Bloodlust 00 The Talisman Page 7

  She titled her chin and stared up at him. “It's a lift I'd rather not accept, Mr. Raven, sir.”

  “Why? Because I didn't accept your invitation to come in your apartment for the 'something' you offered?”

  The question sent a flash of embarrassed heat up her neck into her cheeks. “No! Because I don't know what you want from me, Mr. Raven!”

  “At the moment, I want to give you a lift.” He ran a hand through his hair and shook his head. “This doesn't need to be that difficult. Just let me give you a lift.”

  She looked around them. It was still raining hard. And she was cold and wet. And it was just a lift. She shrugged. “All right, I'll accept the lift. Thank you. Sir.” She added the sir, knowing it would annoy him.

  She smiled in the darkness when she heard the small, exasperated sound he made, as he nodded. “Fine. This way.”

  Once settled in his car, she had to admit to relief at being out of the rain. After closing her door, he slipped inside into his seat and adjusted her heat register. He glanced at her. “Is that better?”

  She shivered and nodded. Aware that her nipples had suddenly hardened, she turned to look out the passenger side window. “Yes. Thanks.”

  He fastened his seatbelt and drove the car out of the parking lot. He was silent for several moments before he sighed deeply. “Look, I'm sorry. Can we just agree to start over?”

  She should say no and ask him to just please take her home. But she nodded instead. “Okay.”

  “And you'll call me Chandler when we're not at work?”

  When they weren't at work? Was he implying that there would be other times when they'd be together outside of work? She felt excitement building at the thought. “Yes.”

  “Yes? Good. Great.”

  He sounded pleased and she cast a quick glance at his profile. He was smiling.

  To her surprise, he began to talk about himself. She listened in silence, just enjoying the sound of his warm, deep voice. “I'm the youngest of five boys.”

  “No sisters?”

  “No. We're all boys.”

  “Tell me about your brothers.”

  “Two of my older brothers were doctors and the other two were lawyers. Since I didn't want to be a doctor or a lawyer, I kind of felt pressured to succeed in electronics.”

  The warm, dark interior of the car, along with the soft jazz coming from the stereo, combined to create an intimate atmosphere between them. She turned her head to smile at his profile. “Well, you did it. Raven Electronics is successful.”

  Before he could respond, his car phone rang.

  He lifted one hand from the steering wheel to answer it. “Hello. Julie! Hi, honey. No. Of course I didn't forget you.”

  She saw him glance briefly at the clock on his dashboard. “Yes, of course I'm still coming...in half an hour...no...not before then...“

  She felt his eyes on her and turned to find him looking at her. “No, I'm not alone. Yes I'm with a woman and no, you don't know her...Julie...honey...no...I won't be long...no...that's out of the question...fine...“

  He made a sound of exasperation. He held the phone against his chest, but kept his gaze on the road ahead. “Would you mind very much if I made a quick stop before I took you home?”

  This Julie honey must be his wife or at the very least, his woman. And she wanted him home with her, not out driving some wannabe lover home. She felt a wave of shame wash over her that she had entertained such erotic fantasies about another woman's man.

  She peered through the windshield and saw they were only a few blocks from a train station with a stop just a block from her apartment building. “We're nearing the Fox Chase train station. Why don't you just drop me off there,” she suggested. “It's only a block from my apartment. I'll be fine.”

  “No. That won't be necessary. I can drive you home. It'll be a very short stop.”

  “Okay, if you're sure this isn't inconvenient for you.”

  “It isn't.”

  Although he didn't look directly at her, she saw his smile; it radiated such warmth that the breath caught in her throat and she suddenly aware, that wife or no wife, Chandler Raven was interested in her! But she was not about to get involved with a married man or even one who was involved with another woman.

  He lifted the phone back to his ear. “Julie, I'm on my way. Yes.” He laughed. “I love you too, honey.”

  She was convinced that she was about to meet his wife or his girlfriend. It had stopped raining by the time he pulled into the driveway of one of the new town houses on the outskirts of the city.

  A small, blond child of approximately seven or eight, who must be his daughter, came screaming down the driveway to wrap around his legs.

  “You came! You came!”

  Laughing, he swung her up into his arms. “Of course I came, honey.”

  The child peeked at Cassy over Chandler's shoulder. “You didn't come alone.”

  “No. I told you I wasn't alone.” He turned to look at her. “Cassy, this is Julie, my niece. Julie, this is Cassy Thompson.”

  A wave of relief washed over her! Julie honey was a little girl and his niece.

  Julie smiled shyly at her. “Hello.”

  She smiled. “Hello, Julie.”

  “Who are you?”

