Jasmine looked from Alex to her grandmother. “I just want to buy Kayla a T-shirt.”
“You see?” Margo smiled triumphantly. “We’ll go to some of the shops and check out souvenirs. And you two”—she pointed at Eli and Monica—“and you two,” she said to Alex and Renee, “can explore the city. Us girls will see you at dinner,” she said, then took Jasmine by the hand and they headed toward the cluster of cafés and shops along the harbor front.
“That woman is a force of nature,” Eli said.
“I realized years ago that it’s just easier to let her have her way,” Alex said. He turned to Renee. “So, you up for a little stroll through… where are we?”
“Marigot,” Monica supplied. “I’m ready to do a little exploring myself,” she said, wrapping her arm around Eli’s. “Remember to be in the lobby of the marina in forty minutes,” she called as she and Eli went in the opposite direction of where Margo was heading with Jasmine.
“Where does that leave us?” Renee asked.
“I have no idea what there is to do in this city, so I’m not going to be much help.”
“I looked it up on the Internet, and there’s supposed to be some great French architecture. You mind strolling through one of the neighborhoods for a bit?”
“That’s okay with me,” Alex said.
They walked along the edge of a cobblestone road. Quaint, colorful cottages sat close upon each other. The salt tinged sea air blew lightly across her skin.
“Your mother is pretty slick,” Renee said. “But in a good way. I can see why you boys are so protective of her.”
“She’s such a strong woman,” Alex said. “My dad died when he was thirty nine, and Mama hardly missed a step. She worked two jobs to make sure we didn’t feel the loss of Pop’s salary and she still didn’t miss one of Toby’s basketball games, or Eli’s Quiz Bowl matches. She’s amazing.”
“And she loves you all so much,” Renee said, her heart filling up with sorrow at the thought of her own mother. A mother whose only show of affection came in the form of taking punches from her husband so Renee wouldn’t bear the brunt of his rage. Not that it did much good.
If she’d really loved her, she would have gotten them both out of that house.
“What’s wrong?” Alex asked. “You’re frowning.”
“I never had much of a poker face,” she said. She didn’t want to get into this. The night held too much promise to have it marred by talk of her family’s crippled relationship. Yet Renee still found herself saying, “I was just thinking about my mother.”
“What about her?” Alex asked.
Renee shook her head. “I know she loved me, Alex, but…”
“But what?” he asked.
“He used to beat us,” she finally admitted. “My father, he was abusive to both me and my mother.”
Renee saw the sympathetic horror that flashed across Alex’s face.
“I got out a long time ago, but she’s still there. How could she stay with him, Alex?” Renee asked. “If she really loved me the way a mother is supposed to love her child, the way your mother loves her children, she would not have stayed with him.”
“You’ll never know what was going through her head,” Alex answered. “Maybe she thought it was for the best.”
“How could remaining with someone who takes pleasure in torturing you, in demeaning you, ever be for the best? Even after he became wheelchair bound and could no longer hurt her physically, she still puts up with the mental abuse. I’ll never understand her.”
“I’m so sorry, Renee,” Alex said, squeezing her hand. It was exactly the support she needed.
“It’s all behind me,” Renee said, taking a deep breath. “Let’s enjoy the rest of the city. We only have twenty minutes before we have to meet everyone back at the marina for dinner.”
They strolled, arms intertwined, down the streets of Marigot, but Renee had a hard time concentrating on the quaint homes or the romantic atmosphere. Being around the love that exuded throughout Alex’s family had an adverse affect on her. She couldn’t help but feel melancholy when comparing Alex’s family to her own.
She knew every child did not grow up in fear of feeling their father’s wrath on a day to day basis, but she truly did not know people could care so much about each other. Until she’d met the Holmeses.
Monica Gardner had better appreciate how lucky she was to have the chance to become a permanent member of this family. Renee tried not to entertain visions of herself joining the Holmeses, but how could she not? After her dismal childhood, being welcomed into this family would be like a fairy tale come true.
