“Certainly. You two younguns behave yourselves and don’t worry over anything here.” Rose shooed them away with her usual motherly charm.
Reece grabbed Lilah’s hand before she could offer a protest and led her from the busy display.
“What’s the rush?” She tugged on her captured hand.
“You didn’t see the two women huddled together, staring at me?” Reece slowed the pace but didn’t relinquish his hold. “They looked ready to pounce. You, my dear, have made me into somewhat of a star at these gatherings.”
“Right. Just don’t let it go to your head.” She smiled inwardly, warming to his boyish charm and easy wit.
They strolled through the exhibitions, enjoying the various arts and crafts until they came to the food court vendors. He bought her a hotdog loaded with sauerkraut and mustard, one of her favorites. After lunch, they headed back toward her booth and came across a bobbing-for-apples game that boasted a wide selection of prizes. Her gaze fastened on a large stuffed animal.
Reece must have noted her interest. “Does the lady want to own the blue bear?”
She nodded and wiggled her brows. “Does the esteemed knight wish to win the lady’s favor?” The last time a boy had won her a prize of this nature, Lilah had been a teenager. Ben had never liked silly games and usually groused whenever they chanced past a carnival of any kind.
Reece took the bait. “What do I have to do to own that stuffed animal?” he asked the attendant while pointing to the prize.
“Nab five apples within five minutes. Three apples will get you one of the smaller prizes.”
Reece eyed the barrel full of apples floating in water and scrunched his face. “The things I do for a pretty woman. You’re on.”
He handed the young teen manning the booth the required fee, tugged at his pants legs, and wiggled into position. Lilah stood at the side and whipped out her cell to take photos. At the youth’s prompting, Reece began diving for the red fruits. Before long a small crowd circled, cheering him on.
Amid a lot of laughter and several failed attempts, Reece managed two apples within three minutes. With two more minutes to go, Lilah doubted his ability to succeed and yet, just the fact he played the silly game warmed her heart. Was this man for real? Today seemed like a fairytale, one she hoped never ended.
Water droplets flew from his chin as he dropped another apple on the ground. The boy clapped. “One more to go, mister and that bear is yours.”
But when the buzzer sounded, only four apples had been retrieved. “Sorry, mister, but you can choose one of the smaller stuffed animals.”
“No. The lady wants the big old bear.” Reece wiped his wet face on the offered towel. “How much to buy it?”
“Reece, no.” Lilah stayed his hand from reaching for his wallet. “You don’t need to buy that bear. I’m happy with the smaller duck and just the fact you were willing to drown your face for five minutes was the best gift ever.”
He frowned. “But the duck isn’t really what you want.”
“You have no idea what I really want,” she said, giving him her sexiest smile. “And it’s not the bear and it’s not Mr. Quacker.”
He raised a brow. “I think my libido just went off kilter with that innuendo.”
She immediately sobered, realizing just how far she’d gone with her flirtations. The man must think her a tart for saying such a forward thing so early in their friendship. What had gotten into her? “I’m sorry. I got ahead of myself, didn’t I?”
“No. I’m rather flattered.”
“Yes, but I’m not usually so forward.” She stared off into the distance. “I seem to always be doing or saying the wrong things around you. I can’t imagine what you must think.”
“I think you’re a beautiful lady with a wonderful sense of humor. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed today.”
“I did too.”
They shared a mild laugh while both took pleasure from the silence as they pondered the possibilities together.
“I have an idea.” Lilah wanted more than anything to spend more time with this man.
“Oh no. I’m in trouble, a woman with an idea. What could it be?”
“I really have to get back to the booth and help Rose, and I’m sure you have things to do. What about dinner tomorrow night?”
“Sounds wonderful. Do you like spaghetti?”
“Who doesn’t like pasta?”
“Great. It’s the only meal I ever learned to cook, and boy do I make good spaghetti.”
“No, I mean I’d fix dinner for you.”
“Next time. I want to get you out on my sweetheart, the Jenny May. We’ll have an early dinner, head up to Pelican bar for a few drinks then a midnight special treat.”
“Are you sure?”
“Believe me, you’ll love it.” He escorted her back to her area. “I’m returning her safe and sound, Rose.”
“Did you enjoy yourselves?”
“Tremendously,” Lilah said, hugging the duck to her chest. “Any more sales?”
“Three. I think it’s your best day so far. You need to bring this young man around more often. He’s good for business.”
Reece was good for a lot more than business. He’d been good for her ego as well. In his company, she’d felt like a cherished woman, and Lilah liked the notion. If only she could make the feeling last forever, but then, Ben had taught her that people change and forever usually didn’t happen. Perhaps, she’d take lessons from Ashley and just live for the moment.
Reece’s cell rang. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched as he talked. He had a confident way about him when dealing with others. The call didn’t last long, and when he was done, he gave her his full attention again.
He pulled her aside, took the duck from her hands, and set it on the table they used for transactions. “I had a great time today, and I look forward to cooking dinner for you. That was George on the phone. Your tire is ready. Instead of waiting to fix it on our return, I’m going to pick up the tire, get your car ready to drive, then come back to help you tear down. When is the show over?”
