Sweet Christmas Kisses (65 page)

Rock seized the last glass of wine from the nurse’s tray and turned to Zelda. “Now, Mother, there’s nothing wrong with this penthouse. It’s an investment. It cost me a cool million and I’m—we’re quite happy here.” Sasha’s yipping nearly drowned out his voice. He looked at Kim and shouted, “Aren’t we, darlin’?”

Suddenly a large orange and gold tabby strutted out from behind Zelda’s wheelchair. He stopped in the center of the group and looked around as though surveying his new territory.

Sasha’s barking escalated into uncontrollable shrieking. The tabby sauntered over to the bag and peered through the mesh window. With an angry hiss, he slashed his paw at the mesh, slicing through the fabric. Sasha jumped out of the bag, howling like a demon and took off running. The tabby shot after her, charging right between the nurse’s legs.

Marie screamed and dropped the tray. It sailed to the floor like a Frisbee, bouncing around on Rock’s sky blue carpeting.

“Roscoe, come back here!” Zelda shouted and then barked at her nurse, “Fetch him!” She repeated the order in French, but the nurse merely pursed her lips and backed away.

Turning to her son, Zelda said, “Rock, my poor pussy cat has been upset by that nasty little dog! Go rescue him!”

Something crashed in the other room—something apparently glass and delicate by the splintering sound piercing the air. Rock and Kim rushed toward the dining area and found Roscoe perched atop the table next to a shattered crystal bud vase and a pool of water dripping onto the hardwood floor, his tail twitching with evil delight.

Kim made sure they were out of earshot before grabbing Rock by the arm. “Why didn’t you tell me your mother brought her cat?” she whispered.

He stared at the snarling feline with a baffled expression. “I didn’t know she had one.”

Kim took stock of the situation and shook her head. First, Mommy Dearest had subjected her to the third degree and now that monster cat was trying to slice and dice her baby. Welcome to the family...

****

Rock tossed back the rest of his wine and discarded the empty glass on the only dry spot on his dining room table. He’d had enough disasters for one day. That screeching little mongrel cowering in the corner turned what could have been a pleasant evening into three-ring circus. As for that flea-bitten, germ-bag of a cat...

“Get off my table, fur ball,” he said and tried to nudge Roscoe with his knuckle. Angered by the intrusion, the huge tabby yowled and bit down hard on the crook of his finger.

“O-w-w-w-w-w!”

Roscoe dived off the table, landing on the floor with a heavy thud then made a beeline for Sa...Sa... Rock couldn’t remember the ankle biter’s name, but it sounded a lot like...sausage. He chased the cat into the kitchen and almost lost his balance when he tried to hop over a pile of fresh Tootsie Rolls, Chihuahua style. Murmuring a few choice expletives, he looked around for the dog and found her cowering in the corner, trembling in fear as the tabby advanced, baring his teeth. Rock swooped down and scooped up Kim’s pooch before The Striped Terminator could turn it into a taco dinner. The dog’s soft belly fit in the palm of his hand like a water-filled balloon, but when he lifted it off the floor, it suddenly sprang a leak. A stream of liquid cascaded to his shoe and spattered all over the stone tile.

“It’s not her fault,” Kim snapped as she snatched the dog from him. “How would you feel if you were being ambushed by a tomcat so mean he made Stephen King movies look like cartoons?” She glanced at the dog’s double accident. “Tell me where the cleaning supplies are and I’ll take care of the mess right away.”

Hmmm, where were the cleaning supplies? He glanced around the kitchen, scanning the natural oak cabinetry, stainless steel appliances and black marble countertops. “I don’t know. They must be here somewhere. My housekeeper uses them every day.”

He stomped his foot. “Scat, Roscoe. Go back to the living room and hide under the couch. Act totally useless, like a normal tomcat.” The tabby tore out of the kitchen meowing in protest, his large stomach lurching from side to side.

Kim placed the ‘Sausage’ on a bar stool and moved briskly about the kitchen, opening doors to find the cleaning supplies.

Rock glanced over his shoulder to make sure he wouldn’t be overheard. “Don’t take this personally,” he offered gently, “but have patience with Zelda. I know she’s a little abrupt. That’s just her way.”

“She’s a
little
abrupt?” Kim opened a narrow closet door and stopped. “Rock, I don’t mean to be critical of your mother, but she’s about as tactful as a cop maintaining crowd control.” She pulled out a mop and bucket. “She wants grandchildren. Like, yesterday!”

