by Karen Kelley
In the next picture she was holding Celeste’s hand. Sometimes she could close her eyes and feel the softness of her mother’s skin. She turned the page and her father stared back at her. He was pushing her in the swing. She still didn’t know why she’d kept the pictures of him.
She carefully closed the album. The man sitting at the table that day, staring at the gun, hadn’t been her father. He was the man who’d killed her mother. That day her father had died in her heart. She hated him, but she loved him, too. For years she’d felt guilty but then realized it was okay to love the father he’d been and not what he’d become.
She put away the album and looked around the room. She was tired of running away from the past. Afraid that she’d look over her shoulder and the man who’d killed her mother would be right behind her, gun aimed at her head.
It was time she stopped running. Tiredness enveloped her. This was a good place—she could feel it in her heart—and Brian was a good man. She didn’t know where their relationship would take them, but she wanted to hang around long enough to find out.
She walked to her closet and took out a long white dress that had been worn only twice. She’d bought it on a whim because it was so pretty, that and she had matching white heels. Tonight would be a good night to wear the dress.
As soon as she soaked in the tub. Her spirits lifted. Rhonda had said they were closing early today because most of the guests were going on a hayride. She would have the place all to herself. She could already feel her body relaxing.
Brian glanced at his watch. He knew he’d told Celeste seven, but he couldn’t wait any longer. He left the office and went in search of her, but she wasn’t in her room.
Fear coursed through him. Had she packed up and left? He knew she didn’t stay in one place very long, but would she leave without saying good-bye?
He walked back down the hall and out the back door, breathing a sigh of relief when he saw her car. Okay, so where was she? He glanced toward the spa building and saw a light on. He knew everyone had already left for the day, so Celeste was probably there.
His steps were light, and he was grinning like an idiot when he walked inside. She wasn’t in the front area, but she’d turned the music on. Celtic, he thought. It was nice, peaceful.
He went to her massage room, frowning when she wasn’t there, either. He started to leave but heard a noise coming from the bath area.
When he tapped on the door, no one answered, so he pushed the door open. His breath caught in his throat. Celeste stood in the roman bath, drying off. She’d pulled her hair up on top of her head, but some of it had come loose and the moisture in the room had caused tendrils to curl about her face.
She looked up and froze, clutching the towel against her naked body.
“I’m sorry. I knocked,” he said, but his words were raspy.
“I didn’t hear you.”
“I should go.” But he couldn’t make his feet move.
“Don’t. Go, I mean. I don’t want you to.” She stepped out of the sunken tub and walked toward him. “I’ve been running for a long time and I want to stop, at least for a little while.” She stopped in front of him, then dropped the towel. “I need you.”
She didn’t have to say anything more. He took her into his arms and covered her mouth with his. She tasted sweet, like honey, and passionate all at the same time. He couldn’t get enough of her.
“I’ve waited a lifetime for you,” he finally said after he ended the kiss. He caressed her hair, her neck.
“I need you so much,” she whispered.
He knew she wasn’t just talking about sex. “Me, too.”
She leaned back and looked at him. Her smile was shy and seductive.
“Have I told you how beautiful you are?” he asked.
“I think you’ve mentioned it. But did I tell you that I think you’re handsome?”
He shook his head. “I want to make love to you.”
“I want it, too.”
“Are you sure? We can wait if you need time.”
“I’m sure and I don’t think I can wait much longer. My body feels as though it’s on fire.”
“God, I’m glad to hear you say that.”
He would’ve had to soak in a tub of ice cubes if she’d wanted to wait. Even then, it might not have put out the flame of passion roaring inside him.
He lifted her up and carried her into the therapy room, leaving the door open so he could see. “How soft do you think the massage table is?”
“Soft enough, not that I think I’d mind the floor right now.”
“Have I mentioned that you continually surprise me?”
“Do I?” She raised her eyebrows. “I think I like that I can do that. I hope it’s in a good way.”
“Oh, it certainly is that.” He cupped her breast, lightly running his thumb back and forth across the nipple. “Your skin is soft, almost silky.”
She unbuttoned his shirt and pushed it off his shoulders. “Are you sure you won’t let me give you a massage?”
“Sweetheart, you can massage my body any time you want, but later. Right now I just want to make sweet love to you.” He leaned his head down and took her into his mouth, rolling his tongue around her nipple. Damn, she was sweet.
She gasped, tugging his head closer. “Oh, damn, that feels good.”
He moved to her other breast and gave it just as much attention.
“I’m not very experienced. Only what I’ve read in books and I’ve been with a couple of men. I’m not sure I know exactly what to do.”
“So far I like the kind of books you read,” he said as he looked at her and grinned. Her face turned a rosy shade. He noticed she blushed easily.
“They were really good books.”
“Well, this is the real thing.” He lifted her and set her down on the table. “Lie back.” She did without question.
He started at her breasts, lightly caressing each one. She arched toward him, but he only moved down her body, over her abdomen, lightly grazing through the blond curls at the vee of her legs. “Don’t we have some oil around here?”