“Renee?”
Alex halted his steps, stopping in front of a sand colored cottage with bright blue shutters. He captured her hands, and pulled her closer to him, until her breasts lightly touched his chest. Renee tipped her head up, instantly drawn into his smoldering gaze.
“Family is more than just the blood flowing through your veins,” Alex said. “Even though your family turned their backs on you, you can still have a family that cares for you.”
“There’s nothing that would make me happier,” she said. She stared into Alex’s eyes as he dipped his head and settled his lips onto hers.
Just as he’d anticipated, Alex didn’t recognize a thing on the menu. Eli had been wrong; they didn’t even have steak. The waiter had just taken Monica’s order and was making his way around the table. Maybe he should just order a grilled cheese sandwich off the children’s menu like Jazzy.
Renee leaned to the side and asked, “Do you need help ordering?”
“I need some help,” Eli said from across the table.
“See, when I tried teaching you boys French, you wouldn’t listen,” Mama said. “It’s come back to haunt you.”
“That jumbled West Louisiana Creole stuff you grew up speaking isn’t French,” Eli said.
“I speak Cajun, not Creole, and they are all rooted in French,” she clarified. She turned to the waiter, and in flawless French said, “I would like la filet de thon au beurre Gigondas.” She looked at Eli. “I’ve also been taking a free course in French at New Hope Baptist Church,” she finished with a triumphant nod.
Turned out they did have steak on the menu, except it was written in French, which would make sense. But before his entreccôte béarnaise, or whatever the heck Renee had rattled off, could make it out of the kitchen, Alex could feel his appetite waning. His appetite for food, that is.
As the evening drew on, his mind had a hard time focusing on anything but the event he knew would take place once they returned to the villa. After nearly seven long years of meager attempts at pleasuring himself in the shower, of telling himself he didn’t need a woman’s touch, to night he would experience what it felt like to make love again. How was he supposed to focus on whatever it was they were talking about around the table?
The waiter offered dessert, but thankfully, the entire table declined. Good thing Toby didn’t arrive until tomorrow. He would have ordered first and second dessert.
“Everyone ready to head back to the villa?” Monica asked.
Alex nearly shouted yes.
“I’ve been up since five a.m.,” Mama said. “I’m ready to get to bed. Your brother will be here tomorrow, so I’ll have to do extra grocery shopping. That chef didn’t fix enough food at lunch.”
“Mama, you’d better stay out of that kitchen,” Eli warned. He pushed away from the table and pulled out Monica’s chair. “We’ll have to catch separate cabs back to the villa.”
Alex offered to pay for the meal, but Eli put up a fight, as he knew his brother would. Alex didn’t even want to imagine what this was costing Eli and Monica, but both refused to take him up on his offer to help pay for the villa. It made Alex feel even more justified in buying the all expenses paid week in Italy he’d had his assistant, Jennie, purchase for a wedding gift.
They filed out of the restaurant to the waiting taxi stand.
“I’m riding back wi
th Daddy,” Jasmine announced.
“If you don’t want to ride back with me, I won’t be hurt,” Eli said, feigning disappointment.
Jasmine heaved a huge sigh and rolled her eyes. “Okay, Uncle Eli. I’ll ride with you.”
“Actually, E, I’d rather Jazzy ride with me and Renee,” Alex said. “We need to talk about a few things.”
It didn’t take Eli long to get a clue. “Oh yeah. Well, we’ll see you all back at the villa,” he said as he helped their mother and Monica into the waiting cab, a stupid, knowing grin on his face.
Alex helped Renee into the cab first, sensing the apprehension flowing over her. Jasmine bounded into the car, and Alex followed. The cab took off toward Baie Rouge.
“Jazzy, you know how you said you wanted to sleep in the room with all the games?”
“Yes, I cannot wait. They have the Shrek 3 game.”
“Good,” Alex said. Damn, this was uncomfortable. “Well, while we’re here, Renee is going to share my room.”
“You have bunk beds?”
