The Cliff

by Gucker, Christie A. C.

  “Oh, but I told you, this was just the appetizer,” he growled and pulled me close and ran his tongue down my neck.

  “I can’t wait for the main course,” I purred back.

  “And dessert.” He handed me the long forgotten jar of chocolate hazelnut spread.

  “And breakfast. Chocolate hazelnut spread croissants.”

  “Don’t forget the midnight snack!”

  “How could I ever forget snacking on you? I mean with you.” I giggled and then bit his lower lip. He pulled back and smiled and I proceeded to bite my lower lip flirtatiously.

  He helped me up from the blanket and we gathered everything up and repacked the bag. We mounted our horses and began the ride back to the stables. When we reached my house, Grant slowed Century to a halt. Magic played follow-the-leader and stopped, too. Grant dismounted and gave Century a soft smack on his rear. Century took off and headed to the stables. Suddenly Grant was by my side, taking Magic’s reins.

  “Wow, dropped off at my door?” I said as I dismounted.

  “Yes, Ma’am,” he said in his finest southern drawl, pretending to tip a non-existent hat. “I’ll take care of the horses. I want the rest of this day and night to be perfect for you. No worries.”

  Immediately, I felt the warmth spread across my chest. How did I get so lucky to not only find a man this considerate, but who had charm and amazing good looks to go with it?

  “‘You make me feel so special … all the time.”

  “Because you deserve to be treated this way, Lanie. Don’t you know that?” He smiled and planted a sweet kiss on my lips, followed by a soft smack on my rear.

  “Now off with you. I’ll be here at 5:30 to pick you up for our date. I hope you’re still hungry.”

  “Why not stay and help me work up an appetite?” I could spend all night locked in my bedroom with this man.

  “I’d love to, but I have a few things I need to go take care of first.” The smile on my face dropped. The words he said were almost the exact words from the night of hell. I was almost afraid to let him leave. He noticed my agitation.

  “Lanie, everything is going to be fine. I promise you. Nothing is going to ruin this night. I will be there on time. Nothing is going to keep me from you.”

  “It’s just, I’m being silly, I guess.”

  “No, you have every right to feel the way you do. I don’t blame you. But I won’t ever let anyone hurt you again. Especially not me.”

  I put my hand on his cheek and just took in the pure beauty of his face. His eyes showed me nothing but honesty.

  “Okay, Baby. I’ll be ready and waiting for you.” I turned and went inside. I had a while, so I scooped up Woof, grabbed a soda and headed up to the walk.

  The view from the walk was extraordinary today. I don’t remember it looking so beautiful before. Maybe it was just the day spent on the beach with Grant. Or maybe it was just having Grant this way in my life. I sat down in my papasan chair and placed my soda by two framed pictures. I picked up the first picture. It was of Grant, Dane and I as kids on the beach. We were all smiling. Grant had his arm around me and Dane was buried to his chest in the sand. We had made a mermaid body on him and put seaweed on his head for hair. He also had huge shells for his knockers. Grant had his arm around me. I smiled. Maybe he had been giving me hints about his feelings for me this whole time. I wondered if he felt anything for me back then. I was sad, too. Sad that things were so horribly wrong with Dane. I placed the picture back and grabbed the other. It was of my mom and me. I picked it up and looked at her. She was so beautiful. She was always so happy. Even when she knew she was dying, she never let anyone see how hard things were.

  I put the picture back on the table and positioned it so it was facing the view of the ocean so she could enjoy it with me. I still missed her terribly. I had so much I wanted to tell her. So many questions I wished she could answer.

  “Mom, I’m so happy right now. I wish you were here with me.”

  I heard a small tap from behind me and turned. Nothing was there. I felt the hair on my arms stand on end and got a quick chill.

  “Is that you, Mom? Are you letting me know you’re here?” Again another small noise came from behind me, but nothing was there. I looked at Woof, who was sprawled across my lap. His eyes were focused behind and slightly above me. He didn’t seem alarmed. So I slowly turned to see what or who was behind me. There on the small table, the picture of my mother and me was now turned towards the one of us as kids. I was a little more than spooked.

  “Okay, Mom. Not sure what you’re trying to say here but you’ve got my attention for sure.” Maybe if I asked her some questions I might get a response. It was worth giving it a try. “Um, are you concerned about the three of us?” A slight breeze ran across my body. “You want us to work things out?”

  Tap tap

  Oh boy, I was seriously creeped-out. I knew, well at least thought, it was my mom, and she would never hurt me, but something about paranormal stuff was just spooky.

  “But Mom, what Dane did.” Then there was a loud thump on the roof. This had to be my imagination. “Yeah, real asshole move. Sorry I cursed. I’ll hear him out again,” I said, slightly annoyed at my dead mother’s ghost. “And Grant and I? Are you okay with him and I being in love? With where things are going between us?”

