He looked at her querulously. “A woman?”
“Alcohol? Drugs?”
“Becky Sue, what …” He seemed at a loss for words.
She shrugged. “People talk. Sometimes I hear.”
“Look, I have no idea what kinds of rumors have been circulating around here about me, but I can promise you none of it’s true. Unless of course it’s that me and Betty Mae got divorced years ago. Otherwise I’m the same guy that left years ago that was your friend.”
“The Ray that left here years ago was merely an acquaintance. A friend would’ve let me know they were leaving.”
He hung his head for a second. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I wasn’t much of a friend. I’m not sure what happened. But you have to admit you became a little illusive yourself after Dad’s barn burned.”
Becky Sue opened her mouth to speak, but the words wouldn’t come out. She didn’t know how to go back and capture what they’d once had.
“Don’t worry about it. It’s over and the past is in the past. But tell me, do you still trust me? Like back when we were kids? Do you still believe in me?”
“Yeah.” She reached for the jug, hoping to find the courage she needed to say what she wanted. “It might sound crazy, but ever since you walked into my shop today, it doesn’t feel like a day has passed since years ago.”
Moonlight bounced off his white teeth as he smiled. “If you’re crazy, I’m crazy. I thought the same thing, but we men, we don’t talk like that.”
Becky Sue snickered.
Ray grew serious and glanced around like he was making sure no one else was listening. “Becky Sue, there’s so much I need to tell you. You’re the only one I got that I can trust completely.” His tone of voice didn’t match his words. It was matter of fact, not longing over missed friendship.
She sat up straighter and looked at him. This didn’t sound romantic at all. Why would she even think there’d be any romance? She didn’t want it. They’d tried it once and it didn’t work. But why did it make her feel bad deep in her heart knowing there wouldn’t be? “Ok, what do you need to tell me?”
“A lot has changed for me since I left.”
“Obviously.” For starters he was twice as hot now. He’d come back even more confident than he was before and there was a hardness about him that hadn’t been there before he left.
“Betty Mae and I barely lasted two years after marrying. Long story short it was a mistake from the beginning.” She could’ve told him that years ago, but she kept her mouth shut and let him speak. “I admittedly was a little lost and at odds with myself. There was no way I was coming back here, another whipped dog especially with no job, no wife, nothing to show for running off.”
“What’s different about now?” The words were out of her mouth before she could hold them in. He shot her a look that said if you’d shut up I’d tell you. She reached for the jug of watermelon and sipped. Maybe it would keep her from talking if she had something across her mouth. Thinking about things crossing her mouth, she wondered what Ray’s lips would feel like and nearly spit the wine back in the jug.
For a full two minutes she choked and coughed while Ray just sat there and watched her. When she finally was able to catch her breath, she set the jug back on the ground calmly like nothing had happened.
“Are you still breathing?”
“I think so.” It came out strained and rough, but she was able to squeeze out the words.
“You might want to lay low on that stuff. Dad still could’ve spiked it a little with his hundred forty proof.”
Becky Sue glared at him, reached for the jug and stared him down the whole time as she lifted it to her lips. He didn’t say a word. He just sat there and watched her with those eyes.
“Are you done proving your point yet?” The arrogant son of a bitch.
She leaned over in to him, their faces inches apart. “Yep.”
His eyes fell to her lips, or at least that what she thought they went to. Something in the air shifted. Her heart kicked up its pace. She felt frozen in her place. She couldn’t pull back, but she was afraid to move forward. They were breathing in sync, shuddering but steady. Their eyes locked and talked, covering more in those few seconds than they had all day. There was desire, discipline, regret, hope, a past, a future, and something much deeper. A pull neither could explain that tied them together.
Becky Sue pulled back first. Her imagination was running away with her and she had to stop it before she allowed her heart to get broke.
This time Ray was the one who reached for the jug, bubbling it five times in a deep long drink. In that moment she knew he felt it too. The danger of being too close, of being comfortable together but not knowing the waters they tread.
“I need your help,” Ray blurted out after he set the jug back, but the words weren’t from a man with a physical need that required a woman’s touch.
“Ohhk. With what?”
“You remember what Dad was saying earlier about the body that was found a few days ago, the girl that overdosed?”
“Yeah….”
“I’m on assignment. There’s proof that there’s a drug smuggling operation running through here and since I’m the only one that wouldn’t raise too many flags they sent me to gather intel. And I need your help blending back in. You’re the only one I can trust Becky Sue.”
Her mouth that had dropped open a moment before snapped shut. “Whoa, whoa, whoa, so you’re saying you’re like an undercover cop?”
“Basically. I belong to a special task force that specializes in investigations that are either too unnoticeable for local law to get involved in, or ones that the local law can’t touch for one reason or another.”
“And you need me to give you a cover story? You’re good ol’ friend that’s the biggest sucker in the world. The town’s most eligible spinster.” The pieces to the story were crystal clear now. She was being used and had fallen hook, line, and sinker for it.
“Don’t say it like that. You know damn good and well I could have my pick of women in this town to use as a decoy, but I didn’t pick them. I picked you. You’re smart. You’re observant. You’d be a valuable asset. And… and I’d like to spend some time with you before I go back.”
