by CL Rowell
“Yeah.”
He nodded, his movements jerky. “I’ll see if they have something for two nights, then.”
Feeling like warmed over crap, I offered, “I’m the intruder. I can get a room—I don’t mind.”
“No, no, it’s fine. You’re Leo’s guest. Stay.”
Silence filled the room after he closed the door behind him, and we just looked at each other for several uncomfortable seconds. Finally, shrugging and clapping his hands, Leo said, “That went well. I’m hungry, and I promised you dinner. Any girly things you need to do, or can we go see what we can find?”
“I thought you asked for towels and sheets? Do we need to wait for them to bring that first?”
“Oh, right, right, right.” Nodding, he dropped to the bed and grabbed the phone. “I’ll check on that.” Then, moments later, “They’ll send some right up.”
“So…” I crossed the room and dropped down across from him. “Jessie looks rough.”
“That?” He nodded toward the door. “That was nothing. Shoulda seen him a month ago…he looked like a fucking corpse. He was pale, gaunt, his clothes hung off him. He was suffering from tremors and finally passed out in the middle of a concert. Scared the fuck out of me. We called Mom and she sent his doctor to the hospital the ambulance to him to. Turns out he was severely dehydrated and wasn’t eating. He doesn’t have an ounce of fat on him as it is, so his body was cannibalizing itself. He was close to total shutdown, and ended up spending several days in the hospital.” I just looked at him expectantly, sensing there was more to the story, and he continued, “The day his doctor gave him the okay to go home, he broached the subject of James with him. A few days later, Mom put her two cents in…”
“And?” I scowled at him, impatient. “Does he finally believe James is his son?”
“Yeah—but he believed it before we left Louisiana, New Year’s Day.”
“Wait, what?”
“What?”
“Don’t play dumb,” I snapped, “Why hasn’t he talked to Callie? Is he gonna talk to her? She’s fucking dying, here. She really loves the idiot.”
“He loves her too—but now he’s gotta gather his nerve back up to face her…” He held his hands up to fend me off, “And he will.”
I opened my mouth to push the issue, but before I could speak, there was a knock on the door.
“Housekeeping.”
“Enough about Jessie and Callie for the night.” He leaned in and stole a kiss before heading toward the door. “You’re here to see me. Let’s concentrate on us, tonight.”
And we did. After the housekeeper remade the bed with fresh sheets, we called a taxi and had the driver recommend a good restaurant. He dropped us at a place that had been a mortuary in a previous life. Our lack of a reservation was nearly our undoing, though—
“Sir, people make reservations with us weeks in advance. We’re booked up solid. I’m sorry, but I don’t know what to tell you.”
“You can tell me you discovered an empty table—Lucy’s only here for the night. I want to make it memorable for her.”
“Well, I’m afraid you’ll have to make it memorable elsewhere. Taco Rio doesn’t require reservations. It’s two blocks east of here.”
“Taco Rio!”
I winced, feeling for the poor hostess. “Leo, we can go somewhere else. Taco Rio sounds delicious.”
“Mary, what’s going—“ A bald gentleman dressed in jeans and a chef’s hat hurried up, “Holy shit, it’s Leo Sorducci! I’m your biggest fan—the way you handle those drums!” He swooned. “I had no idea you were coming! This is such an honor! Allow me to seat you myself.”
“Mr. Cole, sir, he doesn’t have a reservation—“
“He doesn’t need one. Don’t you know who this is? It’s Leo Sorducci, Jessie Robertson’s drummer. He has a drum solo in Just Kill Me that would get a dead man on his feet! My daughter introduced me to their music. I love these guys!” He beamed at Leo, “I’ll seat them at my private table.”
Leo graciously penned a sweet message for his daughter to show his appreciation, gave him a couple of free tickets to the show, and had me photograph them together on the guy’s phone. In return, we received star treatment. As it was our first visit, he brought us their most popular menu items. We feasted on ragyu sliders and Korean BBQ tacos with coda cappuccinos and, for dessert, delicious, tangy pineapple wontons. It almost made me wish I lived in Denver, instead of the tiny town of Robeline. Almost. Returning to the room, we cuddled up on his bed to watch What Women Want on a late night movie channel, and ended up falling asleep in each other’s arms, midway through.
