by Betina Krahn
Alex laughed. This was one instance when he wasn’t afraid to be honest. “When you’re in the room, I’m pretty much thinking about the next time I’ll see you naked. And when you’re not close by, I’m thinking about the next time I’ll be with you—so I can take off your clothes and see you naked.”
“Men think about sex a lot, don’t they? Women aren’t supposed to think about it.”
“Do you?”
“Yes,” she said, her voice filled with astonishment. “All the time. When I see you dressed, the first thing I want to do is take your clothes off. I like the way you look. I like your skin and your muscles and your eyes and your hair.”
“My turn. Tell me about your favorite fantasy.”
Her face softened and her expression grew wistful. “That one is easy. I’m at work and I’m sitting at my desk and the bell above the door rings and there he is. All grown up. He still looks the same, but he’s bigger. And it’s like it never happened, like he was just gone for a few hours, running errands or having lunch.”
He’d expected a sexual fantasy, at least that was what he thought they were talking about. But from the look on her face, he could see the emotional toll the confession was taking. He wanted to stop her, to tell her she misunderstood, yet he was curious to know the truth.
“Your brother?”
She nodded. “I used to have that dream all the time. It would be the only thing that kept the nightmares from becoming unbearable. I’d wake up and I’d be so happy. Sometimes, it was different. I’d be somewhere and I’d see him on the street and I’d run after him. Or I’d be hiking and find him sitting in the woods, all alone.”
“What happened, Tenley? How did he die?”
She bit her bottom lip. Her voice wavered when she spoke. “Tommy drowned. In a boating accident,” she said. “I’m getting hungry. I think you should fetch us some dinner.”
He kissed her gently, satisfied that she’d told him enough for now. “I’m not much of a cook.”
“There’s a bar in town that makes the best pizza. We can order one and you can go pick it up. And while you’re gone, I’ll feed the horses and make a fire. Then after supper, we’ll take a walk down to the bay.”
“That sounds good to me,” he said, dropping a kiss on her lips. “And then we’ll talk about your book.”
“What if I just say ‘yes’ right now? Then do we have to talk about it tonight?”
“Are you saying yes?” Alex asked.
Tenley nodded. “Yes. Yes, you may publish my silly book, Alex. Yes, I’ll sign your contract. As long as we don’t have to talk about it for the rest of the night.”
Alex held out his hand. “Deal.” He paused. “Don’t shake unless you mean it. A verbal agreement is legal and binding.”
She shook his hand. “Deal. Green olives, green peppers, sausage and mushrooms. And get the eighteen-inch. With extra cheese. And hot peppers on the side.”
“Can I get dressed first?” he asked.
Tenley rolled over onto her stomach, her legs crossed at the ankles. “As long as I can watch. But do it really slowly.”
He got up and began to retrieve his clothes from where they were scattered on the floor. Tenley followed his movements, a brazen grin on her face. “Stop staring at me,” he teased, repeating the words she’d said to him their first night together.
“In the summer, I live without clothes.”
“Really?”
“I walk down to the bay and climb down the cliffs and take off all my clothes and lie on the rocks in the sun. Sometimes sailboats go by and see me, but I don’t care.”
Alex could picture her, walking through the forest like a wood nymph, her long, pale limbs moving gracefully through the lush undergrowth. He’d be back in the summer to see that, making a silent promise to himself.
“Why don’t you come with me to this bar? We’ll eat there. Maybe have a few drinks. Then we’ll come back and I’ll help you feed the horses.”
“Would this be a date?” Tenley asked.
“Yes,” Alex said. “This would be a date.”
“Then I accept,” she said. She jumped up and ran from the bedroom to the bathroom. “I’ll have to make myself pretty.”
“No,” he said. “I like you just the way you are.” There was nothing at all he’d want to change about Tenley. And Alex found that fact quite amazing.
TENLEY GRABBED the pitcher of beer from the bar and walked over to the table she and Alex had chosen. He followed behind her with two empty glasses and a basket of popcorn. Before she sat down, he pulled her chair out for her and Tenley sent him a playful smile.
