Bearded Dragon (2 page)

Wanda clip-clopped down the stairs, then stepped around the corner and into the living room. There he stood, in the flesh. Did he recognize her? Probably not. They hadn’t seen each other in twenty-odd years. His mouth was gaping down to his chin, which could mean he recognized her—she’d changed that much. She had to admit—she was night and day different from the thick glasses, fifty-five more pounds, oily-haired girl in high school. The girl a jock like him never would’ve looked at twice.

He was gorgeous—from the wide shoulders that stretched the cotton plaid shirt, to the tapered waist she could only imagine, to the telltale bulge in his chinos. Wanda needed to go back upstairs and blot the moisture in her panties. But he was stepping forward, putting out his hand as if to shake hers. She reached out, too, but he jerked his back, wiped his hand on his pants and apologized as he introduced himself. Okay, so he didn’t recognize her. That was probably a good thing. They said good-bye to her mother.

Wanda stopped short on the stoop seeing the bright blue Toyota she’d sideswiped. Could things get any worse today?

Chapter Three

Wow. In a nanosecond, the tradition of the stereotypical blind date went out the window. This lady was perfect: tall and shapely, with intelligent eyes. He loved eyes. Whoever said they were the mirror to the soul had been right. By the time her mother shut the door behind them, Carlton was half in love. And half-hard. Plus-points pinged like bells.

But when Wanda stopped on the doorstep, gaping at his car, she lost twenty points on Carlton’s rating chart. He lost his erection. How could she look down on his car? So what if it was small? It was brand new. It was a hybrid.

He turned to her, ready to say something.

Tears were running down her face. He melted. Carlton put a hand on her shoulder and changed their plans. They walked west to North San Fernando Road, to Adana’s, where over eggplant caviar, Carlton realized, with mounting horror, that this Wanda was
the
Wanda from high school. It couldn’t be possible. How could a person change
that
much? Worse, what would she do if she realized he’d been the one to make the pug comments?

He covered for a minute, pretending to choke on the food. He patted the napkin against his mouth, then balled it on the table. She’d leaped up and was patting him on the back—and everyone in the place was watching. Carlton sucked in a breath and let it out slowly. Back to the original plan. Get this date over with.

“I’m fine. Thanks,” he said and she went back to her seat. Graceful, like a swan. The half-erection returned.

“Let’s get things out in the open,” she said. “I know you’re the one who said bad things about me in school.” The half-erection deflated.

He picked up the napkin again and balled it tight in his right hand. Then he choked out, “Sorry.”

“It’s all right. Water under the bridge.” She sipped from the long stemmed water glass. “I guess maybe I should thank you. It made me realize how things were.” She laughed. “How very bad they were. Anyway,” she waved a hand at herself, “this is me now. And I not only forgive you, I announce that, from that moment, I fell in love with you. How could I not love your honesty and forthrightness?”

This time Carlton’s choking was real. This time, the waiter was the one patting him on the back. Still, everyone was watching. He waved the waiter back to his station, then tried to question Wanda, but all that came out was one letter. “L—”

She nodded. “Love. I know it’s stupid to say it because it’ll probably send you running for the hills. But I’m an attorney and not one who shies from confrontation.”

“A lawyer?” Right now, because of Tender Hearts’ permit troubles, attorneys weren’t at the top of his BFF list, but he supposed it was an honorable and well-paying career.

She shrugged as if she didn’t want to talk about herself. A plus-point. “And you are a vet they call the Bearded Dragon.”

When his eyebrows shot instinctively upward, she laughed. A nice laugh. Not one of those high-pitched things. Another point.

“I’ve been keeping an eye on your career. Wondering about that nickname, though.” She shook her head. “No, I’m wondering what makes you want to rescue bearded dragons.”

He gave two palms up. “Why not? People buy a pet, thinking it’s cool or cute or whatever. One day it loses its cuteness or eats more than they expect.” He waved one hand. “Doesn’t matter the reason. I have over twenty right now. Then I find good, reliable homes for them.”

The waiter brought their entrees: lamb kabob for him, tapaka for her. Once the waiter had refilled their water glasses, Carlton asked, “If you felt the way you did, why didn’t you ever call me? Try to get in touch?”

“I’ve been trying to get my cousin Glenn to fix us up for years.”

“My friend Glenn is your cousin?”

She laughed again. “Guilty as charged.”

“Did he tell you how he finally got me to agree to go out?”

“Losing the bet on the Super Bowl. He tried a dozen times to get you out on a regular blind date, but you’d never go. The bet was the only way he could make it work.”

They shared a companionable laugh. For the first time, Carlton was able to relax and look at her as a real date. Someone he just might want to go out with a second time. That erection returned—full and hard. Plus-point!

The waiter returned to collect their plates. Carlton’s was empty. Wanda’s half. They declined dessert and left the restaurant, walking west toward Griffith Park where they settled on a bench overlooking the river. The sky was a midnight blue that was impossible to describe without getting poetic. Something Carlton definitely did not do. Underneath the perpetual scent of smog, the air smelled like some kind of flower. It would be too poetic again to try and think what kind.

He slid his arm around her shoulders. She settled comfortably against his chest. They sat silent for a long time, watching the sky grow from blue to black. Stars appeared like popcorn. City sounds changed from the rush of traffic to an almost dead silence. It was like an aphrodisiac. She leaned in tighter, her elbow on his dick. His boner returned like the rush of a locomotive. He knew she felt it because she leaned just a little heavier against it.

