Thrown for a Curve

by Sugar Jamison

  “Can I tell you a secret, Col?”

  His face grew very serious, and he nodded once.

  “Other people’s kids annoy me sometimes. That’s a lie—they annoy me a lot of the time. There’s this one little girl in my class who never stops talking. I know I talk a lot but I wonder how she never runs out of questions—or words, for that matter. Sometimes she’s not even talking to anybody, just herself. I’m going to color this fish purple and this grass should be greener and it annoys me. Sometimes I wish I had magical powers so I could zap her tongue out. Does that make me a bad person? Do you think our kid will annoy me?”

  “Yes.” He laughed again and she savored the sound. “Of course he will. That’s what children do. But you’re not a bad person, love. I don’t know how teachers spend all day in a room full of children. I would go bloody bonkers myself.”

  “Sometimes I wish I weren’t pregnant so I could have a good strong drink when I get home from work. You know I think about writing to some parents and saying thank you for raising a child that makes me want to drink. I think sassy ten-year-old girls were the original reason why wine was invented.”

  He grinned at her and then gently pulled her face toward his so that he could kiss her. “I know you’re saying these things to make me laugh. You love children. Our lives need to be filled with them.”

  He was right. She could see the future. She could see this house and it wouldn’t be an empty place. It needed love. They could fill it with love.

  “I have to go to the grocery store.” She pulled away from him, but he held on tightly.

  “No, you don’t. I’ll order in.”

  “No, you won’t. Let me do this for you. Let me be your wife and cook for you and clean for you and take care of you.” She pressed a quick kiss to his lips. “But only until you get better. I’m not a maid, you know.”

  He grinned at her again and this time he let her go. “Don’t be gone long, lass. Or I might have to look up that Angelina Jolie–looking nurse you were talking about.”

  “I’ll be back in an hour. You can hold on until then. And don’t get any ideas about getting in that shower because I’m cutting the water off before I go.”

  “You’re bloodthirsty, lass.”

  “No I’m not. I just want the pleasure of stripping you naked and giving you a sponge bath myself.”

  “Oh, love,” he said with a twinkle in his eye. “Why didn’t you say so in the first place?”

  * * *

  The next morning Colin hobbled to his shop on his crutches only to find his wife there sitting in front of a cast-iron antique toy horse and buggy. She was staring at it intently. He knew that look in her eyes—it was the same look she had when faced with a blank canvas or dull piece of furniture. It was the same look she had last night when he was lying naked in bed. She was thinking of all the possibilities. He smiled to himself. His girl could be damn creative.

  “What are you doing, Charlotte?”

  She got up from her place and came toward him, hands on her hips. “What are you doing out of bed? You’re not supposed to be up yet.”

  “I’ve got a business to run and since you’re not in bed with me at the moment I’ve decided to come down here and give it a go.”

  “You can’t work today. You’re in pain. I can take care of things until you get better.”

  “That’s sweet, love. But I’ve been doing this job all my life. How are you just going to take over?”

  She shrugged. “I thought I could do some of the smaller projects. I think I can restore the horse and buggy.”

  “You think?” He sighed heavily, not wanting to hurt her feelings, especially after yesterday. They had spent the entire day together after she got back from the store, talking and watching TV, making love. It was as if he’d gotten his friend back. He didn’t want her to go away again. “I give every customer my best. Every project has to be done right.”

  “I can do it right.” She lifted her chin. “I can do my best. If you’ll just tell me what to do I’ll do it. I can do a lot, Colin. Let me prove it.”

  She didn’t have to prove anything. He knew there was so much she could do. “You’re going to have to remove all that old paint first. There is a medium steel-bristled brush in the third drawer to your left.”

  Four hours later he was watching her put the final coat of base paint on the toy. She had done an excellent job. She was meticulous and thoughtful with her work. She asked a million questions along the way, but it didn’t bother him. It reminded him of when he was learning how to fix things with his pop. The man never minded when he wanted to know more.

  “You’ve done beautiful work, love. When that dries you can decorate it however you want. You don’t need my instruction when it comes to painting.”

  “No.” She looked up at him, her pretty eyes locking with his. “But I like sitting with you. You’re a good teacher.”

  “I like sitting with you, too. I would like to sit with you more.” And then it dawned on him. “What about your job? Aren’t you supposed to be at work?”

  Hurt flashed through her eyes. “Do you think I would leave you after you had a horrible car accident?”

  “No. It’s just that you just started working. I was wondering how much time you could afford to take off.”

  “I don’t know.” She shrugged. “I quit.”

  “What?” He froze, unable to believe his ears.

  “I quit.” She got up and took her box of paint off the shelf.

  “When did you do that?”

  “Yesterday. Before lunch and after the amazing sex we had. You did some good work yesterday and all with a broken finger and a sprained ankle. I didn’t know my eyes could actually roll into the back of my head, but now that I do I figured I should stay home and let you try that every day before lunch.” She looked away from him, studying her paints as if she hadn’t just dropped the biggest of bombs on him.

  “But that job was so important to you.”