Okay, yeah. He so was not ready for this conversation.
“The room doesn’t have bunk beds,” Renee said. “But that’s okay, isn’t it, Jasmine? Shrek and Fiona sleep in the same room because they’re adult ogres, and sometimes adults who like each other sleep in the same room.”
“You are prettier than Fiona, Ms. Moore.”
“Thank you,” Renee answered. “But do you understand what your dad and I are trying to explain?”
“Uh huh.” She nodded. “You and Daddy are sleeping together, like Kayla’s mommy and her new boyfriend. Kayla’s mommy says that women have needs.”
“Oh my God,” Alex groaned. He was going to strangle Leslie Morgan.
“This isn’t about what Kayla’s mom was talking about,” Renee said. “Your dad and I do like each other, and we want to spend time together since we’re on vacation. And when we get back to New Orleans, we’ll still want to spend time together, which means I may be over at your house a little more,” Renee said.
“She may even spend the night once in a while,” Alex added, glancing at Renee. “That would be okay, wouldn’t it, Jazz?”
“Yes, Daddy,” she said with an exasperated sigh. “We’re here.” Jasmine clapped her hands together. “Come on. Grandma said once I take a bath and get into my pajamas, I can play Shrek 3 for thirty minutes.”
She climbed over Alex’s lap and was out the door as soon as the cabdriver opened it. Alex paid the driver and took Renee’s hand as he walked her to the villa’s front door.
“Well, that wasn’t so hard, was it?” Renee asked.
“You kidding me? I’m sweating buckshots here,” Alex said. “And I’m going to kill Leslie Morgan when we get back home.”
“I would think twice before letting Jasmine spend the night at her house again,” Renee added.
“Jasmine’s not going near that house again.”
They walked through the entrance of the house, finding Eli and Monica snuggled up on one of the living room couches, looking out the floor to ceiling windows as the inky waves crashed upon the beach. Several small boats bobbed along the water, their tiny lights looking like stray fireflies against the darkened night.
“Where did Jasmine go to so fast?” Alex asked.
“Mama took her in the back. Between the pool and her game room, I think Jazzy’s found her own little piece of heaven.”
“There’s a lot to keep her occupied.”
“That’s the point,” Eli said, lifting his eyebrows, and drawing a laugh from Renee.
“I think it’s time everyone goes to bed,” Monica said. She pushed up from the sofa and pulled at Eli’s arm.
“Yeah, but you really want to sleep,” Eli complained.
“As if that ever stops you,” Monica snorted. “Good night, you two.” She gave them a two finger wave as she pushed Alex’s brother toward the huge master suite.
When Alex turned his attention back to Renee, her face had sobered, and she was rubbing her hands up and down her arms.
“Are you cold?” he asked.
“Not really,” she said, still rubbing her arms. She must have realized what she was doing because she stopped. “Alex, I’m a little nervous,” she admitted.
“You think I’m not?” he asked. Did she realize how long it had been since he’d done this? Between excitement over the prospect of finally making love again, and fear that he’d somehow forgotten how to do it, Alex was afraid there would be a reappearance of his expensive French steak in the next five seconds.
“Are you ready to go to the room?” Renee asked.
“You have something else in mind?”
She shrugged her delicate shoulders. “I don’t know, maybe we can take a walk on the beach?”
“Did you watch From Here to Eternity before you left the States?”
She eyed him for a few moments; then a huge, breath stealing smile drew across her lips. “I’m not interested in rolling around in the sand, Alex. That would mess up my hair.”
“Good, because that doesn’t seem sexy to me, especially when there’s a big, comfortable bed waiting for us.”
She walked the few steps that would bring her to him, and spread her hands over his chest. “Forget the walk on the beach,” she said.
“You sure?” Alex asked. Her fingers on his fully clothed skin were driving him crazy. How would he handle it when they were both naked?
“Yes,” Renee answered. She linked her hands around his neck and pulled him in for a soft, slow kiss. “Let’s go to bed.”
