Reckless Moon (10 page)

She was talking about Bram’s date. “She’s a doctor?” Beth asked, her heart sinking.

“Yes,” her companion said. “Couldn’t you just kill yourself? She’s on staff at Johnson Memorial with my husband. Can you imagine looking like that and having brains, too? No wonder she can snare such a handsome date.”

The sprained-ankle specialist, Beth thought glumly. This was the woman Mindy had mentioned. Beth watched as Dr. Reynolds whispered something in Bram’s ear, and his dazzling grin flashed from across the room. Beth sighed. It was beginning to look like a long night.

Jason returned, and once dinner was served Beth began to feel better. Bram and his friend were seated on the far side of the dance floor, and her view of them was obscured by several potted palms, so Beth was spared the sight of their mealtime conviviality. But during the interlude before dessert the band started to play and Jason asked her to dance. She didn’t see how she could gracefully refuse, so she walked with him onto the floor. Jason was a correct if spiritless dancer, and Beth was able to follow him effortlessly until the conclusion of the set. As they applauded with the rest of the group, she realized that Jason was standing next to Bram.

Beth tugged on his arm to capture his attention, but it was too late. Jason had noticed the man at his side.

“Here’s one of your clients, Bethie,” he announced in a delighted tone that made Beth want to hit him with a rock. “It’s Curtis, isn’t it?” Jason said to Bram. “I seem to remember selling a summerhouse to your father.”

Bram turned, favoring Jason with a cool, dark glance. “Yes, my father is fond of buying things. You may also recall that when we were all in high school I put your brother in the hospital.”

Beth closed her eyes as the men shook hands.

Jason chuckled. “Yeah, Ronnie always was a hothead. Well, it looks like I’m here with your lawyer, Curtis.”

Bram looked at Beth. “So it appears,” he said evenly. Only Beth detected the edge in his tone. “Hello, counselor.”

Beth nodded, wishing that she were home watching reruns on television.

“May I introduce Althea Reynolds?” Bram was saying. He took the redhead’s hand and brought her forward. “Thea, this is my lawyer, Bethany Forsyth. Beth, my doctor, Althea Reynolds.”

The two women eyed each other as Jason beamed.

“How do you do?” Beth murmured.

Dr. Reynolds smiled, displaying perfect teeth.

“You’re doing all right, Curtis,” Jason chuckled. “My doctor is sixty-five years old with an arthritic hip.”

“I’m sure
Bethie
will help you get in touch with the changing times,” Bram said mildly. Beth didn’t miss the slight emphasis on the nickname, which he knew she didn’t like.

Mercifully, the music began again, and Beth seized Jason, practically dragging him across the floor.

“Good seeing you, Bram,” she babbled, steering Jason away. “Nice to meet you, Dr. Reynolds.” She had hustled Jason to the opposite end of the floor before he had a chance to object.

“You seemed anxious to get away from those two,” Jason observed in what was surely the understatement of the year. “Don’t you like Curtis?”

“Don’t be silly,” Beth replied. “Isn’t the music lovely?”

“Sure,” Jason answered, looking down at her with a bewildered expression. “This is the same band they had at the Lions Club Christmas party last year.”

“Isn’t that interesting?” Beth said brightly. “I guess you have to attend quite a few of these functions.”

She was able to engage Jason in conversation until he suggested that they return to their table and have dessert. They were about to do so when Bram materialized from nowhere and tapped Jason on the shoulder.

“I wonder if I might borrow your date for this dance,” Bram said shortly.

Jason stepped back and released Beth. “See you back at the table, Bethie,” he said cheerfully.

Bram moved in smoothly and took Beth in his arms. “Enjoying yourself, Bethie?” he asked mildly.

“I’m having a wonderful time,” she answered, trying not to react to the smell of Bram’s shaving soap, the feel of his body next to hers. This was the closest she’d been to him in weeks, and her senses were responding accordingly.