  “No.” She set her paint down and looked at him for a long moment before she leaned over to kiss his cheek. “It wasn’t. It was just a job.”

  He could still see guilt in her eyes. He knew she still felt bad about his accident, but it wasn’t her fault and if she’d quit because of him she would resent him forever. He wanted her around, but not like this. He wanted it to be her choice. He wanted her to be happy with him.

  “If you’re quitting because of me, don’t. I know how much you wanted to work. Being an art teacher was your dream.”

  “That job wasn’t important. I need to be here, Col.” She shook her head. “I thought you would be happier about this.”

  “You know I like you near me, but—”

  “I quit, Colin. I quit. And unless you can come up with a damn good reason you don’t want me around all day I’m working here.” She leaned over and kissed his cheek again. “I’m going to take Rufus for a walk. Why don’t you call Mike and Ellis and invite them for dinner? We haven’t had anybody over in a long time.”

  “I’d rather just have dinner with you, love.”

  “Okay.” She smiled shyly at him. “I would like that, too. What can I make for you tonight?”

  “Nothing.” He shook his head. “We’ll have a date. Have I ever taken you out on a date?”

  “Nope. You knocked me up first.”

  He grinned, so glad the easiness between them had returned. It no longer felt like things were crashing down around them. “I’ll have to fix that.” He reached across the table and grabbed her hand. “Charlotte O’Connell, will you have dinner with me at seven o’clock?”

  “Gee, I don’t know. I think I might be seeing someone else tonight.”

  “Cherri,” he growled.

  She threw her head back and laughed. Her eyes sparkled. Her skin went all glowy. She looked like the old Charlotte, the girl who’d first grabbed hold of his heart and kept it in a choke hold.

  “Yes. I would love to have dinner with you.”

&nb
sp; “Wear that short black dress that makes your legs look three miles long.”

  She frowned in confusion. “What short black dress?”

  “The one you wore the first time I made love to you.”

  Her smile returned. Her cheeks going a little pink. “Oh, Col, I’m pregnant. I don’t think I can get that thing over my belly.”

  “Wear it anyway and leave your underwear behind, too.”

  “Perv,” she said. She looked at him for a long moment, her smile fading. “I’ve missed you, Colin.”

  “I’ve missed you, too, love.”

  CHAPTER 24

  Fooled around and fell in love …

  Cherri patted her growing belly as she walked to the shed behind their house. It was time to start thinking about the nursery. She’d never thought she would be here at twenty-two years old. Pregnant. Married. Doing what she loved. It had been a week since she had quit her job. It had been a week since she had stopped her commute and fretting over lesson plans. It had been a week of working with her husband and spending hours getting lost in her painting.

  She wanted to paint more. She wanted to paint for the baby that was growing inside her, but she didn’t know what. The shed behind their house was where Colin kept all the good stuff. All the pieces he had picked up over the years, the really special things that he didn’t have time to work on due to the spike in business. She had come here to look for something she and Colin could put their touch on. She didn’t want anything new or cookie-cutter going into her baby’s room. She spotted a small toy plane lying beside a large cardboard box on the middle shelf. Maybe that could go into the room. Maybe they could have an aviation theme, but even though she suspected she was carrying a boy she wasn’t sure yet. Maybe she should search for more gender-neutral things. She put the plane down and picked up the box. On top was a beautiful silver music box in the shape of a carousel. It would be lovely in a little girl’s room. She looked deeper into the dusty box again but instead of pulling out more treasures she pulled out memories of Colin’s past.

  Serena. His ex, making another unexpected appearance.

  Shit.

  An entire box filled with her things. Pictures of her, each more beautiful than the last. Photos of her and Colin together, or him gazing down at her with a dreamy soft smile on his face.

  He kept the box.

  Her chest ached. He loved Serena. Still. Loved her long after their breakup. Seeing the pictures there was no denying it. He wouldn’t have kept her things for so long, in the shed, in the place he kept all the special things he wasn’t prepared to deal with yet.

  Was Serena one of those things he planned to go back to one day? One of those things he would try to fix? Cherri knew he cared about her and sometimes she even felt like he loved her—but did he love Serena more? Did he still think about her? Did he wish that he had the chance to be with her again?

  The doubt returned. The guilt. Their marriage was still so new, so fragile. Things were just starting to get easier between them. She was finally feeling hopeful. She was finally feeling the stirrings of happiness. She knew this wasn’t the life he’d planned on. Her pregnancy had forced it to change. And now they were married and for her that meant forever.

  But not if he doesn’t want it.

  “Cherri? Love, are you in there?”

  She heard his voice from outside but couldn’t move. She stood there staring at a big blaring sign that their lives together may never be what she hoped.

  “What are you doing in here?” He entered, stepping over the pile of unfinished wood in the center of the floor. “It’s damn dangerous in here. I don’t want you hurting yourself.”

  She looked up at him, unable to form coherent thoughts.

  “What’s wrong?” He cupped her face and studied her intensely. “Why are you so pale?”

  She shook her head. “I came to look for things to put in the nursery but…”

  She looked down at the box.

  “What do you have?” He took the box from her and glanced down at the contents. “What is all this crap?”

