She had him there. “True. We even carry our standard operating procedures manual on the truck. But that doesn’t mean I blindly accept things. And I read things and study issues before I go out and vote.”
“I like that you have convictions. Says you have character.”
He made a left onto Grand. Less than five minutes. He wasn’t sure how he felt about that. On one hand, he’d be free from the tight confines of the car. On the flip side, he was enjoying the night and didn’t want it to end.
“Favorite holiday?”
“You clearly don’t give up.”
“Nope.” She grinned. “If you don’t play nice they’re only going to get harder from here.”
“Fine. I like Christmas. And I can’t stand Valentine’s Day.”
“Which is tomorrow. So you won’t want the card I bought you?”
“You bought me a card?”
“No, but I’m definitely not going to now. I’ll make sure Colleen doesn’t make you one either. Although, she’s pretty good with the crayons.”
“You’re a minx. Cards would be okay.”
“Then you’re not as hating of the day as you think.”
“So you think you know me?”
“Well, isn’t that what this is all about?”
He sighed. She’d gotten him again. “Fine, you win. Ask away.”
“I will, but first I get to answer. Really, with Colleen, any holiday is special. Last year we made homemade cards for her preschool class. She was so excited, so when you see it through a child’s eyes, Valentine’s Day becomes far less commercial and a lot more personal.”
“Well, we guys are set up to fail. We always worry. Did we get the right gift? Did we pick the right restaurant? All that. And it’s hard to send things from the front line.” His hands spun the wheel, making the left onto Shenandoah.
“So that song?” she asked.
“George Jones. ‘Walk Through This World With Me.’ It’s a real oldie, but we sang it around the fire during that summer my parents sent me away to camp. I think it was after eighth grade. I thought I was far too cool to be there, but it was pretty fun once I got used to it. My counselor was an aspiring country music star. We’d sing John Denver’s ‘Take Me Home, Country Roads’ too. Anyway, it was co-ed camp and I got my first kiss that summer. I wanted her to walk the world with me.”
She smiled. “That’s so sweet. So romantic.”
“Yeah, and right now I feel like I need to go sand some drywall to get some of my manly street cred back.”
She laughed. “Aww.”
“Yeah, that’s right, it was the summer before I met you and Todd. My last time at camp. So you saw me that August. I was a scrawny late bloomer.”
“Far from it,” Scarlett protested. “I remember thinking wow, he’s cute. And then you kissed me.” She paused. “I’ve always wondered why you did that.”
“Because I couldn’t resist.”
She digested that for a moment. “Then why didn’t you ask me out?”
“Because Todd was going to. He’d called dibs.”
Her voice inched upward. “He called dibs? You negotiated?”
“Hey, it was years ago, you two were happy and it’s just what guys do.” The automatic garage door opened and he drove inside and parked next to a table saw. “The guy code is important and I followed it.”
“But you kissed me.”
“Yeah. And frankly, I liked it too damn much, but Todd was all excited about asking you out. And we were in high school. Freshman year. I didn’t think it would last. If not, I might have fought harder.”
He swung out of the car and opened her door. Took her hand in his and helped her down. She seemed a little shell-shocked. “Any more questions? Oh, I remember. You asked about my favorite band. The Beatles. Isn’t that everyone’s favorite band?”
She rallied. “Not mine. I prefer the Rolling Stones to the Beatles. And I like U2 best of all. So would you have asked me out if Todd hadn’t?”
“Does it matter almost fifteen years later?”
Hands went onto her hips. Her chin came up. “Yes.”
“Maybe.”
“Maybe?” She seemed incredulous.
“If I was single, I probably would have. It was a good kiss.”
“I thought so too.”
“You did?” His turn to be surprised.
“Yeah. Made me wonder.” She stepped forward, into his space. He leaned back against the closed car door. “Still makes me wonder.” She rose onto her tiptoes, snaked her arms around his neck and brought her lips to his.
