Toby was silent for a moment, and, sighing, he finally said, “Yes. I was in a bad mood because Dev came to the house earlier to tell me. Claudia, he killed Velerio.” In a disheartened murmur, he repeated, “Dev killed the guy.”
In my gut, I’d known this all along, but hearing it confirmed was more unsettling. “How much did you see?”
“Ray saw it all go down. But I swear to you, I wasn’t there. I wasn’t interested in chasing the guy so Dev made me walk home.”
“God, I am so glad you didn’t go along with them,” I murmured.
“Dev says if I talk, he’ll tell the police I was involved. We almost went at it in the kitchen.”
“He has no evidence to do that,” I said furiously, and began pacing my bedroom. “Tell Ray to come forward. He’ll be able to say what happened. He’ll tell them you weren’t there.”
He hesitated. “It isn’t that simple, but I’m working on it. Till then, you can’t say anything to your father or anyone else about all of this. If Dev finds out I talked, scaring us with his car will only be the first of many things he’ll do. I know how he is—he’ll just get more insane. I can’t take that kind of risk, not now when Julia still needs me,” he said.
For the first time, I agreed with him.
In the following days, Toby spent a lot of time with Ray. I was proud of him for handling the situation with the attention and urgency it called for. I didn’t get to see him much in those two weeks prior to my orientation. I had my own projects to work on too, getting things squared away for California: plane reservations, hours of entrance paperwork, and online forms.
As much as I wanted to go to California, Toby’s situation with Devlin worried me, and I felt torn about leaving him. Stuff at my own house wasn’t much better. Things between Dad and me got worse. There was an animosity between us that I didn’t know how to fix. It was a battle of who could be more stubborn. I hated to admit it, but I was pretty good at it. With the situation as it was, for the first time since Mom left, I felt completely disconnected to home.
Despite the swirling dark moods, two days before their arrival, everyone’s attention was diverted to getting the Fayes' house ready for Felicia’s and baby Dylan’s visit. I readied the extra bedroom and made sure all the floors were scrubbed and clean enough for a baby to crawl around on, and Toby drove around to various church ladies’ houses to pick up loaner baby supplies. The kitchen was outfitted with a high chair, the den with a playpen, and the spare bedroom with a portable crib. The colorful additions to each room, in anticipation of the newest little Faye, seemed to breathe new life into the outdated house. Mrs. Faye’s health continued to improve dramatically. I was sure Dylan’s visit had inspired the surge. She would be fine without my help when I left for the West Coast.
The day of the arrival, Toby made the short drive up to MacArthur Airport. I waited with Mrs. Faye at the house and helped her wrap some gifts she’d purchased for her grandson.
“Remember, you need to rest while they’re here. Toby and Felicia can do for themselves. And, don’t lift the baby too much,” I reminded her.
Mrs. Faye pressed a hand on my knee. “You’ll be such a good mother some day.”
Oh, good God. First the commitment comment, and now this?
Hearing the Jeep drive up, we went to the door. Felicia, a petite, slender platinum blonde in white pants and a sleeveless yellow blouse, stepped from the car. Dangling earrings peeked out from her long and wavy hair. She reached back to the baby seat, unbuckled an adorable, sleepy blonde baby, and lifted him up.
As she came up the walkway, I stared at the pair of white heels she wore. They were so ridiculously high, I wondered how she kept herself balanced with the six-month-old on her hip. Stepping forward, she smiled warmly at Mrs. Faye. Toby followed her carrying the luggage.
“Here he is!” Felicia went directly to Mrs. Faye and placed the baby in her awaiting arms. Little Dylan, his head covered with soft, baby fine hair, appeared to have just woken up. His little face was ruddy and eyes still held the signs of a deep, restful sleep. But even so, he was smiling as Felicia released him to his grandmother’s embrace.
Mrs. Faye held him to her in complete rapture. “Who is this sweet, handsome little boy?” she cooed, tears welling in her eyes.
Dylan’s little face was serious, but instead of crying, he turned in search of his mother. When he found her, the smile returned.
