Divine Phoenix (17 page)

“It’s about time you came to your senses, Clay Cook!” She clung to him like a sticker burr as she laid her freshly glossed lips on his in a hard, deep, smacking kiss. Clay froze, his eyes went wide, and his sinuses reacted violently.

“Tabitha!”

She clung to him with her arms wrapped around his neck. “Oh, Clay! I knew if I just gave you time, you’d see reason. I
saw
how she
threw
herself into Del’s arms. She should be ashamed. I’m here for you. I’ve
always
been here for you!” She pecked his face over and over until it felt like he’d been painted with sticky finger paints.

“Tabitha—” The burning in his nose was ferocious, and he knew the sneezing and waterworks were only seconds away.

“It’s all right! I forgive you!”

“Tabitha, stop!
Please!
” His handkerchief came out just in time.
“Achoooo!”

“Oh, you poor baby!” Tabitha patted his shoulder and ruffled her sweater, sending more cat hair flying into the air. “Let me help you!” She pulled her Kleenex from the sleeve of her cat hair infested sweater and patted the tears on his face and
tsked
. “Oh, it’s okay, Clay! I forgive you! Don’t cry!”

I’m dying! Kill me now!

Tabitha continued patting his face with her Kleenex, succeeding in plastering more cat hair to the lip gloss she’d “smooched” all over his face. Her lack of personal boundaries was disturbing. Was she going to spit on her Kleenex next to wipe the lip gloss she’d gotten all over his face? A chill went up his spine at the thought.

He remembered the inhaler and nasal spray Emma had given him and went to his workbench, sneezing his head off. The wheezing had begun, and he was relieved he had the inhaler to rely on.

Tabitha continued fluttering around him as he pawed through the drawers in the workbench. “Tabitha, stop. I’m having an allergy attack.”

“Oh.” Tabitha flapped her hands and sounded concerned as she continued patting him and trying to touch his face. “You should go to the doctor again. That Emma Guthrie doesn’t know what she’s doing. She didn’t cure you
at all
last time. You should go to my doctor. He could tell you what you’re allergic to so you could avoid it.”

Clearing his throat, Clay replied, “I know what I’m allergic to, Tabitha.” He tried to rein in his responses because he didn’t want to bite her head off. That wouldn’t help anything.

“Well, what is it you’re allergic to?”

He took a deep breath. “In a word, Tabitha? You. You have several cats. You always have cat hair on your clothing. I’m really allergic to cat hair and cat dander.”

Tabitha looked as though he’d Tased her. “Me? You’re allergic to me? Oh, no! What do we do?”

Clay shook his head. “It’s fine as long as we keep each other at arm’s length. I can deal with it.”

Tabitha seemed to mull that over and with a trembling lip said,
“What if I got rid of the cats? Would that make it better?” She reached for his shirtfront, but he held his hands out to stop her.

“It would. But I don’t expect that from you. Just…keep your distance.” The cat hair tickled around his nose where it had stuck, and he sneezed again.

“But I can’t do that, knowing how you feel now. I’d give up Mister Willy and Missus Pookie for you, Clay.”

Clay held up a hand, realizing she didn’t understand and wasn’t going to take the hint. He could hear the wheezing in his upper airway as he spoke. “Tabitha, listen to me.”

“Okay.” She ruffled and overlapped the front of her cardigan again, bringing on another flurry of sneezes.

“Hold on a second,” he said, then used the inhaler. After one more dose from it, he continued, “Tabitha, I never meant for you to think I was considering dating you. You’re my employee. Period. I’m taking down the rule but I’m not opening that door between us.”

“But—” She wouldn’t get away, and he couldn’t help himself. He sneezed explosively in her face as she blotted her hairy Kleenex against his cheek again.
Get off of me, woman!

“Sorry about that. No, Tabitha. You’re a good worker. You’ve been loyal and I appreciate it.”

“But I—”

“No.”

Tabitha’s cheeks burned bright red as it evidently dawned on her why he’d taken down the sign. He had no intention of justifying his actions. It wasn’t for his employee to dictate what he did or whom he dated. He wanted the sign gone so Lily would know the only barrier between them was on her end now. Maybe that would help.

“I assumed…”

“I know, and I’m sorry. I just heard the bell. Would you mind seeing to that customer?”

