Be My Queen (6 page)

He put on his best pout. "Please."

"Shoes?"

He retrieved the tights and followed her to the shoe section. The shoes she looked at weren't the kind he was after. He picked up a shoe. She put it back. He found a better shoe. She shook her head and pointed to a pair of sandals. The sandals looked good-quality, but he wanted her to have a pair of nice pumps to meet his mother in.

Of course, she wouldn't need those quite yet, but he wanted her to be prepared and feel comfortable in her clothes, if not her situation. Every one of Diego's exes had said his mother was intimidating, so it must be true.

"I'll buy you these if you will at least try on these." He picked up a nice, black pump. "Wouldn't these look cute with purple roses on them?"

"And how do they get purple roses on them?"

"Shoe clips." One of Diego's exes had a way with fabric of all kinds, and as Autumn had only dated him a week, and now had a pretty girlfriend of her own, he could think of no reason Lavender wouldn't be willing to wear something she made.

He'd been told he was stupid that way.

She stared at the shoe. "Maybe."

A clerk finished ringing someone up and hurried over to help them. Diego kept him busy. Lavender had larger-than-normal feet, due to her perfect height, and even the shoes that came in her size didn't all fit. The sandals were perfect and she looked so beautiful wearing them out of the store that he wanted to show her off in the best places.

She stopped at a shoe store by their exit. "Isn't that the cutest purse?"

The handbag was cute. The leather was several pretty shades of purple with cutouts, and the store also had pumps in the correct size and shade to go with the clandestinely-bought dress. Diego bought both while Lavender transferred several things from her old purse into her new one.

*~*~*

Lavender set her pretty little purse in her lap. She felt very womanly holding it. She pointed out the route for Diego to take. "Buying me all this stuff won't you laid."

"I don't expect it to."

She glanced at him sidelong. He expected her to put out whether he spent money on her or not, the pig. But she still had money from her day's work, and he wished to show her off. He'd said so several times. She wasn't going to let him. "The next driveway on the right. They have the best burritos."

"Do they?" He grinned.

"They do." She grinned back. She had a great idea. "Do you still have the blanket in the trunk?"

His grinned widened. "Yes."

"Then, let's get it to-go."

Lavender knew almost everyone in the shop by face, if not by name. She expected Diego to argue when she paid for the food, but he didn't lift a brow. The girl behind the counter did. She waited until Diego was filling the drink cups and asked. Lavender touched her sleeve. "We went shopping."

"Ooh, nice dress."

"But I don't want him to think he's buying me."

"New boyfriend?" asked one of the regulars.

Lavender nodded. Diego set the cups down and put his hands around her waist. He got all friendly with everyone as if he'd lived here all his life. He was so annoying. Then he kissed her neck in front of everyone as if she were just like every other normal girl.

She'd miss that after he left.

*~*~*

Diego carried the blanket up the hill. The grass in front of the observatory was soft and green. They had the choice of sitting under a light or in full darkness. Diego looked for somewhere with enough light to eat and for him to get a good look at her when he touched her, but not so much that anyone driving past could see her luscious skin.

Lavender walked to some illuminated bushes and stopped on the far side from the road in a place with both light and privacy. Had she been here before? To neck? Her experience was Diego's gain.

*~*~*

Lavender gazed over the city. L.A. was beautiful at night. Diego stuffed their garbage into a takeout bag and lay next to her. He put his hand on her ankle and slowly slid it up. That felt wonderful, but he better not go higher than her knee. He did. She pushed at his hand. He sat up and removed her sandals. He was so very gentle about it. He would probably remove all her clothes that way.

If she let him.

He kissed the top of her foot.

She pulled away. "Ew."

He laughed. "Your foot has been in sandals all day. It's no dirtier than here." He kissed her ankle. "Or here." He kissed her knee. She was not about to let him get any higher. She pushed her dress back over her legs. He laughed and kissed her neck. "Or here."

His kisses moved up her neck, to her cheek, then her lips. She floated on his kisses, free to just feel. As long as he kept his hands safely on her back.

