Devil's Creek

by Aaron Paul Lazar

  “Really?”

  “Yep. She went to peace marches in Washington, sang with a band at Woodstock, and held rallies for Martin Luther King Jr.”

  “Is she still anti-war?”

  “Not so much these days. She does volunteer work for soldiers. Sends them care packages all the time. You’ll like her.”

  “I’m sure I will.”

  They pulled up to a tidy cottage tucked into a grove of pines. The road ended at the driveway, and Caroline parked close to the front porch. “Here we are.”

  On the porch, a massive chocolate Lab met them with his huge tail wagging. “Hey, Chuckles. Good boy. Meet Anderson.”

  Anderson crouched down to greet the dog. “Hey, there, fella. What a nice boy.” He scrubbed behind Chuckles’ ears and won him over in minutes. “He’s a sweetheart.”

  She grinned. “He’s my best pal in the world.”

  Inside, Anderson immediately felt at home. The place was comfortable, cluttered, and held no pretenses. “I like it. It’s lived in.”

  “It sure is,” she laughed. “I’ve been here since I was eleven. Not much has changed since then.”

  Chuckles circled a few times and lay down on the braided rug before the hearth.

  “Did something happen to your folks?”

  She nodded. “My father passed when I was eleven. He was just having a hernia operation which should have been easy, but things went wrong, and he didn’t make it. I don’t remember my mother. She died when I was two in a car accident.”

  “I’m so sorry.” Anderson slid an arm around Caroline and drew her close. He leaned down to kiss the top of her head, and she rested against him, slipping her arms around his waist. “That’s another thing we have in common. My folks are gone, too.”

  “That’s awful.” She let out a long sigh. “What happened?”

  “Small plane crashed while they were on a tour on vacation.”

  “Oh, how horrible. I’m so sorry.”

  “It wasn’t easy,” he admitted.

  She hugged him, and after a moment, motioned to his cut. “Shall we get you tended to?”

  “Okay.”

  In the tiny bathroom, Caroline sat him down and treated the wound. “I don’t think you’ll need to stitch it,” she said. “It looked worse than it is.” She gently applied a wide bandage over the area.

  “Thank you.” He took her hands in his, his voice croaky. “I appreciate it. More than you can know.”

  What was happening? He felt all choked up, and wasn’t quite sure why.

  He tried to analyze the crazy burst of emotion running through him. What the hell was it?

  It definitely had to do with the way she was treating him. Her kindness. Her sweet devotion.

  He had it.

  It was her tenderness.

  There hadn’t been a lot of that overseas. More like danger, loss, killing, pain, and more killing. Sure, there had been some moments of supreme satisfaction, like the day he saved the little boy from the aftermath of a bombing. Or the woman and child he’d transported to safety after a particularly brutal raid.

  He’d done some good. He knew that. And he believed in freedom, in protecting the people who deserved to be happy. But it had taken a toll on him.

  He took her hands and drew her onto his lap.

  She laughed and then stared into his eyes. “What?”

  “This,” he said. And he kissed her. Softly at first, and without too much pressure, although inside he wanted to devour her, to make passionate love to her. But it was too soon, and he didn’t want to ruin things.

  The kiss lasted a long time. He had to admit, it was the finest kiss of his life.

  The very best part, however, was how she kissed him back. How her arms slid to his neck. How she wanted it to go on and on, just like he did.

  When they finally parted, breathless, he locked eyes with her. “Wow.”

  She didn’t pull away. “Yeah. Wow.”

  “I don’t want to sound weird or anything,” he said. “But do you believe in love at first sight? ’Cause I’m really falling for you, Caroline.”

  He realized in a quick jolt that her eyes were shining with affection. It sent his heart galloping in his chest. Could she feel the same way?

  He had his answer when she reached up for his lips again. This time, she parted her lips and touched the tip of his tongue with hers, just for a second. He thought he’d melt right on the spot. Longing surged through him. His body reacted, hardening immediately. His heart swelled with love, and it was all he could do to keep from whisking her to the nearest bedroom.

