Swept Away (8 page)

The next morning, Tucker met up with Murray in the garage. He got his list of pick-ups and drop-offs and finished before noon. He’d worked quickly, assuming when he was done, he’d be working with Josie. Instead, when he told Murray he was finished, Murray sent him over to the main house to do some work for Hetty.

Tucker knocked on the metal screen door with the fancy
B
in the center, the kind popular in the seventies. He supposed the Banks liked to keep it old school.

Hetty yelled, “Come on in. I’m in the kitchen.”

Tucker wasn’t sure where the kitchen was exactly, but after a few wrong doors he found her. The kitchen was at the back of the house, secluded from all the other rooms. When he saw her, it took effort, but he managed to stifle a grin. She had her hair tied up in a kerchief and a white apron fastened around her thick middle, like a pasty, less friendly looking version of Aunt Jemima.

“Morning, Mr. Tucker.” She clapped her meaty hands together like she was excited to get started.

“Morning, Ms. Hetty. Murray said you have some work for me?”

“Yes, sir,” she said. “I’m looking to clean this place out a little. And I thought, since you’re spending so much time with our Josie, I ought to get to know you a bit better.” Hetty looked around the cluttered room. “Dear God, this place looks like an episode of
Hoarders
.”

The place was stacked with stuff, crammed from floor to ceiling with boxes, totes, and odds and ends. Tucker blamed Hetty because he’d seen Murray’s work space, and neat and tidy was his style.

“Life has a way of pulling a body under. You don’t even realize you’re drowning until you can’t see the sun anymore.”

Tucker nodded, at a loss for what to say.

“Here’s my plan. I want to start in the kitchen; that way I can get back to cooking. I used to be an amazing cook. Now you can’t even move in here. We’re going to clean it out. Then I’ll start making some healthy grub, and hopefully by the end of summer, I’ll be able to walk my fat ass to the beach.”

“I think that’s a fine idea, Ms. Hetty.”

“Just call me Hetty. Now, let’s get started,” she said, then stopped. Her shoulders sagged.

Tucker recognized that look. He’d helped young athletes weight train. They’d come in their freshman year and watch seniors lift huge amounts. They’d sometimes take one look at their beanpole skinny arms and lose hope they’d ever make it. One step at a time. One day at a time. That’s what he’d tell them.

“We can do this. It’s just stuff. My mom used to tell me to start at the door and work to the left.”

“From the door to the left, eh?”

“Yep.”

“All right. Let’s start.”

There was a shelf of dishes left of the door. Hetty dusted the shelf as she handed Tucker the glassware to wipe down.

“So, I hear you been spending evenings with Josie?”

“Yes, ma’am. I didn’t bug her. It was her suggestion—“

Hetty laughed. “Don’t get so nervous. Made my day to hear the girl was doing something normal. I love her, but she’s a bit bizarre. Spends all her time reading and working and whatnot.”

“She is different, but good different. She told me you had her home schooled?”

“Mmm hmm. A friend of mine is a retired college professor. He tutored her so she could pass the tests she needed to get a high school degree. She’s a bright girl. Shame she’ll never go to college.”

“What makes you say that?” Tucker rubbed the dust off a rooster-topped dish.

Hetty turned and looked at him square in the face. There were beads of sweat above her lip and on her forehead. “Haven’t you noticed? She lives like a hermit, avoids almost everyone. The girl totally hates crowds. And don’t tell her I told you this, but she
feels
people.”

“Like walks up and—” Tucker held out his hand like he was touching someone. He imagined shy Josie going up to people and feeling their faces like a blind person. It was absurd.

Hetty hooted. “No. My goodness, no.” She laughed a bit more. “No, she senses people. She can tell you what you’re feeling. She can tell if a person is good or bad. She
feels
people. She doesn’t talk of it much. She’s sensitive ‘bout being called crazy.”

Tucker thought of all the times he felt like Josie was reading his mind. But that was nonsense.

“Hah!” Hetty pointed a finger at him. “She’s done it to you, hasn’t she? Guessed all the stuff you try to hide?”

“She is very acute.” Tucker set the rooster dish on the now clean shelf.

