by Linda Wisdom
“What are you hungry for?” he asked.
You. “I’ve been craving Italian food lately,” she said. “Spicy antipasto, garlic bread, huge beef stuffed ravioli or fettuccine Alfredo.”
They looked at each other and grinned. “Gianni’s!”
Mark wasted no time in starting up the truck and switched on the heater to warm up the interior.
“And we’re late enough to miss the lunch rush. I haven’t been there in months,” he said.
“Neither have I.” Nora was surprised that they were so clearly on the same wavelength. Then she remembered that they’d eaten at Gianni’s Italian restaurant several times when they’d dated. The circular booth in the rear of the restaurant had been theirs. It afforded them just enough privacy where they could trade kisses and sit as close together as humanly possible.
What had she thought back then? Had she imagined she and Mark would have a long-lasting relationship?
The moment she considered that outcome, her fears took over. Every time Mark flirted and joked with a woman, all she could see was the resemblance to her father. And she feared she would turn into a paranoid, bitter woman like her mother.
She felt that unsettling emotion when Mark smiled at the receptionist, and even when he was talking to the woman in the doctor’s office.
What if it’s just his way and he’s not flirting the way Daddy always did? What if he’s just one of those men who genuinely likes women but wouldn’t dream of cheating on the woman he’s with? What if you made a mistake back then, Nora? If so, you need to do the right thing.
Why did her grandmother’s voice intrude at the oddest times?
“Nora? Did you fall asleep?” he teased.
She hadn’t realized they’d arrived at the restaurant until Mark spoke.
“When I was little, I was convinced my conscience had a voice,” she said.
“And he spoke to you anytime you thought about getting into trouble?”
Nora nodded. “Except the he is a she,” she said, unaware she used the present tense. “My grandmother.”
“Whoa, and I bet Fran made sure you toed the line.”
She was grateful he took her seriously. “No matter how many times my friends dared me to take a candy bar from the market on the corner, I wouldn’t do it because I was convinced Grammy Fran would know. Sometimes I think she still knows what I do,” she whispered.
Mark leaned over and touched her chin, turning her face toward him.
“Then let’s give your conscience a great meal so she’ll take a nice long nap,” he said quietly. “And while she’s napping, we’ll head down to the beach, take off all our clothes and go body surfing.”
Nora arched an eyebrow. “It’s, what? Sixty degrees outside and looks as if it’s going to rain at any moment? We’ll have to wait until the temperature drops to at least fifty.”
“Oh yeah, my kind of woman.” He got out of the truck and came around to help her out.
They were still laughing as they entered the restaurant. Since the place wasn’t busy, they chose the enclosed patio that held warmth and a lot of light even with the gray sky overhead. A waterfall set in one corner lent serenity to the atmosphere, while strategically placed hanging plants added color.
Nora asked for sparkling water with a slice of lime while Mark ordered a Diet Coke.
They didn’t need to study their menus as they gave the waitress their selections.
“You take that eating-for-two philosophy seriously, don’t you?” Mark teased Nora.
“You’d be amazed at the advice I’ve gotten from friends and clients,” she replied, taking a piece of still-warm Italian bread out of a woven basket. She spread butter on it then nibbled away. “Some people seem to think if you’re pregnant, they can tell you what you should and shouldn’t do. I’ve also been told the time will come when people think they can pat my belly.”
“You don’t have enough yet to pat.”
She looked down at her lap. “It’s coming.”
“Yeah, which is why I want to talk to you about something.”
Nora noticed the serious tone. “Such as?”
“I think I should move in with you.”
Chapter Eleven
“What?” Nora’s voice was almost an ear-splitting screech.
“I said—”
“I know what you said.” She put down her piece of bread. It wasn’t heavy enough to do much damage to him anyway. “What prompted you to come to this conclusion?”
Mark started to answer but stopped when the waitress appeared with their salads. She set the plates in front of each of them, asked if they needed anything else. When they told her they didn’t, she left them alone.
“We can talk about this after we eat,” Mark said, picking up his fork.
She didn’t pick up hers. “No, I think we’ll discuss it now. You are not moving in with me.”
“There’s a good reason why I should be there with you.” Mark said. “What if something happens where you might need immediate assistance?”
“I dial 911.”
“What if you can’t? Brumby’s smart, but he can’t use a phone,” he argued.
“And what if something happens to me when you’re on duty?” she said, triumphant she had the perfect argument. “Not that anything would. You heard the doctor. I’m in excellent health. I don’t need a baby-sitter.”
“I can do all the heavy work around the house. When you get ready to turn a room into a nursery I can help with that.”
Nora studied Mark. “When I’m ready to set up the nursery and you want to help, fine, but you’re not moving in.”
“Then will you promise that you’ll call me if you need anything at all? No matter what time of day or night, and if I’m on duty, you’ll call the station?” he persisted.
“All right, just to make you happy, I promise,” she said flippantly.
“I mean it, Nora. I want you to promise me.”
She was stunned by the intensity in his voice. “All right, Mark, I promise,” she murmured. She picked up her fork and began to eat.
