Once she was moist from head to toe and smelling fantastic, she slid under the covers without a stitch on. Sleeping nude was one of her favorite things, although she didn’t do it when Sydney was home. Normally she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow, but tonight all she could think about was Lucas and what it would be like to have him next to her in the bed. A litany of “if onlys” went around and around in her head and she couldn’t seem to cut them off. If only she wasn’t convinced that sex couldn’t be a part of her life. If only Lucas wasn’t so damned sexy. If only he was a dimwit and a bore instead of such a charming man; she wouldn’t be tossing and turning right now if he was a loser. She sat up straight and drank deeply from the glass of water before taking one of the cubes out and rubbing it down her throat and between her breasts. Like it or not, Lucas VanBuren’s kiss had awakened something deep inside her psyche, something she hadn’t realized was even there. She put her head back on the pillow, sure that she wasn’t going to sleep that night.
* * *
Luckily she did manage to fall asleep, but her dreams were not only erotic, they were highly specific and centered on Lucas. She didn’t have time to dwell on the X-rated cinema of her mind, though; today was a busy day. Sydney was ready and waiting to be picked up after her sleepover and she was her usual cheery, chatty self. After thanking her friend Lisa’s mom for having her over, saying goodbye to Lisa and kissing her mother hello, Sydney was buckled into her seat in the car.
“Mommy, did you bring my swimsuit and things for swim class?”
“Of course I did, sweetie. Your bag is in the trunk and everything is in it.”
Satisfied with her answer, Sydney plunged ahead to more important matters. “Did you have fun last night?”
Startled, Sherri’s cheeks flamed as she was trying to formulate an answer, but Sydney kept talking.
“I mean did you have fun on your date with Uncle Lucas, Mommy. Where did you go? What did you do?”
“Oh, I wouldn’t call it a date, Sydney. Lucas and I went to Sweet Tea and had barbecue and then we went to a club to listen to music and dance. Then he brought me home.”
“That sounds like a date to me, Mommy. Did he come and pick you up?”
“Yes, he did.”
“Did he bring you a present?”
“Well, he brought me a really pretty plant, but that’s not exactly a gift, I don’t think.”
“He took you out to eat and he took you out to dance and he paid for everything, right?”
Sherri’s eyes were brimming with laughter as she answered. Sydney might make a very good attorney one day if she kept up her interrogation skills. “Yes, he did. But that doesn’t mean it’s a date-date. It just means it was a friend-date.”
“No, Mommy, you’re wrong. That’s a real date, trust me.”
“What do you know about real dates, little one? Where are you getting your information?”
“Everybody knows that stuff, Mommy.”
They had reached the athletic center where Alexis taught weekly swim classes, so further conversation was forestalled as they went in and joined the class. Sydney had so much fun that it wasn’t until later, when she was getting her hair done at Sanctuary Two, that she brought up the subject again. This time she addressed Alexis in an innocent voice.
“Auntie Alexis, what’s a date?” she asked sweetly.
Alexis was separating Sydney’s abundant hair into four equal parts so that she could blow-dry each section. “A date is when two people who like each other spend time together.”
“Did you and Uncle Jared go on dates before you got married?”
“Sure we did, cutie. We went on lots of dates.”
“Did he pick you up and bring you a present and take you somewhere and pay for everything?”
Alexis smiled at her warmly and agreed that, yes, he had. Sydney gave her mother a triumphant grin and said, “See? I told you, Mommy. That was a real date you had with Uncle Lucas. I told you so.”
Sherri was glad that they were in the private area Alexis used for her clients. If they’d been in the main styling area the whole salon would have heard her business being announced.
Alexis could tell by the look on Sherri’s face that there was more to the story. Giving her friend the look that meant that a long session of girl talk was on the agenda for later that day, Alexis grinned and said, “You’re absolutely right, cupcake. It was a real date and I’ll bet they both had a great time. And Mommy’s going to tell me everything as soon as I get done with your hair.”