7
*
After sleeping in until after ten a.m., we stumbled across a tiny hole-in-the-wall cafe bar combo and had brunch. I felt very naughty, eating chocolate chip waffles and sipping Mimosas before noon, but it tasted divine. Since Valentine’s Day had recently passed, he used it as an excuse to buy me flowers from a cart and a delicate charm bracelet from a jewelry store we passed as we attempted to walk off our meal. To finish the afternoon, we ducked into a convenient theater for a matinee movie. What Women Want was showing—I collapsed in a fit of giggles and he practically carried me to our seats as the employees stared like they doubted my sanity. As the lights dimmed, he lifted my chin and pressed his lips to mine. In no time, he was nibbling my ear and the sensitive skin of my neck. Once again we missed the show—this time because we spent the entire time making out like teenagers.
But all too soon, it was time to return, so they could prepare for the upcoming show. The restaurant owner brought his daughter, and when Leo pointed them out, Jessie made sure they received backstage passes, and gave them a tour of the bus. It was impossible to tell who was happier over that particular meet and greet…them or the guys. My money’s on his daughter, though—as they were leaving, she got a hug and a kiss on the cheek from all three of them. I’d bet money her feet never touched the asphalt parking lot, she was floating so far off the ground.
The next day, I flew home. He sent me another ticket the very next weekend—it felt like I was spending nearly as much time at the airport as I was at home and Callie didn’t even notice I was gone. My heart ached for her. Then, early March, he mentioned their attempts to bring Callie and Jessie together one last time and the issue of where to do it. I mentioned the Coushatta Casino Resort and it snowballed. We decided to meet there. They’d bring Jessie and I’d be responsible for Callie.
Midway through March, I was knocking on her door—Operation Reunion phase one. Not even giving her time to answer it, I used the key she gave me when she first bought the place. As the door swung open, I looked around for her. “Callie?”
“I was coming. You didn’t have to use the key.”
“Yes…” I looked at her, sprawled on the floor in front of the television, her hair a nest of tangles and mystery stains on her pajamas, “I can see you’re practically standing. My apologies for making the assumption that I’d have to let myself in.”
“Smart ass.” She tried to smooth her hair and winced when her fingers got stuck instead.
I scanned the room, “Where’s James?”
“At Mom’s.”
“Good.” I motioned with my fingers for her to stand, “I won’t have to send him over there, then. Get up.”
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me. I said get up.”
She rolled over and stared up at me. “Why?”
“I’m getting you out of the house for a bit.”
“Why?”
“What are you—three?” I rolled my eyes, exasperated. “I’m taking you out because you’ve become like a freaking recluse. You go to work and you come home. That’s it. You’re wallowing in self-pity over Jessie—“
“I’m not wallowing.” She finally sat up. “Where are we going?”
“Yes, finally! A little interest in something other than work and James. I’m taking you to the Coushatta Casino Resort in Kinder—my treat. Din
ner, slots, dancing—“ I wiggled my hips, dancing a little to get her in the mood.
“Dancing?” Her eyes narrowed. “With who? And who’s playing?”
“With me and I don’t know.” I batted my eyes at her, hoping I looked appropriately innocent. I didn’t want to drag her to the car and deliver her, restrained with a pair of my feather bedecked handcuffs—I would, but I didn’t want to. “Do I look like I work there? A friend told me they offer decent live music on weekends. I haven’t been there before and thought it sounded fun.” I pouted, laying it on thick. “You used to enjoy going places with me. Remember?”
“I remember.” She worried her lip, driving me crazy. Then, getting to her feet, she sighed and said, “Let me grab a shower.”
“Yay! I’ll let your mom know, and see if she needs anything for my favorite little man.”
