Southern Spirits (The Southern Series Book 3)

by Shelley Stringer

After we had the twins dry and fed, they played in our laps for a while with Beau at our feet, sticking his nose in frequently to join in the fun.

  “Um, sir…if you will return to your seats, the captain has turned the seatbelt lights on. We will be landing in a few minutes,” Jean informed us.

  Banton rose and carried the babies back and strapped them in. As we both settled back into our seats, I could feel the plane begin its descent. We hit a rough patch of turbulence, and I tensed as the plane pitched and jumped a bit.

  Banton covered my hand with his, and a warmth spread over me as he tried to convey a calmness. I smiled and nodded to him as he leaned over and kissed me on the forehead.

  “Find your happy place, baby. I can hear your heartbeat, and your eyes are glowing,” he warned in a whisper, glancing back at the flight attendant who was strapped in a seat next to the galley.

  I nodded and closed my eyes, taking a deep breath and trying the technique Everett had suggested. When I opened them again, Banton smiled at me.

  “Good girl,” he said, kissing me again.

  The plane touched down, and then slowed as it taxied around to another runway. I searched out the windows for some clue to where we were. When I spotted a cluster of tall palm trees, I turned and raised my eyebrow at my smirking husband.

  “Figured it out?’ he asked, his eyes twinkling.

  “You are taking us for a glimpse of our new beach house,” I guessed as he grinned.

  “Well, with this little warm spell chasing the fall weather away, I decided this might be the perfect weekend. I don’t know if we will want to dip in the ocean, but we can certainly take some barefoot walks on the beach and let the twins play in the sand for the first time,” he answered as his lips brushed mine.

  “I hope your stay here is a pleasant one,” Jean said as we unbuckled our seatbelts and rose to get the twins. As we stepped off the stairs to the runway, a white SUV pulled up to greet us. A young man jumped out and walked over to Banton, handing him the keys.

  “Mr. Gastaneau?”

  Banton nodded.

  “Your rental, sir. May I help with your luggage?” He followed Jean back into the plane, and then emerged with the ice-chest and Beau close on his heels. I stood holding Elly as Banton secured Matty’s safety seat. He then took Elly and walked around to the other side to load her.

  “Come, Beau…load up,” I commanded. Beau jumped into my seat and then settled himself between the babies as usual. Banton finished loading our luggage in the back and jumped in beside me.

  “Ready?”

  He grinned, fairly jumping in his seat with excitement. I had to laugh at him. He was like a small boy on Christmas morning.

  * * *

  My jaw dropped. Beach house, my ass! The place looked like it was worthy of a Kennedy summer gathering.

  “I thought it was a condo,” I whispered.

  “It is. It’s actually three houses in one. All of these in this beachfront community are built that way. They’re built to look a bit more vintage and homey,” he commented as he pulled into a stall of covered parking to the side.

  The house was painted in peach tones with bright, blue shutters and built high off the ground on tall pillars. A wide staircase led up the front to a massive wrap-around porch. Oversized wicker furniture welcomed us from the porch. I could envision spending many, many happy summers here.

  “Banton, I love it,” I whispered.

  “You haven’t even seen the inside yet,” he chided.

  “I don’t have to. It’s heaven on earth!” I exclaimed, gazing out at the ocean, visible between the parking shed and the house.

  I jumped out and opened the back door to retrieve Matty. Banton did the same with Elly, and as Beau followed us, Banton turned and stopped me.

  “Here, give me Matty. I’ll carry them in, stay right here,” he commanded sternly.

  “Why?”

  “Just stay here,” he called over his shoulder as he climbed the stairs. He sat the babies down on the porch as he unlocked the door. Disappearing into the house, he returned quickly and then ran down the stairs and across the yard to me.

  “Now, this is what I wanted to do,” he gushed as he swung me up into his arms.

  “Banton, please. You don’t have to do this,” I grinned goofily at him.

  “Oh, yes I do. Your house was yours before it was ours. I bought this for us,” he said as he shook his head, his eyebrows furrowed. “Did that make sense?’

  I giggled. “Yes, funny enough, it did to me. I love you, darlin’.”

