would probably be foolish to pursue a path that led to sensual addiction. Dear heaven, she wasn’t sure she wasn’t already on that path.
Yet, she
needed
him. For those moments in his arms she had forgotten everything but the pleasure he was giving her. She needed that release if she was going to make it through the weeks ahead. He had made it clear he wanted no permanent commitment, but there was no reason she shouldn’t take the comfort he could give her. “I … don’t know. I’ll have to think about it.” She started down the rock-strewn path again.
“One more thing.”
He was still smiling, but she could sense a hardness in him she hadn’t seen since those first days of their acquaintance. “Desdemona,” hesaid. “I’m not going to lie to you. I still intend to get you for Desdemona.”
The golden hiatus was over, the challenge was thrown down.
She silently shook her head and turned and strode down the mountain.
Charlie was sitting in his favorite easy chair facing the piano and grimaced ruefully when Daisy walked into the cottage. “I made an ass of myself, didn’t I?”
“No, I know it’s difficult for you.” She closed the door and took off her shawl. “All great artists have temperament. Look at Van Gogh. He cut off his ear.” She tilted her head. “Both of yours appear to be in place.”
“I’d give an ear for his talent.” He stretched out his legs in front of him. “Hell, I’d give an arm or a leg. Where’s Jason? Did I scare him off?”
“No.” She avoided looking at him as she draped the shawl over the back of the chair at the kitchen table. “We went for a walk and then he went back to his hotel.”
“I was rude to him.”
“He understood.”
Charlie nodded slowly. “He’s a complicated man, but I think he’s capable of understanding a great deal.” His gaze narrowed on her across the room. “He’s the one, isn’t he?”
She stiffened. “The one?”
“The one who will bring you the joy I knew with your mother.” He smiled gently. “I’m glad he came now, Daisy. Don’t be afraid to reach out and grab the brass ring just because my carousel is windingto a halt. There’s nothing I want more than for you to be happy and safe.”
“It’s not like that.” Her words came haltingly. “We’re just friends, Charlie.”
He shook his head. “Don’t lie to yourself. You love him. Life’s too short to waste even a minute of it deceiving yourself.”
“No, I … you’re wrong. I don’t—” Her eyes widened in shock as the mysterious knowledge that had eluded her while Jason was looking down at her suddenly emerged bright and shining from the mist. Joy and tenderness, the desire to nurture as well as hold. Love. “How did you know?” she whispered.
Charlie smiled and got to his feet. “I always had a keen artist’s eye.” His smile faded. “Too bad I don’t have the talent to match.” He started toward his bedroom and paused at the door to look back at her. His expression was loving as he repeated softly, “Go for the brass ring, Daisy.”
The next moment the bedroom door closed behind him.
Daisy turned out the light and moved jerkily toward her bedroom. How had it happened? She had never intended to fall in love with Jason Hayes. She couldn’t even have named the moment wariness had eased into desire, sympathy, and admiration, nor when friendship had turned into love. Yet there had been enough clues. Why else had she turned to him tonight and asked him to make love to her? Such aggressiveness was completely out of character for her. Had Charlie’s outburst been only an excuse for her to take what she wanted? Even tonight, when she had come so close to the answer, she had lied to herself.
It was no wonder she had tried to convince herselfthat her feelings weren’t deeply involved. Heaven only knew there was no future in a relationship with Jason. He wanted two things, to have her sexually and to possess her voice for his music.
No,
Yet, she
needed
him. For those moments in his arms she had forgotten everything but the pleasure he was giving her. She needed that release if she was going to make it through the weeks ahead. He had made it clear he wanted no permanent commitment, but there was no reason she shouldn’t take the comfort he could give her. “I … don’t know. I’ll have to think about it.” She started down the rock-strewn path again.
“One more thing.”
He was still smiling, but she could sense a hardness in him she hadn’t seen since those first days of their acquaintance. “Desdemona,” hesaid. “I’m not going to lie to you. I still intend to get you for Desdemona.”
The golden hiatus was over, the challenge was thrown down.
She silently shook her head and turned and strode down the mountain.
Charlie was sitting in his favorite easy chair facing the piano and grimaced ruefully when Daisy walked into the cottage. “I made an ass of myself, didn’t I?”
“No, I know it’s difficult for you.” She closed the door and took off her shawl. “All great artists have temperament. Look at Van Gogh. He cut off his ear.” She tilted her head. “Both of yours appear to be in place.”
“I’d give an ear for his talent.” He stretched out his legs in front of him. “Hell, I’d give an arm or a leg. Where’s Jason? Did I scare him off?”
“No.” She avoided looking at him as she draped the shawl over the back of the chair at the kitchen table. “We went for a walk and then he went back to his hotel.”
“I was rude to him.”
“He understood.”
Charlie nodded slowly. “He’s a complicated man, but I think he’s capable of understanding a great deal.” His gaze narrowed on her across the room. “He’s the one, isn’t he?”
She stiffened. “The one?”
“The one who will bring you the joy I knew with your mother.” He smiled gently. “I’m glad he came now, Daisy. Don’t be afraid to reach out and grab the brass ring just because my carousel is windingto a halt. There’s nothing I want more than for you to be happy and safe.”
“It’s not like that.” Her words came haltingly. “We’re just friends, Charlie.”
He shook his head. “Don’t lie to yourself. You love him. Life’s too short to waste even a minute of it deceiving yourself.”
“No, I … you’re wrong. I don’t—” Her eyes widened in shock as the mysterious knowledge that had eluded her while Jason was looking down at her suddenly emerged bright and shining from the mist. Joy and tenderness, the desire to nurture as well as hold. Love. “How did you know?” she whispered.
Charlie smiled and got to his feet. “I always had a keen artist’s eye.” His smile faded. “Too bad I don’t have the talent to match.” He started toward his bedroom and paused at the door to look back at her. His expression was loving as he repeated softly, “Go for the brass ring, Daisy.”
The next moment the bedroom door closed behind him.
Daisy turned out the light and moved jerkily toward her bedroom. How had it happened? She had never intended to fall in love with Jason Hayes. She couldn’t even have named the moment wariness had eased into desire, sympathy, and admiration, nor when friendship had turned into love. Yet there had been enough clues. Why else had she turned to him tonight and asked him to make love to her? Such aggressiveness was completely out of character for her. Had Charlie’s outburst been only an excuse for her to take what she wanted? Even tonight, when she had come so close to the answer, she had lied to herself.
It was no wonder she had tried to convince herselfthat her feelings weren’t deeply involved. Heaven only knew there was no future in a relationship with Jason. He wanted two things, to have her sexually and to possess her voice for his music.
No,
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