Wyndemere
Stefan stands in the door of the master bedroom. "What are youdoing?"
Bobbie doesn't look up from the suitcase she's packing. "What does itlook like I'm doing?"
"You are planning to leave." Over my dead body.
Bobbie's movements are swift and efficient as she packs the assembledpile on the bed. The only the things she's taking are the things shecan't live without. She wasn't packing any of the clothes she boughtas Stefan's wife, only the belongings she came with. Favoritesweaters, keepsakes, the jewelry box from the Brownstone, photoalbums, pictures of her children. "Can't get out of here fast enough.I thank my lucky stars Lucas is at Felicia's tonight because he won'thave to be a part of this." Her anger is ever present as a shield anenergizer to keep her moving. She had plenty of time to fall apartlater.
"He is not at Felicia's," Stefan informs her. "He is down the hall inhis bedroom, sleeping. Where he belongs."
"WHAT?!" Bobbie abandons the suitcase to approach Stefan. "What didyou do? Snatch Lucas out of his bed at Felicia's the moment I had myback turned?"
"You are letting your imagination get the better of you," Stefananswers, using an arrogant tone designed to make her feel two inchestall. "Given the difficult night you've had, I asked Nikolas to pickhim up on his way home. I thought you would find comfort in havingLucas close by tonight."
"You might have sold that line of bull to Nikolas, but we both knowthat's a crock! You did it so I wouldn't leave tonight. What's next,huh? Planning on drugging me and whisking me off to the CassadineIsland in Greece if I try to leave? Isn't that what Cassadine men dowhen their playthings won't stay where they're put?"
Stefan's face darkens. "You are not a plaything. You are mywife."
"My mistake was in not packing before I left to go see Luke," Bobbiesays crisply, returning to her packing. Damn it, leaving in themiddle of the night would be confusing and upsetting to Lucas, but itwas necessary. Necessary because she wasn't sure how long she couldkeep going on anger. She didn't want to fall apart here, not whereStefan would certainly take advantage. "Then I never would have hadto come back here."
"You are so afraid of me that you can't spend another night under myroof? Am I that much of a monster?"
"You are a despicable snake, that's what you are. I tried to drug youtonight and when you found out, rather than throwing me out like anyself-respecting man would, you proceeded to blow my life apart! Tellme one good reason I shouldn't run for the hills?"
Stefan fights to keep his voice calm against his rising ire. "Becauseyou are my wife. You belong here, with me. We have a childrenwho need us. We have a good life together. But rather than work outour difficulties, you plan to walk out."
"You were fawning over another woman, a Laura Spencer look-alike noless!" Bobbie slams an old sweater on top with the force of her rage."You don't think I know where I stand? You were right before, I'm nota plaything. I'm the frumpy little wife you come home to when you getbored with your other lovers."
"I have made it clear to you over and over there is nothing betweenKatherine Bell and me. You talk of wanting the truth, but when I giveit to you, you either refuse to believe me or hate me for it."
Bobbie's packing keeps up with the furious pace of her speech. "Youstored up those 'secrets' and waited to use them until they could dothe most damage. Damn you, Stefan. What you did tonight you did tohurt me. I'm your wife, the one you are supposed to protect and carefor above all others..." Her voice cracks, the veneer of angercracking for just a moment before she can clamp down on it. "I'm notas stupid as you think. You were punishing me for daring to questionyour actions, for daring to defy you! To knock me off balance so Iwould be vulnerable to you again. What are you going to do next timeI'm out of line? Destroy my other friendships? Find a way to takeLucas away from me? Reveal Ruby's deep dark secrets? I can't livewith a man who is so malicious."
"You have the audacity to be furious at my tactics after youbetrayed me, betrayed our marriage? When have I ever mistreated you?I have been an attentive husband, a good father. Solid, reliable,affectionate. All the qualities of a husband you wanted, and Ipromised to be." She could do all the packing she wanted, she couldpack the entire contents of Wyndemere for all Stefan cared. But itwouldn't change the fact that she wasn't going anywhere.
"You never cared for me," Bobbie retorts. Now that the pile on thebed is packed, she scans the room for anything she might have missed."You just don't want Luke to win. Well, congratulations. He's gonefrom my life forever. I saw him tonight and cut all ties. I told himto leave town and never come back. And he'll leave because I made himbelieve he'd be arrested if he stayed. Happy? Now that you got whatyou really want, just leave me in peace."
"No, I will not. I cannot." If he let her go now, Bobbie would killwhatever remaining feelings she had for him. He knew this about her.Either he convinces her now to stay willingly, or he'd have to resortto more drastic measures.
Bobbie snaps her suitcase shut, lifts it, and tries to barge pastStefan. Stefan blocks her exit. "Get out of my way," Bobbiedemands.
"No." Stefan reaches for her suitcase and tugs it out of her hands.It thumps to the floor. Bobbie struggles, shoving at his chest as hisarms circle her. "We are not finished, Barbara. We will never befinished."
"Stop it! You don't want me. You've never wanted me!" Bobbie cries inearnest as she fights against his hold. Why is he doing this? Why ishe fighting so hard to keep her?
