NS

by U

  “Oh, my God. That’s Peaty. He kept talking about Peaty but wouldn’t tell me who or what it was. Obviously he’s developmentally challenged. He beat that woman in the park.” She shook her head. “Lost control. I’m not sure of his diagnosis, but he takes medication for headaches, and he hasn’t had it today.”

  “He held you in his apartment all night, tied you to the bedpost…” Detective Barrett looked at her. “Did he…”

  “Don’t,” she interrupted. “He did not do anything to me. He offered me water, and

  allowed me to use the restroom.”

  “Did he fire a shot at you in here?”

  “The gun discharged when he saw Armageddon.” She nodded to the cat, who was

  watching from the top of the stairs. “He’s very nervous. He was not trying to shoot me. I hope you will get help…a doctor to examine him and give him something to calm him down. He was trying, in the only way he knew how, to protect the one person who treated him with respect. He didn’t touch me.” She rubbed her jaw. “Except for a full-handed slap on my face, and yanking me around when I tried to escape.”

  She looked around the room and counted the sighs of relief. Isaac’s grip tightened on her hand.

  “Well, you sure got a lot of publicity. We wanted the media to focus on the incident with Mama Rose, because we knew the two were not related.” Skip kissed the top of her head. “For a hot minute, that’s the story everyone wanted to tell—the mob, the man, somebody had harmed you because of your support for Mama Rose. I think they’ll leave her alone, now. You solved her problem, and that woman’s beating. God. You must have been scared to death.”

  “I was pretty frightened. I didn’t know what he had planned to do and I don’t think he did either. He just thought he had to keep me away from the courtroom to save his brother.” She reached for the phone. “I’ve got to call my office and then Quincy Beckham.”

  “Beckham?” Skip asked.

  “What the hell for?” Isaac’s eyes blazed with anger.

  “I don’t know how much his client told him, but he should know—”

  “He knows,” David said. “Hamilton is guilty of assault, but Ray did most of the damage.

  The only thing we hadn’t figured out is who broke in here the other night. We still thought that might have been Beckham. The three of us took turns threatening him.”

  Chelsea smiled.

  “So the Hamilton boy will walk?” Skip asked.

  “Not exactly. He was there. He assaulted that woman, saw what his brother had

  done and then ran away. Everyone will get what they deserve.” She looked at Isaac, who still had not let go of Chelsea.

  * * * *

  After a long shower and a hearty meal of Mama Rose’s specialties, Chelsea

  waited for the last visitor to leave before sprawling back in Isaac’s arms. “I’m afraid to look in the mirror. Is it getting better?”

  “You look gorgeous, my sweet baby.” His lips brushed hers. “I’m so happy to

  have you back. You must be exhausted.”

  “I am tired, and in spite of the time I spent in the shower, I still feel dirty. Guess I need a nice long bath. Then I need to sleep for at least sixteen hours, preferably not alone.”

  His eyes filled with lust. “Wait here. I’ll be right back.”

  She had almost dozed on the sofa when he returned and lifted her in his arms.

  “I’ve made a nice warm bath for us to share.”

  He carried her to the bathroom and she saw the foamy milk bath she liked. “You

  never take a bath. Are you sure?”

  “Baby, right now, I have to be as close to you as possible. Your folks probably think I’m a pervert, but I just couldn’t let you go.”

  “I’m so glad you’re here. You know most of what happened, but there’s a lot I still need to tell you.”

  “I have to get back as soon as possible—tomorrow at the latest, but for now, I’m

  glued to your side.”

  He helped her undress and held her hand when she sunk into the tub of water. His

  eyes filled when he saw the bruise on her arm.

  “I have never been so worried in my life. Just thinking—”

  She stopped his words with a kiss. “Let’s not think about it now. Join me.”

  He winked. “I’ll be right back.”

  Chelsea said a silent prayer of thanks, for being alive and for being surrounded

  by love. She knew it was time to tell Isaac how she really felt about him. Frankie had made her believe that he loved her. If marriage was not in the immediate future, she would be happy to have him in her life.

  “Here you go, madam.” He returned, nude, and placed two glasses of champagne

  on the rim of the tub.

  She watched him move toward her, falling in love all over again. She also saw the blue box he had placed behind the glasses. He slid into the water and took her left hand.

  “You and I made an agreement when we started dating to remain faithful, but not

  serious.” He stopped talking and dropped his head.

