Essence of Desire (20 page)

“Cherie! Who’s Cherie?” Felicia hissed as she scrambled out of Trask’s arms. “You had the nerve to tell me you don’t like sharing, but you expect me to?” she asked, stomping to the door and snatching it open before Trask could stop her.

A surprised Cherie stood on the other side of the doorway and faced a fuming Felicia. “No, he isn’t busy, Cherie. He’s all yours.” She then walked past the woman.

“Felicia, come back here!”

Ignoring Trask when he called out to her, Felicia kept walking.

“Man, I have a serious problem.”

Clayton’s features did not show any surprise at Trask’s statement when he looked up from the television set and met his best friend’s gaze. “I figured as much when the Steelers made that third touchdown, and it didn’t get any sort of reaction from you.”

Familiar with Trask’s sometimes closemouthed personality, Clayton leaned back in his seat and waited for him to start talking. He just hoped whatever he had to say wouldn’t run past the commercial break.

“It’s Felicia,” Trask finally said.

Clayton frowned. “Felicia? What about her? What have the two of you gotten yourselves into now? Your decision to be Austin’s holiday dad has been the talk of the family. The uncles are taking bets as to how long you’ll last.”

Trask shrugged. “I don’t see why. Austin’s a good kid.”

“It’s not how long you’ll last with Austin that they’re taking bets on. It’s how long you’ll last with Felicia. You two are premeditated murder just waiting to happen.”

“That’s not all we are just waiting to happen,” Trask commented bitterly.

It suddenly occurred to Clayton, after he looked at the taut expression on Trask’s face, that quite possibly he did have a serious problem. “Okay, what’s going on with you and Felicia?”

“If I told you, you wouldn’t believe it.”

“Try me.”

Trask released a deep sigh. “I have a bad case of the hots for her, man.”

Clayton gave him a look that clearly said he didn’t believe. “For Felicia?”

“Yeah.”

“Felicia Laverne Madaris?”

“No.” Clayton shook his head as he tried to clear his brain. “You can’t have a case of the hots for Felicia.”

Trask raised a dark brown. “And why can’t I?”

Clayton shrugged. “Because you can’t. You’ve known Felicia all your life. You more than anyone have seen her at her worse. The two of you can’t be in the same room with each other for ten seconds without going at it about something.” Clayton shook his head again. “Your interest in Felicia isn’t normal.”

“Fine. Great. Then tell that to my body,” Trask muttered angrily.

A smile curved Clayton’s lips. He was torn between amusement and utter disbelief. He couldn’t help but remember that not too long ago, he’d found himself in a similar situation of being attracted to a woman whom he didn’t get along with. He had ended up falling in love and marrying her. But at least he and Syneda had gotten along most of the time. Trask and Felicia didn’t get along the majority of the time. “You do have a serious problem, don’t you? Just when did this dilemma begin?”

Trask leaned back against the sofa, feeling tired and frustrated. “I picked up on something when I flew home for Mom’s wedding in April. It was a real weird feeling, man. I couldn’t take my eyes off Felicia. It was like I was seeing her for the first time. I mean really seeing her, and I actually liked what I saw. I’d never had such a reaction to a woman before, and the thought that the woman was Felicia almost blew me away.” He shook his head, remembering. “That’s why I decided not to pair up with her for your wedding in June. But that didn’t help matters much since I couldn’t take my eyes off her then either. But things really got bad at Trevor’s wedding reception. She noticed me looking at her and deliberately tried making matters worse by ignoring me and then by being the flirt of the century with the other guys that were there.”

Trask took a long, deep breath before continuing. “Things have really been heating up since I’ve moved back here.”

Clayton nodded, clearly fascinated. “Is this case of the hots one-sided?”

“No.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

Trask wondered just how much he should tell Clayton. After all, Felicia was his cousin. But then, Clayton was also his best friend, and if he couldn’t confide in his best friend, then who could he confide in.

“Felicia dropped by last night to deliver a package from your grandmother. Gramma Madaris sent me some of her bread pudding. Well, things kind of got a little hot and heavy between me and Felicia, and then I had an unexpected visitor.”

“Who?”

“Some woman I met at the party named Cherie. I had taken her out a few weeks ago, and she took it upon herself to pay me a surprise visit.”

“I take it Felicia didn’t take too kindly to that, huh?”

“That’s putting it mildly.”

Clayton grinned, placed the television remote on the table and stood. “Well, I hate to tell you man, but you do have a serious problem. After her second husband screwed around on her, Felicia is rather touchy when it comes to infidelity.”

“I’m not married to her, Clayton,” Trask said defensively.

“No, you’re not. Nor are you engaged to her, and as far as I know, neither of you have dibs on the other. All you have is a case of the hots, which can easily be remedied.”

“But I don’t want
just
that.”

Clayton stared long and hard at Trask. “Then what exactly is it that you do want?”

Trask looked at Clayton, startled by his question mainly because he didn’t have an answer. With Felicia, for years there had always been some unexplainable, unacknowledged, and unwanted emotion tugging at him. It was those same emotions that had often made him ask her family about her whenever he didn’t see her for long periods of time. And those same emotions that had always tempted him to shake some sense into her one minute and want to kiss her senseless the next.

“I honestly don’t know what I want.”

“Then maybe it’s time for you to find out, Trask. Like I told you before, Felicia has changed.”

Trask nodded. He had picked up on some noticeable changes in her since spending time with Austin. Like her ability to cook decent meals for one, and her fierce loyalty and devotion to Austin for another.

“She claims she hasn’t dated in nearly six months,” Trask said softly.

“She hasn’t.”

