The Doctor's Secret Bride(42)

He tiptoed back across the floor, closed the door quietly, and charged down the hall to the master suite. He slammed the door to his bedroom and clawed at his belt and zipper. He pulled his jeans and briefs off his hips and leaned back against the door trying desperately to catch his breath.

Some time later, Erik stood naked under the cold sharp sprays of the showerhead, and when he was numbed beyond all feelings, he turned off the water and gave his body a vigorous rubbing with an oversize towel. That should take care of his physical cravings, he thought, tossing the towel over a rack. Now, what should he do about his emotional dilemma?

***

Just around dawn, Michelle opened her eyes and tried to stretch, but found she couldn’t move. A warm bundle lay on her chest, and a pair of wiry legs was wrapped about her thighs. She blinked in confusion and reached out her hand to touch the bundle.

“Precious,” she whispered as the past night’s drama with the fish came back to her. She hadn’t intended to stay the entire night. She was supposed to go back to her own bed after Precious fell asleep. Oh well.

As carefully as she could, Michelle eased her body from beneath the sleeping form and planted her feet on the rug. She picked up the cover from the floor and spread it over Precious, tucking the corners under her chin. Precious burrowed more deeply into the mattress, hugged her pillow, and went back to sleep.

Michelle rubbed her temples as she walked to the window. The sun was trying to peek through layers of ominous clouds. The weatherman had forecasted rain and heavy humidity all day. Precious had swimming lessons and she had aerobics at the country club, but Mother Nature had her own plans, so it seemed they would probably be spending the day indoors.

She sighed. Thank God it was Friday, so Erik would be…

Erik. Michelle ran her fingers through her hair as she tried to connect the pieces of her fragmented dream. She had dreamt about Erik. It was true that she’d dreamt about him most nights since she’d met him, but last night had seemed significantly different. Real.

She had been lying naked on a bed somewhere and he’d been sitting on the edge, smiling at her with dreamy eyes. He’d told her how beautiful she was and how much he wanted her. Then he’d reached out and very slowly trailed his hand down her body. She’d spoken his name and raised her hips to his touch when he suddenly vanished into empty space.#p#分页标题#e#

Just more wishful dreaming. It seemed the only place she could have Erik LaCrosse was in her dreams. The sad news was that he didn’t even want her there.

She turned her head and gazed at a picture of Cassie, Erik, and Precious that was on the bureau near the window. They were in a boat on a lake. It must have been taken shortly before she died because Precious looked around four years old.

“I’m really sorry about what happened to you,” Michelle whispered, staring into Cassie’s eyes. “But you had your time with Erik. He’s alive and he needs a live woman. I love him, and I love your daughter, and I swear to you, I would never do anything to hurt them. I just want them to be happy. I know you want that, too. So please, just let him go. Let him live.”

Certain that she was losing her mind for talking to the picture of a dead woman, Michelle headed for the bathroom between her and Precious’ rooms. The door was locked. Darn it. She’d spoken to the kid about messing with the lock.

She walked to the door leading out into the hallway, and took the few steps to her bedroom. She was about to close her door, when she spied Erik, dressed in his running garb, coming from the direction of his bedroom.

Their eyes locked across the semi-darkened hallway. Time stood still for one breathtaking second as unspoken passion electrified the space between them.

Michelle knew she’d had no dream. Erik had been in Precious’ room last night. He’d stood gazing down at Michelle as she slept. And, he’d touched her.

A smile of feminine power spread across her lips as she closed her door in his face.

***

From his bedroom window, Erik watched Michelle bend her tall frame in order to get into Precious’ dollhouse. It used to be a breeze for Cassie who’d been a mere five feet, two inches tall, he noted with mild amusement.

Judging from the chaos in the family room, he guessed Michelle and Precious had been cooped up in the house for most of the rainy day. His daughter could be a handful, and he was sure Michelle was relieved the sun had finally come out.

His house was starting to feel like a home again, he thought, loosening his tie and pulling it from around his neck. It felt good to have a family to come home to, even if it wasn’t a real one. It was nice to have an adult to talk with at dinner, someone with whom to share his day, whether it was good or bad. And when it was bad, Michelle’s tantalizing smile soothed away his cares. She was bringing him back to life, making him feel again, even if she didn’t know it.