The Way You Make Me Feel (14 page)

“Tell me how good,” he demanded.

“This is as good as it gets—and better.”

Her words spurred him on and he kissed down to her feet, then kissed them and held them against his face. This small gesture drove her wild and she begged him to come inside her again. But he turned her over and kissed her long, lissome back and buns, thighs, legs, then sat up grinning. “I get lost in you,” he told her.

She was hot to the breaking point, but she had things to do to him. “Lie back,” she commanded and he did so, with his shaft at attention. She chuckled as she gripped it and moved it around. Then she began with him as he had with her and her tongue was as fierce as his had been. She tongued his flat nipples on his marvelous pecs and he felt waves of pleasure hit him. How was it that people seldom mentioned the keen joy a man felt when his nipples were sucked or licked? he wondered.

She toyed with his penis a few minutes then paid him the favor he had paid her, and he thought as he had thought earlier,
she holds me in the palm of her hand, and she owns me now, body and soul.
He thought about what power she had over him and it thrilled him to his core.

She thought his body was so marvelous, with the rippling muscular feel of him. His body was smooth, like burnished wood, like the wood of the kwihi trees that grew on Diamond Point. She quoted from the Bible's “Song of Solomon.”

“‘He took me to the banqueting house and his banner over me was love. Stay me with flagons. Comfort me with apples. For I am sick with love.'”

And he said softly, “I am sick with what I feel for you, Stevie, which is as deep as any man could feel except for the one thing I want for you. It will come, baby. It will come.”

He meant love, that one day he would be able to love her without fear, and she thought she could wait, forever if need be.

He took her to the waterfall then and she was pleasantly surprised to find the water warm from the long day's sun. The water sluiced over their bare bodies and they kissed under the streaming wetness and it turned her on even higher. He brought her to him and gripped her buns tightly before he entered her and she shivered with rapture in his arms.

Stroking her back with one hand he brought her lips to his and the warm water washed over them as he kissed her with a raging passion she would not have believed possible. He licked her throat, then kissed circular kisses on her nipples again and she was undone as she whimpered her pleasure and her need. Small ripples of wonder began in her body and her heart and eddied out to engulf her. He had to hold her up as wave after wave of tremors shook her body and she was half fainting with glory and fulfillment. She floated on a tidal wave of pure sated desire and thought if she knew no more wonder on this earth, this would be enough.

Damien marveled at what Stevie so plainly felt and he felt he had cheated himself by not knowing this before. He damned the days when he had known her and not known her, but he had been someone else's then. It hadn't been like this. Nothing had been like this. He felt whole now, his own man. And he knew himself for the first time ever—knew what his life was and what it could be, and if he had his way, would be.

After a few moments, they stumbled out of the waterfall and fell together on the soft sand to lie wrapped in each other's arms. “I guess everything about you reminds me of a song. I keep thinking I never made love 'til I made it with you.” And he would have sworn that some of the stars winked at them, happy about their new life of rapture.

 

They slept late the next morning. When they woke, she went to the little room where the fax and a computer were. She wanted to check her messages on both machines. There was one fax in the tray and she picked it up expecting it to be from Zeb, her agent, with news about a gig he was arranging for her in Atlanta.

But the big, scrawled, crazy words leapt at her.

 

You Can Run, But You Can't Hide.

 

Deciding she wasn't going to run scared anymore with so much of her memory back, she checked the computer. There were no messages. Who had gotten the fax number?

She took the paper back to Damien, who swore saltily.

“Baby, I'm so sorry,” he told her as he held her tightly.

“He's right, you know,” she said glumly. “I can't hide. I'm going to fight this all the way.”

He massaged her arms. “And I'm right with you all the way. A number like this wouldn't be hard to get. We're registered at the main desk.”

Later, they checked with the manager who questioned the clerk who had been on duty at the hour the message came in.

