Mystic Hearts (17 page)

His
face softened a fraction.

“Would
you like that?”

“Yes,”
his sweet voice broke. “Mommy, why did Daddy come here today?” He paused.

She
wanted to answer him quickly, but knew he tried to gather his thoughts and
waited.

“He
left me.”

Charlene
let out a long breath and tried to remember what her mother had said to her in
this same situation when she was a little girl and couldn’t remember. No
explanation for why a parent disappeared could make a child feel better. The
unloved and unwanted feeling never left.

Instead
of making up excuses for her ex like she had for days after he disappeared, she
spoke what she knew. “He wants money.”

Right?
Wrong? She didn’t have a clue, but she was done trying to smooth things over
for Andrew where their son was concerned. She wouldn’t bash him and wouldn’t
sugarcoat what Andrew did, either.

“Money?”
Henry’s bottom lip stuck out. “When he held my hand, it didn’t feel right.”

She
wouldn’t say Andrew used him as a tool to get to her.

“Not
the way you and Grandma hold my hand. He felt…cold.” Henry straightened and
faced her, sitting cross-legged on the bed. “Do you think he feels we don’t
want him? Is that why he left?”

Maternal
protectiveness clutched her chest and expanded into out-and-out fury. She
wanted to take the baseball bat to Andrew again, but taking care of Henry’s
tender heart was what mattered most. Once again, she shoved down her fury.
Soon, her cup would runneth over, as the saying goes, and she’d explode. “No,
sweetie, that’s not why. You showed him with every hug and smile you gave him.”

Henry’s
gaze drifted to his wooden dresser on the other side of the room. The last gift
Andrew gave him, a stuffed bear, sat in the middle of comic books. “You did,
too, Mommy.”

She
smiled at her son’s comforting, reassuring words. He was growing up fast.

His
gaze snapped back to hers. “Do you still get scared?”

The
question, asked with such a solid tone, surprised her.

“It’s
okay if you do. You can say so.”

She
drew Henry into her lap and smiled at him coaxing her into talking. “I think
I’m better. Staying at Greenwood Manor helped. I haven’t been jumpy since.”

When
she’d walked into the house earlier that day instinct had told her someone was
there. From the earlier conversation she had with her mother, she learned that
when Andrew arrived, he wasn’t surprised Charlene hadn’t been there. Now,
knowing Andrew was in the area and obviously watching them supported why she’d
been so jumpy.

“Why’d
Daddy hit Uncle Jake’s car? It was really mean.”

“I
agree. I don’t know why. I guess, he thought the car belonged to me.”

Henry
glanced up at her and like the man he’d become at his young age, he nodded as
if she made perfect sense, and yawned.

“Are
you ready for a story?”

“If
it’s okay with you I’d like to think a while before I go to sleep.”

“You
never cease to amaze me.” She hugged him and kissed his forehead before sliding
out of bed. “You’re a very, very, good boy. I’m proud of you.”

“You
have to say that, you’re my mommy.”

“Nope,
there’s nothing in the handbook that says I have to.”

He
rose, pecked her cheek, and climbed under the covers. “I’m proud of you, too.”

Tears
formed in her eyes as she turned on his bedside lamp. “I love you.” She flipped
off the ceiling light switch. A glow flitted over Henry’s face.

“Love
you more,” Henry said and closed his eyes. His steady breaths told her he’d
already drifted into a slumber. They’d had a long day. Too bad she didn’t feel
tired.

In
hopes to quiet her active mind from Andrew’s atrocious behavior, she poured a
glass of red wine in the kitchen and went back upstairs. She set her glass on
the nightstand and changed into a nighty. . Thoughts of Larry swathed her as
the cotton slid over her skin, bringing her girlier parts to life, and wishing
Larry had stopped by.

Settling
into bed, she lifted the glass and sipped the wine from Lake Anna Winery. The
rich, robust taste soothed the tension in her muscles.

