Free If Ever I Loved You by Phyllis Halldorson Page A

too—well
satisfied—to have the urge or the energy for anybody but me."
    Something inside Gina seemed to shrivel and her shoulders
slumped. She should have known better than to play word games with
Peter Van Housen; no one ever bested him in anything. She rubbed her
temples with her fingers as she said, "You forget, I'm in love with
Stewart. I'm going to marry him just as soon as our lawyers can bring
this dissolution action to court so don't make any long-range plans
about playing house with me. I'll see you in hell first."
    She didn't hear him move on the carpeted floor, and she
jumped as his hands gripped her shoulders and pulled her back against
the long length of him. She could feel his warm breath on her cheek.
"Then you'd better dress in something cool because you'll be there a
long time," he murmured softly. "I have a team of the best attorneys in
the west and they have a lot of political clout. We can and will delay
this dissolution hearing indefinitely."
    His fingers tightened to a bruising hold and his voice
hardened. "Meanwhile stay out of Stewart Tobias's bed. I won't have my
wife sleeping with another man."
    He released her suddenly and walked out of the apartment
slamming the door behind him.
    Several days later a letter arrived from her attorney
stating that Mr. Van Housen had declared his intention to contest the
suit for dissolution and therefore the proceedings would be more
complicated than first thought. Gina crumpled the heavy bond paper in
her hand and knew that she could no longer put off telling Stewart
about this latest impediment to gaining her freedom. She couldn't take
the chance that Peter might contact him directly. He and Stewart had
apparently been friends until she entered the picture but now they
hated each other's guts.
    She gazed at the cream-colored telephone on her desk.
There was no need for her to drive all the way back up to the cabin
when she could call and talk to him. He was busy and so was she; there
was no need to waste a whole day on this. After all it was just a
matter of keeping him informed; it wasn't something they had to talk at
length about.
    She picked up the phone and her hand hovered over the
dial. What was she going to say to him?
We'll have to
postpone the wedding indefinitely, darling, my husband won't give me a
divorce
? Or maybe,
My husband is holding up the
divorce, dear, but I know you won't mind remaining celibate for two or
three more years until you can legally go to bed with me
.
    Gina slammed the phone back in its cradle with a
resounding bang and dropped her heated face in her hands. Damn! Why did
everything have to be so complicated? Couldn't she just once have
simple problems like other people? Was there no end to this nightmare?
    She loved Stewart. He was kind and considerate and he
loved her deeply, and still it was Peter who aroused her to a fever
pitch. This situation couldn't go on and it was time she did something
about it.
    Again she reached for the phone and dialed quickly.
Stewart answered on the first ring. "Gina," he exclaimed happily, "I
was just thinking about you."
    "I was thinking about you, too," Gina said, "and
I—Stewart, I want to see you."
    "Not as much as I want to see you, sweetheart," he
answered huskily. "How about tomorrow evening? I have some business to
take care of in Fort Bragg and I have to shop for supplies, I'm running
out of everything up here. I'll pick you up about six and we'll have
dinner, okay? I've missed you like crazy."
    She realized that he'd put the wrong interpretation on her
request to see him but it was too late now. She'd try to explain
tomorrow without hurting him.
    Gina made a special effort to sound happy and enthusiastic
as she agreed. They talked for a few minutes and just before he rang
off he said, "I love you, Gina."
    The words, meant to reassure, made her feel like the cheat
Peter thought she was. What a tragic mess, she thought as she replaced
the phone. Stewart loved her and she loved