Southern Comfort (8 page)

"What's got you smiling, Ms. Annie?" Riley asked, alerting her to the fact that he was looking at her.

She wasn’t quite ready to meet his eyes. "Just feels good to be here."

"Yeah, it does."

"It's not what I had pictured in my head."

"No?"

"No. I mean, yes. I looked at all kinds of pictures online, but it's different to see it in person. It's the feel of the air, the smells and sounds."

"Far cry from New York." Cody commented from the other side of Analise.

"Oh god yes."

"Never been there." Cody said.

"Ever wanted to go?"

"Not really." She looked around Analise at Riley. "He's been."

"Do you like it?" Analise turned her attention to him.

"It's okay. Bit too many people for my taste. Too much noise. Hard to hear yourself think."

"It can be."

"So did you live in one of those big high rise things?" Cody asked.

Analise wasn't keen on talking about herself and her life in New York, but she didn't want to ruin the moment of comradery between them. "No. We didn't live in the city."

"So where'd you live?"

"In a house."

"With a yard?"

"Yes, we had a yard."

"A big house?"

Analise wished Cody would stop asking questions but she couldn't say so. "Big enough I guess."

"You go to the city much?"

"Occasionally."

"Do you miss it."

"Not at all."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Huh. So I guess you can take the girl outta the city."

"I guess so. Oh what's that?"

Riley looked in the direction she pointed. "That's Cotton Creek."

Analise smiled at him. "So the town was named after the creek or the creek after the town?"

"I don't really know. Cody?"

"Grandma says her grandma said the town was named after the creek."

"Well there you go. Straight from Grandma Sweet's mouth."

"Why Cotton?" Analise asked.

"Pardon?"

"Why name it Cotton Creek?"

"Cuz people grew a lot of cotton." Cody answered.

"And there's more than a few cotton mouths in some parts of the creek." Riley added.

"Cotton mouths?" Analise shuddered. If there was one kind of animal on earth she didn't like it was snakes.

"Don't worry. They're not bad up this way."

"Thank God."

Everyone fell silent for the remainder of the ride. When they arrived, everyone got to work setting up camp. By the time they were done, the sun was sinking into the horizon. Analise fished out a plastic bag from one of the sacks.

"Who's up for a cold beer?"

"You have cold beer?" Riley turned from his task of building a fire to look at her.

"Yeah. I wet some hand towels and wrapped them around beer and put them in the freezer this morning. It'll keep beer ice cold for a good long time."

"How many you got?" Cody asked.

"A twelve-pack."

"That ought to just about do it." Riley said and grinned. "Soon as I get this fire started, I'm ready."

Riley watched Analise as she worked. Funny, but at the moment she didn't seem much like a city girl. Had spending time with Cody made that much of an impact?  Whatever the case, it was nice to see that tension gone from her posture and a smile on her face.

Dinner was a surprise. Along with her ingenious way of keeping beer cool, she'd packed sausage and hotdogs to cook on the fire, and had made a potato salad that rivaled Stella's. She’d also brought buns and even a plastic container of baked beans she heated on the fire in a skillet she placed on what she said was a cake cooling rack balanced between two rocks.

There was even dessert. S’mores. The flavor reminded him of childhood campouts and brought back a lot of good memories.. By the time they finished eating they were all stuffed. While Cody burned the paper plates they'd used to eat off of in the fire, Analise had washed the skillet with water from a gallon jug she'd brought.

They sat around for a while talking and pretty soon everyone was yawning. "Okay, I'm done." Cody announced. "It's my one night to sleep and that's what I'm gonna do. See ya'll in the morning."

She unrolled her bedroll, climbed in and was asleep in two minutes. Riley looked at her, grinned and then turned his attention to Analise. "You tired, Annie?"

"Yeah, a little."

"Then why don't we turn in?"

"Sounds good."

He waited until she'd spread her bedroll and then placed his close by. As he lay down he heard her soft voice. "Thanks for taking me camping."

