smile which Reva privately considered a little too gracious when she emerged from the bedroom to open the door. The sophisticated, long-sleeved dress of blue-green jersey matched her eyes and it swirled gracefully around her ankles as she greeted her escort for the evening. Her hair was folded into a soft, flattering curve anchored at the top of her head, and long, sparkling earrings accented the line of her throat.
Josh was all charm and geniality, ignoring the stiffness of Bruce's greeting and advising the younger man to have a pleasant evening with Reva. There was a certain annoying attitude of familiarity about Josh's manner as he bade the other two good-night, but Reva couldn't quite put her finger on any one thing to criticize and decided it was probably her imagination.
As soon as they were out the door, she had to spend a considerable amount of time soothing Bruce's suspicious questions, which got the evening off to a rather bad beginning. Things improved a bit at the concert as Reva did her best to set her escort's unhappiness over Josh's presence at ease. Over and over again she explained the illness and for the first time gave Bruce a very sketchy description of why she was indebted to Corbett.
"I understand your thinking," Bruce said finally, shortly before he said good night to her in front of her door. "But I still think the man is imposing on you. Gratitude only requires so much from you, Reva," he added with a lecturing frown.
"I know, Bruce, but he'll be gone soon. He's much better today and I fully expect him to be on his way in a day or two," she assured him. "I'd invite you in for a nightcap," she went on hesitantly, "but he'll be asleep. . . . Next time?"
Bruce sighed. "I'll look forward to it," he said politely and then, much to Reva's surprise, he took her somewhat aggressively into his arms. Bruce was usually not the aggressive sort. His mild lovemaking on their past few dates had been limited to some agreeable but definitely not aggressive kisses. Nevertheless, she endured it politely, searching herself for some sign of genuine response. This was the man she was seriously considering marrying. Why was there none of the beguiling temptation she had experienced in Josh's arms? But sex, she reminded herself grimly, wasn't everything.
Several minutes later she watched as a slightly more satisfied Bruce stepped into the elevator and waved a last good-bye. Then she opened her door and crept silently past a sleeping Josh. There was no movement from him as she made her way to her room and only Xavier greeted her in a sleepy, catlike way.
But she found her bed turned back and a flower from the arrangement on the dining-room table was lying on her pillow. Reva found herself smiling a small, secret little smile as she slipped into bed.
But the feminine pleasure with which she'd climbed
into bed wasn't sufficient defense against the recurring nightmare. Once more it brought Reva out of a sound sleep with a pounding heart and a vague, undefined feeling of fear. This time her first instinctive reaction was that safety was at hand. It was as close as the next room where Josh lay sound asleep.
CHAPTER FIVE
Trembling with reaction to the generalized fear in the dream, Reva got slowly out of bed. She had herself under control, she thought grimly. After all, she had dealt with this thing in the past. It was just that she knew the sight of Josh would bring her back to normal faster than the warm glass of milk or turning on the television, remedies she had used at various times since she'd returned from South America.
She would go quietly into the living room, take a few deep breaths, and assure her subconscious mind that Josh, large and protective, was nearby. Apparently she hadn't cried out this time because there was no sign of movement from the couch bed as she went shakily into the living room. Either she hadn't called his name this time or else Josh was too sound asleep to have heard her.
Clutching her
Josh was all charm and geniality, ignoring the stiffness of Bruce's greeting and advising the younger man to have a pleasant evening with Reva. There was a certain annoying attitude of familiarity about Josh's manner as he bade the other two good-night, but Reva couldn't quite put her finger on any one thing to criticize and decided it was probably her imagination.
As soon as they were out the door, she had to spend a considerable amount of time soothing Bruce's suspicious questions, which got the evening off to a rather bad beginning. Things improved a bit at the concert as Reva did her best to set her escort's unhappiness over Josh's presence at ease. Over and over again she explained the illness and for the first time gave Bruce a very sketchy description of why she was indebted to Corbett.
"I understand your thinking," Bruce said finally, shortly before he said good night to her in front of her door. "But I still think the man is imposing on you. Gratitude only requires so much from you, Reva," he added with a lecturing frown.
"I know, Bruce, but he'll be gone soon. He's much better today and I fully expect him to be on his way in a day or two," she assured him. "I'd invite you in for a nightcap," she went on hesitantly, "but he'll be asleep. . . . Next time?"
Bruce sighed. "I'll look forward to it," he said politely and then, much to Reva's surprise, he took her somewhat aggressively into his arms. Bruce was usually not the aggressive sort. His mild lovemaking on their past few dates had been limited to some agreeable but definitely not aggressive kisses. Nevertheless, she endured it politely, searching herself for some sign of genuine response. This was the man she was seriously considering marrying. Why was there none of the beguiling temptation she had experienced in Josh's arms? But sex, she reminded herself grimly, wasn't everything.
Several minutes later she watched as a slightly more satisfied Bruce stepped into the elevator and waved a last good-bye. Then she opened her door and crept silently past a sleeping Josh. There was no movement from him as she made her way to her room and only Xavier greeted her in a sleepy, catlike way.
But she found her bed turned back and a flower from the arrangement on the dining-room table was lying on her pillow. Reva found herself smiling a small, secret little smile as she slipped into bed.
But the feminine pleasure with which she'd climbed
into bed wasn't sufficient defense against the recurring nightmare. Once more it brought Reva out of a sound sleep with a pounding heart and a vague, undefined feeling of fear. This time her first instinctive reaction was that safety was at hand. It was as close as the next room where Josh lay sound asleep.
CHAPTER FIVE
Trembling with reaction to the generalized fear in the dream, Reva got slowly out of bed. She had herself under control, she thought grimly. After all, she had dealt with this thing in the past. It was just that she knew the sight of Josh would bring her back to normal faster than the warm glass of milk or turning on the television, remedies she had used at various times since she'd returned from South America.
She would go quietly into the living room, take a few deep breaths, and assure her subconscious mind that Josh, large and protective, was nearby. Apparently she hadn't cried out this time because there was no sign of movement from the couch bed as she went shakily into the living room. Either she hadn't called his name this time or else Josh was too sound asleep to have heard her.
Clutching her
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