by Sable Hunter
“Yes?”
He pushed open the door to find her just on the other side. “I need to use your phone.” While he was speaking, his eyes moved beyond her to see a laptop open on a rickety table. What she was doing, he didn’t have a clue.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Howl! Howl! Bark! Bark!
The happy noise of Shae’s dog became clear as the deafening sound of the table-saw died down. Taking a step back, Derek wiped perspiration from his brow and surveyed his work. The project was coming along nicely.
Bark! Bark!
More raucous racket from the dachshund brought Derek to the window to see what was transpiring. The sight meeting his eyes brought a smile to his lips. Shae was playing with her dog, throwing a ball, laughing and prancing around. Smiling and waving her arms, sometimes twirling around with joy as Mojo bounced at her feet.
She seemed to be having a good time. Right by herself.
No one was with her, save her shadow, the tiny four-legged beast who was Shae’s constant companion.
Another week was almost over, and some things had become glaringly obvious to Derek.
No one came to see Shae.
As she’d said, no one called. She never left, except for her brief scheduled visits…somewhere. The only other time she went out was to the grocery store, then she was gone longer because she drove over into Louisiana, about forty minutes away.
As he watched out the window, he couldn’t help but be attracted to her. After all, she was lovely – and he was a man.
A man who hadn’t had sex in almost a year.
“Catch it, Mo!” she shouted, then giggled, hugging herself and twirling, her long hair flying behind her in the breeze. Derek leaned on the window sill, one hand jammed in the front pocket of his jeans. Hell, he could watch her all day. In fact, he killed his break, completely entranced with the woman as she cavorted with the small dog, making the best of her day, with no one about. Alone.
The way he was alone.
Stepping back, he shrugged his upper body, loosening his muscles. He had to shake this preoccupation and get back to work. Derek started to walk away, but hearing a different noise outside, he glanced back out the window. Coming around the corner was the guy who read the gas meters for the local energy company. He’d seen him around.
With the man appearing out of nowhere, Shae appeared to be startled. Being from the south, Derek knew how men and women behaved to one another. There was an innate gallantry inbred in good ole boys, especially Texas good ole boys. Mystified, he saw something unusual. The first reaction from Shae, apart from an initial jerking around to see where the unexpected noise was coming from, was a look of recognition. Friendly recognition. And a tentatively raised hand of greeting.
She knew this fellow.
Noting this, Derek’s eyes immediately averted to the man. Normally, a guy would take his hat off. Maybe, wave. Call out a howdy. If the dude was single, he might blush and come forward, seeking out a closer connection.
What Derek witnessed next almost sent him out the door. If keeping his involvement with Shae secret wasn’t absolutely necessary, he would’ve plowed into that white trash with both fists swinging. Gary, that was the gas guy’s name, nailed Shae with a leering look, lifted his chin, and said something vile. The only words he could make out coming from the redneck’s mouth were two very uncouth ones, cunt and fuck. Bile rose in Derek’s throat. His hands formed into fists and he pivoted to see her reaction.
Considering the response one would expect from a female with her reputation, he was surprised to see her blanch, hurt washing over her features as plain as day. Even from here, he could see a red wave of shame flame up her face as her lips began to quiver. She whirled around, her dress fanning out in an ice skater’s circle, as she caught her dog up in her arms, and fled to the sanctuary of the old storage shed.
Derek tensed, waiting for Gary’s next move. Swear to God, if the fuck started toward Shae, he’d be out of this house in a heartbeat – regardless of the repercussions. His chest was heaving with emotion, his mind a snarl of tumultuous emotion. Derek braced, his gaze pinning the intruder with a hateful gaze – ready to rumble. “Just give me a reason, jackass.”
For long seconds the gasman stood, his body leaning forward as if debating whether to pursue her or not. At last, he slumped, turning to go about his task. Still, Derek didn’t move, waiting for him to finish and take his leave. When he stood from his squat by the meter, he raised up, his eyes finding Derek’s in the window. Just as Gary inclined his head, attempting to sharpen his vision, Derek ducked out of sight. “Shit.”
