Welcome to Serenity

by Sherryl Woods

  “You should never have given him your word in the first place,” Tom said, yanking his cell phone out of his pocket and punching in a number.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Calling him, of course.”

  She snatched the phone out of his hand. “No, you can’t do that. He and I made peace, more or less. If you call, it will blow the truce to smithereens. He’ll never trust me again.”

  He could see her rationale, but he didn’t like it. He didn’t like it one damn bit.

  “Okay, fine,” he conceded reluctantly. “But obviously we can’t go to that dinner party now.”

  “Yes, we can,” she said quietly. “I gave him my word about that, too. I want to make peace with your parents, Tom. I really do. Today was a big step toward doing that.”

  He regarded her in confusion. Where had this conciliatory attitude come from? “My mother, too?”

  She nodded. “I understand her a lot better now.”

  “You do? How?”

  “Your father and I really talked. There’s a lot you don’t know.”

  “About my own family?” he said incredulously.

  “Yes. You need to sit down with them, have a real heart-to-heart. It’s long overdue. I think it would make a huge difference in how you get along.”

  “Why don’t you just fill me in?”

  “It’s not up to me. The three of you need to deal with this.”

  “This is quite a change of heart,” he commented, not sure how he felt about it. Could achieving peace be as simple as she was suggesting? He doubted it, but he was willing to give it a shot. “You’re sure about this?”

  “I am.” She regarded him solemnly. “I won’t get between you and your parents, Tom. I know what it’s like to have your family split apart by hard feelings and I won’t be the cause of it in yours. If anything’s going to happen with you and me, we have to try to get along with your parents.” She reached up and rested a hand against his cheek. “Besides, you promised.”

  With that simple touch he pretty much forgot what they were discussing, much less something he’d apparently promised some time ago. “What did I promise?”

  “That the holidays would be different this year, that you’d really try with the whole ‘peace and good will toward all men’ philosophy.”

  “I didn’t anticipate anything quite like this,” he grumbled.

  “Sure you did. After all, these are your parents we’re talking about. You had to know it wouldn’t be easy. If I can give them a chance, surely you can.”

  He shook his head. “I don’t know if you’re insane or a saint.”

  “Neither one.” She smiled. “But I am starved, so let’s go to Rosalina’s and have that pizza there.”

  Her willingness to put the whole incident with his father behind her was baffling. Too baffling to deal with on an empty stomach. “And all that paperwork you were so worried about when I got here?”

  She shrugged. “It can wait.”

  He looked into her eyes. “Can I make a suggestion then?”

  “Sure.”

  “If we have the pizza delivered to your place, I could light a fire and open a bottle of wine,” he suggested hopefully. “How does that sound?”

  She hesitated, though she looked tempted. “Romantic,” she admitted finally, a hitch in her voice.

  “And?”

  “You’re still not moving in.”

  “Of course not.” He lowered his head and covered her mouth with his, lingering until she uttered a sigh. “But maybe we could discuss a sleepover, just for tonight.”

  Her lips curved slightly under his. “We’re not twelve.”

  He laughed. “Believe me, I know.”

  “Oh, you want to have that kind of sleepover,” she teased.

  He brushed his thumb along her lower lip. “What do you think?”

  “I think we’re wasting time talking about it when we could be on our way to my place.”

  Tom grinned. “As your town manager, I must tell you how much I appreciate your desire for efficiency.”

  “I knew that trait would serve me well one of these days,” she said, making a quick dash to her office for her purse and keys. When she’d locked the door behind them, she held his gaze and asked, “Are we walking? It’s a nice night.”

  Lost in the depths of her dark brown eyes, he murmured, “My car’s faster.”

  “Then by all means, let’s take that,” she said, sounding vaguely breathless. She studied him warily. “You’re not going to change your mind on me, are you?”

  “No. I try never to repeat my mistakes.”

  She looked relieved. “Good to know.”

  * * *

  Jeanette ordered the pizza as they drove the few blocks to her house. She must have sounded vaguely desperate, because it arrived within minutes after they did. Usually Rosalina’s operated at a slower pace.

  At any rate, by the time it arrived, Tom had already lit a fire and all the candles in her living room and popped the cork on a bottle of red zinfandel she’d been saving for a special occasion. This definitely qualified, she thought with anticipation. He’d also piled all the cushions from the sofa on the floor in front of the fireplace. Clearly he’d had some experience at this whole romantic seduction thing. Another time she might question that, but not now. Now she would go with the flow.

  “It looks cozy,” she said as she brought the food, plates and napkins over to join him.

  “I was going for romantic,” he said as he drew her down beside him.

  She trembled under the intensity of his gaze. “That, too.”

  “Jeanette...” His voice trailed off as if he’d lost his train of thought.

  “What?” she murmured as he cupped one hand behind her neck and leaned in to kiss her. The slow, simmering kiss drove all thoughts of food and everything else right out of her head.