“Oh, yes,” the man said. “A very distraught man called and said a friend was dying and he needed to get in touch with you. I gave him your number. I'm very sorry to hear bad news.”

Damien's face was like a thunderstorm. “Not half as sorry as I am.”

They speculated who might have sent that message. “Jake is sure as hell a likely bet,” he said sourly.

They showered and slept in each other's arms and she put up a good front. But inside she was angry and more threatened by what she had to remember than by anything Jake or Keith Muncy could do to her.

W
hen they reached Stevie's house the next afternoon, Damien unlocked the front door, set his suitcase down, took Stevie's, then lifted her and carried her over the threshold.

Laughing, he said, “One more threshold at my house, then we're settled.”

Stevie wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. “Thank you for a really good wedding and an even better honeymoon. How do you find the time to be a record mogul and do all the truly wonderful little things you do?”

He smiled. “I believe the little things are the most important of all.” He looked at her anxiously. “We'll call Detective Rollins right away. He wants to be kept in the loop, so we'll go out to the sheriff's.”

She nodded and kissed him lightly. She was going to be happy, and evil notes weren't going to stop her.

Upstairs he set the suitcases in what had been her bedroom and was now theirs. She closed her eyes remembering the past several days and warmth filled her heart.

She had left her wedding finery at the dressmaker's to be packed and sent on. Now she said as she sat on the bed looking dreamy, “I can't wait for my dress to get here to show it off to Jessi, Nick and the kids. Mrs. Patton is going to love it. And Ron is a bug for photos. He'd make a good photographer. Ron would be good at so many things, but he just can't seem to really get moving.”

“Ron has problems all right. I've often offered him a job at Nubian Gold, but he always says later. We could train him to do many things. He's got a facile brain.”

“And a lazy mind.”

“Does he have a girlfriend?”

“Not that I know of. I've teased him about it and he says he'll just break all the women's hearts and not single out anyone. Ron's an evasive one.”

Mrs. Patton would arrive in a little while. She had wanted to come as soon as they got back. Stevie thought that the woman was an absolute jewel.

Still in her underwear, she looked up to find Damien studying her.

“You look fetching in those clothes,” he teased her.

She swatted him playfully. “This is my underwear, you goofball.”

“I prefer the underwear. No, wait, I prefer what's under the underwear. Think you could arrange that?”

His voice had gone husky, and she raised her eyebrows because she was getting very warm and languid.

“You know,” she said slowly, “I would swear you and I got enough on Diamond Point to last a while.”

“I've been good the whole trip back. I didn't demand that you make love to me on the plane. Now
that's
restraint, because I wanted to.”

“Insatiable.”

He came to her, put a hand on each shoulder. “And you're not just a little bit turned on?”

“Well, we
are
still in honeymoon mode, and I…”

His cell phone sounded its musical buzz and he shook his head. “Next time I'll cut it off.”

She watched him as he talked a few minutes with a deepening frown and finally said, “Just hold on. I'll be right there.”

He hung up and turned to her. “Thank God this didn't happen while I was away. Linton Wilson's wife won't let him see his son and he's despondent, drinking. He's got records to cut and that's why I couldn't stay on Diamond Point longer. I have to say I'm good with him, a younger father figure. I'll go find him and soothe him. Honi's good with him, too.”

At the mention of Honi's name, Stevie felt herself start. She hadn't thought of her during the entire honeymoon. Now she was reminded of business ties between the two and that they would be working together to get Wilson straightened out and recording.

“Sorry to run out on you, babe, but I'll be back as soon as possible.” He paused a moment. “Wilson notwithstanding, I want my folks to meet you without any more delay. Even if we have to take Wilson with us.”

“We could do that.”

“I'm hoping Honi can keep him cool until I get back. We can't stay more than a day. We'll go back later.”

“What about your lunch? Let me fix you a quick sandwich.”

