And Mistress Makes Three

by Francis Ray

  He recalled all too well standing before her, fully aroused, aching with desire. He’d walked away then; he wasn’t so sure he could again. Especially with her looking at him as if she wanted him. Turning back, he went to pick up his shoes again, then ran up the stairs as fast as his legs would carry him, because if he didn’t, he’d reach for her and this time he wouldn’t let her go.

  Alec undressed with jerky motions in his room and stepped under the jetted spray of the shower. No matter how hard he tried not to, thoughts of Celeste there with him in the darkened enclosure as they used their hands and mouths to learn each other’s bodies, listened for the sighs and moans of pleasure to learn what pleased the most, crept into his mind.

  He cut the shower short, unsure if he’d done so because he was afraid she might actually join him or afraid he wouldn’t be able to resist her if she did. Dressed, he went back downstairs to the kitchen.

  And found it empty. A loneliness he didn’t want to feel settled over him. He picked up the note by the flashlight on the island.

  The rain slacked off, so I’m leaving. Thanks for the shelter. The lights didn’t flicker once. Pity!

  Celeste

  He laughed, a rusty sound that ended in a groan. Her honesty made him rock hard. And it was only going to get worse.

  Talking to her mother on her cell phone, Celeste opened her back door to the ringing of her landline. “Hold on, Mama.” She picked up the extension in the kitchen. “Hello.”

  “I just wanted to make sure you reached home all right.”

  “I did. Thanks, Alec,” she said, although she wanted to tuck her head on remembering the note she’d left.

  “Your lights on?”

  Heat infused her body. “Yes.”

  “Good. Night.”

  “Good night, Alec.” Celeste slowly hung up the phone, then remembered her mother. “Mama, I’m home safe, so I’ll talk to you later.”

  “Who’s Alec?”

  Celeste shook her head. Her mother had the ears of a bat. “The brother-in-law of a client.”

  “Which one? Why is he calling you?”

  In her room, Celeste pulled off her knit top. She was in for it now. “You don’t know him. It stormed here, so he wanted to make sure I reached home all right.”

  “That was nice of him. Is he young? What does he do?” her mother asked.

  “Mama, he’s just a guy. I’d really like to get out of these wet clothes and take a bath.”

  “All right,” her mother said. “Don’t forget to take your vitamin C before you go to bed and drink honeyed green tea with lots of fresh lemons.”

  Celeste had to smile as she untied her shoes. Her mother fussed over all of them. “I won’t, Mama. Kiss Dad for me. I love you both.”

  “Then bring home a nice young man for Christmas.”

  Celeste hung her head. Her mother also had a one-track mind at times. Perhaps she should have let the call go to voice mail. “Mama, please.”

  “You’ll thank me one day. Good night, Celeste.”

  “Good night, Mama.”

  Finished undressing, Celeste headed for the bathroom. A picture of Alec, naked, muscular, and magnificent, flashed before her. If the lights had gone out would she have gone to him? She’d never know, and that annoyed the hell out of her.

  . . .

  Max enjoyed his time with Gina more and more. Her bright laughter and quick smile made his days brighter. She wasn’t afraid of work. She tried so hard to please everyone. And, at times, that annoyed him. She was so smart and so ready to help others.

  “I think we did a good job.” Hands on her hips, she stared down at the bricked area beneath their feet. When he didn’t answer she looked back over her shoulder at him.

  The evening sun slanting over the house caught the highlights in her reddish black hair, the brightness of her chocolate eyes, the softness of her red lips.

  “Max?” She frowned and turned fully toward him. “You all right?”

  He couldn’t help it. He touched his knuckled fingers to her cheek. Her skin was as soft and touchable as he’d imagined. Her eyes flew wide, but she didn’t step back. Good. “You always worry about other people. I wonder who worries about you.”

  She looked away, but not before he saw the stricken look on her face. His hands clenched.

  “We’ve made good progress the last three days with Aunt Sophia’s retreat,” he said, wanting to restore their earlier camaraderie. “We should be finished by Friday night. What do you say we treat ourselves and go to a movie?”