  “I told you who she was,” Chandler said and started up the driveway with Julie still in his arms. “Cassy Thompson.”

  “Is she your woman, Uncle Chandler?”

  The blood rushed up Cassy's neck and into her face.

  Chandler turned to look at her. “Why do you ask that, Julie?”

  “She's pretty and she's looking at you the same way Tia looks at Steve. And Tia's Steve's woman.”

  Cassy cringed. Was she so transparent that even a child could see through her?

  Chandler responded to Julie without looking at her. “I didn't know you'd met Tia, Julie.”

  “I have. I like her and I think she likes me. She and Steve are always together. Are you and her always together, Uncle Chandler?”

  Chandler's gray eyes searched Cassy's hot face, seemingly unaware of her embarrassment. “No, we're not. And I told you her name is Cassy Thompson. Miss Thompson to you.”

  “But Uncle Chandler, you haven't told me if she's your woman,” the child protested.

  This was too much for Cassy. “I'll wait in the car,” she said and would have turned away, but he reached out a hand to catch one of hers in his. An electric shock shot up her arm at his touch.

  He released her hand so abruptly she knew he'd either felt that electric charge also or he was aware of the affect his touch had on her. “That's not necessary,” he said in his usual cool, controlled voice. “Come meet my sister-in-law, Ellen.”

  “Thanks, maybe another time. If you don't mind, I'd just as soon wait in the car,” she said, backing away from him.

  “Fine. Have it your way.” He took the car keys from his pocket and handed them to her. “I won't be long.”

  She nodded and hurried back to the car, her heart pounding so fast, she was nearly breathless. Why couldn't she stop reacting this way to this man? Why did everything about him attract her? His voice, his smile, his walk, and the way he looked at her as if she were the most attractive woman he'd ever met? More, as if they'd known each other intimately.

  She took consolation in the assurance that The Talisman was responsible for her behaving like an alley cat in heat. Was it possible that even though she'd never followed the ritual, it was also affecting him?

  She wasn't sure, but she was sure of that fact that she had to get a grip on herself. This incessant fantasizing about Chandler Raven had to stop. She made a silent promise that the next time she and Frank went out, she'd sleep with him. That should be enough to rid her of thoughts of any man other than Frank. It should also cause a change in The Talisman.

  Chandler joined her in the car fifteen minutes later. “I was longer than I expected to be. Sorry.”

  She'd used the time to compose hers
elf. “It's all right. Ah, I haven't eaten yet.”

  “Oh? Is that a hint for me to invite you out to dinner?”

  “No!” She spoke quickly; then realized she'd overreacted. He was teasing her. “Sorry,” she said, her voice more normal. “I just wanted to tell you I used your phone to order Chinese. I'll pay for the call.”

  “Not necessary.” He fastened his seat belt. “Pick up or delivery?”

  “Pick up. It's only a couple of blocks from me.” She swallowed several times then spoke in a rush. “I thought...if you hadn't eaten, you might like to share it with me.”

  He started the car and pulled onto the road before he answered. “An invitation to dinner?”

  He didn't sound overly pleased and she bit her lip. Why had she asked him to join her? Now he was going to think she was coming onto him. Again. “No, it's not an invitation to dinner.”

  “No? Then what is it?”

  “Okay.” She licked her lips. “Okay, it was an invitation. Will you come?”

  “That depends.”

  “On what?”

  He laughed. “On what you ordered, of course.”

  His laughter was infectious. She laughed too, feeling happy and daring. “So. You want to share?”

  “Yes.” He glanced briefly at her. “As a matter of fact, I do.”

  “Don't you want to know what I ordered before you commit yourself to coming?”

  “It doesn't matter,” he admitted. “I'm coming even if you ordered dog food.”

  “Oh. Well. Good. And I know you'll be pleased to know I ordered egg rolls with the dog chow.”

  He laughed. “Good,” he said quietly.

  At her apartment, they sat cross-legged on the carpeted living room floor.

  “You know, I'm a little old for this floor bit,” he told her.

  She glanced over her shoulder at the dining room table in the adjourning dining area. “We could sit at the table if you like.”

  He shook his head. “I was just joking.” His gaze met and locked with hers. “Relax.” He spoke in a soft voice. “I hardly ever bite.”

  She bit back the urge to exclaim, What a shame. “Ah, are you hungry?”

  “Starving. What have you got?”

  “Shrimp fried rice and chicken and broccoli with noodles.” She licked her lips. “I noticed that you had chicken and broccoli in the café once.”

  “Ah.” He grinned at her and her heart thumped. “You've been watching me.”

  “No! Yes! Oh...“

  He laughed. “It's okay. Actually, I like your choice.”

