Bringing Baby Home

by Debra Salonen

  “Oh, David, I like that. Very much. But more…”

  He understood what she was asking. He needed more, too. More flesh. More heat.

  He scooped her up in his arms and placed her on the bed, reclining against the pillows, then he quickly shed the rest of his clothes. He stood for a moment savoring how beautiful she was—her pale skin against the deep rust velveteen cover. “You look like a harem slave. Brought to pleasure your master.”

  She made a languid motion with her hand, feathering back and forth through the air until it settled on her breast, then down her belly and even farther. “It’s actually the other way around, slave. I am master. You are here to pleasure me.”

  Then she rolled toward him on her side and reached out to touch him. Her fingers were cool and smooth. Her nails stimulating as she pushed and pulled in a way that nearly ruined him. “I…can’t…take…much—”

  She moved like a cat, so fast he didn’t have time to prepare. One minute she was toying with him, the next her mouth was on his fully engorged penis. He let out a yelp and made two fists to maintain control. The pain, the pleasure, the—he couldn’t think. He was so damn close to losing it he had to push her away.

  She looked up and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. “I think you’re ready now, slave. Pleasure me.”

  She didn’t have to ask twice. Which was a good thing, Liz thought. She’d nearly come when he licked the inside of her pelvis. His touch did things to her like no man she’d ever been with. She’d never felt sexier or more liberated. Maybe knowing this was for one night only gave her permission to act out her fantasies. Take risks. Play.

  He eased her into a prone position and spread her legs. He wasn’t violent, just firm and intent. She could see the intensity in his eyes and felt the same way. She needed him inside her. Now.

  He paused a second as if savoring the moment, then entered her wet, waiting body. The fit, the friction, the synchronized movement culminated in a fast, intense act. She closed her eyes and gripped the fabric of her bedspread. He held her knees and thrust. Again and again. The sensation in her core didn’t have to build up, it simply hit her. So fast, so powerful, she screamed in shock…and pleasure. His low, loud groan rocked her a second later.

  “Holy…smoke,” he said dropping on top of her.

  Little aftershocks in her loins made her wrap her legs around his hips. She moved her hips in circles, savoring every sensation. She’d never experienced an orgasm like that in her life. It made tears form in her eyes and a laugh bubble up from the bottom of her diaphragm. “That was amazing. I love you,” she said, before she could stop herself.

  David tensed, just for a second, then he rolled to the side, taking her with him. “I know what you mean,” he said. “That was incredible.”

  I know what you mean. No, he didn’t. He thought she’d said the words in the heat of passion. Grateful for good sex. But he was wrong. She loved him. The man she knew him to be, the man she’d never met but had shaped the man she’d first met—the grower of cacti on the run for his life.

  But she couldn’t save him. She didn’t even know how or where to begin. She’d made her choice and mapped her course—and it led straight to India. So, she’d let him think he understood what she’d meant by the passionate declaration. That was the only way they could possibly say goodbye to each other when the time came.

  Fortunately, that time wasn’t yet.

  They still had tonight. And who knew? If the results of Mark Gaylord’s investigation came back negative, maybe they could all breathe easy. Maybe David would be David for as long as he chose to be. Gardener extraordinaire.

  And Liz could live with that because she knew who he really was—a decent man who made her whole being hum with excitement and possibility.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Two days. A honeymoon, of sorts, Liz thought as she folded one of David’s new shirts that she’d bought him. He hadn’t carried comprehensive insurance on his car or renter’s insurance for his property, but he’d managed to salvage a few things: some tools, his cat and an old motorcycle that had belonged to his landlady’s husband. She’d given him the thing, which to everyone’s surprise had current tags. The poor woman hadn’t even realized she’d been paying to license it all these years.

  He couldn’t work as a gardener any longer, but the mobility had allowed him to collect funds from the last of his accounts due. He disappeared every morning, leaving Liz wondering if she’d ever see him again, but, so far, he’d returned each evening.

