by Mary Abshire
“I think we should focus on our priorities, such as finding a place to stay,” she said, trying to ignore the warmth spreading through her from his heated gaze.
“Right.” A few seconds passed and then he snapped his fingers. “I saw a couple of signs in the demon’s neighborhood. I think one of the houses was for lease.”
Emily recalled driving by a few homes that had signs too, but she hadn’t looked closely at them. She’d assumed the houses were for sale. “We could go back and see.” She checked her rearview mirror before she flipped on her turn signal to switch lanes.
“We should at least check them out. If we can live in the same neighborhood as the demon, it would help us monitor her better.”
“Renting a house could be expensive.” She rounded a corner to head back toward the demon’s neighborhood.
“Use my money. If I need to get more, take me to a casino.”
“You know, that may not always work. Luck runs out eventually.”
“Until it does, I should keep playing.”
She couldn’t argue with him. Why not take him and see if he could win more money since it only cost her a few bucks? They hadn’t used much of his winnings so far, but the funds would come in handy for rent or paying Troy to help him. The well would dry up soon enough and would need replenishing. She hoped his luck wouldn’t run out, but feared it might at some point.
“Let’s find a place to rent first,” she said.
Navigating back to the demon’s area took time since traffic had increased. She turned into the neighborhood and the fourth house on the left had a sign in the front yard. The ranch home had red brick on the outside, a window on the right, and a two-car garage. The large front yard had a few dandelions, but it looked as manicured as the other lawns.
“It says for lease,” Andrew said as she approached the property at slow speed.
She turned into the driveway. “Get a flyer from the box.”
Andrew left the vehicle, leaving the door wide open. She watched him snatch a paper from the box under the sign. He held it in front of him as if he were reading the document as he walked back to the Jeep.
She took the flyer from him as he settled into his seat. According to the advertisement, the home had three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and was move-in ready. The big house would suffice since they only needed to stay for a month or so.
Andrew leaned over the seat divider. “I think you should call.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to?”
He had a blank expression on his face as though he didn’t know what to say. Telling stories could slip from his tongue with ease, but having to deal with other matters sometimes stunned him. She almost laughed at his typical male response.
“Relax, I’ll handle this,” she said as she reached for her cell.
Emily dialed the number listed on the advertisement. The property had a selling price of one hundred and thirty thousand dollars. She hoped rent wouldn’t be more than fifteen hundred per month, and even that seemed high. Holding the phone to her ear, she waited for the voicemail to play since she doubted the realtor would answer before eight in the morning. Finally, a message began playing. She waited for it to finish.
“My name is Carrie Reynolds and I’m interested in leasing the property at 2216 Mulberry Lane. I’d like to set up a time to look at the house this afternoon. I need a place to rent immediately. Please call me at your earliest convenience.” She left her telephone number before she ended the call.
Andrew strapped the seatbelt on. “Let’s go back to the hotel. While we wait, I need to work on my résumé.”
“I can help you with that,” she said as she handed the flyer to him.
He set it on top of his employment application on the dashboard. “I was hoping you’d say that. It’s been a long time since I last applied for a job.”
“A résumé is easy to create. And I promise I won’t put pimp as prior work experience.”
“That’s good since I’m pretty sure that would not get me hired by any hospital.”
“We also need to work on our cover stories. Now that we’re looking for a place to stay, we need to be prepared for questions.”
“Work on my résumé and I’ll figure out the rest.”
“Deal,” she said before she returned her phone into the slot on the dashboard.
Drafting Andrew’s document would be ten times easier than creating a fictional story to provide to people. Since he’d drafted his own plan to get near the demon, he was better suited for creating roles for them to portray. She only hoped her new one wouldn’t be something as crazy as a prostitute.
Chapter Three
Andrew stared out the window as Emily drove back to the hotel. The shopping centers were a blur as they passed by. His thoughts were swamped with ideas. He’d crafted several stories to explain their arrival in the city, their past, and their future plans. But only one intrigued him the most.
“You haven’t said a word since we left the house,” Emily said.
He filled his lungs and turned to face her. “I have an idea, but I’m not sure you’ll like it.”
“Let me be the judge of that.”
“Carrie and Spencer are married. We moved here to get closer to your parents. We’ve been married for almost two years and we’re looking to settle down to start a family.”
He paused for her to say something. Her expression hadn’t changed and her attention remained on driving. He decided to continue.
“Carrie is self-employed. She works from home on her laptop. Spencer got laid off from the hospital he worked at. That’s another reason why we moved to Springfield.”
“What’s my profession?” she asked.
The question surprised him. He’d thought her first comment would be about them having to play a married couple.
“Isn’t there some type of technical job you can do from your computer?” Since he hadn’t been around during the last twenty-seven years, he wasn’t sure what kind of jobs people could do from their homes.
“I could be a web designer,” she said.
