Beneath the Layers

by Caitlyn Willows

  “I agree with you, pal. This is getting ridiculous.”

  He jumped down and wandered to the kitchen. Seconds later, she heard him picking morsels from his bowl. By the frequency of the sounds, she’d bet he was arranging them on the floor, either for later consumption or to complain that his bowl was empty.

  Emboldened by her actions, Midge sank into the couch and called Orin. At the first ring, her heart pounded and her body hummed.

  “Hi. I’ve been hoping you’d call soon. I miss you and have been tempted to come over but didn’t want you to feel pressured.” His deep, smooth tone caressed her ear. Now she wasn’t so certain Orin and Kurt were one and the same.

  “I appreciate your consideration.” The quiver in her voice betrayed her nerves. She hoped he didn’t notice.

  His low chuckle sent shivers up the back of her neck.

  “I’d really love to see you tonight. I miss you.”

  No, definitely not Kurt. He would have gotten to the point and explained the misunderstanding. She drained her mug.

  “That sounds wonderful. I’ll make sure to leave the porch light on for you. It’s hard to find the sidewalk in the dark.”

  “See you soon. I’m looking forward to it. I was too occupied by the feel of you against me last night that I didn’t even think to ask your last name. That’s beyond rude and I’m sorry for that.”

  A crash and a scream from the kitchen kept her from replying. Bernadette’s furious screech soared over Hades’ high-pitched snarl.

  “I’ve got to go. My cat has gotten into a fight with my landlady.”

  “What?”

  “I’ll see you soon,” she said in a rush of breath, and for the third time that evening, hung up on someone.

  “Michelle, get in here and help me. This wretched beast of yours won’t let me down.” Bernadette’s voice crackled with anger and fear.

  Midge ran into the kitchen. The woman stood on one of Midge’s ladder-back kitchen chairs. Her pink, ostrich-hide ankle boots scuffed the seat’s polished surface as she teetered back-and-forth, trying to evade Hades’ swiping paws.

  The furious tom crouched, hissing. Claws extended, he swiped Bernadette’s leg, ripping her purple tights and leaving behind bleeding furrows. She wailed and shuffled backward on the seat.

  “Get off my chair. You’re going to break it or fall and hurt yourself.” Midge scooped up Hades from his attack position. “What happened?”

  “He scratched me.” Bernadette jabbed a manicured finger at the cat.

  Midge bit her lip and fought hard not to smile as she cuddled him. It served Bernadette right since she persisted in using her pass key to come in without permission.

  Bernadette huffed. “Your mother called and asked me to come over and check up on you. When I walked in, this beast attacked me for no good reason.”

  Hades had more than enough reasons to take down Bernadette, but she kept her opinion to herself. The other news churned her stomach.

  “My mother called you?”

  That was an all-time low, even for her mother. Midge trembled with rage. “So you entered my house again, without my permission, because my mother asked you to check up on me?”

  Bernadette slowly descended from the chair, keeping one eye on the growling cat in Midge’s arms.

  “She’s worried you’re getting involved with some unsavory elements.” Bernadette had her composure back, and with it, her venom. “Since Mona and I chat occasionally, she felt confident I’d be able to assess the situation and see what kind of trouble you’ve gotten yourself into. You’re not pregnant, are you?”

  Of all the nerve. “For your information, I’m not in any type of trouble nor am I pregnant. Furthermore, any elements I’m involved with are my business—not yours or my mother’s.”

  Bernadette’s sharp-eyed gaze zeroed in on the Bakkman’s garment bags hanging from the hook on the back of the door.

  “Shopping at Bakkman’s and you didn’t ask me for my advice on what to buy? You know I’m well-known in the best circles for my exquisite fashion sense.” She sniffed. “I find it very difficult to believe you actually found anything that would fit you at Bakkman’s, given your awkward bosom.” She paused and smiled. “They usually cater to the more petite sizes.”

  Midge tightened her hold on Hades, causing him to squirm. “I think he’s getting away from me. I’m going to have to put him down.”

