Welcome to Temptation: A Romantic Comedy

by Hughes, Charlotte

  “You make me crazy, Michelle Thurston, you know that? Even when we were little more than kids.” He pressed his body against hers as he spoke, and her pelvis cradled his. “Every time you’re near I get this urge to throw you over my shoulder and whisk you off to my cave. Yes, I said cave,” he added with a chuckle. “I guess you bring out the beast in me, huh?” When she didn’t speak, he raised a finger to her lips and brushed them gently. “Is that so bad, Mic? To want to have a little control over the woman you’re crazy about?”

  “A relationship should be fifty-fifty,” she said with conviction.

  He grinned. “Is that how they talk at cocktail parties and luncheons these days? All that sounds good, but there are times when a man wants to be in charge. Call it ego, I don’t care, but sometimes a man likes to feel as though he is the protector. That it’s up to him to take care of his woman.”

  “You’re a man of contradictions, Gator. On one hand, you don’t want a woman setting foot in your perfect life and messing things up. But if a woman happens to catch your fancy, you want to run the show, have things you’re way. What about her needs? Why does anyone have to be in charge? Why can’t two people who love each other be on equal footing?”

  The smile he gave her was slow and lazy. “You think you’ve got it all figured out, don’t you?”

  She leveled her gaze at him. “I know what I want in my life, but I can’t speak for you.”

  Chapter Eight

  Gator saw the challenge in her green eyes and hitched his chin higher. “I reckon at my age I know how to keep a woman happy, Mic.”

  “In the bedroom, maybe,” she replied evenly, “but people can’t stay in bed all day. What have you got to offer a woman outside the sheets, Gator? There are many facets of a woman, you know. She likes to be charmed and courted.”

  “I can charm the fur off a possum at nine hundred yards, babe.”

  Although Michelle liked the endearment, she realized Gator wasn’t taking her seriously. “And when you’re finished in the bedroom, there is another side to a relationship you haven’t considered; the day-to-day responsibilities, the grocery store, the dry cleaner, housework, yard work—”

  “You sure know how to cool a man’s ardor,” he said.

  “Sex is important, but it should be like a fine dessert in a relationship. Everything else has to be good between two people for the sex to be good.”

  “You make it sound like a job, Mic. That takes all the fun out of it. Why can’t two people just enjoy what they have while it lasts?”

  “Because the better you work at it, the more enjoyable it is, and the longer it lasts. Perhaps forever.”

  “Forever?” He looked skeptical. “That’s a long time. I can’t think past next week. I don’t want my life so neatly planned, Mic.” He shoved his hands in his pockets and walked to one of the windows that had survived the storm and wasn’t covered with plastic sheeting. A fine mist hovered over the bayou. “I suppose the good doctor couldn’t meet all your needs after all, huh?”

  Michelle didn’t answer right away. “He came closer than some.”

  He faced her. “And how was dessert?”

  Michelle’s face turned red. “That’s personal.”

  “This whole conversation is personal, Mic. But you brought it up, and you don’t seem to mind exposing my faults. I guess I’m just trying to understand you better. Figure out exactly what you want in a man.” He had no idea why he was going to so much trouble. He obviously couldn’t come close to meeting her standards, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to. The mere thought of tying himself down to one woman for the rest of his life was unnerving. And what about all those domestic chores she’d mentioned? Why buy groceries when you could eat out? And a man didn’t have to worry about yard work when he lived on a houseboat.

  Michelle was still pondering his question. She sighed. “Dessert with Jeffrey was like apple pie without ice cream or whipped cream on top.”

  “Meaning something was missing,” Gator said. A million questions sprang to mind, but he didn’t voice them. He had no right. Instead, he thrust one hip to the side and cocked his head. “So what is it like with me, Mic? Dessert, that is.”

  “You know it was good.”

  Male ego prodded him on. “But what would you compare it to?”

  Michelle wished she’d never said anything about dessert. She had simply tried to make a point. But she knew Gator wouldn’t let up until she told him. “Well, with you it’s more like …” She paused and smiled. “A hot fudge sundae with all the trimmings.”

  “Is that good?”

