by Dara Girard
“Why would I do that?”
“Look, lovemaking is different. It’s under sheets, in the dark.”
“Sometimes.”
“With the lights down low then.”
“Sometimes.”
Hannah folded her arms, determined. “You’ve been with a lot of women and I don’t want to be compared. Not in that way.”
“The only woman who matters to me is you.” He held up his hands in surrender. “But okay, I won’t take this relationship any faster than you feel comfortable with. We’ll shower after we’ve slept together.”
“Thank you.”
“Of course there’s another option.”
“What?”
“I could make love to you in the shower.”
“How would that work?”
“Use your imagination.”
“No.”
“You don’t know what you’re missing. I’ll file that away for later.”
Hannah shoved him toward his bedroom. “Go take your shower.”
“I can’t change your mind?”
“No.”
Amal sighed. “I’ll be back in a few. Promise you won’t leave.”
“I promise.”
He dashed into his bathroom and quickly showered and shaved. He whistled his way into his bedroom and then halted when he saw Hannah in his bed, her eyes poking out from beneath the covers. He crossed the room with a grin. “Ah, yes. This is a nice touch.” He kneeled on the bed and then pulled the sheets away. His face fell as if someone had popped his balloon. “What is this?”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s like opening a Christmas present and finding a lump of coal.”
“What are you talking about?”
He gestured to her dress. “You’re supposed to be naked.”
“I thought you’d want to undress me.”
Amal bit back a laugh at her outrage. “All right. Turn around.”
Hannah sat up and folded her arms. “Not if you’re going to make it sound like a chore.”
Amal turned her back to him and unzipped her dress. “My God, you have your bra and panties on, too?”
“I thought foreplay was the fun part.”
“What the hell is foreplay?”
Hannah jumped up and spun around to him. “Foreplay is—” She stopped when she saw his mouth quirk. “Are you laughing at me?”
“No.” He bit his lip, but his eyes were bright with amusement.
“I’m glad you find this so funny.” She turned and marched to the door.
He grabbed the back of her dress. “You’re not going anywhere.”
“Yes, I am.”
He swept her in his arms. “You’re right. You’re going to bed.” He set her down on the sheets. “And we’re going to make love.” He pushed her dress from her shoulders. “And you’re going to enjoy it.” He pressed his lips against her bare skin. “In that order.”
“Not if you’re going to make fun of me.”
“I’m sorry, but when you mentioned foreplay like we were supposed to follow The Ladies’ Guide to Sex I nearly lost it. But I’ll be serious now. I won’t tease you anymore.” He pushed her dress to the ground. “Do you have any requests?”
“Requests?”
“Would you prefer me to remove your bra or panties first?”
“You decide.”
“Okay. You remove your bra and I’ll remove your panties.”
Hannah nodded. “Should we do it on the count of three or something?”
Amal choked back a laugh. “No.”
“You’re making fun of me again.”
“I’m not,” Amal said, but when she looked at him he burst into laughter.
“I don’t see what’s so funny.”
Amal held his sides and kept laughing.
“Now I’m leaving.” Hannah reached for her dress.
Amal quickly sobered. “I’m sorry. Really. I didn’t mean to laugh. It’s just that, don’t you know how to have any fun? You’re too formal about this. It’s supposed to be relaxing. There are no rules when it comes to this.”
“That’s not true. There are certain acts that are illegal in some states—”
He shrugged. “Who’s going to know?”
Her eyes widened. “But—”
He shook his head. “Stop being a lawyer for once and just let things happen.” He unhooked her bra and then slowly slid her straps away. “I want you to relax and be comfortable with me.”
“Like this?” She draped her arms on his shoulder and then licked the bottom of his chin.
Amal cleared his throat, shocked by her bold move, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down. “Yes, that’s good,” he said in a hoarse voice.
“Let’s turn off the lights,” she whispered.
“The lights stay on.”
“But we’re supposed to set a mood.”
He rolled his eyes. “Baby, I’m already in the mood.” He tossed off his clothes and stood before her, his arms outstretched. “If you haven’t figured that out by now, I don’t know what will convince you.”
Hannah cleared her throat. “Yes, I just—”
He covered her mouth with his. “Hmm...yes, that’s better.”
He removed her bra and then her panties, and his hands skimmed her form while his eyes trailed the length of her with mounting desire. “You’re so beautiful.”
Hannah fought not to think of all the other women he may have said the same words to. She watched him roll on a condom, wanting to stay in the moment and enjoy it. Enjoy the feel of his touch that triggered primitive yearnings, igniting her hunger for him. She arched her body into him greedily, wanting to feel his hot flesh all over her. She nestled into his supple strength, caressing him gently with her fingers. She loved the feel of him. She loved the smell of him. She loved him.
