You can be dessert. His words played and replayed in her head, flushing her body with warmth. She quickly finished her salad and then got back to work.
It was just after two when her doorbell rang. Instantly every nerve in her body tensed. She wasn’t expecting anyone. Lucy wouldn’t be here until after school and Troy hadn’t planned to be here at all today.
The last time her doorbell had rung it was a man impersonating a utility worker who wanted to get into her house. She got up from her desk and walked over to her window. She peered out in an effort to see who might be on her porch, but whoever it was was standing so close to the door it was impossible for Eliza to see.
Another knock sounded and Eliza left her office and went to the front door. Her heart thundered the frantic beat of fear. Her hand trembled as she reached out, and before she could grasp the doorknob she dropped her arm back to her side.
She was too afraid to open her own front door. How on earth had this happened? She had no idea how long she stood there with deep, shuddering breaths releasing from her in noisy gasps.
The knocks stopped and still she remained frozen in place. She finally turned off the alarm and managed to wrap her hand around the doorknob and pull it open. Hanging on the outside doorknob was a flyer announcing a new Chinese restaurant nearby.
Looking left and then right, seeing nobody around, she quickly opened the door and retrieved the flyer. She then slammed the door and relocked it, sickened by her own fear.
She turned the alarm back on and then sank down at the kitchen table and waited for her breathing to return to normal. Maybe she should just give up. Maybe she should leave the house to some charity and she and the children should go back to apartment living.
That way the secrets of the house would no longer endanger her or the kids. She’d no longer be afraid to open her own door. Without having to pay rent or a mortgage, she’d been looking forward to being able to slow down a bit with the work and enjoy more fun times with her kids. Leaving this house would require her to go back to the rat race of longer hours working and worrying about finances.
And of course, she’d be moving away from Troy. But what really bothered her was the idea of the kids once again being cooped up in an apartment.
She loved seeing Sammy sitting at the picnic table in the backyard, his face raised toward the sun. She’d watched as they played with miniature cars on roads they’d made in the dirt. The kids absolutely loved the yard and she didn’t want them to go back to the way they had lived before...only going outside when she could take them to a local park to play.
She mentally shook herself as a touch of anger rose up inside her. What was she doing sitting here and thinking about giving up this house? It wasn’t just a house, it had become the kids’ home. Dammit, it had become her home and she wasn’t going to be chased out of it by anyone or her own damn fear.
What she needed to do was find every hiding place there was in this house, and if there was a necklace in one of them, then it needed to be turned over to the proper authorities.
She absolutely, positively was not going to be chased out of this house by ghosts, or some aging jewel thief looking for a necklace that had probably been fenced years ago by a man who was now dead.
With this thought in mind she marched up the stairs and into Sammy’s room. She couldn’t sit around, wasting hours waiting for Troy to come over and help her. She needed to help herself.
When it was time to get the kids home from the bus stop, she’d managed to clear Sammy’s room. She’d touched every inch of his walls and had found nothing.
She and the kids had only been home for about fifteen minutes when Lucy arrived. The short, slightly plump woman had skin the color of rich mahogany and a smile that could light up the deepest dark.
Eliza led her into the kitchen. “Do you want a cup of coffee before you take my kids and run?”
“No thanks. I’m saving up all my calories so I can join your children in a complete sugarfest before I bring them home to you tomorrow morning,” Lucy replied with a laugh.
“Thanks,” Eliza replied drily.
“Actually, I’m planning to drive through a fast-food place and then take our dinner to the park by my house. Katie loves to climb the jungle gym there and Sammy likes to swing.”
“Sounds like a nice time,” Eliza replied. She knew no matter what they chose to do, Lucy would take good care of the kids.
“Where are my munchkins?” she asked.
“Upstairs. They apparently didn’t hear you come in. Are you ready for them now?” Lucy nodded and Eliza moved to the bottom of the stairs. “Hey kids... Ms. Lucy is here.”
There followed a chorus of excited yells as they both came down the stairs with their overnight bags in hand. Lucy hugged them both and then straightened. “Are you two ready for your night of adventure?” she asked.
“Yes!” they both exclaimed. “Are we going to have ice cream tonight?” Sammy asked.
“I see great big build-your-own sundaes in your near future,” Lucy replied. The kids once again erupted with happy cheers.
“With sprinkles?” Katie asked.
“With pink sprinkles,” Lucy replied.
There was a flurry of hugs and kisses and then they were gone and Eliza was left with only thoughts of the night to come with Troy.
She had two hours to make a dessert and take a nice bubble bath. In two short hours she’d walk over to his house and their evening together would begin.
As she prepared her version of a simple strawberry shortcake to take with her, her mind was filled with one simple question.
Was she going to make love with Troy tonight?
* * *
IT WAS CRAZY that a simple dinner date with a beautiful woman could make Troy so nervous. At the moment he couldn’t tell whether it was anxiety or excitement that had him pacing the floors at a few minutes before six.