“Oh, I can see that you are,” Bram said. “Raines looks like stimulating company.”

“He’s very nice,” Beth said stiffly.

“Really?” Bram inquired, arching one dark brow. “What do you talk about with him? Interest rates? Closing fees? The availability of mortgage money?” He steered her past the clustered tables and into an alcove near the hall.

“Jason is accomplished and well read,” Beth said. “You’d be surprised at what we have in common.”

“I’d be surprised, all right,” Bram muttered darkly. He stopped dancing and pulled Beth after him out of the ballroom and past the hatcheck girl, who looked up in amazement. Beth tried to wrench free as Bram shoved her into the dim, empty lobby.

“Let me go!” she demanded. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“I’m getting you away from that bunch of solid citizens in there,” he whispered.

“You can’t make me stay here,” Beth fumed. “I’ll cause a scene.”

He smiled. “Go ahead. Do you think I care? I’d scandalized half of the valley several times by my eighteenth birthday; it’ll be nothing new for me.”

Beth closed her mouth. He was right. She was the one with something to lose.

Bram advanced on her as he saw her relent. He took her chin in his hand and gazed down into her eyes.

“Do you let him kiss you?” he asked softly. “Do you let him make love to you?”

Beth couldn’t answer, riveted by his dark gaze.

“You won’t let me touch you,” he whispered. “You run all over town with that…that...dullard, and I can’t come near you.” He seized her wrists and pulled them up next to her face, pinning her. “Why, mouse? Why?”

Beth’s lips parted, but no sound escaped them.

“Have you forgotten what it was like with me?” he rasped. “Let me remind you.” He took a step forward and his lips crushed hers.

Beth tried to resist, but her body refused to obey the commands of her mind. Her mouth opened under his as he enfolded her in an embrace that left her limp, clinging to him.

Bram bent his head, and his lips trailed over her exposed shoulder. “Your skin is like silk,” he muttered. “The feel of it, the scent of it has been in my blood for ten years.”

Beth sank her fingers into his hair, holding his head against her. She felt so weak that without his support she would have fallen.

Bram’s hands moved up from her waist, over her back. He braced her against him with one arm and slipped the fingers of his other hand inside the top of her dress. Beth gasped as he caressed her breast, his thumb probing her swollen nipple.

“Such response,” he murmured, his lips against her neck. “You turn to me like a flower seeking the sun.”

Beth swayed in his arms as the room spun around her.

“Don’t fight it,” Bram urged, his mouth creating a stream of heat all along her throat. “Give in. Give in to what you feel for me.”

“I can’t,” Beth moaned, and at the same instant she heard Jason’s voice behind them.

“Check in the rest room,” he was saying to someone with him. “She should have returned by now.”

Beth pulled away from Bram. “I have to get back,” she said breathlessly. “Jason is looking for me.”

“Let him look,” Bram replied, reaching for her again.

“No,” Beth said firmly, backing up to the wall. “It isn’t fair. I’m his date, and I’m out here with you...”

“Where you prefer to be,” Bram finished for her.

“Get out of my way,” Beth ordered.

Bram folded his arms, unmoving.

“I mean it,” Beth said implacably.

“Oh, all right,” Bram said furiously. “Run away. Go back to your dim, safe boyfriend and pretend that he’s me.”

Beth stared back at him, her lower lip trembling.

“I said go!” Bram repeated, his angry face belying his low tone. “Run away like a scared little mouse and hide from your feelings.”

“How dare you say that to me?” Beth demanded, fighting back the threat of tears. “You’ve been hiding from your feelings all your life.”

Bram’s eyes widened incredulously. “What?”

“You heard me. You couldn’t face what you felt for me the first night we were together so you headed off in the other direction as far as you could get. You bolted for the merchant marine rather than deal with the responsibility of a relationship with a young and innocent girl. You’re the coward, Bram, not me.”

Bram’s face became as hard as granite, his gaze unflinching.

