"Not just for the drink, for listening. Things have been driving me crazy lately,” he said, running his fingers through his prematurely gray hair and causing it to stand on end. I stifled a giggle as he continued, “I'm so tired. I hadn't realized until I got still for a few minutes."
"Come on.” I stood up. “I'll take you home."
I dropped Richard off with a note that said what time to be at my house on Friday. I knew if I told him then he'd never remember. He was absent minded enough without figuring in the alcohol.
* * * *
As I made my way down the long winding gravel driveway, I could see something bright red on my doorstep. Even before I got out of the car, I could clearly see a dozen red roses. I heard another car coming up the drive and looked over my shoulder to see Elijah Jasper's patrol car. Hurriedly, I picked up the card. I wanted to at least know who they were from before he got there.
The smile was completely involuntary as I read:
Don't get the wrong idea,
this doesn't count as conversation.
Happy birthday, Red.
The card wasn't signed, but I knew Marco had sent them. What I wanted to know was how the hell did he know it was my birthday. Before I had time to really ponder the question, I heard Elijah's door close.
As I turned around I saw that his bruises had turned to a lovely shade of yellow, and his lip was beginning to heal.
"Hi.” He smiled.
"What are you up to?” I asked.
"Well, I was going to wish you a happy birthday, but it looks as if someone beat me to it.” He motioned toward the flowers.
"How did you...?” I began.
"I overheard your friend Kat talking about it. I was at her shop earlier today,” he confessed.
"Oh.” I smiled. “That was nice of you, Elijah."
"Call me Eli,” he reminded me, and the smile reached his eyes.
Even covered in bruises, Elijah managed to be charming.
"Come in,” I offered.
"Thanks, but I can't stay,” he said. “Actually, I was wondering if, after my bruises heal ... maybe we could try again on the whole date thing."
"After our first date was such a success,” I replied sarcastically.
"Yeah.” He laughed.
I felt that I should explain something to Elijah. It wasn't fair to lead him on. “You know Alfred...."
"Is not here,” he interrupted. “But I am."
I had to admit that caught me by surprise. There was no doubt whatsoever that he had managed to charm this information out of Kat.
"Don't look so serious,” he said gently. “I'm not asking for forever and always, but let's spend some time together."
"After our first date?” I repeated the question, just in case he missed the sarcasm the first time.
"I'm willing to take my chances.” His smile made me want to return the favor. Even the busted lip couldn't distract from the heavenly deep blue of his eyes. They were the sort of eyes you could drown in if you let yourself.
"Alright.” I didn't have the heart to refuse him. “Just as long as you understand that...."
"Not forever and always,” he interrupted again. There was a note to his voice that I couldn't quite read. It wasn't exactly sadness. It was closer to disappointment.
"What did you have in mind?"
"Well, not Chinese.” He smiled.
"Do you like Italian?” I asked.
He seemed surprised.
"I'm not a bad cook when I try.” I smiled. “Why don't you come by next weekend? I'll cook for you. You do realize, this is a rare offer?” I added with a wink, making it question.
"That sounds great,” he answered, glancing back at the patrol car reluctantly. “I've got to be going. Will you be at Ms. Wilson's on Friday?” he asked.
I laughed softly, shaking my head. “She got you, too, huh?"
"She stopped by to ask Kat about your invitation while I was there.” He added with a grin, “I was trapped."
I wanted to say something to make him stay, but nothing came to mind, so I waved politely as Elijah drove away. There was something about him that just made me feel better. He wasn't comforting in the sense that Alfred was. With Alfred, I knew I was safe from anyone who might try to hurt me. But, when I was near Elijah, I forgot there were such people. It wasn't just the smile, or his eyes. I had been wrong in thinking that Elijah was completely innocent. He'd seen enough to know the world wasn't all sunshine and rainbows. There was something else in his smile. It wasn't innocence, or naivety. It was hope, and it made me feel better.