“Can you blame her? She’s dying.” Rock stood behind her, placing his hands on her arms. “Just humor her, okay? It’s only for a few days.” Her shoulder blades fit comfortably under the span of his hands. He squeezed gently. She stopped and turned her head, her wide blue eyes gazing up at him. Her full lips sparkled with cherry-scented gloss. He bent closer, contemplating breaking their agreement as a simple thought grew into an impulsive urge to kiss her.

His BlackBerry buzzed in the pocket of his jacket. He pulled it out.

“This is Rock,” he said gruffly, expecting the caller to be one of his managers wondering why he’d ditched his own Christmas party. Only a few people knew this number so it surprised him when he heard the security guard’s gravelly voice.

“Ever’thing okay up there, Mr. Henderson?”

“Sure, Al,” Rock said as Kim broke away.

“Is that Al Grabowski?” At Rock’s affirmative nod she added, “Does he need his blood pressure checked? I monitor it for him once a week.”

When Rock shook his head, she turned away and began filling the bucket in the sink. He pulled off his wet shoe and set it on the lid of a chrome trashcan. “Everything is just ho-ho-ho. Why do you want to know?”

“Sorry to bother you so late in the evenin’,” Al said. “I got a call from the Robertsons in the unit below yours. They said they were out on their balcony havin’ a smoke and thought they heard a scream comin’ from your place.”

Rock leaned against the counter and toed off his other patent leather shoe. He always kept his patio doors cracked an inch or so for fresh air whenever he had the fireplace going. “It’s nothing to worry about, just a little turf war between the dog and the cat.”

“When did you get a dog and a cat?” Al’s voice echoed loudly with concern. “Don’t you know there’s a moratorium until the January meetin’ on bringin’ in any new animals? Did you check with the association first?”

“Don’t worry, Al, neither one of them are mine,” Rock replied with a wry laugh. Not in a million years... “I have guests for the holidays. My mother and her nurse are staying with me for a few days and I found out the hard way that she brought her cat along for a visit, too. It didn’t sit well with my other guest’s dog.”

“Oh, you mean Miss Kim?”

Rock started with surprise, nearly dropping the phone. He lowered his voice. “How did you know she brought her dog up to my place?”

Kim leaned against the mop, listening.

“I know ever’thing that goes on around here, Mr. Henderson. That’s my job.”

There were security cameras on every floor. Over time, Al Grabowski, the senior security manager, must have collected enough dirt on the residents of this building to start his own reality show.

“I’ll call the Robertsons, Al, and assure them everything is fine.”

“That won’t be necessary, Mr. Henderson. I’ll take care of that. Y’all have a nice evenin’.”

Rock hung up at the same time Zelda bellowed his name. He shoved the BlackBerry into his pocket as he hurried into the living room. “Mother, are you all right?”

“As good as I can be, given the circumstances.” She shifted uncomfortably in her chair then motioned for Marie to take her to her bedroom. “I’m going to bed. I’ve an important errand to run tomorrow.” She shook her finger at him. “You’re taking me shopping to buy a wedding present for your bride.”

“You don’t need to go to all that trouble, Mother.” The words came blundering out before he could stop himself. “I mean, you’ve just arrived. There’s no hurry.”

“Why not?” She sent him a hard, piercing look. “Is there some reason why I shouldn’t buy your wife a gift?”

Her question, leveled like a rap on the knuckles, stopped him in his tracks. “We’re expecting snow tomorrow. It’s going to be cold and slippery. You should stay inside where it’s warm and get some rest. We’ll have plenty of time for shopping once the storm passes.”

“I may be in a wheelchair, but I’m not senile!” She shook her fist as the nurse sped her away. “I can bloody well make my own decisions! Get some
sleep
and be ready to go first thing in the morning. I want coffee at seven o’clock sharp.”

Rock watched his white-haired mother disappear down the hallway. Sleep? With any luck, he wouldn’t get a wink. But first, he had to find out if Kim intended to keep him at an arm’s length or if she was simply bluffing about sharing his bed like a good little make-believe wife. He smiled, wondering what it would be like to cuddle her soft, curvy body in his arms.

Let the chase begin...

Nighty night...

With Sasha nestled in the crook of her arm, Kim entered the living room to face Zelda again. Instead, she found Rock leaning on one hand against the fireplace mantle, staring at the flames with a silly grin. What could possibly have caused him to be so amused? So far, this evening had proved to be anything but funny.

