Package Deal

by Chris Chegri

  Steve took them on a quick tour of the house, led by Junker, who allowed Lacy to ride on his back. There was nothing pretentious or lavish about the house. Simple, but open and refreshing with pristine white walls, glossy tile floors, and French doors opening out onto the back porch. The very porch Steve once promised he’d sleep on if Kelly and Lacy agreed to occupy his room.

  From the porch, the backyard opened up onto a landscaped pool area, beyond which stood the boathouse and private dock. Unlike the front yard’s wild natural landscaping, the back was groomed to perfection.

  “Do you two mind if Junker goes along? He loves the boat and goes fishing with me all the time.”

  “Yeah, let’s take Junker,” Lacy chimed, bouncing with enthusiasm. “Please Steve.”

  “Kelly?” Steve arched one eyebrow.

  “I wouldn’t dream of denying Junker his favorite pastime.”

  Junker and Steve led Kelly and Lacy down to the boathouse. Steve pulled the canvas cover off, folded it, and pushed it aside. Holding Lacy’s hand, he steadied Kelly while she climbed in. He hoisted Lacy into Kelly’s waiting arms and grabbed the bag containing the wine and glasses, slipped the boat free of its mooring, and climbed in.

  “Rule number one. Everyone wears one of these.” Steve opened a compartment and dug out two adult life vests. Kelly shrugged into hers while Steve fished for an extra small one for Lacy.

  “What about Junker?” Lacy asked.

  Steve tightened her vest. “He’s a better swimmer than all of us put together.”

  Lacy settled in the seat with her mother and held tight to Junker, who planted himself between Steve and Kelly. Steve started up the engine, and they rocked out into the lazy current. Within seconds, they navigated the river, working their way toward the center of the waterway. Predictably, the air had cooled, and they soon wrapped up in the blankets. Overhead a million stars imbued the heavens with shimmering light, and as the boat cut through the water, Steve pointed out the different constellations, stirring Kelly and Lacy with stories of space and ancient astronomical legends. Hypnotized, Lacy listened while Kelly grew more and more fascinated with Steve and the many facets of his personality.

  By the time they reached the inlet, Lacy was passed out across her mother’s lap, and Steve and Kelly had emptied the bottle of wine. Steve navigated the small craft into the sleepy current and headed them north again, toward home. The wind picked up a bit and now, facing into the wind, Kelly sat hunched against the cold, her thinking a little fuzzy from all the wine.

  Steve ordered Junker to the back of the boat and signaled Kelly to move closer to him. “Come here. Grab the stool and set it between the seats.”

  She measured the toss of the current and, found her sea legs, lifted Lacy and sat down on the stool beside him.

  Steve stroked Lacy’s hair then slipped his arm around her mother’s shoulders. “Cold?”

  “A little.” Kelly lifted her eyes to his. “It’s really lovely though. I’m glad we came.”

  “We’ll come back sometime when it’s daylight. Lacy would enjoy climbing the lighthouse.”

  Both dropped their gaze to Lacy. She was sound asleep, well protected from the wind by a blanket and the closeness of their bodies.

  “Deal. I’ll hold you to it. I love the water. Always have, and I want Lacy to feel the same way.”

  Their eyes met again, and Steve’s hand slid up Kelly’s back, resting at the base of her neck. Her breathing slowed to a shallow pant of anticipation, and before she could utter a word, Steve lowered his mouth, covering hers in a soft kiss. His lips were cool and supple when they came together for a brief taste.

  “I’d better pay attention, though I’d rather continue what we were just doing.” His eyes softened, lusty in the moonlight. “There are deep oyster beds lining the river banks, nasty, jagged shells, treacherous to small boats. Don’t want us to become a statistic tonight.”

  Kelly placed her head on his shoulder, feeling abandoned until his mouth brushed her ear, arousing nerves cooled by the wind blowing through her hair.

  “I hoped you’d enjoy the ride,” Steve whispered in her ear. “I love the water and wind almost as much as I love…”

  Lacy stirred, flopping onto her side and distracting them, cutting Steve’s sentence short. Kelly’s heart skittered in her chest. What had he been about to say? Her imagination ran wild. Love his job? His land? Fishing? Her? She wasn’t sure she wanted to know.