Sherri suddenly got really interested in her magazine and pretended that she didn’t hear the two of them chattering away. But behind the cover of the latest issue of InStyle, she hid a secret smile.
Chapter 6
A week later, Lucas drove over to Sherri’s condo to pick her up for what would be their second official date. He was in a great mood for several reasons, not the least of which was that he’d gotten his beloved Land Rover Defender back from Alana’s Custom Classics. It was a vintage ride, a 1985 model, and before Alana put her loving and skilled hands on it, it was a hot mess of dents, scratches, patches of rust, Bondo and primer. Despite its appearance, he loved the boxy SUV with the ladders on the rear and the equipment rack that surrounded the entire roof. It had always been his intention to have the vehicle restored, but when he acquired it he lacked the money and now that he had plenty of money, he had no time. But Alana had taken one look at it and eagerly offered her services to bring it back to life. When he saw the spectacular results of her work, he was stunned.
“Alana, this is amazing. I knew Jared had done the right thing marrying your sister. You Sharp women are not only beautiful and smart, you’re also talented. The man you marry is gonna be one lucky guy.”
Alana merely smiled and replied, “The man I’m going to marry is a figment of your imagination. Go enjoy your ride.”
He had the perfect idea for inaugurating the remodeled vehicle, and he was happy that Sherri agreed with him. He’d managed to get tickets to a jazz concert at the Spoleto Festival and she’d agreed to go with him. It was an annual event in Charleston that welcomed some of the most acclaimed artists in the world in dance, music, art and theater and he was looking forward to going. He was surprised that Sydney had declined his invitation, but she had other plans.
“Auntie Alexis is going to make jam and jelly this weekend, and I’m going to help her. She can make all kinds of things and they’re really good. She’s going to teach me how,” she said happily.
When he arrived at Sherri’s condo, both ladies were ready to go. Sydney’s overnight bag was packed, and she was eager to get started on her own adventure. Sherri was dressed casually in a pair of copper-colored linen shorts with a scalloped hem and a crisp matching blouse with cap sleeves. The fabric was lightly suffused with gold and she wore a narrow gold leather belt that showed off her slender waist. With her flat sandals and a minimum of makeup, she looked fresh, sexy and stylish—as usual. Thanks to Sydney’s urging, they were on their way in minutes. She was eager to reach Alexis and Jared’s house.
When they reached their destination, Sydney was the first one out of the car, running to the door to greet the couple and their bouncy little dogs. She was excited and hardly paid any attention to her mother and Lucas as they departed. But she did manage to give them each a big hug and a kiss. “Have a nice time! See you tomorrow,” she said cheerily as she waved goodbye from the doorway.
“I’m glad you’re here, sweetie, but are you sure you didn’t want to go with your mom?” Alexis asked.
Sydney nodded her head vigorously. “Yes, I’m sure. I want to help you make jelly and play with Sookie and Honeybee. Besides, Uncle Lucas and Mommy need some alone time,” she said, sounding much older than six-going-on-seven.
Alexis exchanged a look of surprise with Jared over Sydney’s head. “Alone time? Where did you get that from, Sydney?”
“I got it out of my head, Auntie Alexis. They have to spend ti
me together so they can get to know each other really good before they get married.”
Alexis was walking toward the kitchen when Sydney imparted this information, and she froze in place like a statue before turning around to stare at the child. “Who’s getting married?”
“Mommy and Uncle Lucas,” Sydney answered. “Where’s my apron?”
Alexis and Jared gave each other identical looks of total shock as Sydney got on a stool to wash her hands over the kitchen sink.
“Who says they’re getting married, sweetie?” Jared asked in a gentle voice.
“I said it. I asked Uncle Lucas if he liked my mommy a whole, whole lot and he said yes and I said he should marry her because he’d be a really good husband for her, just like you are for Auntie Alexis. And now he’s working on it so we can get married and be a family,” she said confidently. “What kind of jelly are we making first?”
