Sweet but Sexy Boxed Set

by Maddie James

  First they were dancing, and it had been fun. Then she’d asked why he didn’t have a television, and he’d kissed her, and, oh, boy had she kissed him back.

  He’d unbuttoned her shirt, and she’d undone his. He’d stopped her at the bra, saying he had to leave, but he’d be back later.

  And they’d have sex.

  Her stomach flipped, and she gripped her middle.

  That’s a good thing, right?

  It didn’t mean they’d have to stay together forever. She could still get the divorce after the two weeks if she wanted to. This was just a natural progression to their relationship. They’d already done it anyway in the hotel. She just couldn’t remember. It’d be good to know if she liked it, if he was sweet and tender like she thought he’d be.

  A voice surfaced from her subconscious: It’ll be good, baby. You’ll see.

  A brief flash came to her of being pinned with her back against cold stone, a hard male body at her front, and fighting fear, trying to stay calm.

  Get off of me!

  Cheris gasped. Had she remembered something else from the night at the Gala? Had Geoff forced himself on her?

  Nausea rose up inside her, and she swallowed a few times trying not to throw up.

  No.

  Geoff wasn’t like that. Not once. Not once had he ever given her reason to be afraid.

  Right?

  What, then, was she remembering?

  Chapter Thirteen

  One of the strange things about living in the world is that it is only now and then one is quite sure one is going to live forever and ever and ever…. Then sometimes the immense quiet of the dark blue at night with millions of stars waiting and watching makes one sure; and sometimes a sound of far-off music makes it true; and sometimes a look in some one’s eyes.

  —The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett

  The tail lights of three school buses shone as they rumbled toward the main road taking the high school students away from the field night onsite expedition Geoff and the high school science teachers organized each year in March.

  Geoff walked back across the field to the top of the gently sloped hill where Joel was already setting up his telescope.

  Joel and Tony were the most committed of his star-gazing colleagues. Joel, chair of the music department at Newbie River Institute, had founded the astronomy club before Geoff had arrived five years ago. He and Geoff had done most of the work to set up the observatory on the four back acres of his land. Tony’s passion for astronomy had him out here most nights. Geoff knew his dream was to discover and name a comet.

  “Man, I’m glad that’s over. I don’t know why we have to go through this every year,” Tony complained. “Half those kids use it as an excuse to hide behind the observation buildings and make out.”

  “We do it because some of the kids are actually interested and might want to get into amateur astronomy,” Geoff returned.

  “Geoff, you had me scared when you were late. If Tony and I had had to play star guides to those hoodlums there would have been a disaster of cosmic proportions. Now that they’re gone, I can get my scope out without worrying about some teenager knocking it over.”

  “Guys, I think I’m going to call it a night,” Geoff said eliciting groans from his friends.

  “I knew it. You go and get married and now you’re too busy screwing your wife to star gaze.”

  “Watch your mouth, Tony. I’m out here now, aren’t I?”

  Joel opened the back of his SUV, and began unloading equipment. “I don’t blame you, Geoff. If she drove all the way down here, she’s probably pissed that you’re not at home.”

  Geoff pulled Joel’s folding chair out of the vehicle and carried it to where the man was laying a tarp on the ground. “She didn’t come here voluntarily. My sister Janie suckered her into a road trip and didn’t tell her she was bringing her here. Want your trunk out here too?”

  “Yeah.”

  The two men retrieved a large wood trunk housing Joel’s telescope equipment.

  “Seems like she’d be glad to be here if you two just got married last week.”

  “She’s not sure she wants to be married to me.” Kneeling with care, they set the heavy box on the ground.

  “Puzzling.”

  They straightened and walked back to get Joel’s telescope.

  “We got married on the spur of the moment. She’s got all these hang-ups because her mother serviced half the state of West Virginia if you know what I mean.”

  Joel shook his head sorrowfully while Tony’s laugh rang across the hill. “How much does she charge, and is she hot?” He called, “I’d drive across the state line for a little servicing.”

