by Judith Keim
“My God,” gasped Sukie, studying her with those big green eyes of hers.
Carol Ann sighed. Sukie didn’t have any idea how some people, like her own parents, sometimes fight with a mean hand. “A couple of guys came out of the bar, ran over and dragged him off me.”
“Did you call the police?” Sukie clasped Carol Ann’s hand with a look that told her Sukie really cared. “Did he hurt you anywhere else?”
“Unh, unh. Mostly my feelings got hurt, though I’m stiff and sore today.” Carol Ann’s eyes filled. “I thought we were perfect together.”
Sukie frowned. “Seriously, Carol Ann, you should report this to the police.”
Carol Ann shook her head. No way was she gonna do that. “Like I told the guys last night, it was just a silly fight between two people who’d had one drink too many.”
“Any word from him?” Sukie’s lips were pressed together in disapproval.
Of all the women in the club, Sukie’s opinion meant the most to her. Carol Ann wanted to magically disappear rather than keep admitting she’d been a fool. “There was a message on my cell this morning. He told me he was sorry, that he’d had more to drink than he should have. He said something like that had never happened to him before. He even asked me out for dinner, to make up for the horrible time he gave me.”
“And?” Sukie’s eyes drilled into her.
“I’m not going.” Carol Ann wanted to collapse in tears.
She’d liked him a lot. He fit the image of the kind of man she wanted in her life. Handsome. Rich. Savvy. Everyone had acted as if he was absolutely terrific. The waitresses in the restaurant had fluttered their long eyelashes at him like claps of applause, as if he’d won first place in a Mr. America contest or something. She’d been so proud to be with him. She felt like she thought Tiffany must feel with Beau.
“Good choice not to meet him again,” said Sukie. “I’m glad of that.” Sukie studied her, looking deep inside, as if she knew how much Carol Ann had counted on that date to help her out of her sorry situation. “I understand why men are attracted to you, Carol Ann. But I don’t get why any of them would feel entitled to more than you want to give, just because you agreed to a date.”
Glum, Carol Ann nodded. “Like Lynn says, men are jerks.”
Sukie shook her head. “Not all men, Carol Ann. You just had a bad experience.”
“Yeah? Well, I can hear Lynn now when she sees me.” Carsol Ann took another sip of coffee, sorting through her feelings. “Maybe Lynn’s right. Look at what she’s gone through. I’m not so sure I want to do the on-line dating scene anymore.”
Sukie’s look of surprise threw her off. “But, Carol Ann, you’re just getting started. Remember, not all men are like that.”
Carol Ann shrugged. “Maybe I was meant to be an old maid.” The thought sent a flood of acid to her stomach. She’d be stuck with her parents forever.
Sukie’s voice softened. “I don’t believe that for a minute.”
“Well...maybe not.” Optimism took hold inside Carol Ann. Bless Sukie! She’d made her feel so much better. Her situation wasn’t the same as Lynn’s. Not at all.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
SUKIE
Sukie saw Carol Ann off and returned to the kitchen, filled with a restlessness that clung to her like a humid summer day. Carol Ann’s episode with violence made her think of Lynn and all she’d gone through. Ted might be an ass but he’d never hit her. Thank God.
Thinking of Lynn, Sukie picked up the phone and called her, needing to know she was all right. All the women in the Fat Fridays group were making it a habit to check on her throughout the week - morning and night.
Lynn answered the phone. “Hey, Sukie, what’s up?”
“Nothing much, just seeing what you’re doing.”
“I’m in the middle of a good movie. Just relaxin’.”
“Okay, then. Go back to it and I’ll talk to you later.”
“Thanks, Sukie, it’s real nice, you checkin’ up on me.”
Sukie said a quick goodbye and wandered around the house aimlessly. Rob and Madeleine were away for the weekend, and when she called Elizabeth, she was put through to voice mail. So much for a girly chat.
She tossed clothes in the washing machine and ironed a couple of shirts for the work week ahead. When she could no longer stand the quiet, she put on her sneakers for a bracing walk in the neighborhood.
