WalkingSin (16 page)

His mother’s eyes softened with love. She
tenderly touched his cheek. “I’m not saying your lifestyle is wrong, Dax. I
know you’ve never been interested in anything long-term with a woman, although
I don’t understand that. You were brought up in a caring atmosphere with
parents who adore you and each other. I don’t know why you don’t want that kind
of close relationship yourself. You’re just as warm and loving as your
brothers. They’ve both found women to love and who love them. I want that for
you too.”

Dax shrugged, unsure how to respond to his
mother when he didn’t know how he felt. He knew he enjoyed being with Kelcey,
enjoyed their lovemaking. Other than that, his feelings and emotions had become
all jumbled since he met her. “I like my single life, Mom.”

“If it makes you happy, I’m happy too.”
Tears shimmered in her eyes. “I love you and only want what’s best for you.
Please believe that.”

He took her hand from his cheek and
squeezed it. “I do believe that. And I love you too.”

She gave him a fierce hug and kissed his
cheek. “Enjoy the shrimp.”

He watched his mother walk to her car and
drive off before he entered the house again. He expected to see Kelcey sitting
at the kitchen table, drinking a glass of tea. It surprised him to see her
standing by the table, withdrawing a key ring from her purse. “Are you
leaving?”

“Yes.” She clasped the keys in her hand.
“Thank you for the massage. It really helped.”

Just like that, she decided to leave. No,
she couldn’t go yet. He wanted more time with her. “I thought you’d stay for
supper. Mom brought over some fresh Gulf shrimp. Or I can fix something else if
you don’t like shrimp.”

“I love shrimp, but I can’t stay. I want to
shower off the massage oil.”

Instant image of Kelcey in the shower last
night, water beading up on her oiled skin. He’d work up a thick lather in his
palms again and wash away the oil from her flesh, paying extra attention to her
pretty nipples and pussy. Then he’d make her come with his tongue.

“You can shower here.”

“Thanks, but then I’d have to put these
clothes back on. That would defeat the purpose of the shower.”

He took two steps closer to her. “You
wouldn't have to put your clothes back on. You know that.”

He watched her gaze pass over every part of
his face. “May I be honest with you?”

“Always.”

“I used you, Dax. I didn’t want to be
afraid of a man anymore. Emma told me if I was the one in control, maybe I
could be intimate with a man and not fear sex any longer.”

“That’s why you didn’t want me to touch you
Monday night.”

Kelcey nodded. “I thought, with your
experience with women, you would be the perfect man to…experiment with.”

First his mother and now Kelcey. His
reputation had gotten way out of hand. A touch of anger laced his words.
“Kelcey, I don’t fuck every woman I know.”

“I didn’t say you do. But you have a lot of
experience with women, right?”

He couldn’t deny that. He had no idea how
many women he’d fucked, but it had to be dozens. “Yeah, I do.”

“You made everything wonderful for me,
Dax,” she said, her voice soft. “I don’t know if another man would have been so
patient with me.” She picked up her purse and slung the strap over her
shoulder. “This time with you has been wonderful. But it can’t happen again.”

He couldn’t believe she planned to walk
out, not after the last three evenings they’d shared. Everything had been
perfect between them. “Why not?”

“I’m not strong enough, Dax. I can’t have
sex with a man and walk away like Emma did for years.” Her eyes filled with
tears. “I didn’t plan for us to be together again tonight. I honestly came over
for only a massage. Yes, I wanted you. I can’t help wanting you. But I can’t be
the next in line of your bed partners. I want to share my life with someone,
Dax. You don’t. There’s no reason for me to ever be with you again.”

That tightness gripped his chest once more.
He didn’t understand it, he didn’t like it, but he couldn’t ignore it. He
needed to touch her, to verify she was right here, close to him. He reached out
to cradle her cheek in his palm. Kelcey stepped back so he couldn’t touch her.

“Goodbye, Dax.”

* * * * *

Kelcey managed to hold back the tears until
she made it to Alaina’s car. Falling for Dax had to be the stupidest thing
she’d ever done. She never would have believed she could care so much for a man
in such a short amount of time. Love took time to nurture and grow. Two people
needed a lot of time together before they fell in love. That’s what she’d
always believed. However, she had no doubt that love blossomed in her heart
right now.

All the time she’d talked to Dax in the
kitchen, she’d wanted to take his hand and lead him back to his bed. She’d
longed to make love with him again, feel every bit of his skin against hers.
After they were sated and couldn’t move, they’d talk about all the silly, mean-nothing
things that couples talked about while getting to know each other better. Then
they’d make love again before falling asleep in each other’s arms.

Wiping the tears from her eyes, Kelcey
started the car and headed for Alaina’s and Rye’s house. She’d get over Dax, in
time. She had to. They didn’t want the same things in life. He wanted to
continue flitting from woman to woman while she wanted to settle down with one
man. She wanted children. The thought of becoming a father probably made Dax
run and hide.

She pressed the button on the remote
attached to the sun visor to open the garage door and pulled into Alaina’s spot
next to Rye’s pickup. After checking her reflection in the rearview mirror to
be sure she’d wiped away any evidence of tears, she got out of the car and went
into the house.

The kitchen was empty, the light over the
stove the only illumination. Kelcey took the back hallway to her room. She
collected her robe and headed to the bathroom. She started the shower to let
the water warm while she removed her clothes. Stepping beneath the spray, she
closed her eyes and tilted her face up so the water would run over it.

Tears came again, but Kelcey didn’t fight
them. She let them fall to mix with the water running down her body.

She wasn’t the first woman to fall for the
wrong man, and certainly wouldn’t be the last. As long as she remembered that,
she could go on with her life and hopefully find a man who would love her as
much as she loved him.