  “Oh, Caroline.” His voice had deepened, grown husky. “You’re killing me.”

  She stood slowly, brushing her lips against his forehead. “I’m sorry.” She glanced down at the bulging evidence. “Oh.” She blushed, and he thought it was genuine. She hadn’t meant to set the launch cycle in his body.

  “Don’t be sorry. As clichéd as it sounds, I felt this way the minute we met. It was like… ” he paused and tried to find the words. “It was as if I’d been waiting my whole life for you. And then, suddenly, there you were. Standing right in front of me. With your beautiful big brown eyes and your delicious laugh.” He uttered a deep chuckle. “I love your laugh.”

  She just smiled at him, running one hand through his hair.

  “I hope you don’t think I’m some kind of psycho stalker, like Hank. I mean, I was pretty normal before I met you.”

  She reached up to caress his cheek. “There is no comparison, my dear Anderson. You are a class act. You are the real thing.”

  It was all he needed to hear. He leaned in for another kiss. “Caroline.”

  Her soft lips melted into his, gently pushing and responding. Before he knew it, he’d lifted her into his arms and carried her out of the bathroom, stopping to kiss her more deeply in the hall. She pointed to the living room. “The couch.”

  He didn’t want to blow this by coming on too strong. She was young, barely nineteen. What if she and Hank had never made love? What if he scared her off? But his need for her was overpowering. He hadn’t made love to a woman the entire time he’d been in the service. It had been over four years now, since his high school sweetheart had broken up with him the day he enlisted.

  “Caroline,” he whispered again when they reached the couch. “I want you. So bad.”

  Side by side now, they kissed for another ten minutes, driving him to the point of near insanity. He held back. He respected her too much to assume it would go beyond this.

  She reached one hand under his shirt and caressed his chest. “I know we shouldn’t,” she said, out of breath. “We just met.”

  He uttered a low moan. “This is the start of forever. I’m crazy about you.”

  “Oh, Anderson. I feel the same way,” she said, brushing her lips against his neck.

  He unbuttoned her blouse, sliding his hand over the creamy tops of her breasts. He nuzzled them, kissing them and teasing the bra farther down until he reached his goal. Gently, he nipped at her nipples, kissing and licking until she released the bra and urged him on.

  “Don’t stop.”

  He didn’t need encouragement, and swiftly lifted her to his lap, pulling her as close as he could. “I’ll never leave you,” he whispered.

  She threw her blouse to the floor and tugged at his tee shirt. “Take it off.”

  The thing was airborne in seconds, landing in a heap on the fireplace mantle.

  Now it was her turn to drive him mad. She pushed him back gently, and ran her fingers and mouth over his chest until he begged for mercy.

  “I can’t take much more,” he said.

  She chuckled, and he loved the little growl at the end that sounded almost predatory. “Am I torturing you?”

  He nodded. “Absolutely.” He reached down to her jeans and unsnapped the button, sliding his fingers downward.

  Something crashed through the front window, shooting splinters of glass across the rug. A large rock w
rapped in white paper rolled to their feet. Chuckles flew to his feet, barking like a Doberman with hackles raised.

  Chapter 25

  “What the hell?” Anderson ran to the front door and flung it open. The dog streaked toward the driveway.

  “That goddamned lunatic,” Caroline muttered, leaning down to unwrap the note.

  Anderson watched the truck peel out, leaving a dust cloud behind. “I’ll go after him.” He pulled his shirt on and stopped at the door. He didn’t have his car here. But where were the keys to the Corolla?

  “No. Leave it be.” She flattened the note and handed it to him. “He won’t be back.”

  “Whore” was scrawled across the paper in a red marker.

  Anderson slammed his fist against the doorjamb. “God damn him. How dare he? This is destruction of personal property. We should report him.”

  “This may be the end of it. Let’s not make things worse.” Caroline calmly slid into her clothes and knelt by the window, picking up the largest pieces of glass.

  “Here, let me help.” He grabbed the trashcan from the kitchen and brought it to her side. “Be careful. Don’t cut yourself.”