Obviously embarrassed, Tabitha said, “Of course. I’m sorry for my mistake. I hope I…”

Clay smiled at her. “Just help the customer, Tabitha. It’s okay. It was a misunderstanding.”

Clay went in the bathroom, took off his T-shirt, shook it out hard, and then doused his face repeatedly with cold water as his sinuses unleashed their histamine-induced fury. He stayed that way for a couple of minutes until the cold water seemed to help. He coughed and felt the inhaled medication taking affect, easing his breathing. He used hand soap and washed her greasy lip gloss from his face.

After drying off with paper towels he used the nasal spray and went into the workroom to put on the clean shirt he kept there in case of spills or accidents.

“Oh, hello, handsome.” Clay grinned and turned at the sound of Lily’s voice. She stood with Del just inside the back door.

“Oh, hey,” he said, noting her appreciative gaze traveling over his bare chest. His cock responded to the heat he saw in her eyes.

“Everything okay?” Del asked as Clay blew his nose again, feeling embarrassed for his continuing nasal histrionics.

“Yeah. I had an allergic reaction.”

“What are you allergic to?” Lily asked.

“Cat hair and cat owners, evidently. It’s a long story,” he said quietly. He pulled the clean white T-shirt on and hugged Lily when she came to him, and kissed the top of her head. “Did you have a nice afternoon?”

Del nodded. “Lily helped me with my errands.”

“I’m going to cook and freeze some meals for him, too. He invited me out to the ranch one day this week.”

Clay liked that idea and the fact that it would give her a break from the hard work and long hours she was keeping lately. He observed the casual way Del’s hand rested on her shoulder and felt a slight twinge of possessiveness, but he tried to not react to it. Lily had always been equally close to both brothers, and he didn’t want her to feel pitted in the middle.

“I’m going to go check on Tabitha and see if she needs a break.”

Clay smiled at her thoughtfulness. “She’s probably a little peeved at me right now. I’m sure she’d appreciate a break, darlin’.” The endearment slipped so easily from his lips, and Lily paused for a second, flushed a bit, but didn’t say anything else as she slipped through the doors. So much for not showing his possessive thoughts.

“Everything really all right?” Del asked. “You look like shit.”

“Yeah. This allergy kicks my butt. I…”

“What?”

“I was pulling down the ‘No Dating’ policy sign I put up to keep Tabitha off my back, and who should walk in while I’m doing it?”

“Let me guess. Tabitha?”

“Yeah, and she got a little enthusiastic.”

Del snorted. “She jumped you?”

“Basically, yeah.” Another loud sneeze echoed through the workroom.

* * * *

Lily found Tabitha talking on her cell phone while she looked out the front windows. She sounded upset, and when she saw Lily she spoke hastily and then hung up. “You’re back.” Unspoken was the word “finally.”

“Yes, I thought I’d relieve you if you need a coffee break.”

Tabitha looked aggravated about something and replied, “Well, I could use a snack.”

“I saw several boxes of Girl Scout cookies in the freezer.”

Tabitha scowled. “I’d love some but unfortunately I’m allergic to peanuts so I can’t have Girl Scout cookies. They have a warning on their label about being manufactured in a facility using nuts.”

“Oh, that must be terrible to crave something you can’t have.”

Tabitha’s eyes flashed, and she very pointedly said, “You have
no idea
.” Her words seemed more acerbic than the statement called for, but Tabitha was like that sometimes. Maybe she had PMS.

* * * *

After Del took off, Clay was back at his desk, once again looking at that design pinned to his bulletin board. What was missing? The drawing itself was as close as he’d ever come to perfect, but something wasn’t quite right.

He took out another piece of cardstock for another round of torture and began to draw. It had the vine elements like the ring he’d done for the Warners, but he was trying to achieve a more dimensional effect. The design went well to a certain point, and then he blinked, looked at it, and growled.
What am I doing wrong?
He crumpled the paper and threw it over his shoulder.

“Two points!” Lily said with a chuckle.

He looked over his shoulder, fighting back his frustration, and saw her grinning, holding the paper ball in her hand.

“I’m sorry. Did I hit you?”

“Nope. But you made a basket in overtime. What’s wrong?”

