Not Even if You Begged

by Francis Ray

  “Your bed!” Traci shrieked her outrage.

  Maureen’s eyes narrowed, her teeth clenched. Her own simmering anger resurfaced with a vengeance. “I wanted to drag the man out by his hair.”

  “Mother, please tell me you wouldn’t be so foolish,” Ryan said. He and Simon had stepped off the porch, but remained on the sidewalk.

  “Your mother has more sense,” Simon told him.

  Maureen felt a small spurt of pleasure that Simon thought her sensible. “Luckily, Ryan was with a policeman. They rushed over,” she explained. Looping her arm through Traci’s, Maureen started toward the men on the walkway.

  Maureen had taken only a few steps before realizing things could become awkward if Traci revealed that they knew Simon. Hoping Traci would understand the unspoken need for discretion, they joined the men on the walk.

  “Traci Evans, Lieutenant Dunlap from Myrtle Beach. Traci lives next door.”

  “Pleased to meet you, Ms. Evans, but I wish it could have been under different circumstances,” Simon said, extending his hand.

  Traci was slow in lifting hers. “Hello, Lieutenant Dunlap.” Almost immediately she released his hand and faced Maureen, “Would you like me to go in and help you straighten things up and spend the night or do you want to stay at my place?”

  “Thank you, Traci, but I plan to help her and spend the night,” Ryan said with just the tiniest bit of displeasure in his deep voice, which always made her think of moonlight and magnolia.

  Traci finally looked at Ryan, all six feet two of conditioned muscles. He looked as delicious as usual. He wore one of his Italian suits that fit his glorious body perfectly, this one charcoal pinstripe. He was drop-dead gorgeous with a killer smile that made her stomach muscles dance a jig. “Of course.”

  His smile was slow and easy as his assessing gaze ran the length of her. “Simon is going to give Mother a home evaluation Tuesday afternoon. Perhaps he should do your house as well.”

  “I’m fine,” she said, trying not to grit her teeth. Ryan irritated the hell out of her and he knew it.

  “I wouldn’t mind checking,” Simon said. “The reason I’m here is to help decrease the number of home robberies.”

  “Come on, Traci. I’d feel better if you did,” Maureen coaxed, her voice a bit unsteady. “Believe me, you don’t want this to happen to you.”

  Simon lifted his hand toward Maureen, only to let it fall. “Strip the bed, get rid of the mattress if you have to. Do whatever it takes to reclaim your room. Create a memory that will take away seeing them there.”

  Maureen’s eyes widened as if she was surprised he understood. She nodded. “I will.”

  Traci felt Ryan looking at her again, and she ignored him. From their first meeting shortly after she’d moved here, there had been this “thing,” this “awareness” between them. She planned to ignore whatever it was and thought he was doing the same. But the last two times they had been together, she’d felt his hot gaze on her, weighing, examining as if he were trying to figure out if she was worth the effort.

  And she wanted to sock him. He was just playing with her. Maureen had dragged Traci to an award banquet where Ryan was honored, and she’d seen the sleek, model-thin woman he’d been with. Where it counted to most men—hips and breasts—Traci would make two of the woman.

  “Is there someone else in your household who could come if you’re busy?” Simon asked.

  “I live alone,” Traci said. Just the way she liked it.

  “Traci and Mother are both widows,” Ryan explained. “Which means they both need your services.”

  Traci’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t need anything from a man.”

  Ryan’s eyebrow cocked in disbelief. Was that a challenge? “That remains to be seen.”

  “I—”

  “Traci, I plan to invite the others,” Maureen interrupted. “You know we’ll all nag you until you come. Besides, if one of us forgets something, you’ll remember.”

  “That’s blackmail,” Traci said.

  Maureen smiled into her angry face. “Yes, it is, isn’t it?”

  “I promise it will be painless and not bore you.” Simon, a smile on his face, glanced at Maureen. “I get the impression that you’re very close. She’ll worry if you don’t come, and I don’t think you’d want that.”

  Traci and Maureen both stared at Simon. An intuitive man could cause a woman a lot of trouble. Traci’s gaze traveled to Maureen. She had that wistful look on her face again. Or a lot of pleasure.