“I’m not sure what that is, but if it’s something you can explain easily, then run with it.”
“What hospital were you laid off from?”
“We can say Cook County if it matters.”
“It will on your application and résumé.”
“Good point. Our story should match what I put on paper.”
She glimpsed away from the road to him. “So we’re married, huh?”
He swallowed hard, fearing she was preparing to tear down his idea. “Is that okay? I think it would be more believable than saying we’re siblings looking to share a house. If we tell people that, they’ll ask us more questions and we’ll have to come up with more lies.”
“Are you hungry?” she asked.
His brows came together. The question seemed odd since they were in the middle of a different conversation. “Sure, I could eat.”
“I’m starving and there’s a Steak ‘n Shake up ahead. I say we eat there.”
“It’s fine with me.”
He found it strange she hadn’t asked many questions or provided comments about his idea. He wondered if she was thinking about it and trying to find loopholes. She had great attention to detail. If there were flaws, she’d find them. And if there were other options, she’d look for them.
Emily turned into the restaurant parking lot. Through the windows, most of the tables appeared vacant. Several vehicles waited in line for take-out. Emily claimed a spot away from the building.
“Let’s talk and eat,” she said as she reached behind his seat for her purse.
Andrew met her near the back of the car before they strode toward the building. His anxiety increased. He suspected she was going to shoot down his idea since she’d mentioned talking. Reaching the entrance fist, he opened the door for her. He followed her inside.
A hostess with dark-brown hair greeted them with a smile. She wore black pants and a white
shirt. Other waitresses had similar attire.
“Two please,” Emily said.
“Would you like a booth or table?” the hostess asked.
“Booth please,” Emily said.
The hostess gathered menus from the nearby table. “Follow me.”
Meat sizzled from the kitchen as she led them past it and to the back. An older couple sat at booth and a family with two small children sat at a table. The hostess stopped at the last booth and set the menus on the table.
“Thanks,” Emily said as she scooted into the cushioned seat.
Andrew sat across from her.
“Can I get any drinks for you?” the hostess asked.
“Coffee, please.” Emily looked at Andrew.
“The same.”
“Coming up,” the hostess said before she left.
Emily turned the page in the menu. Her focus seemed to be more on eating than discussing their plans. The silence lingered between them. He bobbled his leg under the table while he perused the selection of food items.
A waitress with lighter-colored hair appeared with cups and a coffee pot in her hands. She set the white cups on the table. “Have you decided what you would like?” she asked while she poured the coffee.
Emily closed her menu before handing it to the waitress. “I’ll have the home-style breakfast please. Scrambled eggs and a biscuit.”
“Good choice.” She turned to Andrew. “And for you sir?”
“Pancakes and flat eggs please.”
“Can I get either of you two anything else?” she asked while she gathered the menus.
Emily shook her head as she looked at Andrew. “We’re fine for now,” he said.
“I’ll get your orders started,” the waitress said before she walked away.
Emily took cream and a packet of sweetener from the containers on the side of the table. She tore each one open and then poured them into her coffee. Her lack of commentary had bothered him enough so much that both his knees were bobbing.
“I’m guessing you don’t like my plan,” he said.
She stirred the coffee and the spoon clanked against the cup. “Where did we meet, Spencer?”
His mouth hung open. Once again, she’d surprised him. “Uh, college?”
“Class or party?” She set the spoon down and then took a sip of java.
He inhaled a deep breath. “Party at dorm. We talked. We danced. You gave me your number. I gave you a kiss. We started dating after that.”
“Which college?”
“Loyola University.”
“What did we do after college?” she asked before she took another drink.
Her calmness impressed him. It was as if she supported the fictional tale, but wanted all the details to be in the right place. He’d gladly give them to her.
“We lived together in an apartment. The rent was expensive. We were barely making ends meet. You worked at a tech job and I was a nurse. After a few years of being madly in love, I asked you to marry me. We had a nice wedding,” he said.
One of her brows arched. “Madly in love?”
“Absolutely,” he said with a slight grin as he stared into her blue eyes. His cock slowly awakened.
Her lips twitched as if she were fighting a smile. “So we’ve been married a few years?”
“Yes, and the sex is spectacular. You can’t get enough.”
She shook her head and rolled her eyes. “Why did we move?”
“We were scraping by. You hated your job and decided you could make more on your own. Then I got laid off due to cut-backs at the hospital. Since you wanted to be closer to your parents and living in Missouri is cheaper than Chicago, we decided to move here.”
She tapped her fingers on the table. “It’s good. Very believable.”
“It will look better if we act the part, of course.” He had to mention it even though he suspected she’d refuse.
“No one will see what happens behind closed doors. Wherever we live, we sleep in separate rooms.”
“Can we at least hold hands?”
“No.”
“Please?”
“No,” she said with more emphasis behind it.
“But it would give the appearance we’re a couple. It’s just a small gesture,” he argued.
