Dawn Autumn (8 page)

“Think again. That’s not the way it’s done where I’m from.”

“And where’s that?” Though she’d lived in the same building for some time, she knew little about his personal life. It made her uneasy to think he knew more about her than she did of him.

“A little planet on the edge of the Solaris galaxy,” he said smoothly.

“Yeah, right.” She might have little green men coming out of her fridge, but Fred was no alien. She’d ditched the fanciful idea a few days ago. Since he’d given up wearing clothes that looked like rejects from Closet Donations, he’d become very warm, very real. Definitely human, and very much attainable.

She tried not to get too excited, but for the first time in a long while, Jay had hopes that the family she dreamed of had a chance of coming true. She’d been lonely so long. Romantic as it sounded, living on dreams was a sad way to spend a life.

Fred smiled at her skepticism and set out a chilled bottle of wine and another of carbonated fruit juice, mindful of her desire to stay sober. He poured both into two glasses and handed her one. “I was a foster child. My foster parents took me in to help with the housework and to clean their business.”

Jay stilled. This didn’t sound like a tall tale. It was the first time he’d volunteered anything about his past, and she was intensely curious. “Were they good to you?”

“They weren’t bad. It was a place to stay until I emancipated at sixteen and joined a guild.” He settled down with his plate and slathered on hot sauce.

“Which guild?”

“Law enforcement. I specialized in alien immigration.”

So much for an honest answer. Deflated, she slumped in her chair and dished up some refried beans. “Sure you did.” He did that sometimes—told tall tales to tease her. Yesterday he’d sworn he’d seen the horns hidden under Mrs. Fadious’ wig and rollers, and that Mr. Fadious liked to sit up on the roof at night with a bug light so he could pick off bugs with his long, forked tongue.

Jay had stuck hers out at him.

Fred blew on a forkful of steaming enchilada as he watched her. “What did you want to do tonight?”

She was startled by the question. It had been so long since she’d had someone to hang out with, she wasn’t used to planning her evenings around ‘we’. “I hadn’t thought about it,” she answered honestly.

He smiled a small, secret smile. “There’s someplace I want to take you, then. It’s like a spa, but open after hours.”

She frowned. “A spa?”

“I’m not telling you anything more than that, but there’s a catch. It’s also an exclusive place, so I’m afraid I’m going to have to blindfold you. The owner owes me one, but they don’t want word getting out. This place is only for
very
wealthy, famous clients. They don’t want word getting out where it is. Paparazzi concerns, you know.”

“You think I’m likely to turn star stalker?” she asked dryly.

He shook his head and started cleaning up their plates. “That was the deal. You game?”

She sighed and blew out a breath. “Okay, but if this turns out weird, it’s the last time I let you surprise me.”

Chapter Six

Fred made a production of tying a scarf over her eyes and leading her outside, she assumed to a taxi. They drove for a while, then stopped and entered a building. She went up steps, then up more steps while Fred held open doors for her, and suddenly she smelled the chemicals that Fred liked to bath in. “Ew! What is that smell?” Just as she was starting to wonder if she’d made a big mistake, he removed her blindfold.

Jay sucked in a breath. “Oh!” She wasn’t sure where they were, but they stood under a star strewn sky in a tree-enclosed building. Two carved totems held fire in their cupped hands on one side of the clearing. Closer to them, giant stone oil lamps shaped like squat, square pillars flamed, providing more light. Two pools reflected the fire, one shaped like a fat crescent moon and the other like a flaming sun. The moon was lined with silver metal and glowed with white light, while the sun was outlined in gold and shown with yellow light. The scent of evergreens cooling earth filled the air, a scent she knew couldn’t come from a bottle or incense, yet they hadn’t driven far. Where were they?

“Impressed?” Fred asked, the light of mischief in his eyes.

“Very. Where are we?”

He shook his finger at her, then placed his hand low on her back and led her forward.

Three cocoa skinned ladies waited within the circle. All were dressed in buckskin leggings and foot long, wide collars made of red and blue beads that dropped to just bellow their breasts. It was the only covering over their chests, which made Jay blush. They had wide beaded bracelets and matching bands around their brows. An inch wide stripe of beads went over the top of their heads, connecting the front to the back and making a kind of headdress over their long dark hair. One lady had a cluster of yellow feathers in the back of her headband and a golden strip across her nose. Barefoot, she glided forward and clasped her hands in front of her, offering them a short bow. “Welcome. Let us serve you.” Her voice sounded like singing bells, making Jay blink. Was there a speaker hidden on her?

Fred kissed her temple. “Let the fun begin.”