  “It’s getting pretty chilly. I’d better get you two home, or it’ll be my fault this time if you get sick.”

  Kelly pulled Lacy closer, leaving Steve free to steer the boat. He gave the motor a little more juice, and the rear end dipped low in the water, the bow lifting as the boat picked up speed. Steve’s arm tightened around Kelly, who was still trying to fill in the blank.

  Thirty minutes later, after securing the boat at Steve’s, they pulled into Kelly’s driveway. Steve jumped out, draping Lacy over his shoulder like a rag doll. Kelly hurried ahead to unlock the front door.

  Once inside, Kelly tucked Lacy in bed and returned to the living room to find Steve opening the second bottle of wine.

  She eyed him with suspicion. “More wine? Are you trying to get me drunk?”

  He patted the sofa beside him. “It’s not a bad idea. Is it?” His eyes smoldered, his one dimple cutting deep into his cheek.

  At last, they were alone, and Kelly’s nerve endings rattled beneath her skin. “Want some pie?”

  “No thanks. Come on over here.” He patted the couch beside him.

  She joined him, sitting close to him, her struggle with the past the only thing keeping them apart.

  A mature woman, with the desires of any woman her age, her mind filled with images of making love with Steve, right now, but the emotional leap she was about to take seemed as unfathomable as climbing the Great Wall of China.

  Sex was no casual thing to Kelly. She thought of it only within the parameters of a committed relationship, the kind she had committed to only once. Love and sex went hand-in-hand for Kelly, who was perhaps a little old fashioned but had never found any reason to change. She struggled with the same old fears. She knew she wanted Steve, but she needed to be sure—before anymore happened—he was worth the risk. She thought he was, but old habits die hard. Last night after the movie, after he’d gone, she’d lain awake into the wee hours of the night, wavering back and forth, knowing she couldn’t resist him much longer. If he had any sense, he knew by now she cared about him and wanted him as much as she knew he wanted her. Still, something kept her holding back, and it frustrated her as much as she guessed it did Steve. She was just so dammed scared.

  ***

  Steve’s stomach muscles tightened. The turmoil in her eyes was killing him, creating a distance between them he’d hoped to have closed by tonight. His frustration level soared. He wanted her now, this very moment, but he understood. He didn’t want Kelly to think she was just another conquest. She wasn’t. When the time was right, she would know it. He was in love with her, and he would do whatever it took, stand on his head if need be, to convince her he wasn’t going to hurt her.

  He reached over and patted her knee. “Hey, Pearson, if you’re tired, just say so. It’s been a long day.”

  “It’s been a long life,” Kelly muttered, rolling away from him.

  Much to his disappointment, the time still wasn’t right for her, although it was driving him crazy. She still wasn’t ready to take the step, though he’d known for some time she was the kind of woman who wouldn’t sleep with a man until she could make a commitment. It might kill him, but he could wait.

  Steve hopped up from the couch and strode down the hall. Sitting around wallowing in the tension put a strain on his manhood, and he’d promised himself he wouldn’t do that to himself again. He’d been miserable the last two nights, and falling asleep hadn’t come easily.

  “I’m just going to look in on Lacy before I go. She was wheezing a little when I carried he
r in.”

  Opening Lacy’s door, he crept in and stood in the dark beside her bed. In the corner, Skunk scurried about, rearranging his cedar shavings for the night. Lacy’s breathing sounded quiet and regular. Steve reached down and pulled her blanket up to her chin before turning to leave.

  Kelly stood in the doorway. Her face had softened, the worry vanished. Her skin, creamy by day, appeared fragile and pale in the harsh hall light. He fought the urge to reach out and touch her, more for his own good than hers.

  He closed the door behind him. “She’s fine. Her breathing sounds better than mine.” He wondered if Kelly noticed the labored change in his.

  “What does it matter to you?” Kelly asked.

  She was testing him.

  “Because I care about her. And I care about you. More than I’ve cared about anyone in a long, long time.”