  “And I you, Mrs. Gastaneau,” he murmured against my lips. He pushed the screen door open with his foot and swept me into the entry and set me down on my feet. Both walls were lined with whitewash bead board and benches with pegs for wet swimwear and hats. Baskets lined the floor under the benches, handy to store flip-flops or beach toys. I wandered through to the great room. The walls were the same bead-board, with a large white stone fireplace at one end, and a galley-style kitchen at the other. A large island with a wrap-around breakfast bar separated the kitchen from the living area. Furnished in over-stuffed sofas and wide armchairs covered in white slip-covers, it was homey, beachy and perfect. Pale blue floral and check throw pillows were tossed about, and light throw rugs were scattered on the white-washed pine floors. The entire back of the house incorporated one long line of French doors, opening to a large deck overlooking the beautiful turquoise water.

  Banton watched me curiously as I turned back to him. I launched myself at him as I squealed in delight, and he caught me mid-air in his arms.

  “I take it you approve?’

  “I love it, Banton! It’s breathtaking,” I said as the twins began to yell out at us from their seats, wanting to be unstrapped.

  “Okay, okay…keep your diapers on,” Banton mumbled against my neck. He threw me down playfully onto one of the overstuffed sofas and then knelt to unstrap the twins. Carrying them under their arms with their little legs dangling, he dropped them one at a time into my lap.

  “See the wonderful place daddy bought for us? Isn’t it beautiful?” I turned both of them around to gaze out the windows at the ocean. The sun was sparkling on the turquoise water, turning it a deeper shade of blue as the waves washed toward us. The babies seemed mesmerized by the water.

  “I can’t wait to take them out to play in the sand,” I said as Banton grinned at me. He dropped the suitcases, one by one inside the door as Beau followed him back and forth to the car. After he’d finished unloading all our stuff, he came back in and closed the front door. I’d placed both babies on the rug so they could explore, and they’d both headed straight for the French doors, pulling up to stand as they gazed out at the water. They jabbered at each other, and then pointed back to the beach as if they were carrying on their own little secret conversation. Beau ran through the house exploring, and then back into the great room with us. He barked at the twins as he sat down between them as if he were joining in their conversation.

  “Chandler, have you seen the rest of the house?” Banton asked as he dropped down beside me on the sofa.

  “In a minute. I’m in love with this view,” I sighed as I looked up at him.

  “The kids seem to be too,” he said.

  “I sometimes have to remind myself they’re just barely four months old. They’re already crawling, pulling up…saying their first words.”

  “I know. I think we are only days away from Matty taking his first step.”

  I looked at him, and nodded. He smiled and pulled me into his side, wrapping his arms around me.

  “I guess that’s a good thing, now that we have another one on the way,” he said as he nuzzled my neck.

  Elly sat down and whimpered as Beau stuck his nose right on her behind.

  “Oops, looks like somebody might need changing,” I said as Banton chuckled. I rose to get her.

  “Don’t lift her from the floor,” Banton scolded.

  “Banton, I’m fine. My ribs are m
uch better and they hardly hurt me. I’m almost healed,” I answered as I stood with Elly. Banton picked Matty up and followed me into the foyer.

  “I’ll get their bag. The bedrooms are down that hallway to the right, the master is at the end of the hallway,” he instructed as I made my way back.

  There were two large bedrooms with king-sized beds on the left with a bathroom in between, and a large bedroom on the right with the same. All of the rooms were decorated with natural wicker furniture and fluffy pastel duvets and throw pillows. Large double doors opened to the master at the end of the hallway. Decorated in shades of white gossamer and cottons, it was furnished with dark carved teakwood and dark-stained rush furniture, giving it a Caribbean feel.

  “This just gets better and better,” I breathed as I wandered around the room. To the right of the massive four-poster bed, another set of double doors opened to the master bath, complete with sunken stone bathtub and hammered copper fixtures. There was another set of French doors in the bathroom that revealed a small, private enclosed deck and courtyard for sunbathing.

  Banton walked up behind me and placed a kiss on my shoulder.

  “No matter how much time we spend here, it will never be enough,” I breathed, gazing at him wonderingly.