  Crap. He hadn’t meant for Tony to hear what he’d said. “She’s not a hooker, you ass. She just had a lot of boyfriends.”

  “Even better. I won’t have to pay to play.”

  “I’ve never met the woman, but I doubt she’d get close enough to touch you.”

  “I’m with Geoff on this one,” Joel said as he adjusted the legs of a metal stand. “Tony, you smell like you haven’t had a bath in a month. Didn’t you notice how none of the kids would stand within three feet of you?”

  “I’m allergic to antiperspirant, and being around all those obnoxious teenagers makes me sweat. I hate field night.”

  “The grant I get us for field night pays for six months of electricity and water for out here,” Geoff commented. “So unless you want to start running an extension cord a half a mile to power your laptop or driving home every time your irritable bowel syndrome acts up, you need to get over it.”

  “Yeah, Tony. No one’s used that bathroom more than you. Go make a pot of coffee for us.”

  “Why do I have to do it?”

  “Because I’m the president of the amateur astronomy club, and I’m telling you to.”

  “You’re the president, but you act like a dictator.” Dutifully Tony headed to the headquarters, a low cinderblock building at the edge of the field sporting an office, meeting room, storage space, and a lavatory.

  “Geoff, would you give me a hand with this?”

  Geoff held the stand while Joel set his telescope on it, then tightened the nut over a screw at the scope’s base to hold it in place.

  Joel glanced up and asked in a lowered voice. “So if she doesn’t want to be married, are you two fighting all the time?”

  “No. We get along really well actually though she doesn’t quite trust me. I’m trying to take it slow. Let her get to know me, see that unlike her mother, some relationships can work out.”

  “Want my advice?” the older man asked. He’d been married for thirty years so Geoff thought the offer was a sincere one.

  “Of course.”

  “Don’t have sex with her. Instead just hold her, cuddle her at night. Women need that touch without the bang bang. They crave it.”

  Geoff flinched. “Joel, that’s a tall order. I think I finally have her where she’s willing to do something.”

  “Don’t. If you love her, I mean. You wait and show her affection first. Convince her being married to you is a good thing. Don’t you know you demonstrate more love with your arms around her than your genitalia inside of her?”

  “Can’t I do both?”

  “Impossible if she’s having doubts. Sex is one of the most self-centered physical acts we commit because it’s about getting the climax by benefit of another person’s body.” He looked through the eyepiece of the telescope and adjusted the grips.

  “But if she orgasms, too, then it’s mutually beneficial.”

  “You’re trying to justify getting off with her.”

  “I had her stripping for me three hours ago.”

  “You think any of her mama’s boyfriends ever offered to cuddle the woman when she took her clothes off? I guarantee you every one of them got their rocks off and to hell with what she really needed.”

  Dammit. Joel was making too much sense.

  “Trust
me, Geoff. I know. Patty was raped before I met and married her. Hey.” He stepped aside and gestured for Geoff to look into the telescope. “Take a look at this. What is that?”

  “I’m sorry about Patty. I didn’t know.”

  “Why would you? My point in telling you is she and I had to create a galaxy of good will and love before we brought sex into it because sex meant something ugly to her even if the sex felt good with me. Do you understand?”

  “Unfortunately, I do.” Geoff peered into the eyepiece.

  “Good man.”

  “Did you clean the lens? You either have lint on the glass or you’ve discovered a celestial object.”

  Opening a small plastic case, Joel retrieved some window cleaner and a cloth. “Why don’t you stay out here a while and let the chilly night air cool down your mojo before you go home to your wife? What’d you say her name was?”

  “Cheris.”

  ****

  Some time in the night Cheris awoke when the bed dipped with Geoff’s weight. She turned her head toward him holding her breath and waiting. Dreading yet anticipating. He sat on the bed’s edge, his back to her. Stretching he pushed back the covers and swung his legs onto the mattress then folded the pillow under his head.

  He yawned as he lay on his side away from her.

  Seriously? He was going to sleep?

  “I’m awake,” she whispered.