  She didn’t ask about his plans. She did share with him the very good news that the bank had approved her home equity loan. Once they cut her a check, she would send the money to the international company that would start the adoption process.

  “I’m so happy for you, Liz. Show me her picture again. I want to be able to imagine the two of you together,” David said.

  They were in her bedroom, fully dressed for a change. She’d filled half a dozen tea orders early in the morning and had just finished printing the invoices that would accompany each delivery. She slid back on her desk chair to allow him to pull the folding chair he was sitting on closer to the computer.

  A few key strokes and they were at the ashram’s home page. “Normally, Prisha wouldn’t have been allowed to stay here because of her disability but I pleaded her case and convinced the ashram to keep her until I could make other arrangements.”

  “What’s the story? Did her mother give her away because of her feet?”

  “I was told that the mother was young, upset and emotionally immature. The family was afraid she might commit suicide. No doubt Prisha’s in-turned feet played a factor, but Prisha is such a sweet and loving child, I’m just happy the family brought her to a safe place like the ashram.”

  “Will Prisha remember you when she sees you?”

  Liz shook her head. “No. Probably not. She was just a tiny baby when I first met her and I had to come home to start the adoption process. I would have stayed if I could have, but it’s important that we start treatment soon. The orthopedic surgeon I consulted said she would probably need a series of operations.”

  He looped his arm across her shoulders. The weight was solid and comforting. She’d gotten used to having him in her space. Lydia and Reezira were due back in the morning. Liz didn’t know how they’d handle his presence.

  “How’d it go today?” she asked. He’d been helping his landlady clean up the rubble.

  “Good. Mimi heard from her insurance agent. She had some kind of rider on her policy that guaranteed replacement of the building. He said at today’s property values, she could probably move in a three-bedroom modular.”

  “Wow.”

  “I know. I think that’s why she’s being so nice to me—the fire did her favor. I’m the only one who really got burned. No pun intended.”

  His green eyes—that weren’t artificially green anymore since his colored contact lenses had been lost in the fire—twinkled with humor. She liked his eyes. And his body. She liked everything about him, except his mustache.

  She put her finger to his lips and started to bring up the subject, but the sound of the doorbell stopped her. She got up, leaving the page open on the screen. “I wonder who that could be?”

  David followed her, nearly tripping over Reezira’s fluffy gray cat. “Check before you open it,” he warned.

  She smiled at the concern in his voice. “Yes, Daddy.”

  “Oh,” she said a moment later after peeking through the side window. “It’s my neighbor. And her…um, son.”

  “Hello, Crissy. What’s going on?”

  “Eli has something to say to you. It’s part of his court-ordered reparations. Do it, Eli.”

  Liz was surprised by the woman’s stern tone. She looked different, too. Older, more focused.

  The young man at her side took a deep breath, his broad shoulders lifting. He wasn’t wearing a cap so she could see his eyes more clearly. He seemed far younger than his a
ppearance suggested. And his stance was far less aggressive than she remembered. “I’m sorry I hassled you. It was a stupid thing to do. I don’t really think I’m better than you—or the ladies who live here. What I did really sucks. And me ’n’…um, Mr. Baines, are gonna fix things.”

  Mr. Baines? She looked at David, who cleared his throat in a meaningful way.

  Eli blushed and dropped his chin to his chest. “I mean, I’m gonna do the work and he’s gonna supervise to make sure I do it right.”

  “What work?”

  Crissy pointed to a wheelbarrow parked beside the gate leading to Liz’s backyard. It was filled with plants from David’s greenhouse. She recognized the little mark on the side of the boxes. “We used my SUV to haul all these over here. After,” she stressed, “we proved to your police friend that my son had nothing to do with setting that fire. You believe that, don’t you?”

  The question was directed at David.

  He nodded. “Yes, I do. Eli and I had a long talk and I know that he’s not stupid. He knows that violence and aggressive behavior will land him in jail. Taking his frustration out on a patch of ground is a lot smarter bet.”