  Kelly closed the gap between them. “Where were you eight years ago, McCarthy?” She reached out and caressed his cheek. “Stay with me tonight.”

  Steve’s breath caught in his throat. She was ready at last, offering herself to him, like he’d been praying she would. He threaded his hands around her waist. “Eight years? I can’t remember, but I’ll stay with you tonight and any other night you’ll have me.” He pulled her against him, the fullness of her breasts pressing against his chest, arousing him and sending blood coursing into his loins.

  “You’re on. I don’t have anywhere to go until tomorrow,” she whispered.

  Her mouth was sweetened by the wine and warmed by the blood surging through her veins. Steve’s hands roamed across her buttocks. He lifted her, sliding her down over the hard bulge between his legs, lighting a fire between them. For a moment, Kelly’s eagerness overshadowed his, but when they came up for air, she pulled away.

  “Not here, Steve.”

  “What?” His voice was ripe with passion.

  “I don’t want Lacy to know you’re here.”

  He pulled her into the bedroom, closing the door behind them. “Is this better?”

  “Perfect.” She giggled.

  A small desk lamp burned on the dresser, illuminating the room. Soft moonlight filtered through a break in the drapes, projecting their shadows on the wall beside the bed. Steve twisted the lock and wrapped her in his arms.

  They found one another’s mouths again. Kelly took his hand and placed it over her breast, while, with nimble fingers, she unbuttoned his shirt and dragged it over his broad shoulders. Steve surrendered to weeks of pent up tension, groping for the zipper to her pants. Their breathing came in ragged gasps, their movements almost frenzied. Buttons popped, a sleeve hung up on Kelly’s shoulder. Steve’s belt hit the floor with a clank.

  He wasn’t a gentleman anymore. He’d reached the end of his control, and now, with Kelly’s approval, he conveyed his urgency through quick, thorough movements of his strong hands and the rooting, probing promise of his tongue as he sought to know her lips and mouth intimately with his own.

  As they stripped away the final fabrics, a collision of flesh left them both breathless. Their goal met, their movements slowed. They clung to one another, exploring each other’s body with slow, measured touches, their lips still locked together as if they feared separating might break the spell.

  Pulling away, Kelly climbed onto the bed and laid back against the pillows, watching him remove his last remaining garment—his socks.

  “Nothing else, milady?” he mocked.

  “Actually, there is one thing.” She eyed his erection while she removed a foil packet from the brown bag tucked under her pillow.

  He could feel her trembling, but guessed it wasn’t because of him, but the emotional wall she was about to tear down. He rolled onto the bed beside her and took her into his arms, hoping to push the past away and let the walls come tumbling down.

  He eyed the foil packet. “So, you planned my seduction?” he teased, running a fingertip between her breasts.

  She shrugged, neither admitting nor denying the fact.

  Steve took the packet, obliged her, then buried his face against her neck, the mental imagery of his many fantasies of their lovemaking enhanced by the fragrance of her bare skin and the radiance of her silky black hair where it lay across the crisp white sheet. Afraid for a moment he might lose it, he pulled away.

  Kelly’s expression switched from pleasure to confusion. He kissed her, reassuring her. I just want to look at you for a moment. You’re so beautiful.”

  With slow tender caresses his hands roamed over her curves, his gaze never leaving her face. He cupped her breast, nudging the nipple into a hardened peak. Kelly shivered and moved closer, rubbing against him. His gaze trailed along her feminine curves from hip to foot. Her toes were curled with excitement. He smiled. Even her feet were pretty.

  He slid his hand along her rib cage, bending to take her nipple into his mouth. With his tongue he tugged and tantalized the rigid peak.

  Kelly pressed his face against her chest. He could hear her heart throbbing in her breast.

  “I don’t know what I’ve been so afraid of,” she breathed against his hair.

  His confidence soared. Weeks of denied emotional and physical hunger for her was unleashed in an instant, and he lost himself in her silky warmth, offering her all the love and tenderness he possessed without scaring her again with words of promises prematurely spoken.