“I needed you to love me,” Beth continued unsteadily, “but you turned your back because it was easier and safer. But that’s part of your pattern, isn’t it? You did the same thing to your father. He needed you, his only son, to stay with him and help him, but you left him when you had some petty disagreements with his wife. He’s sick now, and I don’t doubt that your abandonment of a lonely old man had a lot to do with that. Do you blame yourself? You should. Don’t lecture me about running away, Bram Curtis; you’re a master at it.”

Bram had gone pale beneath his tan, and his hands were balled into fists at his sides. “You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about,” he said between his teeth.

Beth squared her shoulders. “I think I do,” she said quietly. “Despite your macho seafarer act, you’re the least courageous person I know. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll get back to my escort.” She brushed past Bram as he remained rooted to the ground.

Jason saw her in the doorway of the room and hurried over to greet her. “I’ve got everybody looking for you,” he said. “Where did you go?”

“I’m not feeling very well,” Beth answered. It was the truth. “Do we have to stay for dessert? I think I’d rather go home, if you don’t mind.”

“Sure,” Jason said, in an understanding tone that only made Beth feel worse. “Just wait here. I’ll make our excuses and get your shawl.”

It seemed an eternity before he returned, but it was only a few minutes. Bram seemed to have vanished; Beth didn’t see him anywhere as they made their way outside and the attendant brought Jason’s car.

Beth was silent during the trip back to her house, leaning her head back against the rest, emotionally drained. Jason sensed her mood and didn’t press to come in with her; he walked her to the door and then said good night, adding that he would call her during the week.

Beth let herself in and walked slowly to the kitchen, running the water in the sink, and then filling a large tumbler and drinking it down. The scene with Bram had been terrible, and she also felt that she had taken advantage of Jason in some vague, undefined way. All in all, it had been a horrible evening, and she wanted only to get into bed and block it all out through the oblivion of sleep.

Marion’s door opened as Beth walked past it. She emerged in a cotton nightgown, pushing her hair out of her eyes.

“How did it go?” she asked.

“Not well,” Beth sighed, taking off the shawl she was wearing and handing it to her sister. “Not well at all.”

Marion yawned. “What happened?”

“I had a fight with Bram.”

Marion rolled her eyes. “Now how did I know you were going to say that? I must be psychic.”

“Unzip me, please,” Beth said. “I can’t wait to get out of this dress.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” Marion asked, obeying.

“No. That won’t change anything.”

Marion nodded. “Good. My alarm is set for four A.M.; I have to drive down to Oceanside to pick Jerry up at seven. If I don’t get back to bed and start stacking some
Zs
I’m going to be a zombie when that buzzer goes off.”

Beth stepped out of the gown and draped it over Marion’s arm. “Thanks for the dress.”

Marion’s door closed soundlessly as Beth entered her room in her full length slip and high-heeled pumps. She took off the shoes and stretched out on her bed, not even bothering to undress any further. Feeling exhausted and defeated, she hugged a pillow to her chest and closed her eyes.

In minutes she was asleep.

* * *

Beth was awakened by the sound of a distant telephone ringing. She sat up in the dark, confused, listening. Where was it coming from? She had an extension of the house phone in her room, but the instrument on her night table was silent. The ringing came again, insistent, demanding. Beth slid off the bed and made for the door. It was her office telephone on the first floor. By the time she reached the landing she was running.

The grandfather clock in the hall read 3A.M.
Who would be calling on her office phone at this hour? Alarmed, Beth dashed through the door of the office and seized the receiver of the desk telephone.

“Hello?” she said breathlessly.

“Hello?” came from the other end.

“Yes? May I help you?”

“Yeah, well, maybe I have the wrong number. I’m trying to reach an attorney, B. F. Forsyth.” The voice was male and querulous.

“This is she.”

There was a moment of stunned silence. Then, “Oh. I didn’t realize you were a lady.”