“She’s freaky. And if she’s around someone she senses is dark, she loses it.  Given that, can you imagine her on a college campus? She’d have a panic attack within an hour. That’s why I’m happy she’s spending time with you. I want her to have a normal life.”

Hetty plopped her weight down in a chair and sighed. “And that’s why I’m doing this. If I expect Josie to face her demons, I can at least kick mine in the shins.” She fanned herself. “Oh dear lord, I am one fat woman. This shouldn’t be so hard, child.”

“Take it slow. You’ll get there. Might feel like you’ll never make it, but you will. You just have to focus on what you have done, not what needs done. See?” he asked, looking at the now sparkling shelf. “It looks good. We’ll get this wall done today. That only leaves three more. Get all that done; I can teach you how to spit shine your boots.”

Hetty laughed. “I don’t wear boots, but I like the way you think. I suppose Murray does something right every now and again.”

Tucker nodded.  He gave Hetty his spray cleaner and dust rags so she could stay seated and dust the knick knacks he handed her.

“So, how did you meet Murray?”

“Oh hell, we grew up together here on the island. Our families go way back. Aren’t too many of us left. Hard for plain folk like fishermen to make ends meet here anymore. Murray and I just got lucky that we have the cottages. Rentals from the summer keep us afloat. Can you believe there was a time not too long ago when life here was all about fishing, fig trees, and family? It’s sort of sad. Most of the islanders have sold out and moved onto the mainland.” Hetty sighed. “I suppose that’s progress. Hard to tell what it will be like in twenty years.”

Tucker shrugged. “It’s pretty perfect right now. I love it here. This is a beautiful place.”

“You have natural island thinking, Tucker. I’m surprised you haven’t taken up fishing with Murray.”

Tucker laughed. “I’m too busy chasing the girl.”

Hetty let out a hoot as she slapped her knee. “Well, I give you my approval. You keep on chasing.  I must say, our wall looks pretty good. Those boxes there on the floor—they’re filled with old beauty magazines. Why in God’s name I thought I needed to keep years of old fashions is beyond me. You take them on out of here, and we’ll call it a day. That will give you plenty of time to chase the girl.”

Tucker stacked the boxes three high and lifted them off the floor.

“You sure we’re done?”

“Yep. I’m doing like you said. I am going to sit here and stare at this pretty-looking wall and imagine how nice this place will be by the end of summer.”

“You’re a wise woman.”

Tucker carried the boxes out and returned for the rest. Six boxes in all. He tossed them on the back of the truck, planning to take them to the dump for recycling.

“You running away?” Josie asked with a laugh. She was dressed in paint-splattered shorts and white tee with her hair piled sloppily on top of her head. He couldn’t imagine her looking any cuter.

“Nope. Helping Hetty clean out her house.”

“Really? Wow. I’m shocked. She never throws out anything. What’s in the boxes?”

“Old magazines.”

Josie nodded. “You taking them to the dump?”

“Yeah, you want to go?”

“Oh my, Mr. Boone, you certainly know how to offer a girl a good time.”

Tucker laughed. “I could throw in lunch, just to make it more impressive.”

“No need, you had me at trash dump,” she said with a laugh.

Tucker pulled the keys out of his pocket and waved for her to follow. They drove along with the windows down. Unloading the truck only took a few minutes, and then they were back on the road.  Josie told him to take a right. The road quickly turned from packed sand to a soft, barely traveled road. Fortunately, the truck had four-wheel drive and slowly climbed the rutted sand. At the crest of the road appeared a wide band of powder blue sky. Below that was mossy green grass and brackish water covered in copper-colored algae.

“Stop here,” Josie said. “It’s a bird sanctuary, so we can’t go any farther.”

Tucker shut off the engine. “Are we looking to get attacked by birds?”

Josie giggled as she shook her head. Chewing on her nail, she turned bright red.

“What is it?” Tucker reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her toward him.

“Promise not to laugh?” she asked with a grimace.

“Promise,” he said, laying his forehead against hers.

“Well, I’ve never gone parking. All my friends did, but I never got a chance. So, I want you to kiss me, so I can say I made out with a guy in a car.”

Tucker slid his hands into her hair and laughed.

“You promised not to laugh,” she said, draping her arms over his shoulders.