  Not surprising, their lovemaking was over in minutes. He was relieved Kelly showed neither surprise, nor disappointment. Nestled against him, she nibbled at his neck and stroked his back, arousing him again. He responded with urgency and peppered her body with kisses, relighting the flame, and moments later, they made love again, this time lasting considerably longer. Exhausted, Kelly fell asleep in his arms, the beating of Steve’s heart competing with the pounding of the surf a block away.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  The sun woke Kelly, and she rolled over searching for Steve. Only a cool spot remained, in contrast with last night when she feared they might sear the sheets. Her heart skipped a beat. In his place, he’d left a simple note. Kelly rubbed the sleep from her eyes, praying it wasn’t a Dear John—or was it Alice—letter so soon in their relationship.

  Pearson—

  Didn’t think I should be here when Lacy got up. Never asked what her usual waking time was. Hated leaving you, but…Hope I did the right thing. Call me. Your devoted lover and friend, Steve.

  She sighed, falling back against the pillows. Relief washed over her, reminiscent of a plunge in a warm Jacuzzi. She savored the feeling.

  The sheets were cool and silky against her naked flesh. She reached over and rubbed the spot where Steve had lain beside her throughout most of the night, recalling the memory of his flesh against hers—heated and vibrant as he devoured her body with his strong hands, firm lips, and virile masculinity—leaving her floating on a sea of moist shivers. She pulled his pillow to her naked breast. Closing her eyes, she inhaled his scent from the fabric.

  “McCarthy, you always do the right thing. Just keep it up. I’ve got a lot more invested in you than you could ever imagine.”

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Sunday was a long needed day of rest. Steve called her around noon, and they talked for an hour while Lacy played with Skunk on the front porch. A crystal clear sky hovered overhead, and the ground had dried following the rain. Kelly decided it was a perfect day to take Lacy to the beach while Steve worked from home.

  Later that afternoon, he came over and took them for a seafood dinner in Flagler Beach and stayed over again—their lovemaking reaching greater heights than the previous night. Again, he left before her daughter woke up.

  Monday morning Kelly dropped Lacy at school and decided to stop by Murphy’s before heading to work. Connie, the woman who had waited on Kelly and Steve the day of the luggage swap, greeted Kelly with a friendly smile.

  “I was wondering if you’d ever come back.” She showed Kelly to a booth. The place smelled of bacon and coffee, and Kelly�
�s stomach rumbled.

  “You remember me?”

  “I do. You met Steve McCarthy here and almost took off his head.” She laughed. “He’s a regular, especially on the weekends.”

  “He is? Hmm. Well, you’re right. I wasn’t very pleasant. Not one of my finer moments, I’m afraid.” She grimaced, remembering. “He had my luggage, and I was in a hurry to meet my new boss.”

  Connie handed her a menu. “Want some coffee?”

  “Sure. A small orange juice, too, please.”

  “So, how’d the luggage work out?” She reached into her apron pocket and set some eating utensils and a napkin in front of Kelly. Her nametag—Hi, I’m Connie—was pinned in the middle of her chest.

  Kelly pondered the waitress’s nosiness but reminded herself it was a small town compared to San Francisco and the Bay Area. Besides, Connie seemed to know Steve pretty well.

  “It turned out okay.” Kelly couldn’t help but smile. She’d spent the last two nights in his arms, willing and eager.

  “You two dating now?” Connie asked.

  Kelly blushed. “How did you know?”

  Her brown eyes twinkled. “Just a guess.”

  “We are. Sort of.” Kelly wasn’t sure what to say. She’d only made up her mind about dating or not dating Steve McCarthy two days ago.

  Connie blushed. “Sorry. I’m not a very private person. I’m nosey, but only with people I care about. I’ll leave you alone and let you look at the menu.”

  She seemed to change her mind. “Steve’s been coming here for years, and I’m telling you, he’s a keeper. Don’t know why that man is still single. If I was fifteen years younger and a whole lot prettier…” She stopped and laughed. “Well, you know what I mean. A girl as pretty and smart as you doesn’t have to be told now, do you? I wish you good luck with him.”

  Awkward. “Uh, I’m ready to order. I know what I want.” Kelly handed her the menu. “I’ll take one piece of French toast and one scrambled egg.”