  She bent over as if to set him on Bernadette’s dainty boots. Hades yowled and struggled. Loose hairs flew around the kitchen. Most of them clung to Bernadette’s clothes.

  She scooted toward the kitchen door, brushing cat fur from her sky-blue suede jacket, one eye on the cat. “We’ll talk about this tomorrow. Try to keep that thing locked up in the bathroom when I come over. If I need a rabies shot after being mauled by your mangy beast, I’ll be sure Animal Control comes to have him taken away and put down.”

  With that, she slipped into the garage and slammed the door behind her, but not before she’d eyeballed the two bottles of wine on the counter.

  Midge stroked Hades’ soft fur. “Good boy. You’re an excellent judge of character and that earns you a special treat.” She reached into the pantry, brought out a small can of tuna and scooped it into Hades’ emptied bowl ringed with dry food. He dissolved into raptures, purring with pleasure as he gulped down the rich treat.

  “Next time, take her leg off at the knee,” Midge said as she watched him eat.

  Here was more evidence she was headed down the right path by making a stand for herself. This insanity would end.

  Midge hid the wine behind her first edition copy of Sense and Sensibility, closed the front drapes then trotted up the stairs. Dealing with Bernadette had left her little time to prepare for Orin’s arrival. It’d taken forever to get the blasted wig on with Susan’s help. Now she had ten minutes at the most to transform.

  She stopped inside her bedroom. The crimson beast lay on her dresser. No way could she pull this off in the bright light of her home. Darkening the place was ridiculous, as was this entire charade. A relationship couldn’t exist on a lie. If all he wanted was sex, Orin wouldn’t have suggested a date.

  She bit at her cuticle. Maybe it was just sex for him and she was making it more than what it was. In that case, he wouldn’t care about the wig. If he wanted more, the lie had to stop now.

  Midge drew in a breath and trudged down the stairs. The doorbell rang the instant her toes hit the first floor. She started to remove her glasses, then dropped her hand. Nope, he needed to see the real her.

  She looked through the peephole. Arms crossed, he stared at the ground. It was Kurt Davidson. She’d spent too much time ogling him these last months not to recognize him now, even in disguise. Confront him or play along?

  No games. No lies.

  She scrunched up her nose. There was that sex thing again nibbling at the corners of her mind, demanding to be appeased. The doorbell shut off her rambling. Shoulders back, she opened the door.

  His smile froze and his eyes widened when he saw her disguise-free. In the light, wearing glasses, she could see the false hair. Hell, she could smell the fresh spirit gum. His expression turned to one of resignation. He knew she knew.

  Without a word, she motioned him inside. Kurt kicked off his shoes as soon as he stepped inside.

  “Sorry. The lifts are killing my feet. I’d rather wear stilettos than lifts.”

  “Have you worn stilettos?”

  “Yes.” He pulled off the wig and cap.

  Midge curled her fingers at her sides, fighting the urge to ruffle his sandy blond hair into place.

  “Bathroom?”

  “Same place it was last night.”

  “Makeup remover?”

  “Medicine cabinet.”

  She followed when he started up the stairs. Hades shoved past her to catch up to him.

  “Did you recognize me at the bookstore?” she asked.

  “Eventually.”

  He stopped to
pick up Hades. Deep purrs drifted her way as Hades butted his head against Kurt’s chin over and over again.

  “And you?” he asked.

  “I’ve been debating the possibility you were one and the same. What does it really matter at this point?” she snapped. “What’s going on? Was this a ploy to get me into bed?”

  He turned so fast she nearly ran into him.

  “Seriously? I didn’t know it was you last night. Also, you came on to me first.”

  He stared at her, continuing to indulge Hades’ demand for petting. Midge understood that well. She hadn’t been able to get enough of his touch the previous night.

  “My reaction should be answer enough.” He set the cat on the landing and walked to the bathroom.

  “If you’d known it was me, would you have still done it?”

  “Yes.”

  She didn’t believe him. “Why?”