  She smiled half-heartedly at him. “I’m sorry.”

  He glanced up. “For what?”

  “For this.” She pointed to the mess. “For Hank. For getting you involved with him.” She paused, letting a smile creep onto her full lips. “And for what didn’t happen between us.” A flush crept up her cheeks. “But it’s probably best. I was out of control.”

  “You?” He snorted a laugh. “Oh my God, Caroline. I was beyond control. I was ready to throw you down and—”

  “It’s best we stopped. I don’t want you to think I’m what he called me.”

  “I could never think that. Never.” His eyes bored into hers. “You’re my angel.”

  Now it was her turn to laugh. “Oh, sure I am.”

  When they finished cleaning up the mess, she took him out to the shed, where they rummaged and finally found an old piece of plywood and some nails. He covered the broken window, securing it for the night.

  “I’ll take the window to the hardware store in the morning,” he said. “They’ll measure it and cut the glass for me, and I can replace that broken pane.”

  “Really?” She looked at him as if he were offering ambrosia. “So, you’re handy, too?”

  He frowned. “Too?”

  “Yes. Let me see. You’re an injured war hero. You’re a gentleman. You’re sweet and smart and strong. You make me laugh. Oh, did I say you’re gorgeous?” She chuckled. “And you can fix things?”

  He set the hammer down on the kitchen counter and leaned down to embrace her. “I see I’ve got you fooled.”

  She kissed him this time, but it was a chaste, sweet kiss. “Are you hungry?” she said.

  “Starving. And I could use a few Advil, if you have them.”

  Chuckles came up to her legs and chuffed.

  “I guess you’re hungry too, huh, fella?”

  Anderson leaned down to pat him. “He’s a good watchdog. I’m glad you’ve got him.”

  “Me, too. Hey, I do have Advil. Your head still hurt?” She sat him down on a kitchen chair, and bent his head forward to inspect it. “The bump hasn’t gone down at all.”

  “Hurts a bit,” he said, wincing when she touched it.

  She leaned forward and planted a gentle kiss on it. “There you go. It’ll be all better soon.”

  She handed him two Advil and a cup of apple juice. “This’ll help, too.”

  She opened the refrigerator and leaned on the door, examining their options. “Let’s see. We have leftover spaghetti and meatballs. A salad from last night. And my aunt’s apple pie.”

  He couldn’t help but admire the way her hips canted, the swell of her bottom, and the neatly tucked nip of her waist. Desire surged again, but he forced it down. “Last home cooked meal I had was at my brother’s house in Boston.”

  “When was that?”

  “A couple of weeks ago. They let me out of the VA hospital in July. Then I spent a month with Rob and Judy, trying to get back into the swing of a civilian life. Judy’s a peach. She’s pregnant with their first baby. And she’s a great cook.”

  “Then you got accepted here at the university?”

  “Uh huh. I’m still in shock. Maybe the school has to take a quota of vets each semester. I’ve been out of school for over four years, and my grades weren’t outstanding or anything. So I was surprised when they accepted me right off the bat.”

  “Because you’re a catch.” Caroline winked at him, and started to heat up the spaghetti in the microwave. “You want some fresh parmesan? I’ll grate some.”

  He nodded. “That’d be great.”

  When the meal was ready, they chatted as if they’d known each other forever. When she laughed, his heart swelled. When she reached across the table to touch his hand, a jolt of electricity passed through his core.

  “So, anyway, what did the professor say to you tonight, when he pulled you aside?” She drained the last of her milk and set the glass on the table.

  “Oh.” He passed a meatball to Chuckles, who waited beneath the table with tail wagging. “He wants me to tryout for Raoul. He told me to be ready to sing ‘All I Ask of You’ with you, tomorrow night.”

  Her eyes widened. “Really? He said we should sing it together?”

  “He did.”

  “Are you disappointed? I mean, you’ve been practicing for the part of the Phantom, right?”

