Riding Bitch (11 page)

He broke into a smile as she stepped out of the house. She wore jeans, knee-high black boots, a white peasant shirt, and a deep red rope corset that had taken him an hour to construct.

“I’m wearing rope.”

“Technically it’s hemp.” He mounted the bike. “Plus, we match. The only difference is I’m wearing a leather vest decorated with the same color hemp and silver studs.”

“Your mother is going to crap all over herself.”

He laughed. “Yup, about this and so much more.” He wiggled his eyebrows, and Felicia’s mouth fell open.

“You told the woman from the magazine about us, didn’t you?”

“You’re quick. Yes, ma’am, I did. I spoke the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.”

At first, he thought she would admonish him. Instead she laughed and threw her hands up in the air. “Nothing like jumping in feetfirst,” she said.

She looked so beautiful when she laughed. “Well, Mother was right,” he responded. “My stuff is popular enough in the art world right now that when we get married, they’ll want to write about it. Why not nip the gossip in the bud and tell them instead of letting them discover it on their own and think I’m ashamed—because I’m not.”

Ash studied her. He had to admit the corset was one of the best he’d ever tied. It was an hour well spent, since he’d wanted to make sure every last piece of it was in the right place. She’d been patient, after her initial hesitation.

The look on her face when he’d told her his plan had been priceless.

“You want me to wear rope?”

“Not only is rope a bonding agent,”
he’d explained,
“but you’ll be wearing a work of art—one done by your future husband. The rope will be a symbol for all to see, that you and I are together.”

“Does that mean you’re going to wear rope?”

After he’d explained how he planned to decorate a vest with hemp and studs, she’d asked why she couldn’t wear one too.

“Because I want to see you in the corset. It will give me a secret hard-on while I’m talking to all the people there.”

That was all it had taken to convince her, and she’d stood, arms out to her sides, while he’d decorated her body with the rope. Each time he’d wrapped a loop around her body, he’d felt like it brought them closer together.

“Binding us,”
he’d reminded her as he wrapped his arms around her to thread one end of the hemp around her back.

“Forever,”
she’d replied.

When it was done, he’d wanted to take her to bed, make love to her while she wore his creation. But he’d held back. Tonight, after the showing, he’d do exactly that.

Now she climbed on the bike and put on her helmet. Through the earphones, he caught her saying, “Rope and helmet hair. This ought to make a great impression.”

“Wear your hair in braids,” he said as he started the bike. “You won’t have to worry about helmet hair.”

“My hair’s not as long as yours.”

It was a fairly short ride to the gallery on the square. Ash parked in back of the building, and they entered through the rear. Felicia went into the bathroom immediately, and when she came out, her hair was as perfect as it had been before she’d put on the helmet.

He took her hand, and they headed into the main room. The opening had just started, yet the room was full. His sculpture of an eagle in flight was in the center of the room. Several of his smaller pieces surrounded it.

The work was good, if he did say so himself. People were gathering around him to shake his hand and ask about the art, how he’d done it and what tools he’d used. Ash answered them as Felicia had dropped his hand and was milling around the sculptures. He saw her examining them carefully. Her expression told him she liked his work. After she’d walked around the last one, she looked at him with a big smile on her face.

Then the woman who had interviewed him that afternoon, Monica, was by her side. Ash crossed the room quickly so he could run interference for Felicia if need be. But from the conversation he heard as he drew nearer, he knew it wouldn’t be necessary.

Felicia was telling Monica that yes, Ash had made her corset; after all, he was a talented artist in many areas.

He took Fee’s hand and brought it up to his lips.

“You two obviously love each other very much,” Monica said.

“Yes,” they responded in unison, which made the three of them laugh. Monica told Felicia she’d like to have lunch one day. Felicia responded that would be nice. As the journalist moved away, Ash caught sight of his brother working the room. He was flirting with a group of older women near the front. They were all laughing and batting their eyes.

