The Angel Tasted Temptation

by Shirley Jump

  "Everything's still all right?"

  "Yep. Aunt Gloria and Uncle Mike are still there, calling all the relatives and cooing over the baby every chance they get."

  Momma laughed. "I don't blame them. Grandchildren are an amazing thing." Her face turned wistful, even envious, and Meredith knew there was one thing that chaotic, exuberant Aunt Gloria had that Martha didn't.

  Yet.

  "Momma, I wanted to talk to you." Meredith paired two socks, tossed the roll into the basket, then sat back.

  "Uh-huh." Momma went on folding a pair of pants, straightening the hems again and again, trying to get the crease perfect.

  "Can you stop folding for a minute and look at me?"

  Momma shook her head and tugged at the cuffs of the pants harder.

  "Momma," Meredith said softly, laying a hand on her mother's.

  She stilled, the pants shaking a bit in her grip. Finally, Momma looked up, her eyes misty. "I don't want to hear what you're going to tell me. I know you're going to say that you're never coming home and I'm never going to be next door when you're having your first baby. I'm going to miss it all." The pants fell into a crumpled heap in her lap and a sob escaped her. "I'm sorry I've been so... difficult. I guess I want the best for you and sometimes that best comes with a lot of—"

  "Clorox?" Meredith finished, adding a lighter note. She slid forward onto the ottoman, reaching to take one of her mother's hands in both her own. "I know that. And I haven't been very understanding or nice to you. I kept thinking if I could get far enough away from Heavendale, I could change who I was."

  "But why would you want to do that?"

  "Because I wasn't happy."

  Momma looked stricken, as if she took personal fault for Meredith's unhappiness. "Unhappy?" she echoed.

  "With who I was, not with where I was. Well, I thought it was where I was. But I realized since I got here, and well, all of you got here too, that it doesn't really matter where I am, but who I am."

  Momma cocked her head. "What do you mean?"

  Meredith let out a breath and tucked her legs underneath her in the chair. "I needed to get to know myself. What I was capable of, outside of that perfect little box of Heavendale. Growing up there, I never really had to try hard to make friends or succeed or heck, even get a job. Because it's so small a world. Then I got here and I had to try harder, stretch those wings a little more. And you know what I found out?"

  Momma put the pants aside and sat back against the couch. For the first time Meredith could remember in her life, her mother wasn't doing anything while they were talking. She was giving her undivided attention. Not washing dishes. Not folding laundry. Not cooking dinner. It was just the two of them, talking in the silent house. "What?" Momma asked.

  'That I'm capable of so much more than I thought. And I can weather a lot more of a storm than I thought."

  Momma nodded, as if she'd known that all along. "I was really proud of you for the way you handled that. I know I didn't sound it at the time, but I am."

  "Thanks." Meredith smiled. "And thank you for helping me."

  "You know," Momma said, taking a sip from a glass of water beside her, "you're not the only one who learned a thing or two here. I found out I can go halfway across die country in a hearse and survive—"

  Meredith laughed.

  "And that I can breathe the air here and live—"

  Meredith chuckled again.

  "And that I can help my daughter out of a jam and be really proud of what a strong, capable woman she's turned out to be."

  "With your help, Momma," Meredith said, rising. She wrapped her arms around her mother and drew her familiar scent to her. "You had a little to do with that, you know."

  Momma returned the embrace, then after a long while during which Meredith was sure she heard a sniffle or two, she pulled back. "A little? If I hadn't put those bumper pads on the coffee table and stored all the hazardous chemicals out of reach, why you wouldn't have even made it to your second birthday."

  "Momma..."

  Her mother's face sobered and she cupped Meredith's face. "You're all grown up now. I guess it's hard for me to let go."

  "I won't be so far away."