  “You’re right. She’ll be there.”

  Traci’s attention snapped back to Ryan. He was too self-assured and too used to having his own way. She’d like to—her thoughts abruptly halted. Heat flushed her cheeks. The image that had popped into her mind hadn’t been that of slapping that know-it-all look off his too-handsome face, but had involved two naked bodies locked in an erotic embrace.

  Thoughts like that could get a woman into a lot of trouble, but Traci was too smart to fall for that trap again. A man could make a woman’s life hell. Dante had taught Traci that, and she had learned her lesson well.

  “Please,” Maureen said, as if knowing Traci was considering not showing up just to show her son he couldn’t speak for her.

  “I’ll come only because I have a lot of work this week and I don’t want the Sisterhood nagging me.” Traci firmly turned to Simon. “If it’s boring I’m going to tell you.”

  He chuckled. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

  His easy response pleased her. From the way he kept sneaking glances at Maureen, he had more on his mind than burglar-proofing her home. Maureen might have hit pay dirt the second time as well. Traci remembered another man with the same name. “Are you any relation to Patrick Dunlap?”

  Surprise briefly flitted in Simon’s eyes. “My younger brother. Do you know Patrick?”

  “We met briefly the other night,” Traci told him, hoping Maureen had gotten as lucky as Brianna seemed to be. But Traci of all people knew how looks could be deceiving.

  “I’m staying with him.” Simon shook his head and smiled. “He’s getting married in three weeks and counting the days.”

  “With Brianna as the bride, I can see why,” Ryan said. “She’s something. We went to school together.”

  Traci’s mouth firmed. She might have known Ryan would know the stunning woman. “And why aren’t you the one marrying her?”

  Ryan’s gaze centered on her. “Contrary to some people’s belief, I don’t date all the beautiful women I know.”

  Traci didn’t know why, but his words made her think he was taking a swipe at her. “Yeah. Some of them have more sense.”

  Maureen cleared her throat. “I’ll see you Tuesday at three, Lieutenant Dunlap.”

  “Three it is,” Simon said.

  Ryan finally pulled his hard gaze from Traci. “I’d also like you to go over the security system at her store if you don’t mind and have the time.”

  “I don’t mind and I have the time,” Simon spoke to Maureen. “I could stop by Friday afternoon if that would be convenient?”

  “I don’t want to take up too much of your time,” Maureen protested.

  Simon shook his dark head, a smile on his lips. “Your safety and peace of mind are what counts. I don’t want you feeling vulnerable,” he said with feeling. “I promise not to interfere with your business.”

  “All right,” Maureen said. “Thank you.”

  Traci watched as Simon’s and Maureen’s gaze clung together, and she decided to help before Ryan caught on. There was one sure way to grab his attention. “Maureen, I don’t mind helping you. Then Ryan can go home.” Traci kept her gaze on Maureen and off her son.

  “I’m staying and taking Simon’s advice,” Ryan said firmly. “We’re going to make another memory.”

  “That we will,” Maureen said.

  Ryan curved his arm around his mother’s shoulders. “You and Dad spent many happy hours in that room.”

  “I’d be
tter be going,” Simon said. “The tow truck should be here shortly. Good night.”

  “Good night,” Maureen, Ryan, and Traci chorused.

  Traci watched him walk away and wondered if he would have left if Ryan hadn’t mentioned his deceased father. In any case, it was time to leave as well. “Good night.”

  “Maybe I should walk you to your door,” Ryan suggested.

  Traci gritted a smile. “Just take care of Maureen. I’m fine.” Giving her best friend a quick hug, making sure she didn’t accidentally touch Ryan, she hurried back to her house, feeling Ryan’s gaze every running step.

  Let him look all he wanted, but it wouldn’t do him any good. No man would ever take advantage of her again. She’d made that promise when she stared down into Dante’s still face at the funeral, and she’d kept it.

  Opening the front door, she went inside her house. She hadn’t gone three steps before a little voice inside her head whispered, “But no man had ever tempted you the way Ryan has. No one. He makes you wonder how making love with him would be.”

