Unknown - Wanting Everyone

"Has anyone ever told you that you've got a weird outlook?" She suddenly realized what he had said. "Love?"

"Yes, didn't I tell you?" He looked at her with big, green innocent eyes. "I love you."

She stared at him with her mouth open, then began to laugh.

By all rights, she should be fuming and raging with anger. But she didn't find an ounce of anger anywhere within her. "I don't know if I'll ever adjust to your style."' "Don't try to. I don't have one," he chuckled. "I guess this means you're not throwing me out on my ear then."

"No, I don't know why, but I'm letting you move in," she said, throwing her arms around his neck and giving him a kiss.

"I'll probably regret this, but I'll never know unless I give it a try."

"Good," he said. "And by the way, I want to marry you."

She laughed again. "Phil, I'm not sure whether to take you seriously. One thing I am sure of is that if this lasts only a week, it will be one week filled with surprises."

He just grinned and kissed her again. "Now, I've got to finish unloading my car, then I'll get that carburetor kit and see if I can get yours running again. And I do love you, and I am going to marry you."

She laughed as he walked back down to the parking lot, that funny-looking grin on his face.

Two months later, Melinda Tuning stood before a justice of the peace and vowed to take Phil Howard as her husband, until death did them part.

"Hey, stranger, over here." Susan looked around the student union cafeteria.

She found Phil alone at a table. She smiled and went over and joined her brother.

"We've got to stop meeting like this," she said coyly, "or your wife will begin to suspect."

He chuckled. "What about Jace? He's a big man… not someone I'd like to have call me outside to protect his wife's virtue."

Susan grinned. "Well, how's it feel to be an old married man?"

"Better than I ever expected," he answered. "I must admit your sister-in-law is one hell of a woman."

"I wouldn't know," Susan said with a shake of her head. "I never get to see her anymore."

"Yeah, I know," Phil replied. "That's why I asked you to meet me here today.

What's it with Melinda and Jace? "

"Phil, I don't know." Susan looked at her brother, concern in her eyes. "I wish I did. They used to be so close. Now they act like they're embarrassed to be around each other. It's like there's a ten-foot thick wall between them."

"Yeah, I know. I don't like it," Phil said. "I like both you and Jace and I like being around you, but whenever you invite us over for dinner, Melinda finds some excuse to get out of it."

"The same with Jace, " Susan said. "The way he acts, he couldn't care less whether he ever saw Melinda again."

"Are you sure it's not me?" Phil said.

"Yes, Jace has said several times that he couldn't ask for a better brother-in-law. I think he'd really like to be friends with you," Susan continued. "But Melinda is in the way."

"I don't understand it. They are both terrific people," he said. "I think we should do something to get them back together."

"Got any bright ideas?"

"I don't know how bright it is, but I do have an idea that might work," he said.

"Let's hear it."

"Okay. I've got this friend whose parents own a cabin up in the mountains. It's near a ski run and there's a heavy coat of new snow on the slopes," Phil explained. "I've got the use of that cabin this weekend."

Susan smiled. The setting sounded perfect. Jace loved to ski and he needed a weekend's vacation." Brother you sound like a genius."

"I know," Phil answered with a grin. "If we are going to pull this off, we are going to have to be very careful. Now this is the way I think we should… "

Susan listened, nodding her agreement with every sneaky step of his plan.

Cabin did not describe the luxurious split-level home that Phil's friends had provided for their weekend holiday. Four bedrooms, an immense kitchen, three baths and a large den complete with fireplace provided enough space to get lost in. It was more than either Susan or Phil expected.

However, the chill filling the cabin was something they hadn't expected. It was the type of chill that a roaring fire couldn't dispel.

"I think we blew it, brother," Susan whispered to Phil while they checked out the kitchen facilities together.

Phil glanced at Jace and Melinda in the den. The brother and sister sat on opposite sides of the room, not even bothering to make small talk. "I thought it was a good idea. I guess I thought wrong. Those two act as though they're complete strangers."' "Jace is steaming," Susan said. "I shudder to think about the way he's going to explode when we get alone. He realizes that you and I brewed this up."

"Perhaps we should have told them before coming up here?" Phil mused.

Susan shook her head. "If Jace had known you two were going to be here, I'd never have gotten him out of the house."

"Any suggestions?" Phil asked. "If those two don't melt the wall of ice between them, this weekend will be a total disaster.

And dammit, the slopes are too good to waste them."

"Agreed," Susan replied, walking to the refrigerator and opening it. "Mmmmmm, looks like someone is going to have to make a trip down to the village store.

We haven't got any breakfast food."

"I'll go," Phil said. "Better get to it before the roads freeze over tonight."

"Nope, "Susan answered, a smile on her lips. "You and I will go. Maybe if we leave Jace and Melinda alone for a while they might be able to get things worked out between them."

Phil nodded and winked his agreement.

Melinda cast a glance at her brother from the corner of her eye. He held the chill of a marble statue. An expression so distant. It was hard to imagine they had once been lovers, a brother and sister who shared the same bed.

A hollowness still filled part of her. Jace still left a vacancy within her. He was still her brother and she still loved him. A trembly sensation coursed through her body. She still found him desirable.

But she was willing to live without having him in her bed, if they could be friends again, regain the closeness they had lost.

But she had no idea how to chisel away the wall he had thrown up between them.

In the past, she had tried, only to have him move even further away.

Jace rose. He looked at Melinda. "I think I'll change and try to make the intermediate slope before it gets dark."

Before she could answer, he walked from the room.

Damn you, Jace Tuning, Melinda cursed. I'm not some cardboard figure! I'm your sister. It's about time to start acting like it!

The dark-haired woman sucked in a deep breath and gathered her courage. She had to confront him, tell him how she felt.

They couldn't go on acting as though they never had been close.

Maybe they could work things out. Maybe…

It didn't help pondering the matter. She had thought it all out before at least a thousand times. Now was the time for action, not thoughts.

Rising, Melinda breathed deeply once again in determination and walked toward the bedrooms. She stopped before the door to Jace's and Susan's room. Inside, Jace stood, stripped except for his jockey briefs. The raven-haired beauty felt another trembling shiver race up and down her spine. The bulge nestled there in the white cotton brought back vivid memories of lusty days and nights in each other's arms.

"Jace," she said, forcing words over the dryness in her mouth. "Jace, we have to talk. We have to work things out between us. I can't…"

She mumbled, tears misting her eyes. She cursed herself for the watery display.

She didn't want to cry. She had hoped to handle this very business-like and rational. But now, she felt quivery and uncertain.