“No, sweetie, there's no time. I'll get something at the cafeteria. Wilson is a reckless drinker and the sooner I get to him the better. Just have me a great dinner when I get back. I'll grab a banana and some nuts on the way out.” He hugged her tightly and kissed her face. “I won't kiss you right now because if I do, I'll never get out of here. Take care.”

He pulled on slacks and a polo shirt, picked up a jacket and left, and she sat on the bed feeling completely content. She kicked off her shoes and lay back on the big pillows letting the details of their time on Diamond Point wash over her. Had they lain in that powder-soft white sand and made love? Made more love in the waterfall? All under stars of unearthly brilliance and a full moon made especially for them? She longed to go back immediately, but anywhere Damien was, she was happy to be.

She went to the walk-in closet to get her stonewashed, bleached jeans and a pale-blue T-shirt. She saw immediately that something was missing—the black case with Bretta's jewelry. For a moment, she was disoriented and wondered if she had put it somewhere else. No, she had left it right here. She turned on the light in the closet, made herself calm down and searched. The case was gone!

She heard Mrs. Patton let herself in downstairs and slam the door. She went to the head of the stairs and called. Mrs. Patton put down her things and came up immediately.

“My goodness, what's wrong? What's going on?”

Stevie told her what had happened and together they searched the closet. The case was gone.

Stevie called Jessi who said she'd checked on the house daily and had seen nothing awry. She would be right over with Nick. Mrs. Patton and Stevie checked the entrances and found a seldom-used side door had been jimmied by someone who knew how to disengage a security lock. Instantly, Keith Muncy came to mind. It was no secret that she and Damien were going to Diamond Point. Keith had connections with the underworld and they would know how to breach a security system.

But what would he have been looking for? she wondered. And it hit her, maybe he wasn't looking for anything; maybe he just wanted to frighten her. A burglar's tools would have opened the locked case. But if it was Keith, he would have wanted more than anything to toy with her, to put her on edge.

“I'll call the police,” Stevie said when they were sure the case was nowhere else. She called and talked to a detective on the robbery squad, then to Detective Rollins who listened carefully.

“There'll be two of us coming out,” he told her, “in a couple of hours. This interests me because of the murder angle and we're fast getting nowhere on that.”

In the kitchen with Mrs. Patton, Stevie thought of calling Damien, but she didn't want to bother him. He had his hands full with Wilson. Time enough to tell him when he got home.

“Why don't I fix you some tea and you can tell me about your honeymoon,” Mrs. Patton said. “Right now, there's no sense dwelling on this. Let the police take care of it.”

Stevie nodded. “I knew I should have put the best stuff in my safety deposit box, but I wanted to look at it a while longer. I have the best in security systems. Or I was told I did.”

“Well, the world is full of people who know ways to keep us from being safe,” Mrs. Patton said. And Stevie thought of Keith Muncy again.

They talked about the honeymoon, but Stevie was distraught. “My wedding gown and hat are being sent express. You'll love it.”

“I'm sure it's beautiful and you were beautiful.”

“As soon as I feel like it, I'll get the photos and later I'll show you the videotape. You've got to go there one day. Maybe you could go with us to Carnival.”

“Oh, that would be wonderful.”

Stevie sat thinking she might as well get busy doing a great dinner for Damien. She settled on crab cakes, grilled, shrimp-stuffed flounder and his favorite cheese scalloped potatoes. He liked red-wine vinaigrette dressing with his garden salad and she had become expert at mixing it for him.

She forced herself simply to keep busy until Detective Rollins and the other detective arrived. Rummaging for ingredients for the dressing, she groaned to find that there was no more apple cider vinegar.

“I'm going to the 7-Eleven to get some,” she told Mrs. Patton.

“Why don't you just rest? I can go.”

Stevie shook her head. “I need the air and I need to move.” She didn't say it, but she felt that her own house was full of spooks and shadows and she had been wretchedly violated.

The store was only a couple of miles away.