She
couldn’t stop from thinking about the destruction she brought to the Band of
Friends’ lives, from the kidnapping to Jake’s car. She’d do anything for each
one of them and hated that indirectly she’d brought grief. A hollow sensation
filled her.

Not
liking the direction of her wayward musings, she swallowed more wine and
snatched the remote from the nightstand, turned on the TV, and flipped through
the channels. Reality shows, movies, comedies…nothing sounded appealing.

Everything
led back to Larry or the chaos Andrew dumped on her family. She emptied the
glass and slid out of bed.. She padded down the hardwood corridor, and peeked
in at Henry. He slept soundly, the bear having found its way into his arms. She
smiled, eased the door closed, and remembered having to bake new cookies to
replace the ones that Andrew had touched after her mother had tossed them into
the trashcan.

Her
stomach growled. She zipped down the steps to the new batch of cookies they
made this evening and rounded the corner toward the kitchen. If the food didn’t
fill her belly and make her sleepy, she’d pour another glass of wine.

A
knock sounded on the front door. A jolt of electricity shot through her veins,
freezing her nerve endings a second before her hand hit her chest. Anxiety that
Andrew returned induced her to grasp the bat.

“Charlene,
open up.”

Larry’s
smooth voice created a craving from within. Her girl parts reacted, boogying
and chanting,
‘I’m gonna get some.’

She
released her grip, letting the bat fall back into the umbrella holder, and flipped
the porch light on and cracked open the door. His hair mussed, eyes
heavy-lidded, and his five o’clock shadow teased her girl parts more. “I didn’t
think you’d come,” she said, keeping her voice neutral, and moved back.

He
stepped inside. Grim lines contoured the corners of his mouth. His eyes flashed
with...worry...concern? “Sorry, I was detained.”

She
debated on asking what kept him, then figured if he wanted to talk about it, he
would. “Um, would you like a drink or something to eat? I’m heading to the
kitchen. You’re welcome to join me.”

Eyes
drifting over her, he closed and locked the door. “Where’s Henry?”

“Asleep.
I tried to, too p, but couldn’t.”

“Why
not, Charlene?” His voice was a seductive caressed and awoken each nerve cell.

She
diverted her gaze from his alluring one to the stairs.
Should she ask him to her room?
“Do you want some milk and
cookies?”

His
chuckled was low and sensual. “That’s not what I want.”

Every
erogenous zone in her body went on alert. “Oh?”

“I’m
having a problem.”

Not
what she expected. From what she knew, which wasn’t much, Larry didn’t discuss
private matters. “What’s wrong?”

“You
see—” He reached behind him, pulled something out of his back pocket, and
presented a rose. It looked suspiciously like the one from the rosebush at the
manor, like the one she believed he’d stroked over her body, her mind was still
fuzzy about that night

“This
flower—” He twirled the stem between his fingers before moving closer.

As
much as she wanted to stay grounded, reflexes made her take a step back. Her
butt hit the wall.

He
followed. With the touch of a feather, Larry slid the flower over her
forehead…nose. “—needs attention.” The soft petals touched her lips, chin,
lowered to caress her neck. “It needs TLC.”

Her
nipples tightened. Liquid heat tugged low in her belly.

His
gaze lowering followed by his low masculine groan reminded her that she hadn’t
put on her robe.

“You
sure Henry’s asleep?”

“Yes,”
she breathed, her body humming.

He
tucked the stem into his shirt pocket. His hands flattened against the wall,
caging her in. For whatever reason, her defensive armor didn’t come out when his
body surrounded her. She liked this…feeling his heat…knowing she drove him
crazy. “I want you. More than I want my next breath.”

She
sucked her lips inward. Wanting this man and acting on it were two different
things. Her focus needed to stay on motherhood, on removing Andrew from her
life, but around Larry, an unnamed awareness ruled. A need so strong it took
her away from the usual chaos her life had become and plunged her into the
surreal fantasy of vacationing on an exotic island.