"Thanks for letting me join. See you in the morning, Annie."

"Goodnight, Riley."

It took Riley a bit to get to sleep but finally he felt himself sinking. It seemed that he had just shut his eyes when he heard Analise. "Riley!" Her voice was a stage whisper, sharp but low. "Riley!"

He rolled over and could see her lying on her back, staring at him. "Annie?"

"There's something in my sleeping bag."

"What?"

"There's something in here with me."

"Where?"

"It's across my left leg, just above my boot."

"Can you tell what it is?"

"I'm not about to touch it but it feels like a snake."

Riley cursed softly and climbed out of his bedroll. He quietly went over to where Analise was laying still as death. Her face was covered in a sheen of sweat.

"Okay, let me take a look." Without touching he checked out her bedroll. It wasn't zipped which explained how the snake had gotten in.

"Annie listen to me. I want you to move your left leg real easy out from under the bedroll."

"I don't want to anger it."

"Me either, but we've got to get it out. So real slow, slide your foot out."

"What if it bites?"

"Don't worry, you'll be fine, I'm right here. Just trust me, okay?"

"Okay."

"All right." He looked around and grabbed one of the more sizeable rocks that lined the fire. It was warm but not too hot to hold. "Okay, now, Annie."

He watched, straining his eyes in the darkness. He could see movement in the bedroll but couldn't tell what it was from. "Is that you or the snake?"

"Both of us, I think. He's kinda wrapped around my boot from the feel of it."

"That's good. Even if he bites he can't bite through the boot. So keep moving your foot out."

"Okay. No wait. What are you going to do once it's out?"

"I'm gonna – I'm gonna kill it with this rock."

"You're going to beat me with a rock?"

"No, the snake."

"Well if it's on me aren't you going to hit me?"

Riley realized he hadn't thought it out well. "You have a better idea?"

"Not really."

"Then we stick with my plan."

"Okay, here goes."

Analise's boot and then her leg slid out from under the bedroll. Sure as shit, there was a big fat snake wrapped around her ankle. A big fat mad snake that struck the moment her foot was free of the covers. Riley didn't have time to hit it. Analise bolted to her feet like she'd been propelled from a canon and was hopping around, slinging her foot like a crazy person.

The snake must have gotten hung in her jeans because it was flopping all around but not coming loose.

"Get this thing off me!" Analise yelled as she continued to jump and kick.

"If you'd hold still for five seconds I'll try!"

"I am!"

"Annie be still!"

She stopped, balancing on her right foot and holding her left aloft. Riley looked at the snake. It was clamped on tight to her jeans, twisting and writhing its body up around her leg. He wasn't real keen on what he was about to do, but he had to act so he took a breath and grabbed the snake at the base of its head.

Two hard jerks and the snake was off her leg and in his hand. Two seconds later he threw it away from him as hard as he could. He turned to look at Analise and she took a step toward him. His feet carried him the rest of the way. He almost reached for her but stopped short.

So did she. They simply looked at one another and damn if he didn't feel like he was falling. Not physically, but into something he wasn't prepared for. The attraction he felt for her slammed into him. Had Cody not been there he might have made a move. Had he not wanted so desperately to deny that attraction he might have kissed her.

Still, the impact was potent. The only thing that saved him was her suddenly bursting into laughter. At first it shocked him, then the humor of the situation hit him and before he knew it he was laughing as well.

"What the hell are you doing?" Cody was sitting up staring at the both of them

Analise laughed harder which caused him to laugh harder. Cody just looked at them like they'd lost their minds. "Pipe down. Some people are trying to sleep."

They finally got it under control and Analise reached out and touched his arm. "Thanks for saving me."

"Anytime, Annie."

She smiled and looked at her bedroll. "Would you think me a coward if I said I don't relish the idea of getting back in that thing?"

"I think I can fix that." He spread out his bag, rolled hers up and fashioned a pillow to put on his. "If you don't mind sharing."