Five hours later, she was glaring daggers from the passenger seat. If looks could kill— “Four hours drive time to go to a casino? Really?”
I felt my cheeks heat up. Not wanting to give anything away, I thought quick and decided to play dumb, “I didn’t look it up and see how far it was. I just programmed it into the GPS in my car and followed the directions. I’ll get us a room for the night and we can head back in the morning after breakfast.”
“I’m scheduled to work in the morning.”
I did a double take. “You don’t work weekends—you never work weekends.”
Snickering, she corrected me, “I occasionally work on weekends to pick up extra money.”
It was news to me. “Why do you need extra money?”
“Nosy much? James wants to go to Legoland, if you must know.”
“In Ft Worth?” I snorted. Was that all? “That doesn’t cost very much. Six Flags would be way more expensive.”
“Not Ft Worth. The theme park and hotel in either Florida or California.”
“There are theme parks and hotels built around those torture devices?” I shivered, unable to hide a grimace. “Call in sick anyway. When you start planning the trip, include me, and I’ll split the cost with you. Now, let’s go have fun.”
“Fun had better be code for let’s go eat,” she moaned, her stomach rumbling loud enough I heard it. “I haven’t had anything to eat all day, and it’s almost eight o’clock.”
“Whose fault is that?”
“Yours…you know I eat at around two or three in the afternoon on my days off, with Mom and James. After that, James and I just have a snack, later, if we’re hungry.”
“So, why didn’t you eat?”
“Hello? Because I was getting ready to go out with you?”
“Oh, yeah, that’s right.” I pocketed my phone and grinned. “I forgot about that.”
Her eyes latched onto my pocket. “Who you texting with?”
“None ya,” I teased.
“Jerk.”
I blinked, surprised to see her lower lip protruding. “Are you pouting? Oh my god, you are. You’re such a baby. If you absolutely must know, I was texting with Leo.”
“Who’s Leo?”
Whoops. I looked everywhere but at her, “Jessie’s brother.”
“His—? Why are you texting him?”
I shrugged, “Maybe because I like him?”
“Really?” She scrunched her nose at me. “He has a temper like your ex’s.”
And like a protective mother bear, I leaped to his defense. “He is nothing like my ex!”
“I’m sorry. You know him better than I do,” she apologized, surprised, both hands in the air, “You’ve obviously been talking to him—I just saw him the one night…”
“No, I’m sorry—for biting your head off.” I ducked my head, a sheepish expression on my face. “I know how he acted that night, but it was an anomaly. He’s really sweet and thoughtful and funny, rarely loses his temper. You’d really like him if you got to know him.”
“And you got all this from texting?” She raised an inquiring brow at me as we walked inside.
“No.” We followed a waitress to a table at the buffet restaurant, then grabbed plates and went in search of food.
“Really, now…it appears that I’ve missed out on quite a bit of your life, wallowing in self-pity.”
“No, it’s okay.” I said, giggling. “If you’d paid more attention to me, I might not have started talking to him.”
She tipped her head to the side, confused, “Huh?”
I explained, “We bonded over our mutual frustration at you and Jessie. Jessie shut him out and put all his focus on music and writing songs, just like you shut me out and focused on your job and James.”
She placed a scoop of potatoes on her plate. “I didn’t even know you gave him your number. I feel like such a horrible friend.”
“Well, don’t.” Leo leaned forward and winked at her. “She didn’t give me her number. I annoyed it out of Julie.”
“Uh, Lucy…” Her face white, Callie scanned the room.
“Looking for Jessie?” Leo asked, laughing when she shook her head. “Liar. He’s here—hiding out in the room, panicking over how you’ll hate him for not calling you before now.”
“I don’t hate him,” she muttered, never taking her eyes off her plate.
“What was that?” Leo asked, his voice loud in the relative quiet of the room. “What’d she say, Lucy? She was mumbling, and I didn’t catch it.”
“I said I don’t hate him. I could never hate—oh my god, what are you doing?” She pulled back from the phone he’d shoved in her face, “Who’s on that phone?”