It was an overwhelming admission but one she couldn’t deny. She’d fallen in love with him, and it was too late to turn back. She met the full force of his passion with an equal force of her own. She wanted to make him hers. She wanted to erase from his mind every woman he’d ever been with. She wanted to be the only one who ever knew the white-hot release of having him inside her, the liquid fire of his mouth as it slid across her skin.
She let go her inhibitions, the rules, the rituals and all that she thought she was supposed to be. She let the wild desire that filled her take over. She taunted his nipples with her tongue, licked the inside of his thigh and delved into his mouth while also opening herself up and welcoming him inside. She felt the drumbeat of his heart and playfully slapped his bottom. “You’re mine now,” she said, knowing he’d never comprehend what she really meant.
“Oh, yes,” he breathed, his breath hot against her chest. “And you’re mine.”
Always, she silently said. “I’m going to get the Walkers for you.”
“Don’t mention them right now.”
“But I’m making you a promise.”
“I don’t need that kind of promise.”
“But—”
“No business talk,” he said and then effectively stopped her for the next hour.
Once they were through, Amal lay staring up at the ceiling in amazement. He couldn’t stop grinning. Hannah had a wild side he hadn’t imagined and couldn’t forget. He wanted to be with her again and again and again. Next time it would be at her place and then maybe the beach and...
The sound of the smoke detector interrupted his fantasy.
Chapter 11
“What is that?” Hannah asked.
He swore, knowing exactly what it was. He shot out of bed, grabbed his robe and raced into the kitchen, where he saw his mother waving away smoke from the oven. He disc
onnected the alarm and opened a window. He spun around and sent his mother a withering look.
“Hannah told me you had a hearty breakfast. So what did you need to cook?”
“I was just trying to reheat this bread,” she said in a soft voice.
“Then use the microwave. We’ve been over this. You can’t cook.”
“I didn’t want to disturb you. Oh—hi, Hannah.”
Amal didn’t turn to Hannah because he didn’t want to see the look on her face. She’d been exposed enough to his mother’s behavior, and he wouldn’t blame her for wanting to distance herself from him.
“You should go,” he said.
“Only if you want me to.”
He turned to her, moved by both her words and her tone. It was soft and understanding, and he felt his tension ebb. She didn’t judge him or his mother. It was going to be okay.
“Doreen,” Hannah said. “What are your plans for today?”
“Oh, I don’t know. My friend Lorraine invited me for Scrabble.”
“That sounds like fun. Let me help you get ready.”
Amal watched them go and then cleared up the mess. Moments later his mother emerged, looking bright and happy. “Well, I guess I’m ready to go.”
Amal plastered a smile on his face. “Have fun.”
She waved and then left.
Hannah looked at him, concerned. “Should she go by herself?”
“It’s okay. Her friend is only two floors down and she’ll be gone all day.”
“For a game of Scrabble?”
He laughed at her innocence. “They don’t play Scrabble. They order takeout and watch dirty movies.”
“Oh.”
“Sometimes they’ll order a male stripper. They have a favorite they call ‘The Officer.’”
“You’re making this up.”
He shook his head.
“Well, your mother is definitely an interesting woman.”
“Want some cereal?” Amal asked, in no mood to prepare anything more complicated than that.
“No, I’m fine.” He prepared his breakfast and then sat at the kitchen table. He wanted to thank her for staying and understanding everything, but instead he scooped up his cereal and ate in silence, delighting in the crunching sound. He imagined he was grinding out every problem in his life.
Hannah sat in front of him and studied him for a moment and then said, “You’re not the reason your mother drinks, you know. I am.”
He stared at her. “What do you mean?”
“Your mother isn’t that drunk. She just plays the part so that she can get attention. She’s afraid of losing you.”
Amal set his spoon down and tapped his chest. “But she’s the one who wants me to date.”
“A part of her does, but a part of her is afraid of being replaced in your life, and this is the only way she knows how to be noticed by you. I mean, besides bailing her out of trouble, what do you two do together?”
He picked up his spoon again. “Nothing. She has her life and I have mine.”
“I bet you that if you took her out every once in a while these episodes would disappear. She’s scared, that’s all.”
“But that sounds so childish,” he grumbled.
“I know, but after your father left, what happened?”
“She fell apart so I had to take care of her.”
“And that’s the only relationship she knows—you taking care of her. She thinks that’s the only way to keep you in her life. You’ll have to show her a different way.”
“How?”
“Take her out to dinner and talk to her about her day. Listen to what she has to say. Don’t scold her. Just listen and give her a new kind of attention. Then she’ll change.”
“I don’t know.”
“Just give it a try.”
“Come with us.”
“No, this is between you and her.”
“No, this has been between her and every woman I’ve had in my life. Now that I think about it, you’re right. Her episodes always got worse when I was either in a relationship or distracted by business.”
“See?”
“That’s why you need to be there, so that she’ll know nothing will replace her.”
