by Tonya Brooks
“You didn't have anything to sleep in.” He explained as he wiped his face and chest with a towel so he wouldn't get her all sweaty. Now that Harley was awake, Matt had a different workout in mind.
“That's because I usually sleep naked.” Harley confessed and heard him groan at the admission. Deciding to torment him a little more, she added, “And I was disappointed to wake up alone in my old room instead of in your bed, Matthew.”
“Baby, you're killing me.” Matt complained as he pulled her onto his lap.
Harley slid her arms around his neck and the smile turned to a look of amazement. “You got an earring!” She exclaimed and turned his head for a better look at the diamond stud shining brightly from his earlobe.
“You said you loved a man with an earring.” Matt reminded her.
“So you got one?” She was flabbergasted at the realization that Matthew had pierced his ear just to please her. The man never ceased to amaze her.
“I thought you'd like it.”
“I love it.” Harley assured him with a dazzling smile. “And I love you, Matthew.”
“God, baby,” Matt said hoarsely as a wave of emotion flooded his soul. Harley had told him over the phone countless times, but this was the first time he'd heard those three precious words in person. She'd mumbled them sleepily last night, but it hadn't been the same as now when he was actually holding her in his arms and could see the love shining in her eyes. “You have no idea how much I love you.”
“Yeah, I do,” she assured him. In spite of all the hell they'd been through, Matthew loved her unconditionally, just as she loved him, and she'd never doubt it again. “You know, I have this fantasy about making love to a man with an earring.”
“Yeah?” He asked with more interest than was decent.
“Oh, yeah,” Harley said with a decidedly naughty smile as her fingertip gently caressed his earlobe. “I've always had this urge to twirl my tongue around it, like this.” She did just that and felt his entire body tense at the teasing touch. Then she closed her lips around the sensitive lobe and heard him moan low in his chest, felt his hands sliding up to cup her breasts.
“Mom!” Jed shouted happily as he bounded into the room.
“Dammit.” Matt muttered in frustration and released her.
“Hi, sweetie,” Harley said cheerfully as she turned to embrace their son. “I missed you so much.”
“Me, too,” he agreed and turned anxiously to his father. “Did you tell her yet?”
“I was waiting for you.” Matt admitted with a grin.
“Tell me what?” Harley asked with a smile of indulgence.
“We got you a wedding present.” Jed announced with all the enthusiasm only a twelve year old could possess. “It's so cool, Mom. Me and dad rebuilt it ourselves. Dad did most of the work, but I helped a lot.”
“I couldn't have done it without you, Champ.” Matt assured the boy proudly. “Jed's worked night and day to help me get it ready before you arrived.”
“Well, what is it?” Harley asked curiously.
“Come and see.” Jed said as he grabbed her hand and pulled her with him outside and across the yard to the front of the house.
Harley laughingly followed and stared incredulously at the most beautiful car she'd ever seen parked in the driveway with a big white bow sitting on the hood. “Oh, my God!” She exclaimed in delight as she ran toward it to get a better look. It was a pale yellow corvette with a white convertible top and whitewall tires. She opened the door and sank into the buttery soft white leather seats and wrapped hands that trembled around the steering wheel. “It's beautiful,” she said as tears of joy filled her eyes. “You did this... for me?”
“We sure did.” Jed said happily and was pleased that his mom liked it. “She's a 1962 Corvette convertible with a 327ci fuel injected engine, positraction rear axle and four speed manual transmission,” he rattled off knowledgeably while his father smiled proudly.
When Harley stared at the boy blankly, it was obvious that she had no idea what he was talking about, so Matt supplied in layman's terms, “That means she'll haul ass.”
“Oh,” she laughed in delight and slid out of the car to hug her son and husband. “Thank you. I love it. It's the best present ever.”
“I told Dad you'd like it better than the Jag,” their son assured her smugly.
“Without a doubt,” she readily agreed and walked around the car. “I can't believe you built this. It's beautiful.”
“It wasn't when we started.” Matt admitted with a grin. “Jed made a photo journal of our progress. It looked like a piece of junk when I bought it, but I knew she'd be a beauty when she was ready.”
“You did the paint, too?”
“We had to strip her down and do some body work first,” he agreed. “Then we did all the engine and transmission work and finally finished her yesterday afternoon.”
“I love it,” she smiled and kissed him. “And I love you for building me such a beautiful car. It's just perfect.”
“You're perfect.” Matt said and kissed her again.
Not wanting to watch his parents kissing again, Jed interrupted with, “Are you coming to the parade with us, Mom?” It was the annual Fourth of July parade and the entire day was lined up with festivities for all ages.
“Would you mind very much if I didn't, sweetie?” She asked hopefully. “I don't even know where my clothes are right now, so I really need to unpack everything and get settled into your dad's room.”
“Our room,” Matt corrected with a wicked leer.
“Okay, but you have to come to the fireworks display tonight.” Jed insisted.
“I wouldn't miss it for the world.” Harley assured her men with a mischievous smile.
Matt hauled her against him for a kiss that left them both wanting so much more. “Try and get some rest, baby,” he advised with that bad boy smile and patted her bottom. “You're gonna need it.”
