The Dixie Belle's Guide to Love (16 page)

Jillie leaned down and gave her mother a kiss on the cheek. When she stood she took a deep breath. “Now, I have a phone call to make, and Rita?”

“Hmmm?”

“I have a feeling that if you pretended to be terribly sleepy and excused yourself nobody here would even notice if you slipped out of the house instead. If you were so inclined to do that.”

Rita smiled to her companions. “I think I’ll call it a night, if y’all don’t mind.”

In less than ten minutes, she slipped out the front door and headed for her car.

What had he thought? One phone call from him and Rita would come-a-runnin’? He must have, or he’d never have gone to so much trouble.

He switched off the karaoke machine he’d dragged down from Rita’s apartment and stared up at the tiny white Christmas lights he’d strung across the exposed brick of the back wall. His footsteps echoed in the shell of the room.

A halo of light from a workshop lamp focused on a single stool at the center of his makeshift stage.

The small generator that powered it all hummed in the background.

At least he’d hadn’t deluded himself into thinking that she would come at his calling because no woman could refuse him. His ego was not entirely
that
big. But his faith in Rita was.

He never thought she’d turn down a heartfelt invitation from a…from a
friend
. Maybe he and his keep-everyone-at-a-distance philosophy had influenced her more than he suspected.

He pushed his fingertips down through his shower-damp hair and rubbed his scalp. The rollaway shoved in the corner called to him. It had been a hard day of work and now a hard lesson learned. If he could put the latter out of his mind, he’d probably fall fast into a deadened sleep.

Thanks to the generator he’d have a fan to provide some relief from the heat of a Tennessee summer night. But not the real relief he needed. To see Rita, to be alone with her one more time. He’d have to do without that for tonight and for the rest of his life. It surprised him how heavy that weighed on his mind.

He reached for the plug on the twinkling lights.

“Don’t tell me you’re giving up on me that easily?” Rita stood in the doorway, one hand flat against the painted pig, the other holding a large wicker picnic basket.

“You came.”

“After all you’ve done for me I thought the least I could do was come over and bring you a late-night snack.” She held the basket up.

“Thank you but I wasn’t hungry”—he folded his arms over his bare chest—“for food.”

“Too bad.” She lifted the top on one side of the green-and-yellow basket to show a change of clothes, a makeup bag, and something under a layer of cling wrap. “I have cake.”

“Rita…” He stepped toward her.

“Don’t screw this up with the standard disclaimer about not offering me anything beyond this evening.” She let the basket lid drop shut.

“I wouldn’t dream of it.”

“Or how you’re not a long-term kind of guy.”

He cocked his head. “Long-term enough to get the job done, I hope.”

“Or how you can’t be pinned down.”

He stroked his jaw. “But how I do love the thrill of the match.”

“Or that as soon as the Palace is done you’ll be out of town faster than a sudden storm on a summer afternoon.”

He took another step in her direction. “I don’t believe I ever used those words.”

She held her hand up. “Promise me you won’t resort to any of that.”

“Come in and close the door.”

“Not until you promise not to sacrifice a single second of whatever time we have together worrying about talk around town, expectations of others, or the future.”

He raised his hands in surrender.

She pressed her back to the still-half-opened door. “That you will embrace me and the moment and nothing more.”

“That doesn’t sound like you, Rita.” If she caught the hint of sadness in his tone, her expression did not betray it.

“Promise.”

“If I don’t?”

“Quit being such an impossible bastard, Will!”

He’d been called worse and under less-promising circumstances.

“You’ve got what you wanted all along. Why question it now?”

Because somewhere “all along” what I want became a little less important to me than what you want, Rita.
The words rushed into his thoughts, but somehow he found the presence of mind to keep them from gushing out of his mouth. True as the sentiment might be, it came with a proviso that she already said she did not need to hear. “I just hope you know what you’re really getting into. When I head back down the road to Memphis—and I will head back to Memphis soon and to stay, Rita—that you will have no regrets.”

“I’ll survive, Will. I’ll be all right no matter what happens.”

“But are you
sure
this is what you want?”

The back of her head bumped the glass door as she looked heavenward. The pig looked down benevolently on her. “Please! Save me from people who continually ask me what I want.”