  Elly squirmed in my arms and I remembered the task at hand.

  “I’m sorry, baby girl. You need a change,” I murmured as I kissed her on top of her head. Banton helped me change both babies, and then I placed them on the thick, soft carpeting to let them explore as I began to unpack their things. Banton carried their pack-n-plays in and set them up in a corner of our room. After I had most of our luggage stored in the closet and in the bathroom, I chased the twins down the hallway back to the great room.

  Banton stood in the kitchen, putting the things from the ice chest in the refrigerator.

  “The staff stocked the kitchen for us, and placed bottle of white wine in here. I know you can’t have much, but would you like a sip?” he asked as he took the bottle out and placed it on the counter.

  “I’d love a sip, then some sparkling water, if we have any,” I said as I joined him. As he opened the wine, I settled on a stool at the breakfast bar, watching the twins as they crawled back toward the French doors again.

  Banton laughed as he uncorked the wine. “I see where their favorite place will be.”

  “So it seems. I hope the staff left me a lot of window cleaner,” I noted as I watched them placing little finger prints and baby slobber all over the glass.

  “Chandler Ann, that won’t be your concern. The cleaning crew will handle that. I pay for a service to clean twice a week while we are here and once a month when we’re not,” he informed me as he poured the wine. He handed me the glass half-full, and then lifted his glass to touch mine. I raised an eyebrow at him, and he shook his head.

  “That is a rule, and I’m not budging. No cleaning while we’re at the beach house. And you only cook when you want to,” he admonished. I grinned at him.

  “I can live with that, Lieutenant.”

  “To our family beach house, and many, many years of happy memories here,” he said as I lifted my glass to my lips.

  I sipped the cool wine slowly, and it tasted wonderful. After the second sip, I handed my glass back to Banton.

  “Finish mine for me. I’ll have some sparkling water.”

  He smiled, and drained my glass as he reached for a bottle of Perrier. Refilling my glass, he came around the bar, sat my glass in front of me, and then folded me in his arms.

  “Why don’t we take the babies out on the beach for a bit, and then we’ll come in for an early dinner,” Banton suggested as he kissed my neck.

  “That sounds great. Just let me go and change into something more appropriate.”

  “I’ll watch the kids, take your time,” he called as I made my way back to the bedroom.

  Once in the closet, I opened my hanging bag to find that Everett had been shopping for me once again. I shook my head as I rummaged through the new clothes, finding several pairs of linen capris suitable for beach-combing, three maxi-dresses, two new long cover-ups, and two beautiful new swimsuits. It was certainly warm enough outside to wear them, but I doubted if the water was warm enough to go swimming. I frowned as I took the clothes out of the bag and hung them in the closet…my bridesmaids dress for Laurilee’s wedding was packed in the back. How on earth did this get in there? Everett must have forgotten it was there when he placed everything else in. There was also a beautiful backless dress in pale peach, with crystals on the tight bodice, and then a wispy tulle skirt that almost resembled a ballet dress I wore once at a dance recital. I smiled as I plotted a place I could wear it. Banton must be planning to take me out somewhere special!

  I opted for a pair of tan capris and a pale green camisole, and brushed my hair out and tied it over my shoulder in a side-swept pony-tail. I then located a pair of sandals and slipped them on as I hurried back down the hallway. Banton had removed the twins’ clothes and put them both in little cotton onesies.

  “Banton, I didn’t think about sunscreen,” I worried as he smirked at me.

  “I don’t think Aldon babies will sunburn, but just in case, we have large beach umbrellas out there. We’ll keep them in the shade,” he assured me as we picked them up.

  Once we were on the beach, it was if the last of my worries drifted away across the water. There was only me, my beautiful husband, and my two precious babies to play at the edge of the vast ocean. We sat together, scrunching our toes in the sand and building small sand castles, which Matty flattened like a wrecking ball as Elly giggled at him. I lay back on a beach towel and shielded my eyes as I gazed at Banton. He leaned over and murmured, “I’m pulling you closer, Chandler. You are in the sun, and I don’t want you to burn.”