~~~~
Harley was shocked when she discovered the photo of the two of them on Matt's nightstand. Alan must have made it the night of the graduation party and she'd never even known it existed. It plainly showed the desire they felt for each other and she smiled sadly because he had kept it all these years while they had been apart. Firmly resolving that they'd never be apart again, she set about making a place for herself in his room and in his life.
Jedidiah pampered her as much as she would let him by bringing breakfast up to her. They had a long talk and he assured her that she was more than welcome to do anything she liked to the house. “You're the woman of the house now, Harley gal, so it's your place to make it a home,” he assured her. “But the kitchen is mine.”
“At least until you teach me how to cook.”
“Matt married a woman that can't cook?” He asked in disbelief because his eldest loved good food.
“Not in the kitchen,” she winked with the old sass that he remembered and Jedidiah laughed in delight. Cooking definitely took a back seat to that.
~~~~
Harley was surprised, to say the least, when a steady stream of visitors began arriving after lunch. They came bearing gifts and she received pies and cakes, garden fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as fresh cut flowers and a basket of homemade preserves. It seemed the women in town had all heard about the rape and were sympathetic to what she had gone through, as well as grateful for the role she had played in helping the police catch Cass Hobbs.
She was shocked to discover that she had not been his only victim. The police had been investigating three other rapes in the county and since his arrest, four more women who had never reported their attacks had come forward as well. It seemed the whole town was hailing her as some kind of heroine and she was as touched by their genuine concern as she was humbled by their gratitude. It seemed quite a bit had changed in Lakeside and she was beginning to look forward to getting to know these people again.
~~~~
That evening Harley made her way through the crowd of people gathered al
ong the Riverwalk to watch the fireworks display, looking for a familiar face and found Matthew standing under the branches of a centuries old live oak tree with a group of his friends. She walked right up to him and said, “We need to talk.”
Matt lowered the beer from his lips, took a good look at her serious expression and asked warily, “What's wrong?”
“In private,” she insisted.
Matt led her to a clearing several yards away and asked anxiously, “What is it, baby?”
“I'm pregnant,” she said bluntly. “It's yours.”
“Pregnant?” Matt barely breathed as the bottle fell from nerveless fingers and hit the ground with a thunk. His eyes roved over her slender form in disbelief as his mind tried to comprehend what she was saying. “You're sure?” He wheezed and felt light headed.
“Positive.”
Harley was pregnant with his child and she'd chosen to tell him exactly the same way she had the last time. Matt was no fool. He'd learned his lesson the hard way and he'd be damned if he'd screw up again. Dropping down on one knee, he pulled the engagement ring he'd bought her out of his pocket, and slid it on her finger.
“I love you, Harley,” he said emotionally with all the love in his heart as he stared into her brilliant sapphire eyes. “Will you marry me and be the mother of my children?”
“Yes,” she replied tremulously and laughed in sheer delight when he gave a good impression of a rebel yell, surged to his feet and swung her around in his exuberance.
Matt placed her on her feet and kissed her breathless. “We're having a baby,” he said in awe, his heart filled to overflowing. “I'm gonna have that car bronzed.”
“One thing is for sure. Jed will never drive it,” she laughingly assured him.
“But, baby, it’s a great car,” he reasoned. “It's brought us together twice now.”
“And both times I've wound up pregnant,” she reminded him.
“Jed's a smart kid. I'll teach him the importance of using protection.”
“How the hell do you expect him to remember to use it when you can't?” She demanded.
“I didn't forget this time.” Matt denied in annoyance. “I assumed you were protected.”
“Me?” She shot back incredulously. “What the hell would I need it for? You're the only man who's ever been able to get me in the back seat.”
“I didn't know that, now did I?” He complained loudly.
~~~~
“What are they fighting about this time?” Mark asked curiously as he joined his father and the rest of the crowd that had gathered to watch the spectacle his brother and sister-in-law were making of themselves.
“Harley gal's pregnant.” Jedidiah announced happily.
“Yeah?” He grinned and felt a strange sense of deja vu. “So, why are they fighting about it?”
“Seems it happened in the back seat of Matt's car again.”
“At their age?” Mark asked in surprise and then burst out laughing because some things never changed.
~~~~
“So what the hell are we fighting for?” Matt demanded, at a loss to how they went from kissing to arguing.
Satisfied now that he had promised that Jed would never, under any circumstances, drive the 'Bed on Wheels', Harley snuggled close and suggested, “So we can kiss and make up.”
Matt couldn't refuse an offer like that and he kissed her with a hunger that would not die as the sky erupted with a multitude of colorful sparks. When the crowd began to applaud and cheer, they looked up in surprise to see their family and half the town gathered around watching them instead of the fireworks.
“We did it again,” he sighed in resignation and dropped his forehead against hers.
“The hell with them,” Harley said as she draped her arms around his neck. “Where's the car?”
“Forget the damn car.” Matt said as he swung her up in his arms. “I'm taking you to our bed.”
Her smile was radiant as Harley laid her head on his shoulder, completely confident in their love for each other and said, “Take me home, Matthew.”
