CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE TRILOGY

by Patrice Wilton

  Reality crashed in. “What was that for?” she stammered, wide-eyed.

  “Because you needed it. And if you dare to flirt with me again, you’ll get a lot more.”

  Her mouth dropped open, and she felt her color rising. “I wasn’t flirting. And how perfectly chauvinistic of you to think that I was, and that I “needed it”, like you were doing me a favor.”

  He smirked. “Oh, give it up. You know damn well you were flirting, throwing a smile at me over your shoulder with that come-on look in your eye. If that wasn’t flirting, then I don’t know what is.”

  She sputtered. “Come-on? I was merely trying to get you to move it, and stop wasting my money.”

  He laughed. Then he kissed her again. “Is there anything else you want to say to me?”

  “Yes. Stop kissing me.”

  He pulled her close, slipping a hand around her waist. “Come on. Let’s go rescue David, then we can play.”

  “Play what?”

  He smiled in answer.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

  A cab driver was drumming his fingers on the steering wheel, nodding his head to a silent beat. Nick opened the back door and ushered Maddi in. “The Policia,” Nick told the driver.

  Half an hour later they were led to a cell, and there sat David. His hair was dirty and unkempt, his face unshaven. He looked like hell.

  “Thank God you’re here,” he cried. “What took you so long? It’s after two, and your flight was arriving at 10:30. I want to get the hell out of this place.” He looked Nick up and down. “Who’s this? An attorney? Good, we might need one. I’m going to sue these suckers for unlawful arrest.”

  “He’s a PI,” Maddi answered. “And David, the rules are different here. If I were you, I’d just play nice right about now, and let us talk you out of here.”

  “Fuck it. I’m going to make them sorry they messed with me. I haven’t had a bath or a shave in a week, and I stink.” His Tommy Bahamas shirt hung out of his pants and was half-unbuttoned. He pulled it away from his sticky skin, fanning it against his hairless chest. “Smell like live bait,” he added after getting a whiff of himself.

  “They only allowed me one phone call. I called my lawyer, but he was out of the office. They said too bad, and wouldn’t let me place another call for a week. Bastards.”

  Nick folded his arms and gestured at the saggy cot, the yellow-stained latrine, the graffitied walls. “Unless you dig your new surroundings, I’d keep my mouth shut and let us do the talking. If you keep at it this way, the price of freedom will double.”

  “I didn’t do anything. I’m not paying these bastards a cent. They’re going to pay me, big time.”

  Maddi had to ask, “What about the prostitute who turned into a guy? Did you assault him? He needed stitches, David.”

  “I didn’t touch the asshole. I don’t know how he got hurt.”

  Nick smirked. “You didn’t touch his asshole, or you didn’t touch him?”

  David made a fist and shoved it through the bars. “Up yours, jerk.”

  “Boys,” Maddi held court. “This isn’t helping matters. Keep your macho thing under wraps until we’re at least out of here.”

  She gave a sigh of relief as they squared off. “David, Nick is going to help negotiate your freedom. He doesn’t think it’ll cost too much.” She added, “About the price of your car.”

  “What the hell are you talking about?”

  “The Jaguar. He thinks it’ll be between eighty-ninety thousand to get you out of here, without a get-out-of-jail card.”

  “No fucking way.”

  Nick turned to leave. “Maddi, forget it. He likes it here. Let him stay.”

  “I’m not selling my Jaguar,” David whined. “Forget it.”

  “We’re not asking you to sell it. You can take the money out of your Merrill Lynch account for all we care.”

  “You know the stock market went crazy. You know I lost my shirt.”

  “Oh, that’s right,” she said coolly. “That’s too bad. And of course, now you’ll have child support for another eighteen years.”

  David looked glum. “I wanted to talk to you about that. I might have to reduce your alimony checks.”

  She flashed him a phony grin. “Over my dead body.”

  Nick cleared his throat. “You two can discuss this later, after he’s released.”