“See, Dylan, this is Grandma Julia.” Felicia came closer, patting Mrs. Faye’s shoulder, assuring her son that he was fine. The baby turned back and studied the new woman in front of him, seemingly absorbed in the details of her face. Mrs. Faye leaned forward whispering sweetly to him as he reached out with his chubby little hand and grabbed her nose.
The room was quiet as we watched her face wrinkle with a smile, and then tears fell from her eyes. “He’s absolutely precious.” As she looked up at Felicia, her voice cracked. “Thank you so much for bringing him to me.”
Several minutes into the visit, Felicia came into the kitchen where I had just finished assembling a veggie platter and snacks for the occasion. She flicked her long, blond hair over her shoulder, and I got the whiff of her perfume, sweet and flowery, like gardenias.
“Can I get some water? I’m parched.”
“Water pitcher’s in there,” I pointed to the refrigerator as I grabbed a glass from the cabinet and handed it to her.
“You’re Claudia, the girl who works here, right?”
I nodded.
“How is she?” Felicia nodded her head towards the other room. “She looks so thin since I last saw her.”
“It was really scary for a while, but she’s doing much better,” I said. “I think the anticipation of your visit really made a difference.”
Felicia stood with the refrigerator open, her hand on the filtered water container. “That’s a nice thing to say. I guess I never really thought about Dylan being her only grandchild. Now I wish we’d come sooner.”
She filled the glass, took a sip, and left the pitcher on the counter. “But this family is so screwed up—I just needed to get out of here,” she said by way of explanation. “Poor Mrs. Faye. Her boys are both such head cases.” She twirled an index finger around the side of her head. “Al’s in prison and Toby—I can’t see that sexy mess doing the family thing, with kids and in-laws.”
Felicia chuckled at her own comment and took another long sip, staring out at the scene in the living room.
“But, I’ll say this, Toby is good with Dylan. The two of them are so cute together.”
I peeked over her shoulder. Toby and his mother were sitting side by side on the couch with Dylan on Toby’s lap. My boyfriend was obviously enchanted with his little nephew, and, as Mrs. Faye looked on, he made silly faces and cooed at Dylan. I agreed with Felicia, they were sweet together. Watching them made me feel kind of silly-happy.
Without another word, Felicia went back to the other room to join them. She sat down next to Toby, closer than necessary.
“Why look at you! You’re such a natural with a baby.” With her arm around his back, Felicia leaned over and kissed Toby’s cheek leaving a lipstick smudge. Then she made a fuss about wiping it off.
Watching Toby’s reaction guardedly, I noticed his eyes stayed on Dylan as he spoke with her. “I can’t believe how big he got since the last time I saw him.”
“Well, it has been five months since you visited,” Felicia said with a pout in her tone.
“They change so much in the first year,” Mrs. Faye said, seeming reflective.
Felicia hit Toby’s shoulder with a soft punch. “I expected to see you again before you came back here.”
“I should’ve made time.” Toby was enjoying Dylan’s giggles as he bumped the baby up and down on his knee. I was relieved he wasn’t more than mildly responsive to Felicia’s disapproval as I suspected there was more than ‘sister-in-law-ly’ intent behind her attention to him.
The baby let out a burp, and the thr
ee of them laughed.
“I want to take some pictures. Where’s Claudia?” I saw Mrs. Faye glance around, and I busied myself with the snack platter, scraping the last of some hummus dip into a serving bowl.
“I’ll get her,” Toby said and appeared in the kitchen with Dylan on his hip. “Hey, why are you hiding out in here?”
“I’m not hiding. I didn’t want to intrude on your family reunion.” I shrugged, about to lick some hummus off my fingers.
Snatching my hand before it reached my mouth, he said, “Don’t be silly. You’re not working today.” He popped my fingers into his own mouth and licked them clean. “Now come out here for pictures.”
My face felt flushed when we stepped into the living room. Toby put his arm around my waist and drew me close. I saw Felicia’s eyes narrow, but just then baby Dylan reached out to me and threw his little body forward. I had no choice but to catch him.