  “Shut up,” Traci muttered, then cursed. If it wasn’t bad enough that Ryan had her hearing voices, now she was answering them. “Damn.”

  In her lifetime she’d only met one man she’d cared about, who loved her unconditionally. She mustn’t forget. She was too smart to be tripped up by hormones.

  In control once again, she raced up the winding staircase.

  Ryan woke up the next morning with a plan.

  Once he saw that his mother was back to her calm, caring self, he saw no reason not to put it into action. He wasn’t a player. In this day, it was not only stupid but dangerous. He wasn’t conceited, but there had never been a woman he had wanted that he hadn’t gotten. And one had never given him the cold shoulder the way Traci seemed to enjoy doing.

  He didn’t mind, because he knew eventually she’d be in his arms and in his bed. Patience was required. He was willing to stay the course. According to his mother, Traci wasn’t dating anyone. Unless she was working, she was at home. His mother thought Traci should get out more. Ryan planned to take care of that. Starting today.

  He was sticking around until Traci showed. This time she wouldn’t be able to ignore him. She might be the last to show up, but she wouldn’t leave for work until she’d checked on Maureen. She cared for his mother. She just didn’t care for the son.

  Or so it seemed at times. Then there were those other fleeting moments when he’d catch her looking at him with pure female speculation in her beautiful eyes. In the next instant, she’d go cold and haughty on him. But those brief glimpses gave him hope.

  He wasn’t sure why he just didn’t move on. Perhaps because she tried so hard to irritate him. More than likely it was because the first time he’d seen her she’d been in shorts and a halter top. Her lush body had filled out both nicely and made his body harden. She’d quickly made an excuse to leave his mother’s house, but the view of her rounded backside kept him awake half the night and made him itch to get his hands on her.

  Five months and he wasn’t even close, but he wasn’t giving up. She’d be here just as the Invincibles were.

  Nettie and Betsy arrived first with indignant anger and a pan of fresh-baked cinnamon rolls and quiche. They were quickly joined by an outraged Ophelia with a platter of thick slices of honey-cured ham, smoked links, maple bacon, and pan sausages. Donna, minutes behind Ophelia, had a basket of fluffy brown biscuits, and her own harsh words for the burglars.

  All brought sympathy and encouragement. Ryan watched the Invincibles flutter around the large kitchen, consoling his mother and ordering her to eat. In the Southern tradition, food was a panacea for everything.

  Not for what he wanted, which was Traci Evans naked in bed.

  He was as surprised by the attraction as she seemed to be. The women he dated were slim, beautiful, and agreeable. Traci had lush breasts, a rounded bottom, and was pretty and mouthy. His lips curved. He’d like to teach her something else to do with those lips.

  “Ryan, you’re not eating.” Nettie, the eldest and self-appointed mother figure, frowned at his plate piled high with a bit of everything. “Don’t tell me you don’t eat quiche.”

  He forked in a bite of the ham and cheese quiche. If he had to put in extra time at the gym, it was worth it not to hurt any of their feelings. For the rest of the week he’d stick to a sensible low-fat, low-calorie breakfast. “This man does. This is delicious. Thanks for coming over this morning.”

  “Where else would we be?” Donna served everyone biscuits. “Maureen needed us.”

  Standing by the large slate island, Maureen set down her coffee cup. “I’m having the bedding cleaned, then donating everything to the Salvation Army. The cleaning company is coming by after nine.”

  “Have you called Willie yet?” Ophelia asked.

  Maureen nodded. “Shortly after eight this morning. She’s going to check and see if she can find the fabric to redo all the bedding and swags.”

  “She will.” Betsy nodded emphatically. “Willie is a gem when it comes to decorating. She certainly did wonders with Traci’s house.”

  “By the way, where is she?” Nettie asked, her brow furrowed. “She called us last night. I would have thought she would be the first one here this morning.”

  Maureen’s gaze flickered to her son. “She said she had a lot of work to do today.”