Alexis finally recovered her ability to speak and asked if Sherri knew about this plan.
“I didn’t tell her yet because it’s a surprise. But she’ll know pretty soon.”
Jared could see that his loving wife was about to pass out so he put his arms around her and held her tight. “I knew that being married to you was going to be wonderful, but I had no idea it would be this much fun.”
“Fun? This could be a disaster and you know it,” Alexis said in a low voice.
Jared kissed her soundly and assured her that everything would work out. “I told you that Lucas had that look in his eyes the first time he saw her, the look that said he meant business. Don’t worry—they’ll be just fine.”
* * *
Lucas couldn’t have been any more pleased with the new turn of events in his life. After their first date he’d endured a cold shower when he got home from Sherri’s condo, but it wasn’t the magical cure-all of legend for sexual needs. A cold shower was supposed to make all desire leave at once, and in truth, it normally did. There was nothing like getting doused in icy water to turn off the urge for sexual fulfillment, but the memory of Sherri in his arms was too strong. His body was still horny and restless, and dreams of sublime lovemaking with Sherri had taken up most of the night.
When he awoke the next morning he was filled with optimism. As far as he could see, their date had been as close to perfect as possible and he was looking forward to a repeat performance. Sherri wasn’t indifferent to him by any means, and that was an excellent sign of more good things to come.
They had promised each other that there would be no awkwardness the next time they saw each other, and there hadn’t been. Sherri and Sydney had come to Seven-Seventeen for a late lunch just like she said they would, and everything was perfectly normal. Better than normal, actually, because there was no denying that something very special had transpired the night before. Sherri had looked beautiful as always, wearing a peach-colored outfit of a short cotton skirt and a short-sleeved T-shirt. Sydney was always adorable, and even more so with her long braids swinging with every movement of her active body. She had greeted him with a kiss on the cheek and a big hug and urged him to give one to her mommy, too.
“She had a lot of fun on your date, Uncle Lucas. You should probably give her a little kiss,” she said in the voice that she thought was a whisper.
To his surprise, Sherri had tilted her head to allow him to plant one on her cheek. She returned it with a smile. “Thanks again for the lovely evening,” she said sweetly.
Just like that they had moved out of the friend zone into a place where romantic possibilities bloomed. He had wasted no time in advancing his agenda, and in the days that followed he spent quite a bit of time with the Stratton ladies. He’d cooked for them one evening in the loft apartment he took over from Jared after he married Alexis. The meal was a great hit with Sydney because he had made pizza. She was absorbed in every step of the process, and when he taught her how to toss the dough in the air like a real pizza maker, she had been in heaven.
There had been other outings, always with Sydney along as a chaperone because he knew better than to trust himself alone with Sherri just yet. He didn’t want to take things to the next level until she knew that she could trust him completely, so the only recourse he had was to make sure that they were always around other people. The only difference was the addition of long passionate kisses when they said good-night. Lucas had briefly considered the notion that those first kisses were a fluke, but he was absolutely wrong. Every time their mouths met it was more delectable than the time before. A hot surge of desire would well up until there was nothing in the world but Sherri, the taste of her, the feel of her and his total lust for her. He’d learned how to break off the kiss, say a gruff good-night and get in his car before he did something in her doorway they’d both regret.
It had been both rewarding and frustrating, but his patience had paid off. Sherri was beginning to trust him, at least enough to go to Charleston with him. Normally he would have dreaded a two-hour drive with a woman, but he was enjoying this one immensely. He looked over at her, neat and pretty in the passenger seat, and she looked like she was enjoying herself, too. Without giving it a thought, he reached over and took her hand.
“I’m glad you decided to come with me,” he said with a smile.
Sherri used her free hand to remove her sunglasses and returned his smile. “I’m glad you asked me. I haven’t been to Spoleto in years. This is a real treat for me.” She continued to look at him with an unguarded expression. “You have an absolutely lethal smile,” she teased him.
