Sweet Salvation (13 page)

“What about you? You didn’t tell me you and Jared were serious. You said you’d been out. Hah! The way he rubbed sunscreen on your ass and stuck his tongue down your throat right there in that chair was a heck of a lot more than going out! I’m the one who’s crushed and inconsolable.”

They stared at each other for a long moment, neither the least bit angry. Then they both grinned at one another until a voice booming from below in the cockpit made them jump.

“Stacy! Under the awning. Now.”

“Okay!” she hollered back, getting up and gathering her things. To Jessie she murmured, “Did I say all that bossy, dominant crap was sexy? I need my head examined.”

Jessie giggled. “You sure didn’t sass him like you did me just now. You’re dick whipped.”

Stacy bristled. “Am not. Just this morning I told him to ‘f off.’”

Jess gasped. “You didn’t!”

“Yes, I did. So whose dick whipped now?”

“He doesn’t seem mad.”

“He was then. In fact, he was so mad I almost didn’t come today.”

“That would have been awful. What changed your mind?”

“Well—”

Jessie jumped on her hesitation. “There is more. I know it. I can tell by the look on your face. Jared is nice but he’s just as dominant and exacting as Marc is, if not more. It’s your turn now, Stacy. Spill!”

“Hey, don’t use my words against me.”

“If you don’t play fair, brat, I’ll do what your mama should have done and spank your naughty butt.”

“You wouldn’t!” Stacy’s face flamed with heat when Jessie hit on the exact topic she was trying to avoid. Why on earth was Jessie talking about spanking? She couldn’t possibly know.

“You’re blushing.” She paused then as a sly grin spread across her face. “I wouldn’t, but Jared would. That’s what happened, isn’t it? Jared spanked your naughty ass.”

“Nonsense.” Jeez, she was even picking up Jared’s mannerisms. If she had a dollar for every time he’d said ‘nonsense.’

“He did. Fess up, or I’ll ask him myself.”

“Oh, all right. I was being a brat and he called me on it. If you want specifics, I told him to fuck off and get out of my apartment. He wasn’t at all pleased and blistered my butt instead. Happy now?”

“Did it hurt?”

“At the time, yes… well, not that much, really. But now, it’s just a memory.”

“They must have been separated at birth.”

“Jess! You too? But you’ve only been seeing each other a month.”

“Yeah, well, I did something stupid and he found out.”

“Like what?”

“I had a flat tire.”

“You got spanked over a flat tire?”

“Well, not exactly for the tire. I forget to charge my cell phone and on the way back from visiting my mom, I had the flat.”

“Okay, not charging your phone is bad, but I wouldn’t think that deserved a spanking. Was this a real spanking or a sexy spanking?”

“It felt like a real one to me, and Stacy, he made me stand in the corner afterward and think about it.

“Well, now I’m getting pissed. That was overreacting, don’t you think?”

“Tell her the rest,
cara
.” Both of their heads whipped around to see the guys, bare-chested in nothing but their swimming trunks, lounging against the railing with arms crossed as they casually listened.

“How long have you two been standing there?” Stacy demanded of Jared.

“Let’s see, it was about the time you called me ‘annoying sometimes, but mostly really sexy.’ I definitely heard about all of those ‘you knows.’” He smiled as she flushed crimson. “What about you, Marc?”

He looked at Jared with a grin. “I came in when your half-pint girlfriend called me Dr. Bossy Hunk Millionaire, didn’t I? Thanks for that by the way, Stace.”

Jared chuckled.

Stacy buried her face in her hands and mumbled, “Take me now, Jesus,” under her breath.

Marc said, “Don’t go until Jessie explains, Stace. Tell her why else you earned that spanking,
bella mia
.”

“Do I have to?”

All three of them answered, “Yes!”

“Well… I was headed home from my mother’s at about nine o’clock when I had a blowout on I-75. Already late for my date with Marc, I had no way to call him so he wouldn’t worry, no way to call roadside assistance either. I didn’t know how to change a tire, so when a nice man offered, I let him.”

“Oh, no, Jess. Tell me you didn’t get out of your car.”

“Okay, I won’t.”

“But she did. And that is why your best friend, my naughty new girlfriend earned a well-deserved butt roasting.”

“I’d have spanked you too, Jess.” This came from Stacy.