  “It’s Serena’s.”

  He blinked at her. “What? I got rid of her stuff eons ago.”

  “You didn’t. It’s all here. Every picture. Every present. Every memory. I guess she means a hell of a lot more to you than you told me she did.” She brushed past him.

  He threw the box down on the floor and grabbed her arm, spinning her around to face him. “You’re jealous?”

  “What if it were the other way around? What if you found my ex’s things? What if some man that I loved called to reconnect with me? How the hell would you feel?”

  “I’d kill him. I’d find him and kill him and then revive him and kill him again. You’re my wife. I don’t want anybody sniffing around you.”

  She shook her head. “You’re not understanding me.”

  “I understand you perfectly well.” He took her chin between his fingers and locked his eyes on her. “You have nothing to worry about. I don’t love her. We’re a family, love. I’m not going to let anything tear us apart. Do you understand me?”

  She nodded. He seemed so sure. She wanted to believe him. But … How could she when the man she’d married hadn’t married her for love?

  * * *

  The next night Colin opened the bathroom door to find his wife in the tub. Her eyes were closed, in sleep or in such deep thought that she hadn’t heard him come in. He simply watched her for a few moments. Her wild hair was plastered to her head, her body stretched out. He could just see the tops of her gorgeous breasts in the bubbly water and the curve of her round belly. He grew aroused looking at her.

  “It’s kind of rude to walk in on someone while they are in the bathroom and silently stare. Not to mention creepy.”

  He stepped closer, touching her wet hair. “Is it now? I thought that was one of the perks of being married—getting to watch your wife do things that no other man can.”

  She opened her eyes and looked at him. “Is it? I didn’t get my copy of the marriage handbook.”

  “I didn’t, either. I’m just making this shit up as I go.”

  She smiled at him. Not a happy smile. Not the shy smiles she had been giving him lately, but a full seductive smile that made him harder than a rock. “Hand me a towel?”

  She stood up, all the soapy water running down her body. It was like he didn’t know where to look first. Every part of her was appealing. His six-foot-tall wife. Not trim, petite, delicate, or any of the things so many people found desirable. Her uniqueness made her interesting. It made him want her even more. He almost lost control of himself just looking at her. It had only been a couple of days since they’d last made love. She had been so exhausted lately. The baby was growing, healthy, and strong according to the doctor, but he was taking a lot out of Cherri and sometimes she got so tired she barely stayed up past eight PM. He missed her, though. Since he had survived his accident, their lovemaking had been different, more intense almost, and he craved it. He craved her. “Step out.”

  He didn’t hand her the towel, just held it open until she walked into it. He wrapped it around her and then himself. And he held her wet naked body so close to him that air couldn’t pass.

  “You smell good.”

  “Thank you,” she moaned, placing her lips in the crook of his neck. “You feel good.” She leaned back so she could look into his face. “How are you feeling today? Is your ankle okay? I noticed you limping a little this afternoon.” She touched the spot on his head where he had smashed it. “You told me you were back to normal.”

  “I lied. I was never normal, lass. But if you are asking me if I’m well enough to make love to my pretty wife the answer is yes.”

  “Oh.” She wrapped her arms back around him and rested her head on his shoulder.

  “Don’t you want to?”

  “Yes. I miss you.”

  “Then what’s wrong?” A beat of worry entered his chest.

  “I don’t want thing
s to go wrong again.”

  She was thinking about Serena. About the phone call they’d shared recently. About the box she’d found yesterday. He couldn’t explain it. He had forgotten it there. He didn’t keep it around on purpose. Serena meant nothing to him. She had to know that. He had to show her that. He had thrown the box away, taken it directly to the dump, but he wasn’t sure it was enough. He wasn’t sure he could prove how much she meant to him.

  “They won’t, love. We won’t let them.”

  “I know things are better but I’m still so mad at myself.”

  “I’m not mad at you, Charlotte,” he told her truthfully. “I know how much you missed your gran. I understand that after you spent your life devoted to her, you wanted a little time for yourself. I want you to be happy. If teaching makes you happy you should do that.”

  She shook her head. “Painting makes me happy. Being in the shop makes me happy.”

  He ran his fingers through her wet hair and kissed her forehead. “You can paint in the shop forever if you would like.”

  “I don’t want to be just your wife. I want to be your partner. I want to contribute to this marriage. That’s why it was so important for me to work. I didn’t want you to think you had to take care of me. I didn’t want to be your burden.”

  “Burden?” He shook his head. “Why the hell would you think that? Cherri, it was me who needed you. Not the other way around.”

  She looked up at him disbelieving. There was no way he could tell her. He didn’t have the right words. He had to show her. He sealed his lips to her until he felt her go slack in his arms. His body heated. His skin tingled. His thoughts melted away. She did that to him.

  “It’s not like this with anybody else. You’re the only woman who makes me feel this way. You’re the only woman who makes me go crazy and keeps me running back for more. I don’t know how to explain it to you. I was going along just fine in my life until I met you. And you threw me for a curve. You knocked me on my ass. You made it so I can’t get enough of you.”