“Six.”
“I’ll be here half an hour early. These things usually die off just before closing.” He shared a look, one that said he’d love to kiss her.
She gave him a gentle smile and pulled away. “Thanks, Reece.”
When they first kissed, she didn’t want an audience. She wanted him alone, all to herself.
Fifteen
“I’m coming!” Reece raced to the front door, turned the doorknob and greeted his guest. “You’re just in time, and Wow.” He panned up and down her attire, the black silk dress with the extra short skirt, the opened toed shoes, the low cut window to her cleavage exposing everything but nipple, but especially the French cut nails. “You look great. A little formal, though.” He took her hand and gently stroked Lilah’s delicate tapered fingers. “I love a woman’s hands.”
“Thanks.” She lingered, as if enjoying the attention, or perhaps the massage of her fingertips, before stepping into the foyer. “I thought you said we were going to Pelican Point for drinks later.”
He escorted her to the living room. “We are, but—they’re a bit casual. Not a problem, you’re just going to make the other ladies jealous, and the guys envious as hell.”
She issued a girlish giggle. “I can live with that, and I like your outfit too. Early Italian isn’t it?” She sampled the smear of sauce across his full body apron. “Hmmm, very good. A man that can cook and dress up like a girl. You are an enigma, Mr. Edwards.”
He wagged his eyebrows. “You haven’t seen anything yet. Did you bring a change for later? Remember I said we’d be wading onto the beach.”
“I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.”
After three seconds imagining her in a slinky bikini, Reece reeled his tongue back in his mouth, pointed first at the wine bottle beneath her arm, then the curio in the dining area. “There’s an opener in the middle drawer. Pour two glasses and I’ll
be right back.”
He departed into the kitchen and while finishing the hors d’oeuvres, pondered the potential wonders of the evening. He removed the brochette from the oven, seasoned with garlic, oregano, and melted butter, then scooted back to his guest resting quietly on the only piece of sitting furniture in the room. Both eyes locked immediately on the smooth inviting flesh rocking slowly back and forth atop her knee, exposing more thigh with each movement.
“Something wrong?”
He blinked twice to gather his thoughts and swallowed the lump in his throat. “Oh, sorry. My mind drifted for a moment. Here, tell me what you think.” He extended a plate of toasted fresh bread soaked in oils, covered with tomatoes and fresh parsley flakes. Reece positioned himself as close as possible, without being offensive, and inhaled her intoxicating aroma. Not the body lotion or perfume, just the enticing natural feminine scent that broke through the cloud of colognes.
He held up a piece to those moistened red lips, envied the fortunate crusty bread being devoured by that seductive mouth, and waited for the verdict.
“Oh My God, that’s terrific.” She leaned forward for another bite, as did he, only his motives were different; to inhale another tantalizing whiff of the gorgeous creature by his side.
Reece watched each motion, the flexing of that tiny nose, the pulsing of the soft puffy skin above the green sparkling fire disks surrounding each pupil, the glisten off her lip-gloss, the darting tongue thrusting in and out to capture ever morsel; and he was forced to catch his breath. “Here, have another.”
She held up four delicate fingers of one hand. “No, thank you, it’s unbelievable, but I’m not like you, Reece.” She graced his arm with two cupped nails. “A large muscular man can take in a ton of calories and maintain his shape. Women aren’t so lucky.”
“You stay right here, enjoy your wine, and we’ll meet in the dining room in five minutes.” He risked another two taps on her soft, freshly shaved flesh just below the edge of her raised skirt and rushed into the kitchen.
Reece scurried across the linoleum floor, paying care to each course of his well-planned meal while thinking once again how familiar she looked.
Been a long time since I cooked for someone else.
Meals for a bachelor sucked. Always leftovers, a solemn lifeless chair across the table sharing no expression, no words about its day, its dreams, the funny joke it heard on the radio driving to work; but this time was different.
Not sure why I feel so charged up. Just something about her.
The adage, the eyes are the portal to one’s soul, was a cliché, yet nothing explained his unexpected emotions better, the jubilance of attempting to impress this one woman.
Hell, maybe I’m just getting mellow in my old age.
Bullshit. His brain listened to the melody dancing in his heart, the words echoing, she could be the one, the potential mate that peered past your flaws and imperfection, that drew pleasure from simply making you smile.
Don’t get ahead of yourself, fellow. You’ve been hurt before.
Reece refused the warning, snipped the strings trying to hold him back. It was just too powerful, that I-need-someone-too expression on Lilah’s face. At his core, the siren’s call to another lonely traveler in a sea of strangers, lured his spirit forward, to a path he’d only visited once before and ended in a pit of solitude with his Ex.
Screw you.
He shook his head and drove out the voice screaming, Look away, don’t do it again. Reece refused to turn back, let that mistake drive him from the chance to be with the one.
The tantalizing caress of four polished fingertips tracing down his bicep returned him to the kitchen.
“Bit lonely in there. Can I help?”
He pushed firmly into her touch. “Absolutely. Salad makings are on the counter; help yourself.”
She motioned to her dress. “Have another apron?”
