Over her head, their fingers curled together, seeking, touching, reaching out for that melodious bond. They hit the first notes, strong and bold, like Beethoven’s Ninth, starting out bone-slow before building, igniting into its brilliant tempo.
Need coiled and snapped. It raged along slippery lines that shattered through both of them until the pleasure unfurled like gold-ribbon lace, burnished long and deep, etched in a fanciful scroll.
Mitch raised his head to peer at the rippling moonlight dancing through the window. He noticed she saw it, too. It was the first thing their eyes drifted to when they came up for air.
“So many times I looked up at that moon and wondered where you were, what you were doing,” Raine told him.
“I did the same. We let so many years go by,” Mitch admitted as he brought her into his arms, placed a kiss on the top of her sunny crop of hair. “Do you remember that time we snuck off and spent the whole day on Ramrod Key? We had the little house there all to ourselves.”
“Wait. Wasn’t that the very first time we had sex?”
“It was. I think about that little house all the time, the way it was just the two of us, like we were the only two people who existed in the world.”
“You never told me that,” she said, staring into his soulful eyes.
“I was too young to know my heart, Raine. Back then, I was just too young to appreciate what I had, who you were, what I wanted from you. I’m sorry if I wasn’t the man you wanted me to be back then.”
She pressed her lips to his. “You were a boy, hardly a man. We were in such a hurry to experience everything about each other, I guess neither one of us took the time to find out what the other one wanted or what we expected from each other.”
“I know what I want now. I want you in my life.”
“What are you saying? Where are we going with this, Mitch? We’re still the same two people at odds over the same thing. You know I can’t leave and you can’t stay. Maybe we should just enjoy each other while we can.”
He cocked a brow, questioning that attitude. “Is that enough for you? To be without me when I’m gone for long periods at a time? It’s not enough for me, Raine.”
She let out a low sigh. “I’m too tired to process this right now. Nothing will change the fact I have to be here to take care of my mother and you have to leave.”
He tightened his hold on her. “So this is all we’ll ever have? I’m not ready to accept that.”
She patted his chest. “Get some sleep. I’m no longer that silly teenage girl looking for forever after.”
He closed his eyes, wishing he still had a chance with that naïve girl he’d left in the dust. As he fell into sleep, he longed for another time and place.
Chapter Nine - Justice
The next morning Mitch woke to the smell of bacon. When he stretched out his arm across the bed, he realized he was alone. Reluctantly he swung his legs to the floor, all the while sniffing the air. Even though his stomach rumbled with hunger, he had something else on his mind.
Grabbing his jeans, he shoved into them and went out into the living room with the express intent to coax Raine back into bed.
That idea died on the vine when he spotted Tessa and Anniston already sitting at the kitchen table. He rubbed his hand across his bare chest in a self-conscious gesture. But his eyes landed on Raine. She wore a sundress the color of spring, a hint of soft green peppered with little chocolate flowers.
“Ladies. I didn’t know anyone else was here. I didn’t hear you get here or come in.”
“You were sacked out,” Raine explained as she plated a golden waffle for Anniston. “Come, sit down, have breakfast.”
Tessa stifled a giggle as Mitch dashed back in the bedroom to retrieve his T-shirt. “I guess we put a crimp in his morning plans.”
Raine loaded more batter into the waffle iron. “Probably. But neither one of us got much sleep last night.”
Anniston bit into her strip of bacon. “It never occurred to me I’d fall for a guy who lives in Hawaii. We’re still trying to work out the logistics of that and him getting back on the circuit at some point while still trying to build our relationship. Life is complicated.”
Raine gnawed on a piece of toast. “You’d move to Hawaii?”
Anniston raised one shoulder. “Honestly, he’s talked about coming back here. I think he plans to rent out his house in Oahu and live in Florida. I could easily live on the Key as long as we clean up the scum here first.”
“You mean Indigo Key? Really?” Raine said in surprise. “That’s interesting. I thought you were rooted down in Miami with your family.”
