Gray didn’t seem too steady, either, and we slipped to the floor. On the way down, my arm jostled a small table. I heard the bowl of cellophane-wrapped candy canes I kept there fall. Our weight crushed some and the distinctive smell of peppermint wafted to my nostrils just before we landed on the carpet. A quick thought that I’d have a mess to clean up didn’t seem important when Gray’s teeth nipped my neck followed with open-mouthed kisses.
Lying on our sides gave me an opportunity to play with his nipples. Little time passed before tongues tangled, increasing the heat. I reached for Gray’s cock, running my fingers over the smooth, hard surface of his penis. Grasping him lightly, I stroked his length, feeling his hard-on grow under my touch.
He pushed his erection against my hip. His hands moved to my carbon-tipped nipples then filled his hands with my breasts. A moment later, one hand moved south.
I felt rather than heard the zipper of my pants moving down. Lifting my hips, he slid the slacks away from my body.
Gray nudged me to my back and leaned over me, his hands stroking my torso. When his fingers moved close to my personal space, I arched and moaned. The suggestion of a touch in my curls would likely spin me into another dimension or two.
“Need you . . . inside me . . . now.”
“I like your decisiveness.”
He rolled on a condom and nestled his hips between my legs, his erection at my entrance. I spread my legs and lifted my hips to him. My breath caught in the moment before he entered me, all attention focused on one spot within. Looking up, I caught his steady gaze and became captured by what I read as his intent.
He lowered his head and, breathing softly against my ear, inserted his tongue at the same instant he filled me. And oh, my. Filled? An understatement. My buttons were happy to get pushed. All of them I knew about and a bunch I hadn’t recognized before.
Gray started slow. He slid himself home then pulled back until just his tip remained inside me. I got caught up in the languor and heat of his movement, but soon wanted, no needed, more.
He read me, my mood and desire, increasing his pace and rhythm. His tongue circled my ear. He nipped my lobe, pulling it lightly with his teeth.
My hands operated independently of my thought, moving over his back and sides. When he licked the soft spot under my jaw, I ran my fingers over his earlobe, then scissored his nipples between my fingers. The holidays are a time to exchange gifts, right?
I grabbed his fine ass and held on while my internal pressure built to orgasm.
His pumping accelerated and I felt a sense of satisfaction when he erupted seconds before me. Following him over the edge, I lost myself in sensation.
Gray leaned onto his elbows, removing his upper weight from me. A few moments later, he rolled off then stretched his arms.
I heard rustling and crackling before a candy cane rubbed across my lips.
“Ho, ho, ho,” Gray whispered. “Merry Christmas.”
He slowly pushed the peppermint into my mouth in a way that informed me our holiday games had just begun.
There’s something to be said for rampant Christmas spirit.
****
We eventually moved to the couch. Even with putty muscles and melted bones, the floor had gotten hard, fast. Almost as hard as Gray the second time around. Even though I’d been on top that time, I knew I’d have rug burns. All in a good cause, of course.
Gray blew out a breath. “Wow.”
“I bet you say that to all the girls.”
Oops. Given the way his body coldly stiffened, I shouldn’t have said that.
“Do you really think I’m playing you?” Physically he lay on the couch next to me, but emotionally he’d moved to the Himalayas.
I’d have crawled into myself if there’d been room left in my shrunken psyche. “No, um, I mean, I was kidding.”
He swung his legs to the side and sat in one smooth move. “So you think what we just shared is a joke?”
I struggled to sit, my abs not as toned as his, and slung my arm around his waist. “I’m sorry. Sometimes my humor is in bad taste.” I rested my forehead against his upper arm. “Forgive me?”
He embraced me. “You don’t need forgiveness. But some asshole did a number on you and I think I know who.”
My body tensed. I forced myself to relax. This hadn’t become the post-coitus conversation I’d expected. “What do you mean?”
“That if Rod hadn’t already been killed, I’d do the jerk in myself.”
