Bachelor Mother (4 page)

“I’ll even make myself available to take little bozo to baseball games. I’m sure I can be something of a part-time father figure.”

“You’d do that?” She was incredulous.

“Why not? You were a lot of fun as a little kid.”

“I remember you used to let me tag along even when Donnie said I had to go home.”

“He was always too hard on you.”

The wine she’d consumed during and after diner had mellowed her mood. She was relaxed around Bubba again, happy they were still friends. Mel studied Bubba across the table and her mind began to wander.

She couldn’t help but remember what Alicia had told her about Bubba’s sexual prowess. Why had her friend even mentioned the fact? But that was Alicia, always blunt.

He filled up her wineglass again. She realized they were on their second bottle.

“Trying to get me drunk, I see,” she teased.

“Of course.” There was a look in his smoky blue-gray eyes she couldn’t fathom. So she didn’t even try.

“I’m glad you came over, Bubba. I would have hated it if we’d become… strange with each other.”

“Oh, I don’t know.” He touched his wineglass to hers. “I think we’re kind of strange anyway.”

She started to laugh and a part of her realized she hadn’t laughed in a long time. It was so good sitting at her kitchen table with Bubba, laughing at nothing, forgetting her problems.

“You still have that laugh,” Bubba remarked.

“It’s not exactly something I can just get rid of.”

Melanie was slightly self-conscious about the way she laughed. It just seemed to bubble up inside of her until it spilled out. It wasn’t exactly a cackle but it was a good, strong laugh. Bubba used to claim he knew when she was sitting in a darkened movie theater by listening for her distinctive laugh.

“I’ll do the dishes,” Bubba said abruptly as he pushed away from the table. He seemed a little restless. Mel frowned.

“No, it’s okay.”

But he was already clearing the table. “You sit for a while, then we’ll go into the living room and listen to some music, okay?”

“Okay.” She leaned back in her chair and tried to relax while she continued to watch him. Actually, the wine had soothed her. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back.

It felt so good to have confided her problems to him.

* * *

Bubba did the dishes quickly, concentrating on getting each one clean.

When did she suddenly become so good looking?

It was a hopeless question. He’d already decided, before he came over, that he was going to have no part of what she’d proposed last night. He kept going back and forth in his mind, wanting to help her and then deciding it wasn't a wise thing to do.

But it hadn’t stopped him from thinking.

She was really pretty in that sundress. Her shoulders were smooth and tan. Her skin was probably soft.

Stop it
. He plunged another plate into the soapy water and concentrated on washing dishes. Bubba consciously tried to block out his other thoughts.

He’d never noticed how cute she was, how her nose wrinkled up when she laughed. She was easy to talk to, a good listener.

Bubba rinsed the last dish, then seriously considered sticking his head beneath the faucet.

You’re talking about Mel, damn it!

“Bubba, what kind of music do you want to listen to?” her voice floated in from the living room.

He dried his hands. “Anything.” Glancing at the clock, he decided to stay half an hour. Then he’d leave.

You just had too much wine. You’ll laugh about this in the morning.

When he walked into the living room, Mel was sitting on the sofa. There were two more glasses of wine on the coffee table in front of her couch.

He sat down, placing a little distance between them. “No more for me. I’ve got to be heading home.” She smelled so good. Something floral, like her garden.

“Just one more glass.” She handed it to him. “It’s not like you’re driving.” She laughed softly and the sound made him smile. “Anyway, you could always spend the night.”

His stomach tightened. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t before – but as a friend. He’d spent the night on her couch downstairs once when they’d had a rash of burglaries on their block and another time when Mel had received a string of obscene phone calls. But something had altered their relationship ever so slightly. His old sense of being comfortable with Mel was shaken up. Why, when she’d first suggested he spend the night, did he suddenly picture her bedroom?

He didn’t feel like smiling anymore. His hand shook as he took his glass and set it down on the coffee table again.
Clean up your act. Now.

It was as if another part of his consciousness were operating instead of his logical brain. The words were out before he could stop them.

