Take You Away

by Kira Hillins

  Doogen came out on the front porch, beer in hand, shirt off. His shoulder-length hair was pulled back with a tie. Grease stained his face. “Hey man,” Doogen said, burning cigarette hanging from his mouth. “Day off?”

  “Left early. Just finished blowing off a little steam at the park.”

  “The car should be done tomorrow. Paint’s curing now.”

  “Thanks for helping me work on it.”

  He followed Doogen into the house, bracing for the usual mess of dirty clothes, empty pizza boxes, and beer bottles on the living room furniture. Doogen had cleaned. Ben’s jaw dropped. There was actually enough space on the old couch to sit down.

  “What happened here?” Ben picked up the acoustic guitar leaning against the side of the coffee table.

  “Spring cleaning,” Doogen said with a proud grin. He doused his cigarette in the ashtray on the shiny glass coffee table. “Not like me at all to do shit like this.”

  “Hire a maid?”

  Doogen belted out a laugh. “No, man. I invited Sheron over last night. She took one step in my house and then went straight back out the door. Said she wouldn’t come back until the place was spotless.”

  “You did all this for Sheron?” Ben was surprised Sheron would come to see Doogen, of all people. She’d always said she would never get involved with any band members. They were all jackasses.

  “What a guy will do for love, eh?” Doogen plopped down on the couch and let out a long grunt. “How about you, man? Still seeing that blonde baker from Kansas?” Doogen lit another cigarette. “I’ll bet that gal’s ass tastes pretty damn sweet. Mmm…finger-licking good.”

  Doogen’s degrading words rubbed Ben the wrong way. Doogen never had tact when it came to talking about women. Didn’t surprise Ben a bit that he’d talk shit. Ben plucked the strings, tuning the guitar. “I actually like Zoe.”

  “I noticed. Everyone noticed.” Doogen sighed heavily. “Can’t get enough of her, huh?”

  “Can’t get her out of my head.”

  “I understand your pain. Seems I’m going through the same thing with Sheron. Never gave her much thought, other than how smoking hot she is. She was always Chase’s girl. Off-limits.”

  Ben set the guitar back down beside the coffee table. “What happened to change your mind?”

  “We ended up staying in a motel after the party a few weeks ago.”

  “No shit?” Ben said, though not surprised to hear this news. He actually thought they’d already had sex.

  Doogen leaned back in the chair. He inhaled a long draw off his cigarette. Smoke rolled from his parted lips, then floated up in a ring until it disappeared. “Then Sunday morning, I saw her at the grocery store getting ready to check out. I joined the line just to say, ‘Hey, let’s do it again sometime.’ She took one look at the food in my cart and started taking everything out.”

  Ben knew all too well how that felt. Sheron was a stickler for health foods. Doogen was notorious for loving junk.

  “She dragged me back through the store, filling my cart with crap like yogurt and fruit and all these vegetables I don’t even know the names of. I swear, man, I felt like a child getting reamed in the middle of the fucking produce department by his mom. She’s all up in my face, saying, ‘You won’t live very long on potato chips and frozen hamburgers.’”

  His imitation of Sheron’s raspy voice was almost dead-on. The image of her scolding Doogen made him laugh. Finally, someone else got a taste of what life with her was like.

  “When I told her to go back home and bug you, she started crying, saying that you didn’t need her anymore. What the hell was I supposed to do?” Doogen’s face grew serious as he doused his cigarette in the ashtray. “Always thought Sheron was one fine woman. When I saw her crying, I figured, what the fuck. Invited her to stay here and teach me how to make those shitty salads she made me buy. Guess my grubby house was too much for her to handle.”

  “So you cleaned,” Ben said with a nod.

  “Hell yeah, I cleaned! I’m forty-three, and I ain’t getting any younger. Time to make something besides music, you know?”

  “Like what?”

  “Babies.” Doogen chuckled. “I’m going to marry Sheron. After we open that body shop. Maybe I’ll make enough money to fix this place up so I can keep my wife happy.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Yeah,” Doogen said. “Can you see it?”

  “No.”