Apparently relieved, he also began eating. During their meal, they traded stories about their work. Nora told Mark about Mrs. Crockett and her alien erotica. Mark almost choked on his tortellini.
“You’re putting me on,” he accused her.
Ask Ginna. My client looks like the typical sweet little old lady who would serve you lemonade and cookies,” she told him. “Except she has a family tree of these incredible people and she is very serious about her alien visitors. When you listen to her, you start believing it too. When she asked me if I’d read some of her writing, I thought I’d be reading these sweet stories. Instead, I’m reading something that should be rated triple X.”
“We were once called out to a house because the wife was trapped,” Mark said. “What we didn’t find out until after we got there was that she was trapped in the bathtub with her big toe stuck in the faucet.” He momentarily had a faraway gaze. “That was interesting.”
“Don’t tell me. She was young and beautiful.”
“Not according to the married guys.”
“You never find naked men stuck in a tub?” she asked.
“Not lately.” He leaned back as the waitress left their meals and took away their salad plates. “Most of the time the calls are for the elderly or someone’s having chest pains, or motor vehicle accidents.”
“And delivering babies.” She cut a ravioli square into fourths.
“That was some night.” Mark shook his head. “We got a call from this guy who was totally panicked. His wife’s water had broken, he’d gone out and found his car wouldn’t start and that their nearest neighbor was on vacation. By the time we got there, he was a wreck and she was trying to get him to do the breathing exercises with her so he’d relax. There was no time to get her to the hospital. She delivered practically then and there. Her husband collapsed and said since they’d had twins, that was it. His nerves couldn’t take i
t. Since she’s now expecting their fourth, I guess he’s toughened up.”
“You really enjoy your work, don’t you?” Nora asked, realizing she was seeing a new side to him.
“I can’t imagine doing anything else,” he said sincerely. “The funny thing was, Brian and I never thought we’d follow the same career path or end up with Jeff at the same station.”
“They claim it’s so they can keep an eye on you,” she said, remembering hearing the two brothers joke about their younger sibling.
“They’ve always liked to feel important.” He stole a ravioli off her plate and chewed on it reflectively. “Very good.”
“Concentrate on your own food.” She pretended to stab him with her fork.
“What time is your next client?”
Nora glanced at her watch. She was dismayed to see how time was flying. “I’ve got to be at the salon in an hour.”
“I’ll have you back in plenty of time,” Mark promised.
Later, as they drove to the spa, Nora thought over the past few hours, which led to thoughts about the past couple of years. She’d enjoyed the time she’d spent with Mark. At the doctor’s, she’d felt that unease when he’d flirted with the receptionist and even when she came out and found him talking to another woman. If she’d been honest with herself, she would have admitted there was no reason for the feeling. It wasn’t as if they were married or even in a long-term relationship. But something was there between them. Just as there had been something before.
Nora had been hurt after their breakup. While she’d been the one to break up with him, it still had hurt to do so because she’d truly cared for Mark, and had even thought she might be falling in love with him. She opted to end the relationship before it was too late.
Except, breaking up with him didn’t mean that she could shut her feelings off like a faucet. She’d sat home alone on many a weekend night with only her chocolate-covered graham crackers and chick flicks for company. When the spa’s blind date bulletin board appeared, she’d studied it with great care. She’d admitted to herself she wasn’t too picky. She wasn’t asking for much. Someone who had a great sense of humor, had the same likes and dislikes as she did, had a steady job, didn’t have a police record, and if he was mentally stable, so much the better.
It turned out most of her carefully chosen men didn’t have the qualities she was looking for and the few who did bored her to tears.
One thing about Mark was that he never bored her.
He irritated her to no end. He made her laugh and he made her angry. And, damn him, he made her feel. But she had to admit he never bored her.
“Here we are with time to spare,” Mark announced.
Nora blinked and looked around. She’d been so lost in her own thoughts she hadn’t realized he was now parked in front of the salon.
“Thank you for going to the doctor’s with me and for lunch,” she said huskily, still feeling a little unsettled after her introspection.
She would be so much better off if she didn’t think so much!
Mark unbuckled his seat belt and turned to face her. His grin was her first warning. His words were her next.
“I prefer actions to words,” he murmured just before his mouth covered hers.
This time, her emotions overrode her sensible side. She rested her hands on top of his shoulders and leaned into him. Feeling her response, he immediately deepened the kiss.
Nora had never considered Mark’s taste before, but this time her senses were heightened as his tongue swept through her mouth. She felt as if she was indulging in something forbidden, like the triple-hot-fudge sundaes she lusted after once a month.
Hard to believe, but she’d finally come up against something that was even better than her favorite sundae. And it wasn’t a monthly craving either. This one was turning into a pretty near-constant hunger.
“It’s that lip gloss,” he murmured against her lips as he unzipped her jacket and slipped his hand inside to palm her breast.
She couldn’t help smiling. “That isn’t where I wear lip gloss,” she whispered back.
“Really? Maybe you should try it there and I can let you know if it works.” He moved on to nibble on her earlobe.