She looked at the bedroll and then at him. "Fair warning, I think I snore."

"Then that makes two of us."

"Okay, deal. Which side you want?"

"The right."

She gestured for him to go first and he lay down on his back. She lowered down beside him on her back and then rolled toward him. "Do you mind?"

In lieu of an answer, he stretched out his arm and she snuggled up against his side, placing her head on his shoulder. Riley wrapped his arm around her. "Night Annie."

"Night Riley."

Riley lay there for a long time, watching the stars, feeling her relax against him. It was a nice feeling and just before he drifted off, he wondered how it would feel to have this feeling every night.

Chapter Eight

Rodrick walked out onto the balcony as Gina entered the room. He was on the phone with his son, David and had no desire for David to find out about Gina. Nor did he have any desire for Gina to know of his conversation with David.

"Texas?  What in the world is your mother doing in Texas?"

"Visiting a friend."

"And her car broke down?"

"Yeah."

"So what is she going to do?"

"Get it fixed, I guess."

"And what part of Texas did you say that was?"

"I didn't. Listen, Dad, I have to go. I'll talk to you later."

"All right. I love you, son."

"Yeah. Bye."

Rodrick stuck his phone in the breast pocket of his shirt, placed both hands on the balcony rail, and stared out over the city. David had been less than forthcoming about his mother. That wasn’t a surprise. He’d always favored his mother. But Rodrick needed to know where she was so he could try to convince her to give back the money she'd taken.

The balcony door opened and Gina walked out. "Who was that on the phone?"

"My son."

"Oh?  I didn't think you and he were speaking?  He
is
still tied to her apron strings isn't he?"

Rodrick ignored the jibe. "I think I need to find Analise, speak with her in person. I'm sure I can convince her to give me back the money and then I can—"

Gina's laugh cut him short. "What?"

She waved her hand as if dismissing something ridiculous. "Darling, take it from someone who knows. She'll never give you back that money."

"You don't know that. If she thought I was in trouble – in danger—"

"You cheated on her, Ricky. She wouldn’t spit on you if you were on fire. Besides, that little matter is already being handled."

A wave of fear brought bile boiling up his throat. "What do you mean by that?"

Again the dismissive hand wave. That was starting to annoy him. "Just that. She'll be dealt with, you'll pay what you owe and that will demonstrate your loyalty. After that it's just a matter of dealing with your family and when it's all said and done and you're in control of Becke Ltd, then you and I can live happily ever after."

She pinned him with a look sharp enough to cut. "That
is
what you want, isn't it?"

"You know it is, but I can't imagine how you could possibly— and what do you mean demonstrate my loyalty?  To whom?"

Gina's smile seemed a bit sinister, something that surprised him. "Darling, I haven't been entirely honest with you."

"About what?"

"Well, about my – my family."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean – well, my name isn't really Russo. That's my mother's maiden name. My real name is Gina Moretti."

Rodrick literally had to hold onto the balcony railing to remain standing. "Moretti?  As in Giancarlo Moretti?"

She nodded. "My daddy."

Rodrick felt like he was going to vomit. He turned away from her, feeling sweat bead on his forehead and gather under his arms. Giancarlo Moretti was the head of the largest crime syndicate in New York, and one of the people to whom his family owed millions.

He tried to gather his wits before he turned his head to look at her. "And you're telling me this now because?"

"Because I love you. I want to spend my life with you, Ricky. And my father has the power to eliminate all your problems."

"In exchange for what?"

“Can’t he just do it because he loves me and wants me to be happy?"

"But he won’t, will he?  What does he want from me?"

"Nothing that you haven't already been doing. He just wants you at the head of the table of Becke Ltd."

"And what about my family?  My father and brother?"

"They're not really necessary."

"Gina, they're setting me up. If the Feds come in, Rolf has made sure it will be my name on everything underhanded and illegal. I told you, they expect me to take the fall."