  When he pulled back, he looked as dazed as she felt. Still, he reached for the wine and poured two glasses, though she noticed that his hand was shaking. He held out one. She accepted it, took a sip, then set it aside.

  “Tom...” she began, her gaze locked on his lips.

  He studied her intently as if not entirely certain of the signal she was sending. “I thought you were starving.”

  “My priorities have changed.”

  He looked more hopeful. “Really?”

  “Oh, yeah.”

  “Then dinner can wait?”

  She nodded. She could eat anytime, but she’d waited way too long for this moment. “I think it should. I mean, the pizza smells great, but I’m pretty sure you could distract me if you put your mind to it.”

  His lips curved into a slow smile that was all male. “I’ll certainly give it my best shot.” he said, sealing his mouth over hers again.

  Jeanette let herself drift into the kiss. For the first time, she let go of all her doubts about the future and her memories of the past and allowed herself to live entirely in the moment. It was quite a moment, too. Heat swept through her, followed by a yearning so intense it nearly overwhelmed her. She’d known he was an excellent kisser, but she’d had no idea how inventive he could be when he threw himself into the task, no idea how many nuances there could be to that one simple act between a man and a woman.

  One minute his lips were soft and gently persuasive, the next he seemed to be devouring her, his tongue plundering in a way that turned her insides to molten lava. Even when he scattered tender little kisses across her brow, along the curve of her neck, it made her knees go weak.

  Why in heaven’s name had she been denying herself this? she wondered as his fingers got into the act, reaching for the buttons of her blouse, skimming along bare flesh. As he touched and explored—a gentle caress here, a more intimate stroke t
here, he kept his gaze on her as if assessing what she wanted, what she needed, then accommodating her.

  Sometimes he made her wait, made her long for something more—a deeper kiss, a more intimate touch, something. Eventually, when she was about to push his hands aside and undo the last of the buttons herself, he flicked open the final one, then pressed a soft kiss to the skin he’d revealed. He did the same to every inch of flesh exposed as her blouse drifted down her shoulders. Completely bare except for the lace of her bra, she trembled under his dark gaze.

  He leaned forward then and took the tip of her breast in his mouth, teasing the nipple through the lace until she could feel moisture gathering and her hips rose off the floor, seeking him. This moment, so long coming, now couldn’t happen fast enough. She wanted it all, wanted him buried inside her, wanted to experience that astounding instant when they became one.

  Tom, unfortunately, was in no rush. He seemed determined to savor every second, to draw it out until she was quivering beneath his touch.

  “You are so beautiful with the firelight dancing across your skin,” he murmured, his fingers following the light, dipping into the shadows until she thought she would come apart just from the reverence of his gaze and the exquisiteness of his touch. He seemed just as eager to give her that satisfaction, but now she was the one who wanted to savor.

  “Wait,” she whispered, stilling his hand in place on her thigh. “Let me.”

  She made quick work of unbuttoning his shirt and tossing it aside, then lifting his T-shirt over his head to reveal a muscular chest and solid abs that felt warm and unyielding under her eager fingers. He moaned softly as she explored, then gasped when she unbuckled his belt and reached lower, her hand encasing his impressive arousal. He moved restlessly, his impatience now a match for hers. That was what she’d wanted, what he’d claimed to want not that long ago—to be on the same page.

  His pants came off, then her slacks and then they were back together, skin on skin, heat seeking heat, their hands and mouths everywhere, teasing and taunting until both of them were breathless and hungry with need.

  “Now,” she pleaded. “I’ve waited so long for this.” What an idiot she’d been to wait so long! And yet she knew that weeks ago it wouldn’t have been like this at all, wouldn’t have been two people in tune with each other on so many levels. Then, it would have been just sex. Now, maybe, just maybe, it was love.

  She shivered as Tom removed the scrap of lace that passed for panties, then tossed aside his own boxers. He lifted himself over her, gazing deep into her eyes as he plunged into her, filling her, then withdrawing slowly before plunging again. The rhythm took on a life of its own, building a sweet, delicious urgency that carried Jeanette higher and then higher still before erupting into spasms that spread through her, leaving behind heat and pleasure.

  Just as she was recovering from the wonder of that, Tom began to move again, taking her to a whole new place before his own release ripped through him and then her again in a way she’d never experienced before. Two people as one, just as she’d always imagined it could be. The wonder of that made her want to weep.

  She didn’t realize a tear had fallen until she saw him regarding her with concern.

  “Are you crying?”

  “No,” she insisted, despite the tears that kept falling on his chest.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. Everything’s perfect.”

  “Are you sure? You haven’t said much.”

  “I don’t think I can,” she said. “My mind’s gone.”

  He grinned at that, his expression smug. “Is that a compliment?”

  She nudged him in the ribs with her elbow. “Do you need to have everything spelled out for you? Isn’t it enough that I can barely move or catch my breath?”

  “Just checking. And, in case you were wondering, you were pretty amazing yourself.”

  “I wasn’t wondering,” she assured him pertly. “I know I’m good.”