  Liz was touched. And truly impressed that David had gone out of his way to make this happen. “Well, I think this is great. I can’t pay for the plants right now, though.”

  Crissy waved off her words. “Eli and his father worked this out. Buying some nursery stock was a lot cheaper than hiring a lawyer to keep Eli our of jail. Believe me, Eli’s getting off easy and he knows it, right, son?”

  The boy winced at the word son, but he nodded.

  “I…I really don’t know what to say. This is so unexpected. Are you sure…?” She looked from David to Crissy and back.

  Crissy took a step closer. When she looked into Liz’s eyes, Liz could read her plea. This was important. Her neighbor needed to prove something, and she needed Liz’s help—endorsement—to make the plan work.

  “Well, let’s go see where everything is gonna go.”

  BY SUNSET, DAVID was pleased with how the backyard looked, but the new landscaping paled in comparison to the improved relations between neighbors. Crissy had started out detached and tense. Eli, like every other sixteen-year-old kid David knew, was snarly and tense. Liz had been just plain tense. But three hours of dirt, sweat, loud music, water fights and a tangible finished product had changed the dynamics.

  Digging in dirt was a great equalizer, he’d learned. Nothing like a few cactus stickers in your fingers to bond people together. Plus, it helped that Liz was gracious and kind and genuinely wanted to make peace with Eli—and his stepmom.

  The two women were presently out front, discussing Liz’s idea about building a skate park in the neighborhood. David had a few empty pots to pick up and he’d be done for the night. Dusk had fallen. They’d started late to avoid the worst heat of the day and Liz had fed them tofu dogs and chips and her refreshing iced tea.

  He’d put off leaving town until he could do this favor to repay Liz for all her kindnesses. Plus, he’d wanted to make sure his plants went to a good home. Scar was going to stay with Mimi for the time being, but she’d promised to call Liz if that arrangement changed for any reason.

  In the early, early morning, he’d hop on his ancient motorcycle and head off on Plan B. He hadn’t been able to replace all his survival gear, but he’d picked up a few essentials.

  A sound from the far side of the yard made him straighten up. Had they left the gate open? He could have sworn they’d closed it after they finished moving the large agave from the shaded spot up front. He twisted a tie around the top of the garage bag he was holding, and then started that way. He’d double-check to make sure Eli had tapped the padlock tight.

  He’d only taken two steps when the beam from a flashlight hit him squarely in the eyes. “Eli, cut it out,” he barked, momentarily confused. Hadn’t the boy gone home before Crissy?

  “If you mean the kid, you got the wrong person.”

  David froze, his blood stalling about midway to his heart. He didn’t recognize the voice, but he knew who the person on the other end of the flashlight was. Someone sent by Ray to kill him.

  He’d stayed too long. Let down his guard. Convinced himself the fire was an accident—the result of a malfunctioning water heater. He’d been a fool and now Liz was in harm’s way.

  Liz. He had to warn her. He hurled the garbage bag in his hand, like his namesake taking on a giant. But his aim wasn’t as good. Just as he let go, a sharp prick exploded in his shoulder. He sank to his knees as the quick-acting tranquilizer pumped through his system. “Take me. Just me.”

  He didn’t know if the words made it out or not.

  LIZ WANTED to leave. She needed to check on David. No, that was a lie. She wanted to grab David by the hand and pull him into her bed so she could thank him properly. What an amazing man he’d turned out to be. Thoughtful, kind, creative and genuinely interested in others. Not many men would have done what he’d done—helped her make peace with her neighbor.

  “I think this might be the start of something good, don’t you?” Crissy said, her tone tired, but slightly wistful.

  Liz hadn’t been listening too closely so she was afraid to act too enthusiastic. She was pretty sure Crissy wasn’t still talking about the skate park idea Liz had brought up. “Pardon?”