  He stabbed a cherry tomato on his fork, waving it in the air. “At first I was disappointed. I’m not really prepared to sing Raoul’s songs. I like them. But I haven’t worked through them.”

  She dabbed at her lips with a napkin. “To tell you the truth, I was hoping you’d try out for that role.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes. Your voice is so beautiful, Anderson. You have a pure tenor sound that just melted my heart the first time I heard it. I think you’d be perfect.”

  He started to consider the new angle. If he played Raoul, and if she were cast as Christine, they’d be acting as couple on stage. It would be so easy. Raoul loved Christine, and he loved… no, adored… Caroline.

  “Thank you,” he said. “Let’s work on it in the morning. We’ll compare schedules, and see if we can get a practice room with a piano.”

  She raised her eyebrows. “You play piano, too?”

  “Um. Well, I fumble around on it.”

  She grinned. “So, we’ll add that to your list of talents.”

  “Don’t speak too soon. You haven’t heard me play yet.”

  She cut the pie, added slices of cheddar cheese, and heated up two plates in the microwave. “Here you go, soldier.”

  He pulled her toward him, sitting her on his lap once again. “Caroline. I still want you. I need you so bad.” His voice grew husky and he kissed her. “But I’m going to ask you to lock your bedroom door and make me sleep on the couch tonight.”

  She nodded. “It’s probably best. It’s too soon. And much as I—”

  He kissed her again, searching her eyes. “What we have will keep. And it’ll be even more special when the time is right.”

  “I know.” Her eyes shone with unshed tears. “Thank you.”

  “Are you okay?” He tilted her chin up.

  “It’s just… no one ever treated me with such respect.”

  “Don’t give me too much credit,” he said with an evil little grin. “If that rock hadn’t come through the window, we’d be in your bed right now. Probably on round two.”

  Chapter 26

  Anderson and Caroline sat in the same seats they’d chosen the day before. The final night of auditions was about to start, and tension buzzed in the air, evidenced by high-pitched laughter and nervous titters. Professor Gambino was due to arrive in ten minutes, at seven o’clock.

  “Where’s Merry?” Anderson scanned the room.

  Caroline frowned. “Strange. I don’t
see her. But I see him.”

  Hank glowered at them from the other side of the hall.

  “Yeah. I guess he’s not giving up soon. The jerk.” Anderson probed the Band-Aid on his forehead gently. It still hurt.

  “It would be really weird for Merry not to show up for the last night of tryouts,” she said.

  “Maybe the prof told her what role she’s getting. It could be a done deal.”

  Caroline’s face fell. “Oh. You think?”

  “It’s possible.” The way she’d been hanging on Gambino the night before made Anderson think it was probable, but he didn’t want to upset Caroline further.

  Antonio Ballero strode into the room, his wavy black hair slicked back. He stepped with confidence, smiling at the students as he entered. Rumor was the man had played The Phantom in Off-Broadway productions for years. Since he stopped touring, he’d been the president of the local community theater. Tonight they’d hear him sing for the first time.

  Gambino made his entrance a few minutes before seven, closely followed by Merry Freecastle.

  Were they together just before they walked in? Anderson was pretty sure of it from the prim little smile on her face. They’d probably just separated for the sake of propriety. It wouldn’t look good for the director to be hobnobbing with actors during tryouts. Hobnobbing? Sleeping together is more like it.

  Caroline nudged him and smiled. “There she is.”

  “Yep.” Anderson reached for his water bottle and took a swig.

  Although he was prepared now to sing for the role of Raoul, he’d still tryout for the Phantom. Heck, he’d practiced all summer. Might as well give it a shot.

  Gambino took the stage with a flourish, beaming at the group before him. “So, people. Here we are.”

  A hush fell over the crowd.

  “Tonight you’ll duke it out for the lead male roles of Raoul and the Phantom.” He walked up the stage and back, pursing his lips. “Once I’ve made my tentative decisions about who fits best where, I’ll pair you up with our best female singers. I need to know how you look together, and whether there’s any chemistry between you.” He wiggled his eyebrows when he said “chemistry.”