The private detective sent her a wry smile. “I did, too. But life has a way of throwing up a roadblock when you least expect it. Like I said, complications.”
“That’s true. I can tell you I never thought I’d live anywhere other than Nags Head,” Tessa acknowledged as she forked up a bite of her waffle. “Jackson and I are thinking about settling here for real in his grandmother’s little cottage.”
“What about his job in New York?”
“I don’t think he wants to go back and pick up where he left off. He’s talking about trying for a teaching job with one of the local colleges around here or applying to the state to study marine ecosystems on one of the ongoing watershed projects. It’s kind of surreal the way our relationship has taken off. It’s happening so fast.”
Raine patted Tessa on the shoulder and pointed her spatula at the man rounding the corner of the living room for the second time that morning. “Tell me about it. Surreal is a good word that fits. Just look who I spent the night with last night. Who’d’ve thought we could be in the same bed together without killing each other? Now that’s the very definition of surreal.”
Mitch stood a few feet away, fully dressed, his lips curved in a wide grin. He went over and planted a kiss on Raine’s mouth. He sniffed the air. “I think you’ve turned into a chef extraordinaire.”
“Not really. But I enjoy cooking.” Raine poured more orange juice, freshly squeezed, from a pitcher into a glass for him and took a seat. “Anniston’s lined up the translator for the diary. He’s agreed to meet all of us at your mother’s house at two this afternoon. I’ve arranged for Charlotte to work what amounts to a double shift so I can be there. She isn’t happy about it.”
“This is hard on you,” Mitch said in realization.
“No harder than it is on everyone else.”
He stared at her. “If I ask you something, will you tell me the truth.”
“Of course,” Raine replied, curious as to where he was headed.
“This sounds serious,” Anniston noted, getting to her feet. “Maybe Tessa and I should leave you two alone.”
Tessa took the hint and stood up with her plate. “Thanks for breakfast, especially after we just dropped in on you this morning. We’ll see you at Lenore’s later.”
Raine waved off any inconvenience. “I enjoyed having you stop by. We should do it again, maybe another girls’ night out.”
After the two women rinsed off their dishes and took off, Raine stared at Mitch. “You really know how to clear a room. What gives? After last night I thought you’d be in a good mood.”
“I am in a good mood. I just wanted to know if you’re happy running the restaurant. It’s a simple question.”
“Why wouldn’t I be? Happy is a relative state of mind anyway and doesn’t actually exist.”
“You’re evading.”
“Are you trying to pick a fight with me? It’s really too early in the morning for that. Eat your breakfast before it gets cold.”
He picked up his fork. “I’m not picking a fight. And you’re avoiding giving me a straight answer. Are you happy working six days a week there?”
“Who else is going to do it, Mitch? In case you’ve forgotten, my mother is a—”
“Your mom is a functioning alcoholic,” he finished. “I’m aware of that.”
“Obviously you haven’t
been around her lately. She’s not that functional. She sits on the couch all day swigging down vodka, watching her TV programs with my seventy-six-year-old grandmother, and basically, acting as if she’s waiting around to die. At least that’s how it seems to me. By six o’clock every evening she’s usually passed out. Since Danny died she’s given up on living. She barely leaves the house. That’s why I was so shocked she actually went to the memorial service the other day.”
“You mean she doesn’t even go out to shop?”
“Are you kidding me? I order her groceries once a week, usually the same time I place my order for the restaurant, and have them deliver the order directly to her house. Otherwise, I’m not sure she’d keep any food on hand, certainly nothing that’s nutritious. My grandmother once told me she went fourteen hours without eating after Mom locked her in her room. If I don’t stay on top of the situation who knows what’ll happen.”
“That’s not good. Your grandmother Mimi was always pretty cool. So you’ve basically been dealing with this for years now, stuck here taking care of your mom and grandma and working at the restaurant full-time. Is it what you want out of life, Raine?”
She moved her shoulder up and down. “What else do I have to do?”
“What do you want to do?”
