Page 12 of A Girl Like Janet

Her mother straightened, wiping her hands on the terry-cloth apron. “It’s no trouble, dear; you know that.”

Janet knew her mother well enough to realize it was useless to argue. Her mother’s ability to make people feel comfortable

and wanted had often impressed Janet. Now it embarrassed her.

Janet brought out the coffee while Reese and her father sat deep in conversation. Joel was perched on a footstool at Reese’s

feet. That irritated her all the more. Reese Edwards had adoring women at his feet all the time; it angered Janet to see one

of her family there.

Janet sat on the other side of the room, as far away from Reese as possible. He cast her a quick look and the edge of his

mouth curled up in an expression of contempt and amusement, as if he were aware of exactly what she was doing.

“School tomorrow, Joel,” Leonora reminded him.

“Ah, Mom.”

“Joel.” One word from his father was enough to silence any protest.

Anxious to remove herself as quickly as possible from the uncomfortable situation, Janet leaped to her feet. “I’ll help.”

“No need, Janet; the boy can help himself,” her father said gently, but again his gaze searched hers. The faded blue eyes

narrowed slightly, as if he read something there and disapproved.

Slowly Janet sat down, feeling almost numb. Who would have believed she could feel so disconcerted and out of place in her

own family home?

“I really should be going,” Reese insisted as he stood. “Thank you for the sandwich, Mrs. Montgomery.” He handed her the empty

plate. Janet hadn’t touched hers. “I’m pleased to have met you both. Don’t worry about Janet. I’ll see her safely to her car

and follow her home.”

Janet was just about to ardently protest when her father thanked him and the two men walked out the door.

“What is the matter with you tonight?” her mother demanded. “You’re jumpier than water on a hot griddle.”

Janet’s throat constricted painfully. “I’m sorry, Mom.”

“It’s not me who requires an apology,” she said with a sternness that surprised Janet. It wasn’t enough that Reese Edwards

was forcing himself into her home and into her life. Now her own mother was speaking to her as if she were a disobedient child.

Reese was already waiting for her in the Mercedes. Her father held open the passenger door and shut it for her once she was

inside.

Her shaking hands snapped the seat belt into place. If the atmosphere was strained inside the house, it was nothing compared

to the open hostility that existed in the small enclosure of the car.

Reese rounded a corner with unnecessary speed, the tires squealed and Janet released a shuddering breath. “Please don’t,”

she pleaded in a weak voice.

“Don’t what?” he demanded.

“Speed.”

“I thought you were eager to remove yourself from my undesirable presence.” He slammed on the brakes to avoid running a red

light. Janet was thrown forward until the seat belt locked, preventing her from hitting the dashboard.

“I’m not that eager.”

He stared straight ahead, waiting for the light to change. “You could have fooled me.”

“Reese, please.”

He expelled his breath impatiently. “Reese,” he mimicked, his voice ragged with irritation. “What happened to the polite and

formal ‘Mr. Edwards’?”

“I called you Mr. Edwards for two years. Why should it make a difference now?” she shouted, fighting the waves of misery that

threatened to drown her.

Dark fires flashed from his eyes and Janet witnessed the tight control he had on his emotions. “Because it does.” He breathed

in heavily, his hand gripping the steering wheel until the knuckles turned pale.

“You... you think that because I let you kiss me I should be so overwhelmed by your charm that I’ll crumble at your feet?

Is that it? If you hadn’t noticed, I’m not Bunny or any other of your blonde bombshells. Use your techniques on them, and

leave me alone.”

He shot her a threatening look. “You don’t need to remind me who you are. At least Bunny has a warm heart. A man could get

frostbite sitting beside you!”

Janet sucked in her breath at the sharp pain that seemed to reach out and physically slap her. To her horror, tears welled

in her eyes, threatening to crash over the thick wall of her lashes. Averting her face, she glared out the side window, her

composure shredding thread by thread until she felt naked and vulnerable.

The light changed and Reese sped ahead as if he couldn’t be rid of her fast enough. The silence between them seemed to crackle

and spark like an electrical storm. When he pulled off the street into the parking lot reserved for company employees, her

hand was braced against the door handle. One hot tear slid down her face, followed by another and another. In a desperate

effort to abate their fall, Janet held her breath.

The Mercedes had no sooner pulled to a stop in front of her car than Janet jumped out. Without a backward glance she slammed

the door. Reese’s car made a screeching noise as it pulled out of the parking lot.

With hands that were trembling so badly she could barely insert the key into the slot, Janet opened the car and scooted inside.

Suddenly it all became too much and her shoulders heaved in giant sobs. Confused, unsure and miserable, she buried her face

in her hands. It had been years since she had cried like this, as if she’d lost the most precious, the most wonderful thing

in her life.

What had been the turning point tonight? Where had things gone wrong? After he’d kissed her that night she’d tried so desperately

to place their relationship on an even keel. With that same kind of urgency she had struggled to confine Reese to the area

of her life that involved the office. It had been useless. How could she when thoughts of him dominated every waking minute?

She’d prayed so hard, tried so hard.

Suddenly her door was wrenched open and Janet gave a startled gasp as Reese hauled her out of the car. Her feet weren’t allowed

to touch the street as his arms wrapped themselves around her, lifting her until their eyes met, hers red and puffy, his dark

and tormented.

With a small joyous cry she wrapped her arms around his neck and brought his mouth to hers. Crushed against him so hard she

could hardly breathe, Janet clung with every fiber of strength she possessed.

Their mouths ravaged one another, slanting across each other’s, twisting, bruising, demanding, giving, surrendering.

A hand on either side of her face, Reese pulled back and gently rubbed his thumb over her lips. “You’ve been driving me crazy

all week,” he whispered, and just the way he said it was all the convincing she’d ever need that it was true. His eyes searched

hers.

As she stood before him in the light of the moon, a quivering smile formed and she stood on tiptoes to brush her lips over

his. All these strange wonderful feelings were shining from her eyes. It was there; she recognized it instantly. The feeling

that had been missing with Gary, that depth of emotion, desire, need. If Reese was cruel to her now, she’d die.

“Don’t look at me like that,” Reese demanded suddenly, his voice gruff. He cradled her in his arms, brushing the hair away

from her face so he could whisper intimately in her ear. “Come home with me, Janet, spend the night.”