  “Not until he retracts that last statement.” Maddi glared at her ex. “After thirteen years of marriage, I’m entitled to alimony. You said you’d pay it until I get my degree. And half your pension.”

  “What do you expect me to live on?”

  “Love?”

  She heard him snort.

  Nick intervened. “David, I’ll start small, but I need to know how much you can afford to pay. What’s the limit?”

  He squirmed. “Look, the Jag is leased. All I have left is the Rolex.”

  Maddi’s eyes widened. “That’s all you have left? We divided our assets equally, and that’s all you have left?”

  He studied the ground, and it reminded her of the night he walked out on her.

  “David?”

  “That’s it, Maddi. Are you satisfied? I’ve got nothing. I lost you, I lost the house, I lost my possessions, and not least, the girls’ respect.” He looked into her face. “Everything I ever cared about is gone, and I can’t bring it back.”

  “No, you can’t.” Tears filled her eyes. “I’m sorry for you, David.” She really was, but she didn’t love him any longer. He’d become the kind of man she had run away from all her life. Bad rubbish.

  “What about your dental practice?” she asked. “You’ve still got that.”

  “I’ve got a lawsuit against me. One of my patients claims I touched her inappropriately, which is a pack of lies.”

  “Oh, my God. David!”

  “Yeah, I know. My life sucks.”

  She turned away from him to hide her pity. “Okay, partner.” She linked her arm with Nick. “Let’s go see who can cut the best deal.”

  ***

  Back on the street, Nick flagged down a cab. “If you ask me, he got off cheap. Sixty-five grand, all charges dropped, and he’s home free.”

  “I know, but he didn’t seem to think so.” Maddi blew a wisp of hair out of her eyes. “Maybe, we should have left him there a little longer. It might have improved his attitude.”

  “He certainly didn’t seem very grateful.” Nick rolled down the window of the cab. “Not even when you offered a five percent loan.”

  “I didn’t expect gratitude, but wow--he wasn’t even nice.”

  “Where to, folks? The meter is running.” The cab driver flashed a gummy smile.

  “Hotel Paradiso, on the beach.” Nick turned to Maddi. “I feel like we just got here, and I sure don’t have anything pressing to do at home. I thought I might stay for the weekend.”

  “Oh, yeah?” She edged away from him to sit in the corner. “And you expect me to fall into your plans?”

  He gave her a long look. In spite of the heat a shiver ran up her spine.

  “No. I wasn’t expecting anything.” He flashed his killer smile. “Hoping, maybe.”

  “The Hotel Paradiso? Is it a nice place?”

  “The nicest in all Cancun. Beautiful villas on the beach, gourmet dining, wonderful music for dancing,” he told her, while the back of his hand made contact with her thigh.

  She tilted her head back, and closed her eyes. “It does sound romantic. And I did pack a light bag.”

  “I noticed.” He slid closer and dropped a kiss on her lips. “I was also thinking that since you’re paying the bills, we could stay together. It will save the cost of an extra room.”

  “You have a point. It would be cheaper.”

  “That’s what I thought.”

  She opened her eyes and looked into his. She liked what she saw--desire, intrigue, and a playfulness that matched her own.

  He pulled her close. “Kiss me, Maddi.”

  She pec
ked his cheek.

  “Not like that.”

  “Show me then.” Sliding closer, she put her arms around his neck, tilting her head to receive his kiss. His lips came down hard on hers. They were warm and sweet, the nicest lips in the world.

  “Okay.”

  “Okay, what?” Nick murmured against her lips. “You’ll stay, or share one room?”

  “I’ll stay.” She nuzzled his cheek. “I do like to save money, but there is another reason--”

  His mouth was an inch away. She could feel his warm breath. The air between them was rife with anticipation, and expectations, and sexual tension, and she was going to explore and enjoy every moment of it.

  “You want to forget David?”

  “David who?” She laughed. “No Nick. I have a very selfish reason for wanting to stay. You’re here, and there’s no place I’d rather be.” She glanced at his face. “With you.

  THE END