  “Well, that’s my plan. The new me. Maybe even have some little rug rats by the end of the year.”

  Ben widened his eyes. “You want kids?”

  “Who doesn’t?”

  Ben hadn’t thought about Sheron moving out of his house until now. It hurt a little. He’d grown used to her being around, taking care of him, conversing when there was nothing else to do. She reminded him of Chase and how fun things used to be when the three of them lived together.

  Doogen and Chase had been best friends since childhood. They had always been the life of the party, drinking and carrying on until Chase’s fateful night. Sheron tried her best to keep them all together like a family, but nothing was ever the same.

  Ben couldn’t see Sheron moving in here with Doogen, but he’d understand. Maybe being with each other would fill the void they’d both carried for so long. That was what Zoe meant to him, why he couldn’t get her out of his head. She’d mended his emptiness too.

  “I was thinking,” Doogen said as he crushed his cigarette in the ashtray. “Why don’t we open the body shop now?”

  “Now?”

  “Yeah, man. Why not? We’re both ready. Got the tools in the barn and bankers lined up for the loans.”

  Ben nodded. “I could use a change.”

  “Chase would be ecstatic right now.”

  “Yeah,” Ben said, a pang of guilt working inside him. “If it wasn’t for me—”

  Chase would be living that dream if Ben hadn’t let him ride off that night. There’d be no hole in his chest that needed filled.

  “Damn it, Ben.” Doogen’s eyes narrowed. “Chase’s wreck wasn’t your fault. Once the man made a decision, he was gonna do it no matter what. The guy was unstoppable.”

  “Until he wrapped himself around a tree,” Ben said calmly. After a moment of silence, he stood. “Could you cover for me this weekend? I’m going to Zoe’s.”

  “Ah, now. Don’t get depressed.” Doogen followed him out the front door. “Think about your life, baby brother. Look forward, not behind you. Marry your lady friend and make babies too. Chase would’ve wanted to see you happy.”

  Ben pulled his keys from his pocket. Once inside the Jeep, he breathed deeply.

  Doogen was right about one thing. It was time to make a change.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Renji and Millie needed Zoe back at the store, but her brain was still on vacation. Shanty was coming to town in a few weeks to inspect the bakery one last time before putting it on the market. Zoe needed to decide soon if she was going to buy or let Shanty sell it to someone else.

  Millie had told everyone that once the bakery changed ownership, she was quitting her cake-decorating job. She was moving into wedding-hair design and makeup for her new business. All week, Millie had begged Zoe to be her guinea pig. Now Friday morning, Zoe let Millie and her many green totes inside the apartment.

  She sat at her tiny breakfast bar while Millie scrubbed her face with a soft cleansing pad soaked in beauty cream. Millie applied a thick layer of green mud onto Zoe’s cheeks and chin and forehead. The tingling sensation felt like mint did in her mouth.

  It was kind of nice, sitting still, letting someone pamper her for a while. They talked about weddings and dresses and flowers and, of course, the cake Millie had made for the barbecue at Drema’s tomorrow.

  Millie leaned down and looked her in the eye. She wrinkled her nose slightly. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but then returned to removing curlers.

  “What is it?” Zoe asked.

&nb
sp; “Well,” Millie said. “I know you don’t want to talk about it, but…have you decided what you’re going to do? Are you still buying the bakery with Renji?”

  “I think so.”

  “Would Ben ever move here?”

  “He’s opening an auto body shop with his friend.”

  Millie turned the mirror, showing her work. Zoe smiled. She looked pretty.

  “You were right.”

  “About what?”

  “Long-distance relationships.” Zoe’s face warmed. “Ben wants me to move to Denver.”

  Millie’s mouth popped open. “Are you going to move?”

  “I love him.” Zoe couldn’t see from the tears in her eyes. “With all my heart, I love him.”

  “Then what’s the problem? Is it the bakery?”

  Zoe had been fine with buying the place before. She’d dreamed she would meet a nice man and settle down here. They could run the shop together. But now that she’d found love somewhere else, staying here wasn’t as attractive anymore.

