Possess Me (26 page)

Marcel was tired of all the double standards. The French and the Spanish men came in, waved their money around and took whatever women pleased them, made rules so they could have more. Women became octoroons, quadroons, anything but black. But a man . . . one drop of blood, one trace, and you were black. And if you were black, you had better not fall in love with anyone who wasn’t.

Especially not a half-French, half-Spanish debutante who made him so crazy he knew he’d die if he lost her.

She was waiting for his answer. And he knew what he had to do. “Soon, Isabel. Soon, you and I will be able to walk through town proudly as man and wife. Soon I’ll be able to tell everyone you are mine.”

She lifted her eyes to his, some of the sparkle returning to the deep, damp blue. “And you are mine.”

He turned her, tossing her on his small bed with a smile. “Show me.”

His heart raced when she reached down and grabbed the hem of her long, lacy blue day dress, pulling it slowly up to reveal her stockings . . . and nothing else.

“You came all the way here alone, with nothing beneath your skirts?” He didn’t know whether to spank her or kiss her. Her mound was so prettily framed, making his mouth water, that he decided the spanking could wait.

He lowered himself between her legs, noticing her mischievous smile. Still so pure. He hoped she never lost her innocent sensuality. “You are a naughty girl, Miss Isabel.”

She giggled when he leaned in to kiss her forehead, her nose, her lips, his body wound tight with restraint, determined to make her forget the dingy room and the raucous noises outside his door.

“A naughty, naughty girl. But I love it.”

Bone Daddy pulled his lips from hers to drag in a lungful of air. Bethany was on his lap, hips grinding against his through the cotton sheet, her moans making him crazy.

His hands were beneath her T-shirt, inside the cups of her bra, her hard nipples piercing his palms with their heat.

The other images were fading like a strange dream, until all he felt was Bethany. All he saw was Bethany. He needed her. He’d never needed anything this badly. He had to be inside her soon or he would combust. “Blue Eyes, please. Take them off for me.”

He tugged sightlessly at her jeans, marveling at how his skills had abandoned him. He wasn’t playing her like a violin, controlling her passion, thriving on it. If anything, she was playing him, and he was too caught up in his own desires to care.

He growled in gratitude when her hands left his hair and slid to the waistband of her pants. She rose up on her knees to lower them and he kissed the curve of her belly, willing her to move faster, his hands sliding up her thighs.

Yes
. Oh, sweet heaven, yes.

“Rousseau thought when Bone Daddy woke up he might be—”

He made a sound of pained denial when the object of his attention ripped herself from his arms, again, leaping with a speed and height that would have been impressive if he wasn’t so frustrated.

Allegra stood in the doorway, a tray full of food in her hands and a comical expression of shock on her face. Not directed at him, he noticed, but at the beet-red Bethany, who looked beyond mortified at the intrusion.

She mumbled her apologies and rushed past the redhead in the doorway, out of his sight.

He didn’t like frustration. “Son of a bitch.”

The tray rattled as Allegra jumped at his curse. She came to set the tray down on the dresser, her expression apologetic. “I’m so sorry, Bone Daddy. I really am. I thought you were still unconscious. And none of us thought that you and Bethany would . . .”

He stood, letting the sheet drop to his ankles, his stance wide, as if preparing for battle. “Why not Bethany and I? Am I not good enough for her? Am I beneath her?”

Allegra paled. “Of course—that’s not what I meant to say at all. Bethany just isn’t, um, very social.” She shrugged helplessly, looking for all the world like he’d kicked her puppy.

“Oh,
cher
, forgive me. It’s been an unusual morning.” She sniffled, and he wanted to bang his head against the wall. He wrapped an arm around her. “There now, Allegra. Why would you cry?”

“It’s my wedding day.”

As if that explained everything. But in a way, it did. “Well, surely that is a reason to celebrate. I should have known Rousseau would waste no time in snapping you up. On All Saints’ Day, too, eh? Good for him. The Loa and all your ancestors will dance at your wedding. Your life will be blessed.”

“And your life will be over if you don’t get your hands off my woman and cover yourself.” Rousseau and Ben stood in the doorway. Ben had his hand on Rousseau, restraining him, but Bone Daddy could see from his grim expression he didn’t approve of the embrace either.

Ingrates.

He lifted his hands from Allegra and took a step back, smiling. “Good to see you, too, boys. I’d love to get dressed so I can find Bethany and pick up where we left off.
If
one of you would be good enough to loan me a pair of pants, that is. I seem to be lacking in the basic necessities this morning.”

“Bethany?” The two men spoke in unison, their matching expressions of bewilderment making him angry.

“If I live to be a thousand years old I will never understand the human male. The butterfly that trembles inside her cocoon owns the brightest pair of wings. And when she soars, it is a sight to behold.”

The men looked on as Allegra ignored them and wrapped her arms around the naked Bone Daddy once more, squeezing him tightly. “I’m so glad you’re here.”

He chuckled, his wary gaze still fixed on Rousseau. He understood his possessive friend. He knew if he’d found someone touching Isabel that way he would kill them.

Isabel? What the hell had happened back there? Was Bethany a witch to send him such illusions, to drive him wild with her kiss and her sharp tongue? The men continued glaring and he sighed.

“You may be the only one,
cher
.”

 

 

 

SHE HAD TO LEAVE. IF SHE COULD WORK UP THE COURAGE
to leave the bedroom, that is. How could she have behaved that way? And with someone who was tantamount to a spiritual gigolo no less. It was humiliating.

And she wanted to do it again.

It was so much better than the dreams. In the dreams she’d had no control. She was Isabel, submissive and shy, newly coming into her own as a woman. But just now, Bethany was the one kissing him, the one driving him, making him lose control.