As I sat Marco's roses on the kitchen table, I thought about what Elijah had said, ‘not forever and always'. If he knew that, then why was he wasting his time? But then again, wasn't it me who had said, it didn't have to be anything serious? Yeah, I think that was me. I enjoyed being with Elijah, and it didn't have to be any more complicated than that. Part of me was relieved to have someone to spend time with in Alfred's absence that wasn't looking to complicate my life any further. But another part wouldn't stop saying, ‘don't get too close'.
Maybe I was the one being naïve to think that I could spend the next three months with an attractive man and not become involved. However, I reminded myself as I read Marco's card again, I'm not a complete animal ... just half.
* * * *
Friday came more quickly than I had expected and when Richard arrived, I still couldn't decide on what to wear. I answered the door in my pajamas and a pair of flip flops that just happened to be conveniently located outside my bedroom door. He laughed when he saw me, and as I took in his appearance, I remembered why I hadn't bothered to tell him to dress nicely. Richard never dressed down. The man didn't even own a pair of jeans. The pity was, the one time I'd ever seen him wear them, he looked good.
"Is that a fashion statement, or are you just not ready yet?"
"Very funny,” I wasn't really amused, but I couldn't help the smirk. “Are you gonna help me decide on something, or just stand there?"
He took a deep breath as he replied, “Well, there is a nice breeze here...."
I snatched him through the door before he could finish his next smartass remark.
After looking through about half the things in my closet, we both finally decided on a mid length, flowing brown dress. It was sleeveless, with gracefully layered ruffles that reached just below my knees. I accessorized with a sun hat to which I attached a sheer brown scarf as a band, and a strappy pair of heels that neatly covered my tattoo.
I walked out of the bathroom and found Richard looking through some of my latest sketches.
"What do you think?” I posed dramatically.
"That I'm in the wrong line of work,” he said, still looking at my drawings.
I walked over to see which pictures had caught his attention and found Marco kneeling like a slave on the page before me. As is often the case with Marco, the smile was involuntary.
"Do you like it?” I asked.
"I'm afraid to say,” he said seriously.
"Why?"
"Well,” he said, looking up at me, “if I like it, what does that say about me?"
"That you need a dominatrix.” I laughed. “Now, what about this dress?"
He smiled approvingly as he said in his best back woods hick voice, “You clean up reel nice, missy."
We arrived fashionably late, while everyone else was still introducing themselves. Most people were already acquainted. However, there were always a few new faces each year. I saw one face in particular that I wanted to avoid, but she was already making her way toward us.
"Shit,” I breathed, turning my back on Marcy as she advanced through the crowd.
"What?” Richard asked.
"I hate that woman,” I growled.
"I don't like her either,” Elijah's voice said from behind me.
I wasn't sure how I'd managed to overlook him, but as I turned around, I saw that I was clearly blind to have done so. Elijah was wearing the kind of dress s
hirt that is meant to be worn untucked, in a deep shade of brown with a matching jacket, dark dress shoes, and a pair of jeans that fit well enough to have given Marco a run for his money.
"Not bad,” I said approvingly.
"Yeah, I clean up nice.” He returned my greeting with a smile that made his blue eyes sparkle and I noticed how much the brown complemented his hair. Standing in the sunlight that afternoon, I appreciated for the first time how his hair reflected like a honeyed gold in the sun. It seemed a grave injustice to have categorized it as dark blond or light brown. His hair was brown, but with natural golden highlights that most women would have killed for.
After a moment, I realized I was staring. “Yes, you do,” I said, not bothering to be polite enough to stop looking. This caused Elijah's smile to broaden appreciatively and Richard leaned around to give me a funny look. It was at this moment that Marcy finally made her way to where we stood on Ms. Wilson's front lawn.
"Lilith, so nice to see you.” She beamed artificially.