  “Of course it’s good. You have the hot fudge on one hand, nice and warm and gooey. Then there’s the shivery-cold ice cream, the crunchiness of nuts, and the ultimate sweetness of whipped cream. It delights all the senses. What more could you ask for in a dessert?”

  He chuckled and slowly closed the distance between them. He stood before her, gazing down at her and thinking how lovely she looked in the morning, her face the color of fresh cream. “I’ve never gotten aroused simply by listening to the ingredients of a hot fudge sundae,” he mused aloud. He reached for a strand of hair and rubbed it between his fingers. “What d’you say we grab a can of whipped cream and go upstairs?”

  Michelle laughed, but came willingly into his arms. She had grown tired of debating relationships when it was obvious that neither of them had been particularly successful in the happily-ever-after part. He nuzzled her ear, and she shivered and slipped her arms around his waist. He pulled away, his smile gone. His expression was almost tender.

  “Mic, I can’t do all those things. You know, the grocery store and dry cleaners. Parent-teacher conferences.”

  She cocked her head to one side. “Who said anything about parent-teacher conferences?”

  “It all leads to that, Mic. Once a couple marries, they can’t wait to have a baby, and that leads to a whole new set of responsibilities. Doctor visits, braces, play dates, first day of school. Sooner or later someone is going to have to go to a parent-teacher conference. That doesn’t mean I’m not wild about you. Hell, I think I’ve been in love with you for sixteen years, but I’m especially not good at—”

  She pressed her fingers against his lips. “I haven’t asked anything of you.”

  He looked surprised. “Oh, well, that’s a relief,” he said when she removed her finger. He shook his head. “Lord, I want to make love to you so bad I hurt. I can’t look at you without wanting to touch you. And I can’t touch you without wanting to taste you. You’re like an addiction, Mic.” He smiled ruefully. “I have no right to make love to you, though. I have nothing to offer, nothing that really matters to a woman like you.”

  He paused and gazed down at her. Then, because he couldn’t help himself, he lowered his lips to hers. He kissed her deeply, his tongue delving into her mouth hungrily. He wanted her. He wanted to sink into her softness and bury his face between her breasts. And it didn’t matter that he’d only recently left her bed. When he raised his head, his eyes seemed to glow with passion.

  Michelle snaked her arms around his neck. “I suppose,” she said softly knowing that she wanted him to make love to her again just as badly. She couldn’t get enough of the man.

  It wasn’t purely sexual between them, she knew, but Gator Landry would never admit it. He opened up to her when they were in bed, something he had difficulty doing otherwise. In her arms, he revealed himself for what he truly was—kind and loving and very giving. But she knew he was hell-bent on preserving his independent, tough-as-nails image. Gator had a gentle side that tugged at her heartstrings and wouldn’t let go. And although he might balk at the idea of spending too much time with one woman, she knew he was hers in bed. For one heart-stopping moment, as he shuddered against her, he was totally and completely hers. And she didn’t need false promises from him.

  Gator took her hand and led her upstairs. When Michelle was completely naked, she began taking his clothes off of him. A moment later they
were both on the bed, instantly swept up in a tide of passion that left them clinging to each other afterward.

  #

  Gator held her for a long time, listening to the sound of his own heartbeat, interrupted here and there by birdcalls from outside the window. When he spoke, his voice was tender. “I want you to know this has been the best two days of my life,” he confessed. He squeezed her. “Thank you, Mic.” He pondered his own words. He’d never thanked a woman for sharing a bed, but she’d given him more than a good time. He sensed she’d given herself as well. Compared to that, a simple thank you didn’t seem enough.

  Michelle was genuinely touched by his words, but she didn’t answer right away. She didn’t trust her voice at the moment. Her heart ached, knowing that in a matter of time she would have to leave. She felt Gator truly loved her, had loved her for years, just as she had loved him. Yes, loved him, she told herself. She was in love with Gator Landry; it was as simple as that.

