COZY MYSTERY: Lemon Pie Murder Series (Lemon Mystery Murder)

by Lorrie Bannett

  “This is the only man who has ever meant anything to you,” Anna said. “He obviously cares a great deal for you because he refuses to give up. You owe it to yourself to find out if he is the one for you. And who doesn’t want to go to Florida?”

  Meri finally gave in and told Daniel she would go. He was ecstatic. He secretly hoped that he could get her to the place where it all started and maybe they can start over. He was grinning from ear to ear when he picked her up early on Saturday morning.

  “Don’t forget your sunscreen,” Daniel said. “I plan on keeping the top down for most of the way.”

  Meri had figured as much and had made sure to get a fresh tube to keep in her purse.

  It was a beautiful morning. The sun was up and the morning air felt refreshing as they hit the road. Daniel wanted to wait until they got out of town before stopping for breakfast. He didn’t want to give Meri time to change her mind. He had some great plans for the week and he was very hopeful that they would be able to get past her doubts.

  Meri was starting to relax a little. It felt good to be riding down the road in a convertible and have such a handsome man behind the wheel. She had decided to take Anna’s advice and see if she could get past her doubts. She was looking forward to a week sandy beaches, moonlight strolls, and waking to the smell of the ocean. This time she and Daniel will be able to enjoy the week without the presence of their parents.

  The ride down was great, but Meri was glad to finally arrive at their destination. Daniel had rented a condo in the same complex as they had before. This one was not as large, but still beautiful. She walked out on the balcony and took a deep breath. The ocean breeze smelled wonderful. She couldn’t wait to feel her toes in the sand and the water washing it away from beneath her feet.

  Daniel came up behind her and put his arms around her. This was the place where his feelings for her began. He planned to sweep her off her feet this week and make it impossible for her to turn him down. She leaned back into him as he kissed her behind her ears before moving down her neck.

  “This scene is beautiful, but not as beautiful as you,” Daniel said. “Why don’t we move this inside before we get arrested for inappropriate public display?”

  Meri laughed as they went back inside the condo and closed the door behind them. Daniel took her hand and led her to the bedroom. He hadn’t planned to make love to her as soon as they arrived, but where Meri was concerned all reasoning went out the window. She stood still as he slowly started undressing her. Each time he revealed a part of her body he had to stop long enough to kiss it. By the time her last article of clothing hit the floor she was quivering in desire and anticipation. He quickly undressed and led her to the king-size bed.

  Daniel stood for just a minute adoring Meri’s body as she lay there looking back at him. He could see desire in her eyes as she lay there waiting for his next move. She didn’t have to wait long. Daniel leaned down and kissed Meri long and hard. His hands began roaming across her body, leaving a trail of fire everywhere they went. His mouth moved down her body, leaving a trail of hot kisses behind. He pushed her legs apart to allow his mouth access to all of her womanhood. His tongue started teasing her clitoris while his fingers entered deep within her. He looked up to find Meri had raised her head and was watching what he was doing. That simple action set his body on fire.

  Meri was already on fire. She wanted to see what Daniel was doing to her so she raised her head as far as she could. She watched as his head dipped between her legs to tease her clitoris. She found that watching what he was doing to her body somehow made it hotter. She knew it would not be long before that building sensation would start between her legs. Once it started, she could do nothing but allow it to take over her body.

  Daniel was ready to bury himself inside of that hot canal. He took Meri’s legs and placed them over his shoulders, spreading her as wide as he possibly could. He looked down as he placed his cock to enter her. He started out teasing her by only pushing it in a couple of inches, then pulling back out. He could tell that Meri was quickly coming to climax. Finally he shoved himself all of the way inside of her, ramming the head of his manhood all of the way to the end of her hot canal. He reached up and grabbed her legs in his hands, holding them wide apart as he started moving in and out of her. It turned him on to be able to watch as his manhood moved in and out. His movements quickened as he felt Meri start to convulse around him. His thrusts were fast and hard when Meri finally fell off the cliff of hot desire.

  “We had better get up and shower,” Daniel said. “Otherwise we might stay in this bed the entire evening. I need food, and I imagine you are hungry also. I have a special place picked out for us for dinner.”

  Daniel had a special place picked out indeed. Jake’s Bikini Bar had a laid back atmosphere and some of the freshest seafood to be found. Meri enjoyed fresh shrimp and a refreshing mango tea while Daniel had oysters on the half shell and his favorite beer. He teased Meri by telling her oysters are an aphrodisiac, so she might want to get some for herself. She jokingly told him that he didn’t need them and he might want to stop eating them if he planned to enjoy any of the Florida climate this week.

  When they arrived back at the condo Daniel was ready to go for a walk along the beach. The sun was just starting to set and he was ready to feel the sand beneath his feet. They strolled down to the edge of the water so that Meri could get her feet wet. She loved the feel of the wet sand beneath her bare feet, and she loved the way the setting sun cast a romantic glow across the water. They spotted a pier up ahead and decided to walk out to the edge. When they reached the pier they discovered several people dishing off the pier’s side. They walked to the end and found a bench looking out over the ocean. For a while the just sat there in silence, listening to the waves and feeling the ocean breeze blow through their hair.