The moment her lips touched his, Scarlett had one thought. The man could kiss. What had happened in high school seemed cartoonish compared to the skill Brad had now. She heard herself moan as he nipped and tugged. Moaned as he raked his teeth across her tongue, sucking it up inside his mouth. He’d moved his hands to her ass, and he’d pulled her to him—the erection she’d felt while slow dancing again pressed into her belly. He swirled his tongue over her lips, robbing her senses. Her breasts throbbed and heat pooled as she shook as the pleasure consumed. He kneaded her bottom through the coat and she wanted to throw it to the floor so there were fewer layers. Wanted to strip so she could feel him between her legs, let him quench the fire he’d stoked there. He slid his lips down her neck, then came back to capture her mouth again, creating even more heat. His hand moved beneath her coat front and he cupped her breast. Ran a thumb over the nipple that strained to be free, desired to be sucked.
Then her phone began to ring, shattering the moment. She drew back and fumbled in the small clutch, her fingers trembling from the aftereffects of what she’d been doing. She saw the number, got the call answered before the last ring. “Hello?”
“Scarlett? Are you home? I thought I saw a light out in the garage.”
“We just got here. We’ll be inside in a minute.” She ended the call. Put the phone back in her clutch. “I guess the clock chimed twelve.”
“What?”
She shook her head. “Nothing. My mom’s waiting.” Mustering as much dignity as she could manage, she headed to the side door and opened it. Brad followed. “Let me walk you to the door.”
“You don’t…”
“I’ll walk you to the door,” he insisted.
She led the way up the steps to the back porch. Opened the door, turned off the alarm. Heard footsteps on the stairs. Her mom looked her over. “You appear a bit flushed,” she said.
“Brad and I were having a heated conversation,” Scarlett lied. “Beatles or Rolling Stones?”
“Beatles,” her mom replied with a frown. “Why?”
“You sided with Brad,” Scarlett said. “See why our debate was intense?”
Her mom made an apologetic tsk. “Sorry, dear. I still love Paul McCartney to this day. He’s a national treasure for England and us.”
Scarlett changed the subject. “How was Colleen?”
“Perfect. An angel as always. She’s asleep in her own bed. She wanted you to know what a big girl she was.”
“Thanks.”
Her mom bundled up into her heavy parka. “It’s cold out there, I’m sure. I’ll talk to you around noon. Planning to sleep in. No parade for us this year. Last week’s pet parade will have to be enough for us. At least that was warm.”
“I’ll walk you out,” Brad offered.
“Fine.” Her mom glanced around. “Oh. I forgot my purse. Let me run up and get it. I’ll only be a minute.”
“So we were debating? I’ve never heard it called that,” Brad said.
Scarlett touched her messed-up hair. “Well, all I could think of.”
“So are we going to talk about this or ignore it like high school?” Brad asked.
“Let’s table it for another time,” Scarlett said. “I’ll say it was a great kiss and we’ll leave it at that for now. My mom’s on her way.”
“Okay. Fair. I hope this didn’t ruin it.”
“No. Not at all. And I loved dres
sing up. It’s back to sweats by morning.”
“You look great in anything.” He looked at her and meant it. She could wear sackcloth and he’d want her.
She blushed. “Thank you.” Those bright green eyes waited expectantly.
He lowered his head, this time giving her a proper good night kiss, which was a light kiss on the lips. Still, an electric shock reverberated through him as his lips touched hers. “Thanks again for tonight.”
“You’re welcome,” Scarlett said—did he hear breathlessness or had he imagined it? “I want to do it again.”
“What part? The dancing? The…”
She kissed him quickly once more as footsteps sounded on the stairs. “All of it.”
“Okay, I’m ready,” her mom said, appearing back in the room with a purse thrown over her arm. Brad turned away, hiding the erection that kept making untimely appearances. “Shall we?”
With coat secure, Brad led her mother through the back door. Behind them, Scarlett waved and set the alarm.
“So it was a good night?” Bernadette asked. The windchill gladly worked like a cold shower.
“The ball was fun. I’m sure Scarlett will tell you all about it tomorrow.”
“So she had fun?” He heard the worry in Bernadette’s voice.
“She did. We danced.”
