It would be okay. Al Jr. had promised her Joe wouldn’t be there tonight. She couldn’t face him. She dreaded even having to face his family. He’d probably told them everything. They seemed like the kind of family where secrets were a rare commodity. But, she’d promised to come back and finish their website.
The door flew open and Joe’s mother greeted her with a warm smile. “Carly, so good to see you again, thank you for all your help.” She enveloped her in long hug, embracing her affectionately. As she started to let go, Carly clung to her, squeezing her eyes closed. She’d never had another woman she could confide in. No mother to comfort her. And she suddenly, powerfully felt what she’d been missing all her life.
“Aw, sweetheart.” Elena held her tight, rubbing her back until Carly got control and stepped away. Maybe the woman wouldn’t notice her sniffle.
“I made calzones.” She took Carly’s coat and then ushered her into the kitchen. “I thought we’d eat before you guys get started.”
The kitchen smelled of garlic and oregano and sizzling butter. Her stomach was growling from the enticing aroma. Carly hadn’t thought she could eat, but now...
Als Sr. and Jr. both joined them in the kitchen as Elena pulled a baking sheet from the oven, instructing Carly to have a seat at the table. She set the dish on a hot plate in the center of the round laminate table and then poured Carly and Al Sr. a glass of tea. A bowl of salad and a basket of garlic toast joined the main dish and Elena took a seat. Carly’s mouth watered.
Al Sr. said the prayer, and then everyone lifted their heads.
“So, how’s your new job going?” Elena asked. “Is it everything you hoped?” Elena stared at her expectantly, giving her a friendly, interested smile. Hadn’t Joe told her about their breakup?
“Um, I love it. Modiste has brought in a 3-D techie who’s revamping my blog to include virtual shopping, and I met with him today.”
Elena nodded. “Ooh, 3-D? That must be exciting.”
“It is.” Carly searched Elena’s features for a hint of anger or disapproval, but the woman acted as if everything was fine. What was going on?
Joe had stopped texting a couple of days ago. So, he must’ve accepted that they were over. But she longed to ask her how he was. Was he still missing work? How was he handling their breakup? Was he upset? Or relieved? But she just took a bite of the delicious meal and sipped her tea.
“Since the website for our business has been up, we’ve already had more customers.” Elena covered Carly’s hand with hers and squeezed. “I hope you know how grateful we are. You’re so wonderful to do this.” Her eyes misted over and she blinked and returned her attention to slicing bread.
Carly had no idea what to say to that. Wonderful? Her?
The conversation turned to the website and the pages Al Jr. still wanted to add, and soon they were upstairs talking about custom bridal gowns and alterations for every article of clothing under the sun. Once again, Elena came upstairs to check on them when it got late. But Carly felt good about the site now. She recommended someone who would maintain and update the website for a nominal annual fee, and both Als shook her hand, gushing about her kindness and generosity. She felt like a fraud.
“You’ll come to dinner this Sunday with Joe?” Elena took her arm in hers as they traveled down the stairs.
Carly froze. What? Okay, she had to be honest with this dear woman. “Uh, Elena, you know Joe and I are no longer seeing each other, right?”
“Oh, phft. Joey said you had a misunderstanding.” She waved her hand in dismissal. “Couples fight. Then they make up. That’s love. You and Joey just need to talk.”
Love? People who really loved each other trusted each other, didn’t they? They didn’t assume the worst, and blame the other person for things beyond their control.
Or choose their careers over their loved one.
Did they? How could a relationship recover from that?
“I don’t think talking would help, Elena.” Carly stopped at the bottom of the stairs. She had an irrational urge to weep on this woman’s shoulder and pour out her heart. If only talking to Joe would help. Now that the idea for hope had been presented, she realized she’d shut down her emotions so she wouldn’t have to feel the devastating pain. “I said some awful things.” Her voice broke.
Elena transfixed her with a steely-eyed stare. “Tell me, do you love Joey?”