“Where’s your mother? I thought she wanted to interrogate me some more.”

He grabbed the remote and extinguished the fire. “She went to bed, but I’ve been given strict orders to have her coffee ready first thing in the morning. We’ll have to go out for breakfast. Dora, my housekeeper and cook, has the week off.” He set the remote back on the coffee table and turned to her, all serious now. “You look unhappy. Is something wrong?”

Kim took a deep breath. “Yes, there’s a lot wrong,” she whispered. “We have a dog and cat that don’t get along, we have a nurse who doesn’t understand English, we have a sham of a marriage that’s based on nothing but a bunch of lies, and those lies, Rock, are going to multiply each day until we can’t keep our story straight any more. Now that I’ve met your mother, I just don’t know if this is best for her. She’s making an awful lot of plans centered on two people who don’t intend to see them through. It’s not right to deceive her. I don’t feel good about it.”

He gripped her by the shoulders. “What’s so wrong about giving her the thing she wants the most? If she dies a happy woman believing I have a solid marriage then it will all be worth it.”

“But what if she doesn’t die? What if—God willing—she survives another five years?”

“Then I’ll have to tell her the truth. After all, there won’t be any reason to grant her last wish, will there? It’s getting late. We should probably turn in.” He placed his hand firmly on her elbow. “Shall we?”

They reached the doorway of his bedroom at the end of the hallway and Sasha began wriggling, impatient to get back on solid ground. Kim set the dog on the floor, scooting her through the entrance to get her inside before Zelda’s cat appeared out of nowhere again and caused another ruckus.

“I’ll open a fresh bottle of wine,” Rock said, activating the lamps on the twin nightstands flanking his king-sized bed. “Would you like a glass?”

“No, thank you.” She waved her hand, distracted as she watched Sasha trot around the room, sniffing the carpet then disappear under the bed. “I’d rather have a Perrier.”

Concern over the possibility of Sasha nervously soiling the velvety beige carpeting with doggie-do kept her so preoccupied she didn’t object when Rock shut the door and flipped a wall switch, filling the room with soft music. Before she could get her thoughts in order, he spun her around and drew her into his arms, engulfing her with a deep kiss.

Stunned at first, she stood frozen to the spot, her thoughts jumbling as the heat of his mouth melted into hers. Musk and sandalwood aromas of his cologne filled her head, clouding her thoughts. For a moment, she forgot to breathe. Then she drew in a sharp breath, inhaling his manly scent. Deft fingers ignited a trail of fireworks as his hand slid down her spine and rested on the small of her back, pressing her close to him.

Wow...

Instinctively, she slid her arms around his neck and leaned into the kiss, savoring the apple and vanilla flavors of Chardonnay reserve on his lips. She heard a sigh escape her throat as his strong arms surrounded her, pulling her closer to his chest. Something in the way he held her—so confident, yet so tender—pierced her heart and in that moment, she knew that to possess the devotion of a man so loving would be all that a woman like her would ever need.

Double wow...

Suddenly, an old, familiar scene disrupted her thoughts as it flickered through her mind like a snapshot fluttering in the wind. The image of a beautiful woman locked in her lover’s embrace lasted only a moment, but it resurrected powerful memories of Kim’s childhood and the heartbroken tears of a lonely, forgotten little girl.

I’m acting like a tramp—just like Veronica.

Her eyelids flew open.

Kim gasped and slammed her palms against his chest, pushing herself away. “Just what do you think you’re doing?”

Rock went still, his dark eyes filled with confusion, but he quickly recovered and chuckled, placing his hands on her shoulders with a wry grin. “Well, if I have to explain it to you, darlin’, I must be doing something wrong.”

“Ha-ha, real funny, Casanova.” Shoving Veronica’s memory to the back of her mind, she backed away from his reach, still shaken from the desire he’d stirred within her. Unlike her mother, she didn’t intend to lose control. However, it made her mad to know that he probably just decided to take his chances to see how far he could get. “How dare you take advantage of me like this? We had a deal and if you think I’m going to let one killy sis go to my head—” She folded her arms into a tight bow, embarrassed to have him see her so flustered. “I mean, if you think one
silly kiss
is going to go to my head, you’re sadly mistaken! I agreed to play lovey-dovey in front of your mother, but when we’re alone, I’m simply the neighbor in 601E who wants your vote and nothing more. Do you understand?”