  Her head lifted. Surprised delight stared back at him. “You want to take me to a movie?”

  “Yes.” He took a chance and laced her fingers with his so there would be no misunderstanding. She wore the gloves he’d insisted on as they laid the brick, but he felt her tremble, saw the lips he thought of more and more do the same. He wanted to press his own mouth there. It amazed him how much.

  She swallowed, looked down, then up over his shoulder before meeting his gaze. “I’d like that very much.”

  Resisting the growing temptation to kiss her, he squeezed her hand. “You pick out what to see. We’ll check the schedule before you leave today, and go from there.”

  “I’d like that.” She pulled her hand free and took off her gloves. “Ashton’s practice should be almost over and I have to pick him up and then Gabrielle.”

  “We all keep you pretty busy.” He reached for her gloves, then went up the back steps to open the screen door.

  “I like being busy.” Inside, she washed her hands over the sink and dried them with a paper towel. “I’d take this over the day before I met you any day.”

  He stuck his hands under the water she’d left running. “Your Web site still bringing in prospective clients?”

  “Clients,” she emphasized the word. “Ashton was so excited that a couple wanting to come for the Christmas holidays loved his idea of a travel package for their twin boys his age.”

  The pride and satisfaction looked good on her. She’d come a long way since they’d met. He picked up the ice chest. “If things get too hectic, just say so.”

  Opening the refrigerator, she took out two plastic containers and placed them in the chest he held open. “I like the way things are now. I just wish I had more time to—” She stopped, tucked her head, and dove back into the refrigerator for the third and last container.

  “To what?” he prompted when she put the ice chest lid down without elaborating. “Gina, if I’m taking too much of your time, all you have to do is say so.”

  Shoving his hand away, she took the handle. “It’s not that.”

  He planted his body directly in front of hers. “Then tell me. It obviously has something to do with time, and I consume a lot of it.”

  “Max—”

  “Tell me.”

  “Exercise,” she blurted. She stepped around him and quickly went out the back door.

  “Well, you’ve done it now,” Sophia said from the doorway.

  “Damn.” He rushed out after Gina, barely catching her, and only then because she was too polite to ignore his frantic calls for her to wait. He raced to the driver’s side. She stared straight ahead. He hoped the blinking of her eyes and clenching of the steering wheel didn’t mean she was about to cry.

  Crap. Any male with common sense knew women were sensitive about their weight. To him, she looked good the way she was.

  She swallowed. Swallowed again.

  “I’m sorry, Gina. I just wanted to make sure you weren’t neglecting yourself.” He rubbed his hand over his face. “You take care of everyone before you take care of yourself. You showed that at the brunch for the Invincibles, by helping me, by being there for your children. I just wanted to make sure you had time for yourself. Please don’t leave angry.”

  Her head leaned forward until it rested on the steering wheel. Max opened the door, taking her arms and gently turning her toward him. “Please, Gina, look at me.”

  Slowly her head lif
ted. The tears and ravaged eyes weren’t there. “I’ve never met a man like you.”

  His hand tenderly cupped her face. “I guess you bring out the best in me.”

  She clasped her hands in her lap. “Robert gave me a stationary bicycle two years ago. I’ve only been on it once. Guess I should have taken the hint.”

  “I run five miles every morning, but it’s something I’ve gotten used to. Aunt Sophia prefers to do calisthenics,” he said. “What do you want to do?”

  She shrugged. “Something. Anything.”

  “I’ve an idea. Why don’t I check the bike out when I come over Friday to pick you up? Maybe I can devise a way to put a laptop on it so you can work and exercise at the same time.”

  “That would mean we’re still on for Friday night?” she asked cautiously.

  “Yes, it would,” he told her, hoping he hadn’t ruined things.

  “I’ll think about it. I have to go.” She started the motor.

  He wanted to argue but stood instead. “If I didn’t think you’d be late, I wouldn’t let you go until it was settled and Friday night still on.”

  She jerked her head back around and stared at him a long time. “It’s important to you?”