“Here, I’m in my goof-around duds, take mine.” He quickly removed his coverall and ever so slowly draped it across her torso, taking intentional caution to linger near her amble bosom. “Like me to tie it for ya?”
“Sure.”
Again, with deliberation, he stole the full extent of incidental contact he could mustard against her lightly veiled rump without crossing into pervert territory. He closed his eyes and concentrated, cleared the primal thoughts, their two bodies, entwined, her cool flesh sucking forth the heat from his raging furnace. He tightened his muscles, fought the guttural moan building in his throat, the twitches from his nether region.
Don’t you dare embarrass me.
An alarm sounded, and he backed off. “Knives are in the right drawer.” He returned to stirring the sauce.
Twenty seconds passed. “Nice working together, isn’t it?” Reece suggested.
“Yes it is. Very…” She stalled for a moment. “What’s the word?”
“Comforting.”
“Exactly.” Lilah motioned toward the radio. “I like country music too. I play it all the time in my studio when I’m painting.”
“Nothing like it, except when making love. Then I like a little light jazz.”
She tilted her head back and forth and giggled. “You’re so funny.”
“Is that a good thing or bad?”
“I haven’t laughed in a long time, Reece.”
“Well, we’ll see if we can’t do something about that.”
The momentary gap in conversation wasn’t awkward at all, rather pleasant, as if just being in the kitchen together, feeling her presence, was more than enough.
“You like to cook?” The red juice from the severed chucks of tomato oozed across her fingers
“Use too. For one person, it can be a lonely experience. I don’t go all out, like this, as much as I’d like.”
“I’d think with your black book, you’d want to show off your skills in the kitchen to all your dates.”
“What makes you think I have a black book?”
Lilah paused and rotated her glance. “Well, don’t you?”
“I date on occasion but nothing serious.”
“How come? Not into long term relationships?”
“I know women think all men dream of playing the field, but there are a few of us that search for more.”
“Like what exactly?
“The one.”
“Meaning?”
“I want a single traveler to experience my days and nights, Lilah. I always have, just haven’t been very successful at finding her. I made a mistake once; don’t want to go through that pain again. Beside, you’re the first woman I’ve cooked for in years.”
“Why’s that?”
This time he stopped and turned to face his date. “Good question. I guess—just haven’t felt the buzz for a long time.”
“The buzz?”
“You know. The way your mind races at the possibilities, your body pulses at what might be, even your heart flitters when you’re around someone that makes you feel different, as if, maybe there’s a chance for more.”
“Wow. I’ve never heard a man talk like that before.” She stole a peek through her hair. “Yes, I know exactly what you mean.”
“I miss having someone to spend mate moments with.”
She completely turned around this time. “Mate moments?”
“The conversations together, the events where you do special things as a team, like that craft show, or like now, working in the kitchen with someone whose presence you enjoy. In the beginning of my marriage, Helen and I had some good times together, before we drifted apart. As newlyweds, I’d cook for her all the time, then she just seemed to lose interest in me.”
“Hard to believe anyone could not find you…interesting. Do you know what happened?”
“Part of it was my job. As a navy pilot, I was assigned to flight ops off carriers in theater a lot. The long, six-month tours apart tend to take a toll on marriages. She grew distant, happy to exist on her own without the encumbrance of a husband around. Plu
s, she was looking for things I couldn’t provide.”
“Like what?”
“Let’s just say she was into a higher social standard. She was a rather famous lawyer, a tabloid icon, and the glory became more important to her than maintaining her marriage to a virtual nobody. She didn’t understand how I could hate the publicity, the glamour, and rubbing elbows with the rich and famous.”
Her face grew ashen, and he wondered what he’d said to cause her to lose color. She stared at her plate. “Shallow woman, and a fool to match.”
“What about you? Married before?” His eyes searched hers for answers.
“Yes, once.”
“And?”
“Like you, I didn’t meet all my spouse’s appetites.” She turned quiet for a moment before he offered. “Shallow man, and a fool to match.”
A slice of carrot shot across the room and they shared a mild chuckle. Reece reached down, picked up the debris and tossed it in the sink. “Ever think of jumping into the fire again?”
“I – Sometimes. And you?”
“Sometimes.”
The sauce was ready, but he didn’t want the exchange to end. Her form moving in rhythm to the music, the shape of her body swaying beneath the flowing dress; every motion conveyed the wonder of true feminine charm. He sighed at the profound sensations stirring his heart, as if the gods had reached down and blessed mankind with these strange yet remarkable, and vulnerable creatures; their very essence, their shape, the inner sparkle reflected only through the eyes of a woman.
God I miss this.
Sixteen
Lilah worked around the edge of her plate, rolling the massive link of sausage through the glob of spicy rich, red sauce. When he’d talked of his ex-wife being famous, a weight settled upon her spirit. She should tell him her real name, confess her identity, but she feared his reaction now that he’d talked about how he hated the notoriety.
“Don’t you like it?” Reece sliced another one-inch section of his sausage and tossed it into his gullet.
What could she say? “I’ve never had pasta this tasty, not even from my mother, and she was an unbelievable cook.”
Distant Obsession Page 9