She swallowed hard. “In the drawer there’s lotion.”
He lit the candle while he was turned around, then got out a jar. He twisted the lid off and raised it to his nose. “Vanilla. It’s nice.”
“Brian?”
He smiled. “I thought I would give you a massage.” He scooped out some of the thick cream and put it on her stomach.
She sucked in her breath. “It’s cold. You’re supposed to rub it in your hands to warm it.”
“Cold is sexier. Besides, it won’t take long to warm.” He started at her shoulders and began to massage. He knew the exact moment she started to relax. Then he slid his hands down to her breasts.
Celeste wasn’t quite so relaxed as she had been. He tugged on her nipples, then circled the dark orbs, then massaged her breasts again.
“But I want to touch you,” she said.
“You will,” he promised.
“When?”
“Soon.”
“At least take off your clothes. I feel strange being the only one completely naked.”
He wiped his hands on a towel and tossed it to the side before removing the rest of his clothes. She stared at him the whole time. It was funny watching her reaction. She blushed, but she didn’t look away.
“Is this better?” he asked.
She visibly swallowed. “Wow.” She looked at his face. “I mean, yes, much better.”
He grinned. It was nice knowing he rated a wow.
“You’re laughing at me.”
“I would never do that. You’re wow, too.”
“There’s not much room on the table.”
“We’ll manage.”
“I rather thought we would.”
He again massaged lotion across her breasts, then slid his hands over her stomach and hips before moving to her thighs, then her calves. When he knew she was totally relaxed, he began to caress he
r sex. Light strokes at first, then with a little more pressure. She wiggled her bottom as he intensified his touch.
“You’re making it hard for me to think.”
“I don’t want you to think; I only want you to feel.”
“Then join me.”
“Like you said, there’s not much room on the table.”
She moved to her side. “Now there is, and I want to touch you, too.”
What could he do but join her. “If I fall, I’m taking you with me,” he said.
“Would you?”
“Probably, but I’d let you land on top.”
“Then maybe I wouldn’t mind landing so much if I was on top of you.” She reached between their bodies and stroked up his length, her touch just as feathery as his had been. He closed his eyes and sucked in a deep breath. “That feels nice.”
“I bet I can make it feel better than nice,” she whispered close to his ear so that her hot breath tickled his face. She encircled his penis with her hand and began to slide his foreskin down, then back up. “How’s that?”
“Fantastic,” he breathed.
“I think I know how we can do this. Move onto your back.”
He didn’t know what she had in mind, but right now he was agreeable to just about anything. He held on to her and eased to his back. Her lotion-slick body easily slid over him until she was situated on top.
“Better?” she asked.
“Your naked body is pressed against mine. I can feel your luscious breasts and your tight nipples are poking my chest. Your sex is nestled against my erection. What do you think?”
Her laughter filled the room. “I didn’t know you could be funny.”
“Sweetheart, I’m serious as hell.” He grasped her ass and snuggled her in a little tighter to him. She gasped with pleasure.
“This is going to be so good.” She wiggled against him and he thought he was going to come right then and there.
“I need to get a condom out of my pocket,” he said.
“I’ll get it,” she quickly said, then was sliding off him and the table, and reaching for his pants. As soon as she had one she ripped it open, then looked at him. She didn’t move, only stared. “Good Lord, you’re beautiful.”
“And horny.”
She met his gaze. “Oh, right.” She looked at the condom, then him. Finally she thrust it toward him.
He rolled it on. Before he could do much more than that she was back on the table snuggled on top of him, then positioning herself so that she was sliding onto him. He grasped her hips, holding her as he joined in the motion of her body.
His passion-glazed eyes stared up at her, watching the way her breasts bounced. She was beautiful, she was gorgeous, she was…
Celeste cried out, her body stiffening. She was fascinating to watch as she came. Then he didn’t think anymore. He closed his eyes and let his release engulf him in the heat of the moment.
Her body collapsed on top of his, their ragged breathing filling the small room.
“I’ve never ever felt like this before,” she whispered.
“I know. I feel the same way.”
“This could get complicated.”
“I won’t let it. I promise.”
She nodded.
And he meant what he said. He knew there was something between them. He’d sensed it the minute she’d stepped from her car and raised her face as if to worship the sun.
Chapter 24
“What do you mean you weren’t always the good guy?” Nikki asked as she lay on her side across from Cal, the fire flickering between them, casting shadows over her naked body.
It was all he could do to stop staring at her luscious body and raise his gaze to her face. Great, now he had to look her in the eye and lie to her.
Dammit, she’d pissed him off when she kept probing for answers about Cynthia. And maybe he wanted to get a little back, and if he had to lie to do it, then so be it. It wasn’t like she hadn’t been lying to him since she’d called for reservations.
He’d tell her the truth before she left, but he wanted to see how fast she’d leave after she got what she came for. And maybe he just wanted to see if their time together had meant anything to her at all.