  “Extremely. I’d very much like to take you out.”

  “In that case, we’re back on.” Closing her door, she backed out of the driveway.

  Max shot his fist into the air. “You won’t be sorry!” he yelled, grinning for all he was worth.

  SIXTEEN

  Gina pulled into Maureen’s driveway with a flourish. Brakes squeaked as she came to a stop. Opening the door, she reminded herself to have them checked first thing in the morning. “I won’t be but a moment.”

  “Why are you stopping here?” Ashton asked from the backseat.

  “I’m expecting a phone call,” Gabrielle said.

  “I won’t be long,” Gina told them, and stood.

  “I’m hungry,” Ashton told her.

  “Me, too.”

  Gina almost relented and got back in the car. No. This was for her. “Your dinner is in the cooler in the trunk. All I have to do is warm it up in the microwave.” With that, she went to the door and rang the bell. She threw an anxious glance over her shoulder. The car trunk was up. She could see the top of Gabrielle’s head, and since she couldn’t see Ashton in the backseat, she surmised he was with her.

  They weren’t going to be happy to see the veal cutlets, but Gina hoped the peach cobbler would help. She turned back around, debating whether she should go around the back. She’d called Celeste as soon as she’d left Max and said she had something important to tell her and was coming by.

  Gina was about to go back to the car for her cell phone when the door opened. Her mouth opened, but nothing came out.

  “Can I help you?”

  Her mouth snapped shut. It wasn’t every day you saw a man so well built with unsmiling eyes. “Hello. I’m Gina Rawlings. I’m here to see Celeste.”

  He stepped back. “Please come in. I’m Alec Dunlap. She’s probably upstairs. Third door on the right.”

  “Thank you, Alec.”

  With the barest nod, he continued toward the kitchen. Gina stared after him for a moment, then hit the stairs. “Celeste.”

  “Gina.” Celeste appeared on the landing, meeting her midway. “What has you so excited?”

  “Max asked me out to a movie Friday night,” she said.

  Celeste squealed. Gina joined her, both women jumping up and down.

  “What is going on?” Alec asked, one stocking foot planted on the bottom step.

  “Girl talk, Alec,” Celeste said, still grinning.

  “Might have known it,” he said, and went back toward the kitchen.

  Celeste longingly followed each step until he disappeared.

  “He’s still being difficult?” Gina asked.

  “Impossible.” Celeste sat on the landing, pulling Gina down with her. “He hasn’t said more than five words to me since he called to check on me the night of the storm. Wish I could say the same for Mama. She’s called every day, asking about Alec.”

  Alec came back into view with a bottle of water in his hand. He never looked up.

  Celeste’s lips tightened. “He’s just being stubborn.” She firmly turned to Gina. “I want to hear all the details.”

  Gina, aware of two impatient children, told her, “It’s not a real date or anything.”

  “Sounds like a date to me.” Celeste grinned. “I’ll drop by after work Friday and check on Ashton and Gabrielle, so you can just concentrate on having fun.”

  “I’m not sure I know how to do that or how to act.” Gina came to her feet.

  “I’ll call you tonight and give you some pointers.” Hooking her arm through Gina’s, Celeste started down the stairs. “One of us might as well use my expertise.”

  Gina stopped at the front door. “You wouldn’t let me give up. I won’t let you.”

  “Who said I’m giving up?’ Celeste opened the door. “I’m just strategizing. Good-bye.”

  “Good-bye.” Gina rushed back to the car. Opening the door, she caught the unmistakable whiff of peach cobbler. Gabrielle had a book in front of her face, a dead giveaway. Ashton was quiet and bent over his drawing pad. “Is there any peach cobbler left?”

  Gabrielle’s book came down, Ashton’s head came up. They started talking at once. Each blamed hunger. “Well, since you’re both so hungry, I’m sure you’ll eat your brussels sprouts, unlike the last time.”

  Grinning, then laughing at their groans, Gina pulled out of the driveway. Life was becoming fun again.

