Tell Me Something Good (29 page)

“You’re being unreasonable in your defense of
Lyrissa Rideau.” Miss Georgina stood.

“Don’t question my judgment based on your own
prejudices.”

“Noel Phillip, you’ve never spoken to me this
way. I know who has inspired this impertinence, too.”

Noel’s eyes narrowed. “The subject is closed,
Grand-mother.”

She gazed at him for a time. “I’ll keep the
collection out of your hands if you can’t be trusted with it.”

“Do what you have to. I’ve earned the right
to be boss around here, damn it! I won’t roll over every time you
decide you want to run things.” Noel crossed his arms as he stared
her down.

“You’re as stubborn and impossible as your
grandfather was, even more in fact. That man hated listening to me
even when it was obvious I was right.” Miss Georgina looked at the
portrait with a deep frown. “Our parents were happier with our
marriage than we ever were,” she said.

Noel was stunned by her admission. “But I
thought you were very happy.”

“We had a partnership. We... suited each
other in other ways that compensated.” She drew herself up and
turned back to Noel. “No romantic notions, Noel Phillip. Does that
shock you?”

He shouldn’t have been surprised. After all,
most of his relatives had married under the same conditions. After
thinking it over a few moments, he shook his head. Suddenly he felt
sorry for her. They must have been two lonely people for much of
their thirty-year marriage. They’d hidden it well.

“Stop worrying, Grandmére. I’m going to
protect the family name and the collection. You really shouldn’t
listen to Julie’s wild accusations.” Noel patted her hand to
reassure her.

“Speaking of Julie, that girl deserves to be
treated bet-ter. She comes from a fine family.” Miss Georgina
deftly switched back to his marital prospects.

“Didn’t we just cover marriages based on
family preferences?” he said with a slight grin.

“You also have your father’s smart mouth,”
she retorted. Still her frown melted into a soft affectionate
smile. “I know you’ll do what’s best in the end. I trust your
upbringing.”

Noel decided to let that one pass. “Thank
you, Grand-mother. I’m going to live up to your trust in me with
the company.”

Her light brown eyes narrowed. “Noel Phillip
St. Denis, I—”

He kissed her hand. “Now, sweetheart, let me
take care of business,” he said with a disarming smile.

“I can take a hint.” Miss Georgina smiled
back at him. She turned to leave, then stopped and looked at him.
“We’re not every family, son. Don’t forget that.”

Once the door finally closed behind her, Noel
went back to his desk. “So much for getting anything done this
morning,” he muttered.

Dealing with Carlton, Julie and his
grandmother left him feeling cranky and cynical. He needed to clear
his head. One by one he rejected his usual methods of working off
tension. A workout at the club didn’t appeal to him. He could try
to book an appointment with the club’s masseuse instead. No, he
wasn’t in the mood. Noel drummed his fingers on the arm of his
chair and stared at the telephone on his desk. What was she doing
right now? Was she thinking of him?

“What the hell,” he muttered, and dialed
Lyrissa’s office number.

Lyrissa darted sideways glances at Noel as he
drove. So much for her declaration not to see him again. Well, she
did need to stay close to her family’s painting. Yeah, right!

Noel wore a slate blue Land’s End t-shirt
tucked into Tommy Hilfiger designer blue jeans. The cotton knit
fabric stretched across his broad chest. More than once she caught
herself staring at the muscles that rippled beneath it. His jeans
fit snug enough to invite wicked fantasies. She tried to focus on
the landscape, but it was no use. The Technicolor visions of their
entwined bodies wouldn’t go away. He was her worst nightmare and
her deluxe erotic dream come true. God! What had she been thinking
to accept this invitation?

His black Montero Sport whizzed down the
highway toward Mandeville, a once sleepy town that had been
transformed by an influx of wealthy escapees from the

traffic and hustle of New Orleans. As the
miles slipped by, leaving the city behind, he visibly relaxed.

“You’re full of surprises.” Lyrissa gazed
ahead, too aware of the heat he generated.

He smiled. “Hmm, that sounds like a good
thing.”

“I mean, I didn’t see you as a guy who owned
an SUV and was into long drives in the country.” She made the
mistake of looking at him. He shifted his hips in the leather seat.
A sharp ache shot through her pelvis.