“Mel, have you decided what you’re going to do?”

She took a sip of wine, then nodded her head. He liked the way her silvery-blond hair fell over her bare shoulders.

“Alicia’s setting me up with a guy tomorrow night. I figure that by the end of a month it shouldn’t be too hard to make sure that – ”

He couldn’t bear the thought of her being intimate with a stranger. “Mel, I’ve been thinking… ”

“About what?”

He knew she didn’t have an inkling of what was to come. “I’ve been thinking I want to help you out.”

She stared at him. So he
had
gotten through to her after all. Her blue eyes were dark. Questioning.

She set her wineglass down and crossed her arms defensively in front of her. “No, I don’t think so. Bubba, I don’t think that’s a very good idea.”

“Don’t say no before I outline my plan.”
What plan?
  Improvising as he went, Bubba explained carefully. “We could consider it a little experiment.”

Mel was blushing. She rose slowly to her feet. “Bubba, I
told
you I was crazy last night. I don’t even know why I said – ”

He patted the seat beside him. “We’ll start slowly. Just one kiss, okay?”

“Bubba, you’re crazy!”

“It’s less crazy than letting Alicia set you up with some jerk. I’ve seen some of the guys she goes out with.”

“I’m going to humor you, but only because we’ve been friends for so long. Bubba, you’ve kissed me a million times and I’ve never felt anything… ”

“Sexual?”

She blushed to the roots of her hair. “I was trying to think of a less unflattering word.”

“So you have nothing to lose if you already know it’s hopeless.” He patted the sofa beside him once more. “I just think that in the interest of a scientific experiment we should consider all the angles.”

She was laughing now. He could tell she was really nervous.

“Pell-mell, you’re ripping my masculine pride to shreds.”

She stopped laughing then and looked at his face. “I didn’t mean to. It’s just… Bubba, when I asked you to get me pregnant, I thought we could just sort of do it quick. You know. Go up to my bedroom and turn off the lights, undress in the dark and just kind of get it over with.”

He considered this for just a second before he said quietly, “Okay.”

“Okay!” She was incredulous. Then she started to laugh.

“Either you come here or I’m coming over there,” he said carefully.

“I really don’t think this is – ”

He stood up and walked over to her. She stopped talking abruptly. Bubba stood quietly next to her, not wanting to frighten her.

“Mel, let’s really give it a try.”

“You’re
serious.
”

He nodded. “Come on.” Then, without giving her a chance to back down, he grasped her around the waist and lifted her over his shoulder, carefully supporting her.

She bobbed gently against his back as he climbed the stairs and he could hear her still laughing. The sound made him smile.

He placed her carefully on her bed in the darkened bedroom.

“I can’t believe this,” Mel said softly.

He kicked off his shoes and stretched out beside her, then reached out and pulled her against him.

“Just a kiss, Mel. I’ll go real slow. Okay?”

“Okay.” Her reply was a muffled whisper.

Very slowly as if he were in a dream, he cupped her face in his hands and lowered his mouth to hers. When their lips touched, he felt the muscles in his stomach tighten, then a rush of warmth flood his body.

Her skin was as soft as he’d thought it would be. As he smoothed his fingers over her shoulders, he lowered his head again, this time kissing her more deeply.

She responded, opening her mouth, arching her body slightly against him. When he broke away, her breath came out in a little panting sob. He twined her hair in his fingers and kissed her again.

Oh, my God, it’s working.
The realization hit him with stunning force. He’d thought he’d have to think of other women, other places. Nope, Melanie was more than enough.

She was strangely quiet as he held her against him and stroked her back. Her breathing was deep and even. Too even.

Frowning, he levered himself up on the soft mattress.

“Mel?” He turned on the bedside lamp.

She’d passed out.

Boy, that was some kiss,
he thought as he began to grin. He’d felt her response as quickly as his own had flooded his body.

So now you’re making Mel pass out from the force of your… passion?
  Passion. What had sparked between them had nothing to do with friendship. His thoughts were humorous, trying to keep feeling at bay. But they persisted in intruding, shaking him.