With an elevated heart rate, he sank against the wall, afraid to look out to see if he’d been made. Counting to ten, Derek half expected a knock to sound at the door. Finally, he moved deeper into the room and checked out the window. Gary was gone.
Shaking his head in relief, Derek tried to get a handle on what was going on. What had Shae done to bring this hailstorm on top of her head? She never received visitors. She rarely went anywhere. To his embarrassment, he’d driven by several times at night to see if he could see extra cars parked in her drive. Hell, he’d even parked in his usual hidey-hole and made the trek down the creek, thinking he’d spot some John’s vehicle parked in the back where he usually loaded up the refuse. But in all the times he’d checked, her car had been in its usual place, and she’d had no visitors.
For the thousandth time, he puzzled. Who was Shae St. John? As far as he knew, she worked on her computer. Maybe she was a phone sex operator? Webcam porn? He frowned, she sure wasn’t performing in the beat-up old shed where she spent her days…because he’d demanded she stay out of the house when he was there.
“Shit.” He stalked away from the window and passed the dining table, automatically picking up a brownie and taking a big bite. She’d taken to leaving him treats, which he gobbled up unceremoniously – without thanking her. This week, he’d barely said two words to her. She never darkened the door when he was there, unless it was to use the bathroom and then she’d slip in and out of the house like a ghost.
“Dang it, that’s good.” Derek finished the last bite of the chocolate treat, then licked most of the icing from his fingers. Since the kitchen sink was out of commission, he started down the hall to wash his hands in the bathroom.
…Outside, Shae called Mojo to her. “Come on, boy. It’s time for me to make my daily pilgrimage.” So far, her visits to the nursing home had gone unrewarded. Coretta still wasn’t speaking to her. Nonetheless, she would make the trip on the oft chance today would be the day her grandmother would forgive her great sin.
After the scare with Gary Cook, Shae didn’t want to leave Mojo unattended in the backyard. He’d said some cruel things to her. His words still rang in her ear.
“Hey, cunt. Wanna fuck?” When Mojo barked at him, he’d looked at the dog with malice. “Someone needs to roast you over hot coals, wienie dog.”
She’d known Gary all her life. They’d graduated school together. Attended church together. Shae had never heard him speak that way, especially to her. Her world had gone crazy, every person morphing into someone unrecognizable. They no longer hid their bad sides from her. In fact, they all gave her their very worst.
She had no answers. All she knew was she couldn’t leave her precious puppy outside alone. “Maybe Derek won’t mind some company.” She laughed wryly. “As long as it’s not me.”
Slipping in the back door, she snapped her fingers for the dog to follow. Keeping track of his progress, she walked full tilt into a hard, male chest. “Oh, God. I’m sorry.”
Derek held Shae’s arms, steadying her. “Easy. What’s the rush?”
“I apologize.” She quickly stepped back, as if his touch burned her. “Could I leave Mojo in here while I go out?”
“Okay.” He had no problem with that.
“Thanks, I’m just afraid…” She shook her head. He wouldn’t want to hear her problems.
“Afraid of what?”
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His adamant curiosity surprised Shae. “A man was here to read the gas meter. He…threatened Mojo.”
“Fuck.” Derek spat out the word.
Shae jumped a bit, retreating almost to the back door. “I’m sorry. I’ll take him with me.”
“No! No. No.” He grasped her arm to stop her from fleeing. “What did the fucker say to you? Exactly?”
“Mojo barked at him and he said he’d roast him over a fire. I know him, he wasn’t acting like himself,” she tried to explain.
“Did he threaten you?”
She blanched. “Not a threat…exactly, more of a suggestion.”
“What did he say?”
Shae wilted, hating to repeat the awful words. “He said, ‘Do you want to fuck, cunt?’”
That’s what Derek thought he’d said. “Why do you put up with that shit? Why don’t you leave? Go…do your business elsewhere?”