She wanted to be mad at him. She wanted to yell and scream at him for playing with her abominable girlish emotions. He’d even managed to make it sound like he really wanted their friendship back. She was speechless, afraid that if she opened her mouth the wrong thing would come out, or even worse, everything would tumble out in a jumbled mess. But she knew the only one to blame was herself. Her imagination had done the weaving and spinning.
Heat radiated from where his hand touched her shoulder. “Please.”
How could she say no? Even if she wanted to, she’d say no and he’d look at her with those eyes that would peer down in her soul and he’d call her a liar and she’d agree to do it anyway. Giving a loud exasperated sigh to let him know she was doing this reluctantly she agreed.
Before she knew what happened his arms were around her. “I knew I could count on you. You’re still my best friend in the whole world.”
Her hands patted his back awkwardly in her twisted position. He held her like he wasn’t letting go anytime soon, so she shifted to fit better into his arms. It may’ve been the alcohol starting to talk, but she didn’t want to let him go either.
His head moved. Once again they were staring into each other eyes, his breath caressed her lips. A fire was starting low in her groin. Their lips touched, gently, unsure what the others reaction would be. Then his lips claimed hers with more force and passion. Her body began to hum. The fire was building in her chest. Her skin seemed to sizzle and crackle everywhere he touched her. His body began to hum. She jerked away. The look of surprise on his face was mixed with hurt.
“I need to go home. Sherlock will be missing me.” She jumped from the hay bale and walked out without a backward glance. Avoiding the house, she walked the long way around to her truck an
d drove off as she tried to catch her breath and still her racing heart all while keeping the tears prickling at her eyes away.
Chapter 4
Ray
Ho-ly shit! If he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes he wouldn’t have believed it. Maybe there were perks to this assignment after all. The one thing this town had managed not to completely ruin was Becky Sue. At least not yet.
Inside he knew she was the same person he’d known way back. His friend, his companion. After all these years he knew he could still trust her. Okay, so things had gotten a little out of hand at the barn, but damn. What was he supposed to do? There was an easiness and comfort to the way they just linked back together effortlessly. And she was smoking hot. He remembered when he’d had a crush on her late in high school after she started developing curves, but not even that could compare to what he saw today. She was sex appeal in sheep’s clothing.
She knew his bullshit too. When he’d walked into her shop he’d been stunned at the confident, self assured woman he found. She didn’t fall for his usual smut. He was actually surprised when she agreed to dinner.
It wasn’t in his plan until after he left her shop this morning to have her help with his cover, but as long as she was good, it would work out perfectly. It’d keep some of the other more wanton women off his back too, not that he didn’t mind wanton but he preferred them without motive of making him settle down. And he’d get to spend time with his long time friend.
Just being around Becky Sue tonight had sparked things in his soul he’d forgotten were there. She’d brought life out of him long since repressed. She’d made his body hum for fucks sake! How did a woman make a man hum like that? It was like some strange electricity flowed through them and pulled them together, sometimes kicking and screaming and fighting, sometimes smoothly without a second thought. It was unnerving.
He stepped into the cold shower welcoming the chill to his body. He needed to cool off. She’d stirred a fire in him so hot that even now he wanted to find out where she lived and drive over there to plead with her to let him in, just once. He needed her like he’d never needed anyone in his life. If he could just have her once he’d calm down and be able to focus on what he was really here for.
Turning the water off, he reached out of the shower to grab the towel, only to see the shower hadn’t helped. He was still at half mast. Damn.
Maybe she was a witch in disguise and had put a spell on him. There were plenty of old medicine woman stories that would support that theory. Yeah right, he didn’t believe in that malarkey. He didn’t believe in UFO’s and aliens either.
Work. What he needed was work. He missed having a gym nearby. Normally when he was frustrated with a case, or life in general, he’d go to the gym and wear himself out until he could barely drive himself home and crawl into bed. Since that wasn’t an option he’d have to absorb himself in his work.
The house was dark. His parents were already in bed. He left the door open to his room, rummaged through his drawer where he’d buried the case file, and opened it up. Paper clipped to the top right hand corner was a picture of a young woman. She had pixie cut strawberry blond hair, freckles across her nose, and barely looked 16. The top sheet was facts.
Name: Amy Lynn Drake
Age: 20yr
Marital status: single
Cause of death: overdose
Self inflicted or forced: unknown
Location deceased was found: Ozark Mountains, Buffalo River, approximately 3 miles from Elk Point Landing headed south to River Hollow.
Notes: died in company of friends. Possibly new experimental drug. All in company tested positive for same.
He knew the rest of the report on the next page by heart. Four friends were canoeing the Buffalo. They’d had a cooler full of beer, a couple of small bottles of Thunderhead tonic (they’d swore were for medicinal use on their muscles from canoeing), and a couple small baggies of pot. Amy had coaxed them into trying something new she’d picked up that morning from a local man. After taking the first pill she’d claimed not to feel any effects and took a second within minutes. One of the guys claimed she’d tried to climb all over him before passing out, she then seizured and died. One of the girls claimed it had spoiled the mood. They’d been discussing sex of orgy proportions before Amy “pulled her stunt”. The group was out of Missouri.