Outside, Sukie drew in a deep breath of cool air. Walking briskly, she headed east toward Betsy’s house to begin her circle of the neighborhood. It felt good to march along, her arms in rhythm to her steps, working up a light sweat. By the time she reached the far end of the development, Sukie was humming under her breath. All seemed right with the world.
She approached Cam’s house, and absently noted how quiet it seemed. She’d taken just a few short steps beyond it, when she heard her name being called. Sukie stopped and turned around. Cam strode down the driveway toward her.
“Sukie, I need a favor,” he said without preamble. “Chloe is getting a cold and I can’t get her to take her medicine.” His brow was creased with worry. “I don’t know why she’s being so stubborn about it. She’s been cranky all day and I couldn’t get her to take a nap. I’ve tried everything. Any ideas?”
Sukie smiled when she realized he’d manufactured an excuse to see her. “My daughter Elizabeth had a difficult time taking medicine. Maybe some of my old tricks can help.”
She followed him inside, curious to see the interior. All the houses in the neighborhood had large kitchens, extra wooden trim throughout and various upgraded features in common. How individuals decorated them was another matter, sometimes cause for gossip.
“Miss Sukie!” Chloe cried happily, jumping up from a large black leather couch that dominated the family room off the kitchen. She ran over to Sukie. “I gots a cold!”
Sukie leaned over and felt Chloe’s forehead. It was warm.
“Come sit with me for a moment.” Sukie took Chloe’s hand and led her back to the couch. A large pink blanket lay bundled up in a corner. A rubber doll with smudged eyes and hair pulled in all directions sat on a pillow at the edge of the blanket.
“Here, snuggle down,” Sukie said, helping Chloe to slide under the soft covering. She turned to Cameron. “Have you taken her temperature recently?”
“Not for a couple of hours. It was ninety nine point eight.” He handed Sukie a thermometer.
“No.” Chloe shook her head from side to side. “Don’t want it.”
“Well, maybe your dolly better have her temperature taken. How about it?” Sukie gave Cam a surreptitious smile.
Chloe’s eyes lit up. “Can I do it?”
Sukie nodded. “I’ll show you how to place it in her ear very carefully and then you can do it.”
In a few moments, Chloe handed her the thermometer. “Sally has a tempsure. Like me.”
Sukie pretended to read the numbers and shook her head. “I know what her temperature is, but I don’t know the numbers for you. Let’s check.”
Chloe giggled, and within seconds Sukie had her temperature. “Ninety-nine. Daddy says it’s time for more medicine. You give some to Sally and I’ll give some to you.”
Chloe pretended to pour some medicine into Sally’s mouth with the special dispenser tube, and Sukie filled the container with red liquid for Chloe. She took it without a fuss.
“You’re a good girl and a good mommy to Sally.” Sukie wiped a blond curl from Chloe’s pink cheek. “Now when Daddy says it’s time for medicine, you’ll know he’s being a good daddy.”
Chloe grabbed Sukie’s hand and brought it to her smooth cheek. “Will you be my Mommy?”
Heat rushed to Sukie’s face. “Oh, honey. I don’t think...”
“Miss Sukie is our special friend,” Cam interjected, saving her from stumbling for an answer.
“I want her to be my Mommy,” Chloe whined. “I want her to stay here.” She began to cry.
Sukie patted Chloe’s
back, aware of the effect of the medicine. Chloe’s eyelids were already fluttering. “How about me staying here until you fall asleep? Close your eyes and I’ll rub your back. Soon you’ll sleep.”
Cam stood by Sukie’s side, watching, as Chloe’s eyes closed and remained that way. Sukie waited until she was certain Chloe’s breathing had slowed to a steady, slow rhythm, then she rose.
Taking her elbow, Cam lifted a finger to his lips. Sukie followed him onto the screened porch off the kitchen. Prince, the Golden Retriever, lumbered to his feet and walked over to her, wagging his tail.
“How about a glass of wine? Or maybe a beer? Sort of a thank you for your good deed?” Cam’s warm smile invited her to stay.
“Thanks. A glass of wine sounds delightful.” Prince looked up at her with large, brown eyes. Sukie rubbed the dog’s silky ears, glad for something to do to cover up her nervousness at being alone with the man of her most recent dreams.