  "Anyplace that isn't next to me is too far." She brushed a lock of hair off her daughter's temple in a gesture reminiscent of when Meredith had been five and fallen off her bike. She'd had the wind knocked out of her, and been too afraid to get back on the two-wheeler. Her mother had sat with her and done that same thing, pushing the hair off her face and telling her that she could, indeed, get back up and ride again, and be just fine, because Momma would always be there with some Betadine.

  "I'll be as close as I can be," Meredith said. "And when I'm having my first baby, how about I fly you out to stay with me until your new grandchild arrives?"

  Momma beamed. "I'd like that. I could help you get the baby's room ready and do the disinfecting of all the surfaces and—"

  "One thing at a time, Momma." Meredith laughed. "Let me get married first."

  "Oh! Speaking of that," Momma said. "I forgot. Travis has been waiting for you to come home. He's over at Rebecca's. I fed him some dinner—that boy is too skinny, you know—then I let him in." Her mother smiled. "I figured you wouldn't mind."

  "Travis is here? Waiting for me?" Meredith scrambled to her feet, the laundry forgotten. She pressed a kiss to her mother's cheek, not waiting for an answer.

  Then she bounded out of Aunt Gloria's house, down the steps, across the sidewalk and up into Rebecca's house.

  Finally, she was in the right place. At exactly the right time.

  Meredith's When-the-Mood-Is-Right Lobster Stew

  3 tablespoons butter

  1 pound lobster meat

  1 cup heavy cream

  3 cups milk

  1/2 teaspoon salt

  1/4 teaspoon white pepper

  Paprika

  Pull out all the stops now with the most decadent dish you can create. This one is rich ... in everything you've been denying yourself. Melt the butter and fry the lobster meat until it's warm and heated through. Add the cream and milk, gradually, stirring it carefully over low to medium-low heat.

  Don't rush it! The end result will be worth every second you put into it. Season with salt and pepper, then let this simmer gently for about 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle a little paprika on top.

  Since this dish is so indulgent, be careful who you serve it to. He might just come back for seconds. And thirds. And ... more.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Meredith skidded to a stop in the living room. Travis was sitting on the sofa, his head propped on one arm, asleep. The beagle snored at his feet.

  Travis looked ... peaceful. At home. And for just a second, she allowed herself to imagine seeing this sight every night for the rest of her life. It wasn't such a bad image after all.

  She slid into the space beside him, careful not to wake him, and slipped her head into the alcove created by his shoulder and neck. It felt comfortable here. Right.

  Travis stirred, dropping his arm to wrap around her. "I thought you'd never come home."

  "I was talking to my mother. I didn't know you were here." She snuggled closer, seeking his warmth, his touch. Everything about him.

  Instead, he moved away and slid off the sofa, kneeling beside it and taking her hands in his. His green eyes met hers. "I have to tell you something."

  "No, wait, Travis. I want to tell you something first."

  He pressed a finger to her lips. "Please. If I don't tell you, I know I'll regret it." He took in a breath, then let it out. "I know you don't want to fall in love with anyone. But I love you, Meredith. And if I can't be with you, I think I'll go insane. So if you don't want a relationship right now, I'll live with that. Just don't walk away. Because then," he gave her a grin, "you'll be breaking my heart and—"

  This time, she pressed a finger to his lips. "Stop. Don't say another word."

  "Let me finish."

  "No."
She smiled. "All you have to do right now is kiss me."

  He did as she asked, leaning forward and taking her mouth with his own. His lips caressed hers softly at first, then with more insistence, fueled by all the teasing and the desire that had been brewing between them for two weeks.

  The feel of his mouth on hers was different somehow—sweeter, more tender, as if by telling her he loved her, he had added a new dimension to his touch. She'd been attracted to him before, but now she felt a comfortable warmth layering over the heat and passion between them.

  "I want you, Meredith," he said, pulling back to tangle his hands in her hair and trail kisses along her neck.

  Oh, those were the other words she'd waited to hear. "Then what are you waiting for?"

  He grinned. "Directions to your bedroom."

  She pressed her lips to his throat, to the throbbing pulse in his neck. "Second door at the top of the stairs."