The house was clean. Dinner was in the oven warming. He was showered and he’d changed the sheets on his bed...just in case. One thing was for certain, Eliza would be in complete control tonight. If she didn’t want to sleep with him then that was okay. They’d have a good dinner and enjoy their time together.
So why did he feel so anxious? In the back of his brain he knew the answer. The anniversary of Annie’s death was approaching in a week, but it wasn’t something he intended to think about tonight. Tonight was all about Eliza.
At precisely six o’clock his doorbell rang. He opened the door and nearly lost his breath at the sight of her. “You look stunning,” he said as he took the plate she carried from her.
Her dove-gray sundress clung to every curve and perfectly matched her eyes. The round neckline was low enough to give him a tantalizing peek of the tops of her full breasts, and her hair hung in shiny dark waves around her shoulders.
“Thank you,” she replied. “Something smells delicious.”
“That would be dinner.” He led her into the kitchen and gestured her to the table, which was already set for a dinner for two. “I hope you’re hungry.”
“I’m starving.”
“Good, I’ve been slaving over a hot stove all day long and everything is ready to serve. Wine?”
“I’d love a glass.”
He served her red wine and as he pulled a salad out of the refrigerator and sliced up the garlic bread, she told him about Lucy White.
“It’s nice for the kids to have her in their lives. She’s like an indulgent grandmother or a favorite aunt.” She finished as he took the tray of lasagna out of the oven.
She grinned at him. “You know, if you want a woman to believe you cooked all day for her, then you might want to take the food out of the restaurant take-out container to bake it.”
He returned her grin. “Ah, busted. At least I did make the salad.”
“And it’s a fine salad,” she r
eplied.
“And Garozzi’s makes awesome lasagna.”
The meal was one of the most pleasant ones he could ever remember having. She raved about the lasagna and they talked about politics and argued about football teams. She was a hometown fan of the Kansas City Chiefs, and he liked the Oakland Raiders.
They spoke of places where they’d like to vacation and each agreed that Hawaii was at the top of the list. Without the children it was a time to talk a little more in depth about a variety of topics.
He learned that her favorite color was peach and her dream for Sammy was a Seeing Eye dog when he turned sixteen. He also learned that she’d never felt truly loved by her husband, which broke a piece of his heart for her.
When dinner was over they carried coffee into the living room and settled in on the sofa. “This has been so nice,” she said. “I love my kids, but a little adult time without them is always healthy.”
“Thank goodness for Lucy White.”
She smiled. “Yes, thank goodness for Lucy.”
“What do you normally do when she has the kids for a night?”
“I take a bath. I always take a sinfully long bath. That’s one of the first things you give up when you become a mom.”
He leaned toward her and reached out to stroke a strand of her hair. He’d been longing to touch her from the moment she had entered his home. “And I’ll bet you use bubble bath.”
“Definitely. I like lots and lots of bubbles.” Her breath caught as his fingers stroked down her cheek in a languid fashion. “And candlelight.”
The vision of her in a tub full of bubbles, her bare shoulders gleaming in the glow of a candle, exploded in his head. The only thing that would make the vision better was if he were there with her.
“Have I told you how stunning you look tonight?” His breath was a warm caress on her neck.
“Why, Mr. Anderson, are you trying to seduce me?”
“Definitely,” he replied. “How am I doing?”
“Unbelievably well,” she murmured.
He then covered her mouth with his. Kissing Eliza fed some part of his soul, a hungry part he didn’t know he possessed until his lips touched hers.
She leaned into him and opened her mouth so he could deepen the kiss. And he did. His tongue swirled with hers in a dance that shot heat through every part of his body. His hands reached up to stroke the soft, silky strands of her hair.
He didn’t just want this woman, he felt as if he needed her. She was the air that he breathed, the food that he ate. She was the life-sustaining water for his thirst.
It didn’t take him long to know that he wasn’t going to be satisfied just kissing her on his sofa. He pulled back from her and gazed into her eyes, pleased to recognize hungry desire in their gray depths.
“Eliza, you know I want you.”
“And I want you, Troy.” Her lips trembled slightly.
He got to his feet and held out a hand to her. “Will you go upstairs with me?”
In her hesitation, his heart nearly dropped to his feet. Was she about to turn him down? Okay, he would just have to deal with that. If she wasn’t ready, then he would respect that. He knew she was a woman who didn’t take this lightly. But after the long pause, she stood and slipped her hand in his.
Neither of them spoke as he led her up the stairs and into his bedroom. His heart beat hard and fast in his chest as adrenaline pumped through his veins. He couldn’t ever remember wanting a woman as much as he wanted Eliza at this moment.
When they stepped into his bedroom he pulled her into his arms, and as he kissed her once again she molded herself against the length of him.
Oh, sweet, sweet Eliza. The press of her breasts against his chest, the warmth of her body so close to his, heightened his desire for her to a fever-pitch level.
“I want you naked and in my bed,” he groaned as he tore his lips from hers.
