Creative License (5 page)

She glanced down at her left hand. Yup, still empty.
Empty. Oh shit.
Lily fixed her hair, opened the door and walked toward the kitchen. “I think we might have a problem.”

“I’d say we have more than one,” Caleb muttered, looking up from a sink full of soapy water.

The scene was so domestic and somehow so right, she lost her train of thought. Had his mother or a past lover taught him to take care of household chores? An unfamiliar jealousy pricked at her mind. She didn’t want to think of Caleb with another woman.

“Problem?” he repeated.

She held up her empty left hand. “Mrs. Patterson will expect a ring.”

Caleb smiled. “Now you don’t worry about that.” He dried his hands, hung the damp towel neatly over the oven’s handle and walked toward his room.

Lily followed. In the carved wooden box on his dresser, the Vegas ring rested in a bed of velvet. Her throat grew tight. He’d saved it?

He reached for a smaller closed box, lifted it out and opened it. “This was my grandmother's. It’s not much but…” He opened the box to reveal a plain gold band. “I didn’t think you’d want to wear the…” he cleared his throat, “other ring. I know this doesn’t have any diamonds but it’s a wedding ring not an engagement ring so it doesn’t have to, right?”

Lily swallowed past the lump in her throat. It didn’t help that Caleb’s voice carried a slight hesitation as though he weren’t sure of her reaction. “Right.”

Caleb took the ring in his hand and then paused, put it back in the box and handed it to her. “Here you go. That should do it.”

She smiled, her gaze on the ring so he wouldn’t see the tears pricking her eyes. What was wrong with her? Something about Caleb got under her skin, made her more emotional than she was comfortable being. She read the faint inscription on the inside of the band. “You have my heart always.”

She met Caleb’s gaze.

He smiled. “I’m supposed to give it to the woman who steals my heart.”

“I shouldn’t…”

“Yes, you should.”

Lily swallowed. “I’ll take care of it.”

“I know you will.”

Was his voice thick with emotion or was it her imagination? Lily didn’t look away from the thin, gold band. It was slightly dulled with age and use. She wondered about the woman who’d worn it. Had she been happy? With reverence, Lily took the ring out and placed it on her left hand. A perfect fit. Why should she be surprised? She cleared her throat and looked up. His eyes reminded her of a little boy looking for approval. She moved to hug him but stopped. As tempting as it was, and as much as he looked like he needed a hug, contact with Caleb was dangerous. “So you never told me what was on the agenda today,” Lily said, hating her business-like tone.

Caleb offered a half-smile. “Didn’t you say you’d never seen San Francisco?”

She nodded.

“Then today I’ll take you on a whirlwind tour.”

Chapter Five

The door chimed as Caleb opened it, stepping to one side to allow Lily to enter first. The scent of chocolate replaced the brine of the ocean and the faint smell of cooking seafood from the street below. Lily brushed a strand of hair out of her eyes, teased from the ponytail by the breeze, and stepped past Caleb into Ghirardelli’s.

“Oh, this place smells wonderful.” Lily looked around, her eyes wide. She accepted the small piece of chocolate the greeter offered her with huge smile. “Free chocolate?” Turning to Caleb, she smiled and then winked. “You know how to impress a girl, Mr. Anderson.”

“Well, thank you, Mrs. Anderson.” Caleb nodded and tucked his sample in his shirt pocket, ignoring the face Lily made when he’d used her married title. With wind-blushed cheeks and her eyes bright and alive, Lily took his breath away. Was this the same woman who had descended the escalator in the airport with an air of aloof dignity? Her jeans hugged generous curves his palms itched to explore. The simple buttoned-down shirt and sneakers made her look like one of the many college students prowling around the city.

With a small sigh, he turned toward the chocolate display. He hadn’t played tourist in San Francisco since, well, since he’d moved here five years before and then it hadn’t been as fun as this. Lily had beamed as they crossed the narrow strip of water to Alcatraz, listened intently to the guide’s speech on the island and, best of all, had reached for his hand as they walked between two stories of tiny metal cages.

Lily perused the shelves of chocolate. She let out a little squeal over a tiny bear holding a basket full of truffles. “I have to get this for my sister. She collects bears.”

“This is just the beginning. Come further inside.” Caleb led her around the corner into a chocolate lover’s paradise.