  Tap

  “I’ll take that as a yes. Any ideas on how I can break this news to Jack?” No little tap this time.

  “Yeah, didn’t think so. That’s going to be a tough one. No one is good enough for his little girl.” I smiled inside, truly believing my mom was somehow reaching out to me.

  “But it’s Grant. This is different. I love him. And Mom, he loves me back.”

  Tappity tap tap.

  “Mom, do we have your blessing?” And then I felt it. Something touched my cheek. It was tingly and warm. Just as I felt it, Woof jumped up from my lap and scampered out of the room.

  “Thank you, Mom. I miss you so much. Thank you.” I had tears forming in my eyes. She was there with me. I knew it. It was just all too strange to have been only in my mind.

  “I have to go now, Mom. I have a date with Grant. I love you.” I got up and left the walk to go get ready for my date. I felt serene. Like my mom would help it all work out.

  I went straight to my room and started rummaging through my closet for the perfect thing to wear. Soon dresses were scattered all over my bed. This wasn’t working. I needed help. Samantha. I grabbed the phone and called her.

  “Samantha. I need your help.”

  “What happened? What’s wrong?” Her voice was frantic.

  “I can’t figure out what to wear on my date with Grant tonight.”

  “Geez, Lanie, don’t scare me like that! What’s on your bed?” Damn. The girl was a psychic.

  “Everything in my closet,” I said dryly.

  “Relax. I know the exact dress. The slinky black one, the one that clings to all the right places without looking slutty. Oh, and your black platform pumps. I love those!”

  “Wow. You’re good. And how about my hair?”

  “Down. Definitely down. We’re going for sexy, not too formal.”

  “Makeup?”

  “Smokey eyes, dark but glossy lips.”

  “Thanks!”

  “My pleasure. But you didn’t ask me about underneath.”

  “I think I can figure out my panties.”

  “No panties.”

  “I thought you said not slutty.”

  “No one but you and Grant will know,” she said with what I sure was a shit-eating grin.

  “Going now.”

  “Enjoy!”

  I began to preen and primp myself until I was all ready. Time to see how I did in the mirror. No panty-lines. I smiled Samantha’s shit-eating grin. Wow, I looked hot. I was going to knock his socks off and hopefully everything else he was wearing. Not only did I look good, I felt sexy. Tonight was going to be epic; I just knew it.

  “Well, W
oof, do I have your approval on this outfit?” Woof strutted over and rubbed himself on my ankle.

  “Oh sure I do, I’m all in black!”

  I heard the doorbell ring and grabbed my purse off the bed. I headed downstairs and answered the door. There, standing in front of me, was the most gorgeous sight I had ever seen. Grant was there with a bouquet of salmon-colored roses. He was dressed in a dark gray tailored suit. My knees felt weak. This guy was hot. I felt almost star-struck. I could imagine hundreds of screaming women all wanting a piece of this man. But he was mine. And according to him, he only had eyes for me.

  “You look amazing. I mean, beautiful, stunning.” He was eyeing me up and down with a huge grin on his face.

  I smiled and looked up at him from under my eyelashes.

  “You look amazing yourself. Hot, might I add. Let me take those from you and put them inside.”

  “Just one thing first.” He grabbed one of the roses from the bouquet and handed it to me. “I want you to be able to enjoy them all night. This one is coming with us.” I blushed and took the bouquet and quickly brought it inside. Within seconds I was back at the door. He held his arm out for me. I took it and we walked down the path together. Pierre was just pulling up. He got out of the car and opened the door for us. We smiled and headed for the limo. But when we went to get in …

  Chapter 18

  Tonight Is Our Night

  … the limo was more than crowded. Inside sat Lori and Dane. You have got to be fucking kidding me. Grant suddenly tensed, but held my arm tightly. He shot me a look and then his eyes went to Pierre and then back to me. Pierre was picking our parents up. We didn’t need to tip them off. We gracefully got in the limo.

  “What the hell are you doing here?” Grant spat at Dane.

  “We’re on a makeup date. I figured if you could work things out, so could we,” he said with a smug look on his face.

  “How the hell did you manage to muscle in on our limo?” I said aggressively in Lori’s direction.

  “I had no idea.” She feigned stupid.

  “I can’t believe you did this, Dane. After everything you said this afternoon?”

  “Jealous, Lanie?” Again there was that smug look. I could feel my hand clenching into a fist. I wanted to give him a hard punch to the face.

  “Lanie, I said tonight was going to be perfect. I’m not letting lousy limo company ruin tonight.” Grant’s hand was on my arm. He moved it so he was holding my clenched fist. I released it immediately so I could return his sentiment.

  “Of course, Love, you’re right. It doesn’t matter. All that matters tonight is us.” I kissed him.