  Geoff flipped on his back. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to wake you.”

  “It’s okay.” Cheris’ skin tingled in anticipation.

  Nothing.

  “Do you,” Cheris expelled a breath, “want to kiss me?”

  “Very much.”

  Her muscles tensed, but she willed herself to relax.

  He closed the distance between them, and leaning over her he paused. “I like you here.” He kissed her cheek and lay back down throwing his arm over her body and pulling her to his side.

  She gave him two minutes to make his move, and he didn’t.

  What was he waiting for? She was ready to do this. She’d shaved her legs all the way up to her thighs.

  “I thought you were going to love me all night.”

  His mouth curved upward. “It’s nearly four. That’s not nearly enough time to love you.”

  “So what? All I get is like?”

  “No. You get it all.”

  What’s that mean? She blinked at him. She’d resolved that they could have sex. Now she was throwing herself at him, and he was talking in riddles. “You’re a pedophile, aren’t you? You wanted the teaching job all along, and I’m a cover so they don’t suspect.”

  Geoff gripped her body, and turning his, he spooned her. She gasped when she felt his erection against the back of her thighs.

  “I want you. I want to make love to you. Do you believe me?” he murmured in her ear.

  Not trusting herself to speak, she nodded her head.

  “But I need you to know I can sleep with you and not make love to you. That’s loving you, too, for what’s left of tonight.”

  “You need more than three hours to love me?”

  His hand found hers, and he interlaced their fingers. “Absolutely.”

  “How long does it take you?” Cheris was torn between fascination and fear. What kind of technique did he have?

  “Oh, I don’t know. Four or five.”

  “Four or five hours?”

  “Lifetimes. Can we go to sleep now?”

  “You’re crazy.”

  “Yeah. So, I’ve been told.”

  Cheris squeezed his hand in response. How could he expect her to sleep when he’d just uttered the most romantic thing she’d ever heard in her life? No movie she’d seen could even come close.

  ****

  The next morning when Cheris awoke, Geoff was still beside her.

  She’d heard his alarm clock buzz at six-thirty. She’d watched him rise up, hit the top of it, and lie back down before pulling her against him. And she’d drifted off to sleep with a smile on her face as he’d snuggled against her. She’d slept with him, and they’d actually slept.

  Now the clock read a quarter to eight in the morning.

  On his stomach, he had an arm thrown across her body, his hand curved around her hip. She was safe with him. His body next to her in bed was comfortable. Excitement prickled her skin when she realized the intimacy of being in bed even if he had chosen to forego the sex.

  Cheris reached over and smoothed his hair across his scalp.

  He took a deep breath and rolled on his side. Opening his eyes, he blinked a few times at her.

  “What do you see?” she asked wondering without his glasses what he could see.

  “A vision.”

  “What time’s your first class?”

  “Eight o’clock.”

  “Geoff,” she exclaimed. “You only have fifteen minutes to get there.”

  Geoff jumped up and dashed to his closet grabbing his glasses off the dresser on the way. From her vantage point, Cheris enjoyed watching the nearly naked man pull slacks from the closet and step into them then grab an undershirt from one of the drawers. He strode to the bathroom and shut the door.

  When he came out, he had the undershirt on and reached into the closet again, this time retrieving an Oxford and a sport coat. “I can come back at eleven, and we’ll go out to lunch. Okay?”

  Without waiting for a response, he left the bedroom, and the house.

  Lunch sounded good.

  Being here with Geoff was good.

  “Hey.” Janie stood at the door in the same clothes she’d worn for three days.

  “Hi.” Cheris sat up and leaned against the bedframe. “How’s your wall coming along?”

  “Pretty well. Geoff installed canvas covers over the actual walls in there so if I ever want to take the pieces, I could.” Janie entered the room and sat on the bed’s edge. “You and he are doing okay, it seems.”

  Cheris nodded. “I think so, but you and I need to get back soon. I worry about leaving Timmy alone this long.”

  “I’ll be done tomorrow at the very latest.”