“Okay. Set a date and I will.”
* * *
The Walkers were good at keeping secrets and better at convincing others to keep their mouths shut. Even though Hannah was polite and tried to be subtle, nobody at the country club, the horseback riding school or the boutique where Martha frequented would say anything about her, good or bad. Even friends of the latest “Mr. Walker,” husband number four, kept mum. It was expected, but after three weeks of false starts Hannah was starting to get nervous. Bonnie also had little success finding out anything about Peter Lawford.
“He’s like a ghost,” Bonnie said as they ate lunch in Hannah’s office. Half-eaten cartons of Mexican takeout sat on the table. “He has an almost nonexistent digital trail, which is an amazing feat in this day and age. He’s from Chicago and worked in the food industry briefly as a taster, but that’s about it before joining the Walkers three months ago.”
“How did they find out about him?”
“He was signed with an employment agency. Exclusive. I have a meeting to speak with the director tomorrow. Not sure I’ll get much, but I’ll try.”
“Thanks. You’re doing better than I am.”
“What do you have?”
“Right now? Nothing. I’m not worthy of being spoken to. I’m obviously from the wrong circles.”
Bonnie began to grin. “Then use someone who is from the right one.”
Hannah returned her grin, knowing whom she meant. “Yes, Natasha. I’ll get her to do a little digging for me.”
“And I have an aunt who owns an exclusive nail salon where Mrs. Walker likes to go. I’ll get you an appointment.”
“You’re the best.”
“I know.”
Hannah picked up the phone and then dialed her friend. “Hi, Natasha. I need a favor.”
* * *
Natasha reported back several days later. She came to Hannah’s office, trying to pout but failing. “You know I’m still mad at you about your cocktail party.”
“But you love me anyway.”
Natasha smiled. “Anyway. I didn’t get much, but I did find out that Mrs. Walker had started filling several new prescriptions.”
“Is she ill?”
“That’s the strange part. She looks very healthy, but suddenly she had been ordering more prescriptions and making frequent doctor’s visits. But no one knew why.”
“I know her daughter had a prescription drug addiction. Maybe she was supporting her habit and trying to find a new way to treat her before she died.”
“Could be, but why do everything under her name?” Natasha asked.
Hannah shook her head. “I don’t know.”
“I did find out something about Jade.”
“What?”
“She was taking diet pills. Everyone I spoke to told me how upset Martha was about her daughter’s weight gain and how she had made a big performance about taking her to the gym and giving her diet pills. She blamed Amal for her daughter eating loads of food. Two plates full. Before she passed away she was a big girl. There were few pictures of her because the Walkers were really protective. She didn’t take the breakup with Amal well. She became an overeater.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, and I was able to get proof.” Natasha took out her phone and showed Hannah an image of a large woman finishing off a pizza. “This was taken at a charity event in New York with a camera phone. That’s why it looks fuzzy, but that’s how Jade looked before her mother completely hid her away.”
“But it can’t be,” Hannah said in awe and dismay. “She’s close to a hundred pounds overweight.”
“Try seventy-four. She joked about it with one of the guests. I sent the image to you so you can show Amal.”
Hannah bit her lip. “I’m not sure I should. This isn’t the woman he would remember.”
“But it would explain why the Walkers are out to get him.”
Medication? Diet pills? Did that sound like Jade? It was possible that she replaced one addiction with another. “This is good, thanks.”
“I tried to be as subtle as I could, but you better find something quick before the Walkers find out that you’re onto them. I don’t think you have much time.”
* * *
“Medications?” Amal said when Hannah asked him about Martha’s health. It was late evening and they’d just finished dinner. They lay on her couch, watching TV. “No, I don’t remember her ever taking anything other than herbal supplements.”
“I can’t seem to put the right picture together about her. She’s a new recluse, visiting doctors and taking medication. Maybe she’s dying.”
“But then why hold on to vital inventory to spite me? This is personal.”
“Yes,” Hannah said, wishing she didn’t have to bring up the second topic. “The coroner’s report said that Jade died of heart failure, right?”
He nodded. “From an overdose.”
“So they said. I now wonder about that, though. It’s possible she did it to herself because she was depressed over you, and that’s why the Walkers blame you.”
“What do you mean?”
“It seems that Jade gained a lot of weight after you broke up.”
“That’s impossible. Jade was never a big eater. She hardly ever had an appetite.”
“Well, suddenly she did and her mother had her taking diet pills and keeping her out of the public eye. It seems she’d gained over seventy pounds.”
Amal shook his head. “No, she wouldn’t. My jewel wouldn’t do that. She was always slender. Gaining weight was hard for her.”
Hannah inwardly cringed at his reference to Jade as his “jewel” when he had no special name for her, but she knew he deserved the truth. She showed him the picture she’d printed off her computer so that he could study it closely.