by Julie Cannon
Callie tried to remind herself that everything was different now. She had clearly stipulated that this marriage was in name only and Dillon would have to fulfill her lust somewhere else.
But that thought troubled Callie. How long would a woman like Dillon go without sex with her before she decided to venture out? Dillon was a sexy, sensual woman that other women found desirable, and she would have no trouble finding someone, or multiple someones, to ease her ache. She and Dillon hadn’t promised to remain faithful during their chaste marriage, however long it might last. Suddenly the thought of Dillon touching another woman, or worse yet, another woman touching her, made Callie jealous.
Dillon’s heart was racing and her pulse was pounding so hard she thought it must be echoing off the garage walls. Callie felt so good in her arms. When Callie stumbled, her body was stiff, as if she was anticipating a fall. Then she relaxed, molding into Dillon with a familiarity due to hours of lovemaking.
Dillon wanted to kiss her, needed to kiss her. She could practically taste the sweetness of the lips that were so near. Callie’s lips moved even closer and she didn’t know whether it was Callie or her that was moving, but she didn’t care. In another second she would be kissing her. It wouldn’t be a chaste, pretend kiss but a kiss fueled by passion and desire, and that was all that mattered.
At the first touch of their lips Callie thought she might faint. Dillon’s kisses were exquisite, and sometimes she was able to come just from them alone. Dillon was tentative yet possessive. She nibbled at the edges of Callie’s mouth, her tongue dancing on her lips as if waiting for her to invite her in. It didn’t take long before she did. As Dillon’s tongue filled her mouth, Callie turned and pressed her body completely against Dillon’s unyielding form. Dillon’s arms circled her waist and Callie wrapped her arms around Dillon’s neck, completely forgetting what she was doing or why she shouldn’t be doing it.
It could have been hours or it could have been minutes before Callie lifted her head, gasping for breath. They were both panting heavily, and Callie enjoyed watching the quick rise and fall of Dillon’s chest. Dillon’s nipples hardened, and a tight fist of anticipation knotted the pit of Callie’s stomach.
“I want you, Callie. I need you,” Dillon said, barely able to speak because her passion almost choked her. She ached for Callie. Not just her touch, but because she longed so desperately to have her back again, in her life, with her. What she felt for Callie was more than lust. She loved her and wanted the good days and the bad, the joy and the sorrow, the passionate nights and the nights of simply holding each other while they slept. Her life was nothing without Callie.
The ringing of Callie’s cell phone startled Dillon. The shrill sound continued for a few seconds before she even realized what it was. “Don’t answer it,” Dillon practically begged, but the moment was gone. The tension in Callie’s body told her that as quickly as it was upon them it had passed, leaving a trail of white-hot embers. Reluctantly, Dillon released her. Callie stepped away at the same time, clutching the phone.
Chapter Twenty-One
“Are you nuts?” Greg looked at Dillon as if she had lost her mind.
“No, Greg, I’m not. I’ve already spoken to the mayor and it’s a done deal. She plans to announce it this afternoon.” Dillon shuffled some papers on her desk, finally locating what she was looking for.
“Dillon, the land alone is worth millions, not to mention how much money you would make once it’s developed.”
Greg wasn’t telling her something she didn’t already know. If anything, he was underestimating the value of the parcel of land near the central corridor of town.
The scene in the garage with Callie a week ago haunted Dillon, and they had gingerly sidestepped each other ever since. Callie seemed afraid to be alone with her for too long. Dillon herself struggled to keep her emotions in check and more times than not spent the night lying awake in her bed.
Driving to work the morning after the garage incident, she crystallized the thoughts that had been bouncing around in her head. What good was all of her wealth if she didn’t have Callie to share it with? She didn’t need another skyscraper with her name on the cornerstone, or another shopping center on her résumé. Her skills and talent had gotten her everything she ever dreamed of, and greed had cost her the only thing that mattered. She couldn’t change the past, but she could change her behavior going forward.
“Greg, it’s a done deal,” she replied, effectively shutting off any further conversation. Dillon wouldn’t change her mind. If anything, this was only the beginning.
*
“Callie, turn on the TV. Channel 15, hurry, you’ll miss it.”
“Good grief, Audrey, what’s going on?” Callie asked, searching for the remote. After finding it under the pillow on the couch, she hit the power button. The face of Mayor Roberta James in front of a microphone materialized an instant before the sound hit her ears.
“And I’m pleased to announce that Dillon Matthews has donated the land that the city so desperately needs for the new public library.” The mayor was practically beaming. Behind her was the drawing of the library that had been featured in the paper a few weeks ago. “As you know, for the past few years we have been searching for the right property at a price the taxpayers could afford, and we had been unsuccessful until Dillon Matthews called my office last week.”
Callie sat on the couch and turned up the volume. She couldn’t hear the questions from the reporter, but the mayor’s voice was clear as she patiently answered each one.
