In The Eye of the Beholder Read online

  Friday seemed to take forever to get there that week, and I hadn’t seen Adam since our last lunch date on Wednesday. I didn’t know if he’d simply been busy or if he’d suddenly thought better of treating me to dinner, and I was even more nervous than I’d been on Tuesday as I carefully dressed and applied my makeup and brushed my hair. I lightly applied the new perfume I’d bought Monday, then checked my reflection in the mirror and cursed the worry and anxiety I saw in my brown eyes. Since I had such an awful track record in the men department, I was sure that Adam had every intention of making a fool of me in a mere hour. I was certain that when I showed up at his house I would discover that he wasn’t home, or maybe that he didn’t even live there. And once again I would crawl home with egg on my face and spend the majority of the weekend licking my wounds. I sighed at the depressing thought and seriously considered not showing up in order to spare myself the pain and humiliation of being suckered by yet another man. Then again, maybe Adam had been sincere and really did live where he’d said he did. There was only one way to find out, and as I slid behind the wheel of Sally I tried to force the butterflies in my stomach to stop torturing me. Of course they all ignored me, and I sighed nervously as I drove toward Oceanview Drive. It was a street lined with tall royal oaks and pink and white dogwood trees, as well as expensive-looking houses that made my apartment seem like a flimsy cardboard box. I suddenly wondered why Adam was taking such an interest in me, and I also wondered how on earth I was ever going to fit in with him. His title of doctor meant a higher social status, although my current situation was nothing to sneeze at. As the business office manager I made a fairly decent salary, enough to live comfortably on and then some, but still…. I suddenly hit the brakes when the road abruptly dead-ended, just as Adam had said it would, and I swallowed hard as I studied the medium-sized, immaculate-looking house in front of me. I slowly drove up the concrete drive and parked behind a BMW convertible, then shook my head as I got out of Sally. I gave her warm hood a gentle pat and whispered, “Well, girl, this is it. Wish me luck.”

  Her only response was a steady tick-tick-tick as her engine cooled, and after straightening my black silk skirt and white silk shirt I raised my head high and slowly walked up to the front door. I rang the doorbell and stood there with my hands clasped in front of me, and I fought the urge to wipe my damp palms on my skirt for fear of leaving a stain. After what seemed like an eternity the door finally opened, and I bit my lip in order not to gasp at the vision of pure masculinity Adam made as he stood there in black slacks and a black and white striped button-down shirt. He gave me a relaxed smile and extended his hand, then said, “Sophie, hi. I’m glad you found the place.” He gently pulled me into the foyer, and my mouth instantly watered at the delicious smell of whatever it was we were having for dinner. I stopped breathing momentarily when he leaned down and gave me a gentle peck on the cheek, and I had to force my legs to move when he put his arm around my shoulders to lead me into the living room. At that point I couldn’t stop my mouth from dropping open in surprise at what I saw. The entire living room looked like a huge, cozy library, complete with big, comfortable- looking chairs that flanked a stone fireplace. Built-in shelves adorned each wall and were neatly lined with books, and I tried to keep my voice light as I teased, “You weren’t kidding--you really do like to read.”

  He simply laughed and inquired, “Would you like a drink before dinner?”

  “Sure. What do you have?”

  He laughed and replied, “Whatever you’d like.”

  “Then I’ll take a Mudslide.”

  He nodded and said, “One Mudslide coming right up.” He walked over to an impressive mahogany and leather wet bar and expertly made my drink, then returned to my side and pressed the glass into my hands. “Enjoy.”

  I nodded and took a sip of the smooth, cold, chocolaty-tasting mixture, then sighed in pleasure and said, “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. Would you like to sit down?”

  “Sure.” I allowed him to lead me to a plush-looking sofa, and as I sank into the cushions he sat down beside me and inquired, “What is that perfume you’re wearing?”

  “Soft vanilla musk.”

  He nodded and said, “I like it.”

  “Thank you.” I took another sip of my drink and glanced around the living room, then said, “This room is great. I could practically live in a room like this.”