“Me too,” added Jared.

“Me three,” added Jessie ruefully. “I learned my lesson, believe me.”

Marc walked over and bent down, sealing his lips to hers in a very soft-looking kiss.
Very nice
, Stacy thought, as she watched it all happen. She smiled, happy for her friends.

When Marc finally raised his head, long minutes later he said, “I’m glad you learned your lesson and will be all the safer for it. My techniques may be out of the ordinary but are very effective, don’t you agree,
bella mia
?”

Jessie’s hand rose to his cheek as she answered, “Highly effective; so much so, they won’t have to be repeated for years, maybe decades. Don’t you think, handsome?”

“Somehow, I doubt it, baby.”

Filled with anticipation, Stacy pointed out the last remaining parking space in the crowded lot.

“Hurry, Jared, there’s a car turning down on the other side. If they get there first, we’ll have to hoof it.” She heard his amused chuckle, but ignored him as she watched the other vehicle approach. Jared’s SUV beat them to the spot by at least three car lengths and Stacy whooped in victory.

“This isn’t NASCAR, Stacy.”

She wrinkled her nose at his little joke. He knew how much that annoyed her. Why did everyone assume that all southerners were NASCAR fans, or rednecks for that matter? Still ignoring him, she looked through the windshield at the wonderful wintry scene before her.

Snow had been falling off and on—mostly on—for the past week, leaving at least a foot of the fluffy white stuff on the frozen ground. It was January in southeastern Michigan, and the intrepid residents, although used to the seemingly endless cold, snow, and dreariness, were looking forward to spring that was still months away. Today, the forecast delivered a much-needed promise of a break in the weather and folks had eagerly ventured out from the confines of their homes, ready to cast off the blight of cabin fever. It seemed that everyone had the same idea, tackling the sled hills and toboggan runs of Cass Benton Park, one of the most popular sledding hills in the Detroit area. Now, the snowy white hills were peppered with bundled-up kids and adults alike.

She couldn’t believe that almost a year had passed since she and Jared had started dating. As her thumb ran over the band of the diamond solitaire on her left hand, it was even harder to believe they were engaged. After dating six months, he’d popped the question and moved her into his big, empty, hideously decorated house. “No,” he’d said adamantly when she’d asked if they were rushing. He was sure she was the one he wanted for the rest of his life.

They’d agreed to a March wedding, a small private affair at Stacy’s request since Jared wouldn’t hear of eloping. Now it was less than two months away and she’d done practically nothing, despite the efforts of her maid of honor, Jessie, and Joanne Baker, her future mother-in-law. Both had been trying to get her ass in gear for months, but she still procrastinated. Why? Because none of it was what she wanted, except for the groom, of course. She’d have been happy to hop in a car, bus, or even a train to elope whenever he wanted. So here she was, near the eleventh hour with no dress or flowers, not to mention Jared’s ring, music, or invitations.

Maybe she could go dress shopping with Jessie, because unbelievably she had her own dress to buy. Implausible as it may seem, just as Stacy was showing off her rock and bursting at the seams with excitement, Jess was doing the same, bouncing up and down and squealing as she held out her own perfect diamond. Although the guys had sworn they hadn’t planned it that way, they’d both ended up proposing on the same weekend. Two best friends proposing to two best friends without any of the other ones’ knowing. It was too weird.

“Okay, bundle up.”

She started as Jared’s smooth baritone interrupted her thoughts.

“You’ll need your scarf and hat, it’s gonna be cold.”

“I’ve got a hood, Jared.”

Shaking his head, he insisted. “Not good enough for this kind of weather. Once we’re whipping down the hill, the cold air will cut right through you. You’ll want that scarf wrapped around your face to block the wind.” Taking her knit hat from the console between them, he tugged it on her head, tucking long strands of blond hair underneath. He then looped the matching knit scarf around her neck. Once done, he leaned forward and kissed the tip of her nose. “You’re cute as a button, Stacy-mine, but what does a Georgia peach know about sledding and cold weather? Trust me on this.”

“You always take such good care of me.”

“Safe in my arms, isn’t that what I promised?” He pressed a firm kiss to her lips.