“No, there are no strings attached other than the land must be used for the library and a small park. I can’t speak to Ms. Matthews’s motives other than to say that this donation is very generous. She specifically told me that she did not want to be here this afternoon because this is not about her. It’s about the city getting what it very much needs. No, we had not been in negotiations with Ms. Matthews prior to this. This parcel of land was far too expensive for the city budget. The county has appraised it at eight point five million dollars.”
Callie didn’t hear any more answers, Audrey’s voice coming from the phone receiver reminding her that she was still clutching it. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”
“I asked if you knew she was going to do this.” Audrey was a reporter for the local newspaper and hated being scooped.
“No, I didn’t.” Callie didn’t add that Dillon no longer discussed her business with her. Callie was glad Audrey couldn’t see her humiliation at not knowing what Dillon had done.
“Wow, what a tax write-off. Eight point five million dollars. And she just gave it to them?”
Callie was still processing the information. She knew how much every piece of property meant to Dillon, and if this report was true, she was stunned. Especially if she gave it with no strings. She had expected Dillon to insist on having her name on the building, at least.
*
“The mayor has invited us to a reception she’s throwing for the dedication of the new art museum.”
Dillon’s statement puzzled Callie. It was after ten and Dillon had come home from the office at this same time for the past few days. She had hardly said more than three things to her since their kiss a week ago. Callie had to find out about a huge land deal on the news and now Dillon expected her to be elbow candy for some politico? Callie didn’t know whether to be hurt or insulted. She wanted to choose the latter, but she really wasn’t in charge of her emotions anymore.
“I’ll bet she does.” Callie hoped she sounded as sarcastic as she felt.
“I take it you know about the library land?”
“Yes, and I had to find out when Audrey called me and told me to turn on the TV. Do you know how that made me feel, I mean how that made me look?” She quickly corrected herself. She was hurt that Dillon hadn’t shared the news with her, but she didn’t want her to know that fact. “I’m your wife, Dillon, I should have known.”
Dillon understood why Callie was so upset. Even t
hough it was Callie’s idea to be her wife in name only, anyone else’s spouse would have known. She hadn’t thought of that point. Her plan to show Callie that she meant more to her than a piece of land had backfired.
“You’re right, I should have told you. I’m sorry. I didn’t intend to embarrass you.”
“What did you intend?”
Dillon debated whether to tell Callie. She probably wouldn’t believe her even if she did. It was too soon. “Call it a moment of civic duty.”
Callie looked at her as if trying to detect any trace of deceit, but she wouldn’t find any.
*
Callie learned of several more “moments of civic duty” over the next few weeks. Dillon had left the contents of her briefcase strewn across the couch one evening, and when Callie bent to pick up several papers that had fallen onto the floor, she couldn’t help but glance at the top sheet. She recognized the logo of the snack shop next to the florist shop and skimmed the contents. The owner was thanking Dillon for renegotiating their contract and reducing their rent substantially. Reducing their rent? Callie laid the papers on the table, not sure if she should feel guilty for snooping or glad she did.
One afternoon Dillon called the florist shop and told her that she had just sold a parcel of land at a reduced rate to a large philanthropic organization that provided affordable housing to low-income families. She said that she wanted Callie to know because the group would be issuing a press release the next day.
The phone was ringing when Callie stepped inside the house, balancing a bag of groceries in one arm and her gym bag in the other.
“Hello?”
“Callie, it’s Bill,” the familiar voice said.
She dropped her bag on the floor and set the groceries on the counter. Wedging the phone between her ear and shoulder, she used both hands to unpack the perishables. “Bill, hello. How are you? How’s Phyllis?”
“I’m fine, Phyl is fine. How are you? Is this a good time?”
Callie put the ice cream in the freezer and the milk, eggs, and cottage cheese in the refrigerator. “It is now. What’s up?”
“Is Dillon there? Oh, my, that was rude. Sorry. As much as I’d love to chat with you, I called to talk to your mysterious wife.”
“Mysterious?” Callie was intrigued by the description.
“Yes, it’s a mystery as to why she hasn’t signed the final escrow paper. Without it, the sale can’t close. As hot as she was for that piece of land, I would have expected her to move heaven and earth to close escrow. It’s just been sitting there ready for the past few weeks. The property isn’t officially hers until escrow closes. I’m just checking to see if there’s a problem. I understand the parcel-number problem has been resolved, so she just needs to sign the revised filing.”
Dillon had put a hold on the closing? Callie suddenly realized she hadn’t heard anything more about Gateway for several months. Dillon had been hot to get moving on the project, and she made a mental note to ask her about it when she got home.
“I’m sorry, Bill, I haven’t a clue, and she had to go out of town for a few days.” Callie left out the part that she didn’t know exactly when Dillon would be home. Dillon had called earlier in the day but told her only that there was a problem with the zoning commission in St. Louis and she was on her way to the airport. “I’ll tell her you called when I talk to her.”
“Thanks, I appreciate it. Sorry, Callie, but I’ve gotta run. I’m meeting Phyllis for dinner in twenty minutes. I just thought I’d try to catch Dillon at home.”