Clay sat up, straightening his shoulders out of their frustrated hunch. “A design. Frustrating me.” He stretched his arms over his head.

“Mind if I look?” Lily asked as she peeled open the tight paper ball.

With a shrug, Clay shook his head and turned to the bulletin board. He removed the design and showed it to her. “It’s supposed to be for a new line, a series of designs that I’ll make available in various pieces that would all match. Did you by chance see the cuff bracelet Grace had on today?”

“Yes. It’s gorgeous.”

“That’s what I’m shooting for, a whole series of new designs that can be bought in sets like that. She has five pieces that all match her wedding band.”

Her amber eyes sparkled with enthusiasm. “What a wonderful idea. I like this, but you know what it’s missing, right?”

Clay sat there looking at her.
Tell me, please. It’s probably obvious.
“What’s missing?”

Lily blushed and looked at him shyly as she brought the sketch and placed it on the workbench under his task light. “I’m not an expert. I probably should’ve kept my mouth shut. It’s not what’s
missing
. It’s what’s…
there
that’s not right. These are vines, right?” She pointed with the pencil lead at the drawing.

“Yes.”

“Remove this part of the band, between here and here.” She gestured to the band, to one side of the square cut diamond. “Taper the vine from the opening in the band to connect with the setting, so it looks like the stems and thicker tendrils hold the setting in place. It won’t look out of balance because the band is narrow, but it’ll give it a delicate, leafy look, maybe wrap a leaf motif around the smaller stones?”

Clay felt the tension in his shoulders release as she handed him the design. He penciled in a rough idea of what he understood her to mean. “Like this?”

“Sort of, yeah,” she said with a smile.

He pulled up her stool beside his and handed her the pencil and laid a fresh piece of cardstock out for her when she sat down.

“Show me.”

“I’m a little rusty, Clay.”

“Can you picture it?”

“Sure.”

“Between the two of us, we’ll get it worked out. Just do your best to interpret what you were saying a minute ago.”

Lily took the paper and pencil and glanced at him, and then went to work. Her drawing was hesitant at first, but once the design took over she seemed to lose her self-consciousness. He could see what she was trying to tell him earlier. It was
organic
. His designs varied, but they’d gotten steadily heavier in the last two years. It looked like it could’ve sprouted and weaved its way around her finger.

He switched to watching Lily as she worked, the unconscious way she bit her lip while she sketched and how she squinted at the drawing, erased and then smiled when it was to her liking. Clay remembered what Chance Carlisle had said to him when they’d talked about designing Lydia’s statue.
“There’s just something about her, Clay.”

Yeah, there sure is.

She must’ve felt his eyes on her because she looked up and caught him staring. “You okay?” she asked. A pink blush stained her cheeks.

Clay nodded and whispered, “Yeah.”

Her eyes locked with his and wouldn’t release him.

The next thing he knew, she was in his arms, her lips pressed to his. She groaned and willingly wound her arms around his shoulders, raking her fingernails lightly through his hair, their lips and tongues dueling passionately. He slid his hands down her back and pulled her to him so she was half out of the stool and had to hold on to him.

Breaking the kiss, in a teasing tone he asked, “What was that about?”

Her full lips were swollen as she licked them and then blushed bright pink. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me. I know you have the ‘No Dating’ policy and I respect your rules. Tabitha’s right out there. She could walk in and catch us. She’d have a hissy fit.” She tried to withdraw, but he imprisoned her in his arms easily.

“
Yeah
…About that ‘No Dating’ policy.” He gestured with his thumb at the bulletin board, where the spot the sign had occupied now lay barren.

“You took it down?”

“I don’t want that to be a barrier between us. I know you’ve got your issues and need time. But I’m sick of hearing her ranting on about the ‘No Dating’ policy. I’m not going to let an employee dictate to me whether or not we can be together.”

“But still. For some reason she’s in a crappy mood today. The last thing I want to do aggravate her.”

Just then the bell rang, and they both glanced to the monitor. Clay saw three people come in the front door, and Tabitha greeted them as they split up to look at different items.

Lily said, “I have to get out there. Can we resume this conversation later?”

“Sure.”

She stood up and moved away from him just as Tabitha came barreling through the doors.

“I need help. More people are coming in.”

They both went out to help and stayed busy the rest of the afternoon.