Trask met Clayton’s gaze. “Why? What happened?” All kind of reasons flashed through Trask’s mind, and he didn’t like any of them. “Did something happen to her that--”

“No, nothing like that,” Clayton said quickly after reading Trask’s mind. “It has to do with Austin.”

“What about Austin?”

Clayton hesitated, wondering just what he should tell Trask. He wasn’t even sure it was his place to tell him anything. But then, he, Felicia, and Trask had never really kept secrets from each other. That was one of the things that had made their friendship so special during the adolescent years. Felicia used to talk to him and Trask about anything and everything. They’d even known just how much she hated having cramps each month.

“Clayton, I asked what about Austin? And what does he have to do with Felicia not dating?”

Clayton sat back down. He might as well forget about them ever getting back to the game. It seemed Trask had found something he considered a whole lot more important than football. And Clayton hadn’t thought he would ever live to see the day that happened.

“The incident occurred the day Syneda and I returned from our honeymoon.”

Trask frowned. “What incident?”

“The day Austin almost died.”

***

Trask got out of his car, then stood leaning casually against it as he stared at the sign outside of Felicia’s shop. All this time he had assumed that she owned some sort of dress store, but instead, Felicia’s Boutique, was a lingerie shop.

He folded his arms over his broad chest and crossed one booted foot over the other. If that didn’t beat all. The woman was making a living selling those silky, lacy under things that she herself despised wearing.

Trask shook his head as he thought of what Clayton had shared with him a few hours ago. After hearing it, for some reason he didn’t understand, he had wanted to go to Felicia and see her. More than anything he wished he could have been there when it had happened to give his moral support as her family had done. Knowing how much she loved her son, he could just imagine how traumatic nearly losing Austin had been for her.

A part of him was glad that at least something good had eventually come out of it. Felicia had done a complete turnaround with her life and now it appeared that she had her priorities straight.

Another part of Trask, a very selfish part, was glad about her decision not to date anyone. The thought of her with some other man bothered him. In the past, she had chosen the men in her life in much the same way she had lived her life: fast, foolishly and recklessly. She had targeted their financial holdings instead of their goodness and integrity as the basis for husband material. And now, because of it, her son was suffering. There was no doubt in Trask’s mind that Felicia realized that now.

Trask took a deep breath. He would be leaving town first thing in the morning and would not be returning until Wednesday. After the way Felicia had left his place last night, he wanted to see her and talk to her. Deep down he wanted to do a lot more than that, but seeing her and talking to her would have to suffice for now.

A few minutes later, he walked into Felicia’s shop. The place was pretty crowded with female customers. Clayton told him that normally Felicia didn’t open her shop on Sundays. However, like most merchants, she opened at noon to take advantage of the holiday shoppers.

Trask glanced around the huge, plush room, which was filled with scantily dressed mannequins wearing all types of sexy lingerie. He suddenly felt outside of his element when he stood directly in front of a mannequin wearing a sheer nightie. He felt heat rise in his face when the first thing he noticed was that the seat of the panties was missing.

“May I help you, sir?”

Trask turned toward the feminine voice and looked into the smiling eyes of an attractive young woman who was evidently a sales clerk. He cleared his throat. “I was looking for Felicia Madaris.”

The young woman, who appeared to be in her early twenties, gave him a thorough once-over before answering. “Felicia is with another customer right now,” she said smiling smoothly. “Are you sure there’s nothing that I can help you with?”

Trask’s brows lifted at what he immediately recognized as a blatant come-on. He had been around long enough to know when a woman was trying to flirt with him.

His mouth spread into a thin-lipped smile. “Yes, I’m sure there’s nothing you can help me with. I want Felicia. She’s the only one who can help me.” His smile widened. “With my purchase,” he added for good measure.

The young woman nodded. “I’ll let Felicia know that you’re here and that you’d like her special attention.”

Trask didn’t have to wait long for Felicia to appear. She rounded the corner with a very irritated look on her face when she saw him. He shrugged, doubting she would go off on him in front of her customers. Today she was dressed in a very chick pant suit. He thought it was a pity since he always enjoyed looking at her legs and thighs.

“Trask? What are you doing here?” she asked in a very professional but brittle tone of voice.

A smile curved his lips. “Like everyone else, I’m Christmas shopping.”

She glared at him. “Fine, I’ll have one of the sales ladies help--”

“No. I want you to help me.”

“I’d rather not.”

“And I’d rather you do.”

Felicia glanced around and noticed that she and Trask were the object of a number of her customers’ attention. Trask was well known in Houston and most people considered him a celebrity. His visit to her shop had a number of people curious and no doubt word of it would spread. If a super jock like “The Max” could patronize her lingerie boutique then other men might decide that doing so wasn’t a feminine thing and follow his lead.

Knowing how to take advantage of a promotional opportunity when she saw one, Felicia turned a syrupy smile on Trask and said, “Why, certainly, Mr. Maxwell. I’d be more than happy to help you with your purchases.”

Trask lifted a brow at the sudden change in Felicia’s attitude, and after glancing around he saw the reason for it. He hadn’t been born yesterday, and he of all people knew Felicia.

“I’d really appreciate that, Ms. Madaris. I want to purchase a special gift for the woman I’m presently interested in.”

“Oh, you mean that size 30A who showed up at your place last night?” she sneered in a low voice.

Trask suppressed a laugh. If he didn’t know better, he would think Felicia was jealous. “No. Cherie means nothing to me. The woman I’m interested in is probably a size 36C, but I’m not too sure since I’ve never seen her in a bra. But I have seen her breasts though. They aren’t small nor are they large. In my opinion they’re just the right size. They’re the kind that can easily get a man aroused. Unfortunately, I don’t get the chance to see them as often as I’d like.”