“Look at this little lady-killer,” Toby smiled and tickled Dylan’s belly. “You trying to make time with my girl?”
Dylan’s throaty chortle was musical, and I couldn’t help laughing at its endearing sound. Smiling, I stroked his soft hair and inhaled his sweet baby smell. His eyes were so blue and skin so fair, it was almost translucent. Enthralled, I watched him as he grabbed the necklace around my neck and put my gold cross in his mouth. When I smiled, he smiled back, and a long string of drool slid out of the corner of his mouth onto my chest.
Toby leaned towards my ear. “He even drools over you just like I do.”
We grinned at each other, and a flash went off. Mrs. Faye had taken our picture. She smiled as she looked at us, and I know she was lost in the moment, watching Toby interact with this beautiful baby, cooing and stroking his head in such a loving way. Despite motherhood not being part of my plans, I had to admit seeing my guy like this did strange things to me, too. This soft, gentle side of him was incredibly alluring, and a powerfully strong yearning for him raced through me. He was my sexy mess.
After lowering Dylan onto his mother’s lap and taking a few photos, Toby glanced back at me. He always oozed such raw sexuality, but for some reason—perhaps my hormones were in an uproar or I was ovulating—my libido took a direct hit. I almost forgot to breath.
He came over to me and slid his hand loosely over my hip. I immediately felt our connection.
“You okay?” he asked. His eyes dropped down to my mouth, and I bit my lip.
Embarrassed by my state of arousal, I mumbled, “I … I need some water,” and leaving Felicia and Mrs. Faye in conversation about Dylan’s sleeping and eating habits, I headed back into the kitchen. Toby followed me, watching as I filled a glass with filtered water from the pitcher Felicia had left on the counter. I warmed under his gaze.
Taking the pitcher from my shaking hands, he put it on the counter next to me and touched my face.
“Claudia.” He whispered my name as if he knew what I was thinking. I pressed my face into his hand, but I couldn’t meet his eyes.
“Look at me,” he commanded, and, very slowly, I raised my eyes to his.
I felt the force of our attraction run through me, every little pore in my body electrified. His irises grew darker, and his grasp on my hip tightened. He leaned in and kissed me, his lips soft but persistent. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I tugged him tight to me and met his kiss with my own eagerness, wanting desperately to feel his body against mine.
After a few moments, Toby dragged his mouth from mine, appearing as affected as I felt.
“If we don’t stop, I’m going to nail you right here in the kitchen,” his voice low and sultry. “And with the way you’re acting, I have a feeling we’d be way too noisy to go unnoticed.”
I smiled and touched my palm to his now flushed face. “What have you done to me? All I can think about is how much I want to be alone with you.”
“Woman, you have freaking lousy timing. With Felicia and the baby here, swinging alone time today will be next to impossible,” he said, his hand moving in slow, distracting circles over my rear end. “But maybe I can work something out.”
I took a deep steadying breath and shook my head.
“No. I don’t want to take you away from this.” I motioned to the other room. “This time is so important to your mom and for you, too.”
“But I want to be with you,” he whispered, skimming his lips over my jaw.
“I know,” I said. “But it can wait.”
* * *
While Mrs. Faye and Toby enjoyed time with Dylan, I was left to focus on the final detail of my trip: packing. At midnight, burning off anxious energy, I was absorbed in the task of pairing and laying out outfits. I hadn’t heard from Toby, so I wasn’t completely surprised when he called my cell just as I zipped up my luggage.
“Sorry to call so late,” he apologized. “But I saw your light was still on and…”
“You’re outside my house?” I flew to the window and pulled back the curtain. His shadowed figure was in the driveway, and he waved at me. My heart began to race. “My dad would freak if he knew you were here.”
“Claude, I really need to see you. Just come out here for a little while,” he pleaded.
Of course, I knew I would. “Give me two minutes, then meet me at the east side gate,” I told him. I ran around quickly collecting a few items and went down to the yard.
He was at the gate, impatiently trying to open it when I got there. I undid the locking latch and pulled the gate open. Toby stood for a moment and stared at me. I had piled my hair into a simple twist and slipped into a pink sleeveless summer nightie—the silky soft chemise was short, feminine and showed off my legs. The way he looked at me, made me feel as though I were wearing the most erotic lingerie.