Chapter Seventeen
Renee stepped over the threshold of the door leading to their bedroom suite and sensed a charge pulsing through the air. It covered her entire body. Everything was about to change between them. She was ready for it, but she was still nervous to the point of nearly collapsing.
This was silly. It wasn’t as if she’d never had sex before. She might not be all that experienced, but she’d done it enough times to know how this worked. There was something about the man she was about to make love to that made all the difference in the world. What she felt for Alex, how he made her feel; it took this experience to an entirely new level.
He stepped up behind her and captured her shoulders in his hands. “Are you okay?” he asked. “Can I get you something to drink?”
Renee took one of his hands and brought it to her lips, kissing the back of his fingers. “I’m perfect, Alex. I don’t need anything else. Just you.”
He dropped his lips against her neck and pulled in a deep breath before placing a gentle kiss behind her ear. Then he brought his hands down and wrapped them around her waist.
“I am so scared right now,” Alex admitted in a soft whisper.
“Don’t be,” Renee said, though his confession went a long way in easing her own worries. She turned in his arms and captured his face in her palms. “Alex, I feel so lucky to be here with you.”
She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. Alex wrapped his arms around her back and pulled her closer. His arousal, solid, firm, and hot, pressed against her stomach. Renee groaned in a mixture of frustration and anticipation, opening her mouth wider and inviting in Alex’s tongue. He accepted the invitation with amazing skill, his tongue invading and retreating in a rhythm so intoxicating Renee could hardly stand it.
“Alex.” She heard the word come out in a slow growl, hardly recognizing it as her own voice.
Alex stopped just long enough to guide her to the huge, king size bed. A white, netted canopy flowed from a hoop hanging above the bed. Alex laid her among the plush bedding, and her body sank into its lushness.
“I can help you get rid of those clothes,” he said.
“I can do that on my own,” Renee said. She pushed herself up to her knees, captured the hem of her sundress, and pulled it over her head. “Why don’t I help you with yours?”
She reached over to help Alex with his shirt, but he stayed her hand. “No, let me just look at you for a li
ttle while,” he said. The look in his eyes was so intense, it took her breath away. How could a man with so much sexual magnetism go so long without succumbing to his urges? He must have turned away hundreds of women over the years.
Alex took a couple of steps back and lowered himself into one of the wicker chairs in the seating area just to the right of the bed. He sat back and gazed at her with hungry brown eyes.
“You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen,” he said.
Men said those words all the time, but somehow, Renee knew Alex meant them. She could feel it in the way he stared at her. Reverently. Hungrily.
She needed him in this bed. Right now. “Alex, come to bed,” she pleaded.
“In a minute,” he answered. He started on the buttons of his shirt, methodically releasing them as he continued to stare at her.
“Alex, please,” Renee begged.
Alex pushed himself from the chair and sauntered over to the bed. Renee pulled him to her, taking his mouth in a brutal kiss. She pushed the shirt from his shoulders and slid her hands down his chest, running her fingers through the thatch of hair that tapered just above the waistband of his pants.
“Alex, take off the pants. Now.”
He flicked open the fly’s button and pushed the pants down his thighs, but captured her hand before Renee could help herself to what pulsed under the cover of his black boxers.
Renee glanced up at him. The look on his face was way too ominous for what they were about to do. “What’s the matter?”
“I need to warn you,” Alex cautioned. “It’s been a very long time since I did this.”
Renee’s shoulders drooped with relief. “I know, Alex.”
“No, you…” He shook his head. “You don’t get it, Renee. The first time is going to be over really fast.”
“Alex, I don’t care,” she reassured him.
“I do,” he said, his eyes laden with reservations.
“Alex.” Renee held her hand out, beckoning him to join her on the mountain of pillows. He pushed his pants down the rest of the way, and then did the same with his boxer shorts.
Renee crooked her finger. “Come here.” She ran her tongue over her lips and smiled at the reaction it caused in Alex. His erection jerked in response. “Tell me you have a condom this time,” Renee implored.
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