  “The bakery’s only part of the problem. I don’t even know if I want it now.” She gazed at Millie. “I feel bad because of Renji.”

  “The plans we make are never set in stone.” Millie rested her hand on Zoe’s shoulder. “Life is full of twists and turns that lead us in new directions. Yours could be Denver.”

  “Nicholas found me in Denver.” Zoe stood and took off the cape wrapped around her. She leaned back against the counter with her warm palm against her clammy temple. “He’ll just keep stalking me no matter where I am.”

  “Everything will be okay. You just have to have faith.”

  “Faith? How can I have faith with Nicholas running around? I can’t move me and my problems in with Ben.” Zoe’s stomach churned. A wave of nausea crept into her throat. She felt like she was about to faint. Zoe drew in several deep breaths. “I’m sorry I’m ruining all the hard work you’ve done on my hair and makeup. My stomach’s been in knots the past few days.”

  “I’ve noticed.” Millie poured Zoe a glass of water. “Maybe you should go see the doctor.”

  “It’s just stress.” Zoe downed several gulps. She pressed the cool glass to her burning forehead. “I’ll feel much better once Nicholas is back in jail.”

  “Hopefully Fred gets the creep and puts him away for the rest of his life.”

  “Yeah,” Zoe replied. “Fred and his army are on standby during the party this weekend.”

  “Well,” Millie said, taking Zoe’s hand. “You better get going, or you’ll be late picking up Ben from the airport.”

  “Yeah. Thanks, Millie.”

  “I’m always here for you.”

  Once Millie left the apartment, Zoe changed into her skirt and tank top. The ill sensation was finally gone. She couldn’t wait to see Ben—to kiss his lips and make mad, passionate love to him. She smiled as she grabbed her purse off the bedroom floor.

  After one glance in the mirror, she left the apartment. She hopped in the dark green sedan she’d rented yesterday and then sped down the highway.

  * * * *

  Ben walked through the Wichita airport, duffel bag over one shoulder, guitar case over the other. When he reached the main terminal, he scanned the crowded room.

  There she was, beautiful blonde showing off soft, pale legs in her short skirt. As she jogged toward him, arm raised, hand waving, her breasts bounced under her tank top, just enough to turn heads on the men passing by.

  Damn, she was hot. Silky hair rested in soft curls over her shoulders. A bright smile formed on her rounded face as he set his stuff on the floor and caught her in his arms.

  “Hey, handsome,” she said, breathless when he picked her up off her feet.

  He kissed her strawberry-flavored lips. “Mm…beautiful as always.”

  “Come home with me?” she whispered in his ear.

  He set her down and then picked up his guitar and bag. “Frisky already?”

  “I haven’t seen you in two weeks.” She walked beside him through the terminal. “Of course I can’t wait to get you in bed.”

  “I know exactly how you feel.”

  He loved the sound of her laugh. Made him feel carefree. Happy. He took her by the hand and hurried to the car.

  She drove straight to her apartment. The moment she shut the door and locked the dead bolts, he knew he was in trouble—the good kind.

  “I’ve missed you so much,” she said, following him up the stairs.

  He tasted her strawberry lips again as she fisted his T-shirt and pulled him down the hall to her room. Clothes went to the floor fast. He grabbed her wrist and yanked her to him. Her body hit his harder than he’d planned, but a wicked laugh rolled over her curved lips.

  When he lifted her against him, she threw her arms around his neck. Her kiss was furious, intense, a contrast from the softness she usually wanted.

  His body fell over hers on the bed. In no time, his cock was sliding inside her tight walls. Flesh against flesh, moving in perfect motion. He lifted his body and held her wrists on each side of her head. Her rounded breasts bounced with his quick thrusts.

  “Ben, stop,” she gasped.

  He let go of her wrists and stopped his dance. “Sorry, honey,” he said against her cheek. “Too rough?”

  She turned her body beneath him, legs apart, ass up. “Fuck me harder.”

  Damn! Fire spread through his veins. This wasn’t going to last very long.