“Jesus, Claude,” he hissed, and pushed me roughly up against the side of the house. As his lips found mine, his hard body pressed against me, and we groaned in unison.
As we stood there in the shadow of my house, our warm bodies practically molded together, and I felt unchained. Every part of me wanted him, my mind, my body, and my heart. I loved him.
As his mouth moved over my face, to my throat, I stroked the hardness of his chest, slowly moving my hands downward, over his tight stomach to his hips. I didn’t stop until I encountered the solid ridge in his pants. I palmed him, and, as I knew he would, he groaned low and appreciative in my ear.
With a smile, I pushed him back and reached for his hand. “Come with me,” I whispered, and led him into the yard.
26. Toby
My lungs were spazzing, and we were both panting as Claudia led me down a stone pathway into the darkened yard. I was so wrecked, I would have followed her anywhere.
Twice that summer, I had been in the yard to go swimming with Claudia. Her dad kept the house and the grounds cosmetically perfect. The backyard had the same clean lines and orderliness as their house, with precisely trimmed bushes and a big ass grill on the patio. Just beyond the inground pool, giant column-like evergreens lined the edges, secluding the yard from the neighbors.
The night was alive around us. The chorus of crickets and cicadas were doing its best to drown out music from a party next door. A light, salty breeze rolled off the bay water nearby and stung my nose, but the breeze did little to cool the humid air.
Fumbling for her again, I scooped an arm around Claudia’s shoulders and pulled her back against me. Pressing my face into her hair, I reached down to slide my hand over the silky smoothness of her thigh. My need to touch her slowed our progress, but she continued moving forward, hauling me along with her.
She moved past the pool towards a metal-framed, screened gazebo. She pulled back the black mosquito netting and motioned me inside. A low candle flickered in the dark from atop a patio table that has been pushed off to one side. There was a cushioned poolside lounger next to the table, as big as my bed at home. It was covered with a sheet.
“Where’s your dad?” I asked, craning my neck towards the house, looking for any signs of movem
ent inside.
“He’s a nervous wreck whenever I travel. He took a pill to help him rest. He’s out.”
Claudia zipped the netting closed, and we were cocooned in our own little space, away from the outside world. I sat down on the lounger and pulled her to me. As she kissed the top of my head and stroked my hair, I lifted her nightgown to press my face into her stomach and inhale the tantalizing scent of her skin. Running my hands up over her hips, I continued up her ribcage until my hands cupped her breasts, unhampered by a bra. A moan of pure, unadulterated pleasure fell out of my mouth, and I looked to see her smiling down at me. As I stared at her, I felt like her prisoner, caught up and held captive by all that she was.
She drew a finger across my bottom lip, and she slid her hands slowly down my neck, over my shoulders, and down my chest. Her touch was deliberate and unhurried, and I felt it all over. When she wrestled to lift my shirt, I tugged it off and tossed it the ground. Leaning back on my arms, I gave her full access. Holding my shoulders, she put a knee on either side of my hips and straddled me.
With her eyes on mine, she murmured, “Mmm, I love your shoulders,” and gently swirled her palms over my feverish skin. Dipping her mouth downwards, she traced the outline of my tattoo, following her fingers with her lips.
I closed my eyes and let my head drop back. It was an indescribable feeling, light and sexy at the same time. I wasn’t able to stay still for long as a fire raged inside me. Wrapping an arm around her hips, I began to grind my hardness against her. Thin layers of cotton were the only things separating us. The friction was wicked, and we both reacted to the sensation.
I pulled her close and pressed my mouth to hers.
“Claudia, I want you so bad,” I whispered, breathless against her lips.
She rested her forehead on mine, and in a serious tone, she said what I’d been waiting to hear. “I want you, too. I want to make love with you, tonight.”
“You’re sure?” I wasn’t looking to change her mind, but after how I’d behaved a few weeks ago, I needed to be certain she wanted this to happen.
Saving Toby Page 19