Shae swallowed, not sure what he was saying. “I can’t leave my grandmother.” She’d told him this before. “I need to go check on her now. Can I leave the dog in here today?”
Derek closed his eyes. “This is your house. Of course, you can leave your dog in here. What do you think I am? A monster?”
“No, I don’t.” Shae felt like she should comfort him. “You’ve been very kind to me.”
The lie hung between them. Derek didn’t know what to say. Her assertion was totally bogus. He hadn’t been kind, he’d treated her like everyone else treated her. With disdain. With barely concealed hostility. And why?
He didn’t know.
And he was afraid to ask.
Trying to get control of the moment, he did an abrupt topic change. “I need to order more materials.”
She seemed grateful to be able to talk to someone else. “Sure. I assume you need to pay for them ahead of time?”
“Yea, hold on.” He went to get the list detailing what he intended to buy and how much it cost. There were even pictures for her to approve.
“Okay.” Placing a hand to her chest, she willed her heart to calm down.
Derek took the moment to study her. She licked her lips while she read his notes. Any other time, he’d assume she was trying to be coquettish, letting her delicate pink tongue appear to glide over plump, pink lips. Now, he made no such assumption. Shae was upset. She was shaking, he could see the paper tremble in her hand.
Clenching his fists, he willed them not to reach out for her. He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t afford to – it would be insane.
“Fine, this looks good. I’ll get the cash on my way home, so you can place the order.”
He nodded, relieved when she stepped away to leave.
He’d survived one more day without kissing the daylights out of her.
As she took her purse and left to run her errands, he sank against the hall wall and beat his head against the hard surface. “Fool. Fool. Fool.”
Derek couldn’t decide if he was a fool for feeling the way he did…
Or for not doing anything about it.
* * *
“How is she?” Shae asked Joyce as she stood at the side entrance of the nursing facility, the one open to the delivery area.
Joyce glanced to the right, to the left, then took Shae’s arm and led her around the corner to a grassy nook where the residents were brought to enjoy the sun on nice days.
Today wasn’t one of those nice days. A storm was brewing – in more ways than one.
“Your grandmother fell and broke her hip a few minutes ago.”
“What? Oh, no.” Shae covered her mouth to keep from sobbing. “How bad?”
“I’m not sure. They carried her by ambulance to Angelina. I tried to call you.”
“I turned my phone off, I didn’t think anyone would call. How stupid!” Shae crumpled, and the nurse came to hug her.
“Don’t beat yourself up about it. You couldn’t have known. You’re here now and if you hurry, you can be at the hospital by the time they admit her,” Joyce said, patting her shoulder.
“Will she see me, you think?” Shae covered her eyes, tears flowing down her cheeks. “She won’t, I don’t know why I even asked. I’ve let her down, I’ve made our family a laughing stock.”
“I don’t know, sweetie, she might. She’s been asking about you.”
“Really? Oh, goodness.” She began walking toward her car. “I don’t know what to think. I just need to go.”
“Yes, go. This is a set-back. I won’t lie to you. The one good thing is that this might bring you back together.”
“I will pray hard. Every mile of the way.”
…Back at Shae’s house, Derek watched for her. He knew how long she was usually gone and even allowing extra time to go to the bank, she should’ve been back by now. He’d placed the call to order the materials at the lumberyard in a neighboring town. After witnessing the fiasco between Shae and the men at the local establishment, he’d chosen to take his business elsewhere.
What if something happened to her?
What if she was with another man?
Concern turned to worry, then worry mounted until he was imagining every possible scenario. After he finished for the day, he couldn’t bring himself to leave.
Something was wrong…or his worst possible suspicions were true.
Needing to know the truth, he waited.
Five o’clock came, then six.
While he was waiting, he called Blair. To his ever-loving shock, June answered the phone.
“Lo?”
“Baby, it’s Daddy.”
“Da-dee!” she exclaimed with absolute, ecstatic joy.
“How’s my darling?”
“Good. How you?”
“I’m just fine. I miss you.”