  He entered her, pumping fast. Watching her body envelop his wet cock as he penetrated her pushed him closer to the edge of climax. Her ass was smooth on his palms, perfect in his hands.

  He reached around her waist and rubbed her clit with his forefinger. When she let out a short, breathy scream, he grinned.

  “You like that?”

  “Ungh…I’m about to…ungh!”

  He shoved his cock in as far as it would go. Hips tight against hers, he thrust until he couldn’t hold on anymore. “Fuck!”

  Her walls throbbed around his pulsing cock. He breathed into her shoulder as he released his cum inside her. She fell on her stomach beneath him.

  “Damn, honey,” he said in a heavy, laughing breath. “You’re naughty today.”

  “I couldn’t help it.” She turned on her back and slid her hands over his face. “I’m just so glad to see you.”

  A satisfied sigh passed his lips. “You should be bad more often.”

  He grinned as he pressed his mouth against hers. He licked her tongue, enjoying the way her fingers slid through his hair. “You and I are good together.” He gazed down at her. “I wish you’d reconsider moving in with me.”

  “I can’t,” she said softly.

  “Why not?”

  He moved to her side. Lying on his back, he rubbed his face and groaned. If she bought the bakery with Renji, she’d be too busy to visit. With Ben opening the shop, he couldn’t meet her as often either. They’d never have time to see each other.

  “It’s the best idea if we want to stay together as a couple.”

  She rose from the bed. She stomped to the dresser and opened the top drawer. After she pulled out a pair of panties and bra, she turned to face him. “Why don’t you move in with me?”

  He opened his mouth to reply, but nothing came out. He had no response, because he’d never given any thought to moving here. It wasn’t a terrible idea. But he’d already signed on to open the body shop with Doogen.

  Her face brightened with a smile as she propped her knee on the bed. “You, Renji, and I could buy the bakery together. We could turn it into a coffee shop.” She kissed his lips. “Or you and I could do something else. Like open a car dealership and sell MINI Coopers. We can buy a house together.”

  “I can’t move here,” he said as she gazed at him. She frowned as she moved off the bed. That look sent his heart to the floor. She might as well kick it while it was down there, because it was already breaking. “Doogen and I have started planning. I can’t back out. I don’t want to back out. I
t makes more sense for you to move to Denver. Plus, we wouldn’t have to buy a house since I already own one. You can have my car.”

  “I don’t want to back out on my plans to buy the bakery with Renji!” She glared. “And you think because I don’t own a house and car, I should move in with you? I have enough money to buy those things! I just don’t need them.”

  “Whoa. Wait a second,” he said as she disappeared into the hallway. He followed her to the bathroom. When she turned on the shower, he palmed her shoulders. “I wasn’t trying to insult you.”

  “Well, you did.”

  “I’m sorry, Zoe. I didn’t mean anything by it.”

  She stepped into the shower. He would’ve joined her to try and smooth things over, but she quickly pulled the curtain closed.

  * * * *

  When Zoe stepped out, Ben stepped in. Though she was angry he’d made her feel like her life was unimportant, she knew he hadn’t meant it that way.

  She slipped her hoodie over her head and changed into a pair of sweats.

  He had no idea how hard it was to say no to moving in with him. His house was beautiful. Seeing the gorgeous roses every day would be amazing. She wanted to be with him all the time, kissing him in the beautiful backyard.

  She still hadn’t made her mind up about the bakery yet. One second she wanted it. The next second, she didn’t care. She wished she could get a handle on what drove her to say no to moving.

  A knock came to the door. As Zoe brushed her wet hair, she left the bedroom.

  She looked through the peephole. No one was there. She turned the locks but left the chain connected. She drew in a breath as she opened the door and peeked out.

  A small brown box sat at the end of the walkway, close to the rental car. It’d only take a second to get the package and bring it in. Ben had just turned off the shower anyway.

  She unchained the last lock and looked outside. Barefoot, she carefully stepped toward the package, wondering why the UPS guy would leave it there instead of at her doorstep.

  She leaned down and inspected the box. Her name was written in bright letters on top. The return label had the name of a jewelry shop stamped on it.