“The
thing is—I’m in unfamiliar territory.” He paused, his face pinching. “I’d like
to set ground rules.”

His
comment stung. Going into a relationship with rules would hinder the chemistry
flowing between them, not foster the feelings. She searched his eyes, wanting a
glimpse into figuring out his comment.
Nothing
.
“You’re giving me conditions?”

“I
am, just one.”

“Which
is?”

“No
expectations.”

A
smile curled her lips. She couldn’t stop from giggling. Was he referring to
their relationship or sex? “No worries.” She scooted away from the wall and
headed upstairs. If he wanted to follow…fine; if not, she’d deal.

He
cleared his throat and asked. “Am I supposed to tag along?”

Half
way up the stairs she paused.
Yes, please.
“Suit yourself.”

Footfalls
approached fast behind her. She raced up the stairs, into her bedroom, and
closed the door, laughing.

He
caught the door with his foot before it shut and eased inside. His heated gaze
found hers.

“Do
you still want to give me conditions?”

****

“Conditions?
To hell with conditions,” Larry said, his out of control organ speaking for
him.

Since
this morning, he’d wrestled with a boner. As soon as he lassoed his dick’s
urges, his mind’s eye would produce her image and put him in a fix, an
uncomfortable one. Taking matters into his hands only worked momentarily. He’d
already tried in the shower this afternoon after his plunge into the pit and
made the issue worse. Thoughts had escalated of her warm flesh touching him,
soothing him from his fall.

Either
they’d take the lust shooting through their veins and manage their desires or
end up hating each other from denying what they both craved. He wasn’t willing
to risk the latter and removed his shirt.

Her
eyes heated, the intense gaze giving him warmth he hadn’t experienced or wanted
in a long time. With the thoughts running through his mind, he’d better speak
up before he admitted feelings neither of them was ready to hear. “Nothing’s
changing between us. No attachments. We’re friends with benefits.”

The
intensity in her gaze didn’t waver. “Friends.” She pulled off her nightshirt.

He
unbuttoned his jeans, shoved them down, and kicked them to the side.

The
distance between them closed. They were on each other like white on rice. Hands
grabbing and groping, mouths demanding and needy. Arms twined and legs twisted.
They knotted together into a pretzel until they fell apart on the bed from lack
of oxygen.

“Jeez,”
he breathed, regrouping. He expected when he’d touched her the encounter would
feel good, but the fact it was this fantastic stunned him. His blood hummed
with pleasure.

Charlene
lay on her back, studying him. Her chest rose and fell, beautiful rosy nipples
rising ever so slightly with the action. She was perfection, a natural beauty.
A woman he could do the unthinkable with by losing himself into her warmth,
into her softness, forever. Warning bells sounded:
pursue with caution
.

“Larry.”
Desire dripped off her words.

A
freight train of lust roared into his brain, tossing the alarm aside, and
imbedded a feverish arousal low in his belly. He wanted to devour the sight of
her, take his time to spoil every inch of her, yet his hunger wouldn’t hear of
it. More than a year had passed since his body had enjoyed the tight pleasure
of a woman. Even then, he wanted them for a fix, not the same as what his body
and soul wanted with Charlene. “I need to be in you…now.”

She
lifted her hips and ground her sex against his arousal. The friction almost
caused an instant explosion.

“Strip,”
she said, mischief written all over her face. Her hair fanned out around her.
Her breasts tilted to the sides from her position. Man, she was a sight.

He
inched back, kissing her jaw, her throat, and latched onto a nipple, licking,
sucking, and tugging on the erected bud.

She
moaned, slid her hands into his hair, and gave a gentle tug.

He
moved his hand downward, caressing her heated skin, and cupped her core. A thin
piece of silk separated their skin. “Jesus.” He rested his head on her breasts
and enjoyed the excitement spiraling through his body.