  He laughed and draped his arm along the back of the sofa, then said, “I enjoy spending my spare time in here. Reading takes me away from all the stresses of the hospital.”

  I nodded and said, “Yeah, when I read I create my own settings and think of the characters as my friends. Except the mean ones, of course.”

  He laughed and nodded in agreement, then said, “So tell me about Sophie.”

  I sighed and fingered the rim of my icy glass as I replied, “There really isn’t much to tell. My parents are still alive, I’m an only child, and I’ve only lived here for six months. I’m originally from South Carolina, so I didn’t move very far, but I needed a change of pace and scenery after living in a small town my entire life.”

  “Did you go to college?”

  “Yes. York Technical College in Rock Hill. Ever heard of it?”

  “I think so.”

  I nodded and sipped my drink as he inquired, “What made you decide to move to the coast?”

  “I’ve always wanted to live near the ocean. I’ve been in love with this place ever since my parents brought me here on one of our family vacations.”

  “That sounds like a good reason.”

  “So what about Adam?”

  He laughed and replied, “I’ve lived here my entire life. I went to school at the Medical University of South Carolina at Charleston, and like I told you earlier, I’ve worked at the hospital for ten years. I have one brother named Alex, and he’s a dentist. Our parents are deceased, and we have no other brothers or sisters.”

  “Sorry about your parents.”

  He simply nodded and glanced at his watch, then said, “Dinner should be ready soon. Would you like another drink, or would you like to go into the dining room?”

  “We can go into the dining room. I don’t want to overdo it on the drinks since I’m driving.”

  “Wise choice.” He stood and pulled me to my feet, then put his arm around my shoulders again as he led me into the dining room. The table was intimately set for two, complete with a crisp linen and lace tablecloth, silver candlesticks with white tapered candles, fine china, and crystal water goblets. I wasn’t used to such plush surroundings or exquisite treatment, and Adam seemed to sense my anxiety as he smoothly pulled out a chair and said, “Relax and have a seat. I want you to enjoy your dinner instead of worrying about breaking something.”

  I nodded and sat down in the large, comfortable chair, then politely clasped my hands together in my lap and glanced up when an older woman entered the room with sterling silver serving dishes on a cart. Adam smiled at me and said, “Sophie, this is Maggie, my housekeeper. Maggie, Sophie.”

  The woman named Maggie gave me a curt nod as she set the serving dishes on the table, and as she filled our water goblets with Evian, Adam said, “Maggie’s been with us for the past twenty-five years. She’s like family. And she cooks a mean chicken, as well.”

  Maggie smiled and blushed at his teasing comment, then heaped food onto both our plates and announced, “Master Adam, your dinner is served.”

  Adam nodded and said, “Thank you, Maggie. I’ll let you know when we want dessert.”

  Maggie simply nodded and disappeared into what I presumed was the kitchen, and Adam smiled as he picked up his fork and said, “Enjoy.”

  I nodded and draped the cloth napkin across my lap, just as my mother had taught me, then glanced at the daunting array of silverware neatly arranged on either side of my plate. Fortunately, she’d taught me which fork to use first, start from the outside and work your way in, and as I cut into the tender prime rib, I inqu
ired, “So where’s your brother?”

  “I think he went out.”

  “How old is he?”

  “He’s my age. We’re identical twins.”

  “Really?”

  “Mm-hmm.”

  “That’s interesting.”

  Adam laughed and said, “Why’s that?”

  “I’ve never known a set of identical twins before.”

  “We’re just like anyone else, except we look alike. He’s a pretty nice guy, which means he’s a lot like me.”

  I smiled at his comment and took a bite of the succulent squash casserole Maggie had prepared. As we ate, Adam and I enjoyed some comfortable small talk regarding living at the beach, working at the hospital, and what kind of car I drove. He laughed when I told him I called my Mustang Sally, and I finally relaxed when I realized that he really was a nice guy who had no intention of making a fool of me or otherwise hurting me. Or so I hoped. I was still in shock over the fact that I was sitting at his dining room table enjoying a delicious meal and pleasant conversation with him, and my heart began its inevitable downward sinking as my mind swirled with negative thoughts. Why was he being so nice to me? Why was he so interested in me? He could’ve had any woman he wanted, and yet here he sat having dinner with me, the type of person you see on the street and don’t give a second thought about; just an average-looking person with the usual faults and insecurities. I sighed and took a sip of the cold, crisp water, and Adam frowned as he inquired, “Is something wrong?”