She wasn’t usually like this. This sexual. She was no virgin, but her experiences had always been with friends, awkward and unsatisfying. Her imagination, her books were her outlet. But with Bone Daddy, she couldn’t seem to control herself.

Her mouth curved upward in the start of a grin as she recalled the expression on his face when she’d thrown him off the bed. She wondered if anyone had ever said no to him before. Not that her denial had lasted very long. There was just something about him.

She could no longer doubt that it was him, not the unknown Marcel, who had haunted her dreams. Him she’d made love to in the night for the last few days, in the guise of Isabel. The young lovers’ story had consumed so much of her daytime studies that it made sense they would insert themselves into her dreams.

But why would Bone Daddy?

BD. He’d told her to call him BD.

“Bethany? Can I come in?” Michelle pushed open the door to her bedroom and closed it behind her, her green eyes darkening with worry when she noticed the open suitcase on the bed. “Are you okay?”

“Sure. Fine. Couldn’t be better. Why do you ask?” Bethany scooted back against the pillows to make room for Michelle, who’d come to sit beside her.

Michelle looked down at her hands on her knees and took a breath. “He has a way of making people do strange things. It’s not anything to be ashamed of.”

Bethany leaned her head against the wall. “That would make me feel better if I hadn’t attacked him
after
he told me he had none of his regular abilities.”

“You attacked him? Hold on, are you telling me he’s totally human? No powers at all?”

“Not a one.” Bethany closed her eyes on a groan. “He just looked so upset that I’d tossed him on his butt, that his smooth talk wasn’t working on me, that I wanted to kiss him.”

“You tossed him on . . . So, not too pretty for you after all, is he?”

Bethany opened her eyes to catch Michelle’s smile and relaxed. She wasn’t mad. But she still seemed worried.

“Bethany, I know we’ve told you about him. About what he is. Even though he looks human now, he is anything but. When Mama found out, she told me something that only a few select of the mambos and houngans, the priestesses and priests of voodoo, know. On All Saints’ Day, some Loa are allowed to walk as mortals, humans. But only from sunrise to sunrise. Tomorrow morning, he’ll be a Loa again, a spirit.” Michelle put her hand on Bethany’s arm. “So just be careful not to get too attached.”

One day? He only had one day? Bethany’s stomach tightened in reaction. It wasn’t enough time. She wasn’t sure who she was more upset for, him or herself.

Another knock at the door. “Here comes the bride.” Allegra slid inside quickly, slamming the door behind her with a large grin on her face. “What do you think?”

Bethany’s heart melted. Allegra looked like a fairy queen. The lacy white creation had an empire waist, short bell sleeves, and a curving neckline. “Allegra, you’re beautiful.”

Michelle stood up to embrace her friend. “She’s right, baby girl. You are the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen. Rousseau will be blown away.”

Bethany reached into her bedside table, where she’d placed Isabel’s treasures, and pulled out the comb. “I don’t think Michelle or Isabel would mind if you made this a part of your something old.”

She walked over to Allegra, sliding the comb into her hair with a smile.

Allegra’s bright blue eyes sparkled with moisture. “What is wrong with me? I’m like a leaky faucet today.” She laughed, wiping at her eyes before wrapping Bethany in her embrace. “Thank you.”

Michelle clapped her hands. “Okay, come on. We have to get this off you before the men see it. Mama and Rousseau are in the kitchen, making enough food to feed an army. We’ll have an early lunch, and then we need to take you to the hairdresser’s, and get Bethany a dress for the occasion.”

Allegra nodded. “Bone Daddy, too.” The two women looked at her askance, and she shrugged. “What? The man has no clothes. The wedding guests may not mind, but Rousseau will.”

She ran out ahead of them, Michelle rolling her eyes as she followed closely behind. Bethany hung back. She turned back to the nightstand, pulling out the brass locket that she’d worn every night since she arrived. She really should have shown that to Allegra—it would have gone perfectly with her outfit.

Her fingers closed over the cool metal, enjoying the zap of electricity she’d come to associate with it. Just like the puzzle box, she couldn’t get it open. But she couldn’t seem to part with it either.

She slid the chain around her neck, pinning the locket to the strap of her bra, feeling it caress the curve of her breast. For some reason, it made her feel beautiful. Strong. Her own secret talisman. She needed one. Especially if she was going to be spending more time with him. Bone Daddy.

One day. He would only be here one day, and Bethany would be gone before the week was out. Would it be so wrong if she allowed herself a passionate fling before she left New Orleans? If she had one wild adventure all her own?

She’d just have to remember that it was only temporary. She couldn’t let herself fall in love with someone who was no more substantial than a dream. A man who would disappear by dawn.

The women in the clothing shop turned around and sighed audibly.
All
the women. Even the salesclerk. Bethany looked around at them and shook her head. She wanted to jump in front of him, wielding the hanger in her hand, and tell them to back off, but how could she blame them? The man was utterly edible.

He was dressed in linen pants the color of hemp, and a thin white linen shirt. So thin, Bethany could see the outline of his beautifully muscled torso. It was November, but warm enough here that he wouldn’t be cold. Too bad. He might be safer walking the streets if he were wearing a snowsuit. But from the panting women eyeing him around her, she wasn’t sure any amount of clothing would help.

He looked her way, a question in his eyes, and she lifted her chin. “You’ll do.”

The salesclerk sent her a look that questioned her eyesight, as did several of the others, but Bone Daddy chuckled in delight.

“I’m so glad you approve, Blue Eyes. I’ll take it.” He held up one of Ben’s credit cards and waved it enticingly. “Now, it’s your turn.”

Oh hell. Why had Allegra convinced Michelle to send her shopping with this wicked man while they went to the hairdresser’s? And why had she agreed so readily, so aggressively, when Michelle had hesitated?