  “Listen, I know this has been a nerve-racking time for you. I also know we’ve both gone beyond that safety zone we first established, but don’t feel you have to go any further. We’ll work up to—”

  “No, that’s not it. I want you in my life forever. I want to marry you and have a family. I want to love you forever.”

  “So why are you hesitating?”

  “Because I’ve never lied to you before and I don’t want this part of our relationship to begin that way. I should have waited. You shouldn’t have to hear what I’ve got to say, not ever—certainly not after all you’ve been through in the past twenty-four hours.”

  Puzzled, she watched him struggle. “Just say whatever you have to say. You’re scaring me.”

  “We promised each other monogamy. I let you down.”

  Her heart pumped in deafening throbs. “Are you saying you’ve been sleeping around?”

  “I’ve never wanted anyone but you since we’re been together, and I still don’t. There were no other women. Nobody.” His eyes fogged. “When I saw you at the courthouse, looking all cozy with Beckham, I went nuts. Here I was ready to propose spending our lives together and his dude was all bent over you with a look on his face that had nothing to do with that trial. I freaked.”

  He drained the champagne glass.

  “As you said, I have been through a lot in the last twenty-four hours. Now, I’m looking at the man I love who says he loves me, but his hands are trembling.” She framed her face with her hands. “That medication is making me woozy, so before we both drown in this tub, tell me whatever you have to say.”

  “I was pretty shaken up when I left the courthouse. I made reservation to leave New Orleans. I couldn’t stand to face you at that time. I certainly didn’t want to run into Quincy. I spent time with a friend. I needed comfort and so did she. She and I both stepped across the line.”

  His confession broke her heart, but the pain in his head told her guilt was breaking his. “I see. Just that one time?”

  He nodded.

  “Okay, you came to the courthouse, saw me talking to Quincy and slept with another woman? Just like that? No Chelsea, are you having a thing with this guy? No I love you? I want to fight for you?”

  “I was wrong and I’m sorrier than you could know. I wasn’t planning to tell you, but I want to move forward and I can’t until I come clean. I should have come to you with my suspicions, but when I did the last time, you almost made me feel pathetic. I saw him coming on to you. That much I was sure of. Since I didn’t see your rejection, I assumed you were into him. I was wrong. I should have discussed it with you.”

  “You did. Remember? I distinctly recall telling you I was not having a relationship with Quincy. I also said I would tell you before, not after, I slept with someone else.”

  The atmosphere around them had drastically changed. Love and seduction
turned to

  confessions and accusations.

  “I accept that nothing happened between you and Quincy, but you didn’t tell me the whole story. Don’t you think I know when you’re not being up front? Also, unless I’m drastically mistaken, you called out his name the morning I came here after practice. You were asleep, but it seemed you were in the middle of something sexual. It usually takes you a few minutes to awaken and get started, but you were roaring when I got here. There was a lot of moaning and groaning, but I’m almost sure you called out his name in the mix. It didn’t mean anything at the time…”

  He noticed her expression had changed.

  “Tell me I’m wrong, Chelsea. Tell me this guy never meant a damn thing to you, and I’ll believe you.”

  “You’re right. I didn’t tell you the whole story. Quincy asked me to dance that night after we left Mama Rose’s and went to Calhoun’s. That’s when he started telling me he had to have me, and enumerating the ways he could take me where no man has taken me before.” She watched anger cloud his eyes.

  “He knew about us, so I told him he was being presumptuous and disrespectful. I did not encourage him, but he kept it going. I was tanked that night. I had been missing you like crazy. I also realized it wasn’t just physical. I wanted to tell you how I felt. Many times. After that very strong affirmation you gave me when we started dating, I figured you would run like a hell. I kept quiet, but knew our relationship had changed, at least from my prospective. I didn’t know how long you’d hang around if you knew how I felt.”

  “So you slept with Beckham?”

  “Let me finish. I did not sleep with, kiss, or anything else with Quincy. The two of us were never alone.” She looked into his eyes. “When I met Quincy, I had already started thinking past our relationship. I figured you would realize I was in love with you and leave. No one could ever replace you in my heart, but when Quincy first came on to me, I was mildly intrigued. I knew the emptiness in my life would be astounding if you were gone. I was simply looking for a soft place to fall.”

  “So you kept listening to his shit?”