  “You can’t go out with him. What will Daddy think?” Gabrielle asked from beside Gina in the den. Several feet away, Ashton was stretched out in front of the television watching a Disney movie.

  Gina looked at her daughter’s angry face and wanted to put her head down and bawl. Why couldn’t she make Gabrielle understand that what ever she and her father had shared was over, that as strange as it might seem, she wanted to go out and have fun?

  “Gabrielle, your father has no say in what I do,” Gina said. Wasn’t it bad enough that she hadn’t even lost an ounce, was worried about how she looked, if she had put too much into tonight with Max?

  Her face mutinous, Gabrielle folded her arms. “He should. Max shouldn’t be coming here.”

  “I like Max,” Ashton said from his perch in front of the television.

  His sister glared at him. “You’re too young to understand, so be quiet.”

  “You can’t make me.”

  Gabrielle turned on him and smiled coldly. “Wanna bet? Mama is leaving me in charge.”

  Her son’s worried gaze flew to his mother. “Are you, Mama?”

  Thank goodness for Celeste. “Not for long. Celeste is coming over.”

  Ashton stuck out his tongue.

  Gabrielle followed suit.

  The doorbell rang. Gina hurried to answer. She loved her children, but at the moment she wanted to be with an adult. She opened the door.

  “Hello, Gina.”

  “Hello, Max.” And Max was the adult she wanted to be with. The man looked positively mouthwatering. “Come on in and have a seat. I’ll get my purse.”

  “You look very nice.”

  “Thank you.” She closed the door. So he hadn’t called her pretty; she’d get over it. In the den, she glanced around for Gabrielle.

  “Hi, Ashton.”

  Ashton got up and ran to Max. “Hi, Max. Mama said you’re taking her to a movie.”

  “That’s right.” Max squatted down to eye level. “I’ll take good care of your mother.”

  “I know, but Gab—”

  “Ashton,” Gina cut in. They were going to need another talk about repeating conversations. “Where is your sister?”

  Ashton shrugged. “I dunno.”

  “Max, I’ll just go tell Gabrielle we’re leaving,” Gina said.

  “Take your time.” Max took a seat on the sofa. “How w
as practice this week?”

  “Great. We play another hard team tomorrow,” Ashton said. “My daddy is coming to watch me play.”

  “You must be excited,” Max said.

  Ashton nodded. “This time he promised.”

  Gina didn’t want to hear any more. She went upstairs to Gabrielle’s room. The door was closed. Gina knocked softly. “Gabrielle. Max is here. Gabrielle, you have to come downstairs.”

  The door opened. Gabrielle leaned weakly against the door. “I don’t feel so good.”

  All irritation left Gina. Shortly after Robert left, Gabrielle began having headaches. The doctor said they were due to stress and prescribed over-the-counter medication. Gradually they had tapered off. The last one was more than a month ago. Gina felt her daughter’s forehead. Cool. “You were fine a minute ago.”

  “I’m sick now.” Irritation in her voice, she wrapped her arms around her waist. “You can still go on your date. I’ll go watch Ashton.” She started past her mother, her steps slow, her head bent.

  “No.” Gina caught her arm. “You go to bed. I’ll get your medicine.”

  “I can’t watch Ashton in bed.”

  “I’m not going.” Gina helped Gabrielle back into her room. Setting her on her bed, Gina got Gabrielle’s pajamas. “Can you get undressed by yourself?”

  Something flickered in her eyes; then she tucked her head. “Yes, ma’am.”

  “I’ll be back.” Gina went down the stairs. She heard Max’s and Ashton’s laughter before she entered the room. “Max.”

  His head came up. He stood. “Is everything all right?”

  “Gabrielle has a headache. I won’t be able to go.” She twisted her hands. “I’m sorry.”

  He crossed to her. “So am I. Can I do anything to help?”

  Somehow she smiled when she wanted to cry. “No, thank you.”

  Tenderly he brushed his hand down her arm. “I’ll see myself out; good night.”

  “Good night,” Gina croaked as she watched Max leave.

  “You look sad, Mama,” Ashton said.