She sent him a look, raised her eyebrows up and down. “I’d like to get you in my bed again as soon as possible. Having you here, like this, is a luxury for me.”
“Nice segue into changing the subject.” He stared at the short dress she wore that showed off her tanned legs. The sight had him revving up, so he ran his hand along her satiny shoulder. “But I’m not complaining.”
Raine managed to roll out a giggle when he started pulling her to him. The laugh morphed into a satisfying breath as he slowly slid down the straps on her sundress, exposing bare skin. He kept peeling fabric away until she was naked to the waist. His hungry mouth fed at her breast.
And the room went into a spin for her. She wanted him, every part of him. “Hurry. Hurry. I want your hands on me.”
“Whoa. Maybe we should slow this tidal wave down.”
“Tidal wave? More like a tsunami,” she uttered, spreading little kisses along his throat.
His laughter rang out like a song while his rough hands splayed along her flesh. “We always seemed to be rushing headlong into sex.”
She stopped long enough to stare at him. “You’re complaining about having sex? That’s a new one. What have you done with the real Mitch Indigo?”
“I’m not complaining.”
To prove it, his mouth ranged over her breasts again while the heat roared between them hotter than a beach bonfire.
Pleasure gripped her as she let him take, feed, ravage. Her fingers moved into warmth as she directed his mouth down to meet hers.
He leaned her back on the table. Plates rattled as he made room. He took her there on the flat surface while gentle waves rushed headlong against the houseboat and sunlight dappled the walls with a golden spray.
Tessa joined Anniston in the SUV to make the short drive to the cottage she shared with Jackson. “I’ve never seen anyone do such a one-eighty like Raine. Now those two don’t seem to be able to keep their hands off each other.”
“I’m not surprised. First love is always the deepest.”
“Hmm, I’m not sure I ever had that kind of first love.”
“Then my guess is you weren’t really in love,” Anniston deduced. “I’ve never felt anything for a man like I feel for Garret.”
“That’s exactly the right note with Jackson. He’s unlike anyone I’ve ever known. Since my first boyfriend was a bit of an ass, I’d say those two, Raine and Mitch, hit the mother lode with each other as teens.”
“They just didn’t know it at the time.”
Tessa smiled, remembering the serene look she’d seen on Raine’s face. The woman had been downright placid. “Well, they’re certainly making up for lost time now.”
After a round of shower sex, Raine got ready for work by throwing on a pair of jeans and a tank top.
She was dragging a brush through her hair when she picked up her cell phone and heard her mother’s meandering voice mail messages. “Oh, God.”
“What’s wrong?”
“My mother’s upset that Maddie and Charlotte had to work double shifts yesterday because I wasn’t there.”
“You’re kidding? But she knows you didn’t get back on island until last night. She knows you were abducted.”
“I think somehow she missed the importance of that.”
“That’s nuts.”
“Now you’re beginning to see my point.”
There was some discussion about Mitch tagging along to watch over her at the restaurant during her shift.
“Bodyguard,” she spat out, the word bringing full distaste at the notion of having him underfoot all day. “I can take care of myself.”
“Be reasonable,” he began. “You got kidnapped and used as a bargaining chip. Or have you forgotten already?”
“That’s just it. I’m the one who got drugged and woke up woozy, sick at my stomach and terrified. I’m not letting that happen again. Trust me on that.”
“Trusting you isn’t the problem…”
“You can’t babysit me every second of every day. I’m more aware now of how unsafe we all are. Besides, Anniston dropped off a can of pepper spray this morning.” She held it up for him to see. “And Tessa gave me a pink keychain shaped like a kitty-cat with really sharp, pointy ears to use as a weapon.” She pulled that out of her purse and dangled it in front of his face. “So you see, I’ll be fine because I’m just going straight to the restaurant.”
“Raine, I’m not letting you out of my sight and that’s final.”
“Humor me. At least allow me the pretense of doing this without a guard dog at my elbow.”
He blew out a long sigh. “You know I’ll just hang back and follow you, so there’s really not much you can do about it.”