Every word that woman spoke in an attempt at polite conversation seemed an insult to my ears. I forced myself to smile as I replied coolly, “Hi.” I couldn't bring myself to say it was nice to see her, too, because it wasn't. I'd have much rather eaten dirt for lunch than be forced to speak to Marcy Johnson. Leave it to Ms. Wilson to extend a greeting to everybody. Marcy looked from Richard to Elijah and back to me as I realized with a hint of amusement that we all matched. It hadn't been on purpose, but Richard's tan suit and brown tie most definitely went with what Elijah and I were wearing.
"Oh, how cute, you all match.” She grinned. “And who are your friends? Have I missed something?"
Nosy bitch. Without Alfred to keep me in line, I decided to respond like I wanted to for once. I indicated Richard to my left as I said, “This is my doctor, Richard Stacey."
Catching on to what I was trying to do, he extended his hand in greeting has he replied, “Yes, her gynecologist."
Marcy's bug eyes nearly popped from her head, but she attempted to maintain her composure. “And you are?” She turned to Elijah, who was clearly having a difficult time opening his mouth and containing his laughter at the same time.
"This is Elijah Jasper.” I smiled sweetly, finding it easier to smile at her if I could be nasty at the same time.
"And what do you do?” she asked, clearly having difficulty taking her eyes from Richard and the smug look he was giving her.
"Oh, it's not important, I'm just using him for sex,” I interrupted.
Elijah's eyes widened, as he and Richard visibly fought to control their amusement.
"Oh, I see,” Marcy said, beginning to wave profusely with the ugly fan she was carrying. It matched the awful pink sundress and hat that completed her atrocious ensemble. “Well, if you'll excuse me.... “With that, Marcy awkwardly dismissed herself.
She had barely turned her back before Richard and Elijah both doubled over laughing.
"My gynecologist,” I rounded on Richard with a giggle.
"Sorry,” he said with a pant, “I couldn't help myself."
Elijah placed his hand on my shoulder as he said with a wink, “I guess this means we have to sit together now."
I took them both by the arm and walked toward the porch, ready to face the crowd. Ms. Wilson lived in a large old plantation style house on the opposite end of town from me. Of course, I was out in the middle of nowhere past the other side of town, and she was still inside the city limits. We were greeted more warmly than I had expected by Ms. Wilson as we entered the house among a throng of other guests.
She leaned in conspiratorially as she whispered, “Honey, I don't know what you said to that Marcy woman, but she looks pink enough to match that awful dress."
"Why, I was only introducing her to my doctor,” I said in my best Scarlet O'Hara voice.
Elijah chuckled and said, “And her sex slave."
Ms. Wilson may have been old, but uptight she was not. She knew exactly who the men with me were and our comments to Marcy seemed to make her day.
"Oh, I can't stand her,” she said, cackling. “But, one must strive to be polite,” she said, regaining her composure.
"And where is that Italian of yours?” she asked shrewdly. “Still turning up his nose at my tea party, I assume."
"No.” I smiled sadly. “Alfred is out of town on business, and he's not my Italian."
She raised one eyebrow at my last comment, but left it at that as she began to greet other guests.
As everyone exited the house and crossed the back porch, I admired how much effort the tea party must take to arrange every spring. Small white tables were sprinkled about the large back yard with matching wicker chairs and soft yellow tablecloths. There was a lovely tea set on each table, all with different expensive looking patterns and a small bouquet of fresh wildflowers. Of course, Ms. Wilson didn't do it all herself. She had servants, but she believed in putting forth some effort herself, which I had always admired. As we looked around for a seat, Richard whispered, “It must be nice to be filthy rich."
The next few hours passed more quickly than I had expected as Kat flitted around taking pictures of unsuspecting people in the middle of eating cream filled pastries or taking a sip of tea. She was wearing a breezy looking white sundress with a matching hat. The three of us managed to get a table underneath a large oak tree, and thanks to the shade, we stayed relatively cool. Halfway through our conversation, I was temporarily blinded by the flash of Kat's camera.
"You could warn me, you know,” I said, blinking far too fast.
"If I warned you, I might not have gotten such a good picture of you flirting,” she teased nastily.