He smoothed her hair back from her forehead and touched her cheek. Then he smiled down at her face.
Maybe you rushed things.
Maybe this was for the best. For now. He sure as hell wasn’t going to let her find some crazy guy in a bar to use for stud service. Easing her back against her pillows, he took off her sandals, undressed her down to her underwear and turned back the covers. Tucking her in, he lay back and turned off the light.

He wondered just what he would say to her in the morning.

When she woke up the next morning Bubba was looking down at her, a slightly embarrassed expression on his face.

She pulled the covers to her chin and looked up at him. He was sitting up against the headboard, the covers bunched around his waist.

Melanie studied his eyes and found her own confusion reflected in them. Confusion, embarrassment, even a touch of fear.

Did we do it?
  Her mouth felt shaky. She remembered Bubba kissing her, their bodies pressed together on the mattress. Mel looked away and wrinkled her brow, trying to remember.

Why am I undressed?  
She felt a flush of color wash slowly up her neck and into her cheeks. She didn’t remember Bubba taking off her sundress. Maybe she’d blocked out their lovemaking.

Could it have been that terrible?
  No, his kiss had been wonderful. Even now she still felt slightly shocked, as if he’d touched her deep inside.

Did we?
  She studied Bubba again, willing him to explain.
And if we didn’t?  Is it because you didn't find me desirable?
  The thought disturbed her.

Ask him.

“Bubba?” she asked softly. “We didn’t…?”

He shook his head.

Tears filled her eyes, catching her completely by surprise. For some reason, it mattered terribly that he hadn’t thought she was desirable. What was wrong with her? First Phillip didn’t want to marry her, now Bubba didn’t find her sexually attractive.

“Just let me get my clothes on and I’ll – ”

“Mel, wait a minute.”

She was surprised to see a dull flush creep up his chest, into his cheeks. “I want to apologize. I never meant to rush things.”

“Hey, it’s okay. I mean, I can’t help it if I don’t turn you on.” Not wanting to prolong this painful conversation, she bunched the covers around her body and stuck her foot out. Her toes touched her sundress and she curled them into the silky material and began to drag the garment over the carpet and toward her bed.

But before she could pull it underneath the covers and wiggle into it, Bubba surprised her by sliding down into the bed and grabbing both her hands.

“Will you listen to me for a second?”

The look on his face was so nakedly vulnerable she felt she had no choice. Relaxing her toes, she let her sundress fall on the carpeted floor.

“Mel, you passed out, or… I – I wish we could've succeeded last night. I know you’re on a schedule and if I’d known what was going to happen, I… How would you feel about dating me for a while?”

He’s losing his mind. Be gentle.

“Date you?” she replied.

“I know it sounds crazy but look at it from my point of view. I’ve known you practically since you were born. You’re the closest thing I’ve ever had to a little sister. You came over Friday night and asked me to get you pregnant. I didn’t really have that much time for advance preparation. I didn’t sleep well. I’d been drinking wine with Joanie. I guess what I’m trying to say is, I want to see you in a more sexual way before I finally make love to you.”

She studied his face.
This is insane.

“I know you’re thinking I’m crazy,” he rushed on. “But let’s set a schedule. You’ll be ready again in another month, right?”

She nodded. “Give or take a few days.”

He relaxed slightly but didn’t lessen his grip on her hands. “So we date for three or four weeks, we get to know each other all over again, and by next month, bingo, you’re pregnant.”

Strangely enough, she understood what he meant. But she had to ask him a question. “Bubba, if that wasn’t, I mean, if you don’t see me in a sexual way, what was last night?” She could feel her face flushing bright red.

“Oh, God, Mel, you have to know you’re an attractive woman. I enjoyed kissing you, but I couldn’t just make love to you while you were out cold, without your consent. I never would’ve been able to forgive myself.”

She couldn’t resist teasing. “But it would've made things so much easier. Then we wouldn’t have to date.”

She was relieved to see his lips start to curve into a smile. “Don’t say that! I’m kind of looking forward to getting to know you all over again.”