Scattered across the floor, square tables boasted pyramid displays of boxes and bags filled with the sweet confection. Mirrors contributed to the illusion of infinite chocolate.

Lily strolled slowly along the aisle, weaving around another customer, or pausing because something caught her eye. Caleb followed her, surprised how much he was enjoying himself.

She looked up toward the menu board. “Wow.”

He walked up beside her, fighting the urge to drape an arm over her shoulder and pull her close. “I told you I’d get you some ice cream.”

“This isn’t ice cream. These are works of art.”

Caleb laughed. “I’ll get you your own if you like, but I warn you, they’re big.”

Lily watched as a waitress carrying a triple scoop sundae dripping with fudge passed by. “You’re not kidding.” She turned to him. “It’s not exactly on my diet.”

“Diet?”

Lily shot him an irritated glance. “You know, when you watch what you eat so you don’t blow up like a whale.”

Caleb examined Lily’s body from her head to her feet and back up to meet her eyes. From the blush on her cheeks she knew he’d enjoyed what he’d seen. “Sweetheart, one decadent dessert won’t do a thing to that body.”

She grinned. “I am on vacation.”

“That’s my girl.”

“We’ll share. What do you like?” She beamed like a little girl and his heart flipped.

Caleb shrugged as they stepped in line.
You. Dipped in chocolate, strawberries or au natural.
The blood left his head and rushed south. “All of it. I’m easy. You get what you like and I won’t complain.” He pulled out his wallet as Lily stepped to the counter.

“A world famous hot fudge sundae, please, with dark chocolate and two spoons.”

“Oh, a lady who likes to live on the edge. I like that.” He laid a hand on Lily’s shoulder and looked at the cashier. “And a cup of coffee.” He glanced at Lily who nodded. “Make that two.”

“You might have to roll me home but hey, you only live once, right?”

A pain of longing pierced his heart at her use of home. He slid one hand over her shoulder to the small of her back, enjoying the curve of her spine, remembering the silky feel of her skin. What was he thinking? In a few days she’d be gone and things would be the way they were. They weren’t really married. “With all the walking we did today I wouldn’t worry about it. Where would you like to sit? Inside? Or by the fountain outside?”

Lily shrugged but didn’t move from his touch. “It’s cold outside. Let’s stay in here.”

Caleb led her to a nearby booth and set their card on the edge of the table.

“Yeah, well, walking or no, I might have to run up and down your stairs a few times anyway.”

He could think of much more pleasant ways to burn off a few calories and none of them involved stairs, unless she felt a little daring. He was up for that too. His cock twitched in agreement with his line of reasoning. Hell, he’d been up for anything all day. If he wasn’t careful, he’d acquire a serious case of blue balls. “You’re not seriously on a diet are you?”

Lily glanced over his shoulder. “Just until I lose a few pounds.”

“Where?”

“My ass.”

“Sweetheart, that ass was made for grabbing. It’s perfect the way it is.”

“That’s not what my mother says.”

A sudden anger surprised Caleb. “What does your mother say?”

Lily glanced away. “My mom still wears the same size she wore on her wedding day. She’s fashionably slender. I’m a bit too curvy for her tastes.”

But not mine.
Caleb shook his head. “You look like a real woman. A woman any man would be proud to call his own.”

The waitress sat two steaming cups of coffee down on the table and a large soda fountain glass with hot fudge streaming down the side and, for the truly decadent, a little pitcher of extra hot fudge.

Lily smiled. “I don’t know where to start.”

Oh, he did. Her lips. He’d wanted to kiss those lips all day. The way they turned when she smiled, pouted when she thought. How could a woman have such expressive lips? They were made for a man’s mouth.
No. My mouth.
He ground his teeth, wondering whose lips had touched Lily’s. He fought the sudden surge of possessiveness.

Lily bit the cherry off the stem and closed her eyes, her lips curling in a smile. Caleb’s cock throbbed painfully against his briefs.

“You’re not eating.”

He blinked.

“Caleb, don’t make me eat this all myself.” She held out a spoon full of ice cream and offered it to him. “Come on, be a good boy and take a bite.”

Oh God, he was going to explode in his jeans. This was getting out of hand. He obediently took the bite and swallowed without tasting.

Her eyes sparkled. “Good, huh?”

“Yes.”

“This is the best hot fudge I’ve ever had.”

“Only the best for you, sweetheart.”