“I’m a man of many layers. Not quite as
shallow as you thought, huh?”

“I never thought of you as shallow, just a
guy with a narrow focus,” she quipped.

When his smile widened, the pleasant itch on
the inside of her thighs intensified. Lyrissa swallowed hard and
looked away from danger. She squirmed in her seat, hoping it would
help. It didn’t.

“Are you okay? You look a little jumpy. I
hope you’re not carsick.” Noel put a hand on her knee.

Lyrissa gasped and moved away. She couldn’t
be held responsible if he touched her again. “No, no. I’m cool,”
she stammered.

“Sorry, I wasn’t trying to start anything.”
The sexy curve of his full mouth told a different story.

“What a beautiful day!” Lyrissa blurted out.
“I love this weather.”

“Yes, we’ve had lovely weather lately. Though
we could use some rain.” Noel grinned at her. “Did that help?”

“Just drive, smart-ass,” she retorted.

Noel laughed out loud at her frown of
exasperation. “Let’s both unwind, okay? No pressure of any land.”
“Agreed.” Lyrissa willed herself to relax. “Don’t mind

me. I’m stressed from juggling school and
work. Too many deadlines.”

Noel sighed in sympathy. “I know exactly what
you mean. Some days I’m tempted to book a flight to a Caribbean
island and not come back.”

“Conquering the world can wear a brother
down,” Lyrissa teased.

He laughed again. “The world is easy. Dealing
with my family is what wears a brother down.”

“Well, at least you can see the humor in it.”
Lyrissa smiled at him.

“Being thirty miles out of town with you
helps,” he said. Noel blinked as though he’d surprised himself with
the admission.

“Thanks,” she said quietly.

They rode in silence for another ten minutes.
The scenery had changed drastically. They drove on the Lake
Ponchartrain Causeway. Sunlight reflected on the water causing it
to sparkle like diamonds. Boats were scattered around the vast
lake. Some drifted lazily while others raced along leaving white
foaming wakes behind. Noel took the Mandeville exit.

“Boy, when you said you wanted to get away,
you weren’t kidding.” Lyrissa looked around.

“Ever been out on the Tfecunte River in
Tickfaw?” Noel changed lanes effortlessly.

“You’re not serious?” She gaped at him.

“Sure. Enjoy the trip.” Noel turned up the
music. A driving hip-hop beat thumped through the speakers.

Lyrissa’s mouth fell open even wider. “Who
are you and where is the real Noel St. Denis?”

They laughed hard at her joke. An invisible
force field dropped. They exchanged an effortless banter about
everything except the weather. Noel’s sense of humor went from dry
and sophisticated to silly one-liners. Lyrissa laughed so much she
didn’t notice the passage of time or miles. Noel parked the Montero
at a boat landing. “Here we are,” he announced and swept a hand
out. “Okay, I’ll play along. Where are we?”

“The river. Don’t you ever get out of New
Orleans?” He shook his head.

“Not often. I’m one of those folks who think
nothing important happens outside the city.” Lyrissa grinned back
at him.

“Today you’ll expand your view of the state.”
He got out and went around to open her door. “Come on, city girl.”
Lyrissa threw up both hands. “Like I have a choice. You’ve got
me.”

His smile softened into an expression of
mischievous seduction. He took her hand as she stepped to the
ground. “I like the sound of that?

She blushed. “Behave.”

“I’ll try.” He slammed the door shut.

“Don’t try, do.” Lyrissa didn’t succeed in
sounding severe. She couldn’t seem to wipe the silly grin from her
face. Her heart skipped when he took her hand as they walked into a
store.

A sign that said “Thibeau’s Boat Landing and
Cafe” hung above the wide front porch. Small tables were arranged
on the weathered cypress porch with a view of the river. Several
couples sat nursing soft drinks and enjoying the balmy breeze from
the water.

“What can I do for y*all today?” a female
voice boomed as they walked through the door.

A tall woman the color of ebony stood behind
the counter. Bags of corn chips and other goodies were stacked on
either side of the wide surface. At the other end of the room a
waitress took orders for food at another counter.

“We want to rent a party barge,” Noel
said.

“We do?” Lyrissa blurted out.

“Yes, we do.” Noel put an arm around her
waist.

“Okay,” the woman grinned at them. “But
where’s the rest of the party?”