"I have always wanted you," Stefan whispers against her hair,tightening his embrace until she's crushed against him. The threat oflosing her forces him to say what he would never say otherwise. "It'salways been you. Since the night in the Dominican Republic, it's beenyou."
"NO!" How could he bring that moment of their past up? That perfectnight when she melted under his heat. Even now, when she should hatehim, she can feel herself melting. If she stayed much longer in hisarms, she would be lost. "Let me go, Stefan, please."
"I cannot," answers Stefan's hoarsely, his lips pressing into hairclose to her ear. He gathers her even more closely in his arms,ignoring her waning attempts to ward him off. "I will not. How couldI? You are my wife, our family needs you. I need you."
"Don't say that!" With the protection of her rage gone, Bobbie startsto weep. Why was he making this so difficult? He was obliterating herdefenses as if they didn't exist, making her feel things for him thatshe'd promised herself she'd never feel for him again. She wasn'tsupposed to still love him. Their marriage couldn't work now. Therewas too much between them. Lies upon lies upon betrayal. On bothsides. "Don't say that because you don't mean it! I can't take youlying about that. It hurts too much."
Stefan's hands cup her damp cheeks. Tilting her head back, he showsher the tears glittering in his eyes, the trembling of his lips, andthe agony etched in deep lines on his face. "Do I look like I'mlying, Barbara? Do I?"
She had only seen him this shaken a few times, at the time of Laura's'death' and when Nikolas' life had been in danger. Oh God. Bobbie's knees buckle and she grabs the lapel of his robe.He didn't mean it! He couldn't. "Stop," She chokes out. "...stop."
"Don't you think I would do anything for this not to be true? Ifought against it, my entire life I have kept myself apart. Alone.Then I met you, and recognized the other part of me. Why else would Imarry you but to keep you with me always? I need you in my life,Barbara. Especially now, with the betrayals and lies behind us, Ineed you."
It was useless to fight against Stefan's relentlessness, his twistedCassadine logic coupled with an emotional appeal that struck to hervery soul. After the emotional roller coaster of the last twenty fourhours, she just didn't have the strength to fight him, to fight herown feelings for him. God help her, she still wanted this man, andmore desperately, she wanted to be wanted by him. Every cell in herbody screamed to meld with him, and with each passing moment thevoice of reason grew weaker. She struggles to form a coherentsentence. "I... I...."
"Tell me you don't want me." The first touch of his lips on herscaused her to whimper. She was gone. "Tell me you don't want this."Stefan slanted his mouth over hers again and again, endlessly, histenderness crashing through her tattered defenses until she is bareand open to him. Sensing the change, he parts her lips easily,stroking her tongue with his, coaxing her response until she waspressing against him, yearning for more, tearing at his robe.Abruptly he breaks contact to look down at her flushed face, herswollen lips, her breath coming in gulps. Breathless himself, hereaches a hand up to gently stroke her cheek, pleased when she closesher eyes and leans her face into his palm. "Yes. You can't deny it,can you? You need me so much it burns."
"Stefan, please." Bobbie is beyond reason, beyond thought. All thatexists in this moment is her desire for him. Trembling andvulnerable, she presses a kiss into his palm. She would give anythinghe asked at this moment for his touch. What made her think she couldwalk away from this?
Stefan takes one of her hands and places over his wildly racingheart. "Can you feel it? It is the same for me. I need you, Barbara.Do not deny me."
She couldn't deny him any more than she could deny herself. Raisingher other hand and placing it beside it's mate, she answers his pleaby sweeping his robe off his shoulders in one smooth move and leavinghis nude from the waist up. God, she never got over how beautiful heis. Her fingers rove over his lightly furred chest, enjoying it'shard planes and contours. Soon her lips follow her hands on theirexploration.
Stefan softly groans as her lips tease one of his nipples and thenthe other. Closing his eyes, he gathers her burnished red hair in hishands, letting his fingers comb through it's luxurious length. Noother woman matched his passion so well as her. Tilting her headback, he kisses her ravenously, devouring her, knowing she can handlewhatever he demands of her, that she will not shrink in fear. This isnot a practiced seduction, but a fire burning bright between them,brighter because of the threat to their union. Lips crushing againstlips, tongues mating, hands seeking skin, clothes hitting the floor,legs buckling.
Before Bobbie can fall, Stefan lifts her in his arms and carries herthe short distance to their bed. Laying her down he strips hisremaining clothes and joins her, tangling his legs with hers,catching his breath at the touch of her bare thigh against his.Stefan hesitates for a second, his head swimming. He tries to reinhimself in, knowing if he doesn't, he'll take her now, withoutpreamble, like some selfish teenage imbecile with no self control.How could it still be like this, after months of slaking each other'sneeds?
"Don't," Bobbie urges against his throat as she nips at his beardedjaw. Her body arches at his touch, ablaze in the wanton lovemaking."Don't curb yourself, not when I want you so much I can't seestraight."
Stefan obeys her plea, joining with her in one swift move, capturingher cry in his mouth and renewing their bond. They make love,consumed with a passion so fierce, so savage and primal they wouldn'thave noticed if the house fell down around their ears.