Diego moved his hands to her breasts, and she discovered why he bought this particular dress and bra. His mouth on her skin was fireworks. She had never felt the like, had never imagined it. She pushed at his shirt until he removed it, then she lifted his mouth to hers, so she could get a better taste of him. He was delicious and his chest against hers was magic.

If only she could ignore the ever-increasing demands of her bits. They ached to be free and in his hands, in his mouth. But these were bits she didn't want, bits she hated about her body. She pushed him off and he lay beside her staring at the sky. "You're beautiful."

Lavender's chest was still exposed, but she didn't have the breath to cover herself.

Diego turned to her and set his palm on her breast. "You are perfection."

He just thought that because he didn't know.

He rolled her nipple in his fingers. "I want to take you home with me."

Back to where he was staying? Or Portland? Both were dreams too painful to contemplate.

His lips took hers again and he pressed his hard cock against her thigh. He desired her, at least the 'her' he thought she was. She should leave. Run and hide from the pain sure to follow.

But she let herself dream for a little bit longer.

Diego walked around the car and opened the Lavender's door for her. "My queen."

She met his gaze, the edges of her lips barely lifted. He stepped back so she could get out and wrapped his arm around her waist. She fit so well against him.

He walked her to her front door. What did he and this beautiful girl have in common? Nothing besides shared languages and kisses. Did he care? No. His heart beat a strange rhythm. Lav-en-der, Lav-en-der, Lav-en-der.

They had company on the sidewalk, so he couldn't say goodbye the way he wanted to. Really, he didn't want to say goodbye at all. He needed to wake up beside her, to smell her on his sheets. He needed her beside him for the rest of his life.

He waited until she went inside, then got back in the car and drove back to Mrs. Raleigh's house. Luckily, no one was home. He didn't want to deal with people right now.

Unless that person was Lavender.

Was this love? The thing he'd been searching for all these years?

He loved everything about Lavender. The way she looked at him. Her smile. Her pout. The roll of her eyes when he exasperated her. Her willingness to play along. The way she drew the line over what she wouldn't do or let him do. Her stubborn streak. Her love of the color that shared her name. He wouldn't mind a house decorated in shades of purple. He'd enjoy it, if it meant her by his side. Her pride. The way she said his name.

They were physically compatible. He could tell just from those wonderful kisses. She'd come—he was sure she had. He certainly had: hard and painfully against his denim jeans. Lavender liked to touch and be touched. The little matter of where was of no consequence. She'd get over her shyness about sharing her body. If she didn't, he could work around it.

That's what made her different from everyone he'd dated before. One of the things that made her different. He could deal with whatever she threw his way. He didn't have to be patient about it. He enjoyed it. Even something like her paying for dinner. When she had her reasons, she followed through, even when it flouted tradition. That would be good when she met his mother.

Mom worked best with stubborn people who couldn't be cowed. They'd get along. Lavender would be great at Mom's parties.

Dad wouldn't give Lavender much attention, at least at first. He'd stopped noticing who Diego dated years ago. No one stayed around long enough, as a boy- or girlfriend at least, for Dad to bother to get to know. Lavender would, though. By this time next year, she'd be living with him. Or he'd earn a lot a frequent flier miles coming down to see her every long weekend.

This relationship was going to work. He'd use their time apart getting the people closest to him ready for her in his life. He'd spend less money and save more, so they could have their little house sooner.

If she wanted a little house. He'd have to ask. If she wanted to live in a high-rise, he could work with that, too. His job was downtown. They could live close by. Or anywhere. He'd unfold the mystery of what she liked and wanted. That would be fun in itself. But whatever the answers were, he'd still love her.

The affection he had for her wasn't from having the same friends or taste in movies or music. It was feelings for the person, no matter who she turned out to be.

*~*~*

Lavender buried her head in her pillow. She'd come. He had to have noticed the vile stink her bits emitted. Tears spilled into her pillow. And he'd been so gentle when he took her home afterward.

She cried harder.

Maybe Ariel was right about the gentle ones.