  Kurt sighed and braced his hands on the vanity. “It’s…complicated.” He opened the cabinet and retrieved the remover.

  She sat on the closed toilet to watch. The contacts were the first thing he took out, placing them in a case he’d had in his jeans pocket. Getting the beard and mustache off was going to take a while.

  “Why the getup last night?” he asked.

  “It was Susan’s idea. Her birthday present to me. I didn’t much like it, but it was easier to go with the flow than fight her.”

  “Why no wig now?”

  She was embarrassed to tell him. “I’d convinced myself you and he were the same person. When you called, I told myself I was wrong. I thought there might be some relationship developing and I didn’t want the lie to continue. Then I saw you as him and I knew it was you. Your turn. If you recognized me, why the disguise now?”

  Another sigh was followed by a wince as he pulled off the mustache. “All right. Don’t be mad.”

  Midge cringed, taking his warning to heart. She wasn’t going to like this. “Go on.”

  He started on the beard. “It was part of an investigation.”

  Rage coupled with heart-rending despair welled up in her chest. This was never going to die. She’d been threatened with retaliation ‘if it takes forever’ and it had followed her wherever she went. But take down Zach, too? Midge willed tears away and hiked her chin.

  “I can more or less understand why you’d go after me, but to hunt Zach? I thought he and Claudia were your best friends? If this is how you treat your friends, God help your enemies.”

  She darted for the door. Zach needed to be warned so he could defend himself. Kurt hooked her arm before she could make an exit.

  “Whoa, whoa, whoa. What in the world are you talking about? I would never do anything to hurt them. And what reason would I have to investigate you?”

  She frowned. “Then what were you investigating that drew you to me?”

  Kurt relinquished his hold on her and turned back to the mirror to remove his beard.

  “We’ve had several reports of a stunning redhead luring Marines into bed then blackmailing them. I was at the Lost Oasis to find her. You were the only gorgeous redhead there and the description matched. Your actions after we met more or less followed hers, including you coming on to me.”

  Midge sank to the toilet seat. She tried to focus on her upset rather than the joy that he’d thought she was gorgeous. He hadn’t wanted her at all. It was all in the line of duty. She tucked her arms tight to keep the pain from showing.

  “You fucked me last night to trap the woman you thought I was?”

  “Yes, but—”

  “Don’t insult me by saying you liked it. It was sex. What man has ever hated sex? I can’t believe Jess would sanction an action like that.”

  “He didn’t know until after the fact and he wasn’t pleased.”

  Good.

  “If you realized I was her…me…whatever, why not say something when you called? Why come here in disguise?”

  He paused, and in that brief time, Midge had her answer. She vaulted to her feet.

  “You still thought I was this woman?”

  He cupped her shoulders, looking ridiculous with the top of the beard peeling down.

  “I was doing my job. Find this woman and establish contact. I honestly didn’t know until you opened the door. If you’d been her, the red hair would have remained. She’s never been seen otherwise.”

  She scowled up at him. “Your logic is flawed. I could have realized who you were—which I did—and decided to throw you off.”

  “If that were the case, you never would have agreed to see me again when we talked on the phone. You would have ended it.”

  He had a point. “Does Jess think I’m this woman?” Midge didn’t think she could bear it if he did.

  “All he knows is that I hooked up with a redhead named Midge. He said nothing about you, even after I told him where you lived. I think he was setting me up to look like an idiot.” He brushed his thumbs over her shoulders. “Please don’t respond to that.” He turned back to the mirror.

  “I’m guessing this woman has given a different name each time?”

  “Yes.” He winced as he pulled. “I’d never heard anyone call you Midge. I don’t think I’ve ever heard the name and I didn’t associate it with Michelle.”

  “It’s a nickname because my half brother couldn’t say Michelle—which I hate, by the way. And while we’re on the subject… Orin?”

  He sighed. “Kurt Orin Davidson.”