  The sun had completely set when they decided to head back to the condo. They held hands as they walked along the dark shore, listening to the waves crash onto the sandy beach. There was no other place on earth that Meri had rather be than here, in this romantic and peaceful place where she and Daniel had first shared intimacy.

  The following morning Daniel booted Meri out of bed early. He had a big day planned for the two of them and they needed to get up and at it. Meri protested, saying she was hoping to sleep in.

  “No time for sleeping in today,” Daniel said. “We have an adventure ahead.”

  When Meri asked what they would be doing Daniel refused to tell her. He told her it was a surprise. When they finally got dressed and left the condo, Daniel found a small breakfast café along the coast. They enjoyed pancakes and sausage before heading onto the mystery destination.

  Daniel pulled the Mustang into a marina that was filled with sailboats. He had intentionally not told Meri that he knew how to sail. He had rented a small schooner for them to enjoy today. They stopped at the office to pay for the boat and to pick up a few snacks and drinks. There was already a cooler filled with ice waiting on the boat.

  Meri squealed with delight as the two of them headed out into the open waters. She felt the sails as they caught the wind and they were soon far from shore, surrounded by nothing but water. The ocean looked so different from this perspective. She could barely detect land, yet there were places where you could actually stand up in the water. She noticed the buildings looked like small dots on the horizon. It seemed as if she and Daniel were the only two people on earth.

  Meri saw a couple of fins in the water not far from where they were sailing. She was concerned for a minute until she discovered it was two dolphins. They were delightful as they circled the boat, diving in and out of the water. It looked like they were smiling when they stood out of the water. For a long time the dolphins just swam beside them, diving and showing out, making both Meri and Daniel laugh.

  It seemed like only minutes when it was time to return the boat to the marina. Meri couldn’t remember when she had a better time. Daniel was full of surprises. Meri neve
r dreamed that he knew how to operate a sailboat. She couldn’t wait to see what the rest of the week had in store.

  Since they had snacks while on the boat, neither Meri nor Daniel had a real lunch. They discovered on the drive back to the condo that they were hungry. They spotted a small café that looked to be the type the typically enjoyed. When they went inside they discovered it was very busy. The hostess told them they had about a 15 minute wait. Since they were not in any hurry they decided to order something to drink and have a seat and wait.

  After a delicious meal of Mahi Mahi, both Daniel and Meri were completely satisfied. She told him how much she had enjoyed the day. In Florida, she was away from the stress of classes and she felt better about her and Daniel. He seemed so sincere, and he was certainly doing his best to show her a good time this week. Perhaps she was beginning to see things more clearly. Daniel had not been ready for a baby, but neither had she. She had simply allowed the thought to grow on her. She knew that a baby would have made things difficult for her to complete her studies, but she would never have chosen to end its life. Maybe it had turned out the way it was supposed to, but it still hurt.

  Daniel and Meri made it a habit to go on their nightly walks. It was where they first got to know each other and it seemed to allow them to communicate better when they could see and hear the waves crashing on the shore. On this particular night Daniel led Meri to a place where they had made memories, it was the place where he had first introduced her to passion. They sat in silence for a few minutes before Daniel spoke up.

  “I love being here with you,” Daniel said. “I was afraid we might never get things back on track. I don’t know what I would do without you in my life.”

  “Losing the baby was hard on me,” Meri said. “I know that I wasn’t ready for a baby, but at the same time I could never do anything to hurt a baby either. I had started to come to terms with the fact I was pregnant. I think I knew all along that you would not really put our lives in danger by wrecking the bike, but it was easier for me to doubt you than it was for me to accept reality.”

  “I would never do anything to put you in danger,” Daniel said. “I don’t know exactly when it happened, but I have fallen head over heels in love with you. I realize that you still have a couple of years left in college, but I still want you in my life. I want to be there with you when you finally graduate, when you pass your state exams, and when you get your first job.”

  They sat for a long time just enjoying the ocean breeze, satisfied to just be together. Meri was more at peace than she had been in a long time. She knew that she loved this man with his dark looks. Beneath that rugged exterior beat a heart that was pure gold. Daniel is her soul mate, and she couldn’t ever imagine a life without him in it.

  The next morning Daniel decided to take Meri on a helicopter ride. After breakfast they boarded a chopper that gave them an aerial view of the entire city. Meri delighted in seeing the people playing on the beach. They went out over the ocean and she spotted a school of dolphins frolicking around a fishing charter. It was amazing to her how different the world looked from this perspective.

  Chapter 8

  All too soon the spring break was over and Meri returned to her studies. She signed up to take summer classes again so that she could stay in Memphis. It was the only way she could think of to tell her mother that she was not going to spend the summer in Jackson. She and Daniel were closer than ever and she could not bear to spend the entire summer away from him.