“Tell Phyllis we said hello and have her call me. It’s our turn to host, maybe next weekend?”
“Sounds good. I’ll give Phyl your message.”
Callie set the receiver back into the charger but didn’t let go. She stood that way for several minutes pondering Bill’s call. She hadn’t signed the final papers? What was the problem? What did that mean?
Her questions went unanswered for the remainder of the evening, and it wasn’t until after nine when she realized stupidly that she had been waiting to hear the sound of the garage door opening.
Her heart raced as it did lately every time she was about to see Dillon. It didn’t matter if she was coming home from the office or walking into the kitchen in the middle of the weekend. More than a pitter-patter was going on in her chest. Callie was feeling the same way about Dillon as she did before her deception was exposed. She anxiously waited for Dillon every night. Hoped that it was her every time the phone rang. Wondered what she was doing in her room down the hall.
Chapter Twenty-Two
“Don’t do this, Callie.”
“Michael, I know what I’m doing.”
“So do I, and I’m telling you to stop. How long have you known?”
Callie sighed, suddenly very tired. She had come to see Michael for her weekly visit and one thing led to another, and before she knew it she had told him everything. He was furious at Dillon for her deception and more so at Callie for going along with it. “It doesn’t matter.”
“Yes, it does.”
The guard stared at Michael, who had raised his voice.
“No, it doesn’t, Michael. What matters is that your new trial starts next week. You need to stay focused on getting out of here. I’m fine, and this is nothing if it gets you out.”
Her brother looked better than he had the last time she had come to visit him, but his face still showed signs of anxiety. He had told her not to get her hopes up on the outcome of his new trial, but Callie couldn’t be anything but optimistic.
“I spoke to Dillon a while back.” Callie raised her head instantly at the mention of Dillon’s name. “I called her. I wanted to thank her for everything she was doing for me.”
“What did she say?” Dillon hadn’t told Callie about Michael’s call.
“That she loves you.”
Michael’s words cut through Callie. “What?”
“That she loves you. I told her that you were in love with her and I didn’t want to see you get hurt.”
“You told her what?”
This time the guard looked at her.
“Cal, I see a lot of things in here. I’ve gotten pretty good at reading a situation, and when you two are together, the way your face lights up when you talk about her, it’s as plain as the nose on my face. I don’t condone what she did and I don’t like what you’re doing, but in a lot of ways I understand. People will do almost anything when they want something bad enough. Look at you. Isn’t that what you’re doing?”
Callie didn’t respond, still trying to gather her thoughts from the whiplash turn of events. One minute her brother was furious at her, the next telling her what Dillon had done was okay.
His voice continued through the static of the receiver. “You might not be ready to admit it, but you had better open your eyes or the best thing that ever happened to you is going to walk out of your life.”
*
The slamming door behind Callie made her jump. She hadn’t slept much in the past week, her nerves on end waiting for Michael’s trial. His attorney, Raymond Nixon, was optimistic and had told her to remain calm when it was her turn on the stand, and today was the day. Because she was a witness, she had not been allowed in the courtroom prior to her testimony. She looked to the left, where her brother sat next to Nixon. He wore a dark suit that Callie had picked out for him, along with a crisp white shirt and blue striped tie that Dillon contributed. His hair was recently cut and his shoes shined. He smiled reassuringly as she walked up the aisle toward the witness chair. Dillon was sitting directly behind Michael, with Audrey to her left and Ross on her right. Bill and Phyllis were in the row behind them. Without a doubt, this was her family now and Callie felt their love and support. Her nerves settled.
Her hand was steady as she was sworn in, and after stating her name and address she focused her attention on Nixon. His questions were clear and Callie’s voice grew stronger as she told what happened that night four years ago. She looked each ju
ror in the eye as she recounted the chain of events. She focused on the women when she spoke about the attempted rape and saw several of them wince when she described how one of her attackers tied her hands to the bed while the other held her legs as he fumbled with the zipper on his pants.
The prosecuting attorney took his turn and aggressively peppered Callie with questions. She remained calm and answered his questions truthfully and confidently. Her testimony this time was far different than at Michael’s first trial. Gone was her naiveté in thinking that all she had to do was tell what happened and the jury would find him not guilty. She was much wiser this time in how she answered the questions.
She didn’t look at Dillon during her entire testimony. Reliving the incident while knowing that her brother’s life was at stake was stressful enough. She didn’t need the added turmoil of Dillon’s reaction to distract her.
They had talked about the trial for the past several evenings, Dillon coming home before six every night. She now knew the whole story and had reacted the way Callie had expected. She was incensed at what the attackers had done to her, and even more exasperated over Michael’s conviction. It was almost as if she wanted to march down to the court and knock some sense into the judge who had presided over Michael’s trial. Dillon’s apparent care for her brother touched Callie, and the cold edge around her heart began to thaw.
Dismissed from the stand, Callie walked out of the courtroom as confident as when she walked in.
*
“The jury’s back.” Raymond Nixon’s voice practically boomed through the phone line. “You’ve got thirty minutes to get here.”
