Now and Forever by Diana Palmer Page A

fact,” he said as he lit the cigarette, “that’s precisely where I was taking you. But not,” he added, meeting her shocked eyes levelly, “for the reason you thought.”
    â€œI don’t want to know!”
    â€œWhy not?”
    She flushed, lowering her eyes. “I can’t…handle that kind of relationship, not with any man, but especially not with you. It’s too new…Russell, it’s…it’s…Oh, God, you scare me to death!” she whispered tearfully, her emotions raw and uncertain and lacerated. “You make me feel things I never knew I could feel, you…”
    â€œSay it!” he shot at her.
    â€œAll right, all right! I can’t…I can’t…it’s comfortable with Frank, it’s easy…but you burn me alive! I’m afraid of you, Russell!”
    â€œGood God, what is there to be afraid of?” he asked shortly.
    But she couldn’t answer him. Trembling, burning with frustration and embarrassment, she turned away. Myself, she wanted to tell him. I’m afraid that I’ll offer you everything I have, and that you’ll take it.
    â€œIt’s Lisa, isn’t it, Tish?” he asked tightly. His voice was deep and slow and harsh in the silence of the spacious kitchen. “You can’t cope with it, can you?”
    To her shame, she hadn’t even thought about his mysterious woman until now. Those burning minutes in his arms had brought a magic that drowned out the world. Now she remembered, and her eyes closed, as she realized miserably what he was telling her; that Lisa was a part of his life he wouldn’t give up.
    â€œNo, Russell,” she said, keeping her eyes on the counter as she went back to pick up the tray. “I’ll never be able to cope with it. And you…you wouldn’t give her up…”
    â€œNo way, honey,” he said curtly. “Not even for you. And that says it all, doesn’t it? So we’ll forget what just happened.”
    She nodded. Somewhere the sound oflaughter came filtering through the walls, but she wanted only to cry. Her mouth hurt from his powerful kisses; her body hurt where it had been bruised against the hardness of his, where his fingers had bit into her waist. But that was nothing compared to the pain in her heart. Rejection was one thing, but to have that…that tramp mean so much to him that he couldn’t give her up…to ask her to share him with Lisa…She hated him. Hated him! She turned around to tell him so, but the room was empty.
    Eileen came through the door just as she was wondering what to do about her ravaged appearance.
    â€œI, uh, brought you a comb and lipstick from your purse,” the younger girl said, mildly embarrassed. “I didn’t think you’d want to go back out there until you…regrouped.”
    Tish managed a shaky smile as she took the items from the girl’s outstretched hand. “Thanks, Lena. Where…where are they?”
    â€œYou mean, where’s he gone. That’s anyone’s guess,” she said, reading the question in Tish’s darkened eyes. “He took off down the driveway like a bat out of you-know-where, without a word to any of us. I left our guests in the living room frowning. Better hurry, Frank looks pretty suspicious.”
    â€œSuspicious about what?” Tish asked innocently as she ran the comb through her tangled hair.
    â€œAbout why you and Russell stayed gone for so long and why Russell came out looking like a madman. Gosh, Tish,” she admitted hesitantly, “I didn’t know what to do when I walked in….”
    Tish managed a smile at that confession. “Thank you for distracting Belle. I think I’d have gone through the floor if it had been her instead of you.”
    Eileen watched her replace the lipstick on her still-swollen lips. “You know what I’m dying to ask, don’t you?”
    Tish kept