Closing the folder he closed his eyes as he thought about sex of orgy proportions with Becky Sue. That was much more pleasant thinking than a dead girl near the water. Becky Sue’s body itself was a drug. Just thinking about the feel of her body and the way his reacted to it made his cock grow hard. He’d need a damn ice pack if he was going to ever sleep while he was in town at this rate.
He growled at himself, stood and began to pace. It was unsettling that they claimed a local had sold Amy the drugs and no one knew the man’s name. He knew this town and the people, at least he used to. The fact that anyone local could keep it under wraps was a mystery in itself. The other troubling aspect of it was that once someone began to see the profits of the drug trade roll in, there was no turning back. It would only grow until it became a complete infestation.
It was time to nail this guy. Once he was able to pin point the seller, hopefully it’d lead to the producer and it would only take a small operation to bring them down. If this was only the pinhead to a larger operation, this assignment could last a long time and he’d be sent only God knew where. And for once he didn’t want to go just anywhere and protect people he didn’t know. He had people at home that needed his protection. Becky Sue needed his protection.
Just the thought of her name and the image of her smile made his cock respond. Dammit! He could rub it out himself but he knew it wouldn’t be enough. His wrist would tire if he kept thinking of her. He trudged to the refrigerator to retrieve the ice pack.
Chapter 5
Mreow. A soft touch on her cheek. Pat, her nose. Pat, back to her cheek.
“No, Sherlock. Go back to sleep.” Becky Sue pulled the covers up over her face in attempts to discourage Sherlock from waking her up any more. He walked across her body poking his nose at her hair, then walked back across.
Mreow. She could feel him sitting almost under her chin. A delicate paw pulled at the covers trying to find her face.
Rolling over to her back she gave in to the demanding ball of fluff. “Okay okay, I’m getting up.” She tried to look at the red numbers on the alarm clock sitting atop her dresser across the small room. Was that 5:26 or 5:56? Who needed an alarm clock anyway with a cat around? She couldn’t remember the last time she heard it go off since Sherlock had come along. Her eyes were heavy and gritty. She knew better than to drink Chester’s home brew, but she suspected it was more than that.
Sherlock stepped delicately onto her chest, laid down, and purred. “Alright baby, let’s go.” He jumped off as soon as she began to move.
The sun was just beginning to turn the sky from a dusky grey into lighter tones. A light frost accumulated over night. Becky Sue stepped outside in her jogging suit and took a deep breath of the crisp morning air leaving Sherlock quietly munching his crunchies. She welcomed her morning run today more than most days.
After things with her mom had settled down, and she’d acquired her own place, she’d made it a point to run at least three times a week. It helped keep her stress levels low and her weight as well.
Mornings were her favorite time of the day. Most tourists weren’t up this early. The town was quiet. No one peered out their windows when she passed by on the street. Only a few lights were on along her route. She knew each and every one and who was up, getting ready for work. That’s why Ray needed her. She knew this town. The people. Their habits. She’d been the one to stay behind.
But did he suspect someone here was more than a pawn in a drug smuggling operation? Most the people in this town had barely graduated high school. They were simple folk, quiet, peaceful, content. None of them would be running drugs through here. Would they? She
’d have heard of it by now, wouldn’t she?
She was deep in thought when she rounded the last corner coming home. A pair of headlights temporarily blinded her before she could step off the road. The truck didn’t slow. Most locals slowed and drove past her in the other lane. This one drove straight at her. She scooted over further and stopped at the ditch. Freezing her feet this early was not something she could appreciate. The red truck flew past without a flinch. She flipped them the bird, got out on the road, and picked her pace back up.
Damn tourist. It had better have been an emergency.
Between the run and the idiot driver she’d managed to not think about Ray for maybe a total of ten minutes. It bothered her that their bodies had seemed to hum. That had never happened before. She could chalk it up to an alcohol induced apparition, but she wasn’t one to see things that weren’t there, even intoxicated. She shook her head before stepping into the shower as if she could really shake the thoughts out of her head and wash them down the drain.
By the time she got to her mom’s, who lived three miles up the highway, she’d managed to put most her thoughts about Ray and their weird alcohol induced chemistry to the back of her mind. The lights were on when she pulled in the drive. That was good. It meant Mom had managed to get up without help.
Becky Sue had been called back from her second semester of college when her mom, Kate, suffered a stroke. Becky Sue blamed it on the stress of her dad running off, but her mom refused to throw blame. She steadfastly insisted she’d done it to herself and was determined to make the most of it.
Kate lived alone and was basically wheelchair bound. Most days she could get herself out of bed and back in. On good days she could get in and out of the shower without help, and occasionally to a chair that didn’t have wheels. It’d taken over a year and lots of therapy to get her to that point. But she was strong willed.
Becky Sue stopped by every day to make sure she was able to shower and get out of bed. Twice a week she would cook for the next few days. Sometimes in the peak of tourist season neighbors would help out by dropping food off.
Legend Of The Sparks Page 4