Her smile faltered a little. “So why is it that you’ve never married?”

Caleb’s breath caught in his throat then he smiled. “Right back atcha.”

Lily licked the spoon. A sudden image of her tongue on his cock superimposed on the scene and he briefly closed his eyes. The urge to lunge over the table and taste the fudge from her mouth intensified.

“I asked first.”

Caleb swallowed hard. “I came close once, a year or so ago.”

“And?”

“It wasn’t meant to be.” That was the understatement of the year. Then he smiled. What would Arianna have said had she’d known he was already married? It probably would have brought out her competitive streak and she’d have pursued him even though they both knew she didn’t really want him, she wanted someone impressive on her arm. An up-and-coming artist had fit that bill, briefly.

“That’s too bad.” Lily’s eyes darkened.

“Not really.” Caleb sipped his coffee. “Polygamy is still illegal.”

She smiled and took another bite of ice cream.

“Your turn, doll.”

Lily shrugged.

“Never found Mr. Right?” Caleb urged.

“Mr. Right? Oh, I’ve found him. I just don’t know if he’s my Mr. Right or my family’s.” Her eyes widened and she smiled. “I can’t believe I actually said that aloud.”

Caleb nodded and took another sip of his coffee to fight a rush of jealousy that had him wanting to pull Lily close and scream “mine!”

With sudden intensity, he hated the un-named Mr. Right. Caleb breathed in the rich coffee-flavored steam and looked up at Lily. He fought the urge to brush a lock of hair away from her face. “You owe it to yourself to make sure he’s yours.”

Lily swallowed and stared down at the half-eaten sundae. “I know.” Her voice was a whisper full of emotion.

On impulse, he reached over and grasped one of her hands. She looked up, her brown eyes surprised, and then smiled. Caleb’s heart swelled. He stroked her wrist with his thumb. The skin velvet smooth beneath his touch. She was so beautiful and under that I-can-take-on-the-world exterior, was a woman who wanted to be held, to be cared for but who deserved to be respected.

After a deep breath, she pulled her hand free. “I guess we’ll have to discuss it eventually. Do you want to file for divorce here, or should I?”

The ice cream turned to stone in Caleb’s stomach, his hand cold and lonely. He rested it on his lap.
You were a one-night stand gone wrong, pal. Don’t forget it.
“You do it,” he mumbled.

“Pardon?”

“You file.”

“All right.” She glanced into her coffee. “I’ll file no fault in Boston. It will take a while to be legal but there shouldn’t be any problem.”

“No problem at all.” Caleb clenched his teeth and slowly exhaled. Silence, save the patrons’ hushed conversation descended around them.

“So where do you work?”

Caleb focused on Lily. “Sometimes I work at an art studio teaching children’s workshops. Other times I’m a personal trainer at a gym.”

“I see.” Her brown eyes sparkled.

Caleb shrugged. “It pays the bills.”

“Do you like working with the children?”

“I love it. Children
get
art. Or rather, they don’t read too much into it or dissect it to death. They like what they like. It’s refreshing.”

Lily nodded. “Where do you paint? I didn’t see any of your work at the apartment.”

“I like to leave my work at the office, so to speak. I share the rent on a loft with a few other artists. We each have a section to call our own. It works well.”

“Can I see it?

Caleb finished his coffee. At least talking about the divorce had gotten rid of his hard-on. “You want to?”

Lily nodded.

“Okay. I’ll show you.”

Lily wrinkled her nose at the musty smell exuding from the narrow stairway. She glanced at the dingy, water-stained walls and flaking plaster. Caleb painted here? The bus ride to the studio had been quiet. Caleb seemed distracted. Had bringing up his almost fiancée brought back bad memories? Jealousy flared and with it an illogical hatred of this unknown woman. She shuddered as she remembered the softness in Caleb’s eyes, the warmth of his hand. Even surrounded by the crowd of jostling tourists, it had been one of the most intimate moments of her life. She’d had to remind herself why she was in San Francisco and more importantly, why she was with Caleb. “You share this space with a few other painters? Will any of them be here?”

Caleb’s hand brushed Lily’s sleeve as they walked up the narrow staircase. A shiver of anticipation quivered deep in her stomach. She let him gain a step on her.

“Nah, not this week. Monique is in Santa Barbara with her folks, Ivan works during the day.”