stormed his way into the house, slamming the door behind him so hard the handle rattled. What in the hell was happening to him? How could one young girl upset his life like this? He’d reacted to her instead of ignoring her as he’d promised himself he would. He’d been so happy—they’d all been happy. Until today. Perhaps he was too sensitive, too protective of Mickey. But Mickey was just too goddamned important to him, and no little snot from California was going to interfere.
Once in his room, Reuben could feel the tension ease between his shoulder blades. His heart stopped its furious thudding, and the pounding in his head gave way to a dull ache he could live with. He knew if he lay down and closed his eyes for fifteen minutes, he’d be a fit dinner companion who could laugh and smile and carry on a decent conversation.
But willing his mind to blankness was impossible, Reuben decided. His thoughts were on Bebe Rosen, a serpent in his Garden of Eden. Then he remembered his erection. Angrily he beat his fists into the plump pillow. This was only the first day of her visit and already he was like a wild dog trying to catch its tail.
Suddenly the room was too confining, the pillow too soft for rest, his thoughts too wild. His leg was aching like a son of a bitch, the sure sign of a change in weather. Snow, probably. He could hardly wait to get into a hot tub.
He began to strip down, folding his clothes neatly at the foot of the bed. He took dress trousers and a snowy-white shirt from his armoire, then paid careful attention to his tie, finally picking one that Mickey especially liked. In just a little while he’d be sitting next to her at the table. Later on they’d make love.
He was happy and he was contented, a feeling he’d never experienced until he had come to this château. And it wasn’t just the physical side of their relationship that contented him. It was being near Mickey, taking her hand at odd moments, her light touch as she walked by him. Their eyes meeting and speaking a language only the two of them understood. The warm smiles, the gentle touches, their total commitment to each other. That’s what was making him what he was.
Reuben’s stomach rumbled. The clock on the mantel told him he was already late taking his bath; he’d have to hurry if he wanted to make dinner on time.
The bathroom door was locked. Reuben knocked, knowing as his knuckles touched the polished wood that he wasn’t going to like what he heard.
“Yes?”
“It’s Reuben. How much longer will you be?”
“Hours!” the voice answered gaily.
“That’s too long.” Reuben called through the door. “Daniel and I both have to bathe, and dinner is in an hour. Please hurry.”
“Oh, poo. I can’t hurry. You’ll just have to wait. I’ll call you when I’m finished.”
Reuben could feel his shoulders tighten again. If dinner was delayed, the lamb would be dry and tough. Mickey liked things done on time, and so did he. They’d established a routine, and now this intruder was trying to change things.
“I’ll give you exactly fifteen minutes. If you aren’t out of there by then, I’ll take the door from its hinges. I’m counting as of now.”
Reuben rolled his eyes at the squeal of outrage that shrilled through the door. He turned to see Daniel approaching with his towel and robe.
“Are we having a problem?”
“We’ll know in fifteen minutes,” Reuben said flatly. “I guess we’re going to have to set up a schedule for using the tub. Everything was so peaceful till she arrived. I detest her.”
Daniel’s thoughts whirled. So what if the girl took a little longer in the bathroom? As far as he knew, none of them had told her she had a time limit. Reuben did have a point about the schedule; he liked things done on schedule, too, but he was realist enough to know that extenuating circumstances prevailed from time to time. “In a day or so she’ll get the hang of the way we do things here. Getting angry isn’t going to solve anything. So I’ll take my bath later, after dinner. I don’t mind in the least.” He changed the subject when he noticed Reuben stiffen. “It feels a little like snow, doesn it?”
Reuben nodded. Daniel always made sense. He couldn’t let this child get to him. Obviously she was one of those cats who liked to stir up trouble out of pure spite. “My leg’s been aching all day. That’s why I was so eager to soak. Is your shoulder bothering you?”
“Aching like your leg. I guess winter weather is finally here. The windowpanes downstairs are starting to frost over. I don’t know if I’m glad or sorry.”
“Hell, Daniel, let’s not be sorry about anything except maybe that spoiled brat in there.” Reuben jerked his thumb toward the bathroom door. “Did you have Christmas at the orphanage?”
“Well, sure, but it wasn’t like a family Christmas. We had a tree that we all got to decorate with popcorn and berries and a few ornaments. I always wanted to know what Christmas was like with a family. Jake said it wasn’t much. He said they didn’t even have a tree unless one of his older brothers stole it, and even then it wasn’t any good because they didn’t have anything to hang on it. He said it smelled good, though.”
Reuben swallowed hard at the mention of Daniel’s boyhood friend. He hadn’t forgotten the dog Daniel wanted to call Jake. “Well, this year we’ll both know what it’s like. Let’s cross our fingers that Miss Uppity in there doesn’t spoil it.”
“Reuben, do we have enough money left to get a present for her?”
“Yeah, we have something left. We’ll ask Mickey what to get for her. I understand the principle of giving. Don’t worry.” Reuben checked his watch and banged his fist on the door. “Your time is up!” he called out.
“Go away! If you had a time limit, you should have told me. I got here first!” Bebe cried childishly.
“I’m going to count to five, and if you aren’t out of there, the door goes down and you’ll fix it. One! Two! Three!” The formidable grin on Reuben’s face puzzled Daniel.
Bebe hopped from the tub and wrapped herself in a huge towel. She stomped to the door and threw back the bolt. “You are a goddamn bully, Reuben Tarz.” She tried to shoulder past him, but he blocked her way.
“No, no, no. You drain the water, wipe out the tub, and take all your junk out of here. Now!”
“Kiss my ass!” Bebe cried angrily. Again she tried to shoulder her way past Reuben.
“Mickey’s cook is too old to clean up after you. I’m certainly not going to do it, and Daniel can’t stretch his shoulder that far. Mickey is your hostess, so we all know you’d never expect her to do it. That leaves you! As for kissing your ass…forget it.” He turned to Daniel and winked. “It must be something they do in California.”
Tears streaming down her cheeks, Bebe grasped the towel around her as she tried to drain the water and clean the tub at the same time. The moment the towel started to slip, Reuben and Daniel discreetly withdrew. Reuben shook his head with disapproval as Bebe’s curses filtered out to the hallway.
“Where did she learn words like that?” Daniel asked, shocked.
Reuben snorted. “California, land of sunshine and decadence.”
When