A flush began to creep up my cheeks as I realized she was right. I'd been sitting there in front of Richard and everybody else obviously flirting with Elijah. The situation would not have been so bad had there not been something between Alfred and me. Though nothing was set in stone, we definitely had feelings for one another. Add that to the fact that I lived in the nosiest town I'd ever even heard of and, as you can see, I was screwed. Most of the town already thought Alfred was my live-in boyfriend. Admittedly, they weren't far off, but that had not always been the case.
Showing up at local events with Richard was acceptable and no one cared because most of them thought he was gay. It did no good to explain that just because the man kept to himself and happened to color coordinate did not mean he was gay. Although, the color coordinating thing was a little bizarre, it was just Richard. Elijah on the other hand, had only been in town for a few years, was known to be single, and happened to be considered prime real estate. When he blinked those blue eyes, or flashed one of his megawatt smiles, the girls around town flung it so hard you could get whiplash just watching. Rumors were no doubt already in flight.
I was brought back to reality as Ms. Wilson climbed to the top step on the back porch and rang the dinner bell. She had spent the last few hours going from table to table speaking to each person, and most likely asking their life's history.
"I would like to thank you all for coming and taking this opportunity to have some sun, some tea, and some conversation.” She smiled brightly. “Please continue to visit at your leisure and if you need me for anything, I'll be at that table over there, adding some whiskey to my tea."
She walked to her table amongst clapping and laughter from the crowd as I turned to Richard and Elijah. “Well gentlemen, we've stayed through the ‘thank you’ speech, I think we can safely leave now."
On our way out, I spotted Kat in the kitchen.
"I'll be right out,” I said to Richard and he and Elijah continued out the front.
She turned as I came in. “Happy late birthday,” she said. “Did you get my present?” Her smile was positively evil.
"What present?"
"The one you seemed to be enjoying so well this afternoon.” I must have still looked confused, because she then explained, “I sent Mr. Jasper your way."
My jaw dropped
. “You did wh...?"
"Oh, you didn't like it?” she pouted.
"What about Alfred?” I was actually a little bit angry. “It was your stupid suggestion that got me to thinking differently about him, and now you're throwing local cops at me?"
Kat looked at me as if I'd missed the point. “I'm not asking you to marry him,” she said gently. “Look, the guy's adorable and he's so obviously got a thing for you. Just spend some time with him. Have some fun."
"People's feelings aren't things that you have fun with,” I said, more sadly than I'd meant to.
"I know that,” Kat said, looking depressed then also. “I only meant that...."
"I know, Kat. It's just that ... I see the way Elijah looks at me. I just don't want to hurt him."
"I understand,” Kat said, putting her arm around me, “But, I've seen the way you look at him, too, when you think no one's looking. You may not feel for him what you feel for Alfred, but you feel something."
She was right.
"I just want you to be happy, you know? Be able to recognize what's right."
"Which brings me back to what I wanted to ask you in the first place,” I said. “I believe the best way to know what is right is by spending some time with what's wrong."
I proceeded to make plans with Kat to go to club Red the following night. Since it was a few hours away, Kat offered to make hotel reservations for the night on her, in honor of my birthday. When I walked outside, I found Richard and Elijah still talking by the car. As I approached, Elijah smiled and Richard seemed to pay closer attention to our interaction. Elijah excused himself with a hug and a promise to call me later. Which doesn't sound so bad, except when he pressed against me, I took a deep breath.
He was wearing one of those great colognes that just smells like a man ought to smell. And with my sense of smell being so much more than it should be, I was aroused. I became suddenly very aware of how close he was and felt my nipples begin to harden against the thin fabric of my dress. Elijah didn't seem to notice, but the dress was thin, and as I turned back to Richard, he obviously did.
"So, what's up with you and the cop?” he asked as he opened my door.
"Nothing.” I sat down and watched him give me ‘the look’ as he walked around to his side.
Red Page 15
