smiled, then captured her lips with his.
“That’s four,” he teased between breaths.

“I know, but I’m not counting, are you?”

Andrew sighed. “The only thing I’m counting
on is keeping you naked and natural for some time to come,
sweetheart. Maybe barefoot and pregnant, too.”

Smiling wickedly, Tasha agreed. “I can live
with that. When do we start?”

Andrew caught her lower lip between his
teeth. “I’m ready whenever you are...” he teased, then nibbled at
both her lips.

Tasha pressed into him. “That’s definitely
apparent,” she whispered back.

“But I think we’ll have to wait a little
later, honey.”

Tasha laced her arms around his neck and
leaned forward for another kiss. “How much later? When we get back
to Pinebow Springs?”

“Uh-uh. I think we should spend one last
night in the city before we head to the country. Ever spent the
night in Portland?”

Tasha shook her head. “No.”

“First time for everything, they say.”

“That’s what I hear.”

“Then let’s set the damned town on fire.”

“Or at least the hotel bed.”

“Tasha!” Andrew’s face registered
surprise.

“Well, we’ve got to get started on that
passel of kids sometime, don’t we?”

Nodding, Andrew linked his arm in hers and
pulled her into the flow of the crowded airport. One thing’s for
certain, she thought, we will definitely produce an interesting
passel of kids.

THE END

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Romance novelist Maddie James bounces
between contemporary, historical, and paranormal worlds, as she
pens stories within, and frequently crossing, a variety of romantic
genres. With 30+ titles in print, under three pen names, she feels
fortunate to spend her days working with some of the quirkiest
characters around—those in her head, and in her life. She lives
with her muses, who most days manifest themselves as four-legged
furry creatures. She often laments that her cats have become her
children, and she has become her mother.

Such is life. And life, such fodder for
books. Que sera, sera.

Learn more about her books at
www.maddiejames.net

Coming in 2011-2012

The Dead Guys Still Want It Series

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romantic comedy
novel by Maddie James

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novels:

Falling for Grace

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