“Your mother taught you well,” she said.
“My great-grandmother,” he corrected. “She was from the old country. She learned English by reading Emily Post and she somehow got the idea that all Americans had to act that way. Usually Greek families are loud and boisterous. We’re loud, but unfailingly polite. You should hear our conversation around the table at Easter.”
“My parents didn’t believe in social conventions. They let us run wild. We were allowed to say and do anything we wanted. As I look back on it, I’m not sure that was good. It’s cute in children, but people think it’s weird in adults.”
“I think you turned out just fine,” Alex said.
Tenley loved the little compliments he paid her. She’d often thought a good boyfriend would work hard to make her happy. And Alex seemed to do that naturally, as if his only thought was to please her. “Do you have a girlfriend?” she asked.
The words just popped out of her mouth and an instant later, she wanted to take the question back. Yet her curiosity overwhelmed her. How could a guy like Alex be single? He was smart and funny and gorgeous. And there were a lot of women in Chicago who would consider him a great catch.
“No,” he replied. “I don’t really get into long-term relationships. I date a lot of different women, but no one seriously.”
“I see,” Tenley said. Though it was exactly what she wanted to hear—he was unattached—she wasn’t sure she liked the fact that he dated “a lot” of women. Was she just the latest of many? “But do you sleep with them?”
“On occasion,” he said in a measured tone. “What about you?”
“I don’t sleep with women, especially women who’ve dated you. Although there was a rumor going around town that I preferred girls.”
“Do you?” Alex asked.
“I started the rumor. I got tired of every single man in town asking me out. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with liking girls. You love who you love. I guess if you’re lucky enough to find that, it shouldn’t make a difference.”
“I guess not,” Alex said. “I’ve been thinking that I might be missing out. Maybe I should try the whole relationship thing. See how it goes.”
“I wouldn’t be any good at that,” Tenley said. “I have too much baggage. Everyone says so. They say my last name should be Samsonite.”
Alex laughed, but Tenley had never found the comment particularly funny. She couldn’t help how she felt. Putting on a sunny face and pretending she was happy seemed like a waste of energy.
But this was the first time she’d been out in ages, and she was with a man she found endlessly intriguing. And tonight, they’d go home and crawl into her bed and make love. Tenley had to admit, for the first time in a long time, she was genuinely happy.
“Who is that guy over there?” Alex asked, pointing toward the bar. “He’s giving me the evil eye.”
Tenley glanced over her shoulder, then moaned. “Oh, that’s Randy. He’s in love with me.”
“Really?” Alex’s eyebrow shot up. “He doesn’t seem like your type.”
“He thinks he’s in love with me,” Tenley corrected. “He’s had a crush on me since high school and every year about this time, he asks me out to the Valentine’s Day dance at the firehouse. And every year, I say no.”
“You’d think he’d get the message,” Alex said.
“
He’s kind of thick-headed,” Tenley explained. She looked at Randy again, then quickly turned around. “He’s coming over here. Maybe we should leave.”
“No!” Alex said. “We have just as much right to be here as he does. Besides, I’m hungry and they haven’t brought our pizza yet.”
“Hello, Tenley.”
She forced a smile as she looked up. He really wasn’t such a bad guy. Except for the fact that he was in love with her. “Hello, Randy.”
He shifted nervously, back and forth on his feet. “How have you been doing? I haven’t seen you in a while. I heard you had breakfast at the Bean this morning. I thought you didn’t like that place.”
“News travels fast.” Randy had probably heard about the kiss as well, but Tenley wasn’t going to get into that. “Randy, this is Alex Stamos. Alex, Randy Schmitt.”
Alex got to his feet and held out his hand, but Randy refused to take it, turning his attention back to Tenley. “Can I talk to you for a second?”
“Randy, I’m not sure that—”
“Just for a second. Over there.” He pointed to the far end of the bar.