“Oh, I miss you, Da-dee. Come get me!”
Her sweet little demand just crushed his soul. “I will. Soon. I promise.” He’d move heaven and earth to get his baby back, or he’d go fuckin’ mad.
“Who are you talking to?”
“Me!” he shouted into the phone when he heard Blair coaxing the cell from his baby’s grasp. “Blair!”
Click.
“Dammit!”
He stewed and waited.
Seven o’clock came, then eight.
Starving, he scooped up the little dog and took off for the local Dairy Queen. He ordered himself a Hunger Buster and a chocolate shake to go and the pup a burger patty with cheese. They wolfed it down on the way back to Shae’s. Upon their return, he didn’t even bother parking down the road. He boldly turned in at her house and shot the finger at a passing teenager who gawked at him.
Once he was inside the house…the clock ticked on.
Nine o’clock passed, then ten. Eleven quickly followed.
Now, worry was gone, and he was angry. Why? He didn’t know. He was just mad at the whole damn world.
…A few miles down the road, Shae drove in a daze. Coretta’s break required surgery and she’d been in the operating room when Shae arrived and sedated afterward. She waited until her grandmother was in recovery, but the doctor sent her home saying he’d call her first thing in the morning. The few minutes she’d been able to sit at her bedside, Shae was struck by how old and frail the normally stalwart woman seemed. So many times, an injury like this would be the beginning of the end. Shae prayed this wouldn’t be the case.
When she pulled into her driveway, the sight of Derek’s truck parked in the dark floored her. The first thing that crossed her mind was that he’d pulled the truck around to load scraps, then hurt himself and hadn’t been able to get help. “Oh, no.” She slammed on the brakes and cut the engine, running from the car as fast as she could.
“Derek! What’s wrong?” She flew in, fully expecting to find him passed out or bleeding on the floor.
“Where in the hell have you been?”
Hearing his voice behind her, Shae almost sank to the floor with relief. “You’re okay.” To cover her weakness, she knelt and rubbed her small dog’s head, try
ing to calm her pounding heart.
“Where in the hell have you been?” Derek repeated, coming closer. “Have you been out with some man?”
The shock of his question and the absurdity of the thought struck Shae as hilarious.
“No,” she answered with a laugh. “No. No man.” The giggles didn’t last long, soon she was crying. “My grandmother broke her hip. She had surgery.”
Derek didn’t realize he’d moved. The three or four feet between them vanished as he jerked her into his arms. His mouth quieted her cries, his embrace tightening around her, crushing her body to his. The utter relief of holding her so close almost took his breath away.
Shae gasped in surprise, and Derek didn’t let the opportunity pass him by. He drank from her lips, tasting her. His mouth and tongue mated with hers, he let himself indulge and grow intoxicated on her sweetness.
Shae melted against Derek, hoping against hope this wasn’t a dream. Being in Derek’s arms was the fulfillment of her dearest fantasy, a scene she’d imagined and written, coming to life in living color. She not only accepted his kiss, she threw herself into it. This was an unexpected pleasure she couldn’t pass up. It didn’t matter that her experience was limited, for Derek took control and all she had to do was give herself over to the most sensual, erotic experience of her life.
Derek kissed her like she was necessary for his survival. The hunger emanating from him rocked Shae to her very soul, fueling her own need beyond comprehension. Shaking with desire, she offered herself to him. Completely. It was like coming home. This didn’t feel like a first kiss, she’d done this before, been with him before…if only in her dreams and in the pages of the love stories she penned with such care.
Leaning nearer, Derek pushed her against the wall. The hard slab of his chest pressed to her breasts, awaking her eager, tender nipples as he ravished her mouth. Demanded her surrender. Made her breathless. Introducing her to such pleasure, she never wanted it to stop. A keening noise of delight rose in her throat as she accepted the desperate demand of his thrusting tongue. She spread her legs to make room for the knee he pushed between her thighs, flexing his muscle to rub against her tender sex, creating the most delicious sensation she’d ever known.