  Travis scooped her up and took the stairs two at a time, while Meredith started early on to get him naked. This time, there weren't any damned buttons to slow down her progress. She tugged at his T-shirt, wrestling it out of the space between them and when they got to the top of the stairs, she slid out of his arms, then pulled the shirt up and over his head and tossed it to the floor.

  He had a glorious chest. Hard and defined. Perfect for her head, her chest. In fact, she could imagine almost any of her body parts against that wonderful space. She placed her hands against his torso, then her lips, kissing down the length of him, lingering at the V of hair that met his waistband.

  "Oh God, Meredith." He groaned. "Which door was it?"

  She chuckled, then took his hands and hauled him into the guest bedroom. "Here. Though I would have settled for the stairs."

  "I wouldn't have let you," he said, tipping her chin to place a soft kiss on her lips.

  She smiled. "Trying to make sure I have a good time?"

  "And that I don't end up with a broken back."

  She laughed again, then reached to take off her shirt.

  "Oh no you don't," Travis said, grasping her hands and stopping her. "I've been wanting to do that myself ever since I met you. You always have all the fun."

  He tugged the pale blue shirt up and over her head, then allowed his hands to drift down her throat, along her neckline. He teased the valley there for a long, hot second, then slipped his fingers under the slim satin of her bra straps. They slid off her shoulders, revealing her breasts to his gaze. The warm air of the room drifted over her naked skin, tickling against her.

  Travis bent down, teasing a circle around each breast with his tongue, then taking one pert nipple in his mouth, sucking it gently for a long, sweet second before moving on to do the same to the other one.

  Fireworks exploded in her brain. She wanted him to stop. Do it again. Do something even better.

  Meredith moaned and tilted her pelvis up against his, asking for more, for anything. "Oh, Travis. Oh, God. Oh ... more."

  "In a hurry?"

  "Oh yeah."

  "Patience, sweetheart." He grinned, then released the hooks from the back of her bra and let it fall to the floor. His hands drifted down her torso, his mouth following suit, until he reached the snap of her jeans. She raced her palms over every part of him that she could reach, dying to have more of him in her grasp.

  One agonizing second after another passed as he undid the snap, then the zipper, then peeled the denim back and slid it down, inch by inch. He kissed a trail of seduction down her hips, her thighs, her legs, as he made his way down with the jeans to the floor.

  She wanted to tear off her underwear, grab him and throw him on the bed. But when she reached for him, he caught her hands in his and came up to kiss her mouth again, bringing his naked chest to hers. The infusion of warmth and Travis's long, slow kisses sent her heart down a tender path. Desire still throbbed within her, but the easy, gentle way he was touching her made her feel like a queen.

  He released her hands and she slid them between their bodies, undoing the buttons of his Levi's and sliding them off his hips. He wore silky red boxers, something that surprised and delighted her. For a moment, she simply rubbed her hands against them, enjoying the fabric slipping against her grip while their mouths continued to dance.

  Then she slid her hands into the back of his waistband, feeling the taut, warm skin of his buttocks and nearly died with want for him.

  He pulled back, his hands holding her face and his dark, smoldering gaze connecting with hers. "Are you sure, Meredith?"

  "I've never been more certain of anything in my life. I want my first time to be with you." She wanted every time to be with him, but dared not voice that. Not yet. She didn't want to spoil anything with thinking about tomorrow.

  "It's my first time too," he said.

  "Oh, don't lie to me." She shook her head and looked away.

  He tipped her head, bringing her gaze back to meet his. "I'm serious. It's the first time I've ever been in love. And for me, this is a sweet, sweet first."

  Tears welled up in her eyes at his admission. She blinked them back and brought a smile to her lips. She would not cry. Absolutely would not cry during her first time. Even tears of happiness. "Well then, I'm glad your first time is here, with me."

  He grinned. "Me, too."

  And with that, Travis Campbell swept Meredith off her feet and into the bed.