Tenley looked at Alex and he shrugged. “All right.” She pushed back in her chair and stood. “Just for a second.”
Randy held on to her elbow as they wove through the patrons at the restaurant. Tenley was aware of the gazes that followed them and she knew what they were thinking. It was the opinion of most of the folks in town that Randy was just about the only man who’d be interested in marrying Tenley Marshall. Though Tenley had never given him any encouragement, he persisted with his belief that they were destined to be together.
In truth, Tenley felt a bit sorry for Randy. It must be horrible to love someone who couldn’t love you back. She’d made sure to harden her heart against love, but Randy wore his on his sleeve.
“What are you doing with that guy?”
“It’s not what you think,” she said. “He’s just a friend.”
“A friend you kiss at the breakfast table. And rumor has it that he spent the night out at your place. Jesse said he pulled the guy’s car out of the ditch after you took him home. Now, I can understand that a girl like you might be attracted to a big-city guy like him, but he’s all wrong for you, Tenley. He won’t make you happy the way I will.”
“Randy, you have to give this up. I don’t love you. I’m not going to suddenly change my mind one day and marry you. You need to find someone else.”
“I know those flatlanders,” he said. “They flash around their money and think they can take whatever they want.”
His attitude wasn’t uncommon. Though the locals appreciated the money that tourists brought in, they didn’t like them encroaching on their territory—especially their women.
“Randy, I’m going to go back and sit down. I suggest you finish your beer and go home.”
“Hell, no! I’ve been waiting around for you all these years, thinking that sooner or later, you’d get your act together and see what’s standing right in front of you. I’m the one who loves you, not him. He’ll go back to Chicago and I’ll be here. You’ll see.”
“But I don’t love you,” Tenley insisted. “I’m sorry.” Frustrated, she turned to walk away. But Randy grabbed her arm and wouldn’t let go.
“If you’d just give us a chance, I know I could—”
“Hey, buddy, let her go.”
Tenley closed her eyes at the sound of Alex’s voice. One moment, he’d been watching them from the table and the next, he was behind her. “I knew we should have had pizza at home,” she muttered.
Alex grabbed Randy’s wrist. “I mean it. Let her go.”
“Get the hell out of here,” Randy snarled. “You can’t tell me what to do. I’m not your goddamned buddy, buddy.”
“I will tell you what to do when you’re making an ass out of yourself. She’s not interested. Didn’t you hear her?”
The next few seconds passed in a blur. Randy slapped at Alex’s hand and accidentally hit Tenley in the head. Alex shoved Randy, Randy took a swing at Alex, and Tenley reacted. Without thinking, she drew back her fist and hit Randy squarely in the nose.
Blood erupted from his left nostril as he stumbled back and knocked down a waitress with a tray full of drinks. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Tenley cried. “I didn’t mean to do that.” She held on to Alex to keep him from jumping on top of Randy, yet at the same time tried to help Randy to his feet.
“Tenley Marshall, I’m going to have to take you in.” Harvey Willis stepped into the middle of the fight, his considerable girth creating a wall between Alex and Randy. The police chief’s napkin was still stuffed in his collar and he was holding his fork in his right hand.
“This was not her fault,” Alex protested. “She was just defending herself.”
“You pipe down or I’ll take you in, too. She wasn’t defending herself, she was defending you. Now, I can understand how that might piss Randy off, seeing as how you’re not from around here. But punching a guy in the face is assault. And doing it in a restaurant full of people is just bad manners.”
“I don’t want to press charges,” Randy said, holding his flannel shirt up to his nose.
“Well, we’ll sort that out down at the station. Tenley, you’ll come with me. Your flatlander friend can follow us. Randy, you can walk off the pitcher of beer you drank. The exercise will do you good. Let’s go.” He nodded to the bartender. “They’ll be back later to settle up, Bert. And pack up my pizza for me. I’ll send Leroy back to get it.”
Tenley struggled into her jacket as she walked out the front door. Harvey’s cruiser was parked out front in a No Parking zone. “You can get in front,” he said. “I don’t think you’re going to try any funny business, are you?”