 

She saw him when she first entered the store. Keith Muncy. More than ever now, she thought it could be him who'd broken in and who had sent and left the notes. He stared at her across a counter of bread and other baked goods, then nodded, his eyes glittering malevolently, as if he wanted her to know something frightening. She didn't return his nod. She was aware of his eyes on her back as she went to the counter to get the vinegar and brought it back to the waiting line.

He bypassed several people to stand beside her and said to the others standing in line, “Don't worry folks. I'm not cutting the line. I'm law-abiding. Just want to talk with the lady. You, ah, told any good tales to the cops lately?” he asked her in a low voice.

She glanced at him coldly. “I have nothing to say to you, Keith. Nothing at all.”

“And I'd be pleased if you have nothing else to say to the law boys,” he came back. “Take care, Stevie. An unpaid debt is not my way of doing business. I've warned you.”

She saw him look at her hand and saw his quick intake of breath. His eyes widened, then narrowed. He had been going to say something else, but instead he hunched his shoulders and walked away. He stood by the big plate-glass window and he surveyed the room, but mostly he looked at Stevie. What had he been going to say? she wondered. And what did he care if she was married to Damien?

In her car, Stevie was determined to hold steady. She hadn't been afraid of Keith Muncy before and she wasn't going to be afraid of him now. Except, she thought, what if he were one of the people in the hateful scene she was so afraid of? This brought a thin film of perspiration to her brow.

When she got home, Mrs. Patton was putting a peach cobbler in the oven. She turned as Stevie came in. “Well, that didn't take you long. You look bothered.”

Stevie told her about Keith and the older woman frowned. “Keith Muncy's been bad news since I can remember. He was a bully even back then. He used to come into our neighborhood to court a pretty girl who lived there. His folks were rich and he thought this gave him keys to the kingdom. I was glad when he grew up and went to college. He hasn't changed.”

“He's up to something and he wants me to know it,” Stevie said thoughtfully. “I'll get the doorbell,” she added, as the chimes pealed.

She opened the door to a grinning Ron and Zeb Willis.

“Look who I found lurking outside,” Ron teased.

“Zeb!” Stevie went to Zeb for a bear hug and he held her away from him. “How's the world treating you? Hey, I didn't e-mail or fax you because I was still smoothing out all the wrinkles, but I got the Atlanta deal sewed up. Sam's got another publicity team for that one and we're rolling. They think advance sales are going through the roof. You're going to be inundated with love again, as if it ever stopped.”

Zeb looked at Stevie's left hand and whooped with joy. “Hey, you got married. Now don't tell me. You and Damien looked pretty chummy to me when I last saw you. Is it Damien?”

“Yes, it's Damien. We were married on Diamond Point Sunday.”

“And you're showing all the benefits. You look beautiful! Congratulations, love! I couldn't wish for better partners for both of you.”

Ron joined in with congratulations and added, “A whirlwind romance. Exciting.”

Stevie patted Ron's back. “Thank you both.” Then to Ron, “Where've you been keeping yourself?”

Zeb looked at Ron keenly. “I know I wish he'd let me keep tabs on him. A couple of years with me and he'd be a rich and famous man. Can't you make this kid see the talent he's letting go to waste?”

Stevie threw up her hands. “I've tried. He's a stubborn mule. When I do get started again, I want him to travel with me.” She turned to Ron. “What about Atlanta?”

“Going with you to Atlanta?” Ron said slowly as if he was considering it.

“Yes. Would you?”

“Ah, I dunno. I'll think about it. God knows, I'm sick of this town right now.”

For a moment he looked bleak and Stevie's heart went out to him.

“Look you two, you're just in time for dinner. Crab cakes and peach cobbler. Takers?”

Zeb shook his head. “Baby, you know food and I go a long way back, but—” he glanced at his watch “—I've got to meet a man over on music row, couple of guys in fact. It looks like I've become famous, too. But you say peach cobbler. Could I persuade you to put me up a serving to go? I'd be grateful.”