  When Meredith awoke a few hours later, Travis was gone. The house was empty with Rebecca still in the hospital, Jeremy likely spending the night there with his wife and new baby, and Emily asleep next door. Meredith pulled on a robe and padded downstairs.

  And realized with a sinking feeling that Travis had done exactly what she'd asked him to do: loved her and left her.

  She had what she wanted. And it sucked.

  Meredith opened the refrigerator, hungry for something that would fill this empty feeling. When she'd been with him in bed, it had been wonderful.

  Perfect. She'd never imagined that making love with someone could be so fulfilling.

  And yet, all of those feelings had disappeared the moment she realized he was gone. She shut the door. There was nothing in the Frigidaire that would take care of this. What she wanted was to wake up with Travis. Today, tomorrow, and every day.

  She'd been lying to herself, and to him.

  Meredith Shordon, who had convinced herself she didn't need or want love, had gone and fallen in love anyway.

  She'd been so afraid that love would be constricting and controlling. That she couldn't be herself, or try her wings at new things, and still be with a man who loved her. That it would be like her family, always surrounding her with advice and good intentions that seemed to go in the complete opposite direction Meredith wanted to travel.

  She'd been wrong. As she thought back over the days since she'd met Travis, she realized he had given her the one thing she wanted—freedom. And the second thing she hadn't even known she wanted—

  A love that didn't ask for anything in return.

  Oh, how stupid she had been. She'd been too busy worrying about the trees to see the forest. Why couldn't she have seen all this before ... before Travis had left?

  "You're up. I was hoping to surprise you."

  She pivoted at the sound of Travis's voice, happiness bubbling up inside her so fast and so hard, she thought she'd explode.

  He'd come back.

  He stood in the entryway to the kitchen, holding a paper bag from a local seafood restaurant. A whisper of steam escaped from the top, bringing with it the scent of the luscious meat inside. "I made you a promise."

  She crossed to him. "What promise?"

  "A lobster dinner. It may be late, but in Boston there's always someplace that's open in the middle of the night."

  She smiled at the thoughtfulness and sweetness of what he'd done, going out in the middle of the night to track down a lobster, just for her. "Thank you. I'm famished."

  "Me too." He grinned. "For more than just seafood." He pre
ssed a kiss to her neck and she nearly lost her resolve and the pretty little speech she'd been composing in her head before he got here.

  "Before we eat," Meredith said, taking the bag from Travis's hands and laying it on the counter, "I want to take back what I said earlier."

  "Take it back?"

  "Yeah. I don't want to do this with you anymore."

  His face dropped. "You don't?"

  "No. No more of this sex-only thing. The rules have changed. I want more now."

  He blinked, clearly confused. "More?"

  Oh, she was going to enjoy teasing him. Every time he thought he knew what she wanted, Meredith went and turned the tables on Travis Campbell. "Yep. I want the whole enchilada now. The ring, the preacher, the house in the suburbs. Even the damned dog."

  "A dog?" He opened his mouth, closed it, opened it again. "What are you saying?"

  "Oh, did I forget to tell you?" She smiled. "I love you too, Travis. And I don't want a one-night stand anymore."

  A wide grin broke across his face. "You love me, too?"

  She nodded. The joy exploding in her heart surely showed on her face. "I tried to fight it, but you're one tough guy to resist."

  "It's all that natural charm."

  "Yeah, right." She gave him a jab in the arm. "You know what this means, though, don't you?"

  "What?"

  She crossed her arms over her chest and gave him the Evil Eye that Momma had taught her so well. "We're going to have to get married. Because as much as I tried, I couldn't quit being a traditional girl."

  He took a step forward, hauling her into his arms and breaking her into a fit of laughter. "No, I disagree. You're not traditional at all."

  "Really?"

  "I think you just asked me to marry you." He leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers.

  She drew back and put a hand on her hip. "I did not!"

  "Are you sure?" He arched a brow.