“No,” Tenley said. “I don’t know why you’re blaming me for this. You saw Randy start it. He just won’t give up.”
When they were both in the car, Harvey turned to her and shook his finger. “Tenley Marshall, you know how that man feels about you. Still, you decide to parade your out-of-state boyfriend in front of him and the whole town. How do you think he’s supposed to react?”
“Alex Stamos is not my boyfriend. And I’ve made it perfectly clear to Randy that I don’t have feelings for him. And, this is the big one, I didn’t realize Randy was there. Had I known, we would have gone somewhere else.”
“Well, since this Alex fella has come to town, people have been worried for you. You’re not acting the way you usually do.”
Tenley’s temper flared. “Maybe if everyone would just mind their own business, I could get on with my life.”
“Is that what you’ve been doing? I just think it’s a little funny you’ve been hiding away like a hermit for years and then he rolls into town and you’re suddenly a social butterfly. He seems to be the slick sort and you’re falling for his tricks.”
“Let’s go,” she muttered. “I’d really like to take care of this before it causes any more gossip.”
“Oh, well, I think that horse is out of the barn already,” Harvey replied.
They drove the three short blocks to the police station and by the time Tenley got out of the car, Alex was standing at the door, waiting for her, pacing back and forth. “Is she going to need a lawyer?” he asked. “Because if you’re going to charge her with anything, then I want to get her a lawyer.”
“Oh, just pipe down,” Harvey said. “We’re going to fill out a report, she’s going to pay a fine and then you’ll be on your way. We don’t tolerate physical violence here, unlike what goes on in the big cities.”
“He’s the one who grabbed her first. She was trying to get away when I stepped in. And then he took a swing at me.”
“I know. I saw the whole thing. So did half the town. But Tenley drew blood, so she’s going to have to pay the fine.”
As they walked into the lobby, Tenley turned to Alex. “Wait here. I’ll be out in a few minutes. And don’t start things up again with Randy. He’s drunk and he has at
least fifty pounds on you. Besides, Harvey treats outsiders a lot more harshly than townies.”
True to Harvey’s word, the matter was dispatched by filling out a short report and paying a small fine. Since Tenley didn’t have fifty dollars in her wallet, Harvey agreed to let her come in the following morning with the money.
By the time they finished, Randy had arrived and was sitting glumly in the reception area across from Alex, staring at him with a sulky expression. Harvey motioned to him and he approached Tenley with a contrite smile. “I don’t want to press charges,” he insisted.
“Randy, my boy, you need to move on with your life,” Harvey said. “Tenley’s not interested. There’s nothing more pathetic than a guy who won’t take no for an answer. You bother her again and I’ll toss your ass in jail. By the way, Linda Purnell has been in love with you for going on three years. If I were you, I’d give her a second look.” He paused, then directed his gaze at Alex. “As for you, I’m going to be watching you. You keep your nose clean and you and me won’t have any problems.”
Alex stood and held out his hand to Tenley. “Thank you. We’ll just be going now.”
When they got outside, Alex dragged her toward his rented SUV. “What the hell was that?”
Tenley laughed. “Next time, when I suggest pizza at home, maybe we should just stay home and forget all this dating stuff.”
“No,” Alex said stubbornly. “Tomorrow night, we’re going on a damn date. And you’re going to wear a pretty dress and I’m going to take you to a nice restaurant, and we’re going to have a pleasant evening that doesn’t involve jealous ex-boyfriends and bloody noses.”
“He was not my boyfriend,” Tenley insisted.
Alex yanked open the passenger-side door. “Well, I am your boyfriend, and if we have to drive to Green Bay to get some privacy, we will.”
ALEX STARED OUT the window of the tower studio, taking in the view of the bay beyond the trees. Tenley was seated at the drawing table, a pad of paper in front of her. “All right,” she said. “I’m ready. Fire away.”
“This isn’t supposed to be painful,” Alex said. “We’re working together on this. To make your novel better.”