He could literally feel the tension leave Bernadette as she exhaled. “Perfect. I’ve so wanted her to have fun. To realize her life isn’t over. Thank you so much, Brad, for all of this. For taking care of her and letting her live a little. You helped her save face, and I’ll be forever grateful for that.”
“I’m glad she’s here too. Todd wouldn’t want her wallowing.”
“No, he wouldn’t. He’d want her to move on with her life. Realize that while Colleen is important, she is more than just a mom. That’s she’s a woman with her own dreams too.”
He opened her car door. “Get in and start her up. Your car probably won’t even be warm by the time you get home.”
“Going,” Bernadette said. “Oh, this seat is cold. Luckily I’ve got heated seats. Will we see you at church Sunday?”
“Probably not,” Brad admitted. He’d given up on any kind of faith long ago.
“You sure? You could join us,” she offered expectantly. “Go out to a long lunch with us afterward. We’d love to have you.”
“Thanks, but I’ve got a lot of work to finish here. Maybe another time.” He shut the door and watched as she backed up and went down the alley before heading upstairs to his tiny studio. There he stripped off his tux and folded it neatly, readying it for the dry cleaner. He stripped down to nothing, slid underneath the heavy down comforter that kept away any chill. Closed his eyes.
An image of Scarlett laughing floated into the black space behind his eyelids. They’d been dancing, and she’d thrown back her head and waved her hands in the air, fully in the moment. She’d been beautiful. But then to him, she always had been. And when they’d kissed, it had been all he wanted and more. Her breast had fit perfectly in his hand, and he’d felt the rise of her nipple … he turned rock hard. Touched himself until the need abated and his brain cleared.
Afterward, he lay there staring at the ceiling. He’d held himself aloof for ten years around her, never allowing her to get close. Was this finally their chance? He thought of the first letter Todd had sent him. He’d long ago memorized every word:
This is a heavy task to put on a bud, but we’ve been friends for too long to mince words. I’ve enclosed a letter for Scarlett. I need you to keep it until she’s ready to see it. How will you know? When she finds someone and you think she’s falling in love. I don’t want her to be alone, but she’s always so stubborn. She’s too young for me to be the love of her entire life. That wouldn’t be fair. As long as I have a piece of her heart, her love will be big enough for her to move on. Yeah, I’ve been gone too long, and probably haven’t been there for her like I should. So she’ll need someone to take care of her until she gets on her feet and I need you to do that for me. I know she’ll be in good hands. Get her back to St. Louis where she belongs. You’re there, you’ll figure out how. Heck, maybe you’ll be the one because I know you’ve always been sweet on her. I’d be okay with that, provided you treat her the way she deserves and not like all those other women who’ve flitted through your life. Who would have thought I’d be the married dude and you the playboy stud? Do me one favor, just make sure any man would be a great dad to my daughter. And don’t let Colleen ever go a day without knowing how much I loved her. And stop blaming yourself. My decisions were always my own. Remember that. Todd
Brad replayed the letter in his head. As much as he’d like to stop blaming himself, he hadn’t done enough to stop Todd. Sure, Todd had made his own decisions, but Brad could have done more. Should have done more.
Even so, Brad couldn’t shed the guilt. If he hadn’t come home, if he’d reenlisted, he would have been on that mission instead of a newbie who’d made a critical, rookie mistake. A mistake that had almost killed the entire unit until Todd had sacrificed himself. He couldn’t shake the feeling that if he’d been there, he could have stopped it. Changed fate. Maybe died instead, allowing Todd to be home with his beautiful wife and terrific daughter.
The irony was that, in the end, Todd had given Brad his blessing: maybe you’ll be the one. Tomorrow she’d get the Valentine’s Day flowers Brad had sent, along with a stuffed teddy bear for Colleen. Nothing fancy, like a dozen roses, but an arrangement of tulips that she could eventually plant in the garden out back. An “I’m glad you’re here” gift.
He was probably the world’s biggest fool.
But then he heard her laughing, felt the kiss of her lips, and part of him wanted nothing more than to commit to leaving the past behind. He’d never been afraid of anything before, but then he’d never been playing with his heart either.