  She shook her head. “I told him to stay the hell out of my face on Sunday night. At that point, I figured he was trying to rile me. I was no longer intrigued. I didn’t want you to punch him out because I still had to face him in court. The next encounters were ugly. The one you saw at the courthouse was the beginning of my threat to file a complaint if he continued. After I realized he had seen you there, I wanted to strangle him and told him so. David witnessed some of it.”

  She sat back in the tub. Her body ached in more ways than one. “I didn’t sleep with, encourage, or want Quincy Beckham. I thought of him only when I felt I would lose you, but that quickly passed. I guess you’re a faster bed hopper than I am.”

  “Do you want to talk about it?”

  She thought hard and quick before shaking her head. “Talking won’t change it. I’ve been nothing but faithful to our relationship.”

  He drained the champagne glass. “And so was I. I didn’t to looking for—”

  “I really don’t want to hear about it.”

  “So do you hate me now?” He took her hand. “I’ve loved you for a long time. I felt pain that I can’t describe when I thought I lost you to that dude. And that was nothing compared to what I felt when I thought I’d lost you to some lunatic. Can you forget my mistake and promise to spend the rest of your life letting me make it up to you?”

  He slipped the ring on her finger.

  She looked at the diamond and then into his eyes. “It’s the most beautiful thing

  I’ve ever seen—next to you, of course.” They kissed and she asked through her tears. “You sure?”

  “I’m positive.”

  She smiled and waited for his lips to cover hers. “So am I.”

  He told her about his new contract and the plans he wanted them to make together. “I don’t care where we live. We can stay here for now. I know your career means a lot to you. I want you to keep it, but I don’t want you taking chances anymore, baby.”

  “I won’t.” Looking down in the water, she saw a buoyant arousal peeping through the suds. “Do I get that now, or later?”

  He looked at her and looked away. “You can get it now, later, and anything you want it, if you’re ready. I’m not sure how badly you’re injured. I don’t want to do anything until you’re ready.”

  She realized he had made no sexual overtures, which was totally out of character. “He didn’t rape me if that’s what you mean. Big RayRay is still a virgin. He’s also broken and confused.” She took his hand. “There are no words to say how dear you are to me and how much I love you.”

  “I love you. I’m so sorry, but I had to tell you before we went any further. I’ve never lied to you. I just thought I had lost you and…I promise it will never happen again.”

  All traces of tension left his face. He took her hands and placed them on the silk and steel between his legs. “Since I know you’re okay, you’ll be getting this every way possible before I have to leave you.” He leaned forward and stopped. “I take that back. I’m not leaving you.

  You’re coming with me. I know you have a career, but your life was in danger because of it.

  Surely they’ll give you a little down time.” He smiled. “Guess that didn’t come out right.”

  “I have two full weeks of down time. I plan to spend every second of it under you, on top of you and down on you.”

  His eyes lit up. “I know you probably want a big wedding, but as far as I’m concerned, we could get married now…I guess not. Your mother and I already spoke about a wedding. Their oldest daughter’s marriage should start right.”

  His cell rang. He looked at the number and she looked at his face.

  “Take it. It’s okay.”

  He shook his head. “No. Not now.”

  She picked the phone and placed it in his hand. “Now is the perfect time.”

  “Hey.” He spoke softly. “Everything okay? She’s fine. Nothing happened. The boy you kidnapped her was just a confused young man trying to protect the only person who showed him real compassion. She doesn’t hate him, so I can’t either.”

  “I need to say something to her,” Chelsea told him. He hesitated and she smiled.

  “Please.”

  He placed the phone in her hand. The look on his face bordered on hysteria.

  “Hi, Frankie. Thanks for keeping Isaac grounded during all of this. I’m okay. A

  little sore from being tied to a bedpost all night and having this incredibly big guy twist my arm.”

  She watched Isaac relax. “I also broke out in hives, so I’m positive Isaac loves me, or he would be halfway to Atlanta by now.” She flashed her sweetest smile. “I’m sorry to hear about your marriage problems. You have a great friend in Isaac. I hope you’ll consider both of us if there’s anything you need. I’m a pretty good babysitter, and I know Isaac loves your boys.”

  She said goodbye and moved in front of him. Spooning into the fold of his body, she slowly moved against his erection. “Isaac Charbonette, I am going to love you for the rest of my life. Spiritually, emotionally, and physically. You are my first real love. I want you to be my last.

  I don’t really care about a wedding. In fact, I don’t want a large one, but I do want your folks and mine to be proud. Right now, I just want you to keep your arms around me. Don’t ever let go.”

  THE END