Carlton used two fingers to lift her chin. They kissed and the locomotive rushed into the station in a burst of colored lights and the crash of fireworks. It was that moment Carlton knew this woman would be his wife.

Best to take her home, before they made fools of themselves on this park bench. He moved the arm from around her shoulders. “C’mon, I’ll walk you home.”

Chapter Four

Wanda didn’t argue when he said the date was over. What would be the point? When a guy decided something wasn’t right, then it wasn’t.

They moved up onto the main sidewalk and back toward North San Fernando. There was little traffic. A few couples walked there too—but they held hands or linked arms. The most contact she and Carlton had was the bump of elbows as every other step leaned them a bit toward each other.

Damn. She’d really hoped he’d like her. That he’d want her as much as she’d wanted him for twenty-something years. Twenty years was a fucking long time to carry a torch for somebody. Seemed like two hours together shouldn’t be enough to snuff out such an inferno.

Oh well, he’d snuff it out anyway when he realized she’d been the hit and run driver earlier. Would run for the hills when he found out she was the attorney squashing the clinic’s permit.

“You’re very quiet,” he said.

“I guess I…” What could she say? She’d bared her soul—told him she loved him. And had frightened her Bearded Dragon away.

No, no. If the admission scared him, he never would’ve brought her to the park.

Something made him want to go home now. What could it be?

Maybe she was overanalyzing the situation. It was late. Probably he had to work in the morning.

“I—” To hell with it. Wanda yanked his arm and dragged him into the dark shadow of a building. She clasped cupped hands around his head and pulled him into a kiss. Like the first one, it turned her insides to liquid fire. His arms went around her. His taut, thick cock poked her in the crotch. Being the same height, it hit exactly the right place and sent her hormones into orbit. Wanda deepened the kiss while pushing her hands down the back of his slacks, cupping his ass cheeks and pulling him against her. His arms released the hug he’d put around her. His hands moved down, palmed along her ribs, outlined her waist, then her hips. They inched downward to cup her buttocks and pull her close.

They stood that way, immersed in a soul-shattering kiss while the night darkened the shadows even more. Wanda moved her hands up and worked the buttons on his shirt. Soon, the carved abs and taut nipples stood bare to the air. She leaned down to suck first one tight, round nub, then the other, sending shooting stars into her brain.

Cool air tickled her backside. That’s when Wanda realized he’d lifted her skirt, and his fingers were probing beneath the elastic of her panties. Very wet panties. It wasn’t long before they found their way to her already-taut clit. The urge to climax was so strong, Wanda wasn’t sure she could contain the onslaught.

It was clear Carlton didn’t want her to hold back. His fingers tweaked and massaged, then dove inside her. Wanda came with the strength of the summertime floods. She clenched around his fingers till every muscle ached. When the orgasm finally subsided, she fell limp against him. How empty is your life, she thought, when your best-ever orgasm comes around someone’s fingers?

Wanda realized she’d undone his slacks and had his cock in her hands. Tight, so tight, she mimicked how her vaginal muscles must feel around him. Pushing and pulling and squeezing till the skin around his cock grew so tight Wanda thought it must hurt. Then he came, spurting hot juices onto the sidewalk.

After a bit, they righted their clothing and started walking, this time clutching each other as if today was their last day together.

Which it just might be.

It would take little provocation to shoot forth the tears hovering behind her eyelids. Wanda made a decision. She hadn’t spent her life, one-trying to get to this man, and, two-becoming a first-rate attorney. One who was known for never backing down. She would not back down now. Before he climbed into his car, she would make sure his feelings for her were clear. Crystal clear.

Their route took them past her mom’s driveway where Wanda’s new silver Mercedes was parked. When Carlton stopped dead staring at it, she knew their relationship was over.

The rest of the evening’s events blurred together. From the glare of accusation, to the ultimate confession that she was the attorney squashing the new clinics, to him squealing off down the street.

Chapter Five

Carlton sped the car left at the corner, then right at the next. Mutters, swears and threats sounded over the blaring music.

Who was he kidding? This was his payback. Wanda Number Two was sent to trash his new car and ruin his boss’s futures. How unfair was Fate?

He careened around another corner, clipping the sidewalk and sending the car airborne for a second before it settled back on four wheels and aimed toward home.

Another block found Carlton jerking the Toyota to the side of the deserted road. What the hell was he doing? Hadn’t he plused and minused that girl—that gorgeous, intelligent girl—to the top of his dating chart? Hadn’t he admitted before knowing all this that he was in love with her? Okay, truth be told, he’d admitted to being half in love, but over the course of the evening—before realizing she was the world’s worst driver—he’d taken the plunge over Lovers Leap Mountain.

Carlton spun the car in a sharp U-turn and drove back to her mother’s house. And was shocked to see Wanda sitting on the stoop, staring out at the road.

He parked. She didn’t move. Was probably rip-shit and would tear him a new one, but he wasn’t backing down now. He got out and went to her. Still she didn’t move. But in the lamplight pouring down on them, he saw the tears glistening. A river of them.

He stopped one step down from where she sat. Wanda launched to her feet and into his waiting arms. The porch light came on. Her mother, like déjà vu, stood silhouetted in the doorway. This time he called her by her real name. And asked permission to see more—lots more—of her daughter. Her smile said she understood the pun.

L
IZ