Keno caught his gaze and made his excuses to the ladies. As he walked over, Ash searched the room for the one person he hadn’t seen yet tonight: his mother. He’d seen his father, who had smiled broadly as Ash had entered the room.

His father wouldn’t bring up family business in public. But his mother would, and he worried that she’d heard what he’d done, and was planning something to get back at him.

Keno slapped him on the back, which broke Ash’s concentration. “Good job, little brother.”

“Thank you.” They shook hands, and then Keno kissed Felicia on the cheek.

“Welcome to the family, Felicia.”

“Thanks. It’s good to see you, Keno.”

He nodded before he leaned in as if to impart confidential information. “Be on the lookout. Mom’s on the warpath. Some journalist called to ask about your upcoming nuptials. She was so hot, she touched a candle and it burst into flames. I’m surprised the house didn’t burn down.

“I always thought you two would make beautiful babies,” Keno said. “One of them should be named after his Uncle Keno, don’t you think? Especially since I haven’t been asked to stand up for my little brother. Just saying.”

As Keno walked toward the food, Felicia laughed. “Is your brother living with your parents?”

“No, that would impair his sex life. He goes there for every meal he can, though.”

“What is he doing for a living?”

“As little as possible.” He kissed her, aware that several people watched. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw something that made him blink twice. “Fee. Your mother’s here.”

He felt her stiffen, and then she was looking around. By the time Felicia had whispered, “Oh my,” her mother was on her way over to them. She wore a dress that made her look as if she went to this sort of affair all the time.

“Felicia.” She kissed her daughter’s cheek before she turned to Ash. “Hello.”

“Mrs. Montrose.” He was surprised when she told him to call her Betty. Right after she did, Felicia told her how shocked she was to see her.

“I don’t trust the mail. I brought your birth certificate.”

“You drove five hours to bring it to me?”

Her mother glanced around the room. “Is there punch? I’m thirsty.” She looked her daughter up and down. “That’s an interesting outfit you’re wearing. It’s not like you at all.”

“Ash made it,” she replied. “Maybe it would be like me if I lived my life for myself. Tell me what you’re really doing here.”

This was a side to Fee he’d never seen before, at least not where her parents were concerned. She’d never talked back to them as far as he knew.

“I’m going to find something to drink,” her mother said as she walked away.

“Something’s up,” Felicia said. “There’s no way she came this far to bring me paperwork. I think your mother scheduled an intervention or something.”

“Yup,” Ash agreed. “I think you’re right about that.”

Ash put an arm around her shoulder and gave her a hug. “Keep an eye on her. She doesn’t seem as if she could start a fire, like Keno said Mom did, but you never know. I’m going to go find my own female parental unit and see if she can give me some insight into what’s happening.”

It didn’t take him long to find his mother. She stood near the back door, smoking a cigarette.

“Mother.”

“You just had to do it, didn’t you?” She took a drag and let the smoke drift out the door before she turned to him. “You look ridiculous.”

“Thanks, Mother.” He took the cigarette from her hand and tossed it out the door, taking the time to step on it before he turned to her. “Believe it or not, I’m not marrying Felicia to get back at you.”

“Aren’t you? You told me many times that you thought we ruined your life by keeping the two of you apart. You were angry, and this is your way of paying us back.”

“This is my way of being happy. I’m sorry you can’t see that.” He started back for the main room. He stopped after a few steps and turned back to her. “Felicia’s mother is here. Do you know anything about that?”

He could tell from the glare his mother shot him that she did.

“Did you schedule an intervention, like Felicia said? Let’s see if we can keep Ash and Fee apart a little longer?”

“It was just puppy love, Ashkii. The sooner you realize the two of you are not suited for each other, the faster—”

“Why?” He knew the question was too loud, but he didn’t care. “What the fuck is wrong with the two of us being together? And don’t give me crap about her being white. That doesn’t wash with me, and you know it.”

“We’ll discuss it later,” she said as she pushed past him. He wanted to go after her, but he knew it wasn’t a good time. Instead he took several deep breaths, wishing he had a cigarette of his own to try and take the edge off his nerves.