They were led to opposite sides of a woven screen. Fred was left to his own devices while all three women came to her side of the screen. One stood by with a towel, the other with a short linen shift. The feather lady poured warm water over Jay’s head while Jay washed her body super fast. The ladies were serene, unbothered by her nakedness, but Jay was definitely not comfortable with it. She accepted the shift as soon as she’d dried, and then was led to a reclining chair alongside Fred while her hair was slowly, gently washed. One of the ladies played a lilting instrument, almost lulling Jay to sleep. All the while, no one spoke.

Jay’s hair was dried, trimmed, and then a comb was gently drawn through her hair for a long while, making her feel boneless. While that was done, her nails were filed, then polished with a flat, smooth stick until they shown. Her feet and arches were massaged, making her sigh with appreciation, and her toenails were polished, too.

“This is nice stuff, Fred,” she murmured, sipping on a fruity drink.

“Hm.” Equally boneless, he lay on his chair, his hips wrapped in a linen towel. She felt a spurt of jealousy as the scantily clad girl tended to him, but to his credit, his eyes appeared closed. Jay lay back and closed her own eyes, trying not to think about what it would be like to touch him herself, or how she would enjoy it if he were tending her. The resultant heat made her squirm, and she tried to think of something else.

They were led to the sun pool, and then the ladies bowed and withdrew, leaving them at opposite ends of the water. Jay found herself flushing, and was grateful the uncertain light hid it.

Without a word, Fred whipped off his towel and entered the water.

Jay sucked in a breath. The man was wearing nothing but skin and there was a lot to see. From the look of his body, the sensual moment had certainly affected him.

He settled into the pool and dipped his head into the water, sleeking back his hair with both hands. Lashes spiky with water, he stretched his long arms across the rim and smiled lazily at her. “Coming in? I promise to stay on my side of the pool.”

She drew a quick breath and stepped into the water, holding down the linen as it tried to float upward. It billowed under the water, reminding her too late that it would do the opposite when she arose. Maybe Fred would be a gentleman and turn his back when the time came?

Heated water swirled around her, relaxing her body, calming her fears. It was hard to hold on to inhibitions and tension when she’d never felt so good.

She’d been in the water perhaps ten minutes, listening to the crackle of the fire, when she heard Fred get out. His body had relaxed, and he walked with the lazy stride of man well pleased. He knelt down and held a hand out for her, his thigh shielding his nakedness. “Time to soak in the cold pool. The hot and cold action clears the body of toxins, they say.” He drew her out, not giving her sluggish brain time to form protests. In moments she was walking beside his naked self, her shift clinging provocatively as they crossed the short distance to the next pool. Fred walked in, and then drew her down into the water with him.

Jay gasped as the cool water curled around her thighs, then shocked the heated place hidden within. She gasped again when it closed over her nipples and rose to her neck.

Fred grinned at her, and then moved to the other side as before. They stayed there for a few minutes, long enough for Jay to glance longingly at the heated pool, no longer caring that Fred was going to get another look at her as she sprinted across. All he’d see was a moving blur, anyway. She made it to the warmth of the sun pool, tried not to look as he crossed over at a walk. It was hard, though. Er, not to look. The cold seemed to have taken care of that problem for him.

Blushing, she looked aside as he slid into the pool, trying to coral her naughty thoughts. Next time she’d better think twice before agreeing to be surprised!

She had to admit, though, that the man knew how to give good dates. She’d never been pampered like this, never dreamed she would be. It was wonderful, and she had to wonder, was he trying to make her fall for him? If so, he was well on his way.

Fred didn’t even try to kiss her as he left her at her front door. Sated from the evening’s pleasure, she shouldn’t have cared, but she missed it. Was that his plan? To build her interest by making her wait?

He didn’t kiss her the next night, either, but then she didn’t get home until after midnight. She’d been invited to play with another band that night. She’d gone, but no one had said anything about getting together again. Disappointed, she’d headed home and showered off the smoke.

They went dancing the next night. Fred slow danced with her and made her forget about the band. With his thigh sliding between hers, she wasn’t thinking about any music but the one they were making.

He left her with a tiny kiss at her door and a promise to see her later.

* * * *

“How’s it working?” Coal asked later. “Is she trying to rip your clothes off yet?”

Fred smirked but answered, “She never realized we were in your apartment all the time we were at the “spa”. Thank your sisters for me again, will you?”

Coal snorted. “I should tell Jay you took her to a pre-nuptial ritual. The fireworks would be interesting.”

“The only fireworks she’d be seeing are the ones she’ll see in my arms.” Fred cast him a warning look. “I’m almost there, Coal. Behave.”

“Good. I’ve laid odds on you, but you should know Fadious gave me two to one.”

“His loss,” Fred said, closing down the arch for the night. “I hope he has his money ready.”

Coal slapped him on the back and headed for his room, probably to calculate his winnings.