Stacy’s insides warmed as she looked at her fiancé. Unlike her thick cream-colored cap, with its wide folded-back brim and loose puffball at the crown, Jared wore a navy blue low profile cap that fit snugly to his head. It also sported a bright yellow M on the front, a necessity for all U of M alumni and Wolverine fans alike. A wealth of dark hair peeked out from beneath the brim, curling slightly in front of his ears and across his forehead. His long silky lashes fringed a set of dreamy eyes that had turned a beautiful laurel green in the bright light of day. It had taken a while, but she’d finally figured out the color of his eyes. He had more than one. His hazel eyes were unique, it seemed, and the shade was often mercurial responding to changes in his mood, the ambient light, or the color of his clothing. Chameleon eyes, she called them. Green was his usual color, which she saw most often when he was relaxed and happy—like now. She had learned that they took on an amber tint when he was in the throes of passion and quickly became a steely, hazel gray when he was angry.

Jared’s classically handsome features—straight nose, high cheekbones, strong jaw—drew admiring glances from women wherever he went. His lips were full and sensual, plump and soft to the touch—kissable lips—which any woman would beg, borrow, or steal to possess.

Her mind wandered as she stared up at his gorgeous face. She considered herself one very fortunate girl to have captured his heart. Young and successful, the man could have had his pick of women, but he’d chosen her—a working girl from the south. As she sat there, bundled up in at least five layers of heavy winter garb, she pondered the reason why, but the answer still eluded her.

Jared tapped her nose, snapping her out of her daydream, and flashed his dazzling smile. “Where did you go, Stacy?” he asked with a chuckle.

“Huh?” Flustered, she’d forgotten what she was doing.

“Mittens on, baby, we’re ready to go.” With a knowing grin, he gave her another quick peck as he released his seatbelt and pulled on his gloves.

Stacy often became rattled around him, but Jared, ever the gentleman, refrained from teasing her about it. She knew he delighted in his ability to keep her off balance, having once stated that if he ever lost his powers of seduction, he’d know he wasn’t working hard enough in the romance department and needed to step up his game.

Giving herself a mental shake, she quickly finished covering all the exposed areas of skin save her eyes, while Jared moved around the vehicle to open her door. Ordinarily, she would wait for him, but before he got the chance, she bounded out of the passenger side and met him around back. She bounced up and down, like an eager child on Christmas morning. She could barely contain her enthusiasm as he loosened the ropes on the long four-man wooden sled.

“I’m so excited, Jared. I’ve never played in this much snow before. Atlanta gets a dusting once or twice a year, an inch or two at the most. It melts within hours so you have to be quick or you’re out of luck for at least another year.”

“This snow will be around until late March, I’m betting.” Having unfastened all the ropes, he pointed to the flat end of the sled. “Grab the end, will you, honey? It’s not heavy, just awkward, and I don’t want to scratch my vehicle.”

Together they lifted the toboggan, setting it down in the snow. Each grabbed a hold of the nylon rope handle and together they dragged it behind them as they moved toward the top of the sled hill.

Stacy looked out over the snow-covered park. To the right—on the steepest side of the large hill—were six deep-cut grooves dug into the hard-packed snow. Running the length of the long slope, the toboggan runs were a little wider than the smoothly polished sled. Jared had explained that the track would guide the sled down the hill safely, preventing them from veering into the other riders on either side of them. At the top of each run, a city parks worker stood with a shovel sunk deep in the snow, preventing the sled from sliding down the hill before it was loaded with its passengers. Once everyone was seated, the shovel was removed and the sled slid lickety-split down its track, thrilling the riders who invariably squealed or laughed with delight.

“You know, down south, toboggans are knit hats, not sleds.”

“I say tomato, you say to-mah-toe. I also call the noontime meal lunch, not dinner… like a normal person,” was his teasing response as he scanned the crowded hill. They’d often laughed about the regional jargon and it was an ongoing game to outdo the other with funny colloquialisms. Stacy being from the south had a stockpile to choose from, redneck jokes being a staple.

“Do you see Marc and Jessie?” Jared asked as he scanned the runs.

Stacy laughed up at her six-foot, four-inch fiancé. Was he kidding? He towered over her petite frame and had a much better perspective to see over the scores of ski jackets and parkas before them. “Said the giant redwood to the sapling… You’re really asking me? Lift me onto your shoulders, big guy, and I might be able to see over the crowd in front of us.”