Leo looked at her, his eyes damp, but amused. “Jessie.”
“But…why?”
“Because he needed to hear it from you.” He put the phone into his pocket and smiled. “He’ll be down soon.”
Callie followed me through the buffet like she was sleep walking, and when we returned to the table I had to tease her. “Um, Callie?”
“Hmm?” She blinked as if just waking up.
“That all you gonna eat? I thought you said you were starving.”
She stared at her plate, shocked apparently speechless. The blush on her cheeks appeared garish next to the pallor of her skin.
“You can go back through with me.”
Callie looked up, and her whole face lit up. At that moment, everything we’d done was worth the hassle and stress, and I knew I’d do it all over again, given the choice.
She smiled. “I’d like that.”
They walked the buffet without speaking, ate in silence, and even danced quietly, as Leo and I watched, our fingers crossed for them. Later, they went upstairs to talk, and Leo kept me distracted so I wouldn’t worry. When they didn’t come back down by midnight, I put it out of my mind and decided to accept Leo’s invite to stay in his room.
8
*
“I only have a king bed, but I can crash on the couch.” He held the door for me.
“You are not sleeping on the couch.” I grabbed a complimentary robe and headed for the shower.
“You aren’t, either.”
Without saying a word, I closed the door. Ten minutes later, I exited in a cloud of steam. “I freaking love hotel showers.”
“Did you hear what I said?” His brow was furrowed and he looked like an angry rooster. “You’re not sleeping on the couch.”
“I know.” Stepping to the far side of the bed, I dropped the robe to the floor and slid beneath the covers. “I never said I was.”
His Adam’s apple bobbed once, then again, before he could find his voice. Barely whispering, he said, “You’re not wearing any clothes.”
“I’m not?” I peeked under the blanket. “Damn, you’re right. How did that happen?”
“Don’t tease.”
“I’m not teasing. You know me better than that.”
“Do you need clothes? I have a t-shirt you can wear.”
I shook my head. “Nah, that’s okay. I’m good. I have clothes in the car, if I wanted them. I keep a bag in the trunk for em
ergencies.”
“Lucy, please…” He scrubbed his face with unsteady hands, “I won’t be worth shit tomorrow if you spend the night inches away from me, naked.”
“You’ll be fine.” I pushed the covers back and crawled across the bed. Kneeling, I held out my hand. “By the time we actually fall asleep, you’ll sleep like a baby.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Do I have to spell it out for you?” When he just looked at me, clueless, I rolled my eyes. “Remember what I said we weren’t gonna do in Colorado?”
Understanding started to dawn in his eyes. “Yeah…”
Grabbing his hand, I yanked him off balance. He crashed into me, his lips so close to mine I could feel the moist heat of his breath. Gazing into his eyes, I whispered, “Tonite, we are—fuck me, Leo. Fuck me like the world is gonna end at dawn.”
“You sure?” His heart pounded against my breast.
“I’ve never been more sure of anything. Now…get naked. I’m starting to feel seriously underdressed.” Pushing him away, I sprawled out on the covers, lightly tracing my fingers over my skin as he watched. When he didn’t move, I shoved him with my toes. “I’m not kidding. Strip, or I’ll rip them off you.”
As if I’d pushed fast forward, his clothes disappeared between blinks and in no time, he stood before me in all of his naked glory. “Happy now?”
“Oh, my,” I whispered, holding out my arms as my eyes traced hidden tattoos I didn’t know he had—tattoos I wanted to taste with my tongue. “Come here, and I will be.”
“Uh uh, baby. We have all night and I’ve been waiting for this for a long, looonng time.” He reached for my leg and, starting at my toes, kissed a slow, damp, shivery path up my body to my eager lips. It was a long path, with many exquisite detours, and by the time our mouths fused together, I was dying to feel him inside me. I burned with a desire only he could put out—
Way too early, a pounding on the door woke us both. I rubbed my eyes. “What the hell?”
“Leo, Lucy, we know you’re in there. Is Jessie in there with you?” Julie. I’d kill her.