“Lethal? Is that a compliment or a criticism?” He laughed as she gave his hand a gentle squeeze.
“It’s a compliment, of course. You just have a really sexy smile. I hope I’m not stepping on some other lady’s toes by being with you.”
“Are you serious? I’m not in a relationship with anyone right now. Haven’t been for a long time,” he said firmly.
Sherri’s mischievous side was out in full force, apparently, because she didn’t give up. “Are you sure? You’re way too tasty to be flying solo. Why aren’t you involved with some nice lady? I imagine there’re a lot of women who’d like an answer to that question. You have all the components anyone could want in a mate. You’re good-looking, talented and ambitious and my little girl loves you, so that means you’re pretty much perfect. What’s the story, Lucas? C’mon, you can tell me,” she coaxed. “How in the world is a man like you walking around unattached?”
Lucas laughed loudly at Sherri’s bold statement. This had to be the most he’d heard from her at one time and the fact that the words and phrasing were warm with humor and flirtatious gave him a burst of enthusiastic encouragement. He seized the opportunity to gain more knowledge about the mystery that was Sherri.
“I should be asking you the same questions, sweetheart. How in the world is a stupendous woman like you going through life without a partner? As exceptional as you are, you should have a devoted husband who lives just to make you happy,” he countered.
She made a funny face, then laughed at him. “We’re not talking about me. This conversation is about you. We already know why I don’t date. I had my heart broken and my dreams of romance smashed to itty-bitty pieces by a man who didn’t want to own up to his responsibilities. Case closed. There’s no need to put your hand in the fire when you know it’s gonna burn you. And besides, I have a partner, or are you forgetting Miss Sydney?” She was smiling.
Lucas was relieved that he hadn’t insulted her with his clumsy phrasing. She poked his big biceps with her forefinger as she continued to prod him. “So don’t try to deflect this onto me. Tell me about Lucas. I’ll bet you and Damon have had girls falling all over you since you were in grade school. Did you ever pretend to be each other to trick people?”
“Yes, I confess we did. It’s one of the perks of being identical twins, but we never did it to get over on a female, not deliberately. But we were pretty mischievous—I’m not gonna lie. Jared called us Demon and Lucifer for a reason, trust me.”
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Between their shared stories and laughter, the trip to Charleston seemed to take much less time, especially because Lucas never took his hand from hers the whole ride. They continued to hold hands as they walked around Charleston, enjoying everything about the festival. There was a lot to see. They toured art galleries, bought souvenirs for Sydney and saw as many sights as possible before having a delicious lunch of shrimp BLTs and she-crab soup at a popular restaurant.
The concert was outstanding, better than anticipated. The drive back to Columbia could have been a pain because of all the traffic, but nothing dimmed their good moods. They were engaged in conversation. The trip seemed to take no time at all.
When they arrived at Sherri’s condo, Lucas carried in the bags and Sherri took them to Sydney’s room. She returned to the living room to find Lucas in the kitchen pouring them each a glass of wine.
“Sorry if I’m being presumptuous,” he said as he handed her a glass.
“Don’t be silly,” Sherri said as she took a glass from his hand. “This is a good idea. Are you hungry?”
He waited until she took a sip before leaning down to kiss her, slowly and with great intent. “No, I’m not hungry for food, sweetheart. I’m really hungry for something else, though, so I’d better get going.”
His hands were warm on her shoulders, his fingers gently flexing as his thumbs moved in slow circles. She carefully put her wineglass on the counter and moved in closer to his warm body. Wrapping her arms around his waist she stood on her tiptoes to return the kiss with interest. She gave him more than he was expecting, using her tongue to tease the corners of his mouth before drawing his lower lip into her mouth and sucking on it gently. Before getting completely lost in the kiss she whispered, “I don’t want you to leave.”
Way to Her Heart Page 5