Cam left her to go inside. Sukie wished she was wearing something other than jeans with a trace of dirt at the knees and an old blue cotton pullover sweater that pulled a bit too tight across the bust.
Cam returned with two glasses and a bottle of red wine. “I found this Pinot Noir at Glenn’s Gourmet, over in Millville. They have great prepared meals. It’s an indulgence of mine when I can’t face cooking another meal. I think you’ll like it.”
Sukie’s eyebrows lifted. He cooked, liked good food and good wine? How much more perfect could this man be?
Cam indicated one of the cushioned wicker chairs for her. He sat down in its twin on the other side of the round table, sending her an approving look that sped up Sukie’s pulse. He poured a small amount of red wine into a glass, swirled it and raised it to his nose, making it seem a natural ritual. Swallowing a taste, his eyes shone with satisfaction. “It’s as good as the guy said it’d be.”
After he poured her a glass of wine, Sukie waited for him to fill his own. At a nod from him, she lifted hers and took a sip.
“Mmmm, delicious.” It was rich and full, with a smooth finish.
Cam leaned back in his chair and studied her. “I appreciate you giving me a hand, Sukie. Sometimes everything turns into a royal battle between Chloe and me. It’s at its worst when we’re both overtired.”
“Glad to help,” Sukie said, meaning it. From what she’d observed so far, Chloe was an adorable little girl—affectionate and easy-going.
As they enjoyed their wine, their talk drifted to other things—the computer course, her work at the library, his work at MacTel. Conversation between them was easy. The glow of Cam’s smile warmed her. His vitality permeated the air. Sukie cast secret glances at his full lips, wondering what they would taste like. She’d already noticed his attraction to her, the way his gaze took in all of her.
“You mentioned you had a daughter named Elizabeth. How old is she?”
“Twenty-two. My son Rob is almost twenty-four. He’s going to make me a grandmother in June.”
His look of surprise was sweet satisfaction. “Sukie, there’s no way you’re old enough to be a grandmother. What were you? A child bride?”
She laughed. “I got married very young.”
“The marriage didn’t last, I hear.” He held up the bottle of wine. “More?”
Sukie held out her glass, and the damning words in her mind spilled out of her mouth in a rush. “Ted left me for another woman, a much younger one. He said he wasn’t ready to be a grandfather.”
Cam’s blue gaze settled on her, and Sukie read a lot of things in it—compassion, understanding and, surprisingly, a hint of anger.
“Chloe’s mother chose not to be a mother, other than to deliver her to me as soon as she’d recovered from the birth. We never married. I’m still a bachelor with one major difference...”
“Chloe,” they said together, and laughed. Its musical sound rolled over them. They stared at each other silently, their interest in each other obvious.
Sukie’s body grew liquid at his unspoken admiration. His gaze traced the outline of her body. It felt like the palm of his hand caressing her. He reached over and took her hand.
Sukie’s heart stuttered a happy beat.
“How about staying for dinner? I’m going to pick up some pizza. I promised Chloe. It’s her most favoritest thing in the whole wide world, as she says.”
Sukie hesitated and nodded. Why not? There was no one waiting for her at home and she was having a wonderful time. “It sounds lovely. If you want, I’ll stay with Chloe while you get the pizza, so you don’t have to disturb her.”
“Great,” he said, rising. “Extra cheese okay?”
“My favoritest.” They smiled at each other, and Cam headed for the kitchen to order the pizza. Sukie’s breath caught as she watched the sexy rhythm of his jean-clad rear as he walked away.
While he placed the order, Sukie wandered around the first floor of the house, attempting to order her lusty thoughts to go away. She was acting like a star-struck teen. It was silly, really, this attraction of hers.
Standing at the entrance to the small living room, Sukie stared at its white and beige emptiness. She felt, rather than heard, Cam come up behind her.
“A little bare, huh?”
His warm breath near her ear shot a prickling jolt down her spine. She turned around to face him. They stood and gazed at one another, nose to nose. The sexual tension that had been building all afternoon hovered above them like a hot-air balloon about to take them on a flight of fancy. Sukie’s heart soared at the desire she saw in his eyes.
“Sukie?” His voice was gentle, full of questions.