Carly blinked. Did she? She thought about the agony of the past week. She’d been walking around in a gray fog. Miserable. Cold. Just existing.
Then memories flashed. Of Joe in the Caribbean, making love in the pool of the cave, of him coming to her rescue when she had the panic attack at the cruise terminal. Of him bringing her dinner when she was miserable over her dad’s scandal.
Whenever she was with Joe the icy wall she usually kept around her heart melted away and she was able to let love and warmth and color into her life. She liked who she was when she was with him. She needed him in her life.
She loved him.
“Oh, Elena, I do.” She stared in awe at Joe’s mother. “What do I do? I want to make this work.”
“Aw, caro.” Elena threw her arms around her. She patted her back and let Carly cling to her. “Where there’s true love there is always forgiveness.”
“You think he’ll forgive me?”
“Of course, figlia. He loves you. Go to him.”
Digging a tissue from her bag, Carly dabbed at her eyes and nodded. “Okay.” Her mind was racing. What would she say? Would Joe let her in? Was he even home? Maybe Elena could help.
* * *
JOE STANK.
But the fire was finally out. It’d blazed for over fifteen hours and he hadn’t been home in over thirty-eight. He was exhausted and filthy. But it felt great to be back doing what he loved. The public had finally turned its attention to the next big thing. At least until the May issue of Modiste came out.
Finishing off the burger and fries he’d picked up on his route home, he parked his truck and trudged up to his apartment. It was only early evening, but all he wanted was a shower and bed.
As he entered his dark apartment he thought he detected the faint scent of Carly’s fragrance and his throat constricted. Cruel thing, the sense of smell. Just one whiff could bring back so many memories. She’d only been here once, the night before their disastrous fight. Maybe his mind was playing tricks on him. Just wishful thinking.
Gritting his teeth against the heartache, he headed straight for the bathroom, shed his clothes and spent long wonderful minutes with the hot water pulsing over him. Teeth brushed, he remembered to text his ma to let her know he was safe. He thought about adding a question about Carly’s visit. But he let it go.
Ma had called a couple of days ago to let him know Carly was coming over there that night to finish the website for Pop. She’d specifically mentioned that Carly had asked if he would be there, and that the “poor thing” seemed as if she just needed some time.
Translation: Don’t come over.
Joe growled as he unwrapped the towel from around his waist and padded naked down the hall to the bedroom. What did Carly need time for? It wasn’t as if she’d lost her temper and needed to cool down. The woman had been as cold as ice when she told him to leave. He wished she would lose her temper. Then they could yell at each other, get it all argued out and then spend the rest of the night making up.
But there was no melting the layer of frost Carly had built around her heart.
The apartment was dark, but he didn’t need light to find the bed. He dropped onto the edge of the mattress with a weary sigh. He stretched aching muscles and lay back, sticking his legs under the sheet and folding his hands behind his head. Maybe he could try to call her one more time tomorrow. Or maybe he’d just show up at her apart—
“Long day?”
Joe jumped and nearly fell off the side of the bed. The mattress dipped and a silhouette moved toward him.
He peered into the dark. “Carly?�
�� He reached behind him and turned on the bedside lamp. And blinked. “What—”
She scooted closer and laid a hand on his chest. “Don’t throw me out yet. Please, listen?” She wore a black silky bra and panties that hugged her curves and exposed the creamy flesh of her cleavage.
He swallowed and forced his gaze back to her face. “Okay.”
She bit her lip and studied her nails. “I’ve been on my own so long. The only example I had of how a relationship worked was my parents.” She pulled a face. “Not exactly sterling role models. But that’s a child’s excuse. You showed me it could be different. I know it won’t be easy, but I’m smart.” She gave a half smile. “I promise I can learn. I don’t want to live without you in my life.”
Joe couldn’t believe she’d come to him, was actually saying words he longed to hear.
“Joe?” She looked scared. “Say something, please?”
“Uh, Carly?”