Diego had been polite, but distracted. He'd hardly said a word to her and when he left her at the door, he'd just kissed her hand. A sob ripped from her raw, exhausted throat. They were over. Her lost week was just a lost weekend.

At least she'd had that. At least she had a few bright hours in her otherwise bleak life.

But she craved so much more.

Diego's friend would be on vacation tomorrow, and he'd keep Diego busy. Diego wouldn't think of her at all. And if he did, only as someone who scammed him into believing she was a real girl.

Lavender ached to be real. She yearned to be the girl Diego had thought she was, but she'd never be, no matter how much she wished and tried. The sobs came so hard that she didn't know she wasn't alone until a warm hand rubbed her back. She cried harder. She didn't deserve sympathy. She had broken her own heart by forgetting for one short moment she wasn't real.

*~*~*

Diego woke alone. The dream had been so vivid that he'd almost expected the sheets to be warm beside him.

He rolled over and looked at the clock. Travis must be getting ready for school. Had Diego made that much noise as a teenager?

Since he was awake, with his beautiful girl on his mind, he made use of the privacy that a shower afforded. He didn't quite use up all Mrs. Raleigh's hot water.

He carried the towel with him to the kitchen and finished drying his hair. Mrs. Raleigh glanced toward the laundry room door and he made sure she saw him put the towel in the proper receptacle. Following house rules always paid off.

She smiled. "Patrick called this morning."

Diego poured a bowl of cereal. "Is he finally off?"

"As of six forty-five, but he's going to need several hours of sleep to catch up on all he missed this last week."

Diego nodded. He was glad he hadn't let Patrick talk him into working for the same company. He liked his easygoing bosses much better. "I'll find something to keep myself busy. Are the tar pits a date spot?"

Mrs. Raleigh wrinkled her nose. "Stinky. You could try the zoo."

"Disneyland?"

"Or another amusement park, but you might check with Patrick. I think he planned on going with you."

"I can't imagine Patrick in Disneyland."

Mrs. Raleigh laughed. "Not since he got 'too old' for it at twelve."

"So I could take Lavender."

She touched his shoulder. "Are you sure she'd appreciate that?"

"Well, I want to go to Disneyland. Who else would come with me?"

"You could always ask."

Diego would.

After breakfast, he rinsed his bowl and spoon, put his dirty clothes in the laundry room, and tidied the spare room, so Mrs. Raleigh wouldn't feel he was a burden. He checked his phone. He had a dozen texts. Patrick's said he was going to sleep and to plan on a late lunch together. Jessica's said to make that an early dinner, as Patrick hadn't stayed awake long enough to remove his shoes before passing out on the couch.

All the other ones were from Lavender's friends. He opened one from Vishva first. What did she mean what had he done to Lavender? Had something happened? Was she hurt? He called Vishva, but the call went to voicemail. He asked after Lavender and said he'd planned to take her to Disneyland today, but he hadn't formulated those plans last night. In fact, he hadn't scheduled another date with her at all. He apologized to Vishva for being a dumbass and then hung up and texted Lavender,
Beautiful, I've never been to Disneyland. Come with me
.

He hadn't said when. He rolled his eyes at himself. He was a dumbass squared. No, cubed.

Diego called her. It went right to voicemail. Was she avoiding him or only asleep? She must have been in a sorry state for him to receive that many hate-texts. He repeated his request and explained how he'd missed his chance to go as a child when his older sister came down with chicken pox because she'd refused the vaccination, how something always seemed to come up when his parents tried to reschedule, and generally rambled on until he realized that yet again, he'd forgot to say when. "Today, please. Patrick thinks he's too old for a little childlike fun and he's planning to meet us for dinner. Sorry. Will you come to dinner with me, too? I want to spend the day, every day, with you. Or do you have class? If so, I'm flexible. Please call me. Your friends seem to think you are in a bad way and if it's my fault… I'm sorry."

He paced the floor with his phone in his hand. Distraction. He needed to distract himself. He started a load of laundry, put the clean dishes away, refilled the dishwasher, took the clothes from the dryer, and folded them on the dining room table. If only Mrs. Raleigh hadn't had to work this morning. He could have used her advice.