  Déjà vu! I remembered the last afternoon I worked at the dress shop in Texas when I was dressing the windows, dreaming about beaches and expensive bikinis and waiting for my life to start. As I gazed into Banton’s beautiful eyes, I smiled.

  At Banton’s chuckle, I raised an eyebrow. “You are grinnin’ like a Cheshire cat, Mrs. Gastaneau. What are you thinking?”

  I shook my head. “I was just thinking about a daydream I had in Texas my last day in the dress shop. It was pretty much like this, except I was in a red bikini, and you weren’t nearly as handsome, in my dream…”

  “You daydreamed of me?”

  I shut my eyes, absorbing the late afternoon sun. “Mmmm. I did, Lieutenant. But you have exceeded my hopes and dreams in a way that still overwhelms me.”

  I took a deep breath, and as I opened my eyes. He was over me, his lips hovering over mine.

  “I’m glad I overwhelm you. I’d like to see just how overwhelmed you can be,” he murmured as he gently moved his lips back and forth over mine, teasing as he breathed slowly into my mouth. I reached up and drew him down hard as I passionately returned his kiss, running my hand up his bare chest between the lapels of his open shirt.

  “Daaaddy!” Elly called. We broke apart and laughed. Elly sat on the end of Banton’s blanket, her thumb in her mouth, her little head resting on Banton’s leg. Matty sat on my blanket, picking up handfuls of sand and dropping them on the blanket around him. He seemed mesmerized, and then I realized he was barely holding his eyes open, fighting the sleep that was about to overtake him.

  “They’re wrecked. I think it’s early to bed for them tonight,” I observed as I rose to pick up Matty. Banton gathered Elly and our blankets and bag, and we headed back up the sand and through the smattering of grass and reeds to the boardwalk leading up to our deck.

  “I think we’d better strip them out here, or I’ll be sweeping sand for a week.”

  “That’s what this is for, Andie,” Banton observed, kneeling down beside a showerhead I hadn’t noticed before. I’d passed it unnoticed in my haste to get to the beach. Banton stripped Elly down to her diaper, and then as he removed it, dumped a sand pail’s worth of sand out of it. I gigg
led as I did the same with Matty. Banton switched the water on, and thankfully it was warm from sitting in the pipe warmed by the sun. We rinsed them off and then wrapped them in clean towels.

  “Now you, baby,” Banton said, a sexy tone to his voice. I slipped my sandals off, and he rubbed my feet and ankles, sliding his hands up to my knees as he rinsed the remaining sand that clung to my skin. As he caressed my ankle, his eyes sparkled up at me, the flecks of gold intensifying against the brown, causing my breath to hitch in my throat.

  “Get me inside, darlin’, or I might jump you right here.”

  “My thoughts exactly,” he said, his dimple deep. We both giggled and grabbed the babies up and swept them through the patio doors into the great room. I was a woman on a mission, for the look in Banton’s eyes at that moment held promise. I hurriedly warmed the twins’ bottles, and then we carried them down the hallway. We never said a word to each other, we just worked in unison, diapering the babies and then slipping their pajamas on them. I took the only rocker in the room, rocking Elly as she took her formula. Her eyes were closed before she finished as she dropped the bottle and fell into a deep, exhausted slumber. I looked up at Banton, who rocked Matty back and forth as he sat on the foot of our bed. Matty soon followed Elly, and Banton placed both of them in their pack-n-plays, covering them with their blankies.

  He turned to me, grinned, and pulled me down the hallway back to the kitchen.

  “I’ll heat us something up for dinner,” he murmured against my neck as he pulled me into his arms.

  “I’m not hungry…for food,” I replied as I leaned my head back, giving him more of my neck to explore. I felt him grin against my neck, and then he swept me up into his arms and crossed over to a large chaise lounge that was wide enough for two. He sat me down carefully and then sank down beside me, stretching his body out, twining his legs between mine as he played with the lace at the top of my camisole.

  “Now that I have you alone, I want to look at you, Chandler. Your body is changing again,” he noted, tracing along the top of my breasts with his finger. My breathing accelerated as his thumbs slid down my ribcage to the hem of my shirt. He grasped it and pulled it up as his lips traced kisses along my collarbone.