  One Saturday Daniel had promised Meri he would take her to the zoo. She planned to stay at his place on Friday night so that she would be ready the next morning. When she walked into his apartment she was surprised to find the entire place lit with candles. There was a table set for two and she found a vase of red roses in the middle. Something smelled delicious and she looked at Daniel with a questioning look.

  “I have a great evening planned for us,” Daniel said. “All you have to do is sit at the table and allow me to wait on you.”

  Meri did as he said. He disappeared into the kitchen and returned with two plates filled with spaghetti and garlic bread. It looked and smelled great and Meri found herself starving.

  “You never told me you can cook,” said Meri.

  “Well, there are a few dishes I am fairly good at,” Daniel said. “I learned a long time ago that if I was going to remain a bachelor I had to learn to cook something. Eating out all of the time got old, not to mention expensive.”

  The spaghetti was delicious and Meri cleaned her plate. She made a mental note that she could not eat like this all the time or she would gain weight. After they finished their meal Daniel cleared the dishes and returned with two pieces of chocolate cake.

  “I couldn’t fix you a good meal without dessert,” Daniel said. “But I have to admit, I didn’t bake the cake. It came from a local bakery. My cooking skills are limited to the top of the stove.”

  After the cake, Meri was stuffed. She leaned back in her chair and surveyed her surroundings. Daniel had gone to a lot of trouble to turn his place into a romantic getaway. He came around to her side of the table and took her hand. When she was standing he kissed her gently. He knew that it was too soon to get her desires stirred up. He still had a surprise in store and he needed to have a clear head. He took her hand and led her down the hallway to his bedroom. When Meri stepped inside, she noticed that the room was also bathed in candlelight. She got goosebumps just anticipating what Daniel had in store next.

  Daniel led Meri to the bed where his next surprise was waiting. Her eyes widened when she noticed there was a heart made from rose petals on the top of the bed. In the middle of that heart was a small box. She turned to look at Daniel, but he told her to look inside the box. She leaned over to pick up the box and she noticed that it was light. She cried out when she opened it and found a giant diamond glimmering in the candlelight. She turned to Daniel only to find him in the floor on his knees.

  “Meri Kee, I want you to marry me,” Daniel said. “I realize you must first finish college, but I don’t ever want to lose you. I love you and I don’t ever want to spend one day of my life without you in it.”

  Meri had tears running down her cheeks. She never expected this. Of course, they had discussed spending their future together, but she figured it would come much later once she had graduated. She gently lifted the ring from its box and started to put it on her finger. Daniel stopped her.

  “Please, let me put it on you,” Daniel said.

  Meri held out her hand while Daniel slowly slid the ring onto her finger. She held her hand up and admired its beauty. The ring was a perfect fit. She turned to Daniel and kissed him while the tears continued to roll down her cheeks.

  Daniel tasted the salty tears as the kiss intensified. He loved this woman and he felt the need to make her his. He slowly started removing her clothes. When she stood before him naked he took the time to admire her beautiful body. His clothes followed hers in quick succession. He kissed her again and she could feel his manhood throbbing between them. She loved the fact that she had that effect on him. He laid her across the bed and his mouth immediately started its slow torture to her body. He sucked on each of her breasts, causing the nipples to harden. His mouth continued down her body, leaving a hot path of desire across her stomach and lower. She felt him spread her legs and blow on her clitoris. His tongue soon followed, licking and biting until she thought she could not stand anymore. Daniel used one hand to spread Meri’s lips while he tortured her with the fingers on his other hand. He loved watching her reaction when his fingers came in contact with her deepest womanhood. She was already very moist and he could see her juices start to flow out of her.

  “Please, I need to feel your cock inside me now,” Meri begged.

  Meri was surprised when Daniel lay on his back. He told her to straddle him with her legs. When she did as he said, Daniel picked up her hips and positioned her to take entry. Meri’s eyes widened when she felt Daniel’s hard manhood
enter her deeply. She felt herself convulse around him when he started moving inside of her. Her body naturally started to respond as she started moving to meet his thrusts. She felt a sense of power when she realized that this position gave her control. She watched his face as their passion started to build. She threw her head back and shut her eyes when Daniel reached down and started playing with her clitoris at the same time he was pounding into her. She felt that wonderful feeling between her legs start spreading across her body. She moaned when the pace quickened and hot fire consumed her. Daniel matched her moans as he pounded her as fast and hard as he could. He felt her canal convulsing as his hot seed buried deep inside her.

  Anna was shocked when Meri came back Sunday evening sporting an engagement ring. She could see how happy Meri was and offered her congratulations. They sat up late talking about their future. Meri told Anna that her and Daniel plan to wait until after graduation before getting married. But in the meantime she wanted to start planning her wedding. She knew that at some point they would have to tell their parents, but she dreaded that day. Meri wanted everybody to be happy for her, but she feared her mother might object at her choice of men.