Home, to her dream of living a normal life with a man who would love her forever.
~~~~
Available Now By
Tonya Brooks:
My Name Is Desire
The Bad Baker Boys: Mark’s story
“I plan to make it as enticing as possible,” Mark assured her. “I want the new place to be first class and a famous chef is exactly what it needs to accomplish that. So, whatever your heart desires, name it and it’s yours.”
That was when she began to worry. This was a business deal plain and simple but Desi was afraid that being near Mark all the time would turn into something more and she knew if it did, she'd just wind up getting hurt again. So the biggest question on her mind was, am I willing to run the risk to have everything I've ever wanted professionally? “It's a lot to consider, but I will think about it,” she promised.
“That's all I ask,” he said confidently. “I'm starving and all this talk about food hasn't helped. What do you say we grab some dinner?”
“Sounds good,” she agreed and stood. “I'll just step into the ladies room and freshen up a bit.”
“You might need this,” Mark said with a wicked smile as he stood and pulled her thong out of his pocket. He placed it in her hand and saw her mouth drop open in disbelief even as her face flamed as red as her glorious mane of hair. He pulled her to him and placed a tender kiss on her lips. “A beautiful woman should never be embarrassed because a man desires her,” Mark said silkily. “And lady, you are one desirable woman.”
Bemused by the knowledge that the dream had been real as much as she was by the look in his velvety eyes, Desi said inanely, “My name is desire.”
“What?” he asked in amusement.
“Desiree. It’s French for desire.”
Man, had her parents nailed that one. “Desiree,” he tasted the word and liked the sound of it on his lips. “It's perfect.”
Oh, hell. Desi was in too deep and in another minute she knew she'd be drowning. Shaking her head to break the spell he'd woven around her, she took a step back and walked into the ladies room to splash cool water on her flushed face. How the hell did she think she could have a professional relationship with Mark when every time he looked at her she practically melted at his feet? It wouldn't work and she knew it. Moving here and going into business with him would be the biggest mistake of her life. Why did he have to be so charming and sexy? And why the hell couldn't she stop wanting him long enough to make her dream come true?
Mark was not having the same difficulty that she was. He thought it was a perfect solution to both their problems. She'd have her own five star restaurant that was guaranteed to attract the clientele he'd hoped for. It would also provide him with ample opportunity to seduce a fascinating woman. If it worked out and they became lovers, so much the better. If it didn't, they'd still have a professional relationship and he was sure they could make the joint venture a success. It looked like a win-win situation from his point of view. Now he just had to convince her.
They sat across from each other in a booth at Ted's and tossed ideas back and forth for the new venture while they ate. In spite of her reservations, Mark's enthusiasm was contagious and Desi realized she was as excited as he was. “I like the smoky, jazz club idea,” she agreed. “Something soft and romantic would be a nice venue for intimate dinners.”
“I like the way you think,” he assured her with that bad boy smile. “Romance and intimacy are two of my favorite things.”
“Mark,” she began hesitantly. “If we did go into business together, I'd prefer we kept our relationship strictly professional. Would that be a problem?”
He became completely serious and said, “I'll admit I'd prefer a hell of a lot more, but business is business and I'm willing to do whatever I have to in order to make this place a success.” He'd even deprive himself the chance to make love to a fascinating woman. He wouldn't like it, bu
t Mark knew he could do it for the sake of the business. He saw her look of relief and couldn't help teasing, “How about you? Can you keep your hands off of me?”
“What?” she asked wide eyed.
“Well, you were the one seducing me earlier,” he pointed out, that bad boy grin firmly in place.
“I did no such thing!” she gasped and then had the presence of mind to ask warily, “Did I?”
“Damn straight,” he cheerfully agreed. “And I enjoyed every minute of it. So you'd have to promise not to get drunk and jump my bones again. I mean, a man can only withstand so much temptation, Desiree.”
Desi wasn't sure if he was teasing her or not, but she had a sinking feeling that Mark was telling the truth, dammit. “That's one promise I'll have no problems keeping,” she assured him. “Alcohol is not something I intend to indulge in again.”
Mark swirled a French fry in ketchup and raised velvety brown eyes to meet hers. “I notice you didn't mention the other part of the promise,” he said silkily and bit the potato wedge.
Desi stared into the heat from his gaze and admitted in all honesty, “That part could be more difficult.”
His smile was one of satisfaction when Mark replied, “We can give it a try, but you and I both know it’s a wasted effort. Sooner or later, we'll be lovers, Desiree. It's just a matter of time until one of us gives in and says the hell with it. Is that a risk you're willing to take?”
“I don't think so,” she denied and knew he was right.
“I won't lie and say I can just stop wanting you, but I can promise not to do anything you don't want me to,” Mark assured her. “And I won't pressure you for more than you're willing to give. That's not how I operate. Besides, Harley would kick my ass if I hurt you.”
Having never witnessed her best friends temper, Desi found that idea amusing. “You think so?”
“Damn straight,” he nodded seriously. “She's got a hell of a temper.”
“Harley?” she laughed.