“This is it,” Noel replied with a wink.

“Gotcha.” The woman gave a lusty laugh. “I
got just the thing, a six-seater. Enough room to spread out.”

“Hey!” Lyrissa felt outnumbered.

“To picnic, boo! That’s all I meant.” The
woman laughed again and winked at Noel.

“She your buddy or something?” Lyrissa
squinted at him.

Noel held up both hands palms out.
“Innocent.”

“Oh, please!” Lyrissa rolled her eyes.

He bought a small cooler and packed it with
soft drinks. While the woman readied the party barge, Noel ordered
po-boys and fries for their lunch. Ten minutes later they pulled
away from the landing with Noel at the wheel. He seemed to be
expert at maneuvering the barge.

“We’ll find a nice shady spot and eat before
we take a walk,” he said over the noise of the engine.

“Why not?” Lyrissa called back. She sat on a
bench near him and savored the feel of the wind on her face.

Noel guided the barge down the river. He
pointed out scenic spots of historical interest along the way.
Fifteen minutes into the ride, he eased the nose of the barge to
the

bank. Weathered picnic tables were arranged
around a clearing. Lyrissa gripped his hand and jumped to the mossy
ground.

“Like I said, you’re full of surprises.” She
gazed around.

“I was a Boy Scout. We used to camp out here
and at Fontainebleau State Park. I have badges in boating, archery,
and sewing.”

“Did you say sewing?”

“Don’t start with me, woman.” Noel shook a
finger at her.

“We’ve got a true case of alien abduction
here.” She shook her head in wonder.

“So how do you like me now?” Noel stared at
her steadily.

He smiled, but she could hear the serious
note in his voice. Did he need her approval? She studied the
handsome face. A warm feeling touched her heart. Lyrissa had never
thought of him as vulnerable before, yet out here he was so
different. Of course he had feelings, she mused. Maybe her own bias
about people in his social class had blinded her.

“He’s all right,” she said with a smile.

His brown eyes twinkled with delight at her
modest answer. “Hey, I got it.” He did an impromptu hip-hop dance
step.

“Wait a minute. That Master P impression
needs major work. Let me show you how it’s done.” Lyrissa bounced
around and bobbed her head.

Soon they were laughing like kids. They
twirled around, startling a family that emerged down a nature
trail. Laughing at the sight they must have made, they sat down and
ate their lunch. After they’d finished, they went for a leisurely
hike along a winding path. They walked beneath huge oak and ash
trees draped with Spanish moss. Lyrissa held his hand tightly,
enjoying the firmness of his strong grip. After another hour they
returned to the barge and headed back to the landing. It was six
o’clock in the evening by the time they reached Thibeau’s. Yet the
sun was still bright in the late spring sky.

They were on the highway headed back to New
Orleans twenty minutes later.

“Thanks for the great day trip,” Lyrissa
said.

“You’re welcome. I had a lot of fun.” Noel
drove on for a time. “Tell you what, those sandwiches are gone.
Let’s have dinner. I’ve got all the ingredients for shrimp and
pasta.” “At your apartment?” Lyrissa wore a slight frown. “Sure. Is
that a problem, Lyrissa?” he asked quietly. “No pressure.”

“We’ve talked about us before and—” She broke
off. Lyrissa was unsure how to go on, especially because she wanted
to be with him.

“I know, I know. Look—I have this cynical
view of happy-ever-after romance myself.” Noel shrugged. “But why
fight what we feel?”

“This little outing was nice, but we’re on
our way back to the real world.”

Noel looked at her. “I really need to forget
the real world for a while.”

“Just you and me,” she murmured, savoring the
notion of them in their own cozy space.

“Yes. We’ll deal with all the crap tomorrow.”
He placed a hand on her knee.

Lyrissa didn’t move away this time. “Okay,”
she replied. Noel grinned like a boy playing hooky from school.

“I’m going to shatter any doubts you have
about my domestic skills.”

She smiled back at him despite the flutter of
fear in her stomach. Noel kept up a cheerful stream of chatter for
the rest of the trip back to the city. Lyrissa answered in all the
right places—at least, she thought she did. Noel parked in the
reserved spot outside his luxury apartment.

“Lyrissa, come up only if you really want to.
It’s okay if you don’t. I’ll understand ” Noel squeezed her
hand.