  “Elijah never made it easy for me and Eli to like each other. Understandable, I suppose, given the fact that they don’t see each other on a regular basis. Every time Eli showed up, our lives would turn upside down. That isn’t right, either. But with this new arrangement, I think Eli and I will be able to build a relationship that’s not adversarial.”

  “From what I could see, he’s a normal kid dealing with normal kid things, plus trying to fit in with two families. Be patient.”

  Crissy gave Liz a quick hug. “You’re really such a nice person. I blame myself for making Eli think you were different. Not intentionally, but when he was talking to the counselor about why he said those things to you, I could almost hear my voice in the background.”

  “What do you mean?”

  Crissy’s face turned crimson. “Stupid stuff. Unfeeling. I remember saying something like ‘People without kids don’t have a clue about the real world.’ I know that’s not true, but your life does change when you have children.”

  Liz couldn’t argue with that. She didn’t even have her daughter yet, but her life had changed dramatically.

  “And I assumed that your roommates were paying rent. I didn’t know you were helping them out by giving them a place to stay. I remember grousing about you not wanting to do the beautification project. I probably called you cheap. I’m sorry. God, I was an ass.”

  Liz was surprised by Crissy’s honesty, but since she’d held her own preconceived idea about Crissy and her life, she really couldn’t point fingers. “Wars have been fought over less,” she said, with a shrug. “At least we’ve cleared the air. Now, I’m dirty and pooped. Time to call it a night.”

  “Okeydokey,” Crissy said with a corny giggle. “I’ll let you go. Tell David I really can’t thank him enough. ’Night.”

  Oh, I’ll thank him all right, Liz thought as she started toward the backyard. She had several methods in mind. She’d just stepped inside the rear gate when she stopped short and looked around. Her Gypsy sense told her something wasn’t right, even though her newly landscaped backyard looked great. Only a white trash bag, lying cockeyed against the fence, seemed out of place. It was squishing one of her new hedgehog cacti, the same kind she’d run over with her car the day she met David.

  “That’s odd,” she murmured under her breath.

  The immediate stillness seemed ominous, despite the familiar sounds of the city around her. Bells and whistles went off in her head. Bells and whistles she’d ignored once before. This time she listened.

  She turned and started running as fast as she could along the sidewalk between her garage and Crissy’s fence. She didn’t look ba
ck. She didn’t know what or even if someone was chasing her. She made it to Crissy’s porch and had her hand on the clapper when a voice said, “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

  She didn’t know the voice, but she knew the tone. Cold. Hostile. Deadly. She’d heard it before—in Bosnia. The sound of a man who had nothing to lose.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “I was going to kill only him, you know,” said the man behind the wheel of Liz’s car. David’s former boss, she’d discerned from watching him give orders to the thug who’d been standing over David’s prone body when Liz entered her garage at gunpoint. “The fire should have done that. I watched it burn, expecting to see him run out of the building, screaming in pain with his clothes on fire. Like in the movies. Only it didn’t happen. That old bag next door called the cops too soon, and Paul wasn’t in there anyway.”

  Liz found it disconcerting when the man called David Paul, but she made herself focus. If they were going to survive this, she’d need to play it smart. And listen.

  They’d been driving for what felt like hours. A cloth of some kind was bound tightly around her eyes. A thread, dangling above her upper lip, had been driving her nuts until she finally managed to catch it with her teeth and snip it off.

  Stupid thing to be distracted by, she thought. I’m tied up and stuck in the backseat of my own car with my lover. She could hear David’s shallow breathing and recognize his familiar smell, but other than that, she knew nothing. Was he injured? Bleeding? Dying?

  Her life should have been passing before her eyes, and she was distracted by a ticklish string. “Stupid,” she muttered softly.

  “Eh? What’s that, Gypsy Girl?”

  That’s what the nutcase who’d kidnapped her called her. David was Paul, and she was Gypsy Girl.

  “My name is Elizabeth.”

  “Oh, I know your name. I know everything there is to know about you.” His low laugh gave her the creeps. “Well, not everything, but I always left the nitty-gritty intense research to Paul.”