For once he knew his mother was right. This wasn’t the time or the place to discuss things. If Fee’s mother was here, then her father was close by too.

And if their parents had banded together to butt into the wedding, Ash would put a kink in their plans. The six of them needed to talk, true, but it would be on terms that he and Fee set down.

For once they were going to be in charge, come hell or high water. He went out into the main room and looked for his bride. They had a few plans to make.

He found Felicia in the main room, her mother on one side and his standing slightly away, as if she were afraid the other women carried germs and would give her a disease.

He strolled over casually, stopping to talk to patrons as he went. He shook hands and smiled and gave out business cards to people who asked about hiring him to do a piece for their home or business.

When he was next to Felicia, he kissed her cheek. Then he summoned his mother over. “We’re meeting at my house at nine tomorrow morning.”

His mother opened her mouth to say something, but Ash held up one finger. “You know the old saying, it’s my way or the highway? That’s in play here. Fee and I will have breakfast ready for everyone at nine. If you want to talk, you’ll be there. If you don’t, then don’t show up. Tomorrow will be the one and only time this topic is up for discussion.”

Ash recognized the stony look on his mother’s face. He was sure that if they hadn’t been in public, she would be screaming right now. Instead she gave him a curt nod and turned to talk to a woman who stood nearby. As they spoke, he realized it was as if his mother hadn’t been angry just moments ago.

“She should have been an actress,” he said.

“She’d have a trophy case full of awards by now,” Fee replied. He saw that Felicia was looking at her mother. “Are you coming tomorrow?”

There was a short pause. “I’ll need directions,” her mother said.

“I’ll write them down,” Ash told her. He took one of his business cards and a pen from his pocket. After he’d gotten down the info, he offered the card to Mrs. Montrose. She took it and tucked it into her purse without looking at it.

“Felicia.” She gave her daughter a halfhearted hug before she walked out of the gallery.

“Tomorrow’s going to be fun,” Felicia said, her voice heavy with sarcasm.

“It could be,” Ash replied. “I meant what I said about it being the one and only time. We get everything out, and then we move on with our lives, with or without their approval.”

* * * *

The sun was very low in the sky when the event ended. Felicia was tense, even though everything had gone great, except for the arrival of her mother. Not that she wasn’t happy to see her, but Felicia couldn’t shake the feeling her mother had an ulterior motive.

The point had been driven home when her mother had phoned about twenty minutes after she’d left.

“Your father wants you to join us for dinner,”
she’d said.

“Great,”
Felicia had replied.
“What time shall we be there?”

“Just her,”
she’d heard her father yell out when her mother had repeated what she’d said.

“Forget it,”
Felicia had retorted.
“I’m with Ash on this one. We’ll be at his house in the morning, and if you want to talk, we’ll do it then.”

As her mother relayed the message, she’d imagined her father pacing the floor of their hotel room, his blood pressure shooting skyward. Tomorrow, she planned to ask him point-blank what it was about Ash he didn’t like, since he really didn’t know the man.

As they were suiting up to leave, she’d told him about the invitation. He’d shaken his head slowly as he’d fastened the strap on her helmet for her.
“We need to stop at the store to buy some food for breakfast,”
was his only response.

They’d hit a grocery store on their way home, stocking up on what they would need. After they’d gotten home she started to put things away, familiarizing herself with her new kitchen. Excitement coursed through her as the realization set in. She and Ash were getting married. She would be living in his house—their house—and they would be together 24-7.

She put a hand on her stomach as if she could calm the butterflies that had taken up residence. Her life was changing so fast that it scared her. The only constant was Ash. If he was there, she could handle anything.

“What’s up?” the man she’d just been thinking about said.

“I’m going to have to get a job,” she replied. “I haven’t looked for a new job in years, and I’m nervous about it.”

He laughed. “We do have schools in Santa Fe. Or you could go for a whole change of pace and try one of the galleries, or one of the boutiques, or a museum.”