“Why is that?”

She leveled her gaze at him. “Because they ask, but when I tell them they almost never believe me.”

“I’ll believe you, Rita, just tell me.”

“I want another taste of heaven, Will.” She let the door swing shut a fraction as she moved a step inside the room. “I want a song on the veranda and to dance naked in the moonlight.”

“Those can be arranged.”

“I want to have tonight and just once in my life to let tomorrow take care of itself. I want…” Her voice faltered. She laid her hand above her breast. “…to be careless with my heart.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Then let me make it perfectly clear—I want you…”

He grinned his best aw-shucks-come-and-get-me grin.

“…to knock off the knight in shining armor crap and give me that promise so we can enjoy ourselves, and each other. Period. No strings. No guilt. Can you do that?”

“Can I? I’ve only spent the better part of my life doing that exact thing.” He opened his arms to her.

The door fell shut, and she came to him.

It wasn’t until he held her in his arms that he truly understood, though. If everything up until now had been the better part of his life—then his life had amounted to very little indeed.

He wanted to tell Rita that very thing in that very instant, but he didn’t. He couldn’t and hope to keep her in his arms even for a little while longer.

“Will, I’ve hung on to everything in my life with both fists, and still it’s all slipped through my fingers—my marriage, my daughter, my precious time to make something special of my life. Well, tonight I’m saying ‘no more.’ I’m letting go of what doesn’t matter anymore and opening my self up to…whatever happens next.”

“It’s whatever happens after ‘next’ that has me worried, Rita. I can’t help but think how our throwing caution to the winds for the sake of a few hours of pleasure could have a lasting effect on you.”

“On
me.” But not you.
She did not have to say it for it to hang in the air between them. She still believed he could walk away from any entanglements he made here without a backward glance.

In all honesty, he could not deny or confirm that suspicion for her. “My hope was to leave you in a better place—and I don’t mean a nicer diner.”

“The bottom line is that you will
leave me
, Will, better place—
including
better diner—or not. And that’s all right. I don’t need you to do a major overhaul on my life. In fact for you to think that you
can
do that…” She took a deep breath. “I guess it’s sweet in its own caveman way but just not necessary.”

“Okay.”

She let out a long, world-weary sigh. “Thank you.”

“I didn’t do anything.”

“Exactly.” She dropped the picnic basket. “Don’t do or say anything more, Will. Just let tonight unfold without any thoughts of yesterday or tomorrow clouding our perspectives.”

“But, Rita…”

“Damn it, Will, give a girl one shot at a proper seduction, won’t you?” She moved close, her hands spreading across his chest.

“If I don’t do or say anything more, how will you know if your seduction is working?”

“You’ll give me a sign, I’m sure.” Her fingers worked lower on his body. “Maybe send up a flare.”

“I’ll do my best.”

“That’s all I ask.”

“Though it’s not nearly as much as you deserve.” He bent his head to nibble on her neck.

She pushed him away playfully but with enough relish to back up her warning. “Don’t talk.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he murmured just as his mouth covered hers and he pulled her full, yearning body into his embrace.

They had raided the stash of condoms Will had dumped into his duffel bag the night before and had torn their clothes off before they hit the mattress. Laughing and tumbling over each other, they nibbled and licked and even bit at each other until Rita finally rolled him onto his back and straddled his hips.

Catching her breath, she threw her head back and shook her hair off her face. “You haven’t tasted my red velvet yet, have you?”

“Not the cake…no.” He rose up to try to kiss her.

She pushed him back down. “Then you are in for a rare treat.”

“Yes, I know, then later, after we’re done, we can indulge in some cake.” He traced one finger down between her breasts.

“Why wait?” She had to lie on top of him to reach the picnic basket but considered that a delightful bonus.

He slid his hands down to caress her hips and wriggled beneath her. “Why wait indeed.”

“Why wait to indulge?” She moved the small round cake onto the table.

He rolled his head to the side and eyed her handiwork. “I’ve heard of eating crackers in bed, but cake?”

“Maybe not cake, but how about a little icing?”

“You don’t need anything to sweeten our lovemaking but, uh, I have to admit I’m intrigued.”

“I can tell. I feel your…
intrigue
straining at the sheets under me.” She snaked her fingers down his belly.