Nora felt the heat rising from within to bloom outward where his fingers lightly rubbed her nipple. The sensation sent shock waves through her body. She couldn’t remember ever seeing fireworks with her eyes closed before.
“We could get arrested!” she gasped, pulling back.
Mark’s grin was decidedly lopsided. The same shock she felt was echoed in his eyes.
“Good thing I’m friends with most of the cops in this city.”
Nora looked down and found her nipples standing out against the fine knit of her dress. Her fingers trembled as she tried to zip her jacket back up. In the end, Mark brushed her fingers away and zipped it for her.
“Have dinner with me tonight?” he murmured.
“I’m working late,” she said, still in a daze from his kiss.
“I’m flexible.” He flashed his killer grin. “Wait a minute, I guess you already know that.” He took great care in pulling her hair out from under her jacket collar and spreading it over the material.
“I’ll get home around eight,” she told him.
“I’ll be there.” Mark climbed out of the truck and loped around the front to open the door for her and help her down.
When Nora turned around to face the salon, she saw a row of curious faces looking outward. The face that stood out the most belonged to her best friend.
“Ginna will demand full details.” She gave a sigh.
Mark leaned down to whisper in her ear. “Tell her we blew off the doctor’s appointment. That we went to a sleazy motel and did things even she couldn’t imagine.”
Nora felt her face warm with her blush. “I don’t know. She can imagine a lot. And on that note, I’m going in before we do get arrested.”
“I’ll see you later.” Mark’s words followed her.
Nora barely crossed the threshold before Ginna pounced on her.
“What was that out there?”
Nora faced her squarely. “Ginna, I’m surprised at you. You’re a married woman and you can’t recognize a kiss?”
“You two acted pretty cozy.” She stayed on Nora’s heels as Nora walked to the back of the building.
“He just kissed me goodbye,” Nora said, determined to keep it casual.
“Honey, that wasn’t a kiss, that was a nuclear meltdown,” Ginna pronounced, following her into the private area allocated for employees. She dropped into a chair, crossing her legs. Her fog-gray calf-length wool skirt parted at the knee, revealing a good portion of leg clad in sheer gray tights and darker gray high-heeled boots. Nora had teased her that with her sheer tailored blouse the color of morning mist added to the combination, she only needed a whip to look like a fledgling dominatrix. For winter, Ginna had added warm honey-colored highlights to her hair, which was pulled up and back in a loose knot of curls with a strand artfully curved down one temple. Her only jewelry were her engagement and wedding rings and fat gold hoop earrings. “For a minute, I thought the two of you would be ripping off each other’s clothes right then and there.”
“I’m sure you would have stepped in to save me,” Nora said dryly, hanging up her coat. She was grateful her nipples didn’t show as much anymore under the fine knit.
“Nora, I love my brother, but you’re my best friend.”
“Family comes first,” she said.
Ginna shook her head as she stood up. “I have always thought of you as another sister, which makes things very strange right now,” she muttered wryly, “but what I want to say is that Mark may be related to me by blood, but if he does anything to hurt you I will kick his butt.”
Nora turned around. “Do me a favor and if there’s a problem, let me do the butt kicking.” She hugged her friend. “But I thank you for the gesture. Don’t worry so much. You know, I can’t wait until you get
pregnant.”
“Zach and I are doing our best.” Ginna hugged her back. “All right, I promise to back off a little.” Nora arched an eyebrow. “All right, a lot!”
Paige appeared in the doorway. “Nora, Mrs. Crockett is here,” she announced.
“Thank you, Paige.”
Ginna watched the willowy woman walk away. “Rumor has it Paige is engaged to a senator’s son.”
“I heard it was an ambassador’s son.”
The two women walked out together.
“Which means she isn’t engaged at all,” Nora said.
“True.” Ginna sighed. “We need more scandals in here.”
“My having your brother’s baby isn’t enough for you?”
“No, I can’t pick on you as much as I can the others.”
“My dear, you are positively blooming!” The elderly woman sang out when Nora came into view. She reached up and hugged the younger woman. “I’m sure the baby will be as beautiful as you are.”
“I guess my secret is out now,” Nora laughed.
“I love little babies,” Mrs. Crockett declared. “You must tell me when you are due. I always regretted Mr. Crockett and I didn’t have children.”
After that, Nora didn’t worry about saying a word because Mrs. Crockett had much to tell her.
“My stories are going to be published!” she announced happily.
After hearing the disclosure, CeCe came out with a bottle of champagne and a glass of sparkling cider for Nora, so they could celebrate.
“We will have a special celebration for you later on,” she told Nora, putting an arm around her waist. “Just remember to listen to your body. If you need to rest, you must do so.”
Nora protested the older woman’s suggestion even as she knew it wouldn’t do any good. CeCe firmly believed whatever she said was to be followed.
For the rest of the afternoon Nora imagined she could still taste Mark on her lips. She was looking forward to their evening together. Who knows, maybe they’d even re-create that kiss.
She fairly flew out of the salon after her last client and made a quick stop at the grocery store to pick up something for dinner.