“I’m definitely not laughing at you. Totally a laugh of pleasure and delight. Of all the requests I’ve had today, this one is the best.”

“Considering the other was cleaning with Hetty, the bar wasn’t set very high.”

“Well then, let me clarify. That is the best request I’ve had in a lifetime.”

“Really?” She made a pouty face. “Here I thought I was the one with the boring life.”

Chuckling, he kissed her, happy to help her cross
making out in a car
off her list.

They ate dinner while watching another movie. She seemed relaxed, sitting with her back against his chest, looking up at him to share a laugh or a snarky movie comment. Perfect position for teasing kisses. At the end of the evening, he kissed her good-bye and headed home.

Back at his place, he lay down on the couch. Today was a good day. Kissing was natural, perfect. His mind wandered to more intimate situations, but he was quick to rein it in. Josie was different. She wasn’t some barfly he wanted to nail. He wanted to make her smile, hear her laugh…

In the quiet of the cottage, he heard her door close. Hopping up, he looked outside as Josie stepped off her porch. She was only wearing a little nightgown, so Tucker immediately worried she was sleep walking. He grabbed his shoes and followed behind, whispering her name. She didn’t seem to hear him.

She went down the road, past the cemetery, back into the thicket of woods she’d led him to earlier. Tucker got more nervous with every step. He tried to remember what he knew about sleepwalkers. Should he grab her? Yell at her? In the middle of the clearing, she turned to him. The moonlight made her skin glow. She smiled at him and said, “Did you hear them, Tucker?”

“Hear what?” he asked.

“The shells.”

He shook his head as he stepped toward her. “Come on, Josie. I think I better take you back.”

“No, I heard them. I heard the call. They called you too. You’re here for me.”

Smiling, she backed to the edge of the water, turned, and dove in. It seemed like she was under forever.

“Josie?” He kicked off his shoes and dove in. The water was so dark, it mirrored the moon. He couldn’t find her anywhere. He called her name again. No response. Diving under the black water again and again, he reached out with his hands feeling for her body. He took a gulp of air as he broke the surface. “God damn it, Josie,” he said, panicked. Then she emerged, her hair slicked back, eyes closed. When she opened them, she seemed shocked to see him there.

“Tucker,” she said. “Why are you here?”

“Better question is, what are you doing? You scared the hell out of me. Do you sleepwalk?”

“I was dreaming. And I felt hot, so I came for a swim.”

“You weren’t following shells?”

Tipping her head to one side, she looked confused. “No, just needed to cool off.”

Swimming toward her, he said, “Then turn up your AC. It’s not safe for you to be out swimming by yourself.”

“I’m a good swimmer.”

Tucker thought of the many men visiting the island. Any one of them would follow a half-naked chick into the woods. He started to tell her that, but something made him stop. Frustrated, he swam to the bank and climbed out. The grass was tender and cool, a nice contrast to the heat of the night air. He sat, knees bent, arms around his legs and watched her swim toward him.

“You mad at me?”

He sighed. “You scared me. I’m not mad.”

“Good,” she said, stepping out of the water. The thin nightgown was soaked—clinging to her body, nearly transparent.

“No way,” he said, forcing himself to look to the moon. The cosmos was screwing with him. That had to be it. She couldn’t be this clueless.

Sitting beside him, she untangled her wet curls. “It’s sweet of you to worry.”

He looked back at her. Her smile was guileless. She wasn’t even trying to turn him on, yet every red blood cell in his body had traveled south of his belly button.

“I suppose we should get back,” she said.

Thinking of her near nakedness and a boner he could never hide, he shook his head. “No, we should stay here a bit.”

“And talk?”

“Yeah. Talk.”

Crossing her legs under her, she leaned back, throat exposed along with everything else.

“Josie,” he said looking her up and down.

She looked down at herself. With a squeal, she sat straight up and hugged her knees to her chest. “I’m sorry. Oh my God, I didn’t realize.”

“That’s why I mentioned it.”

Laying her cheek against her knee, she squeezed her eyes closed. “That’s so embarrassing.”

“Don’t be,” he said. “You’re beautiful.”

She smiled. “Thank you…did you see very much?”

“No.” He lied. He’d seen everything. He wouldn’t need porn ever again.