  Starting with evading me. Score another point for Traci. “Well, I’d better get to the office.” He came to his feet, then kissed each of the women’s offered cheeks. “Stay out of trouble, ladies.”

  “What would be the fun in that?” Ophelia asked, laughing boisterously.

  Ryan smiled and kissed his mother. “I’ll come by tonight.”

  “Maureen will be fine. We have the day all planned.” Nettie escorted him to the kitchen door. “We probably won’t be back until late afternoon, so don’t be alarmed if you can’t reach her. You have our cell numbers.”

  “One of those stops should be to replace Mother’s cell,” Ryan suggested.

  “It’s on the list. That was the second thing Traci said,” Donna told him.

  The first was probably to be there this morning to support his mother. Even if she did avoid him, she made sure Maureen was cared for. Waving good-bye to the women, Ryan closed the door, then followed the bricked path to the front of the house where his car was parked.

  Opening the door to the sports car, Ryan stared at Traci’s house. She was probably peeping through a window, waiting for him to leave. She definitely didn’t like the sensual awareness between them.

  Too bad. He wasn’t giving up. She was a challenge he couldn’t resist. Opening the door, he slid inside and started the motor. The car had barely straightened out on the palmetto-lined street when he looked into his rearview mirror and saw Traci, holding a covered dish, cutting across the adjoining yards. He slowed, then stopped.

  She stopped as well. He wondered what she’d do if he backed up. He glanced at the clock on the dash. Eight thirty-seven. His first patient was at nine and he was twenty minutes away from his office. He shifted the car into drive and pulled off.

  Someday, somehow he’d see that she didn’t get a chance to run from him or avoid him.

  Traci’s hands began to tremble when Ryan’s car stopped. She didn’t like it. She liked it even less that she wasn’t sure if the reason was because Ryan irritated her or excited her.

  She wasn’t sure she wanted to find out. That cowardice notion did irritate her. After Dante she’d promised herself that no man would ever make her feel helpless, insecure, or a coward again.

  Ryan, during the months that she had known him, had made her feel all three. But she had to admit not in the same way that Dante had done. She couldn’t tell how she recognized the difference. She just did.

  Even now, after he’d pulled off, her hands continued to tremble just the tiniest bit. She let out a pent-up breath. After a sleepless night, she was in no mood for a verbal battle with
Ryan.

  Maureen’s front door opened and all of the Sisterhood came out. “We were wondering where you were,” Nettie said.

  “There was no answer when we called, and we got worried,” Donna continued.

  “I’m fine. Sorry I’m late.” Traci lifted the dish in her hands. “Cheese grits.”

  “We have enough food for a dozen people.” Maureen studied her closely, no doubt not missing the dark circles beneath her eyes. “Did you sleep all right?”

  Traci shrugged. “Thinking about the new client. How is everyone this morning?”

  “Better than you and Maureen,” Betsy said. “Come on in here and get yourself a plate.”

  Traci was more than happy to obey. Not because she was hungry, but because the topic would shift from her to Maureen, the reason they were all there. In the kitchen, she placed the Crock-Pot on the granite counter and plugged it in. She turned and Nettie handed her a cup of coffee that she knew would have two teaspoons of sugar and a generous dollop of cream. Just the way she liked it.

  “Thanks.” She sipped. “Perfect.”

  Nettie smiled. She was happiest when she was mothering others. Her two daughters lived in Seattle with five children among them. Both were wives of busy executives. Nettie usually flew out to visit them every couple of months. They managed to talk almost daily. They had the strong bond that Traci would never have with her mother. Traci told herself she no longer cared. And on good days she actually believed the lie.

  “Here you are.” Maureen sat a plate of food by Traci’s elbow. “Anything we can help you with?”

  Traci’s hand, reaching for the quiche, stilled. Her head lifted. Despite all Maureen was going through, she wanted to help Traci. She was still getting used to that kind of selfless caring. “That’s what we should be asking you.”

  Maureen waved Traci’s words aside with her hand. Folding her arms, she leaned back against the island. Ophelia and Betsy, drinking their coffee, flanked her. “I’m over being mad and just thankful we cut the trip short. I’m very lucky.”