Leoti (6 page)

Josie nodded. “I hope so.”

“What would you like for dinner?”

“Hey, I don’t even remember my name; I surely don’t know what I like to eat.”

Elu chuckled. “Fair enough. I will make us something special.”

Later

Over dinner he told her of his childhood and why he’d never leave the Blackfoot mountains. She listened attentively and asked few questions. It had been a long time since he’d had such an open conversation with someone he’d just met.

“Why haven’t you married?” she asked.

“I did.”

“Really?”

He thought he heard disappointment in her voice. He looked up from his plate. “I married my best friend’s sister. She owned this land. I built this cabin for her. Po was the pup I gave her as a wedding gift.”

Josie glanced to Po who was on his doggy pillow, his brow rose to see if she wanted anything, then he relaxed with disinterest.

“He’s motherless and I’m alone.” Elu finished.

Her eyes went around the cabin once more as if seeing it again for the first time. From across the table he observed and waited for her gaze to return to his.

“What happened to her? Are you still married?”

“She has moved on, died, from leukemia four years ago.”

Her face twisted with worry. It touched him that she would even care. “The doctors said the poison they pumped in her veins would prolong her life. I knew better, but I was so desperate I abandoned my faith and turned her fate over to them. Toward the end I’d had enough of her suffering. I brought her home. I took care of her and she lived another six months. But my time to heal had passed and there was no more to be done. She was not meant to be with me for long.”

“I’m sorry, Elu. So sorry.”

His head tilted a little. “Do you remember love?”

“Love?”

“Yes, you know love, the sweet and bitter taste of life. When it arrives and leaves in the same moment you learn so much about your heart. I loved her completely, but I never knew what complete love was until the day she died in my arms. So I’m not angry or cheated, I’m accepting of what she brought to my life and the lessons it taught me.”

“You should be a poet.” Josie laughed. “Forgive me. I wasn’t trying to disrespect you, it’s just, the way you talk about things, even with my foggy brain I know it’s beautiful.”

“Faith can be beautiful.” He winked.

“I can only imagine that she loved you too. You’re a really kind man.”

“Why, because I dressed your wounds?” he asked directly.

“Because you care.” She smiled. The greatest feature of her beauty was her smile. It reached her eyes and sparked such energy that her face glowed.

“Would you like to go outside? For some air? The night is worth it.”

“Yes.”

Elu rose and went to her chair. Her hand placed in his, she let him be the guide as he walked her toward the door at her pace. Outside in the night he helped her to the cushioned seat of the porch swing. Carefully she eased into it. He joined her. The bench rocked back and forth on chains. Po walked out and took a seat at the step, his head resting on his paws, and his eyes looking to the moon, a large glowing orb that sat up above the trees majestic and beautiful. So wonderful in fact neither of them could speak.

“What do you do? For a living?”

“There’s a lumber mill fifty miles east of here, I work three days a week there.”

“Cutting down trees?”

“Cutting down trees. But I plant new ones for each one I take,” he said.

“Sounds like you. Bet that isn’t part of the job description.”

“It is not.”

They rocked.

The closeness wasn’t forced. When he lifted his arm and put it to the back of the chair, she eased in closer. He rocked the porch swing for them with his foot pushing against the floorboards. “That moon, is it a good sign? Does it mean I’ll be okay?”

“Yes. It’s your moon. I looked for it yesterday and it did not appear. It only comes for you.”

Her head turned and the action brought her face close to his. Her hair had a natural untamed puffiness that was fitting for her beauty. She was earthy, real, and he felt humbled in her presence. Leoti didn’t speak. Instead she rested against the crook of his arm for comfort. He wasn’t sure of how much it brought for her, but it gave him such pleasure. Her nearness made his senses spin.

They rocked.

“Elu?”

“Yes.”

“I don’t think there’s anybody looking for me. If there were I’d feel it. I’d know it. Right now all I feel is how perfect things are right now. It’s scary not knowing who I am. Thank you for being the one who found me.”

She lifted her head and their faces were closer than either intended. His free hand lifted and he traced his fingers down her soft hair to her neck. She was so close, and the desire to have her closer played against his better judgment. She may not belong to anyone, but she could not belong to him if she didn’t know who she was. Besides a woman with her beauty and spirit had to have others that cared for her. He swallowed tightly. Elu refused to believe that she was some lonely professor, a wanderer.

“I, I…” she started. Her head tilted, her mouth dangerously close to his. “I think I want to kiss you.”

It was the permission he sought. Elu kissed her softly, fully, deeply, and she gave into it freely. Her lips plump and lush under his and her warm sweet breath came into his mouth.

This kiss. The very air around her felt electrified and she was wrapped in tidal waves of invisible warmth. Their first was more than she anticipated. Minutes faded into a block of time that suspended and she was left with no choice but to succumb to the bliss. His fingers went through her hair from the back of her neck, brushing her nape as his large hand firmed and pulled her in for a deeper connection. His thrusting tongue explored her mouth with a desperate hunger that left her breathless.

Deeper and deeper they kissed until her lungs burned and her body shook with pleasure. It hurt to lift her arms, but she couldn’t help the urge. She had to touch his feather light hair to feel it between her fingers as she recalled what pleasures being with a man could bring. He stopped her too soon. Broke the connection that was so genuine she resented him for his hesitance.

“I’m okay, I want to kiss you,” she said touching his hair, trying to kiss him again.

He put a single finger to her lips and stopped her. She opened her eyes and looked up at him curiously.

“I do too.” He reassured her. “But you aren’t well and we must be careful. You don’t know—.”

“I understand.” She pouted pulling away. He rose, with a beefy sigh for his own restraint. Her eyes followed him as he stepped to the edge of the porch and looked out into the dark night. Po barked once at him and then lowered his head.