My muscles practiced rigor mortis. “You don’t mean that. The man’s dead. Let’s give him some respect.” Besides, I didn’t want to tell Gray that his actions five years earlier had hurt me more than Rod’s. Not right now, anyway.
He moved arm’s length away. “I never took you for a hypocrite, Lily.”
“I’m not.”
“Bullshit. That ‘let’s not talk ill of the dead’ crap is just that. Crap. The jerk held a champion-user-and-loser title. He improved the world by dying.”
Doubt clouded my thoughts. Gray had shown a marked lack of respect for the murder victim at the Orchid Conservatory when we found Rod hanging like a sick holiday decoration. Had he done away with my ex-boyfriend? Did Gray plan on using me for cover? Maybe the recent lovemaking session served as nothing more than a physical release for a guilt-ridden man.
“I suppose now you think I knocked Rod off.”
My answer came a second too late. “No.”
Gray stood. “Right,” he snorted. He grabbed his shirt.
I reached for him. “I think you’re innocent.”
He shrugged from my grasp. “Enough, Lily. I know what you’re thinking and I don’t need your regrets.” His lip curled. “Or should I say your lies?”
My chin rose. I turned my back to him and pulled on my blouse. “Screw you and screw your pride.”
He heard my mumbling and snorted in response. “I think we both know who screwed who in this scenario.”
I paused, my hand on my pants zipper stilled. “You know what? Let’s forget this night. We can’t even be friends without fighting, much less anything more.” My lips trembled. I knew our lovemaking had been too good to be real.
Gray’s head dropped to his chest. He inhaled deeply and blew out a breath. “Shit, Lily. I can’t get anything right with you.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean I’m still a sorry ass. Forgive my temper?”
I studied his expression. My logic argued with my emotions. Guess what won?
“Okay. Here’s what I think. I believe we don’t trust each other and maybe that’s a good thing right now.” I stopped talking to puzzle out a pesky worry running through my brain. Did I want to take another chance on Gray? Risk my heart a second time? “But, even though I agree you’re a sorry ass, I think you could no more kill Rod than I could.” I looked him in the eyes. “And that’s the truth.”
We exchanged soul-seeking gazes and reached a non-verbal agreement, sealed with a tentative, yet sweet embrace. The air seemed cleared. I hoped I hadn’t made a deadly mistake.
Chapter Ten
“So, I heard through the grapevine that you’re back with Gray.” Alexa’s voice held an odd note.
“Not really.” Although after our night together, I wouldn’t kick him to the curb. Especially given our détente had led to another round in bed. Not that we’d made it to a mattress.
“Didn’t you learn from the last go-around? He’s playing a game with you, just like he did before. You don’t deserve him”—she coughed—“hurting you.”
I told myself worry and grief made her tone sound like my mother on a good scold. Our recent reunion convinced me that we’d work through our differences. I knew Alexa cared about me.
“A non-issue. We’re friends.” My chest hurt, but my mind resolved to ignore Gray. And his benefits.
She sniffed. “Sorry, that’s not why I called.”
I waited, curious.
“I wondered if you’d like my help
investigating the murder.”
My hand clenched the phone. I’d promised Dirk that I’d stop asking questions. Stopping meant I’d have to rely on GFPD and my lawyer, but Dirk assured me they worked hard to find the real killer. Alexa didn’t know any of that and I didn’t want to confide in her. I searched for a reason to put her off.
“That’s not a good idea. I mean you may not like what you hear.” I hit my forehead with my palm. Miss Sensitivity strikes again.
A sob-like sound echoed across the phone connection. My stomach muscles clenched.
“Lily, I don’t know what to think. Rod ran around with all those women. I mean, I just have to know. Was he faithful to me?”
“Sure thing. How could he look at another woman with you in the room?” Even to me, my voice sounded too cheery.