  “No. Why do you ask?”

  “Then why did you sigh?”

  “Just habit, I guess.”

  “You’re nervous, aren’t you?”

  “I was, but I’m fine now.”

  He laughed softly and said, “There’s no reason to be nervous around me, Sophie. I promise I don’t bite.”

  “That’s nice to know.”

  He laughed again and said, “I promise I only nibble.”

  I blushed at the erotic images his comment evoked, but fortunately he didn’t notice in the soft candlelight. Instead he pushed his plate away and took a sip of his water, then inquired, “Would you like dessert?”

  “Sure.”

  He nodded and called for Maggie, who appeared moments later and said, “Yes, Master Adam?”

  “We’re ready for dessert now.”

  Maggie nodded and inquired, “Would you like coffee or after-dinner drinks?”

  Adam glanced at me and said, “Well? Do you have a preference?”

  “Coffee.”

  Adam nodded and smiled up at Maggie. “I’ll have the same.”

  Maggie nodded again and left the room, then returned moments later pushing another cart which held two large slices of chocolate mousse cake and two large, steaming mugs of coffee. She set our plates and mugs in front of us and promptly disappeared again, and as I slid the first rich, creamy bite of cake into my mouth I couldn’t help myself as I moaned, “Oh my God…”

  “Is something wrong?”

  “No. This is the best cake I’ve ever tasted.”

  Adam simply laughed and said, “I’ll be sure to tell Maggie.”

  “I’ll tell her myself. This is excellent.”

  Adam suddenly grinned and teased, “Why do you think we kept her around so long? Without her, Alex and I probably would’ve starved.”

  I smiled and finished my cake, then took a sip of the still-hot coffee and said, “Thank you for inviting me. Dinner and the company were excellent.”

  Adam smiled and replied, “You’re welcome. Maybe we can do this again sometime soon.”

  I nodded. “That would be nice.”

  “How about tomorrow?”

  I nearly dropped my mug as his words sank into my still-befuddled brain. Tomorrow? Another dinner date in this fancy house with this deliciously sexy and intriguing man? What about my heart? I would like to keep it intact, but I suddenly realized that that would probably be impossible where he was concerned. He was looking at me intently as he waited for my answer, and in a soft voice I replied, “Tomorrow sounds great.”

  “What the HELL are you doing?” my mind screamed at me as I calmly finished my coffee and demurely wiped cake crumbs from the corners of my mouth. I frowned at the shrill, anxious voice inside my head and silently replied, “I’m having the time of my life; now shut up and leave me alone.”

  “But he’s so handsome and you’re so--so--well, you know what I mean. What on EARTH does he see in you? You know it isn’t going to last. He’s probably just lonely and horny, and you seemed like a good choice at the time. What you need to do is get up and walk out of here before--”

  “SHUT THE HELL UP!” I silently screamed back at myself as I removed the napkin from my lap and set it next to my plate. I tightly laced my fingers together and rested my hands on the table as I smiled at Adam, but he seemed to be staring off into space at the moment. I suddenly wondered if that little voice inside my head was right, then discarded the notion as silly. I refused to let myself believe that he was simply using me, but my voice was still a bit shaky as I said, “I guess I should get going.”

  “What’s your hurry?” Adam said as he focused his attention back to me and smiled. “Afraid you’re going to turn into a pumpkin?”

  I laughed and said, “No.”

  “Good, because I figured you’d enjoy some music in the living room.”

  I nodded and said, “That would be nice.”

  Adam smiled and got to his feet, then walked over to me and extended his hand to pull me to my feet. Moments later we were back in the living room, and as I glanced around I noticed things I hadn’t seen just an hour or so earlier. There were fascinating Indian ink pictures on the wall, one was etched in gold and hung in a black frame, and there was another painting hanging over the fireplace. This one depicted Charleston in the throes of a raging hurricane, and I stood rooted to the spot as I studied the intricate detail and overall mood of the painting. Adam came up behind me and said, “Ahh, you’re an art lover, too.”