“I want to be naked and in your bed as long as you’re there with me,” she replied.
He reached around her to the zipper at the back of her dress. It whispered down and he pulled the dress from her shoulders. It fell straight to the floor and pooled at their feet and left her clad only in a lacy white bra and a pair of wispy white panties.
It took only seconds for him to undress and for them to be beneath the sheets. Her soft skin warmed him as their legs entwined and their lips found each other again.
He was so impatient. It didn’t take long before the barriers of her bra and panties and his boxers became irritating deterrents. He took the offending underclothing off her and then kicked off his boxers.
Then it was just the two of them gloriously naked beneath the clean white sheets. He loved her breasts with his tongue, licking each turgid nipple as she moaned her pleasure.
She tangled her hands in his hair and then slid them down his back, each touch further igniting the flames inside him. Her scent surrounded him, that wonderful smell that was specifically hers.
He slid a hand down her stomach, wanting to touch her and bring her so much pleasure that she cried out his name as she climaxed.
And then he was there...in the soft folds of her. She gasped and shivered and then opened her legs wider to allow him complete access.
He moved his fingers against her, slowly at first and then faster as he felt the tension rising in her body. She clutched at his shoulders as her entire body stiffened. She moaned his name as she shuddered and then her body relaxed.
“Take me now, Troy,” she whispered urgently.
He complied. He first leaned over and reached into his top drawer to retrieve a condom. He quickly rolled it onto his hard length and then moved between her thighs and eased into her. For a moment he didn’t move other than to close his eyes and revel in the sensations that nearly stole his breath away.
He opened his eyes and gazed down at her as he began to stroke inside her. Her eyes glowed a smoky gray and her hair was a dark cloud against the white pillowcase.
Just looking at her stirred him to another level and his thrusts grew faster and more frantic. She met him thrust for thrust as she clung to his shoulders.
“Oh yes...yes,” she cried out. He knew she was reaching a second climax and when she did, he was there with her.
He collapsed to his elbows above her and waited until his breathing returned to normal. He then smiled at her. “That was the best dessert I’ve ever had.”
She laughed. “Ah, but you haven’t had my special strawberry shortcake yet.”
“I can tell you already there’s no way a strawberry shortcake, no matter how special, can compete with this.” He moved a strand of her hair away from her face. “Spend the night with me? I want to sleep with you in my arms.”
She hesitated only a moment and then nodded. “I’d like that.”
“Good, now don’t move and I’ll be right back.” He got out of the bed and hurried into the adjoining master bath. He cleaned up and then pulled on one of his bathrobes. He carried a second robe back into the bedroom. “Why don’t you put this on and we’ll go down and eat some of that special strawberry shortcake.”
“Sounds like a plan,” she agreed. She sat up and pulled the robe around her and then together they left the bedroom.
“I feel like a teenager sneaking downstairs to eat something my parents don’t think I should have,” she joked.
“That makes two of us,” he said with a laugh.
She did the honor of serving them the dessert while he made two cups of coffee. “This is delicious,” he said a moment later when they were both seated at the table and he’d taken a bite of the dessert. “It tastes better than just ordinary strawberry shortcake.”
“Thank you. I have a secret ingredient.”
“What is it?”
Her eyes lit with a teasing light. “Now, if I told you, it wouldn’t be a secre
t anymore.”
“What other secrets are you holding back from me?” he asked, and then took another bite.
“None,” she replied easily. “I don’t have any deep, dark secrets haunting my soul. What about you?”
The conversation that had begun so lightly took a definite dark turn as he thought of the secret that burdened his soul. “I’ve got a secret that makes me a bad man,” he replied.
She put down her fork and gazed at him steadily, as if sensing the darkness that had suddenly slammed into him. “I can’t imagine you doing or thinking anything that makes you a bad man.”
He shoved his dessert aside, his appetite momentarily gone. “I hate a man so much I wish him dead.”
She smiled at him. “Troy, that doesn’t make you a bad man, that just makes you human. I completely understand your hatred and your wish for his death.”
He looked at her in surprise. He’d expected some condemnation or at the very least a lecture on how bad it was to harbor hatred in his heart. Instead she understood it. That definitely surprised him and oddly made him feel even closer to her.
“Next Saturday will be the third anniversary of Annie’s murder.” He’d felt the weight of it pressing down on him throughout the past week. It was like a dark cloud approaching that would obscure all the lightness in the world.
Eliza covered one of his hands with hers. “What do you need from me to get through it?”
Once again he looked at her in surprise. “What do you mean?”
“I mean would you like maybe a picnic or something else I could plan to help you get through the day? Or, if you’re planning on working all day then would you like to spend the evening at my house to keep your thoughts occupied?”
“I’m usually not good company on that day. I just prefer to spend it by myself.”
“Okay, but if you change your mind you know where I am.” She gave his hand a final squeeze and then released it.
It was at that moment Troy realized he was in love with Eliza...and he definitely didn’t want to be.
Desperate Intentions (HQR Intrigue) Page 11