"No. Daddy won't let that happen. He has power. Real power. Just think about it, Ricky. We will be like kings of our own empire. He can make that happen, Ricky. With my father's help, you'll make more than you ever imagined and we can have the life we've dreamed of. All we have to do it get rid of what stands in our way."

"Like my family."

She shrugged. "Attaining greatness always requires a sacrifice. Attaining me does as well. You do want me, don't you?"

"You know I do. I told you a million times. I love you, Gina. I've never loved anyone the way I love you."

"Then all you have to do is prove it, lover. We'll take care of your wife and when you pay my father and demonstrate your loyalty, he'll take care of the rest of it."

Rodrick shook his head. "He can't take care of the federal investigation, Gina."

"Maybe not. But like I said he can make sure that all the evidence points to your brothers and your father. You were the innocent in all this, the honorable son and brother who was duped. No one will be able to touch you."

Rodrick was shocked that her plan had appeal. On one hand, it was like being offered a ‘get out of jail free’ card, a chance to be the man in charge, to rule the empire with Gina by his side. On the other hand it meant becoming something he was not. A man willing to murder to get what he wanted.

He didn't know what to do. If he said no, he would lose Gina, and possibly his life. If Moretti was willing to kill Rodrick's entire family, then killing him would not even cause the man to bat an eye.

He was fucked and his options were dismal. He could say no and risk being killed, or go to prison with the rest of his family if they were indicted. Or he could say yes and become a monster like Moretti. He really didn't like either option. But he was going to have to choose one and he was going to have to do it fast, because Gina was a woman accustomed to getting what she wanted, without having to wait.

"Gina, you know I'd do anything for you." It was the best he could manage at the moment, and he was relieved when she apparently took it as acquiescence. She came to him winding her arms around him.

"You won't be sorry, Ricky. I promise you."

God help him, but even fear at discovering that she was spawned by a monster and was most likely one herself, could not stop him from becoming aroused. He let her lead him into the penthouse, down the hall and to the bedroom.

He didn't think sex was going to ease his mind, but it would keep her from being suspicious that he wasn't onboard. He needed to keep her believing that he would do what she wanted. At least until he figured out what path provided the best options for survival.

*****

Analise looked at herself in the mirror. "I'm not sure about this."

"Oh come on, you look great."

She turned to look at Cody. "It's … it's too young for me don't you think?"

"For crying out loud, Annie. You're not a freaking grandma. You look great. And besides, people around here wear jeans and shirts when they're a hundred."

Analise gave herself another look then threw up her hands. "Fine, but if I get laughed out of town it's on your head."

"No danger out that. Riley's gonna—"

"Don’t. Please."

"Look, I know you have a fantasy thing about who he was in the movies and all, and yeah, he was smokin' hot back in the day, but now he's just Riley. I mean, don't get me wrong, he's still smokin' hot for an old guy, but he's not the movie star. And he's never acted like one. Around here, he's just Riley Morgan."

"Smokin' hot Riley Morgan."

"A bit old for my taste, but yeah.. And you're smoking hot Annie Becke so get over it. And I gotta get to the bar and get things set up. What time you want me to come get you?"

"I don't know. You tell me."

"Between five and six?  I'll get Hannah to watch the bar."

"Cody if this is going to be an inconvenience, I can just stay here."

"Hell no, you can't. You haven't stepped foot off this ranch since you got here except to go camping. This is the big night, girl and you are gonna be there. I'll call when I'm on my way."

"Okay, and thank you."

"No need."

"Is there anything I can do while you're gone?  Clean or … or whatever?"

"Whatever you want. Me casa and all that. Later!"

Analise watched Cody leave and then looked at herself in the mirror again. She'd never worn jeans this low cut or tight in her life and felt like an idiot. She quickly changed back into her comfortable loose- fit jeans and t-shirt and went downstairs.