Tucker couldn’t formulate thoughts that didn’t involve scooping her up and laying her back on the grass. They sat in silence for quite a while. His pulse was headed back to steady, and he was about to suggest they go when she said, “Tucker? Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure,” he said.

Biting her lip, she was quiet a minute before asking, “You ever have dreams about
it
?”

“It? As in
it
, like sex?”

“Yeah,” she said, tucking her legs tighter to her chest.

“Shit yeah. Two, three times a night.”

She laughed. “Seriously?”

“Okay, so maybe not that often, but it’s hardly a rare occurrence.”

She was quiet a while, like she was thinking over what he said.

He took a deep breath and asked, “Have you ever…you know?”

She ignored the question. He was about to ask again, but she looked at him and asked, “Would you kiss me again? Like earlier?”

Cupping her cheek, he tilted her face until she was looking up at him, and he kissed her. Deliberately lingering, teasing her lips, until she was pulling him closer. Gradually, he eased her back until he was lying beside her on the bed of soft grass. Her hands felt hot on the naked flesh of his shoulders as she clung to him. Kissing the hollow of her throat, he could feel her pulse quicken against his lips. When he swept his lips across the swell of her breasts, she gasped but held his head to her chest, pulling him closer.

Trailing kisses back to her lips, he savored her, tasted her. Her body arched against him as he ran a hand down the curve of her waist to the hem of her nightgown. Her thighs were silky smooth, spreading for his touch. Tucker wasn’t an amateur. He knew from the feel of her he could take her. Or he could finish her with a touch.

She never answered his question, and if she was a virgin, they should probably talk it over. A girl didn’t wait as long as Josie had, and not have some moral or relationship convictions. Was Josie the kind of girl he’d want for the rest of his life? His body screamed yes, but he needed a clear head. He couldn’t come up with an honest answer while her body moved against him.  He increased the intensity of his hand. Her body stiffened, a leg wrapped around his, and then the shudder.

Kissing her throat, he pulled his hand away and tucked her body closer to his.

“How did you…why…oh my goodness…I don’t think I was breathing.”

He couldn’t help but smile. His body wasn’t satisfied, but his ego was.

He kissed her, unhurried and teasing. She looked at him for a long moment, her hands gripping his forearms. “Could you…love me like that?”

His voice caught in his throat, his confidence suddenly put to the test. Her breath against his neck might be enough to end him. Propping himself on an elbow, he looked down at her. She looked nervous and doubtful, like she thought he might say no.

She kissed him. It was a hesitant, nervous graceless attempt at seduction. Pulling back, she bit her lip. “I’m making a fool of myself, aren’t I?”

He pulled her close.  “The hell you are. You’re killing me. Damn Josie, what are you doing to me?”

“I’m sorry,” she said.

He kissed her and wrapped a hand around the back of her neck. He could feel her warmth against his skin through the thin fabric of her nightgown.  A battle raged between his mind and his flesh. He wanted to tear the fabric from her body and make love to her right here in the moonlight. But his mind said he should make her wait, make sure this really was what she wanted.

She looked at him and said softly, “I know what I want.”

“It’s not that…” he hesitated.
Why was he talking her out of this?

“Is it protection?”

Heat surged through him. They were definitely on the same page. Josie was obviously aware of what she was asking for. Tucker felt his back pocket to make sure he hadn’t lost his wallet in their midnight swim. It was there. “I’ve got that covered. I just need to know this is really what you want.”

“I can’t explain why I need this. I just need you to trust me.”

“I do. Tell me what you want, Josie. I’ll do anything.”

She pulled her nightgown over her head and tossed it on the ground.  Gathering her close, he held her naked body against him. She felt warm, slick with sweat from the heat and the quickened pulse. Kissing her, his hands roamed down the smooth contours of her neck to the perfect curve of her shoulders.

His soul knew her a million times over, even if it was their bodies’ first time. He caressed her flesh like a devoted addict, satiating his tangible understanding of her. He relished in the feel of her legs, smooth as velvet wrapped around his hips; he delighted in the taste of her moistened flesh as their bodies heated up; and his heart melted with the little gasp in his ear as his body joined hers. He understood it all in that moment. She was everything, and he was nothing without her.