He groaned.

She leaned forward just enough to trail one fingertip across the thick peaks of frosting on the cake, then held the confection up for him to see.

He licked his lips.

She waved the icing over him, taunting.

He lay back, waiting.

“Where should I start?” She studied his dark, appealing body. “I could dab bits of sweetness along my neck and places…south, then let you lick them off—slowly.”

“Oh yeah.”

“Or I could blindfold you, then feed you while I savor the sight of your naked, aroused body.”

“I hope you have the same definition of savor as I do, there.”

“Or maybe I could place this glistening glob of creamy satisfaction in one very strategic place on you.” She pointed her finger at him, drawing out the word “you” so that her lips stayed round and pouty as long as possible.

“Rita? Do something. The waiting is making me crazy.”

“You want this?” She held the icing within an inch of his nose.

“Give it to me,” he whispered.

She dipped her hand forward but in the split second before the treat could touch his lips, she popped it in her own mouth.

He started to protest until she slid her finger out and proceeded to painstakingly lap away the wet white covering.

“Oooh, yeah.” He exhaled and half shut his eyes. “Is that good?”

“Want to taste for yourself?”

“You know I do.”

She leaned down and pressed her lips to his. Her tongue darted out and infused the whole kiss with lush sweetness.

Never had she acted so boldly. Never had she dared so much without fear of the consequences. Suddenly a kiss did not seem deep enough. She tugged the sheet free from between them and took him inside her in one white-hot movement.

He growled, and his upper body lifted from the bed.

She hesitated, even jostled gracelessly, before
she found his rhythm. Then it all seemed so right and natural.

He buried his face between her breasts.

She kissed the top of his head and spread her hands over his shoulder blades. Back arched, she let him pleasure her.

They sighed and moaned and moved in their own moonlit dance as old as time itself.

She closed her eyes and let the sensations wash over her, building, building until the tension peaked. Then she let go, and even as everything went whirling and tumbling out of control inside her, she knew the peace at the eye of the storm.

Will dug his fingers deeper into the supple flesh at her hips and cried out. Then he collapsed back to the mattress, dragging her down on top of him.

When she raised her head from where it lay on his shoulder she could only smile.

“That was very hot.” He put his finger to the center of her lips. “And unmercifully sweet. But I admit to a little disappointment that there wasn’t more cake in it for me.”

“I might, just this once, have dared to be careless with my heart.” She kissed his cheek, his nose, then sat up, her thighs still over his. “But I am never, ever, ever careless with my cooking.”

He entwined his fingers with hers. “What is this new expression you’ve taken up? Careless with your heart? I don’t recall your having said that before.”

“Don’t worry. It isn’t a euphemism for falling in love. It’s not secret code for ‘I’m putting my heart on the line hoping for love’ or any of those other kinds of sentiments that strike fear in the hearts of even the most manly men.”

“Tell me more.”

“I’d rather eat cake.” She scrambled off him, keeping the sheet pulled up above her comfort zone. As she sat on the edge of the bed she gave him a sly glance over her shoulder. “It’s my specialty.”

“I’ve already tasted your specialty.” He sat up and kissed her ear. “But I wouldn’t mind a bite of cake, too.”

“Okay, here.” She got out the silverware she’d brought in the basket, carefully sliced each of them a forkful, then handed him his. “To people who dare to change, even if it’s just for an evening.”

Their fork tines clinked.

“To being naked in the moonlight.” Will put the cake in his mouth and almost instantly groaned with pure contentment.

She reveled in his enjoyment so much she offered him her bite as well and laughed when crumbs fell onto his bare chest.

“Don’t let those crumbs get in this bed or I won’t sleep on these sheets,” she warned.

“You planned on sleeping?”

“I didn’t plan on anything, Will. That’s the magic of this evening for me.”

“Would it ruin it all if I said I did have a plan when I invited you over?”

“I don’t see how it could since we’ve already carried out your plan in vivid detail.” She brushed away a tiny fleck of red cake with her damp fingertip.

He hissed in his breath at her touch, then stilled her hand with a firm grasp. Much as he craved her hands on him, he had other things in mind for the evening. “Not exactly. Believe it or not, my plan had nothing to do with getting you in bed again.”