“Fine,” she said flatly. “But only if other people are around.”
He mentally patted himself on the back for his small victory. “We’ll need to get rings.”
“What?”
He lifted his left hand and rubbed his thumb on the underside of his ring finger. “We need bands.”
“Seriously?”
“Can’t we find some cheap ones at a pawnshop?”
She dug into her purse. Seconds later, she set her phone on the table. “I can’t believe I’m agreeing to be your wife.”
“Hey now, I’m a very loving husband. I fulfill your needs time and time again.”
A chuckle slipped out of her while she stared at the cell screen. “You seem so sure.”
“Do you think I can’t?” His erection grew. He was more than ready to show her how much he could please her.
“Well, that’s debatable.” She grinned. “There’s a couple pawnshops around here we can check after we eat. Not all are open early, but one is. We can see what they have there.”
She’d tried to change the subject, but he wouldn’t let her. He leaned back against the cushioned booth and spread his legs so his jeans wouldn’t feel as restrictive. “I’m more than happy to prove I can fill your needs, sweet wife of mine.”
She lifted her gaze. “Oh yeah? Are you going to give me multiple orgasms and make me scream while you pound into me?”
His dick stiffened from the image she’d given him. He’d love to make her come over and over again. His ears would enjoy hearing her cries of pleasure. And he’d greatly enjoy thrusting deep inside her.
“I—”
“Ready to eat?” The waitress cut him off. She arrived carrying a large tray of plates. She set each one on table.
Andrew brought his cup of coffee to his lips. He hadn’t sweetened it or added cream, but he didn’t care. He needed some kind of distraction from his raging hard-on.
“Can I get you anything else?” the waitress asked after she set the bottle of syrup between their plates.
“I think we’re good,” Emily said.
Andrew swallowed and nodded as he set his drink down.
“I’ll be back to check on you in a few,” the waitress said before she left.
Grinning, Emily said, “Perfect timing, huh?”
The woman was driving his hormones mad. She had to know it. His multiple showers during the day were clear signs. He really needed a cold one now.
Saying nothing, he removed his utensils from the napkin. Emily had already found her fork and had begun eating. For several minutes, they focused on devouring their meals. The waitress returned and topped off their cups with more java. She left a bill on the table too.
“In all fairness, I think you have a good plan,” Emily said as she took a bite of her biscuit.
He paused from eating his pancake.
“It’s the best one to go with our names,” she mumbled slightly as she continued. “I can agree to being your wife, temporarily.”
Happiness began to swell inside him. “I promise to love, honor, and obey you.”
“Yeah, we’ll see,” she said before she drank more coffee.
He stuffed a large piece of the syrupy cake into his mouth. He tried to suppress his smile while he chewed, but his efforts failed him. His feelings for her ran past his desire to please her. He wanted to make her happy. Her joy brought him more. If only she knew how much he cared about her. Maybe he’d get a chance to finally show her.
After they finished their meals, he paid for the bill at the counter. His bloated belly indicated he needed a good jog, but he doubted he’d be able to fit one in. They still had to get rings, contact Troy, work on his résumé, and maybe meet the realtor l
ater. Exercising would have to take a rain check.
On the way to the Jeep, Emily’s cell rang. The tone wasn’t the usual one. Troy knew her number to the prepaid cell, but nobody else did. She lifted the phone to her ear.
“Hello?” Emily paused at the car and looked at Andrew. “That’s me. I’m interested in looking at the property on Mulberry.”
Andrew stopped in front of her and slid his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. The breeze picked up and tossed strands of her hair across her face. She turned into the wind.
“Yes, my husband and I can meet you at one. Thank you for calling me back so soon,” Emily said.
Andrew stepped around the car. Emily followed. Reaching the driver’s side, he gripped the handle of her door and waited for her to unlock it.
“I’m so sorry,” Emily said into the phone. “Okay, thank you again. Bye.” She dropped the cell into her bag and then dug her keys out.
“What did she say?” Andrew asked as she unlocked the Jeep. He tugged on the handle to the door for her.
“She’s had that property listed for over a week and we were the first ones to call. She was so excited she couldn’t wait to call us from her office. The woman seemed a bit chatty.” Emily settled behind the steering wheel.
Andrew shut her door and then walked around to the passenger side. A jog was definitely out of the question in the immediate future. Maybe he could run later in the evening.
He climbed into the passenger seat. “She’s a realtor. Aren’t they all chatty?”
Emily started the engine. “Yeah, it seems like it. I guess it’s a good thing we have our cover story in place.”
“Once we get the rings, our cover will be official. I doubt people will go looking for marriage license, so we should be fine without a fake one.”
“They don’t go looking unless they’re people like us. Let’s hope nobody is.”
He nodded in agreement. Hopefully they wouldn’t need one. If he had to ask Troy to make one up, Troy might decide not to help him with his employment history. The less Troy knew about their situation, the better.