She sniffed. “You’ve always been a good friend. I’m sorry we lost track of each other.”
I stilled. We hadn’t lost track, we’d disagreed over a multi-million dollar lottery ticket Alexa claimed as hers alone. I’d been hurt because she’d neglected to disclose she’d been buying personal tickets along with ones she’d purchased for our partnership. No way I begrudged her good fortune, only her omission.
“Lily?”
I pulled my thoughts together. “Yes, I’m sorry our friendship suffered, too.”
“So I can help?”
“I’m not really investigating, just looking for someone else who could have been at the Conservatory when, you know, when everything happened.”
“I’m good at asking questions.”
Actually, she ranked worse than me. “Alexa, this isn’t a good idea. We should just let the police do their thing.”
“Oh, so you still believe they can find their butts with two hands?”
I rubbed my forehead. “Look, I know you don’t have much faith in—”
“How about no faith?” I heard her blow out a breath. “I want Roddy’s killer found. He deserves to rest in peace, don’t you think?”
Fudge. I’d have to renege on my promise to Dirk. “What did you have in mind?”
My high school friend and former business partner squealed. I hoped my sinking feeling about the new development didn’t prove right.
****
Next I called Tom Jenkins. “You’re there already?” I asked.
“I’ve been in since seven.”
“If I’d known, I’d have called earlier.”
“What’s up? You sound agitated.”
He probably meant manic, but I’d accept a kinder term. I filled him in on everything that’d happened, including the threatening message.
“You’re supposed to call me when stuff happens. I have investigators. That caller had a point. Running around town asking questions increases your guilt factor.”
“Oh.”
“I shouldn’t say this, but don’t you mean oh shit? Lily, get it through your head that ‘innocent until proven guilty’ looks good on paper but that concept doesn’t always apply. You’re the best suspect the police have, and you’re not doing yourself any favors.”
“I wish the cops would find someone else to investigate. You heard the recording of the threatening call. I’m getting harassed with hang-ups. Someone planted evidence at my house, for cripes sake. How many times do I have to repeat my innocence before I’m believed?”
“Lily, think. There’s no record of the hang-up calls. Your anonymous caller used a throw-away cell. The police are searching, but the case could be made that you called yourself and made sure you had a witness when you listened. Same thing with the pants and shoes found in that box and the elderberries on the cake you baked. You could be lying.” He paused. “The D.A. is convinced all the evidence points to you.”
My body froze, including thought processes. Put that way, a good chance existed I’d be working the jailhouse kitchen sooner than later.
“I’m your lawyer. Stop playing girl detective and let me do my job.” He blew out a breath. “And stop kissing men in front of the Hair Shack. Find a back street or go to Charlotte. You don’t want to mess with Alexa’s cousin. Someone will start gossip that you’re going after him to spite her.”
“That’s crazy.”
“Don’t give the town—and potential jury pool—more to talk about.”
My hands shook so hard I almost dropped the phone. “I didn’t kill Rod.” My denials stopped there.
“It’s not me we have to convince.”
****
“Lily, I think I have a lead.”
Alexa’s excitement ignited my attention. “What, what did you find?”
“A friend phoned me to say she knew a woman who’d dated Roddy after he moved here. Someone who threatened to kill him and herself after he broke off their relationship.”
My pulse pounded. “Really? Great work, Alexa. Is she still in town?”
“Yes, and I have her address.”
“What’s her name and I’ll call Dirk to let him know.”
I could hear her breathing but she didn’t answer. “Alexa?”
“It may be better to talk with her ourselves first. Just in case she isn’t the culprit. I wouldn’t want to embarrass anyone.”
“Well . . . I’m not sure confronting a crazy woman is a good idea. Do you agree? At least let me call Gray.”
“Gray’s out of town. He’s had a trip planned for months now. Left earlier this morning.”
And didn’t tell me?