So he took a deep breath and gave her his most serious look. “Steroids.”
That hadn’t been so difficult. Easier than he thought. He’d been afraid he would feel guilty lying, but he didn’t. On the contrary, he felt the total opposite. He inwardly smiled. Actually, this was kind of fun. How bad could he make his life?
She gasped. “You’re doing steroids?”
“Not right now. I did in the past.”
She relaxed again. “But that was in the past. She still shouldn’t have broken the engagement for something you did in the past.”
Damn, she looked good with the firelight flickering over her as the sun set behind her. But then she frowned.
“It is in the past, isn’t it?”
“Oh, yeah. I haven’t done steroids in a few years.” He gazed off into the darkness. “The alcohol was a bit of a problem, though.”
“You’re not an alcoholic, too, are you?”
“It’s not as bad as it used to be.” His sigh was audible. “I pretty much have it under control now. That is, if I don’t miss a meeting.”
She moved to a sitting position and for a moment he couldn’t think—hell, he could barely remember to breathe. Her breasts were right there in front of him, begging him to take them into his hands and massage them until she cried out for more.
“When did it all start?” she asked.
For half a second he thought she might really care, the way she was looking at him with concern. Hell, she was probably taking all this down in her head so she could write her tell-all article about his sordid past.
Ah, but wouldn’t she be surprised to know that he was still a member of the Baptist church in Frog Hollow and that he gave to charities on a regular basis. But she only wanted all the dirt, so he’d give it to her in spades.
He picked up a stick, and rubbed his thumb across the rough surface. “It started when I was fifteen. I started running with a wild bunch from school.”
She sat back, looking confused. “They have a wild crowd here? The town’s not that big.”
She had a point. The wildest thing that had ever happened here that he knew of was when Jamie Warren plowed up the front school yard on his daddy’s new tractor. He was drunker than a skunk, but no one really blamed him since he was about to ship out overseas. Course, he was only going to Germany, but the town figured overseas was overseas, so he didn’t get into much trouble.
“What happened to all the values you said your grandparents taught you?” she asked, bringing him back to the present.
Damn, he’d forgotten about telling her that. It wasn’t easy telling lies. “I really tried to stay on the straight and narrow, but the temptation was too great. I’m a sinner—what can I say?”
“Do you want to talk about it?”
Oh, now her asking him that was priceless. Of course she wanted him to talk about it. And that’s exactly what he planned to do.
“You don’t mind listening? There aren’t a lot of people who would without taking advantage of what I tell them.”
“Uh, what do you mean?”
“People love a scandal. They want to believe the worst about a person and especially someone who’s in the spotlight, like I am.” Now let her squirm a little.
“I would never use anything you told me. I mean, I write history books.”
Yeah, sure. Well, two could play her game. “I knew you wouldn’t. There’s something good and kind about you.” He took a deep breath. “When I was seventeen, I started running around with this wild bunch.”
“I thought you said you were fifteen?”
“You’re right. Sometimes I forget things. It’s because of the alcohol.” He had to keep his lies straight.
Her forehead wrinkled. “That’s okay.” She moved to her
side again, head resting on her arm. “Go on, please.”
How the hell could he keep anything straight when all he wanted to do was stare at her naked body?
He cleared his throat and tried to concentrate. “We made moonshine.”
Not exactly a lie there. Hell, you could find moonshine in just about any little backwoods country town—especially in Texas. He’d drunk some once. It had taken him a good two minutes to catch his breath. He never so much as got close to homemade brew again.
“We sold it out of the back of Timmy Collins’s old Ford that had been souped up. We’d make runs late at night. The cops never caught us, but not because they didn’t try.”
Tim would kill him if he knew he was talking about him like this. Tim was the preacher at the Baptist church, and as far as Cal knew, he’d never taken a drink in his life.
“That’s how you got hooked on alcohol?”
“That, and stealing it out of liquor stores when the revenuers would find our still and blow it up.”
Her eyes narrowed. “You’re a thief, too?”
Maybe he was laying it on a little too thick. “Only once. I didn’t steal after that. It scared the hell out of me. I figured I was a lot of things but not a thief.”
Nikki seemed to relax. “When did the use of steroids start?”
“College.”
“They didn’t do random drug testing?”
“Yeah, but you pay someone clean to pee in the cup. It’s no big deal.”
“So, why did you stop taking them?”
Crap, why would he stop taking them? He wasn’t very good at lying.
“My heart,” he blurted.
“You had a heart attack?” Her eyes widened.
He thought back to everything he’d seen or heard about the use of steroids. “No, my heart was beating too fast.” That sounded plausible and she looked as though she bought his story.
“You dated a lot when you went pro,” she said.
“I thought you didn’t follow sports?” It was her turn to look nervous. “I don’t. I just assumed that since you’re a nice-looking man that you would’ve dated a lot of women. At least, until you met your fiancée.”
Good fix for her blunder. She’d impressed him. There’d been barely a hesitation between her slip and her recovery, but then, she had a lot more experience at this.