Elu stepped down from the porch to put distance between them. It was hard to break away with the erection between his legs embarrassingly strong. His sweet Ella predicted in her passing that she would send him his soul mate. He didn’t believe her promise. Then he kissed Leoti. In that instant he knew more than ever he had to know this wonderful woman. Desires like his were too much of a burden to put on a stranger he’d plucked from the side of the road. He had to be careful.

“Come sit with me. Please,” she pleaded softly behind him. “I want to try to kiss you again, it helps my healing. It’s the medicine I need.” She teased. He dropped his head smiling, and glanced back. She rocked the porch swing, grinning at him.

“It’s not you I fear.”

“Come back, Elu. It was nice,” she said extending her hand.

He did. He sat again, and she wouldn’t allow him space. Though the kissing stopped the intimacy was there. They rocked in silence and soon he realized she drifted against him. He ran his hand down her shoulder, comforting her, and it hit him.
There was a journal
. She didn’t read it, but he knew he’d stuffed it in one of her bags. When she uncovered the journal he was sure this time would pass. Until then he’d hold a little tighter to his
Leoti.

After awhile he brought her off the swing. Four days of caring for her had bounded them closer than even he believed possible. She moaned slightly in discomfort and he adjusted her to make sure she experienced little pain. With an arm around his neck and her face pressed to his chest she relaxed.

He placed her gently on the bed to not cause pain to her still tender ribs. He pulled the blanket over her body. Then he tended to the fire to make sure she was warm, the night chill could be felt strongly in the room. The log shifted in the grate, sending a shower of sparks up the chimney. Josie rolled over and let out a deep moan, he looked up. He returned to her side to make sure she was comfortable and gently kissed her bandaged forehead before leaving her for the night. He wanted to sleep next to her to feel the warmth of a woman’s body next to his. To smell her scent and know her, but that wasn’t his privilege.

“Elu,” she moaned. She smiled and reached a hand out to him. “Sleep in here. Please?” she said leaving her hand hanging in the air.

“Are you sure?” he asked returning to the bed.

“Yes,” she said pulling him gently down next to her. He wrapped his strong arms around her. She was as soft and warm as he imagined. She eased into him, her body fitting perfectly. He heard her yawn and he let go a sigh of his own, burying his face into the slender nook of her neck.

They snuggled down into the chill of the dying fire. The last thing she recalled was the perplexed tone in his voice when she asked him to join her in bed. It was strange yet fulfilling to lie with him this way. She had to trust her instincts. Her instincts said that this was right.

So she drifted, at peace for the night.

Chicago Illinois

Carlton closed the door to his hotel room and walked into the darkness alone. Tiffani was right. He hadn’t fought hard enough to explain his concerns to Josie. He truly believed that giving her the space she needed after their fight would have her calling him, rethinking this business about marriage and kids. It had been over a week and he missed his woman. He sat on the edge of the bed and picked up the phone. He dialed her personal cell phone that only he, her mother, sister, agent and a few friends had the number to. It went straight to voicemail.

Hi! You’ve reached Josie. I’m not available at the moment. Leave a message and I’ll call you back! Oh and have you heard the latest Notorious Noise song Anarchy? Check it out! It’s hot!

Carlton smiled. Never in his life had he had a woman who loved him and supported him like Josie. “Hi babe, it’s me. I really need to hear your voice now. Call me in the morning. I’m ready to listen. Okay?”

Carlton dropped back against his pillows and smiled. Fuck. He could imagine little ones in the studio jamming to his music, and Josie there supporting him. Why was he fighting it? Another year or so and he definitely could be ready. Carlton yawned and chuckled again at her voicemail message. “I miss you.”

Chapter Four

“Wake up.”

The bed shook. Tiffani jerked awake. Her mother glared down at her. “Ma? What time is it?” Tiffani moaned reaching in the dark for her watch.

“Have you spoken to your sister?”

“Huh?”

“Josie. Have you spoken to her?”

“No. Not in a few days.” Tiffani’s voice croaked. She cleared her throat. “Good grief it’s three in the morning Ma. Go back to bed.” She rolled over.

“Wake up!”

“I’m up. I’m up.” She sat fully up again and sighed. “What’s the matter?”

“She’s not answering my calls. I tried her all day. I haven’t spoken to her in six days.”

“So?”

“So!”

“Mama, c’mon. Josie’s on a sabbatical. She told you she would ditch technology and commune with nature or some stuff. Leave her alone.” Tiffani moaned.

“I don’t like it. She knows not to turn off her personal cell phone. Only a few of us have the number. What if you or I took sick, what then? Josie is more responsible than this and so are you. I call and the phone just goes to voicemail. That’s not like her, something is wrong.”

Tiffani was awake now. She tried to do her sister a favor on this one. The last thing she needed was Madeline robbing her of her peace. “I’ll call her, okay? Just leave her alone. She was really upset about how things were with Carlton. She went there to get away from us remember?”

“Hmpf. I’m her mother. You don’t run from your mother. And when I spoke to her she was talking nonsense about wanting to stop practicing law. The girl won one of the most groundbreaking cases for our people since Thurgood Marshall. Her first book nearly won her Nobel Prize. Who quits after that to make babies at twenty-six?” Madeline crossed her arms in disgust. “I made babies for your no-good father and dragged them all over this country chasing his dreams. What did it get me?”

“Two successful daughters?” Tiffani frowned.

Madeline smiled. “Of course. I’m only saying that she and Carlton are famous. They should enjoy it. They have all the time in the world to be parents or whatever is going through your sister’s head. Talk to her, Carlton isn’t a man she should ignore.”