  I sighed and said, “Yeah, I’ve always wanted one of these paintings for myself.”

  “Yes, they’re interesting to look at. Seems like the more you study it, the more different things you see.”

  He was right, and I finally forced myself away from the intriguing painting as a familiar tune from the Eagles drifted through the room. I smiled up at him and teased, “The Eagles, huh? I’m flattered.”

  “I like the Eagles myself.”

  “Who doesn’t?” I replied as I closed my eyes and enjoyed the mellow song playing on the stereo. It was a haunting melody about lost love and moving on, and I bit my lip in embarrassment as tears sprang to my eyes. That particular song had always struck a sad note in me, but the last thing I wanted to do was turn into a blubbering idiot in the middle of Adam’s living room. Instead, I turned around and quickly swiped at my damp eyes, then gave him a bright smile and wandered over to one of the enormous bookshelves. All the books were neatly arranged in alphabetical order by author, and I was impressed by his extensive collection. He had all the classics such as Shakespeare, Dickens, Thoreau, Mark Twain, Sylvia Plath, and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, as well as contemporary novels by our favorite authors. There were also medical journals, medical and standard encyclopedias, books on psychology, childbirth, heart disease, dental emergencies, neurology, and too many others to mention as I slowly walked down the length of the shelves. One shelf was dedicated entirely to rare books, and it, too, was full of old, leather-bound books in various sizes. The sight of a Bible put me a little more at ease, and as I turned around I was surprised to discover Adam had been standing right behind me. He smiled and inquired, “Admiring my book collection?”

  “Mm-hmm.”

  He simply smiled and shook his head right before he kissed me, and the suddenness of it took my breath away as he pulled me against his warm, solid body and brushed his lips against mine. They were just as soft as I’d imagined them to be, and I gave a little sigh as he gent
ly deepened the kiss. Desire, sudden and intense, swept through me as he pulled me even closer and deepened the kiss even more, and by the time he raised his head, my knees were shaking, as was the rest of me. He simply smiled and tucked a strand of my soft, honey-blonde hair behind my ear as he said, “You taste like chocolate mousse cake.”

  I laughed, which effectively dispelled my tension, and replied, “So do you.”

  “See? I didn’t bite, did I?”

  I laughed again and said, “No, you didn’t.”

  “Then relax. I’m not going to hurt you, Sophie.”

  “I never thought you were.”

  “Good.” He pulled me close and kissed me again, and this time it was I who pulled away first. If he’d suggested bed at that moment I would have happily obliged him, even though the logical part of me knew that such a move would have meant instant death for our budding relationship. I knew that the biggest thrill for men was the thrill of the chase, and once the mystery was gone so, too, was the romance. And since romance was a fairly new experience for me, I wanted to savor every single moment of it for as long as I possibly could. Adam smiled down at me and teased, “What’s the matter? Did I bite you?”

  I laughed at his teasing and replied, “No. I just had to come up for air.”

  He laughed and led me to the sofa, but I knew that I really needed to get home before I did end up spending the night. It just felt too good and too right being in his arms, and already the thought of doing more than kissing him had my insides quivering in anticipation. I stopped at the edge of the sofa and said, “I really do need to get going.”

  Adam sighed and said, “I know. I’m just having such a great time with you that I don’t want the evening to end.”

  I couldn’t believe what he’d just said, and I reminded myself to give my ears a thorough cleaning when I got home. I smiled up at him and gently touched his cheek, which was stubbly with a bit of five o’clock shadow. On any other man it would’ve been irritating and scratchy, but on Adam it was positively sexy as he pulled me close again and kissed me. “Same time tomorrow?” he inquired as he finally raised his head and gazed down at me. I nodded, not trusting myself to speak after the thorough exploration he’d just given my mouth with his soft, sweet tongue. He smiled and walked me to the front door, then kissed me again and said, “I’ll see you tomorrow, then. Drive carefully and have a good night.”