“Yeah?”
“You had me at ‘long day’.” He rolled her under him and took her mouth, moving his lips over hers, savoring her like a starving man revels in his first bite of food.
Carly moaned and hummed her desire, returning his kisses with a fiery passion. Had he thought she owned a frost-covered heart? He’d been so wrong. She was hot and loving in his arms and he moved between her legs while he trailed his open mouth down her throat. “Carly, I’m sorry I lost my temper.”
“Shh, I’m the one who should apologize. You had every right to be upset. I should’ve been thinking of you instead of myself.” She placed frantic kisses along his temple, his jaw and finally on his lips again.
He pulled away and gazed intently into her eyes. “Promise we’ll talk things out from now on. Don’t go all cold on me again.”
Bringing her palms up to frame his face, she nodded. “I promise. Just please forgive me.”
“We have to work things through. Just don’t clam up.”
“I’ll try to remember that we can always work things out if we love each other.”
Joe stilled. “What was that?”
She grinned. “Oh, did I forget to mention that part?” Her smile faded and her expression turned serious. “I love you, Joseph Michael Tedesco.” She pulled his face down for a sensual lingering kiss.
He took her wrists and pinned them to the bed on either side of her head. “Say it again.”
“I love you.”
With a low growl he folded his arms around her and held her tight against him. “Carly. I love you so much.”
Joy was a living thing thumping in his chest. He didn’t think he’d ever been so happy. Groaning into her neck, he slid a hand up from her waist to cup her perfect soft breast and push it into his waiting mouth.
She cried out as his tongue circled her tight nipple over the bra. “Off,” he murmured. “Take this off.” He tried to lift it over her head, but she had to help, as his hands shook. She tossed it and her panties onto the floor while he grabbed a packet from his bedside drawer.
“Oh, Joe.” She reached down to guide him inside her and he was home. Surrounded by her warmth, cushioned by her body, completely at one with her in this moment. “My sexiest Average Joe.”
He stilled. “That’s not funny.”
She giggled. He’d never heard her giggle before. “It’s a little funny.”
“No.” He teased her earlobe. “Not even a little.” He pressed into her.
A throaty little cry escaped her. “You’re right.” She held on to his firm butt with both hands, bringing him back to her. “There’s nothing average about you, Joe.”
He smiled down into her eyes, thrust deep and she gasped.
“Yes.” She moaned and moved her hips in rhythm with his. Once he’d started moving he couldn’t, didn’t want to stop. Carly hooked her legs around his waist and he suckled a breast until she was calling his name, and stiffening with her orgasm as he climaxed hard.
Sinking into the mattress, Joe let the pleasure wash over him. He nuzzled Carly’s cheek, catching his breath.
She moaned, caressing the back of his neck until he shivered.
“I want to go to bed with you every night and wake up with you every day.”
Her fingers curled into his hair. “And I want to eat at your parents’ house every Sunday and watch every game with you.” She kissed his eyes, his nose, his mouth.
He frowned. “How’d you get in here, anyway?”
“Your mother gave me her key. Did I mention that I love her, too?”
“No, but that’s probably a good thing.”
She sighed and snuggled close as he rubbed her back. “I’m so glad you crawled into the wrong bed.”
He grinned. “Best mistake of my life.”
Epilogue
PIPER DID A double take as she walked past the magazine stand on Madison Avenue. Her picture was on the cover of the May issue of Modiste, along with that fireman she’d posed with in the Caribbean.
Her stomach twisted as she recalled how badly she’d behaved on that cruise. On impulse she spun and retraced her steps. If she remembered correctly, the Modiste offices were somewhere around here.
Yes, there was a sign on the building. She rode up the elevator and asked for the editor. Half an hour later, she had what she wanted: The name and address of the poor woman she’d dragged into her scandal.
She worked from her home in Brooklyn, and Piper remembered now, she had a fashion blog. Piper hailed a cab and used the ride out there to think about what she wanted to say once she saw Carly.