  They ate directly from the boxes, using chopsticks. Since neither of them was proficient, they'd soon made a mess.

  “Sorry,” he said, laughing as he looked around him at the small bits of rice and noodles on the carpet.

  “It doesn't matter.” She waved a hand to dismiss his concern. “It's stain resistant carpet. You were saying? Your family is from Louisiana?”

  He nodded. “Well, my great grandfather was at any rate. My grandfather was born here, but went to live in Lafayette, Louisiana when he was five. He didn't return north until after he graduated from high school. My father and I were both born here. What about you?”

  Cassy paused. “It's strange. My great grandmother was born and raised in Louisiana. The bayou. Not far from Lafayette, in fact.”

  His gray eyes flicked with tiny lights. “Really? Then you and I have a common background—several times removed. I wonder if she was as...superstitious as they tell me my great grandfather was.”

  “Superstitious?”

  “Yes. My great grandfather was Cajun. He believed in the supernatural...charms and such. There's this one particular charm that a woman he fell in love with gave him that's been passed down through our family.”

  Much like The Talisman had been passed reluctantly down through her family. She resisted the temptation to ask him about his charm. If she did, he might want to know about any charms in her family. There was no way she could tell him about The Talisman. He might want to see it. Then he might think she was trying to use it to attract him.

  She shrugged. “I never knew her, but I know she had an unhappy life.”

  “Why?”

  “She...circumstances kept her from being with her one true love. My grandmother, who died ten years ago, used to talk about her all the time and how sad her life was. And yes, I guess she was superstitious. She believed in the old ways, as my grandmother called them.”

  “So did my grandfather. He was the one who left me the...charm.”

  She had to ask. “What kind of charm?”

  His cheeks reddened. “Just a charm. Nothing special.”

  Then why had he mentioned it and why was he embarrassed? “You were telling me about starting the company.”

  He nodded, clearly relieved at the change of subject. “I started Raven Electronics with a fifty thousand dollar loan from my parents. The first five years were really rough. Sometimes I was sorry I hadn't studied law or medicine.”

  “But you succeeded.”

  He nodded. “I did, but I worked sixty hours a week for years to break even and pay my parents back. And then—“

  She put down the chopsticks and looked into his eyes. “That's all very exciting, but are you married?”

  The abruptness of the question didn't appear to surprise him. He shook his head. “No. If I were, I wouldn't be here with you.”

  “But you've been married though, haven't you?”

  “Yes, but that was before I started the company.”

  “What happened?”

  He shrugged. “She wanted more than I could give her.”

  He sounded bitter. She paused before pressing on. “Financially...or emotionally?”

  “Both, but most of our arguments centered around money. I had to get a second job just to pay for all the clothes she kept buying. We got married when we were both twenty-two. We were divorced by the time we were twenty-six.”

  “Did you have any children together?”

  “No. I wanted a few, but she didn't.”

  “And since your divorce? Are you...seeing anyone special now?”

  There was a rather long, disconcerting pause on his part, then, “No.”

  “No? You don't sound very certain. Are you sure?”

  He laughed, shaking his head. “I think I'd know if I were seeing anyone special.”

  “Well, yeah, but...I've seen you with a very pretty blond in the cafe on at least two occasions. The two of you looked like a couple.”

  “You have been watching me.”

  She grimaced. “You're making me sound like a stalker!”

  He laughed. “A stalker, huh? I can imagine worse ways to spend my time than being stalked by you, Miss Thompson.”

  She sucked in a breath. “That's very flattering, sir, but what about that blonde?”

  “What about her? We...we were close for a while, but we're not now. It's over between us. What about you? Are you seeing anyone special?”

  “There's no one...special.”

  “But you are seeing someone?”

  She thought of Frank. On their last date, a week before, she'd come very close to letting him spend the night. But two dates did not constitute special or even exclusivity. “Not really...no. There's this man I met at a party a couple of weeks ago. We've been out twice since then, but there's nothing special there. I mean I don't feel the earth shake or fireworks bursting in the air when I'm with him.”

  He studied her face. “So that's a definite no? You're not seeing anyone special?”

  “No, but I'd like to.”

  He put down his chopsticks. “Anyone in particular?”

  She bit lip. It was now or never. “You...you have gray eyes.”

  He laughed. “Yes. I know. And you have beautiful brown ones.” He shook his head suddenly and ran his fingers through his hair. “Oh, man! I can't believe I just said that.”

  “Why not? It was really sweet.”

  He
shrugged. “Maybe so, but...it was better left unsaid.”

  “Why? If you meant it.”

  “Oh, I meant it all right.”

  “Then what was wrong with saying it?”