She wandered into the kitchen. The dishes from breakfast were still in the sink. It took less than ten minutes to wash, dry and put things where they belonged. As she did, she noticed again that nearly all of the cupboards were in disarray. Until now she'd been hesitant to do anything without asking. But those cupboards were in need of serious work.

Before she'd given it a thought she was busy unloading everything, washing down the inside of the cupboards and placing everything back in a nice orderly fashion. She hummed to herself as she worked, letting her mind wander.

It was nice being able to admit to someone that knowing Riley was Nate Bridges had really thrown her for a loop. As unlikely a pair as they were, she and Cody really had formed a connection and she knew through and through she could trust Cody.

Even now she got a rush of heat to her skin when she thought about Riley. Holy shit, she was going to have to set aside an entire afternoon to tell Katie about this. Never in a million years would she have imagined it. It was simply unbelievable that she'd made online friends with someone and then to have him turn out to be the actor she'd been lusting over the last twenty years.

Now not only had she met him in person, they camped together and he’d rescued her from a snake and she had even slept snuggled up next to him. It was like something out of a book.

Sometimes life was stranger than fiction. And that made her remember. She needed to enter the notes she'd jotted down earlier on paper into the computer. Thanks to Amazon, she'd been able to get a cool tablet pc in just a few days, and they’d shipped it right to Cody's door.

She finished the kitchen and headed for the den where she'd left the tablet on a small wooden desk. She turned it on, opened Word and got to work.

Riley turned into the road leading to the Sweet Ranch and slowed. He hadn't seen Analise since the campout. That was cowardice on his part. He hadn't wanted to face her one-on-one. On the one hand, he didn't feel that he'd done anything wrong, acted dishonorably or even actually lied to her.

On the other, they had not addressed the issue of him being Nate Bridges and sooner or later they had to if their friendship was going to get fully back on track. He could understand how she'd think he'd been trying to keep his alter ego  a secret. And truth be told, he had been on some level. Despite being out of show business for a decade, if he told someone he was Nate Bridges, they always treated him differently. People were uncomfortable around celebrities. They saw themselves as less than the celebrity, even though that was a big crock of crap.

Still, it was hard to make friends with "stardom" in the way. And he'd been out of the game so long that he didn't think of himself as Nate anymore. Hell, he never wanted to be that man again.

But there was more at play than his discomfort at keeping his Nate persona a secret. Meeting Analise in person had kind of knocked him off kilter. Had she been a homely woman, or a woman he'd never be attracted to in a million years it would have been easier.

He'd come to know her fairly well over the last year. Gotten to know what made her laugh, what made her angry and what made her sad. He knew her fierce devotion to her son and how hurt, let-down and angry her husband's infidelity had made her.

Riley admired her. She was strong-willed, talented and had a good heart. He liked her, genuinely enjoyed her company. He'd just never expected to be attracted to her. He'd thought the picture of her was pretty, but in person she was really something. Long dark hair that had a few strands of gray she obviously didn't try to hide with dye, clear baby-blue eyes rimmed with dark long lashes and a skin that was clear and smooth, not hidden under layers of artifice.

Then there was her body. His first impression was "pin-up" – that kind of woman that makes a man's mouth water. Big breasts, full hips and that sultry full-lipped look that had always drawn him like a horse to water.

That's what had thrown him so hard. It was one thing to like a woman, admire her and enjoy talking – or in their case, texting with her. But to be that attracted added a whole new level to things. And the truth was, Riley didn't know if he was ready for the way she riled him up inside. It wasn’t like she was the kind of woman he could take to his bed and then never speak to again. Unfortunately his relationships during the last decade had been of that sort.

He'd hadn't planned driving out to the Sweet ranch today. But he'd driven into town to stock the kitchen and while there stopped by to see Jimmy to ask about Analise's RV. Jimmy mentioned that there was a lot of stuff still in it and he didn't want anything to go missing. He asked Riley to get her stuff and take it to her.