Chapter Thirteen

He made it back to his car before he cursed
fluently. Kelcey no longer worked at the utility company where she’d worked for
the last eight years. No one at her job knew where she’d gone…or wouldn’t tell
him, despite him playing the relative card.

He’d done no better at her house. He discovered
it locked up tight and looking deserted. A check of the mailbox on the porch
didn’t help either since he found it empty. Kelcey had disappeared without a
trace.

“Damn it,” he muttered, hitting the
steering wheel with the side of his fist. He’d already checked her credit card
records and hadn’t found any usage in the last month, so no clue there. Her
cell phone records didn’t help him either. He’d never known a woman who didn’t
use a credit card or cell phone on a regular basis.

He had no choice but to go back to his
hotel room and start a brand new search.

* * * * *

Dax slowly moved his brush along the
outside of the leaf, adding more color. He wanted the leaf a little wider with
a little more shadow. Just a bit more on the edge…

His hand slipped, his brush leaving a blob
of green on the wall.

“
Fuck
!”

He heard a “tsking” sound behind him. Dax
looked down from his perch on the ladder to see Griff standing below him.

“Did you make a boo-boo?”

“Yes, goddamn it.”

“You’re in a shitty mood.” Griff held up two
bottles of Coke. “Time for a break.”

He’d rather have a beer than a Coke, but
had never drunk during working hours and wouldn’t start today, no matter how
crummy he felt. “Sure.”

He joined Griff at one of the folding
tables that were set up in the dining room so their crew could take breaks and
eat lunch. He stared at his blob on the wall as he unscrewed the lid of the
soft drink.

“Don’t look so upset,” Griff said. “I’ve
seen you fix bigger mistakes than that.”

“I guess I can blend in another couple of leaves.
Things should be done in odd-numbered groups. Since I already have three leaves
there, I’ll have to add two more.”

“I don’t see anything wrong with an even
number in a group, but that’s why you’re the artist and I’m the electrician.”

“It has to do with pleasing the eye, bro.”

Griff took a long drink of his Coke.
“Speaking of pleasing the eye, I want to talk to you about my house.”

“What about it?”

“I know Emma has mentioned to you about
painting some of the walls with more vibrant colors. Think you can fit that in
your schedule?”

“Sure. I need to finish the vines I’m
painting in here first. Then I’m all yours until I start working in the
restaurant.” He leaned back in his chair. “Does she have her colors picked
out?”

“You’ll have to ask her that. She changes
her mind every other day.”

“Sounds like a typical woman to me.”

“Yeah. What is it about women? We love them
at the same time we want to strangle them.”

“They probably say the same thing about
men.”

“I guess.”

Sipping his drink, Dax studied his brother.
Griff had fallen apart when his wife died. He’d lost a lot of weight and
practically hid in his house except during work. Emma had put the sparkle back
in his eyes, the smile back on his face. He’d regained some of the weight he’d
lost and seemed so much happier. “You really love Emma, don’t you?”

“Yeah, I do,” Griff said with a soft smile.
“I never thought I’d love again after I lost Jana and our baby. Emma is… She’s
amazing.”

One look in Griff’s eyes proved to Dax how
much his brother loved Emma. “Will I hear wedding bells soon?”

Griff choked on his swallow of Coke. “Hey,
no rushing. We’re still getting to know each other.”

“You said you love her. What else do you
need to know?”

“Neither one of us is ready to get married.
We’re happy living together for now. Besides, Emma is wrapped up in building
the restaurant and helping with Alaina’s and Rye’s wedding.”

“Did they set a date and no one told me?”

“Not an official date, but Emma told me
last night Alaina is leaning toward April.”

“I thought women liked June weddings.”

Griff shrugged. “She wants bluebonnets in
bloom for the wedding.”

“She may have rain along with those
bluebonnets.”

“I have no doubt the ladies will consider
every little thing that could go wrong when they plan the wedding.” Griff emptied
his bottle. “Well, that was a nice break. I’d better get back to work before
Emma hunts me down and hurts me.” He bobbled his eyebrows and grinned.
“Although her hurting can feel mighty fine.”

Dax laughed as he watched his brother leave
the room. It made him feel good to see Griff happy, yet jealousy also tugged at
him. Both of his brothers had fallen in love and wanted to share their lives
with one woman, and only one woman. Dax had always believed it would be boring
to wake up with the same woman morning after morning.

Maybe it wouldn’t be boring. Maybe it would
be…nice.

The Coke satisfied his thirst, but Dax
still wanted some kind of snack before he tackled the grapevines and leaves on
the wall again. Luckily, Alaina and Emma kept the pantry well stocked with
goodies. He wandered into the kitchen, in search of some of Emma’s homemade
cookies. Since the office was located right off the kitchen, he could hear
Kelcey talking on the telephone.

“Are you sure it can’t be repaired? It’s
only four years old… Yes, I understand.”

She must be talking to her insurance agent.
Dax grabbed three oatmeal raisin cookies from one of the Rubbermaid containers
and strolled toward the office.

“That quickly? That’ll be wonderful.” She
laughed. “I guess that should be fun, but I’m not looking forward to car
shopping. It always makes me dizzy… Thanks, Crystal. I appreciate all your
help. Bye.”

He leaned against the doorframe, munching
on his cookies, as Kelcey hung up the phone. “Totaled your car, huh?”

“Yes.” She swiveled her chair toward him.
“I was hoping it could be repaired, but that wasn’t an option.” She sighed
heavily. “I loved that car.”

“So buy the same one in a newer model.”

“I guess I can.”

She reached back and rubbed her neck. Dax
figured she didn’t even realize she’d done it. “Neck hurting?”

Kelcey quickly lowered her hand. “It’s
okay.”

“Don’t lie to me, Kelcey. It isn’t unusual
for a person to hurt for a long time after a car accident.”