He bent down, kissed her forehead. “Then I’ll be across the street watching if you need me.”
“As funny as that sounds—you waiting by the curb like Magnum PI—you’re not babysitting me in broad daylight.”
The argument had gone on for another ten minutes before Raine gave in. It wasn’t easy giving up control, but it did give her some comfort, knowing her lover was nearby. Her lover. What a concept that was.
“But I’m driving,” she insisted. “My car hasn’t been started in a couple of days anyway. It needs TLC a little more often than it used to.”
“Danny’s roadster always was finicky. It’s all the humidity on island. It makes the carburetor stick.”
But when she went outside to the marina parking lot to crank up the engine, the Fiat refused to turn over. “Come on, I’m only going four blocks, surely you have that much mileage left in you,” she mumbled under her breath.
Mitch got out to fiddle under the hood. “You really need a new car.”
“Don’t start. Just get it started for me, will you?”
It took him less than five minutes to judge the car wasn’t going anywhere. “Your spark plugs are shot. When’s the last time you had this thing looked at, or at least had the oil changed?”
“Really? You’re lecturing me now about auto maintenance? Want me to head over to Baskin’s shop, let him fix all that ails it?”
“Baskin’s not the only mechanic in town, just the loudest braggart. Take it over to Clay Don Bigelow’s. Clay has a repair shop just down the street next to his fueling station. He’s cheaper, doesn’t bitch about working on foreign cars, and will probably give you a discount. Plus, there’s the bonus because you won’t have to deal with Baskin.”
“Fine. How do I get it there?”
He took out his cell phone. “Hi Clay, it’s Mitch Indigo. I need a tow. Can you help me out?” After several minutes, he hung up. “He’ll be here in ten minutes.”
True to his word, Clay Don’s tow truck pulled
up, a twenty-year-old, fire-engine red Ford Super Duty with the name Bigelow’s printed in gold lettering on the side.
Clay Don bounded out of the cab of the truck, wearing a light blue mechanic’s shirt sporting grease stains and a pair of well-worn dark blue pants with more than a few oil spots.
She’d gone to school with him back when he played centerfield for the Indigo Iguanas. He’d been married for the last ten years to Gabby Pittman, a cheerleader from days of old, and had two little boys. Raine usually saw the family once a week, eating out, as they made it a point to come in for tacos on Tuesday nights.
She caught the knowing look Clay Don gave Mitch and turned to see why. Mitch wore a full, satisfied grin on his face. She wasn’t sure if it revealed they’d had down and dirty sex less than an hour earlier, or the fact that he’d been right about the stupid state of the car. Before she could react to either notion, Clay Don cleared up the why.
“Well, well, well. I see you two finally patched things up. ’Bout time if you ask me. What’s a matter with the old girl today, Raine?”
“You better be talking about this piece of crap car,” Raine shot back, lips curving up. “Wherever Hudley Slocum is he must be laughing his ass off at the Mannings.”
“Now you know I was referring to your ’snickety wheels here,” the mechanic said as he rounded the hood. “Mitch here says she’s overdue for spark plugs.”
“She’s overdue for a rest home,” Raine snapped, wondering how many minutes it would take for the whole town to realize she was sleeping with Mitch again. If Clay Don caught on in less than five minutes—and he’d never been the brightest bulb on the tree—how long would it take for everyone else to know?
Living in a small town could be a major pain in the butt.
“Might as well change out the carburetor while you’re at it,” Mitch noted. “And put on new brake pads. Send me the bill.”
After realizing that Mitch seemed to be taking over after less than twenty-four hours, it didn’t take much to push Raine’s temper into lava-mode. It wasn’t lost on her that she’d been in such a good mood until she’d picked up the damn phone and heard her mother’s messages. So having Mitch offer to pay for her car repairs was the final straw. It sent her over the edge, icing the morning’s crappy turn of events. “Oh, no you don’t. I’m perfectly capable of paying to fix my own car.”
The Indigo Brothers Trilogy Boxed Set Page 73