She opened her mouth to answer and let out a soft sigh as his lips lowered to hers. His kiss was gentle and searching, but quickly became one of urgency. His body, pressed against Sukie’s, was rigid and hard against her softness. After Ted’s indifference to her, Sukie thrilled to the feel of Cam’s manly response. Her heart pounded, sending her pulse sprinting through her.
Cam pulled away. His cheeks had flushed a deep red. A crooked smile swept across his face and then he cupped her face in his broad hands.
“God, I’ve wanted to do that ever since I saw you that first day, right after we moved in.”
Delight shot through Sukie. She clutched her arms, hugging in the feeling. Then reality hit like a blow to the head. She stepped back, wishing she wasn’t so practical, so realistic. “Cam, how old are you?”
He frowned. “Going on thirty-six. What’s that got to do with anything?”
“The difference in our ages...”
Cam’s melodious laughter stopped her. “Honey, I don’t care how old you think you are, you’ve got all the right moves, the bod, the heat, everything a guy could want. Don’t let anyone tell you differently.” As if to prove his point, he drew her to him again.
Chiding herself for being so weak, Sukie wrapped her arms around his muscular body. His kiss had made her feel whole in a way she hadn’t felt in a long, long time. If, ever. She suddenly understood why Ted had wanted more than what they’d had.
Cam’s fingers stroked Sukie’s cheek, her hair. She laid her head against his strong chest, listening to his heartbeat keep pace with hers in a sexy tango. If this was only a dream, just a figment of her imagination, she never wanted to wake up.
She pulled away and gazed up into his face. “How did this happen? I never would have dreamed...”
Cam placed fingers across her lips, stopping her words. “Don’t, Sukie. Don’t ruin it.”
Chastened, Sukie stepped away from him, certain she’d made a fool of herself. The wine had made her act like a sex-starved woman, she told herself, but she knew it was so much more. The man facing her had made her feel like a gorgeous young woman, unafraid of wherever life led. He’d had her whole body bursting with a desperate need.
Cam lifted Sukie’s chin, forcing her to look into his eyes. “It’s obvious we’re attracted to each other. Let’s see where it takes us. Don’t make it complicated.”
&
nbsp; Sukie remained silent, letting his words and their implications work their way through her thinking. She was a planner, someone who always wanted to do the right thing. How could she handle being with a man almost eight years younger, someone who didn’t want to do anything more than see what it all meant? She’d grown up in a very conservative family and had tried to teach her children to move cautiously.
“Sukie?” Cam’s brow creased at her silence. “I can’t promise you anything... anything at all...but I hope we can get to know each other a whole lot better.”
She nodded, so confused by her emotions she couldn’t bring herself to comment.
“We don’t want to do anything to hurt Chloe,” he continued. “So we have to be careful.”
“I agree. She’s never really had a mommy, but she shouldn’t think it’s me. Not like this.”
“You’re beautiful when you’re so earnest, you know.” Cam leaned over and kissed her again, tugging a little on her lips with his teeth.
Sukie kissed him back, like a hungry kitten lapping up fresh cream. The feel of him, the taste of him, the smell of him lit her senses.
“Daddy?”
Chloe’s childish voice, calling from the family room, sent them reeling away from each other. Sukie straightened her sweater, pulling it back down, overwhelmed by the unbridled passion between them. Images of Elizabeth and Rob flashed in her mind. They’d be mortified if they knew what their mother was doing in the front hallway with a man somewhere between their ages and hers.
Shaken, Sukie followed Cam into the family room.
Chloe’s eyes brightened at the sight of her. “Miss Sukie! You’re still here!”
She smiled. “For a little while. But I’ll have to go home right after supper.”
“She’s going to stay with you while I go get your favorite food.” Cam lifted Chloe from the couch and gave her a playful squeeze.
A grin crossed Chloe’s face. “Pizza?”
Cam laughed. “Yep, favoritest food for my favoritest girl.”
Sukie watched them together, knowing he spoke the truth. Chloe was his favorite girl and always would be. That realization helped tamp down the desire that had enthralled her. They each had commitments and a life that wouldn’t be receptive to a wild, passionate affair.