Asking the cabbie to wait, she found the apartment number and knocked on the door. Now that she was standing here, she thought maybe she should’ve just called. But, no. This needed to be done in person.
The door opened and it was the same woman, but she looked different. Her features seemed softer, her clothes more casual, and...a slow smile spread across her face. A warm, inviting smile.
“Uh...Ms. Pendleton?”
“Carly. Hi, uh...Piper. What’s wrong?”
“Oh, nothing.” Piper stood there, regretting her impulsive decision now that she was here. This woman probably didn’t want to hear anything from her.
“Would you like to come in?” She gestured her inside and Piper straightened her spine and strode in.
“Can I get you something to drink? Coffee? Soda?”
Piper smoothed her hair behind her ears. “No, thank you.”
Carly sat, crossed her legs and indicated that Piper should take the other club chair in front of the fireplace. “What can I do for you, Piper?”
Piper glanced around. The place had a homey feel to it that she envied, and also didn’t quite match with the woman she’d met on the cruise. She would’ve thought the woman would live in a high-rise in Manhattan.
She noted a laptop on a small desk in the corner, the scented candles burning on the mantle and a large framed photo of Carly wrapped arm in arm with—the fireman! They were both smiling into the camera, their faces so happy, it was obvious they were deeply in love. She met Carly’s curious gaze. “You and the contest winner?”
Carly’s face softened even more. Piper would go so far as to say she looked dreamy-eyed. “Yes. Sometimes I still can’t believe such a great guy loves me.”
Amazement mixed with envy as Piper soaked in the information. What must it be like to believe so completely in the goodness of someone? She couldn’t imagine.
“So, what can I—”
The front door swung open and the subject of their discussion breezed into the apartment, a humongous greyhound on a leash beside him. “Max should be all tuckered out now,” the handsome fireman called, then stopped abruptly at seeing her. “Hi.”
The dog trotted over to Piper and stuck his nose in her lap.
“Max. Sit!” Carly ordered. The dog sat, his tail wagging and his tongue hanging out of the side of his mouth. It was the ugliest dog Piper had ever seen.
The fireman unhooked the leash and went to stand beside Carly, who’d got
ten to her feet. He slipped an arm around her waist and touched his lips to her temple.
“Piper, you remember Joe?”
“Hey, Piper. What’s going on?” Joe flashed an easy smile and extended his right hand.
Piper stood to take it briefly. “I should go.”
“Oh.” Carly scratched the animal behind the ears and the dog seemed to smile. “How’s your little pooch?”
Pootsie? Piper hadn’t thought of that dog in months. How silly that seemed now, to think a dog would fill the hole in her life. “I found a good home for her.”
Carly nodded but Piper could tell the woman was confused. “Did you...need something?”
Need? What she needed no one could give her. Piper cleared her throat. “I only wanted to apologize for my behavior on the cruise. I’m sorry that I caused you pain. I’ve been...selfish.”
She thought she heard Carly mumble, “Join the club.”
“Hey, none of that, now.” Joe’s free hand rose to gently cradle Carly’s cheek. Carly covered his hand with her own and gazed into his eyes with such...love.
“Apology accepted. It all worked out, believe me.”
Piper’s chest squeezed. “Yes, I can see that.”
She moved to the door and Carly followed, opening it, and then laid a hand on her arm. “You know, we actually have you to thank for bringing us together. Good luck, Piper. I hope you find what you’re looking for.”
That wasn’t possible. But Piper didn’t say that. “Thank you. Goodbye.”
As she climbed into the backseat of the waiting cab and directed the cabbie back to Manhattan, she remembered the serenity of the beach in Miami. The weeks she’d spent there with Ragi right after the cruise. Perhaps she should return there to seek what she needed.
Even if the peace was only temporary.
* * *
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Keep reading for an excerpt from STRIPPED DOWN by Kelli Ireland
Cabin Fever Page 16