  ****

  Because Geoff had no afternoon classes, he and Cheris came back to the house after lunch. When they pulled into the driveway, Janie’s car was missing.

  “We should have taken her to lunch with us,” Cheris commented. “She said she was getting close to finishing.”

  “I doubt she would have agreed to go.” Geoff guided the vehicle into the garage. They left the SUV and walked into the kitchen.

  “Wonder where she is.”

  “Maybe she’d done, and she went to grab a bite to eat.”

  Cheris excused herself to use the restroom.

  “She’s gone!” Cheris exclaimed, a piece of paper clutched in her hand. She marched out of the bathroom and held up the note up to Geoff.

  Gone back to Cullsbaeir. I’ll take care of Timmy ‘til you get back. Janie.

  “She left me here on purpose.” Cheris snatched her phone out of her purse and punched Janie’s number on her keypad. Of course, the jerk didn’t pick up. Pushing the end button, she huffed. “I talked to her this morning. She didn’t say a thing about going.”

  “Yeah. When she gets in that artist mode, she has little regard for anyone else.” Geoff opened the guest bedroom door and walked inside.

  Cheris followed him.

  Before them a colorful depiction of the Garden of Eden covered the wall with a beautiful crouching dragon dominating the scene. His wings stretched up behind him and his face seemed more playful than sinister. Eve stood naked before him, gazing longingly at the beast as her arm stretched up for an apple hanging from a shimmering tree. Behind her, Adam glowered at Eve, his dirty claw-like hand reaching for her.

  “I can’t believe she did this in two days. It’s incredible.” Cheris pointed to the woman. “She’s painted herself as Eve.”

  “Yes, and this,” Geoff indicated Adam, “is Bobby. See his tattoo? The dragon, though. That’s an interesting
addition to the Garden of Eden story.”

  Realization dawned on Cheris. “Oh, my gosh. David Denton said something to her about what the serpent would look like before God’s curse.”

  “Who?”

  “Her new boyfriend. He’s a minister.”

  Geoff burst into laughter.

  “He is. That’s why she’s so upset.”

  “Hmm. Look.” Geoff stepped to the wall. Without touching the painting, he traced the lines on the animal’s scales. A capitalized D hung from the corner of another one in a monogram near the dragon’s breast. “He’s the dragon.”

  “Wow. That’s different.”

  “That’s my sister.”

  ****

  Things were moving fast.

  But it was okay.

  Cheris and Geoff had met with Larry Preston when they’d come back to Cullsbaeir over the weekend, and Larry had disclosed he and her boss had negotiated using the dream house as a backdrop for the wedding line on Hip Granny’s website.

  When Cheris had called Bill Connors to verify the story, he’d confirmed it.

  With an offer of a six month lease, Cheris waited until she met with Bill before deciding. Geoff had gone back to Georgia, and Cheris had gone back to work on Monday to discuss her career options.

  On Monday she sat before Bill in his office wearing her best business woman suit and her hair in a neat chignon. “What are your terms?”

  He opened a drawer, pulled out a stapled document and pushed it across his desk toward her. “Double your salary. You come public as Cheris the newlywed. Daily blogs and ad ops. Weekly webcasts on wedding planning and domestic topics, including spots at businesses.”

  “Weekly?”

  “It doesn’t have to focus on you. And none of Geoff. Weddings are women’s realm. I’d like to have him as completely absent. It lends to the mystery and the everyman aspect of the groom.”

  “And also you wouldn’t have to pay him if he doesn’t have an active role on the site.”

  Bill chewed on his cigar. “There is that.”

  Like he hadn’t already thought of it.

  Bill’s chair squeaked as he straightened and spoke. “I want your matter-of-fact approach here like you’ve done for the computer tech stuff. You’re smart and practical. The market will respect your opinion. And you’re pretty, so that makes you attractive to the wanna-be brides on the net. It’s a brilliant move for us. We’ll progressively transition from Hip Granny to a more general advice and market online shop with a host team approach. That way if in two years you decide you don’t want to do it anymore, we’re not in a lurch.”