  She rose up on one elbow and smiled into the handsome face. “I should be thanking you.” It wasn’t often a man made a woman feel the way he had made her feel. Gator had touched her in ways that other men hadn’t come close, both physically and emotionally. She would always have a special place in her heart just for him, a place that she would protect. After all, he’d been the man who had awakened her body, brought sweet yearnings to the surface. The experience had been as delicious as it was scary, and it was the real reason she hadn’t returned the following summer as she’d promised, the reason she’d avoided him completely on subsequent visits to her grandmother’s.

  She had known, even at the age of sixteen, that despite their wild attraction to each other, nothing could become of their relationship. Even at eighteen, Gator’s need for independence had been firmly embedded in his personality. He might chase her relentlessly, but he would always remain just beyond her grasp.

  A grinding noise broke through the silence in the room, jarring Michelle from her thoughts. Gator rose from the bed and walked to the window, unabashed in his nakedness. “A boat,” he said. “Somebody finally decided to come for us.”

  Michelle was thankful, almost.

  #

  “Well, they don’t look any different,” Reba said to Fiona as Gator and Michelle climbed out of his pickup truck and headed for the house.

  Fiona Landry blushed. “Shhh, they’ll hear you!”

  Reba planted her spindly hands on her hips and regarded the two with an amused look. “It’s a crying shame when you got to send the rescue squad out to pick up folks just ‘cause they ain’t got enough sense to come home when they’re s’posed to.”

  “I hope you didn’t worry, Mom,” Gator said. “We would have been back yesterday had there not been a problem with the gas tank on the boat.”

  Fiona waved the remark aside. “Oh, I wasn’t worried. There’s not a soul alive who knows the bayou better than you. Now, the two of you come up here on the porch and have something cold to drink while we still have ice. I bought a bag this morning. It should last until tomorrow.” Fiona smiled at Michelle. “You look cute as a button in that ponytail,” she said. “I hope my son has been behaving himself.”

  Michelle blushed. If only the woman knew. A brief picture of Gator and herself tangled in the bed sheets flashed through her mind. “Yes, he was a perfect gentleman.” She didn’t see the look of disappointment on the ladies’ faces, nor the amusement lurking in Gator’s eyes.

  “Have some of my sugar cookies,” Fiona said, holding out a plate once Michelle was seated in one of the rocking chairs. “I made them the night before the storm, just in case we lost power and I couldn’t bake for a spell.” Fiona looked at Gator. “Sit here next to Michelle, Son, and tell Reba and me all about your adventures the last couple of days.”

  “There’s not much to tell,” Gator said. He looked at Reba. “We were able to get a lot accomplished in your house and yard.”

  “Oh, thank you for all you’ve done,” Reba said. “How are my cats?”

  “They’re perfectly fine,” Michelle replied. “I left them plenty of food and water, plus I found a box that would hold extra kitty litter. They should be good for several days.”

  “Reba is going to stay with me for a while,” Fiona said. “No way am I letting her go home to a damp house that has no electricity. We’ll see that her cats are cared for.” She looked from Gator to Mic and back at Gator. “It all sounds very dull, all that cleaning.”

  “Yes, indeed,” Reba agreed. “Very dull.”

  “I killed a snake,” Gator said. “I reckon that’s the most exciting thing that happened.” He turned to Michelle for confirmation. “Wouldn’t you say?”

  She almost choked on her cookie. “Uh, yes.” She offered a faint smile. “A cottonmouth,” she added to cover her embarrassment.

  Fiona patted Michelle’s hand. “I’ll bet you were scared to death, honey,” she said. “But it’s over now and thank goodness nobody got bit. In the meantime, I paid a kid five dollars to dig a hole in the back yard and gather what wood he could find that wasn’t wet. Once Reba and I heard you were on your way, we started heating water and toting it to the bathroom so you could have a bubble bath like I promised. Nothing like a nice hot bubble bath to lift your spirits.”

  “Gator prepared a bubble bath for me last night,” Michelle said without thinking. The two elderly ladies exchanged hopeful looks. “He even helped me rinse my hair over the bathroom sink.”

  Gator cleared his throat and stood, uncomfortable with the silence that followed Michelle’s declaration. “I’d better check things out in town and see what’s going on,” he said.