  Dane shifted in his seat and Lori got a look on her face. I wanted to use her face to wipe the smug look off of Dane’s. The rest of the ride was spent in silence. Grant did his best to whisper sexy things into my ear and we spent most of our time gazing into each other’s eyes, ignoring the other two in the car. Pierre pulled up in front of a sushi restaurant first. Thank God they weren’t going to the same place we were. Dane and Lori got out and then Dane stuck his head back in.

  “Have a pleasant evening,” he said like nothing was wrong.

  “Yes, you too.” Grant’s politeness surprised me. Well, maybe not so much. He was a gentleman down to the bone. Once the door was shut, we both just gave each other a look.

  “I hope they both get some bad puffer fish tonight. Can you believe them? I can’t even fathom the two of them thinking it was all right to share a limo with us after everything.” I was livid.

  “And they just acted like everything was fine. Lori didn’t even look at me, let alone apologize for setting me up the other night.”

  “It’s a game. The whole thing is a game to them. They’re playing us, Grant.”

  “Yes, it would seem so. But if they think for one second they’re getting away with anything, they are both sorely mistaken.”

  “Agreed. But what can we do?”

  “I’ve let people pull crap before. But hell if I’m going to let Dane and Lori do anything to destroy what we have. We just have to stay connected, a team, you and I. We can’t believe anything they say or do.”

  “How do we stop them?”

  “I have an idea. Let me say this. Dane’s parents won’t like who Dane has become. I have a plan on how we can use that to our advantage. Keep your friends close. Keep your enemies closer.”

  “I see where you’re going with this. The first thing we need to do is get Dane away from Lori. She’s the instigator here.”

  “Agreed. Dane isn’t a cruel person. And for him to be doing these things to us, to you especially—”

  “I want our Dane back.”

  “I do, too.”

  We spent the rest of our time discussing our plan and how to make it all play out to our advantage. It was ingenious. And it was going to be a lot of fun. When we arrived at the restaurant, Grant spent a few minutes talking with Pierre before coming back and offering me his arm.

  “What was that about?”

  “Let’s just say we’ll have the limo to ourselves on the way home.”

  “Peachy. Shall we?”

  We entered the restaurant and were greeted by this drop-dead gorgeous redhead. She made me feel like a flat-chested little girl. Immediately she had her eyes on Grant.

  “Please, come with me and I’ll show you to your table.” She was literally angled towards him and purring her words to him. She shot a glance at me. Well, I should say at my left hand. Obviously checking to see if there was an engagement ring or wedding band there.

  “That would be fine. Thank you,” Grant said in his most formal tone.

  Once we got to our table, Grant pulled my seat out and focused all his attention solely on me. I liked it. It made me feel like he and I were alone in a crowded place. I felt confident, even more so than I already did, that Grant was mine. Only mine. And would always only ever be mine.

  “Can I offer you a drink?” she purred, addressing only him.

  “Love, what would you like to drink this evening?”

  “I’d love a glass of Chardonnay, Honey,” I smiled at him.

  “Anything your heart desires,” he replied and then turned his attention to the redheaded super model.

  “Please, make that two glasses of Chardonnay, house best. Might as well bring us a bottle. We’re celebrating this evening.”

  “Of course. May I ask what the celebration is?”

  “We’re celebrating her birthday and our anniversary.” His eyes were fixed on me again.

  “Oh, congratulations and happy birthday. I’ll be back with your drinks in a moment.” She walked off in a huff.

  “Our anniversary?” I said quizzically.

  “Yes. It’s been two days since you told me you loved me.”

  “A whole two days? I wish it was twenty years.”

  “And it will be, I promise. Then thirty. And then seventy-five.”

  My heart burst in my chest again. It was simply amazing how this man could make me weak in the knees with his words.

  “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go to the ladies’ room to powder my nose and then jump up and down like a little girl and squeal a lot.”

  “Oh by all means. I would never stand in the way of a squealing moment.” He smiled his handsome smile and I melted again. He stood up and came around to pull my chair out for me.

  “I feel like a princess.” I was blushing.

  “You’re my life, Lanie. I will always treat you with respect and honor. Can you be sure to let Jack know?” He winked at me.

  “I’ll put in a good word for you. Now I really need to go squeal.” I winked back and off to the ladies’ room I went.

  Once I got there, I grabbed my cell phone and called Pierre. I needed a favor as well. I filled him in on my plan and he was more than obliged to help me out. Then I jumped up and down like a little girl and actually did squeal. When I returned to the table, Grant was holding something in his hands. It was a cocktail napkin
. When he saw me, he tossed it on the table and pulled my chair out for me again.

  “What’s that?” I said, pointing to the napkin.

  “Apparently some people can’t take a hint.” I felt a pang of jealousy, which quickly subsided. This was Grant I was thinking about.

  “I have another plan. Do you have a pen?”

  “Yes.” I dug into my purse and pulled a pen out for him. He jotted something down on the back of the napkin and handed it to me for my approval. I smiled and nodded yes. He placed the napkin in his pocket.