Chapter Five
“So have you talked to Brad?” her mother asked two days later. They were in line at Steve’s Hot Dogs on Magnolia; Scarlett’s dad had stayed behind after Sunday church for a fish fry committee meeting. “Those flowers yesterday were a sweet touch. Live tulips. You’ll be able to plant those outside once it gets warmer. I’ll show you how if you don’t know.”
The arrangement had been a totally out-of-the-blue surprise. The front doorbell had shrilled, and outside had been one frazzled delivery driver. He’d asked her name, handed her a large package wrapped in heavy florist paper, and gone back down the front steps. The entire interaction had taken fifteen seconds. She’d torn into the package to find potted tulips and a teddy bear for Colleen. The card had read, Glad you’re here. Happy Valentine’s Day. Brad.
His kindness had bowled her over, for he’d ordered the flowers before they’d even gone on their date. Before they’d kissed. “Colleen loved her bear. I was completely surprised.”
“He didn’t have to do that.”
“No, he didn’t.” Scarlett stared at the menu board high above the counter. The line moved up a foot. Luckily there were a few more people in front of them, for she had never seen so many choices of hot dogs. Who knew you could top a hot dog with macaroni and cheese? Or baked beans and potato salad?
“So Brad,” her mom prompted. “Have you spoken to him since the delivery?”
“No. He worked yesterday and I texted him, but no reply. He must have been busy, and I haven’t seen him yet today. I assume he’s going to come over later to finish the drywall since he’s off.”
“Well, be sure you thank him.”
“Mom,” Scarlett protested. “I’m not ten. I know that. And Colleen already made him a thank-you note and drew him a picture of the tulips.”
“Just trying to help.” Bernadette could be as stubborn as her daughter, so Scarlett knew from whom she’d inherited the trait.
“Mom, I know you mean well, but let me handle this. We’re friends.” Scarlett knew the wheels were already turning inside her mom’s head, which was a dangerous thing.
Brad had already won her mom over, and her mom came from that generation that didn’t believe women over twenty should ever be single. The kiss had rocked her to her core. She’d touched her puffy lips later, as if making sure it hadn’t been a dream. She found Brad sexy as hell. Wanted to kiss him again. Although that might be a huge mistake. Where would she live if things turned sour? She’d hardly gotten settled. She didn’t want to mess things up.
The line moved forward and when it was their turn, despite all the mouthwatering choices, Scarlett ordered two plain hot dogs and two small bowls of plain old macaroni and cheese.
“Not very adventurous,” her mom noted, ordering a bratwurst topped with sauerkraut.
“I’m sure we’ll be frequent visitors. Plenty of time to try everything.”
They found a table. Squeezed in. Began to eat. “So thanks for going with us to church,” her mom said. “Meant a lot to your dad.”
Scarlett had debated attending, then caved. In St. Louis, church was the fastest way of meeting new people and getting involved. “I enjoyed seeing everyone. I was surprised how many still live in the neighborhood. Jenni Moore and I keep in touch via Facebook and I’d planned on calling her, but there she was. We made a playdate for next week.”
“That’s the thing about high school best friends,” her mom remarked. “You pick up right where you left off.”
“I hope so. Did I tell you I ran into Tommy Rourke at the Mayor’s Ball?”
Her mom made a sympathetic noise. “Terrible what happened to his wife. How’s he looking?”
“Fine. Said he’d see us at the fish fry next Friday. Our kids are about the same age.”
“Really?” Her mom perked up. Sat a little straighter.
“Yes. His son is three,” Scarlett replied. She refused to say anything else, for she could tell her mom was adding Tommy to the potential date-my-daughter pool.
“I’m four,” Colleen tossed out. She’d made huge headway in her hot dog and wore a small ketchup mustache.
“You are four. Don’t forget to wipe your mouth.” Colleen grabbed a napkin, complied and waited expectantly. “You got it all,” Scarlett said. Colleen gave her a big grin and picked up her spoon for another bite of macaroni.
Fan The Flames (Man Of The Month Book 3) Page 8