  She grunted. “That explains Zach’s reaction when I told him your name was Orin Davis.” She had some strong words for him the next time she saw him. “You’d think she’d use a different hair color, too. Red hair really sticks out. Surely the word would have gotten out about her.” Men liked to brag about their conquests. Women, too, for that matter. “What’s she blackmailing them over?”

  “Telling their wives, if they’re married. Saying she’s pregnant and needs money to take care of the problem, if they’re single. Cash operation.”

  “God, I need a drink.” She aimed for the door.

  “Bring me one, too?”

  She liked that he’d asked rather than ordered. “Sure.”

  “Midge?”

  “Yeah?” She turned, meeting his gaze in the mirror.

  “I’m really glad you aren’t her. I liked last night a lot. Then today…”

  Tilting her head, she waited for him to finish. The hunger in his eyes matched the gnawing ache inside her.

  “Ah hell.” He grabbed the edges of the beard and yanked it off. “Fuck, that hurt.”

  She snickered. “Then why did you do it?”

  “I had my reasons.”

  “Care to share what those are?”

  He issued yet another sigh, then turned to face her. His face was red where he’d ripped off the beard. He’d be feeling the burn for a while.

  “I’m trying to have a calm discussion with you and being with you makes me hard as hell.”

  “Really? I hadn’t noticed.” This time. He didn’t need to know she’d seen his erection at the bookstore. She bit back the urge to say there were much better ways to quell a hard-on.

  “Apparently that’s a common affliction for you. You were hard last night for her.”

  “Her is you.” His voice raised several decibels.

  Midge crossed her arms. “You didn’t know that last night.”

  “No, but you were on my mind. It’s the only way I could get through it.”

  “Seriously?” She cocked out her hip and braced her hands on her hips. “You’re telling me that the only way you could have sex with me last night was because you were fantasizing about me?”

  “Yes.” He drew in a breath and released it slowly. “I’ve wanted you from the first time I laid eyes on you.”

  “Oh puleese.” She rolled her eyes. Her want for him dissipated. She might have been out of the game for a while, but she knew a come-on when she heard it. “Yet not once have you ever given any indication of interest.”

/>   Would you have reciprocated if he had? Midge knew that answer too well—no. Her rules forbade it. Now? Hell yeah, but at the moment she refused to let him have that level of control over her.

  A flush crawled over his cheeks. “It’s been recently brought to my attention that I suck at flirting, so my attempts to seduce you may not have been apparent.”

  “I find that very difficult to believe after last night.”

  He shrugged. “I was playing a role.”

  “Goodness, the sacrifices you’ll make to get the job done.” She hoped she’d framed the words with enough sarcasm.

  “I had a job to do.” He slipped his hand over her shoulder. “You have to admit the sex was damn fine.”

  “It was okay.” Midge shrugged off his touch. “I’ll see you downstairs.”

  That would give her the distance she needed for now. With every second she spent with him, her resolve crumbled a little more.

  “Right behind you,” he replied.

  He meant it, too. She’d just pulled a bottle of malbec from its hiding place when he trotted down the stairs.

  “Unusual place to store wine,” he said.

  “My landlady helps herself to my things, especially when I’m not here.” She headed for the kitchen.

  He followed. “Same person Hades was battling?”

  “I only have one landlady.” Midge pulled a corkscrew from the drawer.

  “I can get that for you.”

  When Kurt reached for it, she blocked him.

  “I’m perfectly capable of popping my own cork.”

  He could take that anyway he wanted. She divided the bottle between her two largest wineglasses and handed him one.

  “You do realize that if I drink this, I’ll have to stay over.”

  “I’ll call you a cab.” She brushed his shoulder as she made her way to the living room. “Coming?”

  “Apparently not any time soon.”

  Midge fought a smirk behind a sip of wine and curled into the corner of her couch. Kurt took the opposite end.

  “I wasn’t aware you were friends with Zach and Claudia,” he said.

  Midge’s heart warmed to know they hadn’t confided in Kurt. They’d guaranteed no one would hear of their relationship. The Taylors and the Stuarts were true to their word, as always.