  “You’re coming back for dinner, aren’t you?” Fiona asked. “I bought a grill yesterday. Reba helped me put it together. I also bought chicken breasts. I figured you could fire up the grill and cook them for us.”

  “I don’t think so, Mom,” he said. “I really need to help in town since I’ve been MIA the last two days.” Gator knew he was making excuses, but he’d spent too much time with Michelle already. He couldn’t look at her without thinking how they’d spent the last couple of days and nights; and for the first time in his life he’d been getting butterflies in his stomach. It was time for him to back off because he knew Michelle was going to find a way to get back to Baton Rouge no matter what.

  “But son, you have to come,” Fiona said. “I don’t know the first thing about cooking on a barbecue grill.”

  “That’s right,” Reba said, joining in. “We’re going to need all the help we can get.”

  Gator felt himself weakening. “I guess I can come back for a little while,” he said hesitantly, at the same time wondering if his mom even suspected that she was putting him in an awkward position. He could feel Michelle’s eyes on him. Hell, she probably figured he owed it to her to hang around while she was in town. He’d never met a woman yet who didn’t get possessive once things turned intimate. “But I can’t stay long,” he added quickly. Maybe he’d drop by the Night Life Lounge and see if his buddy needed any help getting the place on its feet again.

  He bade the three farewell and bounded down the porch toward his truck. He disappeared a moment later in a cloud of red dust.

  Michelle watched him go, feeling a heaviness inside. He seemed in a big hurry to leave. Not that she wasn’t surprised. Gator Landry was running scared.

  #

  “Now, dear, how about that bath?” Fiona asked, putting her arms around Michelle’s shoulders. “You know, I feel as if I’ve known you all my life. Reba has told me so much about you.”

  Chatting easily with the woman, Michelle followed her inside the house and to the bathroom, where a tub waited, partially filled with scented water. Her mind instantly replayed images of the tub Gator had prepared for her, of the two of them sitting next to her on the couch wearing only a bathrobe that showed off his powerful thighs and calves, of Gator leaning over her, his hair-roughened body brushing against hers.

  “You shouldn’t have gone to s
o much trouble,” Michelle told the woman, trying to get a grip on her thoughts, “but I certainly appreciate it.”

  Fiona reached into a cabinet and pulled out a fluffy towel and washcloth, as well as a new bar of soap. “Reba bought this specialty soap for you yesterday,” she said, handing Michelle the items. “She figured you would like the smell.”

  Michelle sniffed the soap and gave a huge sigh. “It’s heavenly,” she said, touched that the two had gone to so much trouble for her. “I only have one request. Do you have any hair clips? I’d like to put my hair up so it doesn’t get wet.”

  Fiona smiled. “I’ll bet I do. Just give me a few minutes to look for them.” She returned right away. “Will these work?” she asked, holding a handful of large hairpins.

  “Perfect,” Michelle said. “Thank you.”

  The woman smiled. “Now you enjoy your bath. I’ll look around and see if I can find something for you to wear. I think I’m a size larger than you, but we can make do for the time being.”

  Michelle emerged from the bathroom half an hour later wearing one of Fiona’s dresses, a simple blue cotton shift. The fit wasn’t bad although it was a bit on the short side, but the sandals Fiona had lent her were too wide for her feet. Michelle kicked them off and decided to go barefoot. She braided her hair and coiled it at the back of her head, using Fiona’s hair clips to hold it in place.

  “Now if I only had my makeup,” Michelle said laughingly as the women applauded her appearance. “I feel naked without it.”

  “Makeup?” Fiona asked, raising two brows. She stood and motioned for Michelle to follow her into her bedroom. She opened a drawer and presented her with an old cigar box.

  “I only wear makeup if I’m going out which is mostly to church. You’re welcome to it.”

  Michelle glanced inside the box and, much to her satisfaction, found several items she could use. “Thank you,” she said. “I’ll put the box back when I’m finished.” Fiona left her with it, and Michelle applied the makeup, using the mirror over the bathroom sink. Once she was satisfied, she returned the cigar box to the drawer and reentered the kitchen. Both Reba and Fiona complimented her, and Michelle smiled, thankful for the bath and the makeup.