  He laughed. “Confidence is one of the first things I noticed about you.”

  “And here I thought it was my body.”

  “That was the second thing,” he said. “Right after you banished me from the spa.”

  Without covering herself, she propped herself up and looked at him. “What else?”

  “What else?” he echoed blankly.

  “Why are you attracted to me? Please tell me it’s not just because your parents don’t approve.”

  “That’s irrelevant,” he insisted. His heated gaze lingered on her. “Believe me, you have plenty to recommend you. I like the way your mind works. I like your sense of humor. You’re not impressed with me, which is annoying but challenging. And you’re not half-bad at this sleepover stuff, either.”

  She winked at him. “Play your cards right and there will be very little sleeping happening here tonight.”

  He feigned dismay. “In that case, I need that pizza.”

  Jeanette sat up and reached for the box. “Stamina is definitely called for,” she said, taking a slice of the pizza before handing the rest over to him.

  The pizza was stone-cold now, but it had definitely been worth the wait.

  * * *

  Mary Vaughn was having yet another dinner with Sonny tonight, but this time it had been his idea. She had no idea what had sparked the invitation, but she was looking forward to it. Maybe she’d actually get up the nerve to put her feelings on the line just as Jeanette had suggested. She’d have to play that by ear after she found out what was on Sonny’s mind. It surely couldn’t be Christmas, because they’d gone over their plans for the holidays so thoroughly that not one single detail was left that hadn’t been nailed down.

  Of course, maybe he was planning to tell her that he’d gotten seriously involved with that other woman, the one from the dealership. Maybe he’d even insist on including her in all of their holiday plans. The thought made her jittery.

  She studied him across the table. He was still a good-looking man, no doubt about it. And she’d finally realized that men like Sonny Lewis only came along once in a blue moon. If only she’d realized that before the divorce.

  Well, maybe it wasn’t too late. The only way to find out was to lay her cards on the table. The wicked twinkle in his eyes when he looked at her gave her courage.

  “Sonny, I’ve been wondering about something,” she began slowly, searching for exactly the right approach.

  “You have?”

  Her words, usually so glib, had to be carefully thought out if this was going to turn out the way she wanted it to. “Have you ever regretted...” Her voice faltered. “I mean, do you think we were too hasty when we got divorced?”

  He stared at her, his mouth agape, his fork poised with a piece of steak on the tip. “Say that again.”

  “You heard me,” she said with a touch of impatience. “Was our divorce a mistake?”

  “No,” he said with such absolute finality that she blanched.

  “Oh, okay.” She could feel a humiliating blush creep up her neck. “I was just wondering.” She took a bite of her now-tasteless meal and murmured, “The steak is good, isn’t it?”

  He regarded her with exasperation. “I don’t want to talk about the damn steak. Why would you ask such a thing now?” he inquired.

  “I shouldn’t have,” she said quickly. “Forget I mentioned it.”

  He acted as if she hadn’t spoken. “You never bothered to question me years ago when I told you I wanted a divorce,” he reminded her. “You acted as if you’d been expecting it.”

  Mary Vaughn bit back a sigh. She’d opened this can of worms. Now she had to deal with it. “I suppose I had been,” she admitted. “I was never good enough for you. I always thought you’d figure that out sooner or later.”

  “Hogwash!” he said. “Mary Vaughn
, you were never lacking in self-esteem, though God knows you had reason enough to, given your background. Growing up the way you did would have shattered someone without your strength.”

  “If you admired me so much, why did you leave?”

  “You know the answer to that, but I’ll explain it again if you want me to. Before I do, though, I want you to tell me why you’re bringing this up now. Did you just wake up this morning and decide to go digging around in the past to stir things up?”

  She didn’t want to answer, didn’t want to risk further embarrassment, but he was studying her with genuine curiosity, so she replied, “It wasn’t like that. We’ve been getting along really well lately, you know, enjoying each other’s company. We have all this history in common, and a daughter. It made me think. It seemed maybe we let it all slip away too easily.”

  He nodded. “Yep, you did exactly that.”

  She regarded him with astonishment. “Me? I’m not the one who asked for a divorce.”

  “No, but you didn’t say no. You barely even blinked, then offered to help me pack my things.”

  She was confused by his reaction. “Did you want me to try to stop you?”

  “I was hoping for exactly that, as a matter of fact. I was hoping you’d wake up and take a good long look at me and really see me for the first time, maybe appreciate the life we had. I always knew you loved Ronnie, but I loved you enough to overlook that. I thought I loved you enough to give us a real chance at happiness, but the truth was, after a few years when nothing changed, I got tired of being second best. I knew as long as I stayed I was going to have to swallow my pride and pretend it didn’t matter. I couldn’t do that any longer.”

  “I’m sorry,” she whispered, seeing their life from his perspective for the first time. It wasn’t as if she’d ever cheated on him, but she hadn’t given him her heart. She’d been content, if not happy, with the way things were and thought he had been, too. How had she lied to herself for so long? “I am so very sorry.”