“Didn’t he tell you?” She sniffed. “Well, I’m not surprised. You don’t have the best of luck with men, do you? I told you he strung you along, but would you listen? Forget about Gray. There are lots of men out there, better ones for you.”
She continued speaking, but the words flew past me. Gray had screwed me over again, cracked open my heart and then stomped that organ to smithereens. At least he stayed true to course, make love then leave town. I knew what to expect now, and a future with Gray didn’t seem likely.
“Lily? Are you listening?”
“Sorry, I thought I saw a car pull in my drive. What did you say?”
“I said, meet me at four at the Granville Falls Mall. Come in the main entrance and park to the right in the last row. I’ll watch for you.”
“Why don’t I come to your house? We can leave from there.”
“No.”
Her abruptness threw me for a moment.
“Lily, I have appointments at the mall and I’m almost there. I don’t want to drive back home. Besides, the woman lives in this area. It’ll be easier and I’ll drop you off later.”
“Alexa—”
She hung up before I could mention calling Dirk to let him know about this unknown girlfriend. On the other hand, I didn’t have a name or address, so it’d be a frustrating call for both Dirk and myself. Given the way the D.A. wanted my butt, I’d be better off staying away from the cops until I could establish my innocence. Maybe the woman Alexa found would prove the answer.
****
Planning an upcoming catering event—one of the two I had left for the normally crammed holiday season—kept me busy. I played a holiday DVD for company while I worked, but rethought my choice when the Ghost of Christmas Future caught my scattered attention. His threatening darkness tumbled my mood from coping to despair in less than a minute. I fast forwarded to the part where Ebenezer asks what day it is, but still wondered about my fate.
Then I met Alexa at the mall.
Chapter Eleven
I climbed into Alexa’s German-made SUV. Alexa’s demeanor, or maybe her appearance, registered differently.
“Did you get a facial? Your face glows.” I realized I could’ve been more complimentary. “Not that you don’t always look great, because you do.”
She glanced at me, her eyes narrowing. “No, I didn’t have time.” Her attention went to the street then back to me. “But thanks.” She flashed a small smile.
The atmosphere inside the luxurious vehicle felt wrong. I couldn’t decide if we inhabited
a stilted or tense environment. Or both. Something seemed off.
“If you don’t mind, I need to concentrate on the traffic and finding the woman’s house. Let me get away from the mall and then we’ll talk.”
Traffic is always heavy on the road running in front of the mall, more so the final Sunday before Christmas. I’d been lucky to get one of the last open spots at the edge of the parking lot. We inched toward the interstate on-ramp. Traffic didn’t faze Alexa, so her request for quiet sounded odd. Puzzled, I remained unsure about what felt wrong.
“How far are we driving? Maybe we should see her tomorrow?”
“She’s near Gastonia. Besides, I won’t have time tomorrow.”
Gastonia? Alexa’s idea of “living near the mall” and mine certainly differed. Fifteen miles or more in heavy traffic and heavier atmosphere. The thought made my skin itch.
My attention focused on the passing scene. A murky quality in a darkening sky matched my attitude. The low gray clouds looked filled with snow. The idea that we’d have a white Christmas flickered through my thoughts but didn’t stick. Snow never lasted long in Charlotte.
In spite of the holiday traffic and the carols playing at low volume in the vehicle, I couldn’t leave memories of Gray alone. Had I let him hurt me again?
I blinked back the past to focus on the scene blurring beyond the window. Dusk had faded to almost night. “Where are we? We should be in Gastonia by now.”
“We have a quick stop closer to Shelby first. We’ll catch the woman on our way back.”
Alexa didn’t look at me. And hadn’t fully answered my question. Her jaw looked set, her eyes hard in the reflected glow of the dash lights. She put her left fist in her lap. “Don’t worry. This won’t take long.”
I cleared my throat of the worrisome lump stuck there. “Alexa, are you all right?”
She turned bright eyes my way. “I’ll be better soon. This will all come to an end tonight.”
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